Idaho faith: Don’t wait for crisis to extend the hand of friendship. Make it a habit.
During the hours and days following the shock, chaos and rescue efforts of 9/11 that played out in the United States, a lesser yet significant drama was unfolding to the north. With air travel in and to the U.S. abruptly halted, 38 jetliners bound for the U.S. were forced to land at Gander International Airport in Canada. The population of the small Newfoundland town swelled from 10,300 to nearly 17,000.
As they left the airplanes after being held on board for nearly 24 hours while baggage was being examined, the exhausted and hungry passengers were greeted with a feast prepared by the townspeople. Striking bus drivers came off the picket line to transport the passengers to shelters in local schools and churches.
Linens and toiletries were donated, and a middle school offered showers, as well as computer access and television to allow the stranded travelers contact with families and an opportunity to follow ongoing media coverage.
During the four days they spent in Gander, friendships developed between passengers and local residents that they expect to last a lifetime. Grateful passengers donated funds to establish scholarships for the children of Gander as well as to purchase new computers for the schools.
The Gander residents’ acts of kindness to the stranded strangers touched the lives of thousands of people and stand as an example of compassion and goodwill.
More than 150 years earlier, following the issuance of Gov. Lilburn W. Boggs’ order directing the militia to exterminate or drive from Missouri members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, another small town stepped up. The order, issued in the dead of winter, forced the Saints to abandon their homes and to flee western Missouri with only the supplies they had on hand, many traveling on foot through the snow as they headed across the state to Illinois.
Destitute, friendless, and suffering from cold and lack of resources, they arrived at the Mississippi River across from Quincy, Illinois. Seeing their plight, Quincy residents rallied to provide aid, including assisting in transporting them across the river.
Elder Gary E. Stevenson, describing the rescue, quoted the account of Wandle Mace, a resident of Quincy: “(They) donated liberally; the merchants vying with each other as to which could be the most liberal ... with ... pork ... sugar ... shoes and clothing, everything these poor outcasts so much needed.”
As in Gander, the 12,000 refugees significantly outnumbered the Quincy residents, who Stevenson said “opened their homes and shared their resources at great personal sacrifice.
“Many Saints survived the harsh winter only because of the compassion and generosity of the residents of Quincy.”
Among the great gifts of those residents, the most important might have been a hand of friendship. Though their sojourn in Quincy was not lengthy, the Saints never forgot the kindness of the residents to those who were strangers.
These two accounts, many years apart, reflect an earlier account contained in the New Testament with which many are familiar. Many aspects of the account of the Good Samaritan echo in the actions of the citizens of Gander and Quincy.
All three examples reflect the importance of kindness toward others, illustrating the Savior’s commandment to “love thy neighbor.” They also demonstrate that our neighbor is not just the one who lives next door, but anyone who stands in need of succor.
In a time when there are many strangers in our midst, whether immigrants from other countries or those who have come from other states, among their greatest needs is a hand of friendship. We should not wait for a crisis to reach out to others. Many times that hand of friendship leads to a lifetime relationship that can bless the lives of many.
Glenna M. Christensen is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Idaho Statesman’s weekly faith column features a rotation of writers from many different faiths and perspectives.
