The COVID-19 virus has literally brought the world to its knees. An organism invisible to the naked eye has defined the way you and I live. It has confined us to the walls of our homes and dictated how we interact with one another.
Only employees of certain establishments deemed essential are still showing up to work. Schools have reverted to learning at home or full time online classes. A creature that tiny has put billions of people under its command. We are truly in remarkable times and uncharted territory. It makes you think of the true power of faith when Christ tells us if we have faith as small as a mustard seed, we can move mountains…Has this tiny virus not moved the whole world?
No one and no organization has been exempt from the impact of this pandemic. But let us focus on our houses of faith, the Church. Churches have gotten super creative in having remote services. The free conference call line is completely overwhelmed from use and video chat platforms like ZOOM, Skype and Google Meets are seeing unprecedented usage all in the name of keeping with the edict from
Hebrews 10 v 25
“not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching”
Medical practitioners on the front-line have been the heroes in this pandemic and probably the hardest hit. They daily have to make the tough decisions on who to try to save and who do leave to chance due to limited resource availability and the aggressive nature of this virus. To get a better sense of this pandemic, we caught up with Dr. Moses Olorunnisola, a pediatric physician in Monmouth County, NJ and a member of the youth ministry at C.C.C Voice of Grace Parish.
What can you tell us about the Virus?
COVID appears to have originated from a market in Wuhan where wild animals, including marmots, birds, rabbits, bats and snakes, are traded and/or sold. Some viruses are known to be transmitted from animal to human contact, so it is thought that the first people infected with the disease may have contracted it from contact with animals.
On the other hand, Some early cases of the disease appear to have affected people with no link to the Wuhan market at all, which suggests there may be a different theory into why this began. At this time, there is no clear evidence to why this is happening.
Being a Celestian and a doctor…how do you reconcile the COVID 19 Virus?
From a Celestian’s point of view, I think it is just a fulfillment of things that have been spoken about in the Bible. It is the moving Hand of God. In II Chronicles 7: 13-14, Isaiah 24, Isaiah 45: 7 onward, Matthew 24, we read various scriptures alluding to times such as this. Times that let us know that we must girdle our loins firmly, and draw nearer to God.
What do you think is the biggest risk with the virus?
The biggest risk lies in the way it is spread. It was thought initially that only people with symptoms can spread the coronavirus, but new information is being learned that even people who are asymptomatic, but have the virus can unknowingly spread it.
What is your advice as a doctor to celestial youth in handling this epidemic?
Biggest advice to the youth is be smart and practice “social distancing”. Now is not the time to hang out with friends, now is not the time to sleep over a friend’s house, now is not the time to play sports with friends… The youth need to do their part to stop the spread of the disease and that is by simply staying home, practicing social distancing, practicing good hand hygiene and covering coughs/sneezes into elbows or with a tissue. By doing so they can ensure their own health/safety as well as the well-being of their loved ones.
What is your advice on handling this crisis as a Celestian?
As a Celestian, we must continue to pray for God’s mercy and protection over His people. Even though we are not allowed to gather in churches now, it is our responsibility to make sure that we continue to encourage one another, pray for one another and continue to hold on to our faith in Christ during this difficult time.
Stay safe and stay blessed all.
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