The sun comes up, it’s a new day dawning. The song lyric came to mind as the sun rose on March 15th. Highway #33 is a familiar stretch of road after eight months of commuting to Barrhead, Alberta. Today, the sunrise was all the more meaningful because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The sun came up today. The sun will come up tomorrow.
Love in a pandemic is having the will to do the right things.
Protect and provide for the vulnerable, the elderly, the immune compromised, or asthmatics. Now is the time for churches, leaders and believers to shine. There are changes, closures, or concerns that cause people to scramble to keep up.
Closures are moves that should leave us optimistic. We’re protecting our communities & giving space to our doctors & nurses so they are not overwhelmed. We’re also minimizing long term effects.
We know that communities may be feeling anxious, stressed or frightened. Here are some important things to take into account and share:
1. It’s normal to feel sad, stressed, confused, scared or angry during a crisis.
2. Talk to people you trust who can help, like friends, or family.
3. Maintain a healthy lifestyle, including proper diet, sleep, hydration, and exercise.
4. Keep up with loved ones at home by phone or email or social media.
5. If you feel overwhelmed, talk to a pastor, health worker or counselor.
6. Have a plan on where to go to and how to seek help for physical and mental health needs if required. Facebook groups are popping up all across Canada. Skilled and resourceful volunteers putting themselves at the service of those in need.
COVID-19 Resource Groups on Facebook
7. Refuse to be panicked by
False
Evidence
Appearing
Real.
8. Get the facts. Gather information that will help you accurately determine your risk so that you can take reasonable precautions. Find a credible source you can trust such as the WHO website or a local or health agency.
9. Protect the vulnerable. If you’re young and healthy, the odds of dying are about 0.2%: just 1-in-500. But if you have high blood pressure, or asthma, or diabetes, or a heart condition, or are over 60… the death odds rise by a lot: about 1-in-20 to 1-in-5.
COVID kills vulnerable people. Choosing to self-isolate is not self-protecting; it is protecting the vulnerable.
10. When posting in your social media channels, be sure to share the latest facts from credible sources, avoid hyperbole and show solidarity with affected people.
Churches may close for a few months but our faith is bigger than our buildings.
As fear grips our country, let us choose love. During this time when we can not physically wrap our arms around each other, let us yet find ways to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbors.
“The sun comes up it’s a new day dawning
It’s time to sing your song again
Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes.
Bless the Lord O my soul.”
APPLICATION: A new day is dawning. May we who are merely inconvenienced remember those whose lives are at stake. May we who have no risk factors remember those most vulnerable. We will get through this pandemic but some things will never be the same again. That is good. Please share this post on your social media channels. Thank you.
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