Meet BCA-USA’s COVID-19 Frontline Heroes

MEET SOME BCA-USA COVID-19 FRONTLINE HEROES

Despite the challenges and health risks, millions of frontline workers across the USA continued to do their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. From picking up trash, packaging groceries to cleaning hospitals, caring for the vulnerable, to providing life-saving medicine, these hard working heroes placed themselves at great risk in order to take care of others. Below, we celebrate the courage, dedication, grit and selflessness of some BCA-USA frontline workers in healthcare. Together they represent millions of frontline workers who stayed at the frontlines ensuring that others remained comfortable, safe and healthy during the pandemic.

Ma Agie Kaspa Nurse Great Lakes Chapter

Ma Emma Foncham Nurse Carolinas Chapter

Ma Dr. Anna Sikod Medical Doctor South Eastern Chapter

Ma Dr. Florence N. ForsacPefok Nephrologist Great Lakes Chapter

Ma Beatrice Tangeh Registered Nurse Southern Texas Chapter Ni Dr. Bobga Fomunung Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Great Lakes

Ma Helen Ndangam Nurse Eastern Chapter Ma Janet Frazier Nurse Eastern Chapter Ma Comfort Sema Nurse Eastern Chapter

Ni Jimi Adeseola Nurse Midwest Denver

Ma Kah Fomukong Pediatric Nurse Southern Texas Chapter

Ma Anna Kah Fomuso Physical Therapist Northern Texas Chapter Ma Kalang Fondong Nurse Assistant Chapter President, Southern California Chapter

Ma Kehmia Tangeh Pharmacist Southern Texas Chapter BCA-USA National PRO Ni Dr. Lang Nukuna Medical Doctor Eastern Chapter

Ni Muted Fofung Pharmacist Eastern Chapter

Ma Nancy Ndamukong Registered Nurse South Eastern Chapter Ma Patience Fofung Pharmacist Eastern Chapter Ma Patricia Kaba (PK) Registered Dietitian Northern California Ni Dr. Sema Fofung Gynecologist Great Lakes chapter

Ma Lekunga Titalanga Nurse Southern Texas Chapter

Ni Michael Popoko Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant Eastern Chapter

Ma Cynthia Fogam Nurse Eastern Chapter

Ma Ley Fossem Geriatric Nurse Oklahoma Chapter

Ma Stella Luma Nurse Midwest Chapter

Ni Derrick Fossem Nurse Oklahoma Chapter Ma Jennee Stella Tekwe Nurse Eastern Chapter

Ma Dr. Judith Fokum Medial Doctor Chapter President, New England Chapter

Ma Mado Ndangam Physician Assistant Midwest Chapter

Ma Diane Gwananji Pediatric Nurse Southern Texas Chapter

Ma Marie Fokwang Telemetry Technician Southern Texas Chapter

Ma Edith Doh Nurse Midwest Chapter

Ma Mbuomda Namondo Nasah Lima Anesthetist Physician Assistant Vice President, South Eastern Chapter

Ma Elveline Eyong Nurse Oklahoma Chapter

BCA Members’ Reflections on the Pandemic and Resilience

It’s Monday morning. I pull into the South Parking Lot. I welcome the warmth of the sun’s rays and the blue cloudless skies. The snow-capped mountains and the distinct outline of the mountains against the horizon is simply spellbinding. The fragrance-filled air of Cherry Blossoms in bloom signifies Spring. A bevy of birds fly in v-Formation across the sky. I walk deliberately and purposefully through the double doors into the Lobby which was once teaming with life and activity. There’s no one in sight. I take the elevator to my office on the fourth floor. I say hello to the administrative staff, and walk past rows and rows of empty cubicles to my desk. I am one of a few people that opted out of telework after receiving a complete dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. I am grateful to God. I am focused, present, and engaged. I show up with the best version of my authentic self.

A few days after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19, a global pandemic, we received a communiqué to vacate the building immediately for telework. I was frantic, frightened, and anxious. I was totally unprepared and unequipped for telework. As the days progressed, conflicting messages from all levels of management, did little to allay my fears and anxiety. Restaurants, churches, schools, and most businesses were closed. Yellow caution tape restricting access, enclosed playgrounds in public parks. Streets were deserted. The world was at a standstill in a blink of an eye, with the hopes, dreams, aspirations, and goals of all hanging in the balance.

I made it only by the Grace of the Lord. Thanks to family, the essential workers and first responders; YouTube videos and Zoom Retreat sessions with the Divine Mercy Retreat Center, New Jersey; YouTube videos of the Potter’s House/Bishop T. D. Jakes; Elevation Worship & Maverick City Music; Hillsong Praise and Worship for feeding my soul and spirit. My sincere thanks and gratitude to Ma Nyem Fokwang, Ni Jude Fokwang, and Ni Goddy Gwaabe for keeping the Bali Culture front and center during those tumultuous times.

