IN THE FACE OF COVID-19: Testimonies from around the world”

Many project partners of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) living in countries where Christians are suffering from discrimination or violence, such as Nigeria, Chad, Morocco, Sri Lanka or Burkina Faso, or in which the Coronavirus pandemic has made the prevailing economic difficulties only more acute, such as Ecuador, Venezuela or Ukraine, are braving the odds to continue providing pastoral and humanitarian support to the people entrusted to their care. In recent days, we have received testimonies from these project partners expressing faith and courage in the face of this pandemic. Touching expressions from our brothers and sisters on the frontline:

“Our prayers go out to all God’s people who are living through this time of pain and uncertainty, to you who, with your support, are helping us to make so many dreams come true that contribute to the well-being of the people in our care.”

Sr Marguerite Valea, SAB

“My ministry consists in visiting the sick in the hospital as well as the elderly at home. We pray together. I seek to bring them comfort. I listen to them. In this time of crisis, I bring soap to families, and I give them hope that they will recover. I visit all the sick, Christians and non-Christians.”

Sr Sabina Pekala

“I have been serving in Kharkov, Ukraine for 10 years. Most of my ministry concerns the Social Centre of St. Elizabeth from Hungary. As a qualified nurse, 5 days a week, I carry out different types of consultations and basic medical care for people who ask for help: parishioners, elderly people, families with many children, disabled and homeless people, some of them are refugees of war. Currently, despite the Covid pandemic, I also reach out to people who ask for help. With the help of other Nuns and single mothers from the Caritas Houses of Hope in the Diocese of Kharkiv, we also distribute masks. The most important thing is to be with the people and give them hope.”

Sr Berglis Marín Glean and associate of the community go out to distribute supplies to the elderly

“Today, facing this pandemic which leaves behind so much pain, we feel strongly committed to our people. For several years, in our pastoral work, the care of the abandoned elderly and the homeless has been a priority. Due to the restrictions this disease places on us, the Sisters who work in this field are looking for ways how to assist this segment of the population that is so desperately in need of our help right now. For this, some Sisters take food to their homes, others go to the parish where they have created the conditions so that people who have no house can go to bathe, change their clothes, and have some food.

Another very important aspect of our work is the personalised spiritual care our people need. Having closed our space for listening and spiritual accompaniment, we have chosen to offer this service from home by phone, by creating support groups on WhatsApp in which we offer to convey their intentions but also, where we send prayers and other spiritual exercises.”