有幸成為二〇二二年香港人道獎得主之一，並從法律背景人士轉變為人道探索者，我很高興分享以下信息。
我相信你我不是生活在野外的動物。換句話說，無論她╱他的社會地位或財富如何，我們周圍的每一個人都很重要。所以我們應該過著基督徒的生活，被稱為弟兄姊妹的生活。人有不同的信仰，儘管有差異，所有的教義和講道都談論彼此相愛和關懷，從而呼籲我們建立人道人性。要做到這一點，同情心是關鍵。源自拉丁語，compassion這個詞的意思是一同受苦（compati），這個寶貴的字詞，對活在當下的我們，是非常需要的。
這個世界的居民正經歷不同類型的苦況，在身體上，有來自疾病、殘疾造成的痛苦；以及由悲傷、分離、焦慮產生的精神痛苦。事實是，每個人，無論住在我們附近還是遠方，都受著某種形式的苦況；可能是對某事或某人的擔憂，或正在努力尋找正確的人生道路。所以，人人都需要同情心！
我們沒有任何關於同情心的既定法律，只有許多不同的指導書籍。剩下的，就是我們如何以及何時選擇成為富有同情心的人。聖經是引導基督徒走向憐憫的書籍之一。它提供了大量富有同情心的故事和人物，可以作為我們如何應對痛苦和他人需求的榜樣和動力。這些故事充滿仁慈和憐憫，並呼籲效法在我們前面踐行信仰之人的榜樣。「你們各人的重擔要互相擔當，如此，就完全了基督的律法。」（加六2）。這意味著實行憐憫，不應被解釋為只是上帝的表彰，而是上帝子民的一種特質。
作為一個富有同情心的人，路得的故事是聖經中非常鼓舞人心的段落之一。路得與拿俄米一同經歷苦難，直到她被迫返回伯利恆並一起定居。在英語詞典中，形容詞「無情」ruthless（直接翻譯就是「沒有路得［Ruth］」的意思），不是沒有意思的，反而強調了路得的故事重要性，就是對有需要的人作出同情的一個例子。除了路得，耶穌、約瑟、好撒馬利亞人和巴拿巴也被稱為「勸慰子」，正好向我們揭示了聖經中最偉大的同情心故事。
同情心這個詞，通常被人們理解為在金錢或時間方面的巨大犧牲。這並非完全正確！誠然，同情心可能會是物質上的幫助，但在許多情況下，一個簡單的微笑，或僅僅是全心同在，對有需要的人來說更意義重大。有趣的是，實踐同情心不僅能幫助那些接受憐憫的人，且能讓我們更快樂、更健康。踐行同情心亦可以加強人際關係及結連社區。我見證著實踐真正的同情心，可以改變我們與他人相處的方式。
事實上，一旦你有意識地辨識出某人的苦難，並且你能夠感同身受並解決其他人的問題，這就讓你比其他人更了解自己，從而使你更能管控自己的苦難。我相信，如果不實踐同情心，就更難建立人道人性。「感同身受他人的苦難」的意思是「採取行動」。同情心超越了對他人痛苦的認識，一個簡單想減少痛苦的願望，或採取一個簡單的行動來幫助他人，就足以實踐同情心。
需要同情的群體之一，就是難民和尋求庇護者的群體。正如基督徒的使命是「要按至理判斷，各人以慈愛憐憫弟兄。不可欺壓寡婦、孤兒、寄居的，和貧窮人。」（亞七9-10）。我很感激一群教會和非政府組織，包括香港正義中心（Justice Center, Hong Kong），他們了解難民群體在香港的情況，並致力減少他們的苦難。香港正義中心是一個非牟利、非政治組織，其願景是香港成為一個公平和包容的社會，即使是最邊緣化的人，也能在此享有基本的權利和訴諸司法的機會。香港正義中心為在香港尋求保護的人，提供免費和獨立的法律資訊，以及專門的法律和社會心理援助。
我的祈禱：願頌讚歸與我們的主耶穌基督的父神，就是發慈悲的父，賜各樣安慰的神。我們在一切患難中，祂就安慰我們，叫我們能用神所賜的安慰去安慰那遭各樣患難的人。我們既多受基督的苦楚，就靠基督多得安慰。（林後一3-5）
英文原文：
Having the privilege to be one of the 2022 Hong Kong Humanity Awardees and someone who turned from a Law background person to a Humanity Seeker, I am very pleased to share the below message.