Telework and Zoom Meetings are the wave of the future. The world will never be the same again, but the resilience of the human spirit will live on. By Ma Irene Andin Tita BCA Midwest Chapter Vice Chair of Publications Committee

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Talking about the pandemic, family is my primary driving force that helped me survive the pandemic. Also relocating to a new state, where I knew literally no one helped some. Especially since I could not socialize again in the heat of the pandemic. It was very scary and every day I dreaded going to work, since we had to wear all these personal protective equipment. It was such a scary time that I became a semi “native doctor”, cooking concoctions made of lemons, pineapple, lemongrass (fever grass), garlic, aloe vera sometimes and or honey. The biggest thing that got me going was the decision to go back to school. I said to myself, it is better to do something so that when the world will reopen, I will advance or progress. Oh boy did I do that? It is left to be seen in my results. I formed stronger bonds with my friends, coworkers, and family. My circle of influence shifted, and we found strength in people we never thought we could. Work became my second nature. Although many people who do not know me would have misconstrued that I was out for the money, deep down in me, there was fear. The fear of the unknown, fear of not knowing what’s next or who will be the next person or colleague to be diagnosed with COVID-19.

The fear was not so much to be diagnosed, but it was also the fear of the outcome of having COVID19 when there was no medication or treatment. In those initial days, when I heard announcements from the intercom system in the hospital where I work “Code Blue or rapid response” in the acute care unit, I expected the worst. The story goes round and round. The same applies to many here. Even with the vaccine and booster shots, I am still looking out, afraid of what is obvious, COVID-19 and death. It took time before I came to realize that wearing a mask is the new norm. I can remember how in the hospitals or healthcare facilities; we couldn’t venture out of a patient’s room with a mask or other PPE. Now, not wearing a mask is frowned upon. There’s a lot to learn as far as surviving COVID-19 is concerned. Overall, I thank God I did not get infected. I think it was not because I am special just by the mercy of God for, we never knew and do not still know who has it or not, what is next, or who is next?

Thank you very much for this opportunity to express myself. My one and only advice to all is that we should treat everyone as infected until proven otherwise, we should wear our masks, maintain social distances, wash our hands always and take our vaccinations. We must remember that wearing our masks or taking vaccines does not mean we cannot or will not be infected by the COVID-19 virus. It only means that if we get the infection, we will not be as ill as those who do not have the vaccines. It means we have been inoculated and our bodies now have antibodies of COVID-19 which if infected will recognize and fight against the disease better than before. In my own laywoman way, that is my explanation. Get vaccinated! Ma Ste Special, Northern Texas Chapter.

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We all survived COVID-19 thanks to God and the use of PPE. It was not possible to practice social distancing as health care workers. But we used masks, face shields, gowns, and gloves. The kids initially studied at home but later went back to class with masks. Parents avoided going out of the home. Worship was via zoom for 2 years. But it was by the Grace of God that we survived. The Kuja family Lydia, Martin, Adolf, Mercy, Divine, Carvelle, Kenna, & Lydia Tatang. Northern Texas Chapter

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What helped me survive the pandemic? I was taking black seed oil. The confidence I had in this black seed oil is that it tastes like palm kernel oil black oil popularly known as “Menyanga oil’’ which our mothers used to give us when we were kids. It cures so many ailments in our system during that tender age. And when you look at the meaning of Black Seed oil in Google, it says it cures all sickness in our system except death. I spread the message to our Bali Community and well-wishers and some of our nurses who caught the Coronavirus. I advised them to take Black seed oil and they were healed from the sickness. After quarantining, they resumed their duties. I also took a daily dose of Vitamin C 1,000 mg to support my immune system. I also wore masks faithfully. That’s how my soul-mate, Ma JenneeStella Tekwe, popularly known as “(Ma Ste Special),” and I survived the pandemic. We give thanks to God almighty for blessing us so abundantly. Ba Tita Langba Eastern Chapter

What helped me survive the pandemic was a lot of television and engaging in hobbies such as writing and painting. It helped in keeping my mind stimulated from all the boredom. I also traveled to Mexico which was fun as well. Ashley Gwananji Northern Texas

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During the pandemic I joined Toastmasters International Effective Communicators club in March 2020. At the time, all I was

thinking about was to keep myself focused on something else during the lockdown. I wanted to work on my speech and presentation skills and to get rid of the famous butterflies!

