Wage Theft, The Unheeded side of Pandemic: The Tragedy of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in the Time of Covid-19

by Hadje Sadje, Volunteer - Centre for Migrant Advocacy-Philippines

Source: Filipino Migrant Centre

‘Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.’ Proverbs 31:9 NIV he impact of the Covid-19 pandemic reveals the socio-economic inequalities and deepens human rights violations across the T globe. In a briefing paper titled, Power, Profits, and the Pandemic (September, 2020), Oxfam has concluded that:

The worsening inequality crisis triggered by COVID-19 is fuelled by an economic model that has allowed some of the world’s largest corporations to funnel billions of dollars in profits to shareholders, giving yet another windfall to the world’s top billionaires, a small group of mostly white men. At the same time, it has left low-wage workers and women to pay the price of the pandemic without social or financial protection. Since the onset of the pandemic, large corporations have put profits before workers’ safety, pushed costs down the supply chain and used their political influence to shape policy responses (Oxfam, 2020).

Slavoj Žižek points out that the moral task during this pandemic is to alleviate suffering, not to 'economise' (Žižek, The Guardian, 2020). Instead of making human rights a top priority, many states and corporations save their political and economic interests rather than protect the well-being of its people, especially the poor, vulnerable, and underprivileged groups (UN, 2020; WHO, 2020; Human Rights, 2020).

Migrant workers, for instance, is one of the most unprotected and affected sectors by COVID-19 pandemic (European Commission, 2020). In fact, World Health Organization latest report shows that:

Migrants – particularly in lower paid jobs – may be both more affected by and vulnerable to the spread of COVID-19 in countries already impacted and those countries where the pandemic is spreading, but migrants also play an important role in the response to COVID-19 by working in critical sectors. As of 3 November 2020, emigrants from the 20 countries with the highest number of COVID-19 cases accounted for nearly 28 per cent of the total international migrant stock and they had sent an estimated 37 per cent of all remittances globally to their countries of origin in 2019” (WHO, 2020).

Moreover, in the worst-case scenario, many migrant workers are victims of as well of unjust labour practice called, ‘wage theft’. But what is wage theft? Wage theft covers a variety of infractions that occur when workers do not receive their legally or contractually promised wages. (Wage Theft Org., 2020; Centre for Migrant Advocacy, 2020; Wage Theft is a Crime, 2020). The common forms of wage theft are the following (Wage Theft Org, 2020):

• non-payment of overtime

• not giving workers their back wages and/or end-of-service benefits after termination or resignation

• not paying for all the hours worked

Source: © Reuters

Unfortunately, despite many laws having been passed to prevent it, the crime of wage theft being experienced by the migrant workers thrives in the midst of pandemic is underreported and sometimes ignored by the duty-bearers in Arab Gulf states. In terms of nationality, for instance, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) is one of the largest migrant workforces abroad (Almendral, 2020). Sadly, a massive number of overseas Filipino workers are forgotten and stranded in a dire situation due to the global outbreak of Covid-19. Last October 28, Department of Labour and Employment (DOLE) reported that a total of 486,446 OFWs are displaced due to the pandemic. These OFWs suffer from a prolonged uncertainty during the lockdown period like some of them contracted the virus and have not been receiving the rightful wage or work benefits. According to reports, ‘...many of their complaints are: employer’s lack of food provision, non-payment of wages, and being forced to resign if they want to go back to the Philippines immediately (CMA, 2020; POEA, 2020). Many of them would go back to their country of origin [Philippines] empty handed, in fact, they have not received pay and food allowance as early as March of this year. And the problems faced by women migrant workers are also compounded by gender-based violence at the same time (CMA, 2020). These OFWs have been informed by their employers that if they wish to leave, they must sign a waiver which means they agree on not receiving any unpaid wages or unsettled compensation or benefits. Aside from that, repatriation was not easily feasible due to temporary travel restrictions.

Let me share with you some of the narratives of OFWs that CMA Phils. Inc. documented, specifically lifted from their 2020 Direct Assistance Report. These are migrant workers who have endured unfair labour practices at the hands of their foreign employers (in accordance with data protection I used fictitious names of the complainants): Ara, a repatriated OFW, message CMA Phils. Inc. last July 22 to ask for legal assistance due to illegal termination and unpaid wages. She used to work as a call cleaner in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for almost two years. Her work involves cleaning of business establishments each day for 8 hours. Her contract was cut short due to her health condition which she felt lacks sufficient evidence to prove that she has an infectious disease. She said that last May 6, she noticed a small lump on her neck but it was removed on June after which a biopsy test was conducted. The test revealed that she has a tuberculosis. Her employer isolated her for 3 weeks. She said that she borrowed money from her co-workers because some of the laboratory works that she went through were not covered by the insurance. It became more difficult due lockdown because they had not been working since March and in the succeeding months, they were paid half of their salary and sometimes only the food allowance was given to them. She returned to the Philippines last July 31. She went through again another set of medical examinations and it was found out that everything is normal (CMA, 2020).

