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2024-05-20
Walk With Me Surving Covid
This book takes you on Tracys journey as a COVID survivor through a traumatic experience. She is faced with losing her independence, having to rely on others, and letting go of a love she thought she wanted only to find the real love she needed. Tracy shares how she copes with depression and PTSD and lives and functions with it daily. This book is a powerful testimonial from a truly strong woman who shares how her faith was her strength -
2024-05-10
Better Days Ahead
The story I submitted talks about the important lessons I learned from the pandemic, life lessons that I will continue to take with me through my life. -
2020-03-13
COVID 19, and its affect on my morality
During the Pandemic, I actually had the time to sit and reflect on my religion and take time to learn from Allah swt. I strengthened my relationship with him and became a better Muslim throughout these times during the pandemic. The pandemic has provided an unexpected opportunity for many individuals to deepen their connection to their faith, again, including myself. As I found myself with more time for introspection and reflection, I was able to delve into the teachings and practices of Islam in a way that I hadn't before. This period of isolation allowed me to prioritize my spiritual growth and strengthen my relationship with Allah. I am grateful for this newfound connection to Islam and am committed to continuing my journey of Islam. "None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself." (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Book 2, Hadith 12) This hadith emphasizes the importance of treating others as we would like to be treated, which is a fundamental principle of Islam. It highlights the idea that our faith is not just about personal piety, but also about fostering a sense of community and compassion for others. By loving and caring for our fellow human beings, we can strengthen our connection to both our faith and to each other, which is especially important during times of hardship and uncertainty like the pandemic. -
2020-04
Saved
The pandemic has not only been a devastating experience but a time of reflection. -
2020-03-01
Life During Covid
Life during Covid has been anything, but consistent for anyone. However, I would say that for me and for many others, it was a huge wake up call. When all this started, I was still in my second year at Arizona State University, and truthfully was a bit out of shape which was out of character for me being that I grew up playing sports and being active for the vast majority of my life. As sad as it may sounds, this pandemic woke me up in a way I do not think anything else could have. It gave me so much time that I did not have previously, and I had more time to think, more time to realize the bad habits I had accumulated over the past couple years, but most importantly, more time to act and change. With the help of my brother, who also viewed the pandemic as a wakeup call, I managed to become more active again and become healthier in general. During this time, I also came back to my faith in God. For a long time, I had lost my faith and questioned it, but I never actually researched the questions or doubts I had. I finally had time to do so and in doing so, I realized the truth and fullness that can only come from our relationship to the one, true, living God. I became much happier during this time as, not only was I getting back into shape, but I had mended my relationship with God, and I felt a peace that I had not felt in literal years. Ironically enough, I look back very fondly of 2020 and when Covid broke out. Yes, this time was messy, it was chaotic, it was confusing, but for me, it was a time for reflection, growth, and maturity. I know Covid has negatively affected so many people across the world, and I have been blessed to not have been affected that much by it myself or in my immediate family, but this pandemic truly awakened me. This pandemic brought me out of a depressive, lonely, and unhealthy state of living and I am incredibly grateful for the experience I had. -
2022-04-29
A Return to Truth #REL101
This is a short story detailing my struggles with the Christian church as I returned to the faith during the pandemic. -
2022-04-28
COVID-19, Religion, and Public Life Reflection
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a one-of-a-kind situation for our generation, causing many countries to go into lockdown and many people to lose their jobs, loved ones, and social life. The pandemic affected people of all races, religions, and genders and continues to do so. Businesses, schools, and job offices around the world were forced to close, store shelves were emptied of canned food and toilet paper, and people were limited to the amount of food they could purchase. Covid forced me and many others to work and attend school from home via Zoom, which was a new and interesting experience for me because I was accustomed to having a daily routine, such as waking up in the morning and getting ready to go to work and school. During covid, on the other hand, all I had to do was roll out of bed, fix my hair, and attend a zoom meeting in my pajamas. I'd have to say that physically separating myself from people I cared about, such as friends, family, and coworkers was the most difficult part for me. Another effect of Covid was the cancellation of religious activities and in-person services all over the world. Family members who died as a result of covid-19 had their funerals virtually streamed on zoom, which was especially difficult for many people because they couldn't go pay their respects to the deceased and loved ones. Many debates erupted about whether covid is real or not during this time period, and the issue quickly devolved into a religious/political one. People began to align with various political parties and religious leaders, and the power and opinions of these politicians and religious leaders exerted a strong influence over their followers. In terms of religion, one of the most noticeable effects of covid on me was that it weakened my religious faith, whereas it strengthened the religious faith of others. I lost a sense of joy and support that came with participating in prayer and holiday services because I couldn't attend them. Even though covid is still affecting people all over the world, we're learning how to try to return to life before covid. It may never be the same, but we can hope it just gets better. -
2021-09
Meme about covid-19 as a religion
I encountered this meme on twitter in 2021. Someone had shared it not understanding what it meant, to make fun of whom they assumed was an American Conservative who made it, and when I first saw it- it provided me with a lightbulb moment. I had not been able to understand through the pandemic why followers of God based religions were not able to take the pandemic seriously. Outside of conservative politics there was an aspect missing from the conversation about the pushback against pandemic safety measures. This meme showed me that many believers in God were unable to take the pandemic 'seriously' because to be afraid of covid-19 would be to view and interact with it like they do God. If you fear God, if your relationship to God is fear based, you cannot fear Covid-19 unless you wish to treat it in a manner similar to God. I think this simple meme is important in contextualizing the history of the pandemic, how those of God based faiths could not cope with the pandemic in a similar manner as others. The pandemic has changed me in a lot of ways, I had just turned 22 when the pandemic first started and now in December of 2022 I will turn 25 years old. Transitioning from early to mid 20's is always a challenge but the pandemic has created strange times as I transition more into adulthood. This meme has begun an interest and more mature perspective on the role religion plays not only in politics but the psychology behind people of God based faiths. This meme alone has assisted me in developing compassion for people I thought were just stupid when the pandemic started. There is no one rational response to immense fear, only personal widely varied responses; every person has a deeply individualized psychology built off of neural networks formed only by their unique experiences daily. -
