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I.M. Forced 11 Jan 2021

Not many people like to be forced to do something. There are as well times that some force benefits us. A natural disaster may change a coward into a hero.
I am wondering if the COVID pandemic could stir up good things among us.

What If?

In Europe we are facing a more contagious mutation of COVID-19. When the pandemic would cause two (or more) times as much very sick patients than the hospitals can care for, how am I going to respond? I am not a hero. But I would be embarrassed with myself if I would do nothing.
Who is going to care for contagious very sick patients? Fortunately vaccines are becoming available. The vaccine is however not a full certain protection. There are still a 5% of the vaccinated persons who may get sick.
If Millet would be sick, of course I would be willing to care for her. But what if my neighbour would be alone and very sick? Am I willing to care? Would I have the courage to care?

Organizing Help

Helping ad hoc (when the need arises) is much appreciated. Preparing for a larger scale help with untrained workers would be much desirable.
1. It would be useful to have a list with available workers. And that would require advertising and registering.
2. Similarly it would need a connection to doctors, hospitals and health organizations to get to know who and where the patients are. Perhaps we need to ignore (Dutch) privacy laws.
3. It would need information for the helpers what the risks are. There would be a need for protective materials (disinfection, air refreshment).
4. There would be a need for a food (and materials) service to deliver to sick ones and voluntary helpers.
5. There would be a need for communication to relatives of patients and helpers.
6. An instruction for untrained 'nursing'.

Without support well meant help would be somewhat foolish.

Unseen Suffering

How are we going to comfort lonely and hopeless people? Here as well would be a need for organizing and co-operating. Without good information and organization we will be ineffective. Sadly many needy persons will refuse help. We need to learn how to reach out to disappointed 'closed' persons.

Call and Invitation

I would like to hear from others ideas and suggestions how we can locally deal with the problems and pain around the COVID-19 pandemic. Perhaps we can do things together.
Actually I speak to the (my) church ... because there are quite some local initiatives in my city.

Prayer

Father God, please call forth in us heroism. Usually we call it love. Give us the courage to unite and co-operate in this time of crisis. And ... father God do not forgive me easily when I refuse.