A Global Pandemic: What Does Coronavirus Mean For Our Neighbors?
In times of great crisis or disruption in society, those who often go overlooked or are under-represented can easily fall more deeply into that same hole. The great strength of those who come from an under-resourced situation is that they are resilient, fighters, and madly creative. There is an inner-strength that they possess that can really help lead culture in a time like this.
At the same time, there are fears that get multiplied in times of crisis for our friends who come from under-resourced situations. When one lives on less-than paycheck to paycheck and often relies on assistance to provide for their families, these individuals are forced to become more survivalistic. This causes greater anxiety, depression, and can freeze people from making decisions, gathering resources, or dreaming of the future. At Solidarity, we have already heard of how anxiety is rising and leading to depression in the youth during this time.
Spiritually there is a temptation to direct less energy in the things that really make us truly human, and that is a need for connection with one another and with God. Survival, getting basic needs, & fighting someone for toilet paper becomes all we focus on. Loving others & loving God seems like wasted time. Creativity suffers, dreams get placed on the back burner, and investing in connection becomes less “necessary”. We were already a culture that dealt with hardships of loneliness and separation, but going into a season where some of the most vulnerable are forced to only focus on survival, a different spiritual loneliness can arise.
So what can we stand together and pray for?
Pray against the fear that our neighbors are experiencing and that the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will rest on our neighbors during these uncertain times.
Pray for God’s provision during this time of need! We’ve already seen a monumental piece of legislation pass where city council passed the temporary eviction moratorium, which forbids renters to initiate the steps of evicting tenants. Continue to pray for our neighbors’ ability to earn enough money so that they can continue paying rent and other basic necessities.
Pray for opportunities for families to be restored and for our neighborhoods to use this time to come to know Jesus on a deeper and more intimate level.