10/19/2020
Rosie Bryant Oral History, 2020/10/19
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2020-05-03
HIST30060 Zoom Church
This photo was taken in May 2020, when Melbourne restrictions prevented religious gatherings from taking place. I attend Westgate Baptist Community church in Yarraville in the western suburbs of Melbourne, and it had transitioned to zoom for its church services by this point. On the day this picture was taken, we were meant to organise our own bread and wine for the ritual of communion. It was strange to source these elements on our own and even stranger to just pass them to each other instead of being given them by the pastor. It probably took some sense of gravitas and 'specialness' out of the ritual. At the same time though, it was evident that in a very precarious, unprecedented time, this community was really hanging on to such rituals for some normalcy and comfort in a sense of the divine's presence. We would not be back to in-person services until February 2021. -
2020-04-30
The Indonesian Muhammadiyah Movement and the COVID-19 Pandemic
This article describes the ways in which the Indonesian Muslim Muhammadiyah organization responded to the onset of the pandemic. -
2021-10-06
COVID-19 and the Family Divide
My submission details the drastic shift in the lives of the family unit after the emergence of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. It is important for me to discuss the pandemic's effects within the household as they pertain to internal religio-political affairs. -
2021-10-04
Plague and Faith
I began the Plague Year in the heartland of the United States: Rogers, Arkansas. I was towards the end of my two year term of service for my church, which was my full time job from 2018-2020. After spending nearly two years focusing wholeheartedly on Christian and spiritual concepts such as redemption, outreach, transcendence, faith, repentance, covenants, and endurance, my mindset going into the pandemic was admittedly a spiritual one. More specifically, I saw the pandemic as a growing opportunity for the whole world. The key, I thought, was that the coronavirus doesn't discriminate: It can infect you regardless of your race, socioeconomic status, social class, sexual preferences, or gender identity. It is a threat to everyone. Although we later learned that the disease, in fact, does affect people disproportionately, this one tenet of my philosophy- that it poses a threat to everyone- still stands. With this in mind, coupled with my heavily Christian, and moreover religious perspective, I viewed the advent of the coronavirus as a lesson that humanity had the opportunity to learn from. Whether they would take that opportunity, I couldn't say at the beginning, as I had recently seen examples that bolstered my faith in humanity, and also ones that degraded it. This was particularly interesting to consider immediately after exiting the 2010s, a period that many Americans and people of the world view as a tumultuous one. What I can say, however, is that I was optimistic. Even if a divisive political climate, humanitarian crises across the world, the longest war in American history, and a widespread mental health crisis couldn't jumpstart people's empathy for one another, hopefully a worldwide pandemic could. Looking back after 18 months of plague, I would say that I have observed mixed results. In very visible ways, the world, and particularly the United States, has become considerably more divisive. I look at the rise of conspiracy groups, the charged conversations I've observed related to masks or vaccines, the storming of the capitol, or the events that led to the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, and I think that the pandemic has only served to stress people beyond their breaking point. I am disappointed. Now that I am much more involved at a secular institution, in a state university, and much less involved in my church, I often fall into skeptical and even cynical thoughts lamenting humanity's inability to learn a lesson. I revile at the unchecked pride that rules the lives of so many. I look around and see many who would rather be "right" than be objectively correct. These people are my friends, family members, former mentors, and authority figures. Like the Coronavirus, these shortcomings of character have the ability to affect anybody. I would like to say that I have seen the same results on the other side, that I have seen enough examples of individual acts of courtesy and kindness to offset the vitriol, but I don't know that I can. I also don't know if I can't in good conscience make that observation, the proverbial jury is still out on that one. That will take more time to see. True change is something that stands the test of time, which we haven't had the luxury of observing yet. While the hate, cynicism and conflict that I have previously mentioned are very visible, and immediately announce themselves, change in the perspectives and hearts of people is more of a slow and gradual process, especially considering that the pandemic is not over. I hope to observe in later years that this pandemic defined our generation in a positive way, the same way that our progenitors gained appreciation and humility and grit from the great depression. I know that I, for one, have made efforts to do the same. I suppose that this all comes back to faith- faith that I have that this will one day be worth it. Although my life is a lot more secular these days, I retain the same faithful perspective that I gained volunteering with my religious organization for 2 years, the one that I had at the beginning of the Plague. It has not broken me, and deep down, I don’t truly believe that it’s broken the collective “us”, either. -
2020-04-03
Light to the Darkness
This picture I'm submitting is a picture of the rosary I've had hanging on the headboard of my bed since when I had covid. On April 3, 2020 I woke up to have some banana pancakes and my tea and discovered I couldn't taste anything and then tried to smell my perfumes and couldn't smell anything either. I knew it was covid. I was afraid and at night I'd cry and be anxious to the point where my anxiety made it hard to breathe and would think it was because of the virus. It was then that I realized my faith lacked. I got out of bed and went to get that rosary hanging with the rest that my mom had and I started praying. For the next couple of days leading to Easter Sunday, I'd pray and feel comfort knowing I had my rosary there. It made my days with the virus, bearable. A year and a half later, I still have my rosary hanging there. It has helped make everyday bearable and reminds me to continue having faith. -
2021-08-08
New Normal?
