What I can do.

It's very easy to slip into thinking of all the things that I'm not able to do at this time - hugs is probably top of the list, followed by being with friends and family who are too far away to visit in a day, going to places where I don't need to work out what I'll do in the case of needing a loo, and travelling to Africa.
Those activities frequently creep into my thoughts as evidence of how limiting and frustrating lockdown is. And that's not a good place to keep wandering to.
So I try to replace the thoughts with positives - what I am able to do, what I have been able to achieve.
And this photo is a good reminder of that.

It is of 4 families in Acholi Quarters who, along with so many others, are unable to gain any form of income due to lockdown in Uganda. Without money there is no food. And so for them and so many others, coronavirus has been more about the fear of starving to death.

But these 4 families, along with 25 other families, are part of the Lubanga Ber co-operative, who are linked to one of the CRED Partners. And one thing that I have been able to do during lockdown is to mobilise donations of thousands of pounds, which have gone out to support our various partners as they have been doing what they can to help in their communities.

So these 4 families represent the many families who have received food parcels, or money for food, during this time, and as a result have stayed away from starvation.

And that's quite a good thing to be able to say that I have done during lockdown.

Demonstrating best practice in Kibera

Love these two photos!
The wonderful team at Spurgeons are continuing with distribution of food parcels for the vulnerable families in Kibera slum
But, unlike the rest of Kibera where life is anything but orderly, here they are handing out the food in such as way as to demonstrate social distancing and use of face masks as well as showing the love of God for the orphans and widows.
A beautiful example of faith in action.

Smiling happy faces

This photo was taken just nine weeks ago - how long ago that feels now.
I love it for the smiling faces, the excitement, the happiness, the innocence, the togetherness.

How long, if ever, will it be before such a photo can be taken again?

And what have those children gone through in the meantime? Hunger, fear, confusion at not being able to play with friends, sadness at seeing parents so worried all the time, worry about when will the next meal appear.....

Thankfully none of them have lost loved ones to Covid, so they have been spared that pain; but even so, for these young lives to have endured so much extra on top of the tough circumstances they already live in......

I pray for them, for their families, for their community.
And I pray for the day that I will be able to be out with them again, reflecting on what has passed, and planning for a better future.

Paths on a journey

Just back from a lovely, early morning walk in the local countryside.

Some of the route was paths I knew, some was paths that were new to me.
Some were wide open paths with a clear direction, some were narrower with obstacles and twists and turns, and it wasn't clear where I would end up.
Some sections were examples of 'not being able to see the woods for the trees', some were examples of 'light at the end of the tunnel'.
There was one bit where if I crouched down my view was very narrow and hemmed in by stinging nettles, but if I stood up I got a view into the future, and could see past the discomfort of the next few steps.

All in all, it just felt like a metaphor for life's journey, and also a metaphor for this Covid journey. We don't know where it is going and sometimes it feels pretty dark and tough. Other days it feels easier and lighter.

Sometimes we feel like we are crouched down amongst the nettles, but other times we get a glimpse of what it looks like to see beyond them. And at all times we need to remember that God can see beyond. Yes He is walking in the nettles with us, but He knows what is beyond. He gives us the energy to climb the obstacles and to get to the point where we can enjoy the bigger view

On with the day, and all that it might entail.

some days the path feels narrow and dark

other days it's an easier path to walk

sometimes you feel in amongst the nettles

other times we can see beyond them

but there is light at the end of the tunnel

and there will be times when we can stop and take a look at the view, and just rest....

....and remember, and be thankful that we were never alone.

Leaning on a 5-bar gate

It's Day 60 of lockdown, for me anyway - I realise some people have done longer.
But 60 days of lockdown, and in that time, like most others, I've been through the whole gamut of emotions:
- frustration at what I can't do - both regarding previously made plans, and playing a part in fighting CV,
- sadness at who I can't meet up with,
- sense of achievement at conquering technology,
- joy at connecting with people in new ways,
- grief at the loss of previously normal ways of life,
- fear that things will never be the same again,
- concern for all those who have lost their lives, or lost loved ones, or lost their jobs, their livelihoods etc
- pride to be associated with such incredible people as our key workers are
- heart-ache at the stories I hear on a regular basis of how bad things are overseas in poorer countries, places where I have so many friends, who are serving on their frontlines to try and prevent starvation from killing many
- marvel at the generosity of people to help in whatever way they can

But most of all the emotions have circled around relief that God is in this with us - He has not, and never will leave us to deal with it on our own.
He is weeping with the bereaved
He is rejoicing with the Covid patients who are recovering
He is there with the parent who is at the end of their tether re homeschooling
He is watching over the students who feel discombobulated about the way that key milestones in their education were prematurely stopped
He is in the sun that shines down and makes the day feel more achievable
He is in the rain that waters the earth
He is the flowers and the birds and all creation that is singing in joy at this quiet season as we all stop rushing around.

Over the past 60 days I've been muddling along, sort of processing but not really, and now I feel like there are lots of reflections that have passed me by, or that I haven't captured.

so going forward my intention is to post a photo a day, and a bit of thought. Sometimes a photo I've taken, sometimes one I've received. But just to capture this time, and different aspects of this season, and to let out some of the thoughts that are circling round.

So, here's the view over the 5-bar gate - looking out into the future, not knowing quite where it will take me if I pass through the gate, but knowing I am not alone. And for now, that is enough