By Edwin Tam
Covid-19
How terrible the Coronavirus epidemic is. As of today, globally over 3.8 MM tested positive and among the sick, 260,000 people die (Figure 1). In the US,1.2 MM people got the virus, more than 72,293 people lost their life (Figure 2). As for Massachusetts, 80,467 confirmed case and 5,315 people die because of the virus (Figure 3). People who have not experienced or witnessed it will never know how danger this virus is. Because of ignorance, you see demonstrators holding up signs “Give me liberty or give me Covid-19” or “My body is my choice”; “Freedom not Fear”! (Figure 4)
Because of this epidemic, all of us have been tied together; stay home; keeping social distance; wear mask if we go out and so on. What’s more, who can guarantee you will not catch the virus, there is this possibility that the next one may be you or someone you love.
Cruise
Like all of us, I will never imagine we will catch the virus. When we decided to go on a cruise back in late February, the situation is not too bad in the US, not too many Coronavirus cases and more important, hardly any report of people die. At the same time, there was no report of any case of coronavirus in South America, we feel safe to make the two weeks trip.
Everything seems to be fine on the ship, we did not see a lot of people sick, the cruise ship constantly cleaning the public area and ask us to use the hand sanitizer. Daily captain announcement mentioned no one was sick on the ship and everyone is healthy. On the last day of our journey, we are supposed to dock at San Antonio, Chile, we learn the cruise port was closed to all cruise ships, we cannot disembark to go home, now all of us are stuck on the ship with nowhere to go. The cruise company did some negotiation with the Chilean government and we were able to get fuel and supplies, no one can get off the ship except Chilean citizens.
The cruise company started an alternate plan and was able to get the US government to let us get off the ship in San Diego, provided we self-quarantine for 14 days. Before we go off the ship, the captain said everyone on the ship was healthy. Looking back, we are not sure whether that is the truth. They also have us to fill out a medical questionnaire and check our temperature before we disembark. We all are very happy to finally go home. Once we got home, things started to change, we have a Facebook group to share information, there are 900 people in this group, the ship has a total of 2,900 people including crews, Facebook cruise friends start reporting they are getting sick. As of today, 155 tested positive for covid-19, 50 people suspected they have covid-19 but was able to recover at home, sadly enough, 4 people pass away since.
Fighting the Covid-19 Virus
The day we got off the ship, one person was taken to the hospital from the ship due to breathing issue, later on she and her husband were tested positive for covid-19. We start having covid-19 symptoms a few days after we came home. Wife situation was more serious, after less than a week home, she went to see the doctor, the doctor found her oxygen level was extremely low and they immediately sent her to ER. She ended up staying at the hospital for 2 weeks.
As for me, I was sick but not serious enough to go to ER, doctor suggests me fight the virus at home. I have all the virus symptoms, no energy, vomit, diarrhea, chill, muscle pain, joint pain, constant headache, cough, lost of appetite and breathing problem. It was one of the worst experiences I ever have. Nurse calls me daily to check on my 2 vital signs, temperature and oxygen level, she also asks about my breathing. Unless things really turn south, they don’t recommend me to go to ER. The doctor did not give me any antibiotics or anti- malaria drugs like chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, he did not believe it will work. For my cough, they ask me to take the Tussin.
After 3 weeks of home resting, my energy level improved but my symptoms did not all go away, especially the diarrhea, cough, breathing and headache. A sister from church gave me this Chinese supplement, “Lianhua Qingwen Jiaonang”, it was used to fight sever flu, in China, they also give this medicine to patients along with anti-malaria drug. I started taking it and I am not sure whether my immune system getting better to fight the virus or the Chinese medication, I start feeling better in 4-5 days, my headache is almost gone, no diarrhea, no more chill, more importantly I can walk the stairs, before that, going upstairs require many stops because I feel like running out of breath. As of today, both I and my wife are feeling better, we are not 100%, especially the lung function, we cannot take long walk or do any yard work without having the lung feeling huffing and puffing, we know we still a way to go to be fully recover.
CBCGB Fellowship and Church Support.
I will never imagine during this time, I have received great support from our fellowship, church, friends and Hong Kong classmates. Church, pastoral staff, elders, all prayed for our recovery. Pastor Yugang Zhang called me daily to pray for us. Our Fellowship prays for us. Pulse Magazine co-workers, kitchen co-workers, Cantonese Sunday school students pray for us. Our friends, cruise ship friends, industry friends, co-workers, Hong Kong classmates, all give us words of encouragement and prayers.
During this uncertain time, Pastor Lee heard that we were not feeling well, he sent us a video, it is called “Jesus gives you peace,” this video gave us both peace and comfort. We also know God’s words are an endless source of comfort, especially in times of sickness, through friends, fellowship members and reading the scripture, these Bible verses help me through this difficult period, I like to highlights a few here.
ISAIAH 41:10 (NIV)
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Jeremiah 17:14 NIV
“Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.
John 14:27
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
The love, words from the scripture, words of encouragement and support we received are over whelming, it lifted our spirit during this time.
Besides offering their prayers, our Lexington Fellowship and Kitchen co-workers sent us food and delivered to our house 3 times a week. Pastor Ziyi Chang volunteered to deliver the food to our house, later, I asked the fellowship delivers directly to our house since we live very close to Church. Some fellowship members offer to do grocery shopping for us and we decline. Again for all their love and support moved us greatly.
Grace
Christian writer, Paul F. M. Zahl, wrote a book on grace, it is called “The Christianity Primer : Two Thousand Years of Amazing Grace”. He said “Grace is unconditional love toward a person who does not deserve it.” I think he is absolutely right. Why do we deserve all this love from others, their love and kindness is free and unconditional, they never ask us for anything back other than us to get well. I always think we don’t really deserve all this love and kindness.
We live every day by the grace of God. We receive forgiveness according to the riches of God’s grace, and grace drives our sanctification. Paul tells us, “the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives” (Titus 2:11). Spiritual growth doesn’t happen overnight; we “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 2:18). Grace transforms our desires, motivations, and behavior.
With this illness, we truly understand and appreciated the true meaning of grace and God’s grace!
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3 :Massachusetts Coronovirus Case (Boston Herald) 05-14-2020
Figure 4: Covid-19 protest ABC News 04-25-2020
Author: Edwin Tam, currently at Lexington Fellowship, has been attending CBCGB around 30 years. He is currently serving at HR Committee, Kitchen, Pulse Magazine, Cantonese Sunday School, Church website and church photography.