In the second case last October 10, John contacted CMA Phils. Inc. to ask for assistance for immediate repatriation. Based on his testimony, he is one of the 20 workers in a construction firm located somewhere in Saudi Arabia who suffers from unpaid wages. Since July, they have not been receiving wages and food allowance as stated on their employment contract. They have to buy drinking water outside because water in their company’s accommodation is unsafe in fact, some people have gotten sick already. They promised the store owner [located inside the building] where they usually buy their food to pay him back once they received their wages, however, it’s been long overdue and the store owner is demanding for them to pay up. John further shared that he and his co-workers are doubtful if their employer will settle their unpaid wages. They need to be repatriated immediately due to their situation as unpaid and undocumented workers are having difficulties on procuring food and financially incapable of buying plane tickets to return to the Philippines themselves. They are at constant risk of being jailed for at least 1 day each time they are caught by authorities because of lack of proper documentation, which already happened to one of them twice. Many also have expired health insurance which makes

them more vulnerable, in fact, one of them paid over 5000 riyals (1,333.00 USD) for a medical procedure with no discounts. They made a prior request to Philippine embassy last August, but they have not received any response since. Also, they have received little to no aid of any other kind from their recruitment agency. Recently (Oct. 21), their employer reminded them that if they want to leave the company, they need to submit a formal resignation and pay 10K riyals (2,666.40 USD) for whatever he paid for their employment including the iqama (residence permit). They have been informed by their employers that if they wish to leave, they must tender their resignation which means they agree on not receiving any unpaid wages or unsettled compensation or benefits. After signing papers of resignation, only then they will receive their 2 months’ worth of wage, plane ticket and exit visa (CMA, 2020).

Upon receiving reports such as these, key government agencies (DFA-OUMWA and POEA) and non-government agencies (Migrants Forum in Asia and Centre for Migrant Advocacy Philippines, Inc.) were alarmed. Immediately, CMA actively joined other migrant-cause oriented groups to advocate for the rights of the migrant workers in view of wage theft to generate pressure on government agencies. Last August, they released an article to magnify the lamentable situation of the OFWs entitled : “ OFWS Facing wage theft as Covid-19 pandemic rages”, where they shared that Migrants Forum in Asia (MFA), of which CMA Philippines Inc. is a member, together with Lawyers Beyond Borders (LBB), Cross Regional Centre for Refugees and Migrants (CCRM), South Asian Regional Trade Union Council (SARTUC), ASEAN Services Employees Trade Union Council (ASETUC) and Solidarity Centre have launched a global campaign for the immediate establishment of a Transitional Justice Mechanism to address wage theft cases of repatriated and migrant workers (Inquirer, 2020). The main objective of the Transitional Justice Mechanism is to address grievances, claims and labour disputes of repatriated workers who have lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic (Call for Urgent Justice for Wage Theft, 2020). They added, “...that the mechanism needs to be advanced, accessible, affordable, and efficient (Call for Urgent Justice for Wage Theft, 2020). Aside from that, the Transitional Justice Mechanism, accordingly, has three primary goals: first, establish an International Claims Commission, second, to set up A Compensation Fund, and lastly, reforming National Justice System (Call for Urgent Justice for Wage Theft, 2020). The first objective states ‘... it should be a priority to guarantee that all repatriated workers with legitimate claims are able to access justice and some kind of compensation. The second objective noted ‘... while it must be of the utmost importance to ensure that cases are resolved as soon as possible, without delay, especially in cases involving labour disputes, safeguards must be put in place to ensure that migrants are able to pursue their cases post return’. And lastly, the third objective demand ‘...states should require employers and businesses to keep all employment records, including payroll, employee lists, and hours worked and allow workers to take copies with them’.

