COVID 19 PANDEMIC AND OUR MISSION
The intention of the Holy Father Pope Francis for the month of March was to pray that the Church in China may persevere in its faithfulness to the Gospel and grow in unity. This statement is printed in the 2020 calendar at least six months in advance. The Holy Pope might have been inspired or he sensed of the calamity that was going to take place in China. Similar calamities have occurred that we see in the Bible and we hear from our elders. But people accepted their weakness, humbled themselves and depended on the mercy of God.
During the flood, Noah surrendered to the will of God, built an ark and quarantined in it with his family for forty days. God provided everything they needed. “Come my people, enter your chambers and shut your door behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until the wrath is past” (Is. 26: 20-21). The people prayed and the Lord was with them.
The attitude of the people today, particularly that of the rulers has been to the contrary. The Government imposed lockdown one after the other, without any prior notice neither precautionary measures nor sensitivity to the needs of the people, particularly the migrants and the labor class. All the private hospitals were shut down. The transport system was paralyzed. The government health facility was very poor and that too very scarce. People with ailments other than Corona Virus infections were neglected. Therefore, many lost their lives. The grievances of the pregnant mothers were unexplainable. The unorganized daily wage labor class families were struggling for means of survival. God’s intervention was not sought by the rulers. Humility was not their cup of soup. In such a situation we the St. Mary’s Community tried and is trying the best way possible to reach out to the needy, grief stricken, ailing patients and the pregnant mothers.
While all the private hospitals were shut down, our hospital was open to welcome all emergency cases of the pregnant mothers, and also of other ailments even though not knowing whether they are infected of Corona virus or not, trusting in the providence of God. Our Doctors and Nurses too were very supportive and generous in extending their services. Moreover, patients of all symptoms of Corona Virus are treated and they are cured. The people are scared to go to government hospital because first and foremost relatives are not allowed to accompany them in the hospital. And worse thing is that those admitted ones rarely return alive.
Whatever good your right hand does, even your left hand should not know bases; our community has provided provision kits to the most needy. Our production Centre takes extra pain to attend the women at any time and any day of the week for providing them embroidery work, so that they have some purchasing power to meet their daily needs. As a safety measure at both ends, masks are freely distributed to all those who enter into our premises. Family visits and Communion ministry to the sick is and the aged is continued. Above all we are very much with the affected and infected people with our prayerful and moral support.
St. Mary’s Community,
Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.