I went to church this past Sunday for the first time since the quarantine of March 2020. I'm not sure what I was expecting but there were a lot more changes than I had imagined. Sanitizing stations, hand wipes, and masks for those who wished to wear them. People were still socializing, not everyone was wearing masks but it was nice to see that it was an option and available to those who wanted. Before the pandemic, there was always a table with refreshments where we would go and grab pastries before Sunday school. Now that table had someone there to grab pastries in an attempt to limit contact. There were so many viable changes outside but the one that stuck to me most was the one I caught inside. Communion is a very important aspect of the Christian faith, I remember growing up in a Hispanic church there was a ceremonial feel to communion. It was a special occasion, a time to reflect and remember the foundation of our faith. I kept that feeling with me growing up but this past Sunday I was taken back when I walked into church. I was handed what I thought was a trinket. I sat down and stared at this object for a second, this was how we were to take communion. Of course, it makes total sense not to pass a tray around with crackers and juice to a building full of people, especially because you can never know for sure who's been vaccinated and who hasn't. This was just an unexpected change that the pandemic brought on, I wonder if this will be part of the "new normal" everyone is always talking about. -
2021-05-30
After 419 Days, I Took Holy Communion
I have a very deep faith. As someone extremely liberal and inclusive, I certainly do not fit the stereotype of an American Christian, and honestly, thank goodness, because I do NOT want to be associated with that. But my faith is a very large part of my identity. Though I may not vocalize it, it grounds my decisions and my approach to life. Going to church is never a chore for me, I love it. So when we had to abruptly stop attending in person in March of 2020 it was a radical change in our lives. We still logged into the streaming of the service and have hosted a mid week Bible study over Zoom every single week since the initial shutdown. But there is something about being together to hear the message, to sing, to pray. Being able to return to church in person safely has been something I’ve been praying for. It’s been a month now, we’re opting to sit outside - the inside is open, but we’re not quite ready to be indoors until more people are vaccinated or at least until our kids can be. Seeing people we haven’t seen in person for over a year almost brought me to tears our first week back and I am not a person who cries. It just felt like a relief to be home, so to speak. There are some interesting changes. No hugs or kisses at greeting, everyone stands and waves to each other. Everyone sits by household, spaced apart. And everyone wears masks. Instead of coffee and donuts there is a table with pre packaged snacks. Everyone has to sanitize their hands and have their temperature taken. There were also far fewer people than before COVID. The best part of service for me though is taking holy communion. On our first Sunday back, it had been 419 days since my last communion. Communion is such a personal part of my faith, and a time of deep reflection and thankfulness. And I am so very thankful to be back and pray that things remain safe so we can continue to meet together. -
2021-05-17
Stockdale Paradox: Ten Lessons to deal with COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has unleashed global havoc and has already resulted in millions of deaths. To deal with difficult scenario created by the pandemic, in this paper, inspiration is taken from “Stockdale Paradox” to derive ten lessons. These lessons are precious in the current scenario and discuss in detail the various issues and challenges with solutions. The lessons are useful for anyone in successfully dealing with brutal facts of pandemic and overcome the odds -
2021-04-24
JOTPY Internship Portfolio
This is my portfolio from my experience of working as an intern with the Journal of the Plague Year Public Archive. -
2021-04-23
COVID-19 pandemic
It has been a tough year for everyone, the impact of COVID 19 changed our lives forever. As people across the world practice social distancing to help slow the spread of COVID-19, many things have changed. In one way or another, we have all been touched by this pandemic, whether that means working from home or transitioning to online classes. Personally, I felt like the pandemic was going to be my downfall when it came to school. I have always struggled to stay focused and concentrate on different tasks. Having to transition from in person classes to complete remote learning scared me. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to continue with my education. As weeks went by, having to be isolated from the world and it just being me and my computer was very difficult. I suffered from depression and anxiety but I didn't want to give up. Education has always been important to me but it was really affecting my health. With pandemic getting worse and having more restrictions it felt like I was trapped. Usually when I feel that way the only thing that would give me peace was going to church. That wasn't an option anymore. Due to everything being closed I couldn't even go to the one place where I would feel safe and at peace. This pandemic taught me to be strong, and even in the hardest moment have faith. Have faith that everything gets better, and that we are capable of more than we think. Even though I had some tough times in school now I'm doing a lot better and I'm proud of myself for overcoming those obstacles. I'm now more appreciative of things that I took for granted before the pandemic. Even the little things, like being able to go to church. Overall, the pandemic taught me many things about myself. I am stronger and happier than I was before. -
2021-04-23
COVID 19, BLM and Religion - My story of 2020
This story tells my experience of having Covid-19 along with being the mother of a brown child during the pandemic and BLM movement. I also share how this year drew the line in the sand for our family's faith and how my partner and I finally found the courage to come out. -
2020-06-08
A Balancing Act on Fire
Although the meme is meant to be comedic, I feel that it reflects the reality of the stressors many people faced during the pandemic. To begin, the anxiety that the coronavirus disease brought into the public severely affected the mental health of many individuals across the globe. During the mandated lockdowns, I , like many others around me, began experiencing a decline in my happy hormones. At the time the pandemic restrictions were being put into place, I was living on campus with three other roommates. With the fear of spreading the disease unintentionally, the three moved out of the dorm right away and I was left to be on my own due to personal housing issues taking place at the time. The lack of interaction with anyone took a toll on my mental health. I missed my friends and my mom, I just wanted to be around someone, but we could only have visitors if they were helping us move out. On top of personal mental health struggles, events taking place across the country were also scarring. Protests in response to racial injustice under an administration that made it hard to feel safe unless you were a white male in America only added to the