I wasn’t going to join in with the rest of the world and talk about the current global topic number one. I was going to stick my head in the Tongan sand and pretend that the Corona virus will never reach us, or just go away by itself. Looks like it ain’t going to happen that way.
In fact, all of Tonga is waiting for the test result of the first ‘suspected case’ (currently in isolation at the local hospital) of COVID-19. As there are no specialist medical testing facilities here, the sample had to be sent to Australia. We have been waiting for four days. Some people are already wearing the masks, others cancel meetings, some Chinese business owners have closed shop; battened down. No business today. Nor tomorrow.
We volunteers are getting lengthy updates from the VSA Medical Team and Headquarters in Wellington on what our fate will be, IF… all these ‘WHAT IFs’ we are contemplating at the moment! – Three of our ‘high risk’ volunteers have already been sent back to New Zealand. Three volunteers that are currently on holiday in NZ have been asked not to return to Tonga until further notice. And IF the abovementioned test result comes back positive, the ‘moderately at risk’ volunteers will also be ‘repatriated’: That would be Rolf and I – among others.
Until we have definite answers, we do ‘business as usual’. I try to shut out all the What Ifs in my head and continue to do my work. Rolf is good at that. He goes ahead with his fourth business trip to the island of Eua tomorrow, returning Friday. – But what if??
Watch this space!
Awww Mum, it’s a hard one. IF you head back, there are so many questions and changes to be made, and made quickly, but IF you can stay, what next? I guess it will be just a matter of time before that C virus (no, not coriander Mum) makes it’s way to Tonga? God knows. Glad we can trust His perfect timing of everything and His authority of the world. Love you Mum. Just deal with now for now. Tomorrow will take care of itself.
Hi Rolf and Sabine,
Tobias and I were saying earlier today how sick we were of corona virus being the hot topic everywhere. That doesn’t mean we can’t plan for it, it just means we don’t need to go crazy buying up all the toilet paper, panadol ect. Praying for you all over there. You and Rolf are doing such a wonderful job there.
xx
Trick of the eyes. When I first looked at your land bridge pic I saw a large soccer ball in the ground! Huh? Then I thought it was a steep cascading river, then finally saw the ocean below the land bridge as intended. It’s all a matter of perspective.
Re: virus, one day at a time. God is sovereign and we can trust Him when there is uncertainty.