WHEN WE HOPE | Executive News
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In December 2019, a SARS-like virus was reported in Wuhan, China.
Within the span of four months, the virus has infected more than 2.6 million worldwide
and has killed more than 180,000 people.
An Executive New presentation In association with CHRISTIAN ERA BROADCASTING SERVICE INTERNATIONAL, Inc.
Gerald Teodoro: The very, very first patient that we saw in our emergency department came in with symptoms of flu. He’s in his mid-sixties. We always see that all the time in our E.R. At that time, we don’t wear any PPEs (Personal Protective Equipment). At first we’re still like, “Maybe this is just like the flu.” Because the symptoms are almost similar. And then a few days later, a couple of our staff started showing symptoms. Well, there’s about 15 people who get in contact with that patient. Those 15 co-workers of mine got tested, two of them came back as positive. And that’s when it hit us, like “Oh, okay. This is a serious thing.”
And then after that, the number of people that we see increased by the day. Last time I worked, there’s confirmed 48 positive for COVID in the whole hospital. And I have four of my co-workers who tested positive for COVID-19.
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When We Hope
Mary Carolin Davis: So, we’re on our way now to do some weekly shopping.
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Sis. MARY CAROLIN DAVIS
LONDON, UK
So we’ve got gloves and of course, we need our mask as well. This one is not a three-ply mask so I’m just gonna use two instead. As you can see this area, before the lockdown, this area was really busy. So a lot of people go to the train station right there. And look! There’s no one! There’s no one in the train station apart from us.
Drastically, lifestyle in London has really changed. I am a diabetes nurse. I am the one who is assigned, as well, to check on the orders for the PPEs (Personal Protective Equipment). We ordered quite a lot because we wouldn’t know when is this going to end.
I’m also an expecting mother. I am on my 32nd week as of the moment––four to six weeks away from giving birth. And that would be hopefully having a normal delivery in a hospital. But since this COVID-19 happened, there are a lot of changes and a lot of uncertainties as of the moment.
I’m not even sure if my husband is going to be allowed to be with me when I give birth because, as of the moment, I am going to my hospital appointments by myself. He’s not allowed to come with me because it’s in the hospital and the risk of contracting the virus in the hospital is really high.
I’m pretty sure people are really worried about what’s happening now. I remember one of my colleagues spoke to me. She was quite worried because she was a mother of three as well. She works as a frontliner. She said that,“Until where are we going to help out as healthcare professionals without risking our own families and even our own lives as well.” So people are really worried. People are having anxieties.
Kara Cabusao: Right now, I am still working as a nurse in a nursing home.
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Sis. KARA CABUSAO
NEW BRUNSWICK, CANADA
Given that it’s a nursing home, the susceptible patients are the elderly people, which I am currently taking care of. In my current workplace, it’s really strict. They don’t allow anyone to enter––even their immediate families, relatives, and friends. A lot of my co-workers are already 55 years old and above, which is very high risk of getting the virus. They are really scared about it and whenever they work, I can see that they are really protective of themselves. They want this virus to stop already because it’s causing so much anxiety.
Ronald Guzman: Our first ever case here in our county was in Roseville.
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Bro. RONALD GUZMAN
CALIFORNIA, USA
She was actually the first death that occurred in California. Two weeks ago, I had three positive patients COVID patients and, unfortunately, none of them made it. I’ve seen this disease not only physically damages but also emotionally––how it affects not only the patient but also their families. And overall, the atmosphere in the hospital, everybody’s weary, everybody’s anxious.
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Bro. GERALD TEODORO
WASHINGTON, USA
Gerald: Nowadays, but with what’s going on, it’s very easy to lose hope. The only thing that I hang onto is the promise that God promised us, that He will never forsake us and He will always help us in everything that we do. And that’s what gives me the courage and the hope, is being a member of the Church Of Christ until the end. That’s what I’ve been hanging onto.
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On April 12, 2020, the Executive Minister of the Church Of Christ, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo, led Church Of Christ members in their respective homes, in a worship service through videoconferencing.
[Video of Brother Eduardo V. Manalo preaching]
Brother Eduardo V. Manalo: On our part as Church Of Christ members who have the divine election, we should not give in to doubt or let it overcome our hearts. Even if the situation seems hopeless, we should focus not on what we can do, but on what God can do––what God has promised He will do for us, His chosen ones. By doing that, we will be like Abraham who stood firm in his faith which he received from the Lord God.
Ronald: So, the things that are going through my mind when government imposed quarantine were done was, “How are we going to worship?” Of course, because that’s one of the one of the most important things in our lives: worshiping and continue our duties in the Church. But the Church Administration has been catering to our souls still, even in these times, to make sure that we still receive the words of God, that we still are able to worship Him.
