‘“Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert of the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”’

Luke 10: 36-37

In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus teaches us a profound truth. When Jesus was asked ‘who is my neighbour?’, he showed us that it is someone who shows mercy. A stranger who stops and gives selflessly, even when it’s costly and inconvenient. This is not just a lesson for the people of His time, but a call that echoes across centuries.

Jesus’ message is more relevant today than ever. As followers of Christ, we are called to love not just the neighbour next door, but our global neighbours. People of every faith and ethnicity. These include the men, women, and children affected by leprosy, poverty and exclusion. Although they live thousands of miles away, distance should not diminish our responsibility.

The call to ‘love thy neighbour’, is one that our Country Leader in Niger, Bunmi Oluloto answered 32 years ago. This is when he joined The Leprosy Mission in his home country of Nigeria. He had newly graduated from university where he met his wife, Loveth. Bunmi had recently become a Christian and knew he was being called to mission. But little did he know it would be God’s plan to send him and his family deep into the Sub-Saharan desert!

In 2005, with two young children in tow, Bunmi and Loveth made their home in the grounds of Danja Hospital in Niger. Bunmi was tasked with running the struggling mission hospital. This is the only place in Niger where leprosy patients are loved and cared for free of charge.

While Bunmi knew God was calling him and his family to Niger, it still felt a challenging thing to do. Niger is a desperately poor country, one of the world’s least developed nations. The arid land and intense heat make it so hard for anything to grow. As climate change tightens its grip, a growing number of dry riverbeds can be seen etched on the barren land. Needless to say, disease, malnutrition and poverty are rife.

The couple had many concerns about the move to Niger. Bunmi feared the stifling heat when temperatures regularly hit 45 degrees. While most people speak Hausa, a local language, the official language of Niger is French. Bunmi says he still struggles to speak French all these years later. He and Loveth had concerns for the children’s schooling. How would they manage missing their wider family and friends back in Nigeria?

Yet while Niger was never Bunmi and Loveth’s desire, 20 years later the country is home to the Oluloto family. In fact, it is the only home their youngest son, Goodness, has ever known! Bunmi and his incredible team are such a blessing to the people of Niger. Last year 1,007 leprosy patients were cared for at Danja Hospital. A total of 302 people were found and cured of leprosy through outreach work.

Earlier this year, we had the joy of welcoming Bunmi to the UK for two retreat and learning days held for our team. During this special time, we learnt more about life in Niger. Together we sought God’s will for how we can best reach and serve people affected by leprosy. Bunmi opened our time together by guiding us through the parable of the Good Samaritan.

Bunmi says…

“The way we treat others – especially those in need – reveals the depth of our relationship with God. We cannot truly love people unless we first love God. The more we grow in our love for Him, the more we will be able to care for others from the heart.

“Every person is incomplete in some way and needs the support of others. Just as Adam was incomplete until God gave him Eve, we all need people around us who carry something we lack.

“In the same way, God places people in our lives to help us. He also gives us gifts that others may need. At The Leprosy Mission, we know our neighbours include people affected by leprosy. People who have been overlooked or forgotten by society.

“Sometimes our lives take unexpected turns. We may find ourselves in situations that drag us down. We can move from a place of peace to chaos, from good health into sickness, from joy into sorrow. These attacks might affect our finances, physical or mental health or our emotions. The enemy can strip us of our confidence, dignity, peace and joy. He wants to leave us wounded and helpless –full of shame, guilt and pain. At our lowest point, we may feel like we are just surviving. Walking around without real life inside us, waiting for someone to rescue us.

“In the parable, a priest and a Levite passed by the wounded man. These were people who seemed holy and important. But they couldn’t help because they themselves were also going down the same road. They were empty and far from God. Religion and systems of the world can’t save us if they lack God’s grace. They might look like they have answers, but, without the Spirit of God, they are powerless to bring healing.

“Then a Samaritan came by. He saw the broken man and had compassion. He stopped, cared for him, and gave his time, energy and resources. He saw the man’s pain. Until we are able to truly see the needs of others, we will struggle to help them.

“We can often be so busy. So much so that we become distracted by our own goals or challenges. We fail to notice the people God has placed in our path. My message is that we need to ask God to help us see through His eyes.

“I pray that God will help each of us to see what breaks His heart. Let us ask Him to open our eyes to the suffering of others and to fill our hearts with His love. For it is when we see through God’s eyes that we will be moved with compassion and ready to act.”