Humanitarian aid captured on film
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To illustrate the broad reach of Latter-day Saint humanitarian efforts, the Church has produced a new video, "Ye Have Done It Unto Me," that is available at distribution centers.
The Church rarely gives members a glimpse into its many humanitarian efforts, said Neil K. Newell, Welfare Services manager of media services.
"This film … lets members take a look behind the scenes and see what the Church is doing to bless the lives of people throughout the world," he said.
This movie takes viewers around the globe, to places such as Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Thailand, Indonesia, Belarus and Hong Kong, showing the vastness of the welfare program and its benefits.
"What we tried to do in this is not to show one or two examples," said Brother Newell. "We tried to build brick upon brick upon brick so that when you stepped back you said, 'Wow, this Church is really doing something remarkable.'"
Film director Peter Johnson recounted how the voyage of this film began.
En route to Guatemala for filming, an earthquake struck San Salvador in El Salvador. Brother Johnson and his crew immediately changed plans, driving over the hills into El Salvador's capital city. As they arrived, they discovered that several Latter-day Saints were planning relief efforts. The next morning, they drove into the city of La Molina, and noticed there was a large hill placed just above it. The earthquake had caused the hill to split which, in turn, caused mountains of dirt to crush the city below, burying all of the houses.
"I remember just standing up there and weeping because it was so touching and so horrifying to realize what had happened, but yet the Church was there."
An LDS chapel housed displaced members and the Church sent tents, food, water and medicine to the village. Brother Johnson and Brother Newell were able to videotape members and missionaries assisting in the search efforts for victims.
"It was really amazing to see how we work locally when disasters happen," said Brother Johnson. "And that was our initiation."
During their film-making journey, the film crew observed missionaries using puppets to teach children in Minsk, Belarus, about the dangers of smoking; they found a potable water project for a mountain village in Indonesia; met a welfare service missionary helping Belarus potato farmers increase their production 10-fold; and saw how Church aid makes a difference for orphans in Mexico. They also listened as Belarus government leaders, ambassadors from Zimbabwe and Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., praised the Church's welfare efforts. All these are part of the video.
"If we are true disciples of the Lord, we must reach out to help those in distress," declares President Gordon B. Hinckley in the video. "As long as this Church has any resources, those resources will be made available as they are needed to help those who may be in distress anywhere in the world."
An example, said Brother Newell, is a bomb shelter in the middle of Minsk. Built during the cold war, the bomb shelter is now "filled to the rafters with humanitarian supplies from the Church."
Speaking of the former bomb shelter, Brother Johnson said "it was so fascinating to realize that this facility that was built out of fear of war was being used out of love and compassion and for peace. It was just amazing to see that."
So amazing, in fact, that Brother Johnson called making the film a life-altering experience.
"Heavenly Father loves all of His children; it doesn't matter who they are, or where they are or what color they are. They are His children," said Brother Johnson. "For us to serve in any small or great way, our brothers or sisters, no matter where they are or how different lives they may live from us, is a wonderful thing and it pleases God and it is truly pure religion."