helpless state of being. Watching cases upon cases of unjustifiable abuse made the environment only more threatening than it initially seemed when the pandemic was first reported. The election of November 2020 was suspenseful in terms of who would be elected could potentially determine vital living situations for people all across the United States, whether it be immigrant status, being a person of color, or not being able to afford paying for housing in general. Financial troubles took over the country and the stimulus checks were not enough to cover housing, food, home essentials, especially when some dependents and entire families were not able to receive help because of their citizenship or dependent status. Many tried to turn towards their faith, the keyword being “tried.” Although not all religions focus on gatherings or physical objects, many people were unable to get access to these common preferred forms of practice and felt that virtual gatherings seemed ingenuine or illegitimate. Overall, the COVID-19 pandemic had many more severe effects on a global scale in all aspects of life. From concerns of the health of others, oneself, finances, practice of faith, and fear of safety in your own home, the negative effects are consistent as it seems that everything continues to pose a threat to daily living. I hope that everything eventually falls back into place and that justice is put in place so that people do not have to fear their own existence. -
2021-04-19
Faith Guided Man to Make 1200 Face Masks for Community
I remember vividly on March 12, 2020, when I told my students that school might be canceled next week because of Covid-19. At that moment, I was confident that we won’t be coming back to school the following week because of the events that were occurring around the world and the scenes that we have never seen before that were happening in our own backyard. The shortage of food and essential items were something that I have never imagined would occur in our local store. It was a horrible feeling of uncertainty and a feeling of being powerless about what to expect. My parents, brother, and I have underlying health issues thus living this year has taken a toll on the way we interact with other people from outside of our household. We feel like we are living on an island. In April, CDC had a constant voice in what we should do and recommended that we should wear face masks with two layers of fabric, wash our hands and be socially distant. At that particular moment, I was stressed out because how in the world will I get face masks when almost everything in the store is gone. I then told my mom about this and my mom said that there is a sewing machine under the stairs that I can use to make face masks. As a 6 foot latinx man, my parents didn’t have any issue with me using or learning how to use a sewing machine. In a Mexican household, only women can use the sewing machine, but in my household, my parents have embraced the new identity of America, and believe why would there be a problem in me doing things that are normally done by females? I used faith to guide me in understanding how to use the 1960’s sewing machine. I prayed and said that I have good intentions of helping my family and community to be safe from this virus so please help me financially and physically in making face masks. That same week, I received a check in the mail, and with that money, I purchased a lot of fabric and materials to make facemasks. I created a universal design that uses less material and in some way helps the environment and I created about 1200 face masks. I also found a way to create 50 face masks per hour and that helped me a lot. Even though many people feel reluctant to wear face masks, it breaks my heart that few don’t care about the people who have underlying health issues. They may be asymptomatic to covid, but wearing a face mask is a moral thing to do, and a thought that comes to my mind is, “Father, please forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” For a whole year, my family and I were protected from contracting Covid-19, and the first week of April of 2021, we got our vaccine. I truly believed that my prayer was answered because God knew my intentions and in some way protected my family and me for doing basic things to help us not to get this horrific virus. -
2020-08-06
Pagan Communities in the Time of Pandemic
One group that is often overlooked when discussing faith and religion is paganism. Partly, this is because, as the article references, paganism is not uniformly defined like other religious groups and faiths. As a result, it is much more difficult to understand and see how various pagans are reacting to the pandemic. Nonetheless, this article briefly surveys various sects of paganism in many different countries. One common element for many who consider themselves pagan has been celebrating and practicing privately, while also meeting virtually. -
2021-02-21
Living through COVID-19 pandemic through the eyes of a young 75 year old
Never thought I’d live through a quasi twilight experience in my life time. From being totally free to roam around to try my hand at different social, educational, and faith filled interactions to staying home, sheltering, social distancing, sanitizing, and using technology for daily living within one year was a marathon of changes. I’ve lived an exciting and challenging 75 years. There have been many twists and turns in my life which is what makes me think is the reason for my young can do spirit. The Covid 19 experience is yet another one of those twists that I never imagined. In a matter of weeks our country was practically shut down. The challenge of not being sure who to believe regarding the pandemic was disconcerting. I had just lost my husband and went from living in a beautiful neighborhood, El Dorado Hills, with lots of friends and a wonderful husband at my side who could always help me keep things in perspective. I sold my house and went to live with my daughter in Sacramento. My daughter, Monica, was so generous and tried to make me feel at home and never complained about my “intrusion”. Then when things were getting a tiny bit better for me, Covid rears its ugly head. The news media reported how the Covid pandemic started. But wait, then the news reported the way it started was not the way it was reported. No one knew the best way to protect anyone. It was new and devastating. People were getting the virus from mild to severe symptoms. Many people were in need of respirators and many died regardless. Conspiracy theories were popping up. With all of this confusion people were getting more and more angry. Watching, hearing, or reading about the events around our country were discouraging. Protests and riots were happening. My immediate neighborhood was never in danger of rioters but the down town area in Sacramento was affected. Were we ever going to heal as a nation? Would we be able to trust again? What could I do about anything? I kept my eyes and ears open to whatever I could do to improve our situation. I could no longer visit the elderly in the rest homes by bringing them spiritual comfort and friendship. The rest homes were one of the first hardest hit with Covid. I used to take Holy Communion once a week and would try to make conversation with the patients. It was good for them but it was also good for me to be in a position to bring a little joy into their boring lives. Service to others is a value I cherish. A friend of mine