Love Thy Neighbour

Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Matthew 19:18-20 (in Context) Matthew 19

I love my neighbour.

OK, he has just helped slab my patio area but he has showed a very selfless act which he has done as a good neighbour.

I like to think I get on well with all my neighbours. But what constitutes a neighbour?

Is it the person next door?

The person down the street?

Perhaps we should consider everybody our neighbour and love them as thyself.

Tomorrow a group of us from different corners of the United Kingdom set off for Romania to help with the wonderful charitable work that Cry in the Dark provide. This charity supports children and young people with life limiting illnesses and diseases in impoverished areas close to the city of Bacau. They have the Casa Lumina Orphanage in Comanesti and also the Casa Albert Day Care Centre in Luncani which also doubles as a Medical Outreach Centre, creating much needed medical care for some of those that the state system fails to help. Without a doubt there is a tremendous amount of love, care and attention lavished on these vulnerable people; the love and care that is so sadly missing in the state run institutions. When Cry in the Dark started back in 1998, their hearts poured out to these suffering children and their love for these new found neighbours and faith in God have kept them going to this very date. Steve Cooper and his dedicated team have certainly shown amazing love to their neighbour.

This year we have a choice of activities to be involved with. Some of us will be working at Casa Lumina helping with further building alterations whilst others will be at Casa Albert organising and running the entertainment for the young people as they visit the Day Care Centre.

I'm not sure as yet if everyone going on this trip is a believer and follower of Christ. Certainly the ones I know are, but without doubt their is compassion in all our hearts with a desire to demonstrate our love for our neighbours, with action.

How fantastic is that?

Terry Norrington

http://www.cryinthedark.org/