Transcript of a ride home that I gave to four female SUNY Oneonta students from downtown through The Redemption Movement’s #OneontaRides free ride service, around midnight on 12-15. For this ride, the Kindness Car was at capacity and all four passengers were encouraged by the following conversation. Making the ride extra special, is the fact that I broke my ankle just an hour prior (I didn’t know that it was broken). Instead of going to the E.R., I decided to finish the night and take people home. After having this conversation, I’m glad I did.
Girl 1: I honestly can’t thank you enough. It’s really nice. Thank you so much.
Kaler: We’re happy to serve your needs.
Now what church are you guys with?
It’s a church called The Redemption Movement. I’m the pastor of it.
Can you please redeem me? In all seriousness...
Girl 2: This is a really stupid question, like, what kind of a religion is this?
It’s Christian.
Christian. Not Catholic, but Christian?
Right, but I think Catholics are Christian, you know?
Catholics are Christian, of course.
Pastor, like, I’m serious, I made some stupid choices.
Like, we all have. I’ve made stupid choices.
Like, in all seriousness, can you please like, help me. I’m sad now. I’ve had a lot to drink tonight.
Tell ya what, at the end of the ride how about I pray for ya?
Thank you so much!
I was talking to my friend the other day about this. I was confirmed Roman Catholic or whatever, and you know how you have to do that interview thingy with the priest? I remember in 7th or 8th grade confessional, they told me that I wasn’t going to go to Heaven because I don’t go to church every Sunday. Is that true?
That is not true.
Alight, well the priest was a liar.
Well this is one of the differences between Protestants and Catholics.
I’m literally like old now and I remember that from 7th or 8th grade. Like, it still scars me every time I think about it.
Salvation and Heaven, that comes from faith in Jesus Christ.
I literally have so much faith and I literally think about God so much.
If you put your trust and hope in Jesus...
I do. That priest was like trying to mess with me.
I hate to say that it’s all about making it to Heaven because it’s about so much more than that.
No, I know. But he was trying to scare me. He was like, “Why don’t you go to church?” And I was like, “Ohhh yikes!”
I really am trying to be a good person, but I feel like people just take advantage of that.
Yep. You know, that’s part of the package.
No, literally, she was trying the other day and people literally take advantage so much. I try so hard not to.
I do this ride thing and I get people that take advantage sometimes and ask me to go to house parties.
No seriously, please don’t think I’m doing that. This is my first ride and it is amazing.
Like, I’m also really cold. I’m not going to lie. I don’t want to be a liar. It’s really cold and I didn’t want to wait for the bus.
That’s what it’s about.
Like, I’m not here to lie and all.
Sometimes we give rides to people that just don’t want to be cold, and sometimes people are just…
I’m also ssslighty drunk.
Whether you’re slightly, severely, or completely sober...
Exactly.
...we give anybody and everybody a ride home.
(All 4 girls) Thank you!
Like, I honestly I can’t thank you enough. Do you want money?
No. Not while we give rides. This is free.
Does the church take donations?
Yeah, we do online and we have a little gift box at the tent, so we do it like that. But we’re not fundraising and this isn’t about money. So hold onto your money tonight.
Girl 3: You know what you should do to give back? Go in your purse and get some money...
You know what, if I get to pray for ya, that’s going to make my night. I’ll be happy to pray for you. That’s why we’re going out and doing this.
Oh my God. Thank you so much.
What’s your name sir?
My name is Kaler.
Kaler, I’m going to pray for you.
Oh, you know what, I’ve been doing this for years and no one’s ever prayed for me.
No, I’m going to pray for you. Like, I pray every night and I’m going to pray for you.
Genuinely know that, before I fall asleep tonight, I’m going to think of you and and your family. Like, I don’t know who you are but I’m going to think of you.
Ahhh.
I literally sound like a lying piece of shit, but I am literally going to think of you.
Girl 4: This is great. This is so positive. I’m loving it.
We call it the Kindness Car.
