Last week we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus. He rose from the dead just for us. It is a daily celebration in my life. Today thousands of my fellow South Africans are in their own Garden of Gethsemane; in the middle of a fight for survival against an unseen enemy, the coronavirus. The curve (curse) must be flattened, the virus must be stopped. There is however another threat; protests and looting all over South Africa in response to one issue: hunger.
Our television screens flicker with images of people protesting and praying as they fight hunger because of poverty, and loss of income. I cannot imagine the levels of anxiety and stress in these households. The government is doing its bit, but its hands are full. The government is like a juggler trying to maintain a balance between securing food supply to the needy and containing the spreading of COVID-19 daily.
It is up to us, civil society to help feed the hungry families because the government - for obvious reasons - is not doing enough. Allegations have surfaced of councillors and government officials in several provinces keeping food packages provided by the government for themselves and their families, and some rerouting them to their supporters.
This is where we stand up and say, “when they go low, we go high”. As citizens of this young democracy, we must help our fellow South Africans because no man is an island. I am reminded of a poem by John Donne titled, “No man is an island”. The opening verses are still relevant today:
No man is an island,
entire of itself;
every man is a piece of the continent,
a part of the main.
The closing verses hit even harder as we see an increase in the number of deaths due to COVID-19 in South Africa:
Any man’s death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind;
and therefore, never send to know for whom the bell tolls;
it tolls for thee.
During the lockdown, many women, men and children are stuck at home with their abusers. There is no excuse for abuse during or after lockdown. The bravest thing you and I can do is to help someone who needs help or is asking for help. Call the Stop Gender-Based Violence Helpline on 0800 150 150.
#LifeInLockdown
#GodBlessSouthAfrica
#LockdownJournal
#LockdownSouthAfrica
#CoronaViru
No comments:
Post a Comment