Arising from these cases and the increased awareness on the prevalence of unjust labour practice or wage theft across the globe, the question is, what is the role of the church in combating exploitation of the weak by the strong? Or what does it mean to be the ‘Church’ in response wage theft? In accordance with Christian tradition, this form of human rights violation has to be something that registers loudly on our hearts and minds. Obviously, wage theft is the conflict between powerful and the weak, it is an exploitation of migrant workers. At its core, wage theft is a moral and spiritual issue, rather simply unethical and illegal conducts. It is a form of oppression of the vulnerable, and underprivileged groups. As Jesus Christ encourages and urges faithful believers to defend human dignity, natural rights, the weak and vulnerable communities. In fact, it is deeply embedded in the Israel’s history (Hebrew Bible) and Christian tradition that explicit commends to “do justice” (Mic 6:8) and to “seek justice, defend the oppressed, take up the cause of the fatherless, [and] plead the case of the widow” (Is 1:17).

Churches therefore have a particular role to play in critiquing, condemning, and countering wage theft at all levels. The churches must support every endeavour to fight this form of exploitation of the weak, vulnerable, and underprivileged groups. For instance, there are six ways the churches can serve migrant workers. Firstly, the churches have to educate themselves about wage theft across the globe, especially how to identify wage theft, including workers' rights and employers' responsibilities related to wage and hour as well as other labour laws (Wage Theft is a Crime, 2020). Secondly, the churches should join the advocacy and sign the petition to hold duty bearers both in the country of destination and origin accountable for upholding the rights of the migrant workers. Thirdly, the churches should mobilise Christian lawyers to provide free legal services. They must support public event, political, and social protest campaign against wage theft. Fourthly, Christian preachers or ministers must address human rights violations, chiefly wage theft. They must be the voice of the voiceless. Fifthly, the churches should know how to take action to fight wage theft. More importantly, churches need to design a program or ministry that educate and empower documented and undocumented workers about their rights. And finally, churches must work with governmental agencies and non-government agencies to promote undocumented workers’ rights.

To know more about the Wage Theft Campaign, please visit the following websites:

• Justice for Wage Theft, https://justiceforwagetheft.org/

• Wage Theft is a Crime, https://wagetheftisacrime.com/Campaign.html

• Migrant Forum in Asia, https://mfasia.org/call-for-applicants-media-consultant-for-the-justice-for-wage-theft-campaign/

• Centre for Migrant Advocacy Phils. Inc., https://centerformigrantadvocacy.com/

Sources

“Wage Theft Public Awareness Campaign,” Wage Theft is a Crime (2014). https://wagetheftisacrime.com/Campaign.html. Anna P. Navarro and Shella Marie Z. Gonzales, “OFWS facing wage theft as Covid-19 pandemic rages,” Inquirer (August 13, 2020).https://usa.inquirer.net/57691/ofws-facing-wage-theft-as-covid-19-pandemic-rages. Aurora Almendral, “Crucial yet forgotten: the Filipino workers stranded by coronavirus,” Nikkei Asia (July 15, 2020). https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/The-Big-Story/Crucial-yet-forgotten-the-Filipino-workers-stranded-by-coronavirus. Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs (COWA) (2020, October 28). Updates. Source: https://www.facebook.com/HouseofRepsPH/. CMA Direct Assistance Report (January to October 2020), Centre for Migrant Advocacy. https://centerformigrantadvocacy.com/

This is the fifth book of the series "Re-imagining Church as Event: Perspectives from the Margins”.

Dalitekklesia: A Church from Below by Raj Bharat Patta

Cover Design by Immanuel Paul Vivekananda

What is the locus, where is the locality and where is the location of the church in India today? These are the questions that this book “Dalitekklesia: A Church from Below” primarily engages with. The margins in India are nothing new, as most of the church and society are defined in terms of purity and pollution, privilege and prestige or principalities and powers, leaving a major section of people and perspectives as powerless and on the margins. This book’s locus is on understanding God, church and theology from the perspectives of Dalits, who have been pushed to the Church of South India Synod

margins for ages as they have been outcastes in the hierarchical caste system.

“Dalitekklesia: A Church from Below” offers a Dalit understanding of God as a suffering God, and offers the church as a church of the margins, recognising and acknowledging the agency of Dalits in this endeavour. The locality of the Indian church is discussed by bringing in the contextual social analysis of the margins, particularly discussing the locality as Peta, which is used for Dalit localities. The location of the church is defined by its public witness and therefore this book offers some perspectives in that direction of reimagining the church from below. The aim of this book is to engage in critical reflection on the very understanding of church from below, for the church traditionally has been understood as a hierarchical church running on the model of exercising power top-down. This book is an invitation for all those people who see the vision of a church bottom-up, where powers and principalities are dismantled. When all our churches become churches from Raj Bharat Patta’s desire to broaden the scope of Dalitekklesia to be dialogical by engaging with the works of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar for a theological praxis finds relevance in building Dalit solidarity and theology. His imaginative conversation engaging three prominent progressive contexts—his own Dalit Christian identity, the Martin Luther Reformation tradition, and the Ecumenical initiatives by the Pope—is interesting, opening a new window to the history of Christianity from Dalitekklesia.