said she started to help making the mandated masks that we are to wear whenever we go outside. It was a great opportunity to help others, keep myself busy, and feel I was contributing to fellow man. The Sacramento Face Mask Project gave me the opportunity to serve again. A group of people donated the materials. Other groups cut the material to standard sizes, while another group delivered and picked up the finished masks. I was able to sew about 200 masks (see pictures). I never met with a person to show me how to sew the masks so I looked on line (something new to me) and figured out how to fold, sew, and press the masks. These masks were put into plastic bags, left outside my door, and picked up by another person. That person would also leave me another supply of materials to make more masks. The finished masks were given at no cost to organizations like the Veterans Administration and other institutions. Our project ended early January since masks are now available for purchase almost everywhere. Wearing face masks is essential but so is hand sanitizing, and social distancing. As a practicing Catholic I went to Mass every day. We social distanced, 6 feet apart, sanitized as we walked into the church building and signed in so that if there were someone infected we could be informed to quarantine ourselves or even get tested. The governor of California eventually closed all churches. We eventually opened for a small limited number of persons in the church building together with the protocol of social distancing, sanitation, mask wearing, and signing in. Opening up for indoor Mass or services again was prohibited. A federal mandate was given in January so places of worship are now able to resume as long as the protocols are followed and a certain percentage of the capacity is enforced. To live my faith and receiving Holy Communion on a daily basis is a privilege I hold dear. It does for my soul what food does for my body. Going to church is important to me but so is being part of a community. Zoom enters my world. I resolved to be “techy”, learn more about how to use technology. It was a steep learning curve but I approached it valiantly. My daughter, granddaughters, and other family members help me navigate the web. The trick for me was to “just do it”. I experiment and did not give up pushing buttons, or keys. Zoom is now a part of my life. I meet with friends and relatives about five times a week through Zoom, Duo, telephone conferencing, internet, email, messaging. I do most of my bill paying by phone or internet. I buy products and gifts through Amazon. Almost all business is conducted by phone or internet. If I don’t know how to do it I just “do it” by calling the company or by asking my daughter, son, or friends how to do it. They walk me through it and it gets done. It’s not always easy or smooth. Scheduling a Covid 19 Vaccination was a long process. After the first targeted group, first responders, was met the next tier was the 75+ yr olds. I’m obviously in that category. Kaiser Permanently got their share of vaccines but not enough. I called several times but they were no longer taking appointments until they got another batch of vaccines. “Don’t call us, we’ll call you” seemed to be the message. I tried two counties and other hospitals that were providing the vaccines. I couldn’t get an appointment for different reasons. Finally my doctor gave me the link to be able to sign up for an appointment. I am one of the people who welcomes the vaccine but there are those who are not comfortable with the vaccine and oppose it. Respecting differences is something I think we are learning to do or at least realizing that it must remain optional. Flexibility of mind is as important as elasticity is for the body if we want to stay young. Greatly limiting our family interaction is heartbreaking. Visiting, hugging, and just hanging out together whenever we want is almost impossible without great risks. Our holiday gatherings and birthday celebrations are kept very small or non existent. Not being able to see our elderly and/or sick family and friends is very sad for all of us. I’ve always been a part of my three eldest granddaughter’s lives. They range from 8-17. I have not been able to visit my fourth granddaughter who is now two years old. She doesn’t know me except through video and Duo phone calls. I am almost a stranger to my youngest granddaughter. I have the hope that after I get vaccinated and our situation improves I can fly safely to visit her in Idaho. We never stop growing. Things are not just black and white. Finding the truth or the best solution for a community takes flexibility. We hear each other. We work together. We take chances. We risk. We admit our failings but we don’t give up. It’s never too late to improve. This world wide pandemic experience has allowed many of us to discoverer our priorities. There are so many aspects in our lives that have been affected by the pandemic that it would take books to describe how deep and wide this affects us all. My immediate surroundings that I’ve described here in this little essay is not all that has affected me. I have friends in other countries that have even less ability to help themselves. I am connected to them. I grieve for them and for us, but I won’t give up. -
2021-01-27
More Americans Than People in Other Advanced Economies Say COVID-19 Has Strengthened Religious Faith
During difficult times, many people often turn toward religion or faith to provide hope. According to Pew Research, as a result of the pandemic, no Western country with “advanced” economies report that the pandemic has had a net negative impact on religion and faith. In fact, all have a net increase on the reliance of religion and faith. Citizens in the United States, however, are much more likely to say the pandemic has strengthened their faith as opposed to citizens in other countries. While the pandemic has had a net positive for strengthening the faith of people, it has had an even higher positive result for strengthening familial bonds. Family bonds and religious faith has grown stronger for most during the pandemic. -
2020
The Sikh Coalition: COVID-19 Responses and Resources
Sikhism is one of the most generous faiths in the world, working to help all who may be in need. This site is a great source to see how Sikhs are responding to the pandemic in the various countries where the religion is practiced. Furthermore, one is able to see how Sikhism has contributed to aiding those in need during this time. -
2021-03-31
Prayer Lodge Stops Line 3 Pipeline
Prayer Lodge Stops Line 3 Chaos 7 Natives from 5 nations took direct action to defend our Mother with love and selflessness. Surrounded by people of faith, by allies with strong hearts, we sang, prayed, and sat with our ancestors in an Anishinaabe lodge in the midst of Line 3 destruction. 27 Water Protectors were arrested that day. Afterwards, police cut up the lodge and kenneled, strip searched, and shackled us for misdemeanors. This is Anishinaabe treaty territory — Enbridge is committing trespass, not us. To land defenders everywhere, we stand as one ✊🏽❤️ Support the legal fund here: ProtestLaw.org/Line3 & please find your bravery to stand with us or use your voice to contact President Joe Biden, Gina McCarthy, Deb Haaland to #StopLine3 #ProtectTheSacred #PrayersIntoAction #7thGeneration -
2020-05-17
Coronavirus is taking a financial toll on Colorado’s houses of worship. But religious leaders still have faith.
