Our Ongoing Journey: Battling Covid-19

After being isolated in our room for over 2 weeks, Beth and I both felt better and were no longer deemed contagious. This means we were cleared to leave our bubble, go outside, and return to work. This post is part 3 - in the links below I share about the inevitability of catching Covid-19 (part 1) and how many people blessed us and CCO during our isolation (part 2). In this writing, I plan to address our ongoing journey: how the battle of isolation and tackling this coronavirus has continued.

• Covid-19: It Was Inevitable
• A Bursting Bubble: thoughts from isolation

I wanted to ease back into the flow, but it didn't work out that way - at all! There was so much happening on my first 2 days back at work, and against all sensible advice, I did far too much. There were some things that were unavoidable and necessary, but I should have said "NO" at other times. In other words, the demands didn't stop because of catching this virus - it's an ongoing journey, where the battle continues. 

That first weekend I had a few body aches, which was understandable after all the stairs and walking I did on Friday. Those of us who are recovering from Covid-19, along with our time of being extremely inactive, feel weak and have ongoing issues after exiting our bubbles. Even though we're no longer contagious and it takes a while to return to full strength, I've been blessed to return to work without any major hiccups.

My focus in this post is not about dwelling on my health, but rather on how the demands remain, how some things have mellowed out, how new problems are rapidly arising, how blessings are constantly appearing, and how we all need to step up and help those who've been especially hurt and affected by this coronavirus and time of isolation. Covid-19 has impacted us all, but some have suffered the force of its brutality far more than others. It is into these decimated and traumatized spaces we must enter - bringing compassion, generosity, and love to our neighborhoods and neighbors.

The demands remain. This pandemic has changed the landscape forever, but many things remain the same. Reports still need to be done, spills need to be cleaned, hungry people still need to be fed, leaky pipes need to be fixed, and those experiencing homelessness still need a bed to sleep in - the everyday demands keep pounding on our doors, keeping us busy. I realize many have been struggling with boredom and inactivity in their bubbles, but for those who are experiencing homelessness or are essential workers, Covid-19 hasn't negated these demands, these vital needs, it has intensified them - greatly!

Some things are mellowing out. There are areas in this newly formed landscape where the intensity and demands have become more chilled out and relaxed - change will do that! For everyone's safety and to be in compliance with social distancing guidelines we've had to make some drastic moves. Some of our residents are temporarily living in hotels or other shelters, lowering our numbers. There are times when an eclectic range of new participants, alumni, or visitors come in, desperately needing or wanting something immediately. Depending on who or how they come, it can quickly become extremely chaotic and tense. I personally love this part of my job, but we've had to change our visitation policies too. At the moment we're just allowing our residents and essential workers to enter our facilities. These 2 big moves have created a new dynamic, allowing us to concentrate just on our current participants, resulting in a more peaceful, mellowed out, space.

New problems are rapidly arising. The effects of this ongoing pandemic and isolation are no joke. When I look at the big picture, my concerns are enormous and the future looks bleak. The disparity and inequality in America are both criminal and horrifying, yet sadly, Covid-19 seems to be widening the wealth-poverty gap. People of color and those living in poverty are not only dying at greater rates because of this virus, but the effects of this isolation are also decimating poorer communities. Unemployment numbers are skyrocketing, rent isn't getting paid, homelessness is rising, small businesses are struggling to stay open, and those in poverty need food. 

The big picture is overwhelming, so let's break this down on a more personal level. By working at CCO and wandering the neighborhood most days, I see how these problems are becoming more visible on the surface. People are desperate, they don't know how to get what they need with the changes agencies and ministries have had to make. They ask, "how do I get a meal if the local soup kitchen is closed?" Or, "how do I find a place to stay, if shelters are downsizing and can't accept new people?" These problems are rapidly rising - yesterday I had 2 people ask me for tents to sleep in, more folks are digging through trashcans, and there are countless people having to sleep on the trains every night. These changes of routines, these closures, this isolation, this fear of a deadly invisible virus, are triggering people's PTSD and trauma. We've had to rally our peacemaking skills more than usual, in our attempts to de-escalate the rage, depression, and psychosis that have been manifesting themselves more on the surface.

We got to be real, all this is only going to increase! Those stimulus checks will run out, the eviction moratorium will cease, those jobs people once had are now gone, shelters (along with foodbanks and soup-kitchens) have had to make permanent changes for the health and protection of all, and homelessness will rise. The horizon looks bleak. What will happen to the poor, the oppressed, the marginalized, the "least of these", and those experiencing homelessness when everything returns to our so-called "normalcy"? What will happen when this pandemic no longer has the utmost attention of the media and those who are often rejected and ignored are once again rejected and ignored? Who will remember and lift up those who need to be remembered and lifted up the most?

Blessings are constantly appearing. I've worked with those experiencing homelessness for over 20 years now, and there's a faith I always cling to - even in the most painful, dark, and gloomy moments there are lights that shine, blessings that always appear, and hope that doesn't disappoint. In these times, God doesn't vanish, His Kingdom is mysteriously moving, bringing the love, compassion, generosity, salvation, and mercy of Jesus into our midst - let's briefly see how some of the problems that arose have become blessings...