- Praveen Perumalla Liaison Officer for EMS Germany, below, the vision towards a new creation is possible.

Raj Bharat Patta has brought about how 'No one can serve Christ and Caste' very clearly through the perspective of the most marginalised in our society and is urging us to reimagine our public witness through the Dalit missiology which we have most neglected in our church bodies as well as in our own families.

- Paul Divakar Convener, Global Forum on Discrimination Based on Work and Descent, and Chairperson, Asia Dalit Rights Forum

Church and Disability

The sixth book of the series "Re-imagining Church as Event: Perspectives from the Margins" is “Church and Disability” by Samuel George.

How wide are church doors in including people with disabilities in its life, ministry and mission? How open are we in decolonising our minds, biblical interpretations and theological constructs that privilege able-bodied people and demonise, ostracise and exclude people with disability? The issue of disability has always been a thorny issue within the faith communities, including the biblical communities. Either they are seen as beneficiaries of charity or their disability is seen as a curse from God. In recent years, we have witnessed a shift in this ableist approach thanks to the affirmation of the rights of the people with disability as human rights. This has created a ripple effect even in churches. However, there is still a reluctance in including them in the total life of the church. Their inclusion requires genuine introspection and metanoia from the part of the church.

This volume, coming from the lived experiences of people with disability, helps us to understand disability as a faith imperative and justice issue. It represents the determination of the community to reclaim the sanctuary and to redeem it by destroying the walls—physical, mental, theological, biblical and cultural—that reduce people with disability to the status of recipients of sympathy and charity. The book further offers theological and missional guidelines for the faith communities to live out their faith in Christ, the incarnated disabled God. For many years, disability was seen as a medical issue. Churches also pursued a charitable approach, assuming that disabled people are incapable. This book problematises this view and addresses the disability issue as structural injustice. It calls for a just and community-oriented transformative diakonia, and that requires radical changes in our ableist worldviews. This book affirms that persons with disabilities are not just a gift for the family and society but are also an opportunity for us to grow in love, mutual aid and unity as we are all called to be a gift to the other, to be Christ to our neighbours and to see Christ in our neighbours.

- Wati Longchar Consultant for Theological Education in East Asia, American Baptist Churches, USA

This book invites us to approach disability as a window for the church to revision its mission and ministry differently. In this process, the church not only sees the face of the other differently but also experiences its being alternatively, welcoming the disabled without prejudice with an alternative vision. In this radical vision, we affirm God’s preferential option for the disabled. The power of God is manifested in the impairments of the vulnerable through the abundant grace of God where the vulnerability of the disabled can function as a catalyst for the transformation and liberation of God’s creation in its totality.

- M.C. Thomas Professor, Mar Thoma Theological Seminary and The Federated Faculty for Research in Religion and Culture, Kottayam

Save the Children Syrian Refugee Crisis

Millions of Syrian families have been internally displaced or have unwillingly become refugees as they’ve been forced to flee from their homes as the chaos of war raged on for 9 years in Syria, leaving them in desperation and despair. The refugee camps that the children and their families are sheltered lacks the supplies they critically need in order for them to survive the volatile and harsh environment.

https://bit.ly/37ZU5pd

War School - The Battle for Britain’s Children

Militarisation of children in British schools have crept into the classrooms in the forms of propaganda. The Ministry of Defence elicits support and sympathy of the youngsters through their respect of war veterans which is deemed disturbing as unlike adults, they lack discernment to recognise media manipulation. Children are also exposed to instruments of warfare and war tactics and strategies in piquing their interests towards the military.

5 Broken Cameras

5 Broken Cameras the first-person account of a Palestinian farmer in Bi’lin, a West Bank village that has been threatened by the encroachment of Israeli settlements. Through the lenses of his 5 cameras, Emad Burnat was able to capture the turmoil faced by the non-violent villagers as their homes and land were being forcefully taken away from them.

https://bit.ly/3jHTJWE

The True Cost

Have we ever thought about where the clothes on our backs are manufactured, and at what cost besides the price tag we see upon making that purchase? Mass production of clothing lines driven by the fashion industry shrouds our eyes from the grim reality of the people who are thoroughly exploited in the chain of production and the injustices towards human and environmental issues that are prevalent of such unethical and inhumane practices in the name of profit.

