The Lithuanian Samaritan Community is an organization that has been active for three decades and has more than a thousand volunteers.
The organization started taking the first steps in Kelmė. In July 1991, on the initiative of Antanas Račas, a member of the Seimas of Light Memory elected in the district, who served on the Foreign Affairs Committee, acquaintance with the German ASB (Samaritan organization) gave rise to the establishment of such an organization in Lithuania.
Meeting in Kelmė in August of the same year, E. Bodendorf, S. Urbikienė, doctors Urbeliai, A. Narbutas, L. Radavičienė, J. Račienė and other members of the initiative group in the rectory together with the pastor V. Brusok agreed to establish the first Samaritan group elected doctor Urbelis.
The then member of the Seimas Antanas Račas undertook to initiate the formation of Samaritan groups in other Lithuanian cities. It was planned that after the unification of Samaritan groups from different cities, a Lithuanian Samaritan community would be established. This happened on June 15, 1992.
Currently, the Lithuanian Samaritan Community unites 19 branches: Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda, Telšiai, Šiauliai, Radviliškis, Kėdainiai, Jonava, Ukmergė, Zarasai, Trakai, Vievis, Kaunas district, Jurbarkas, Raudone, Pakruojis, Kelmė, Marijampolė and Alytus.
The branches of the Lithuanian Samaritan Community have established dozens of children’s day care centers, provide social assistance to the elderly and single people, and operate charity canteens and food parcel outlets. Each department, depending on the situation in the region, provides the services that the population needs most. Of course, all this would not be possible if there were no people in the organization for whom “Kindness” is not just a sound word.
Samaritan volunteers are people who still carry on their hearts the idea of the Good Samaritan described in the Bible: helping man. It is such a way of life for the Samaritans not to pass by when they need help, not to look away with an outstretched hand. And it doesn’t matter at all: a child, old man, or someone who can’t cope with the challenges or circumstances of personal life needs help.
January 25 is the day of the Lithuanian Samaritan Community. This is a great opportunity to say THANK YOU to the volunteers, sponsors, department leaders, everyone who supports the Samaritan idea and contributes to the organization. At the same time, this day is a great opportunity to remind those whose existence and life is difficult: the Samaritans are in a hurry to do good, dare, seek help. We will be with you.