This is a lot of kindness. I’m loving it.
Okay, I sound very drunk and stupid right now, but I genuinely think of people and pray for people at night.
I’m (name given). Nice to meet you.
My grandma is Christian, she’s very, very religious. But I feel like, you know, she preaches all this Christianity, but she doesn’t give back or be kind to people. And that’s one thing, I’m not resentful, but I think, you know, it’s very hypocritical. I think, you know, to be Christian you need to give back. You know, that’s part of the thing is being a good person, and not always is she. And I think what you’re doing is exemplary. It’s wonderful!
Yeah. I’m trying to show what Jesus’ love is like.
Exactly! Jesus’ love is giving back to people, it’s being kind and showing others love and help, and that’s what you’re doing.
So I’m crying because this is, no no no, because I literally stress over the stupidest stuff, and I get so mad and upset over the stupidest things.
And I don’t think of little things like this.
And then, yeah yeah, in retrospect, like this, stuff like this is real.
You know, especially with the season of Christmas, this is so exemplary, you know. This is the key!
I wouldn’t be too down on your grandma. Because, when it comes down to it, we’re all hypocrites on some level. So, I think that’s what’s cool about Jesus and the Gospel, is that the Gospel redeems even hypocrites. So, the point of it I think is, the longer you follow the Christ, you look less hypocritical, more and more.
Can I please, like, I’m being so serious, I am coming to your mass on Sunday, because I believe this.
Sure! I’ll give ya’ll cards.
A card would be wonderful!
I sound so bad, but I genuinely miss religion. I went to private school like all my life, elementary school through high school, I went to Catholic school, and I kinda miss it.
You guys going to be around this Sunday at all?
Yes we are!
This Sunday is like big Christmas production.
I would love to go!
That would be awesome!
I went to Catholic school but I never went to mass with my family because we just didn’t do it. But like, I miss praying in Catholic school. I never thought I would say that because I hated the uniforms, I hated it. I went to an all-girls privatized high school. I don’t know, I just miss it now, now that I think about it.
See I used to go to church every Sunday when I was little with my parents, but you know, I kinda got away from it. But you know, my mom, this past year getting chemo and everything, that really affects your faith, you know?
That’s rough.
If you don’t have something to get you through that, you got nothing.
Yes.
So, I mean, maybe I’ll start going to church because I am very faithful, you know? I would love to go to this church!
I’ll hook you up, yeah. Actually, I’ll give you the card, I’ll write some info on there. My phone number is actually on the card. If you see me, it’d be awesome if you sat with me and my family.
That would be wonderful!
I’ll introduce you guys.
Yeah so, seriously, like this ride, obviously I was so upset about something so small and this made my night.
Yeah. That’s why we go out. You know, when people serve you and show you kindness when you don’t expect it, it changes everything.
Oh my God, this is so meaningful.
I do this every Friday. I love meeting people.
Like, I hope that you get the appreciation that you deserve.
Thank you so much.
Well, I mean, that’s not why. We’re not doing it for ourselves, but there’s a lot of good vibes.
Yes, but coming from an outsider, I really hope that you’ll keep doing this. Like, this is really, really good.
Why thank you. I appreciate hearing that. (Pulls up to dorm) Okay well, you know what, if I saw you at church that would be huge. That would make me so tickled pink. So I’m going to write it right here.
Yes, can I please have. I’ll take it.
So this is a church called Anchor. It’s 6pm, Sunday, at 12 Grove. Do you want me to write that for each of you? (gives invite card to Girl #1)
Yes, I would love one.
6pm, 12 Grove, Sunday, Anchor. There’s like multiple churches represented here. (hands invite card to Girl #3)
And if we go we just walk in, and it’s just like, it’s okay?
Yeah, like I said, this is actually my phone number, my cell. So if I know you’re coming I’ll introduce you to my family and we can hang out.
That would be amazing actually.
That’d be wonderful. That would be so nice.
