Bridget Hathaway and Flavian Kishekwa have worked together for many years in the field of disability in the community and over time have seen a positive change of attitude towards people with disabilities, with a greater awareness of their ability rather than focusing on the prefix of dis.
However, if a COVID-19 outbreak occurs and the question arises “Who shall I treat with our precious resources?” the answer may not be favourable for those with disability.
God is always worthy of our praise, but the Bible is full of rich expressions of relationships with God that cover a wide range of experiences and emotions. God in his infinite wisdom included this in his divine word. Yet so often, all over the world, Christians and the church at wide seem locked in to praise and thanksgiving at the exclusion of pouring out our hearts to our loving Father in heaven. Federico Villanueva helps us to engage with our grief during this time of hardship and trial as a result of the coronavirus pandemic by pointing us to the word of God in Lamentations.
Soon our scientists will discover the vaccine; human immunity will ramp up; the air’s temperature will rise and possibly limit the lifespan of the virus. All will return to normal. But will we remember the lessons of the time of pandemic when our world was coming to an end? Sadly, most will not, but perhaps some will. Would that we honor the victims of COVID-19 – from Wuhan in China to Codogno in Lombardy, Italy – by retaining the values learned in the time of the pandemic that claimed their lives. Would that the values of God’s Kingdom be remembered and practiced beyond the time of tragedy, suffering, and death.
