Are there still Good Samaritans today? Yes, definitely. On 19 August, the world honours them, as we mark World Humanitarian Day.
Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan is well known: a person stands by another person whose life hangs in the balance and provides help on the spot. A course of action that is more in demand today than ever before. It’s called charity or active love of one’s neighbour.
World Humanitarian Day
For 16 years now, August 19th has been dedicated to people like the Good Samaritan, women and men who step into crises to help others in acute need. Often in the most difficult humanitarian situations: they are exposed to great personal risk. There are threats. They are in great danger due to poor security and often risk their lives.
This was also the case with the United Nations Special Representative in Iraq, Sérgio Vieira de Mello. Born in Brazil, he worked for the UN for over thirty years, drawing attention to emergencies, helping to alleviate suffering, and giving a voice to the often unheard victims of war and conflict. Most recently in Iraq, until his voice was silenced abruptly: on 19 August 2003, he died in a bomb attack in Baghdad along with 21 of his colleagues. This event was the impetus for World Humanitarian Day, which recognises humanitarian commitment in general.
What exactly is humanitarian aid?
Humanitarian aid must be distinguished from development aid. Development aid is long-term and focusses on improving living conditions. The aim is to create a basis for people so that they can provide for themselves in a self-determined and sustainable way. The idea is to help them help themselves.
The principles of humanitarian aid are based on humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence. It is characterised by short-term, needs-based assistance and is a direct response to an acute emergency. Emergencies include natural disasters, epidemics, crises, and conflicts.
Those affected are at the mercy of their plight and can no longer cope with the situation on their own. Humanitarian aid aims to alleviate the suffering of these people, preserve their prospects for the future, support them, protect their rights, and save their lives. This is achieved by providing water, food, shelter, and medical care for the injured—help through material and logistical support.
Humanitarian aid provided by the New Apostolic Church
“Helping someone in need as best we can is not only a matter of Christian charity; it is a commandment of humanity,” writes the New Apostolic Church of Southern Germany, which runs the aid agency human aktiv. “The aim is to ensure survival, and help people lead as dignified a life as possible,” NAK karitativ adds. NAK Diakonia explains, “Humanitarian projects are always carried out in close cooperation with other New Apostolic or church aid organisations.”
re Charitable Ministry, a US-based aid agency associated with the New Apostolic Church, also focuses on humanitarian commitment: “We believe it is necessary that our love for God and neighbour spills into the communities around us through real world service.” NACare Foundation in Australia also stands for disaster relief: “Floods, bushfires, cyclones, drought, earthquakes … the Western Pacific corner of the globe is highly exposed to many natural disasters.” Short-term and rapid aid is provided in cooperation with registered charitable organisations in Australia. Reaching out to people “in need and assisting in relief, rehab, and reconstruction after natural disasters without racial, religious, social or political biases”, is also the focus of NAC SEA Relief Fund in South-East Asia.
“The aim of the Church’s humanitarian commitment is to provide aid quickly, directly, and unbureaucratically,” NAC Southern Germany reports. The help provided benefits all people, regardless of religion, gender, skin colour, or origin—just like the Good Samaritan.
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