Vital connections have been made and tightened because of this pandemic - leading to a strengthening of our programs and longer-term medical help, especially for our most vulnerable population. Due to lower numbers, some of our areas have been and are being physically transformed - leading to these programs being cleaner, healthier, and more liveable. We've also been blessed to be on the receiving end of a beautiful outpouring of generosity by both volunteers and donors - I wrote about this extensively in my last post: A Bursting Bubble.

In all the chaos, what keeps hope alive is when people move into their own housing or are reunited with their families. Most weeks during this pandemic we've celebrated as various families or individuals have successfully moved out. This gives us so much hope and joy, but then there are certain people who resurrect hope beyond others - because they seem so lost in their circumstances and history. Dare I say, they seem beyond hope. 

Dennis (not his real name) resurrected that sort of hope in me. He's been homeless for as long as I can remember. About 15 years ago, an outreach worker had a housing opportunity for him and asked me if I knew who he was - I did, and we found him immediately! Dennis emphatically told us that he owned a fully furnished condo that overlooked the lake. We used all our skills, but there was no way to get him out of his delusion - to him, it was undeniably true. Time passed, and he eventually came to CCO - only to find out that this paranoid schizophrenic man didn't know his birth name or date of birth, which makes it near impossible to get someone's ID. Through countless efforts, through networking, through advocating, we found out the truth - and it was so extremely different from what he, or we, knew. I'm happy to say, he now has his ID and birth certificate, and just last week, Dennis successfully moved into his own place - a subsidized apartment we had been fighting for because of it's 24/7 wraparound services. 

We must step up! The pain is real, the demands aren't fading, the suffering is horrendous, the injustice is criminal, the problems keep arising, but hope comes when people are willing to step up, exit their comfort zones, and bring blessings into our midst. Hope doesn't come through political leaders, but through people rallying and putting others before themselves - I've seen this compassion and love countless times in my journey. Whereas I believe it's everyone's responsibility to watch out for and help our vulnerable neighbors, I write this conclusion especially as a challenge to those who claim to follow Jesus. 

Jesus intentionally chose to walk through Samaria and then sit at Jacob's Well at noon. Only someone horribly rejected and disgraced would come to fill their water jugs in the heat of the day. So when this Samaritan woman showed up, Jesus wasn't surprised. In this situation, he was face-to-face with someone who was a victim of racism, bigotry, sexism, moralism, and please excuse the expression, slut-shaming. Despite being a man, a rabbi, a Jew, a person of privilege in this situation, he chose to talk to her! She knew this shouldn't be, but God's Kingdom breaks down barriers, turns all these cultural prejudices upside down, and proclaims a new way. 

When they spoke, Jesus revealed to her that he knew her past, the wrongs she was doing, her tainted reputation, and her place in society, but he still chose her. He didn't shame her, he chose love. From this, she saw him as a prophet and asked him a question that had nagged her and her people for generations, “Well, tell me this: Our ancestors worshiped God at this mountain, but you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place for worship, right?”

In his response, Jesus chose one of the most undesirable people to a Jewish rabbi to reveal some of the Kingdom's greatest secrets - truths he hadn't revealed to the great Nicodemus or his disciples. After telling her that both the mountain and Jerusalem will become insignificant, he revealed "a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

Jesus then chose to reveal to her that he was the highly anticipated Messiah - something he rarely told anyone! She returns to her town, where she becomes his vessel of eternal truth. They are captivated by her. They ended up meeting the Messiah themselves, and as a result, salvation and liberation came to a town that Jesus should have avoided at all costs. 

Covid-19 has challenged us to the absolute core. It's all changing and the question is: how are we going to adapt? Just as the mountain and Jerusalem became insignificant in true worship, our church doors are physically shut. The weakest and most vulnerable should not be put at risk and in danger because we want to sing our favorite choruses. Our buildings do not display our love, our lives do - "by this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another"  Pastors, it's beyond your sermons, it's beyond an impressive zoom service, it's about loving who you're called to serve. Let's not ignore the words of James: "Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world."

There's a question we need to ask ourselves as believers, with all needs and pain that surrounds us, how will we step up and worship in the Spirit and in truth? 

Think about what true worship is. Think about this woman at the well. Think about Dennis. Think about who represents this woman or Dennis in your communities. Break down the barriers, turn our cultural prejudices upside down, and be free enough to embrace the new way - just like Jesus! Pray to the One who has not forgotten the "least of these". Pray to the One who calls us to "worship in spirit and in truth". Pray to the One, who in his love will guide us to be His light and vessel in our neighborhoods. 

I'm going to close with this word, this challenge to truly worship in "spirit and in truth"...

"Houses of worship are not essential, but true worship is: "When I was hungry, did you feed me? When I was thirsty, did you give me a drink? When I was a stranger, did you invite me in? When I was naked, did you clothe me? When I was sick or in prison, did you visit me?""

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