During the pandemic, many places of faith are on the verge of closing their doors permanently. As people lost jobs, giving obviously declined. Because houses of worship rely entirely on giving, this has created a crisis for many churches, mosques, synagogues, and temples. These houses of faith still have bills to pay, they have employees to pay, and the vast majority of these houses of faith contribute significantly to their community. This article speaks to the uphill battle being faced specifically by places of faith in Colorado during the pandemic. -
03/13/2021
Margaret Geddes Oral History, 2021/03/03
Interviwee Name: Margaret Geddes Interviewer name: Padraic Cohen Date of Interview: 3/13/2021 Location: Cochrane, Alberta Canada. Transcriber: Otter.ai + edits from Padraic Cohen Abstract: In this oral history, I interviewed my grandmother, Margaret Geddes on her pandemic experience as a senior. In particular, Margaret spoke about her youth growing up in rural southern Alberta, Calgary. Margaret grew up from a Roman Catholic family and she reflects on how religion changed for her throughout the course of the pandemic, as she was unable to goto in person masses; ultimately she believes her faith had been strengthened due to the pandemic. She also spoke about her experience with a prominent polio outbreak in Calgary in the 1950s and draws some interesting comparisons to the current pandemic. Margaret also goes onto speak about her experience with the COVID-19 vaccination, and shares her thoughts on the what it was like to sign up, receive and prepare for her next vaccination . She also spoke about how long she believes the pandemic will go on for, and how she will remain masking in public as a result of the pandemic skeptics out there. -
02/21/2021
Eva Ruth Oral History, 2021/02/17
This is a mini oral history of Eva Ruth by Monica Ruth, about the silver lining of the pandemic experience. -
2021-01-07
How the Pandemic Has Affected Refugees
In this episode, we at the Podcast of the Plague Year were granted the opportunity to record interviews with two organizations assisting refugees that have been relocated to Arizona- RICE and Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest. Refugees are those who have been forced to flee their country because of a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, or political opinion. Almost 3 quarters of a million refugees have been resettled in the United States since 2008; they often come with very little resources to begin life anew once resettled. Life for refugees during resettlement comes with hope, but also with struggles to learn a new language, navigate new employment and educational systems and integrate into a new society. It is easy to imagine how a pandemic could intensify already existing struggles. -
2020-10
How Tribal Communities Have Dealt with the Pandemic
A cursory look into A Journal of the Plague Year reveals that the pandemic is nondiscriminatory, all of are affected. Yet, the reality is that Covid-19 is having more impact on certain populations in American communities. Arizona State University's Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict partnered with the Henry Luce Foundation to provide rapid relief funding to marginalized communities in the southwest. As part of the rapid relief program, the Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict is collaborating with A Journal of the Plague Year and the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication to raise awareness about the marginalized communities that were assisted via this grant. By joining this "Southwest Stories" project, we at the Podcast of the Plague Year were granted the opportunity to spotlight one Native American community in Arizona- the White Mountain Apache Tribe. -
2021-01-25
statistics
There have been 97.7 total Covid 19 cases in the world. One of those cases was my uncle. Near thanksgiving he wasn't feeling well so he instinctively got a Covid test. About 2 days later he got a call that said he had the virus. This effected our family greatly. We were all worried sick and were praying that he healed. The funny part was, he said it only felt like a regular cold. He did eventually get better and we were thankful to God. -
2020-03-18
A Message of Hope
Villa Park, Illinois. U.S.A. A message of hope from our community to yours. Villa Park residents came together to create an inspirational and hopeful message for everyone during the COVID-19 pandemic. -HOPE- -
2020-12-21
Sophia's Pandemic Journey
I was at School and people were taking about the how the school was going to close and we are going to be able to stay home for two weeks longer after ski week. I went home and we saw on the news that there was a virus spreading all around the world and the first thing we did was go to the grocery store now so that we wouldn't have to go later if things get worse. We stayed home for awhile and my family is high risk so we were very careful and wore our masks everywhere and couldn't see our friends. But I didn't have that bad of a time during the pandemic because I felt lonely sometimes but I trusted in God in everything I did and do. And is since I trusted God me and my family got through the pandemic safely. -
2020
Jewish Melbourne: ZFA Lockdown Learning with Zeddy Lawrence
the Zionist Federation of Australia hosted 'Lockdown Learning', featuring a series of guests and topics, over the course of Melbourne's lockdown period -
2020-09-18
Jewish Melbourne: Rosh Hashanah Services at TBI
Due to the Melbourne lockdown, synagogues were unable to host services in-person for Rosh Hashanah. Temple Beth Israel livestreamed their services instead. -
2020-09-28
Jewish Melbourne: TBI N'ilah Service
Due to Melbourne's lockdown, people were unable to attend services in-person for Yom Kippur in 2020. Instead, Temple Beth Israel livestreamed their N'ilah service. -
2020-10-02
Jewish Melbourne: TBI Kol Nidre family service
Melbourne was in lockdown over Yom Kippur and so Temple Beth Israel organised a video of their Kol Nidre Family Service -
2020-06-27
We Got Married During a Pandemic
HIST30060: Making History My husband I planned our wedding for November 2020. My extended family lives in Malaysia, and we had organized for them to fly over to Melbourne for the celebrations, inclusive of classic wedding dancing, food and merriment. It obviously did not happen like that – but, it was better. In March, when the restrictions hit Victoria, we decided to move our wedding to June, not even knowing how many guests we would be able to have at that point. A few of our friends eloped, and some even planned a wedding in one night to accommodate the changing restrictions. In the weeks leading up, we pulled together our 20-person guest list, hired a photographer, and on the 27th June 2020, got married in intimate courtyard of our parents’ church. There was no (intense) dancing or fancy decorations, instead we got to focus on each other, on vows we made to each other under God and before our closest family and friends, and we got to live-stream our ceremony to everyone else (big win to not offending anyone). We are so thankful to God – it is better than we could have imagined or planned for ourselves. -
2020
Armageddon?
