love your neighbour.

north america, the land of opportunity. families from all over the globe immigrate here in hopes of finding what many of the established already have: stability and happiness. in a society that doesn't have to worry about the obtaining the basic necessities of life, many people never have to think about poverty, nonetheless, relate to it. many people understand that there are wars happening, injustice taking place, and poverty surmounting, but can't relate to those issues because it doesnt happen here, right? wrong.

hi waterloo. never seen poverty? stop and look into the eyes of the homeless man sitting at the plaza. never experienced war or political injustice? talk to a refugee who chose to escape their country with her 5 children, after the government had killed her husband. never had to take desperate measures to provide for your family? talk to the 6.5% of the region who is unemployed (thats 1.2% above the national average).

global issues are not just global. they're local, right down the street from us. no, they may not be as severe locally as they are globally, but they are here. they stare us (literally) in the face, and we avoid eye contact and keep walking.

the definition of community and neighbourhood is constantly changing, with talk that gen y may ruin local communities. in the parable of the good samaritan, a man asks Jesus how he can inherit eternal life. Jesus answers "Love your neighbour as yourself". "And so, who counts as my neighbour?" the man asks. then as Jesus tells a story. as scott harrison puts it "a man [is] beaten near death by robbers. He's stripped naked and lying roadside. [Two] people from his village pass him by, but [an enemy from another village] stops. He picks him up and bandages his wounds. He puts him on his horse and walks alongside until they reach an inn. He checks him in and throws down his Amex and tells them to give whatever he needs until he gets better. "Which of the 3 men," Jesus asks "is the man's neighbour?" The man replied "The one who had mercy on him."

our neighbours are defined as the people who live next doors, the cashiers at the local grocery store, and the joggers passing by. but also encompassing our neighbours include the refugee family that just moved to waterloo, the teens living on the streets, and the homeless man in the plaza.

lets pass a little kindness onto our neighbours, shall we?