https://bit.ly/3mOOgPT

Transforming Lives through the Power of Clean Water

More than 1 billion people in the world lack access to clean, drinkable water. Unlike many of us, where multiple sources of potable are effortlessly within our reach, there are plenty of those who don’t. For them, their day would involve locating water and bringing it back home even if it takes multiple trips, leaving them with little or no time for anything else, provided that the contaminated water doesn’t do them any harm first.

https://bit.ly/3oMjYin

Terror and Hope, The Science of Resilience

Delve into a hopeless world experienced by refugees, where vulnerable children are faced with nothing but a bleak foreseeable future, one that is filled with oppression, violence and trauma. With the help of researchers, humanitarian volunteers and aid workers, science is enlisted in helping these children break from the circle of violence due to war and displacement, finding courage and resilience in order for them to recover and grow.

https://bit.ly/3kOrZRx

What is the Fourth Industrial Revolution?

The Fourth Industrial Revolution, we will be witnessing the shift in reliance of people and animals in keeping our world going and running in order. Machines and technology will rise and dramatically change the way we operate and produce in the not too distant past. This change and its adoption will be exponentially rapid and unstoppable. https://bit.ly/3oJeGEt

Tomorrow

Looking at critical world issues through a more positive perspective, this French documentary showcases ten countries that have set themselves up as examples with their exemplary efforts at targeting issues pertaining to social and environmental with concrete solutions.

https://bit.ly/32kGWDR

The Rich, the Poor and the Trash

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure – this couldn’t hold more truth in this documentary about the growing rift in inequality in the population, where the rich are becoming richer whereas the poor are stuck at the bottom of the pit. All the waste that has been generated by the affluent and frivolous are piled up into mountains of garbage where people living in poverty savage for spoils that can be repurposed and sold in order for them to make a living out of it.

https://bit.ly/3enUz9V

Beasts of No Nation

This film is about the militarisation of children, where a young West African boy was enlisted to become a child solder as his country broke out in civil war. The story reflects the horrors and adversities that the boy had been subjected to during his ordeal, and how the terrors would continue to haunt and torment him even after coming out from the predicament.

https://bit.ly/31YYjK7

REFLECTIONS OF A FORMER CWM TRUSTEE

By Jeff Williams

In 2012 I was asked to represent the Union of Welsh Independents on the CWM council, a role that includes being a trustee for that body. As a trustee, you are only allowed to remain a trustee for two consecutive terms – eight years in total. So, in June 2020, my time came to an end. In this article, at the end of my time, I’m looking back at my dealings with CWM and sharing my impressions of the organisation

What does CWM mean? We often use the acronym, Cee‐Double U‐Em, and forget the full name, which is the Council for World Mission.

The Council for World Mission, or CWM, is a partnership of denominations and nonconformist churches. The Council was formed in 1977 when the London Missionary Society (the Independents were members of the LMS), the Commonwealth Missionary Society and the Presbyterian Board of Mission joined forces. These organisations came together in order to empower and vitalise the mission in local churches by sharing the resources and experience of different locations across the world. There are 32 denominations as members in CWM. Between them they represent around 21.5 million Christians, and over 50,000 congregations in over 40 countries from the Pacific Ocean Islands, Asia, Africa to Europe and the Caribbean.

The variety of experience and insight within CWM is a treasure that we contribute towards and also benefit from. The Welsh Independent churches have benefitted from being a part of CWM in many ways over the years: they have received grants to fund the Union’s programmes such as the Y Ffordd (The Way) programme, the Development Programme, the Training Programme and much more; chances to learn about the worldwide Church through attending meetings, conferences and celebrations and welcoming visitors from churches abroad into our midst; by attending events and taking part in the CWM programmes, in Wales and abroad. Many of our young people have had experiences that became the bedrock of their faith and their commitment for the rest of their lives. Wales, and the Independents in particular, have contributed much to the life of CWM over the years; many of the representative denominations within the Council have a high regard for the wise leadership of the Union’s general secretaries and mission secretaries and their contribution towards the development of CWM. In Guyana people remember Guto Prys ap Gwynfor, Siân and the family with fondness following their time as missionaries out there; often people from churches across the world ask me about somebody or other from Wales who they came into contact with through CWM. CWM is like a big family and its members share the same vision – a fullness of life through Christ for the whole of creation.

As well attending the board meetings three times a year, I was asked to fulfil another two tasks, which were; to help CWM restructure their way of governance through their trustees and the way it is answerable to the churches whilst keeping to the requirements of the Singapore Charity Commission (where the main CWM office is and where the charity is registered) and London (where CWM’s interest are situated), and also I continue to be a part of the executive that is formulating and promoting the CWM anti‐racism strategy.