Most believe Jehovah's Witnesses to be just annoying door-knockers but in fact, they are a doomsday cult led by a slightly obscure inner-government called the Watchtower Society. Here is a bit of their doctrine and perspective of what they think of COVID-19. -
2020-03-15
Weathering the Storm
This pandemic has been something out of the ordinary for everyone across the world. Unless of course you have already lived through a different pandemic like this one. This pandemic has resulted in many negative effects. Being locked inside everyday, businesses closing, people dying, and everything having to turn completely remote. Everything is just different now. People have to social distance, wear a mask etc. The negatives people can take from this time can be astronomical. It is time to look at this as a positive. At least for me, yes there have been many negatives through this pandemic but I have also used this as an opportunity to better myself physically, mentally, and spiritually. I have worked out and focused more on school in many ways. I have not been perfect but during this pandemic, I have thought about what I wanted to do and what I want to achieve in my life. I want to put my faith in God and my family first. I also wanted to put my health first in every aspect. Everything else to me would come next with my hard work ethic and my drive to be successful. I am in a good place right now during this pandemic and I know there are many people out there that are not. I want to be able to help people out and be there for the people that I care about. I feel like I have done that for the most part during this time. It is time to focus on what matters most and that is taking care of myself and the people I love and care about the most while honoring God along the way. This REL 101 class helped me adopt a new perspective to how other people see this subject and how it can play a factor in their lives. Personally, my faith is the most important thing I have and I will cherish that forever. Without my faith in my God, I am nothing and nothing I have been blessed with could be possible. -
2020-10-07
COVID-19 impact on my life
How my life has been impacted by COVID -
2020-09-14
Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest (LSS-SW)
OUR MISSION We stabilize people during crisis and transition, build a foundation where people can thrive, and preserve dignity and respect for the most vulnerable. OUR VISION A future where all people thrive. OUR STATEMENT OF SHARED VALUES Dignity: We demonstrate through our actions that all people have value and are worthy of respect. Diversity: We recognize and accept the differences among people, fostering an environment inclusive of all. Social Justice: We model and promote a culture of open-mindedness, compassion, and inclusiveness, promoting fairness, justice, and equal opportunities for all. Quality: We commit to excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement through anticipation and dynamic response to opportunities for change. Community Partnerships: We build collaborative partnerships to strengthen individuals, families and communities. Faith-based: We serve all people with an attitude of compassion and caring, recognizing and honoring our Christian heritage of God’s love in Christ for all. -
2020-04
Faith
The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted my family and I drastically but by having faith we were able to overcome it. It has been a very difficult time for my family and I as we were tested positive a few months ago for the novel coronavirus and shortly after we recovered, one of my uncles passes away due to complications of the virus. I chose this image above and the title because it reflects what I had during everything that my family and I went through due to COVID-19. Having faith is what got me through it all and it’s very important for me to always continue to believe in it. -
2020-03-21
Faith over Fear
The lockdown caused by COVID-19 pandemic banned religious gatherings, including hearing the mass. Determined not to deny the faithful a chance to venerate the Blessed Sacrament, the parish priest of Cubao, Quezon City conducted a motorcade that carried him and the Blessed Sacrament. -
2020-08-15
My Student Life During Covid-19
This mask is important to me because it shows that I have pride for my school during the Covid-19 pandemic, and pride for other schools. I also have faith in the masks for preventing the spread of Covid-19. The diagram I put up on the files associated shows a number of people who have gotton Covid-19. -
2020-08-10T01:26:13-04:00
Unprecedented Times
The day we entered quarantine was one of the most bizarre days I can remember. I was working my normal shift at the restaurant, and the dining room was completely empty. This in itself was strange for a place usually running on a few hours wait and constantly full of people. There had been talk about the restaurant closing its doors, but the thought seemed so absurd that no one really believed it. The air felt heavy, and my manager was nervously pacing around taking call after call. As I waited for guests to arrive I robotically folded my linens wondering if I was going to have a job in the coming days. The TV above the bar flickered with images of people in masks, hospitals filled with sick patients, scientists and doctors on podiums at the White House, the President trying to calm the public, and the words CORONAVIRUS UPDATE. I looked away. I felt like I couldn’t escape the impending disaster. I was supposed to work a double shift that day, March 16, but after not getting a single table, my manager sent me home and told me not to come in for dinner. I could see the stress etched on his face as he told me he would be let me know what was going on as soon as he knew. I learned the restaurant group was probably going to close all its restaurants for “two to three weeks.” Little did we know that it would be much longer. I drove home on deserted roads. I played no music and instead sat in silence trying not to panic about whether or not I would be jobless soon. I remember my dad texting me to go get gas in case the gas stations closed and pick up any groceries I may need for my apartment. What kind of times are we living in? Unprecedented times. It was surreal. When I got back to my apartment my roommates were both home. They informed me that for the next nine weeks they were instructed to work from home. I immediately packed a bag and headed for my parents house (at least I’d have more