Coronavirus
Putting ‘care’ back into ‘healthcare’ after COVID-19 – a reflection
September has begun and, with it, the fall. Sitting here in Staten Island, I am thinking of the seasons that have ended. I am able to ‘see’ the spring and summer seasons better than I could in the chaos of the recent past. The reason is a long-needed week away at a Christian retreat which…
Read MoreFocus on what you CAN do during this pandemic
‘Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So, you also must be ready, because the Son…
Read MoreThe ‘other’ suffering caused by the coronavirus
The COVID-19 pandemic has been raging for over seven months now. It has directly killed over 800,000 people and, indirectly, caused massive losses to people who are mostly unseen. While I do not have the figures for this ‘collateral damage’, I have no doubt that it is many times more than the 800,000 deaths. Vulnerable…
Read MoreMore than PPE, healthcare workers need SEPPE
The case for SEPPE – spiritual and emotional support with PPE – during COVID-19 and beyond. ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.’ (Proverbs 3:5-6) As I sit down to write this, my mind goes back to the…
Read MoreFive calls and a promise for uncertain times
На русском, español, français ‘“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.”’ (Jeremiah 29:11-12) A verse that…
Read MoreLeading self and others in an ongoing season of crisis and uncertainty
En español, português Three to four months ago, we thought the challenge and crisis we are facing would soon end. ‘This too will pass’, was the advice many of us had to give to others and even remind ourselves. Even during fear and internal challenges, we looked forward to a near future, when things would…
Read MoreCreative and practical ways to help people in poor communities respond to COVID-19
En Français, Pусский, Español As I write, we will be living in a wide variety of situations. We may be at the front line, exhausted and overworked. Or, at the other end of the spectrum, being in lockdown and enjoying more time with our families. And of course, many situations in between. But perhaps on…
Read MoreSexuality in COVID-19 times
En Español, Pусский, Français. I was compelled to write this article, after reading a document issued by New York Community Health entitled Sex and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID -19). Upon reading the publication, I was struck by various ideas concerning sexuality, which the New York scientific group was suggesting for its readers, faced with pandemic-imposed…
Read MoreA psalm in the epidemic – trust triumphs over fear
На Pусском, Español, Português He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’ (Psalm 91:1-2 ESV) Psalm 91, also called the ‘Triumphal Hymn of Trust’, is a gem. It has breathed…
Read MoreCaring for your mind during lockdown
En Français, Español, Português When Boris Johnson announced a UK-wide lockdown, my immediate response was fear and dread. Many people are currently living in fear of catching COVID-19, and understandably so. However, for some of us, this virus may present a greater risk to our mental health than it does to our physical well-being. I…
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