What are my impressions? Two things stand out among many. The first is the prophetic challenge CWM gives on the question of Empire, which is the political, economic and religious forces that form the world. CWM has continued unstintingly, against much criticism from the denominations, to concentrate on this reality as the context within which churches testify. This is the testimony of CWM and the churches: whereas God releases, Empire hears the cries of the oppressed, and refuses to see the destruction that its rapacious greed wreaks, it cannot respond with mercy and love and it cannot do justice. CWM is prophetic. The second thing is that CWM can simultaneously achieve their role locally and worldwide. CWM walks side by side with churches and their huge variety of different circumstances, they share resources with the churches so that they can achieve their mission of sharing the wonderful Gospel of our Saviour Jesus Christ. At the same time, it takes its place with other ecumenical organisations on the worldwide stage in proclaiming the Good News within the context of the serious matters of our times.

My experience with CWM has been an exciting one; it has been a privilege and a responsibility to be a trustee with such a pivotal body that is so central to the life and testimony of the Church. It was enjoyable also to share my time and socialise with sisters and brothers from other contexts so different to each other and to discover in the process that we had so much in common also. Thank you for the opportunity.

LIFE-FLOURISHING AND THE HABIT OF THANKFULNESS: 2020 IN RETROSPECT

By Sainimili Kata

When I reflect upon the past year, I am overwhelmed with an uneasiness that unsettles my spirit. For many, this year was going to be the year. More than just a new year, the new decade brought hopes of new beginnings, renewed strength and the promise of better days. Unfortunately, this year has not turned out to be what many hoped or expected it to be. As a family, we usually celebrate New Year’s Eve with a huge party, however, NYE 2019, was very quiet and it wasn’t our typical ‘hurrah’ into a new year. Besides, I was not hooked on this idea of ‘the roaring twenties’ that everyone was talking about. Comparing the new year to the 1920’s offers an interesting comparison: of economic prosperity and carefree living. In the 1920’s it was mass consumerism, mass culture and dancing. In 2020 it has been self-isolation, online shopping with next day delivery and group video calls & parties. There has been a shift in life as we know it, and to be honest, I am amazed at how quickly we have adapted to it.

As I think more about that saying ‘the roaring twenties’, I can’t help but imagine a large lion, standing on a large rock, and roaring over his pride and territory. (Yes – I’m talking about the Lion King and pride rock). Naturally, my brain then continues to question, when and why do lion’s roar? Well, as far as my online research has shown, lion’s roar when they are trying to communicate, when they are marking their territory and when they are hunting. A lion will follow its prey stealthily for a long period of time before releasing a loud roar that will, in turn, shock his prey, and therefore, enabling the lion to capture and kill it.

Slightly morbid yes, but here is what I’m getting at – 2020 has almost been the same for many of us. The coronavirus pandemic has snuck up on us unexpectedly, and shocked our ‘normal’ lives, causing many of us to feel trapped and lifeless. Working from home, job loss, national lockdowns, restrictions on when and where you can meet people, and for how long – this has removed agency from many of our lives. Personally, I’d like to think that I have not been badly affected. However, whilst writing this, I am starting to realise that it is possible that I have just been in a state of shock that has caused me to not fully comprehend what has happened this year.

It is now the end of the 2020. We are in a moment of transition. There are hopes that the end of this year, will also bring the end of the pandemic and lockdowns. However, we know that this will not be the case. As we gather together with our families for Christmas celebrations, whilst we share gifts and remember the birth of Christ, I want to encourage you to not only focus on the gifts that may bring you joy, but to consider what it is about the gifts that bring you joy. Too often we can be surrounded by so many blessings and opportunities, yet fail to see it because we cannot see past what we do not have.

Let us be thankful for those around us, for our homes, for the smiles that we see and the food on our tables. For what we may forget to remember is that through the turmoil and pain of the past year, God has brought us through it to a new season. And because of this, we continue to be a part of God’s desire of flourishing life for all.

I recently watched a sermon online, and the preacher spoke about how gratitude is not an innate part of us but rather, something (a habit) that we need to practise. I have a two-year-old son, and I know for sure that saying thank you was not something that he was born with. It is something that we need to practise with him every day, and even though we do, he still forgets to say thank you. As adults, this can also happen to us. And if anything, 2020 has taught me that it is not just about having a grateful heart, but about practising my gratefulness, because in all honesty, it has been a hard year, and without practising thankfulness, my heart would not be as grateful.

