Overcoming covid-19

By Carlin Armstead

One year ago, in 2020, COVID-19 commonly known as Coronavirus, made its entrance into the world and our communities, wreaking havoc through sickness, death, and isolation. People lost their lives, jobs, money, social connections and so much more. There were so many challenges.

In March 2020, a few weeks before everything shut down, I experienced a coughing spell. Immediately following the shutdown, I became ill with a bad fever, chills, and moderate breathing problems. I had never been that sick before in my life. It lasted for about two weeks, and then it was over!

During that time there was no testing unless you were hospitalized. I believe that I had a mild version of the virus and haven’t been sick since that occurrence. It has been more than a year since I have been able to see my family members and friends, especially my father, face-to-face. I’ve suffered from loneliness and depression. However, I was not alone, God was with me the entire time.

I thank God for sustaining me through the pandemic experience. He kept me while I was struggling financially. My job as a substitute teacher was eliminated, but I was able to compensate for that loss when my side job delivering food became a full-time job. It was necessary for me to do whatever I could to survive and take care of my personal basic needs. Delivering food was risky as well as controversial, but I was providing an essential service to the community. I came to realize that my sacrifice allowed me to help those individuals who weren’t able to leave home to purchase food for themselves.

Later in 2020, I was able to return to my job as a substitute, teaching students virtually. The Lord truly worked things out. My everyday prayer includes asking God to place a hedge of protection around everyone, and to protect me from all hurt, harm, and danger. He has never failed to answer that prayer.

Thanks to the power of a God, He has given us the gift of creativity through the development of technology. That helped keep the world turning despite the imposed restrictions of isolation, masking and social distancing. Creative thinking led those within the medical community to help individuals who were infected with this virus through testing, treatment, and the development of vaccines to aid in protecting us. Now that we are in 2021, I see it as a time of renewal, like the Spring that comes after Fall and Winter. We have survived and continue to work toward overcoming political storms, racial injustice challenges, separation from family and friends, economic disparities, and more.

We should continuously thank God for His grace and mercy; thank first responders and essential workers for their sacrifices; and thank one another for wearing masks and practicing social distancing. It has truly been a team effort. The African proverb holds true, that it definitely “takes a village” to get through tough times. Society does better when we come together to overcome something as big as a pandemic. We will survive. We must remember those who suffered and died, while continuing to move forward to better days.