(hands invite card to Girl #2) Thank you so much. (door opens)
Wait (Girl #1) I got to pray for ya, remember? What do you need prayer for?
Wait, I’m getting blessed (sorts out who’s who now that the car dome light is on).
We can all use some prayer.
I’ll do a group prayer. Any special requests?
Umm, my mom, and my life, and yeah.
Mine’s umm, my parents’ health.
Yeah, my parents and my family.
Alright, so kind of a common theme here. (Asking Girl #4) You wanna get in on this?
Yeah sure, we’ll do family.
We’ll do family, alright.
Family and, I’m going to be selfish, and just that I find happiness.
I agree with that, happiness.
Alright, I'll do this short and sweet. Lord God, I come before you with joy that we can take this random moment and just focus on you, and your goodness can be reflected in this car ride. I pray that the love and joy experienced here will spread to each one of these young girls’ families, and that you’ll fill their hearts and lives with happiness when they go home and see their families, and that happiness will spread, and it will even affect their health. I pray for your miraculous touch on the health of their loved ones. And I pray ultimately God that these young ladies, that tonight when they pray and they think about this ride, that they will feel your love, in a real and tangible way. God, just bless them, bless them I pray, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Thank you so much.
Thank you that was so nice.
Happy to serve. So we do this every Friday so let’s stay in touch.
Okay, we’ll see you Sunday hopefully!
Hopefully, that’d be so awesome.
I will pray for you. For all good things. Thank you.
That’s awesome. You’re welcome. Have a good one. (3 girls exit the car, leaving Girl #4 to be taken home).
That’s so nice.
Yeah.
I bet that doesn’t happen often does it?
It does actually.
Really!?
Yeah, I mean, the prayer thing I probably only get to do that like once or twice a night.
That’s actually surprisingly more than I expected. I just feel like, some kids aren’t as appreciative.
Yeah well, I mean like, if I was driving a taxi cab, I would hate it. Because if you’re doing something and people are paying you to do it, you know, they have an expectation. Like, a “you work for me” kind of a thing, and that would be absolutely miserable.
Yeah yeah.
Because like, you flip it on its head and you’re like serving them, it’s like, “What? What? No no. Ahhh.”
Yeah yeah, they’re like, “No money? This is free!?”
Yeah, so if you take like, the person in the worst mood possible, and they might even be angry or belligerent when they get in, but after it all kind of connects…
Uh huh. I was in a pretty bad mood before this, but after hearing all of that I was like, “I can’t even be angry anymore.”
Exactly.
Like, they’re all just happy to be here.
Yep. We call this the Kindness Car. With the volunteers we call it the Kindness Team, we got a Kindness Station and Kindness Baskets. I’m basically Kindnessman. I mean, like Batman has like a Batarang and a Bat Car and all of this stuff.
Yeah really! That’s amazing. That’s just so nice that people do that selflessly.
Well, it’s like the name of our church is The Redemption Movement, and I threw that word Movement in there intentionally because I believe that things like redemption and kindness can be like a movement where it spreads and grows, like the card says “Scatter Kindness.” So, the cool thing is that I started this whole thing years ago with just like, me, a friend, and a car, and it’s blown up into multiple cars, and we got that tent, and we got this giant team of like dozens of volunteers. And so it’s just like, for all of the crap going on in the world that gets you depressed, it’s like, the thing that you don’t hear about is the steady movement of kindness and love.
It’s just so necessary though. I feel like this world is just depleted of it and everyone is just so unhappy and going on with their lives. And this is just such a great thing.
I mean like, I work really hard to write about this and put it up on social media and spread the word, and ultimately that’s not because I’m trying to brag about what we’re doing.
Right.
But I know that people read it and they’re like, “Ahhh,” and their day changes. So that to me, is worth all of the work, if someone is blessed by it. (pulls up to her dorm)
Thank you so much. I appreciate it.
You’re welcome. Have a wonderful night.
Thanks. You too. Have a great night.
You too. God bless.
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