And so, the roaring 20’s. Going back to our imagery at the beginning of this piece, I now invite you to change the image that you have in your mind. Instead of a timid, scared and trapped animal, imagine the strength, boldness and pride behind the lion’s roar. Image a roar of gratefulness. A roar of praise. Imagine the power behind the praise and gratefulness. A roar of thanksgiving for what we have survived this past year. A bold exclamation of the life flourishing community you are a part of. Like the Bible passage Psalm 107:2 says, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so”. So, let us end the year by saying it! Let us say we struggled, but let us also say that we have made it through.

Let us say that even though we walked through the valley of the shadow of death, we fear no evil. Even though we have not worked this year, we will not fear about our future. Even though the church doors have been closed, we will not worry. Even though our communities have not been able to meet, we will fear no evil. Even though we may have experienced sadness, pain and loss, we continue to hope. For the Lord is with us.

May we end this year, with a roar of thankfulness and grateful hearts. Let us head into 2021 with an attitude to practice and deepen the habit of gratefulness. Let us roar with thanksgiving for all that God has brought us through. In the first quarter of this year, I lost someone extremely close to my heart, my grandfather. He was my best friend. Much of who I am today, is owed to him. Much of my interests and passions in life, are because of him. I thought I would not be able to live through the pain of losing him, but I have. Yes, some days are hard, but most days I smile as I think of him, and I allow my heart to be warmed by his memory. There is one thing that he would often say, and it was “Whatever my lot in life, it is well with my soul”. So, as you enter the new year and as you begin to work with others to grow life flourishing communities, I encourage you to continue to be grateful for everything that will come your way. And through it all, I urge us to say, it is well and it will be well, with a heart of thanksgiving.

REFLECTIONS IN THE YEAR OF A PANDEMIC

By a stranger in a stranger land

The close of a year is often a time of introspection, taking stock of the year past and making plans and bearing hope for the new year. In keeping pace with coronavirus news, the inevitable COVID-19 fatigue has set in. Fortunately, promising vaccine developments have brought hope. Over this year, there are milestones and memories seared in my mind, shared in this reflection.

Memento mori (“remember you must die”)

Right after the lunar new year, COVID19 pummelled the world, shutting down tourism and travel, overwhelming healthcare systems in European countries to the point that painful decisions had to be made about who should live or die even if they were perfectly healthy pre-COVID19. The death toll grew exponentially, and continued to rise.

The only time I’d learnt about mass burials was World War 2, and it almost felt like one when I saw footage of a mass grave dug in New York earlier this year, because there was a shortage of funeral services for burials. With people disallowed to visit patients dying alone of COVID-19 in hospitals during lockdown and restrictions on the number of people allowed to attend funerals, I often thought about those alive who were unable to bid goodbye to friends, distant relatives, and colleagues in wakes and funerals, and the possibility of the lack of closure in their grief.

This pandemic has, again, forced me to slow down and consider the incredible fragility of life, and how precious each day really is. In youth, many of us believed and lived like we were invincible and eternal. Only when confronted with death as we grew older did we pause to process the fact that we’ll inevitably grow old, sick and die.

It is with anger that I recall by the over-spiritualisation of the coronavirus by Christian leaders and its grave implications and consequences. I never really grasped the dangers of prosperity gospel teaching until now, seeing prominent church pastors and evangelists proclaim that: church services in person can continue and wearing face masks are not necessary because as anointed servants of God, COVID-19 will not afflict them; and that the coronavirus is Satan’s tool to keep people from churches.

While there is some truth in these, God’s blessing of protection and healing is not a free pass for us to throw caution to the wind and insist on conducting physical church gatherings, especially when these many of these churches are fully equipped to have church services electronically. When we look at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, Jesus did say to not put God to the test when Satan goaded Him to. The initial spread of COVID-19 in South Korea because of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus should be enough of a warning for us to take precautions. The only reason I can think of for such irresponsible actions is an anxiety and determination in church leadership to maintain their coffers. Without church attendance, many churches are facing significantly lower tithes and offerings, and for smaller churches, this prolonged financial drought that could mean shutting down the church.

However, as Christians, it is our duty as responsible citizens and residents, to love our neighbours by taking appropriate action in finding alternative ways of worship and ministry. The gospel has spread far and wide thanks to online church services, which has been said to reach non-believers, and Christians who have backslided or are from different churches. God’s work is still flourishing, even if Satan keeps us from gathering in person.

