Voice 1
Hello, and welcome to Spotlight. I'm Marina Santee.
Voice 2
And I'm Steve Myersco. This programme uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
Ancient Judea - the road between Jerusalem and Jericho. A Jewish man is walking along this dangerous way. Suddenly, some robbers attack the Jew and take everything he has. They beat him and leave him almost dead on the road.
A short time later, a Jewish priest walks down the same road. He sees the man, but walks past him on the other side of the road. More time passes. Then a Jewish temple worker, a Levite, comes along. He too looks at the man. Then, he too, crosses to the other side of the road and walks away.
Next, a Samaritan man comes along the road. Like the Jewish priest and Levite, the Samaritan man sees the beaten Jew. At that time, Jews and Samaritans hated each other. But, when he sees the injured man, the Samaritan feels bad for him. So, he walks over to the man and cares for his wounds. Then he puts the man on his donkey and takes him to a hotel. The Samaritan asks the owner to care for the injured man. He explains that he has to continue travelling. But he will leave some money to pay for medicine and food for the injured man.
Voice 2
This story is from the Christian holy book, the Bible. And it is Jesus who told this story. People were asking him how they could be sure of spending the rest of their lives with God. Jesus answered them with his own question: what does God's law say?
‘Love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. And love your neighbour as you love yourself,' they answered. But one person listening was not satisfied. ‘Who is my neighbour - the person near me?" he asked. Jesus then told the story of the Good Samaritan.
Voice 1
"Who is my neighbour?" Peter Dixon has spent a lot of time thinking about this question. Peter was once a pilot in the British Royal Air Force. From there, he worked for the British government in training and management. Now, he leads a small aid organization called Concordis International. It aims to help individuals and groups in conflict situations to work together to bring lasting peace. For Peter, the story of the Good Samaritan helps him to better understand the nature of the difficult work he does. He says:
Voice 3
"We can note why the Samaritan helps the injured victim. He helps him because he just happens to be passing by. He does not seek him out. However, when he sees the problem, he does what he can. And he does not try to do it all alone either. He uses his wealth to leave behind some resources with the hotel owner. This will help to meet the victim's needs in the longer term."
Voice 1
However, Peter Dixon continues:
Voice 3
"Maybe I am giving this simple story a deeper meaning than it really has! And our own world today is very different from the Samaritan's. We have mass communication. We see pictures of people suffering. This is very different from someone walking along the road and discovering a victim. But I do not think any one of us should feel responsible for putting right all the wrong in the world - like a superhero! We should do what we can, where we can, when we can."
Voice 2
Peter Dixon is a Christian. And his faith has moved him to ‘do what he can' for people in need. And this is why he works for Concordis. He explains:
Voice 3
"The urgent need to help suffering people is a major part of our faith's concern for the poor. It does not just mean providing aid or systems that will help things work better...if we can prevent or stop violent conflict or work towards building peace - surely it is our duty to do so?"
Voice 1
So, what does Peter Dixon and Concordis do, exactly? Lucian Harriman is research manager at Concordis International. He explains:
Voice 4
"We organize unofficial talks between different groups of people. These people are either directly involved in an armed conflict or they are affected by it. We bring them together in a safe, neutral place. There, they can discuss their situations in a positive way. They can discuss the issues and common problems that lead to the fighting."
Voice 2
One of the countries where Concordis is working is Sudan. Civil war between the north and the south lasted for over 20 years. It was Africa's longest civil war. People in the north are mainly Moslem, in the south most people are Christian or follow traditional religions. In 2005, leaders from both sides signed a peace agreement. Lucian Harriman explains the work of Concordis in Sudan:
Voice 4
"We are working with a Sudanese organization. It brings Muslim and Christian leaders together. They discuss how they can all be involved in building peace in Sudan - how they can be effective as religious leaders to prevent fighting".
Voice 2
In recent years another conflict has grown in the west of Sudan - in Darfur. The UN and the African Union sent a peace-keeping force there. But they have so far had little success in bringing an end to the conflict. Concordis is a much, much smaller organisation than the UN, but it says it is continuing its work to build peace in the region.
Voice 1
Concordis' Lucian Harriman admits that there are no easy ways to end a conflict. He says:
Voice 4
"The kind of work that we do...is not going to solve everything...but we are creating a space that makes peace negotiations possible. This enables a different kind of discussion between groups who may not be talking to each other...we do not have the resources or desire to change the situation through force. So our weakness is a sort of strength. People are prepared to listen to us. They do not see us as a threat...they trust us."
Voice 2
Concordis International members are working to build healthy relationships across barriers. For them, good relationships are the key to social, economic and individual well-being. If you care for your neighbour, you will be less likely to fight against him. Only then can peace come - lasting peace. It seems that the message of the Good Samaritan still has something to say to us today.
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