I believe that you and I are not living as animals in the wild.
In other words, every single human being around us matters no matter what her/his social status or wealth is. So we should live just as Christians; who are called to live as brothers and sisters.
It happened that people have different beliefs, yet in our differences, all the teachings and preaching talk about love and care for one another, thus calling us to build a Human Humanity.
To do so, compassion is the key.
Originally from Latin, the word "compassion" meaning "compati" "suffer with", gives us the very need of this precious word in our current world we live in.
The habitants of this world are going through different types of sufferings, there are physical sufferings such as pain resulting from sickness, disability, and mental sufferings following grief, separation, anxiety.
The truth is that every person, living near or far from where we are, is suffering in some way; it may be worries about something or someone or struggles to find the right path to take in life.
Therefore, everyone needs compassion!
We don't have any established laws about compassion but only many and various guiding books. The rest is how and when we make the choices to be compassionate people.
The bible is one of the books which leads Christians to compassion.
It provides a good number of compassionate stories and characters which can serve us as examples and motivations on how to respond to suffering and the need of others.
Those stories are full of kindness and mercy, as well as calls to follow the examples of those who practiced acts of faith before us.
"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2).
This means that practicing compassion should not be interpreted as just God's commend, but also a character of God's people.
Ruth's story, as a compassionate person, is one of the very inspiring passages in the Bible.
Ruth journeyed with Naomi in her sufferings until she was forced to return to Bethlehem and she settled there with her.
Having the adjective "Ruthless" in the English dictionaries is not in vain, rather the English language is highlighting the importance of Ruth's story as an example of compassionate deed to those in need.
In addition to Ruth, Jesus, Joseph, the Good Samaritan and Barnabas named also "Son of Encouragement" have revealed to us the greatest stories of compassion in the Bible.
The word compassion is often understood by people as huge sacrifices in terms of money or time. That is partly wrong! It is true that compassion may appear in the form of material help, but in many cases, a simple smile or simply being fully present means a lot to someone in need.
Interestingly, practicing compassion doesn't help only those who receive compassion, but practicing compassion makes also us happier and healthier. Exercising compassion strengthens relationships and unites communities as well.
I can witness that practicing true compassion can change the way we live within ourselves and with others.
In fact, once you consciously identify someone's suffering, and you are able to be present physically and to solve someone else problem, that fact enables you to understand more of you compared to others, therefore enable you to control your own sufferings.
I am convinced that it will be harder to build a human humanity without practicing compassion.
"Suffering with" means "Taking action."
Compassion goes beyond awareness of another's suffering, a simple desire to reduce suffering and take simple action to help is enough for practicing compassion.
One of the groups in need of compassion is the Refugees and Asylum Seekers community.
As Christians are commanded to "Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor" (Zechariah 7:9-10).
I am grateful that a group of Churches as well as NGOs, including Justice Centre Hong Kong, have understood the situation of the refugee community in Hong Kong and committed to reduce their sufferings.
Justice Centre Hong Kong is a non-profit, non-political organization which envisions Hong Kong as a fair and inclusive society where even the most marginalized enjoy fundamental rights and access to justice.
Justice Centre provides people seeking protection in Hong Kong with free and independent legal information and specialized legal and psychosocial assistance.
My Prayer: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us all in our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)
Written by Aimé Girimana,
Community Outreach Officer,
Justice Center, Hong Kong.
「與難民同行．社群關愛」系列。
本文由難民事工小組提供，小組由香港的基督教教會和機構組成，
一直以來支援在港難民和免遣返聲請者在房屋、教育、心理、生活上的需要，幫助他們融入社會。
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