The Power of Small Gestures
“We always have a chance to make a difference. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture. It can be a simple way to change someone’s life, just by doing something small.”
–The Rev. Rhonda Rogers
The Rev. Rhonda Rogers grew up in New Jersey. She was raised by her mom who worked multiple jobs to keep them housed and fed. “Some nights, all that was left was enough for pancakes and syrup,” she shared.
Though she thought the food was delicious, Rogers realized as she got older that flour, eggs and milk were often all they had left in the house until the next paycheck. “I never went hungry by the grace of God,” she continued. “But I know that everyday there are people who do.”
As she grew up, her world view was shaped by these early experiences. As an adult, the Reverend pursued a career path that afforded her relatively great privilege and status, which she wholeheartedly uses to help others. After working 40 years as a chemical engineer, she became a priest. Even during her career, she felt God “nudging her in that direction.” In going through her discernment process, Rogers shared, “My hope was to help people discover how God is present in their lives.”
Rogers now serves at St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church in Prairie View, Texas. Their mission is to show the loving presence of Christ through community engagement in issues of healthcare, racial reconciliation and social justice and supporting a thriving ministry for Prairie View A&M students.
For more than 25 years, Rogers has been a passionate supporter of the Episcopal Relief & Development Gifts for Life catalog. She was living in Rochester, NY the first time she learned about it and how supporters of the organization can purchase items to help people and communities around the world. Her local church in Rochester would send an email reminder or an announcement in the church bulletin about the catalog and she felt connected to the mission.
The Episcopal Relief & Development Gifts for Life catalog offers different categories of items that supporters can choose from that further advance the organization’s work to promote equity and empowerment for communities around the world. Catalog shoppers can contribute to a category in their own name or in honor of a loved one, a popular option around the holidays.
The gifts from the catalog that Rogers gravitates towards help to support women’s health and nutrition as well as economic empowerment. The different selections offer medicine, medical care, clean water, and nutritious foods that can also be sold for additional household income. For the Reverend, giving these gifts are a small contribution to a larger plan that fosters lasting change around the world.
“We always have a chance to make a difference. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture,” she shared. “It can be a simple way to change someone’s life, just by doing something small.”
Explore the Gifts for Life catalog today to make a small contribution with a big impact.
