Compassion in the First Person
A conversation with people whose faith and values have led them to extraordinary acts of kindness, charity and humanity. “Compassion in the First Person” is made possible by the generous support of Odyssey Networks.
Charles Bailey: Fighting the Legacy of Agent Orange
Charles Bailey was a grant-making officer at the Ford Foundation when he made a trip to Vietnam. What he saw there changed his life and his work for the next 11 years. He’s now on the front lines, prodding the U.S. government and others to repair the damage caused by Agent Orange.
Charles Bailey, director of the Aspen Institute's Agent Orange in Vietnam program
Jakir Manela: Farming by the Teachings Of the Torah
On a small plot of land in rural Maryland, Jakir Manela is conducting an experiment in Jewish farming. Using the ancient planting techniques taught in the Torah, he brings groups of people together to grow and harvest fruit trees, grains, herbs, and flowers. They learn why so many of the moral teachings of the Torah are rooted in agriculture, and, he hopes, come away with a new understanding of compassion for the poor.
Jakir Manela, founder of Kayam Farm
River Jordan: Praying for Strangers
In 2008, River Jordan made an unusual New Year’s resolution – to pray for a stranger every day for the next year. She spotted strangers in the supermarket, at the bus stop or in a restaurant and sent them a blessing. At first, she kept the prayers to herself. But soon she discovered these small interactions could affect people in meaningful ways.
River Jordan, author of "Praying for Strangers"
Kevin Reimer: Faith and Disability
Most disability centers treat their patients as clients. In 1964, a Catholic philosopher named Jean Vanier came up with a new model. He called it L’Arche - or “the ark,” recalling Noah’s ark as a place of safety and refuge. When psychologist Kevin Reimer visited L’Arche communities he experienced compassion and spirituality in the small, family-like environments where people with and without disabilities lived together.
Kevin Reimer, author of "Living L'Arche"
Robin Casarjian: Meditation Behind Bars
Robin Casarjian is a therapist who believes that forgiveness and compassion can be powerful tools for healing – especially in prisons, where many of the inmates have long histories of trauma and anger. She has taught workshops on forgiveness, meditation and stress management to prisoners for more than 20 years.
Robin Casarjian, founder of the Lionheart Foundation
Rev. Kaaren Anderson: Empathy, Not Judgment
The summer before college, Kaaren Anderson made a decision she never thought she’d make: to have an abortion. Earlier this year she helped her church launch “Connect and Breathe,” an abortion talk line that offers callers compassionate listening after one of the most difficult decisions of their lives.
Rev. Kaaren Anderson, co-pastor at First Unitarian Church in Rochester, NY
Layli Miller-Muro: Baha'i Justice
As a law student, Layli Miller-Muro helped defend a young woman fleeing genital mutilation in Africa. They won, and the case set a precedent: from then on, gender-related violence could be grounds for asylum. Miller-Muro is now the founder of the Tahirih Justice Center, which is rooted in the Baha'i belief in gender equality.
Layli Miller-Muro, Executive Director of the Tahirih Justice Center
Imam Johari Abdul-Malik: Feeding the Needy on Ramadan
In our final profile, we meet a Virginia imam who founded a program to feed the homeless during the holy month of Ramadan. During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sundown to sunset to purify the spirit and stand in solidarity with those who are suffering.
Imam Johari Abdul-Malik, director of Community Outreach for the Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center