room and it would be quiet). I ended up spending most of the quarantine with my family. The restaurant I worked at closed for over three months. I had to file for unemployment and only received a fraction of what I used to bring in while employed. Times were tough. My dad, a pilot for American Airlines, took a six month leave, and I was glad to know my family was safe at home. The news never strayed from constant Covid-19 updates: potential vaccines in the works, testing sites erected all over the country, lockdowns across the globe, borders closing, toilet paper shortages, unemployment numbers skyrocketing, business failing. The good news never came, only a bombardment of the bad. The days seemed bleak. One day flowed into the next, and the weeks became an unsettling blur of constant unease and unrest. It seemed that the condition of the sick went from bad to worse. Death tolls increased by the day. The only thing left to do was pray, occupy your mind so that you wouldn’t become sick with worry, “find a hobby” they said, “learn a language” they said. I prayed with my family. We streamed mass every Sunday, and for that forty five minute service there existed a glimmer of hope, structure, and strength. I tried to be strong. I tried not to let my family see how much stress I felt at the thought of the struggling families going without paychecks and the exhaustion of workers on the front line. I tried not to think about my grandparents alone in their dark house with no one to check on them- only a daily phone call for months on end. I could hear the sadness in their voices when I called. “It shouldn’t be much longer now” I’d say, but my words sounded hollow. My family has a strong faith. I leaned on my family more than I had in a long time during the quarantine, and I witnessed my parents’ united display of trust in God. They had faith that things would get better, that humanity would prevail, and that we’d come out of this stronger. I listened to them say the rosary every night as they prayed for the sick and struggling world. It was all they could do, and they said it with as much conviction as they could muster. Praying provided them comfort, and I found myself chiming in, sitting with them as they closed their eyes and raised their concerns to God. As I returned to work in late June things had drastically changed. The world as we knew it was gone and in its place was a fractured society slowing healing from the devastation of Coronavirus. The generosity of the guests as they returned to the restaurant was like nothing I’d ever seen before. People went the extra mile to help each other as we integrated back into some level of normalcy. I saw one of the darkest times in recent history overcome with the most eye opening displays of kindness, understanding, and commitment to helping each other out. Experiencing the quarantine was a profound moment in my life. Not only did I find strength in my family and my faith, but also in my fellow man as we navigated these unprecedented times together. -
2020-08-10
COVID-19, Religion, and Public Life Reflection? Catholicism Under COVID-19
This year has been a difficult year for myself. I have had to endure many uncertainties in my personal life such as the loss of a very close friend due to suicide and the practice of my religion has been something that has helped me to cope with depression and despair but the practice of religion has been something difficult to do during this time that requires social distancing. I thought I could perhaps contribute my personal feelings and emotions as it relates to the practice of religion in the everyday world of a person during this moment in time. -
2020-08-09
The Most Challenging of Times
When this virus started, I did not think much about it. I was naive and was one of those people that believed that it would not affect me. Boy, did I receive a wake-up call and fast. I live with both my parents, my older sister and her two boys. My youngest sister also lives with us when she is not at college. It started with my oldest sister having to work at home and not going back to work. Then, I got the notice that I my hours at work would be getting cut and I would have to file for unemployment. The same happened to my mom. If that was not enough, graduation got “canceled” and I was not able to walk. Something, that meant the world to me. Overtime, I began to get used to new reality we all were living in. Well, I thought so, until we were hit with the most gut-wrenching news. My tio (uncle) Raymond, was getting rushed to the hospital, he had stopped breathing. A week earlier, him and my tia were diagnosed with COVID-19. Later, we found out that my tio had a heartache in the ambulance and three more while at the hospital. He was not responsive, and they had to put in a comma. My family and I leaned on our faith more than ever during this time. In the end, my tio was still not responsive. My cousin – his daughter – was the only one allowed in the hospital. His entire family had to say goodbye to him over a facetime call... Majority of my family lives in Arizona, my family and I are the only ones that live in Colorado. We have not been back to Arizona for a couple years now. I have not seen my tio in a couple of years and we did not even get to say anything to him. My tia and cousins, were then left with the financial responsibilities of his funeral, the hospital bills, rent, the essential bills, food, etc. The only issue was, there was no money. My tia has been fighting for my tio’s retirement, his life insurance and pension. We have been trying to raise money for them for all the essential needs, but mostly his funeral. One month to the day, we get even more heart-breaking news. My tia’s father, had just passed away from COVID-19. This is the same family that had just lost their husband and father, now lost their father and grandfather. I lost my grandfather way before I was born, so my tio Boa always acted as my grandfather. My family could not get a break, every time we thought we could breathe, we would just get the breath knocked out of us. Two more tio’s passed away after that, this time on my mom’s side of the family. More and more of my family in Arizona are getting COVID-19, and we fear if they will be strong enough to make it through. My nana (grandmother), then recently just ended up in the hospital. This pandemic has dropped my family to their knees plenty of times. Though we are terrified for the uncertainty, we clench to our faith to get us through it.