Epicenter

[Editor’s Note: the following is a communication from Tiger Lee, a regional general manager of the Overseas Adventure Travel company, which is associated with Grand Circle Travel.]

“On January 23, 2020, I was supposed to be looking forward to celebrating the Spring Festival – the biggest holiday in China – with my family and friends. Instead, I was under lockdown in my Wuhan home with my wife, Mengxing, and 6-year-old son Haoqian. And that is where I remain today.

“Even though the lockdown continues, today I can tell you that the signs indicate we will not be here much longer. Our confirmed cases of coronavirus number in the single digits. The temporary hospitals are empty and the doctors and nurses are finally able to take breaks. The government sent 30,000 medical personnel to Wuhan to help treat the 50,000 cases in the city. So far, 35,000 of those patients have been discharged.

“Today, I have hope that by the end of the month, the cases will be down to zero, and the lockdown will come to an end. But on that day in January, Wuhan did not feel like a very hopeful place.

“My family and I had actually chosen to quarantine ourselves two days before the government officially announced the lockdown. We were about to leave Wuhan to visit my parents in Yichang City, but we couldn’t be sure we didn’t have the virus. We decided it was better to stay where we were. It was the right decision, as the millions of people who evacuated Wuhan to avoid the lockdown were responsible for spreading it.

“In the beginning, the government didn’t want to cause a panic. As we know now, it was a huge mistake. But my wife had a friend who worked in the hospital. She told my wife that something was happening. There weren’t enough beds for the people getting sick, and even the doctors and nurses were coming down with it. She told us to be very careful, and to take action.

“I’ve been in the travel business since 2002, and worked as a tour guide during the outbreak of SARS. For half a year, China had no visitors, and many people died. I didn’t know whether this virus was a rumor, but we decided it was better to be prepared. We bought masks before anyone else was wearing them. Wuhan is a city of roughly 14 million people, and very crowded. We wore masks in busy places and on public buses. We warned our families to avoid large gatherings and parties. It took a while to persuade them, but they listened.

“We did everything within our control: we wore masks when nobody else did, and avoided going to crowded places – like panic-buying at the supermarket with too many people. So my family didn’t suffer the tragedy that many others suffered. Today, my whole family is safe.

“Over the weeks since the lockdown began, we’ve developed a routine. I like to cook, and had no choice but to cook at home. Preparing our three meals became my responsibility. We had rice and flour to make bread and dumplings. People could still go out on the street in the very beginning to go to the supermarket, but we made the decision not to and made do with what we had in the pantry and refrigerator. It lasted two weeks. At that point, we weren’t allowed to leave our residential area, but I put on a mask twice a week to get food. Now, the government is delivering food to us, so the situation is much better. At first, we only had vegetables. Now, we’re excited to see fruit, too.

“Haoqian gets up every day and goes right into his own routine. I don’t even need to tell him what to do at this point. He studies online and does homework – the government runs classes online, free of charge. We’ve had to find some interesting ways to keep him active: I convert our dining room table into a ping-pong table, and move the furniture from the living room to play badminton and soccer. Sometimes he sits on the balcony and looks through the window, where he can see the playground with a seesaw and swing. I know that’s the place to go if I let him out, but we can’t.

“Soon, I hope we can go out and play there again – we are headed in the right direction. I’m thankful that the government took action, and I appreciate all they’ve done – but we could have done better, sooner. I hope other countries will pay attention from what we’ve learned. The first thing I do when I wake up is read the news and look at the numbers.

“As more and more Americans are heeding the warnings to stay in their homes as much as possible, my message to you all is that you can get through this – by focusing on the things you can control. If you do need to go out, avoid crowded places. Use sanitizer and wash your hands.

“Never get bored with your life under lockdown; find something new to do, or create something with what you have. People always say, ‘I wish I had more time to do something.’ I’m using the extra time during my lockdown days to learn a new language online.

“Obviously the situation in Wuhan was as extreme as it gets – and we are almost on the other side. Until we get there, I am thankful for the safety of my family, and the support of my friends and associates at O.A.T.

“Above all, the smiling faces from my family keep me in good spirits during these days. That is what’s truly important.”

Prayer: O Breath of Love: Where there is panic, let there be calm.
 Where there is leadership, let there be wisdom. Where there is healthcare, let there be fortitude. Where there is research, let there be breakthrough. Holy Spirit, breathe into our trembling and troubled souls the assurance of your presence so we may remain a people of faith, hope and love.
 Amen.

-submitted by Nancy Hammerton
[Prayer adapted from a prayer by Rene Wilbur, New England Conference Lay Leader]