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LONDON, UK
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WASHINGTON, USA
Ronald: So right now, because of the strict policies to mitigate the disease and try to help flatten the curve, we have been doing home worship services.
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CALIFORNIA, USA
We have a designated place in our house, we still worship with proper worship service clothes, we still give a lot of high regards to the worship services, even if they are being done in this manner. And we’ve been doing this for at least two to three weeks now, and it has been really a blessing that we are still able to worship even during these times.
[Video of Brother Eduardo V. Manalo preaching
Brother Eduardo V. Manalo: That’s why a Church Of Christ member is firm and steadfast in his faith. If you noticed, what was one of our previous campaigns? We should abound in faith because that’s needed. Did we expect the things happening at present to take place? No. However, God has prepared us already. We need to abound in our faith, love, and hope. We need to hold on to what the Lord God can do. When things we cannot handle come to our life, we can get through them. When? When we firmly believe in God’s promises. The Bible says, “God can never say something that is not true.” All that He says to us are true. When God makes a promise, He fulfills it. Look at what He did for the Church. God has fulfilled all His promises, not only during the time of God’s Messenger and of Brother Eraño Manalo. Until our time, the Lord God has been fulfilling what He promised. Hence, what’s required now of a true Church Of Christ member is to hope in God’s promise, so his faith may be firm and steadfast, and that he may be able to uphold his duties to God whatever he encounters.
Kara: Since it’s very difficult to distinguish if the resident or the elderly people are already infected with virus, because majority of them already have coughs and cold before the virus arrive, that’s why we treat everyone as if they already have the virus.
Ronald: But with this disease, you also worry about by your family. “Am I going to give it to my family?” Actually, that has been my biggest worry about it––it’s not about myself. It’s making sure that I don’t give it to my loved ones. My parents live with me––they are at the high risk population, I have young kids as well. Before, when you go home, you can relax and you can actually take your mind off of work, but this time around, you can’t. I don’t hug my kids as much. I stay away from my parents as much as possible, just in case.
Gerald: My wife is immunocompromised––immunocompromised meaning her immune system is not the strongest––so she can get easily sick. And me being exposed at work, especially with the COVID-19, coming home and the fear of passing it on to my kids and my wife, which is very scary.
Ronald: Before I go to work, I think that’s when my anxiety level is at the highest. But then I pray to God. That’s a way for me to actually let go of my fear and just let God do whatever He wants to do in my life. Even when I’m already at work, before I go inside a patient’s room, I say a short prayer. “God, help me to take care of this patient,” or if it’s a COVID-19 patient, “Please, protect me,” and that always gives me the courage, that always gives me the drive to just do what I can do, and God will do the rest.
[Video of Brother Eduardo V. Manalo preaching]
Brother Eduardo V. Manalo: Brethren, God will not forsake us. We are His servants. Trials are inevitable because we are still here on earth. We are not yet in the Holy City. But if we rely on, trust in, have confidence in, and lean up our Lord God, He will help us. That’s why Church Of Christ members must prove that they rely on God. Obedience is imperative for us to prove to God that we rely on Him. That’s why we should always renew our lives and fulfill all of God’s commands so that we can prove that we rely on, trust in, and are confident in the Lord God so that whatever we encounter in life, we will experience God’s help.
Kara: The way I approach a bad situation in my life changed when I became a member of the Church Of Christ, for example, this pandemic. If I don’t know how to cope with the things around me. I had a lot of suicide attempts before, but when I became a member of the Church Of Christ, I just prayed. I prayed a lot to take away the sadness that I’m feeling, to make me happy again, to remove all the worries that I feel right now. That’s why I am really thankful that I was called inside the Church Of Christ because whenever I attend the worship services, after that, I feel energized again because I was reminded of God’s teachings and I feel like God is beside me, watching me, whatever I do, especially at work.
Ronald: That’s what I’m clinging to. That’s what’s making me wake up every day and continue with my job. That’s what’s inspiring me to continue taking care of patients, despite the fact that I’m endangering my life. That’s what’s driving me to continue to fulfill my duty as the head of the household, strengthening my family, making sure that they’re okay during this time of the pandemic––not only physically but emotionally––and also, most especially, spiritually.
Mary: I was a bit worried of, when my child is going to come out, it might not be that beautiful the world that she would see and it would be a cruel world. But then to me really the worship services really help me to realize that there’s nothing I should worry about because what I really just need to do is to put my complete trust to God and He will be looking after me and my family.
[Video of Brother Eduardo V. Manalo preaching]
Brother Eduardo V. Manalo: Trust and believe in Him. Brethren, put your hope in God. Never have even a tinge of doubt. We should not let doubt defeat us because God is ready to help His servants who firmly believe and have faith in God. God will never forsake us.
© Executive News 2020
