Category: Mission Journal

Easter Sunday

This is by far the most unusual Easter Sunday I have ever experienced. Probably many others–maybe most others–can say the same thing. It’s an unprecedented time for us.

Two reflections for the day:

1. When will I see you again…?

These are the Easter decorations now adorning the sanctuary at St. Joseph Church–but we are not allowed to gather there because of COVID-19. The Easter Season continues until Pentecost on 31 May. Will we have a chance to see these decorations before we have to take them down? [Thanks to Rita and Bede and Bertina Uwalaka for the decorating.]

2. An Easter video…

The coronavirus is seen as a single jet fighter attacking Italy….

I find this video really inspiring! A sudden explosion of resolve and determination to defeat an evil. And that is what Easter is–an explosion of new life and a union with Jesus that enables us to overcome the darkness, the fears, the tragedy in our lives.

COVID-19 Notes

The healthcare system in Cambodia is not very robust. Medical professionals often lack extensive training and the general populace has little understanding of basic health and hygiene concepts. COVID-19 is established in the country (we have 119 confirmed infections as of today) but the idea of a virus and how it is transmitted is not well understood. Not knowing what a virus is, the presumption is that evil spirits are causing the disease and so families and villages set up scarecrow-like ting mongs to frighten away the evil spirits.

COVID-19 Notes

For a week or ten days the government has been floating stories in the government press about enacting a state of emergency. I assumed they were preparing the populace for the notion. Now a couple hours ago, the prime minister announced (the prakah or regulation above) there was about a 0.1% chance of implementing the state of emergency. No reason given except a comment that a state of emergency is for only “when the situation is beyond our control.” I guess that means he feels things are under control. I’ve heard a couple officials in the US say that things were under control, too….