A favourite story of mine is the one about the “Good Samaritan”. You may have heard it. It’s the story about a traveler who gets mugged and is left for dead on the side of a road. Several people come by at various times. All of them are people whom you would expect would offer their help. All of them presumably were capable of helping. Alas, no help is offered. Along comes an individual who by outward appearances and background is least likely to help. A total stranger. Surprise, he actually does help! He has compassion and takes the injured traveler to a place of rest for recuperation and pays for the services required to restore the traveler to health. The story was in part an answer to the question “who is my neighbour?”

Its funny how this question of who is my neighbour keeps coming up, and keeps on being answered in similar ways.

I think Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I have a dream” speech is in part a response to that question. My neighbour is anyone in need, regardless of colour or race. John F. Kennedy’s famous line – “ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country” is also in part a response to that question. Everyone in my national community is my neighbour. The question even made its way into advertising many years ago with an insurance company telling us how neighbours act – “like a good neighbour, State Farm is there”. As you read this I’m sure you can even hum the tune!

We are neighbours when we act, when we listen, when we show compassion. We are neighbours when we don’t ask what’s in it for me but ask what we can do to help. We are neighbours when we are colour blind, and blind to differences in outward appearance and behaviour.

I am blessed to be surrounded by neighbours. I want to thank all of the employees and volunteers, and the many donors to Mission Services of London. Together you can and do make a difference, and collectively like a good neighbour, you are there.

Peter Rozeluk, Executive Director