I doubt I will ever forget seeing and feeling the public panic around February to April, with canned food, instant noodles, groceries, and even toilet paper flying off the shelves in the supermarkets as people hoarded necessities. The ugliness of human nature when opportunists tried to make a quick buck selling masks, which were in severe shortage back then. If there was ever a time in life I felt that the end of the world was near, this was it.

For the initial few months, it was surreal to wake up each day and remember that I’ll be working from home since my country was in lock-down. In the onslaught of negative news reports, the only points of reference I had as a millennial were SARS, H1N1, the 1997 and 2008 financial crises, and it soon became clear that the COVID19 pandemic had far exceeded those in proportions that I still cannot grasp and assess. I could barely believe my eyes at a convenience store when I caught a newspaper headline that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said this economic recession is the worst in six decades.

It slowly sunk in for me when many people lost their jobs or had major pay cuts, and freelance work slowed to a trickle. Reading stories of mid-career professionals getting retrenched, depleting their lifetime savings, and queueing for welfare benefits, I feared for my future. Nobody seemed to know what to do with this almost unknown virus at first, which annihilated small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and multinational companies took a hard hit.

My country drew on its reserves – something I’ve only heard about and never experienced, or thought I’d ever experience in my lifetime. In less than four months, an unprecedented four fiscal packages totalling $100 billion - almost 20 percent of our GDP - were rolled out to help individuals, families, and businesses. This included a substantial wage subsidy to encourage companies to keep their local workers, measures to help with liquidity, and even delaying of mortgage, rental and other payments, and relaxing of requirements before people file for bankruptcy.

It has been said that the COVID-19 will be the defining challenge of our generation. Future generations will hear about how we overcame by staying united. How we all did our part to keep everyone safe by staying home for a few months to slow down community transmission, buy precious time for research and testing for a vaccine, and to not overwhelm our healthcare system. In such a truly unimaginable situation, many including myself have tried to see the silver lining behind the dark clouds of this thunderstorm.

I saw what it means to lead and serve with passion and compassion, in outreach and ministry to migrant workers who accounted for the majority of those testing positive for COVID19 in my country. Without the explosion of cases in migrant worker community, their poor living conditions and nutrition wouldn’t have come under local and international scrutiny and hopefully there will be a gradual improvement. I saw that heroes don’t always wear capes, especially in the healthcare professions, where they continue to work long shifts, month after month, with no light at the end of the tunnel until a vaccine arrives.

Man proposes, but God disposes.

Decimated economies and jobs seem to have brought about collective humility, humanising political leaders in my country who many have seen as detached from the struggles of the man in the street. We saw the human(e) side of those in positions of power, acknowledging and considering the deep pain the population is facing, and the multi-ministry task force going all out to work together to bring this virus under control. They made the best decisions they could based on available information at that point in time, and were able to change course when later developments indicated otherwise. One example was how mask-wearing in our country was initially discouraged but later made mandatory.

The pandemic also drove home the point that every profession is equal and all should be respected if people are making an honest living. During the lock-down we saw that those who are lowly paid – cleaners, janitors, food delivery riders, hawkers, and nurses – are “essential services”, while the rest of us are working from home because we provide “non-essential services”. It subverted elitist perspectives in hierarchical societies.

Without mindless consumerism, we have slowed down to reflect and contemplate on powers beyond our control. Like the cry of mother nature, finally unleashing her wrath on us for our insatiable greed and unsustainable consumption. With a global economic recession and the predicted global shrink in demand when things improve, we are compelled to separate our “needs” and “wants”; we are learning that we need very few things in life to survive.

I’d like to believe that we are humbled into consuming less, and growing in compassion for those who are harder hit by the pandemic than we are. That we can be genuinely grateful each day to wake up with more health than sickness, to know we still hold a job not purely due to merit, but also because we’re in a sector that hasn’t been crushed by the pandemic. For many parents, working from home means spending more quality time with those you’re working so hard for, and finding that the little things in life mean the most.

After years of adamant refusal to consider remote working, companies have discovered that working from home and virtual work meetings are possible, and that Zoom and other virtual meeting applications means than work travel can be greatly reduced for our carbon footprint. According to researchers, global carbon emissions have fallen by a record 7% this year due to lockdowns and travel restrictions. A naïve hope of mine is somewhat captured in a beautiful quote I came across, about how during this time, we reorient our hearts to the silent and sedentary, and the land lies fallow, to produce a bountiful harvest later on. Another wishful hope I have is that the countries and people who need the coronavirus vaccine the most will get it, and that when the world recovers from COVID19, no matter how long it takes, fulfilling lives can be lived without the charades of hedonism, materialism and greed.