It’s been a worthwhile 2-year journey! The butterflies are still very much present, but I have learnt to share the living space with them. On the other hand, I met a group of professionals [from different backgrounds and origins] with the same passion of communicating better! This year, I won 1st Place in Area 13 International Speech Contest and 1st Place in 2022 D38 Division A International Speech Contest.

From the spontaneous and on the spot table topics, to the tough evaluations and the different Pathways levels- these have all molded me into the speaker I have longed admired from afar. Ma Christine Titih North Eastern Chapter

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We survived the pandemic by praying Psalm 91 against it, by following CDC and federal government guidelines in permanently wearing our masks whenever we left the house, by washing our hands and sanitizing whenever we returned from outside. After vaccines were approved and recommended, we all got vaccinated and got the boosters as well. We remained conscious not to stick our fingers into our nostrils after touching shopping carts or gas pumps and instructed our children to do the same. Last but not least, my husband Ni Joe was consistently making concoctions before, during, and after the pandemic of lemon juice, lemon grass, ginger, garlic, turmeric in hot water and drinking almost daily. I believe all these measures helped keep us safe from the COVID19 pandemic that ravaged the world and decimated lives and economies. One of our children caught it with wife and daughter but it quickly disappeared as they had taken their vaccines except of course the baby who rebounded without much of anything. God truly protects babies! It was a three-day discomfort. This is how my family and l survived the pandemic. God first, then all other practical preventive and recommended measures. Ma Therese Fomunung Northern Texas Chapter

The past two and a half years have been unprecedented, challenging, chaotic, stressful, life changing, introspective, unpredictable, exhausting just to name a few. The pandemic came with a roller coaster of anxiety, confusion, uncertainty, fear etc. I lost very good friends and relatives which made it even more scary for me as I went through a near-death experience myself.

Watching the pandemic dashboard and the news outlets only created more anxiety

and paranoia for me. My best coping mechanism was to STOP following the numbers, the news, and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) stats. Once I did that, I could relax and just hoped for the best. I learned to appreciate everyday that I lived above ground because it felt like no one was guaranteed a tomorrow. So how did I get through the pandemic? Hope got me through by finding my inner peace as I left everything in the hands of the almighty. Ma Marion Sabum Great Lakes Chapter 

COVID-19 impacted us in many ways. I was the guinea pig of my family. I went out to run errands, buy groceries and did everything that the family needed. On return, I will spray my shoes and take off my clothes and go straight to the shower for a hot bath. This was the usual routine.

Down the road COVID-19 invaded my brother’s house and he was sick along with two of his children. This was a tough one for me as I had to go out there to get him supplies and drop them in front of his house and we only talked through FaceTime or WhatsApp video calls. This was a very tough time for me. Thankfully, their recovery was quick. As fate would have it my household was also guested by COVID-19, and the kids also toughed it up. We prayed and quarantined as a family and through God’s healing mercies we bounced back.

If I do not express gratitude in two folds as I state how we were resilient with this pandemic, then a feeling of contrition will hover around my mind. As a family head and the leader of a cultural group we have been so blessed.

Some members of our cultural group (Ndântɔd Cultural group Washington Metro Area) caught COVID-19 too and I had to drop off supplies at their homes. It was so difficult to hear people talking inside the house while you were dropping stuff off and cannot even go inside to say hello. We are so grateful to God that the virus did not result in any member’s demise.

As a family we bonded so much with the kids, watching TV and listening to music. All the Bluetooth speakers at home were busy. Our oldest son Bikayi took the biggest one and kept it in his room and used it to play music when he was not attending online classes. Everything went virtual and Dingana and Nahsang will have to be in front of an iPad for classes. To the mother of our four adorable children Ma Cynthia Ketcha Wuvalla even in my next life you will still be the First Lady of my kingdom. I do not have words that are apt to convey my love and gratitude to you. You have made me a whole and I am the man because of you. You are simply the best

At Ndântɔd cultural group quickly adjusted to the pandemic life by hosting all our monthly meetings virtually. We created a COVID-19 Taskforce that gave constant updates about the virus and the necessary precautions we needed to take. I commend the exceptional work done by Dr. Thomas Pefok, Ma Pascaline Moffor and Ma Cynthia Fogam. Your dedication and sacrifice are unmatched and cannot be compensated. We are so grateful for all the help that you guys gave and are still giving.

I would like to extend my special regard to the outgoing President of BCA USA (Ni Clarence Ndangam) for his strides and stewardship. It is unfortunate that the last phase of his presidency has been defined by his last name. I am hopeful that objective Nyonga pundits will be able to get past these ideological roadblocks in the future. Gilbert Nyonka Eastern Chapter