From The Darkness To Light

Covid and Me

The grace of God can help us protect our minds from fear

For seven months, we escaped the COVID. We were cautious whenever we went out of the house and also took measures to build up immunity. So when we decided to go to Canada to visit our son and family, we were not so much worried about COVID. No sooner had we reached Canada, that I started a cough, which became severe within a few days. We went for the COVID test and found that we were positive. With my cough on the increase and the oxygen level going down, medical consultations directed me to the hospital. I was admitted into the Emergency Room and was hooked to oxygen. The next day I was transferred to a private room. It had a few machines and had wires connected to me. In the beginning, I was feeling fine that I was being taken care of in the best possible way. But then I realized that no one from outside could visit me, not even family members. And I could get no food from home. I had my phone with me, and the hospital gave me a Wi-Fi connection to access WhatsApp and email. The first couple of days, this helped keep me connected with my family. But on the third day, slowly, the thought of being alone started to get to me. When the nurses came to check on me, I made it a point to talk to them. I found that two of them were followers of Jesus and one senior nurse (she is from north India) was very close to God. Talking to them was great joy in that time of being all alone.

COVID had filled our world with fear of the Coronavirus and the fear of death. This was leading to depression for many and anxiety about the future. But as I was all alone in the hospital room, one thing that God protected me from was fear. Fear did not enter my thoughts. My problem was loneliness. And the other matter that bothered me was the food they served me. I was not able to eat much, and my intake became less day after day. Then I started singing songs loud to keep my spirits up.

Once a day, a doctor visited my room. The doctors typically just looked at my chart and would then leave. Or it would be just a “Hi” and a “Bye” or just a sentence, “you are improving well.” Each day it was a different doctor. On the fourth day, I was feeling lonelier. As I was sitting in a chair in the room, the doctor on duty walked in. I had not seen him before. He started asking me why I am in Canada, and then he asked me what work I do. Suddenly, I started telling him how the Lord called me when I was a young man. I narrated my journey in the Bible Translation ministry and how I am waiting to see all of India’s remaining languages have God’s Word in their mother tongues. I said that I believe that God will enable me to see that happen. The doctor was listening silently. All of a sudden, he knelt before me, held on to my knees, and prayed that God would fulfill my desire and blessed me. He then got up, opened the door, and walked away. I looked at the time; he was with me for almost 20 minutes. I never saw that doctor again. I believe that he was an angel sent by God to encourage me in my loneliness. I did not feel lonely anymore. I was released from the hospital on the sixth day.

It is so easy for our thoughts to turn to what could happen to us and be filled with fear. And this fear can take control of our minds and lead us to depression. But the grace of God can help us protect our minds from fear. He can send his angels to help us in our times of need. This is what He did for me. This is our God!

JACOB GEORGE
Dallas, USA

Jacob George pioneered bible translation work in India. He and his family lived among the Konda Dora tribe of Andhra Pradesh. He is the South Asia Director of Every Home for Christ and Chairman Emeritus of Wycliffe India.