有幸成为二〇二二年香港人道奖得主之一，并从法律背景人士转变为人道探索者，我很高兴分享以下信息。
我相信你我不是生活在野外的动物。换句话说，无论她╱他的社会地位或财富如何，我们周围的每一个人都很重要。所以我们应该过着基督徒的生活，被称为弟兄姊妹的生活。人有不同的信仰，尽管有差异，所有的教义和讲道都谈论彼此相爱和关怀，从而呼吁我们建立人道人性。要做到这一点，同情心是关键。源自拉丁语，compassion这个词的意思是一同受苦（compati），这个宝贵的字词，对活在当下的我们，是非常需要的。
这个世界的居民正经历不同类型的苦况，在身体上，有来自疾病、残疾造成的痛苦；以及由悲伤、分离、焦虑产生的精神痛苦。事实是，每个人，无论住在我们附近还是远方，都受着某种形式的苦况；可能是对某事或某人的担忧，或正在努力寻找正确的人生道路。所以，人人都需要同情心！
我们没有任何关于同情心的既定法律，只有许多不同的指导书籍。剩下的，就是我们如何以及何时选择成为富有同情心的人。圣经是引导基督徒走向怜悯的书籍之一。它提供了大量富有同情心的故事和人物，可以作为我们如何应对痛苦和他人需求的榜样和动力。这些故事充满仁慈和怜悯，并呼吁效法在我们前面践行信仰之人的榜样。「你们各人的重担要互相担当，如此，就完全了基督的律法。」（加六2）。这意味着实行怜悯，不应被解释为只是上帝的表彰，而是上帝子民的一种特质。
作为一个富有同情心的人，路得的故事是圣经中非常鼓舞人心的段落之一。路得与拿俄米一同经历苦难，直到她被迫返回伯利恒并一起定居。在英语词典中，形容词「无情」ruthless（直接翻译就是「没有路得［Ruth］」的意思），不是没有意思的，反而强调了路得的故事重要性，就是对有需要的人作出同情的一个例子。除了路得，耶稣、约瑟、好撒马利亚人和巴拿巴也被称为「劝慰子」，正好向我们揭示了圣经中最伟大的同情心故事。
同情心这个词，通常被人们理解为在金钱或时间方面的巨大牺牲。这并非完全正确！诚然，同情心可能会是物质上的帮助，但在许多情况下，一个简单的微笑，或仅仅是全心同在，对有需要的人来说更意义重大。有趣的是，实践同情心不仅能帮助那些接受怜悯的人，且能让我们更快乐、更健康。践行同情心亦可以加强人际关系及结连社区。我见证着实践真正的同情心，可以改变我们与他人相处的方式。
事实上，一旦你有意识地辨识出某人的苦难，并且你能够感同身受并解决其他人的问题，这就让你比其他人更了解自己，从而使你更能管控自己的苦难。我相信，如果不实践同情心，就更难建立人道人性。「感同身受他人的苦难」的意思是「采取行动」。同情心超越了对他人痛苦的认识，一个简单想减少痛苦的愿望，或采取一个简单的行动来帮助他人，就足以实践同情心。
需要同情的群体之一，就是难民和寻求庇护者的群体。正如基督徒的使命是「要按至理判断，各人以慈爱怜悯弟兄。不可欺压寡妇、孤儿、寄居的，和贫穷人。」（亚七9-10）。我很感激一群教会和非政府组织，包括香港正义中心（Justice Center, Hong Kong），他们了解难民群体在香港的情况，并致力减少他们的苦难。香港正义中心是一个非牟利、非政治组织，其愿景是香港成为一个公平和包容的社会，即使是最边缘化的人，也能在此享有基本的权利和诉诸司法的机会。香港正义中心为在香港寻求保护的人，提供免费和独立的法律资讯，以及专门的法律和社会心理援助。
我的祈祷：愿颂赞归与我们的主耶稣基督的父神，就是发慈悲的父，赐各样安慰的神。我们在一切患难中，他就安慰我们，叫我们能用神所赐的安慰去安慰那遭各样患难的人。我们既多受基督的苦楚，就靠基督多得安慰。（林后一3-5）
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.
「与难民同行．社群关爱」系列。
本文由难民事工小组提供，小组由香港的基督教教会和机构组成，
一直以来支援在港难民和免遣返声请者在房屋、教育、心理、生活上的需要，帮助他们融入社会。
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