“I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink.” (Mt 25:35)
By: Dominican Sisters of Go Vap – Viet Nam
When the whole country had been in “social isolation”, difficulties came to all people, especially to those who earned income through their daily work. Virus coming from Wuhan had changed everything, not only the way to see each other but also the way to live with each other. Both white collar and blue collars, businessman and laborers, the rich and the poor, all were affected by this virus, not completely in sickness but entirely in business.
The most affected people were the poor. They were those who had income through their daily work. Some were lottery ticket sellers, others just vendors, motorbike taxi drivers, etc… Their job might be different from each other, but their lives now were same to each other. All were jobless, suffered from this pandemic, even they did not get sick. Oh my God! How could they survive?
After discussing with her sisters, our Superior asked her sisters and our benefactors to sacrifice themselves and to work together for the benefit of the poor and the needy, following the demand of the Gospel and actualizing what Jesus already said: “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink” (Mt 25:35)
Giving gifts to receive smiles
From the beginning of the social isolation, our Superior already planned to share with her fellow-citizen their difficulty in time of trouble. At that time, food was the most necessary, especially when they could not earn money to buy food.
Many young sisters were chosen to bring gifts for the poor around the convent. All of them tried to nip along the lanes weaving as a chessboard. They came to many small rent rooms, building by bricks and fibros, for those who came from countryside and tried to earn their living in this city. These people are lottery tickets sellers, vendors, motorbike taxi drivers. They needed some help to survive and our sisters came to help.
The gifts were sent and the smiles were replied! This activity was only the ray of the sun, but it showed the hope of a sunny day where the darkness of fear and anxiety is no more. Halleluia, Halleluia, Halleluia.
Scholastic sisters – selling without trading
Without going to school because of this pandemic, these scholastic sisters tried to practice what they had learned in the book of Isaiah: “You who have no money, come, buy grain and eat; come buy grain without money, wine and milk without cost” (Is 55:1). Every afternoon, they went to sell things that collected by others. They did not have fixed capital; therefore, they did not try to get money. There was no bankrupt because what they dealt with was not a financial business, but loving business. As long as the love of Christ still in their hearts, there is nothing lost.
The store was the lobby of the hall. The Director of temporary vows together with her sisters classified things and packed them before going to sell. Couple by couple, the sisters rode on motorbike carrying things to others who needed but no money to buy. They could not come, so our sisters went to give things to them.
At first strange, now familiar they were happy to see our sisters every afternoon. They came to choose what they needed and shared with others what they had known others’ need. Dealing was very fast and they exchanged to sisters their joy and gratitude to our benefactors.
The goods no more was the time for our sisters coming back. Together with their tiredness was joy and love. They gave Love and received it back. They had heard God’s call and now they played His role.
For the full moon is fuller
Responding to the call of the Vietnamese Bishops Conference in this pastoral year: “Accompany the youth towards their total maturity”, as well as the call of our Superior, our sisters gave the theme “For the full moon is fuller” for this Mid-autumn Festival. The sisters in the Mother of God’s Convent, who always go to visit people living around them, knew very well the sufferings of those whom they had known. But with this pandemic, the people suffering were more than that.
Knowing their sufferings, our sisters opened their hands to share and contribute their parts for the good of these people. Together with essential items for their living, our sisters also gave them full moon cakes which is the joy for children in the Mid-autumn festival. Each of the sisters remembered the words of Jesus: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Act 20:35). Therefore, the children’s joy made them full of joy.
Besides the act of sharing, our sisters also keep them in their prayers. They asked God to give health, job and peace for these peoples. They also asked God for these children to enjoy this Mid-autumn festival and to grow “in wisdom and age and favour before God and man” (Lk 2:50).
Southeast – Contributing for the minority
The world and the Church are facing with the pandemic of Covid-19. It has spread everywhere and given sufferings for many, both physical and spiritual. Many people died and many people had to change their living way. People are now living in fear of sickness and of death!
Going side by side with the people, the Dominican Sisters of Go Vap in Southeast contributed their part by praying and sacrifice day by day for those suffering by this pandemic. They also gave some things for living to the people they were sent to serve.
The gifts of love were sent to every family in many ethnic villages: Préyong, Chu Rong A, Chu Rong B, Gia Pá and Kontachda. Although these gifts were not valuable, it saves people in the time of trouble. Together with these gifts, our sisters also gave them masks to protect them from this pandemic. All of them joyfully received these gifts. They felt that they were loved through our sisters’ care.
Southwest – Coming in Covid-19 pandemic
Jesus said: “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, … Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me”. (Mt 25:35.40)
Keep in mind the teaching of Jesus and sympathize to the families who were in a difficult situation, the Dominican Sisters of Go Vap in Southwest asked their benefactors contributing their part together with our sisters to help people who live in this area. In this year the harvest was lost, those who had worked in the city, went back in jobless. Life is miserable now becomes more miserable.
Although our sisters were afraid of being infected with virus, they still kept going to visit these families. Group by group, they went to every canal: Zero, D,1, 3, 4, 5, Co Do Ba Vam, to visit every families to show our love for them.
The gifts were given in love and sympathy and were received in joys and smiles. The people realized the love of our sisters in their visit and the gifts. And our sisters also found joy in the share they made.
One Reply to “DIARY IN COVID-19 PANDEMIC”
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Congratulations Sisters on your amazing response to this unbelievable experience throughout 2020. You are a shining example to all of us.
You will be in my thoughts and prayers. May you be blessed abundantly.
Kind regards Máiréad op. Dublin. Ireland