“Who is my neighbor?”
An expert in law asked this question of Jesus when inquiring how to inherit eternal life. The Lord responded with the parable of the Good Samaritan.
The head of the largest network of pregnancy help organizations in the U.S. and the world posed the question of who our neighbor is for the March for Life Berlin crowd September 19, noting first that at times we may fall short.
“You may have heard the proverb that says, “Love your neighbor, but don’t tear down your fence,” Heartbeat International President Jor-El Godsey said. “Across the globe, we spend a lot of energy discussing fences, sometimes more than loving our neighbor.”
Godsey then cited the instance in scripture where Christ was asked a deceptively simple question: “Who is my neighbor?”
While we can certainly think of those in social situations near to us, Godsey said, “But what about our closest neighbor?”
“Today, we march for our tiniest neighbor,” he told March for Life attendees.
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Pro-life demonstrators in the thousands marched in Berlin and Cologne for Germany’s annual March for Life, the fourth time the event was held in both cities simultaneously, EWTN reports. Organizers estimated the combined numbers at approximately 6,000, and German pro-life group Bundesverband Lebensrecht reported 4,200 people at the Berlin March.
In Cologne pro-abortion protesters threw paint at an information stand, vandalized a banner during the March, set off smoke bombs, and conducted two sit-in blockades.
At least one pro-abortion activist organization gave indication ahead of the Berlin March of its intent to disrupt the event.
Nonetheless, pro-life advocates proceeded with giving a life-affirming witness.
Godsey told the Berlin crowd that marches challenge public officials, awaken public understanding, call for justice, inspire people to join the conversation, and encourage engagement, and that is all fine.
“But if we truly see the plight of our closest, tiniest neighbor, we have to understand that our efforts can't be only public demonstrations,” he said. “We must also act as private individuals.”
Because, he said, the question, “Who is my neighbor?” wasn't really a question about public engagement.
“It was an attempt to unpack something bigger,” said Godsey. “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
The answer to how we love our neighbor must include actively helping those who have fallen by the wayside and are in need of help, Godsey told Berlin pro-life marchers.
“So, we march today to awaken others, to challenge politicians, and inspire involvement,” he said. “But we cannot march just once per year. We must champion life every day.”
Heartbeat has around 4,000 affiliates in more than 100 countries worldwide. Pregnancy help organizations can include pregnancy centers, medical clinics, maternity homes, and nonprofit adoption agencies. Heartbeat has international partnerships with 10 overseas networks to foster the advancement of the pregnancy help movement worldwide.
Heartbeat presented the 2026 European Pregnancy Help Leaders' Summit just prior to the March for Life in Germany, welcoming pregnancy help leaders from across Europe and presenting on media and technology, client care, maternity housing, fundraising, and spiritual encouragement.
Godsey shared with the March for Life Berlin that every day, women across the world wake up to the unexpected reality of an unintended pregnancy.
“She may face internal doubts, overwhelming obstacles, economic difficulty, even cultural pressures,” he said. “All of these can conspire to convince her that abortion is her only option.”
“Sometimes that pressure even comes from those closest to her,” he added, “people who cannot, themselves, see beyond the moment.”
This is where we have the opportunity to be a neighbor, he said.
“Like the Good Samaritan, we step into her situation when it is near us,” Godsey said. “We need to give of ourselves, even sacrificially, to help someone who cannot see a path forward.”
This happens every day in pregnancy help centers and on pregnancy help hotlines across the country and around the world, he pointed out for the March for Life crowd.
“In those pregnancy centers and on those hotlines are the people and the places that stand ready when someone doesn't know where to turn,” he said. “They provide a listening ear, practical help, compassionate counsel, resources, and a path forward with positive, life-affirming options.”
“They step into the lives of people they may never have met before with hope, with help, and a hand to guide,” said Godsey.
But he noted that we cannot leave it to just them - we need to do it as well.
“The woman today cannot wait for the politicians to protect her or her baby,” Godsey said. “Her challenge today won’t be answered by the courts or the legislators.”
Godsey told pro-life advocates in Berlin that as they make their mark with the March by speaking to power and politicians and to a culture that has lost its way, to remember to also speak to the hearts of those who need us to speak life to them.
“Today we carry signs, tomorrow let us carry someone’s burden,” he said. “Today we speak to the culture and to politicians, tomorrow, let us speak to the woman who is afraid.”
“Today, we proclaim that every life matters. Tomorrow, let us show someone that her life - and her child's life - matters to us,” Godsey said.
He reminded the crowd that our closest neighbor may be the person standing in front of us, wondering if anyone will help. He entreated March participants for after marching for life that day, to champion life in the days that followed.
Godsey quoted another proverb to conclude: “Helping is better than talking.”
“So, let's not just talk about loving our neighbors,” he said. “Let’s help them say yes to life.”
Editor's note: Heartbeat International manages Pregnancy Help News.
