Who is My Neighbor?

At a time when many are drawing the circle around themselves tighter due to fear and uncertainty, Brendan Twiggs, a 20-something Fernandina native, is widening his circle. Why? It has to do with the way he answers the question, “Who is my neighbor?” that is asked of Jesus in the gospel of Luke. In that biblical story, an expert in Hebrew law asks Jesus what is the greatest commandment. He replies to first love God with all one’s heart, mind and strength and then to love one’s neighbor as oneself. Not satisfied with that answer, the questioner prods further. He asks Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus’ reply is in the form of what is known as the parable of the Good Samaritan​ , which casts aside religious and cultural constructs in favor of aid for a fellow human being​ who is suffering.

“Who is my neighbor?” is a big question in today’s world of changing policies regarding immigration, help for the unhoused and general aid to others in need. That question echoes down into our own community. Last week, I shared the story of one local​ person whose answer to that question is to respond to the needs of homebound people for pet food and veterinary care. This week, I want to introduce another local​ citizen whose answer to that question is taking his life in a different direction to a country 6,000 miles away.

Brendan Twiggs has a one-way ticket to Ukraine. He will spend one week with the Lviv Volunteer Kitchen along with his parents, who have made multiple trips to volunteer since the war began three years ago. This will be Brendan’s second trip. The difference is that this time, Brendan is staying after his parents leave.

The photo is of Brendan and his dad with the piles of vegetables they help to prepare for the Ukrainian grandmothers who cook meals that are freeze-dried and sent to the front in the southeastern part of the country. The grandmas want the meals to be as traditional as possible. They enhance the flavor with spices that are homegrown. Members of the community stop by the kitchen and offer whatever they have to share, from vegetables to chickens.

A vast network of volunteers send 30,000 of these meals to the front every week. Brendan said other volunteer activities include tying camo​ nets and helping at animal shelters. As one can imagine, many pets are displaced by war. Because he is energetic, young and strong, he also will help load, tote and move whatever he is asked to do.

After his parents leave, Brendan will continue these tasks while also working remotely to support himself. Balancing time and energy with work and volunteering will be a new challenge. The language difference is another challenge. Brendan told me there are now earbuds that translate in real time. That’s a new one to me. I am happy to know of such a practical application of modern technology. Another challenge is the reliability of the power grid, especially for international remote work. It is constantly disrupted. He said just about every hotel and business has a generator. I think it is annoying if I get the endless circle that says something is buffering for a minute or two.

I asked if he was afraid of active warfare coming close to where he was. He said they have an air raid app on their phones that alerts them if they need to go to an underground shelter. He has only had to do that once. There’s another practical application of technology I certainly hadn’t thought about. I would not be able to be nonchalant about air raids.

Brendan hopes to travel to the capital of Kyiv, which is in the central part of the country. Lviv is closer to the Polish border. The family has friends from there and he wants to see what that city has to offer. He hopes to find a way to volunteer there for a while. Many factors will play into this step of his trip, including the ever-changing political landscape.

I asked Brendan what his friends think of his plans. He said they are excited for him and are supportive. I expected that he might be given a hard time since very few of his peers undertake a challenging adventure for people they don’t even know. Brendan is willing to enter into this open-ended situation and hopes to travel back and forth to Ukraine as time and resources allow. I wasn’t willing to be that flexible when I was in my 20s. Brendan said that many of the volunteers are his age. At one gathering, they counted volunteers from 15 different countries. Brendan finds this opportunity for international friendship exciting and refreshing. He finds the spirit of resolve and unity in the community very inspiring. There is something unique about being even a small part of work much greater than oneself.

“Who is my neighbor?” is a very important question. Maybe Brendan’s story will help you think about how you answer it. I like the answer written by Rabbi Joachim Prinz, “Neighbor is not a geographic term; it is a moral concept.”