Covid-19 - Dying to live

Dying to live

As Covid-19 continues its grim dance of death around the globe, most of us follow government urgings to isolate ourselves and to avoid danger areas where possible. And so, there are stories of people away dashing to cross borders before they close, and they are trapped on the wrong side while others retreat behind latherings of handwash and bolted doors.

This is not universal.

Central Nigeria is an area where Covid-19 is not yet virulent but is also an area with very limited health facilities. For example, ventilators are few and are hand operated. Expatriate workers in a Christian mission were given a choice to stay or to evacuate during a recent one-week window of available flights. There was no pressure on anyone and no criticism of anyone’s decision. A group of missionaries in the vulnerable post-70 age bracket chose to stay and continue serving, well-aware that this may be a choice resulting in their death.

This is not new. See the articles below for a few stories from the past of Christian choosing to stay or to walk into seasons of plague or pestilence.

Why do people do things like these missionaries in central Nigeria?

·       Loved by God in Christ and wanting to reflect and repay that by serving others.

·       Loving neighbour and wanting to serve as they are able.

·       A sense of eternity in which it is better to be with the Lord and in which death is not the worst that can happen to a person.

And of course, a decision by a particular missionary to evacuate is not necessarily selfishness or cowardice. There are times that it is better for some to withdraw from a danger zone (eg, Matt 10:23; 24:16; Acts 8:1&4). And equally so, there are times when a decision to stay may arise from false motives or may cause unnecessary burdens on others including nationals.

All that being said, the decision of these older missionaries to stay in central Nigeria is worth recording. These are people who know that they started to die when they were born, and that Christ has conquered death. They value life, are not careless with it and doubtless take responsible measures such as handwashing and social distance. The decision to stay is taken with knowledge and as an expression of faith that, whether they live or die, their calling is to deny themselves and follow Christ. They choose to wear his crown of thorns that they may have his crown of life.

To read

There’s plenty of good material starting to appear abut Christian responses to CV19. Here is a selection of material that brings a historical perspective.

·       https://au.thegospelcoalition.org/article/when-the-plague-came-to-eyam-four-lessons-for-the-church-an-a-time-of-covid-19/

·      https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/03/13/christianity-epidemics-2000-years-should-i-still-go-to-church-coronavirus/?fbclid=IwAR0QTCLf5lMQBlh-x77ClkKeR_qmG2wsFTvkZET8iPeqeaIq-J6YwGsq_go

·       https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/spurgeon-ministry-cholera-outbreak/