Covid-19 Reflections: Call for a Change of Heart
Call for a Change of Heart
By Monaliza Esteban
LM Monaliza Esteban from Baguio City shares how the lockdown in Pakistan where she is currently assigned invited her to learn new things and made her realize that God has dug out a strength in her which she never knew she had if not for the lockdown. She continues to trust that God will always be in command whatever lies ahead of this pandemic.
First Month
Lockdown kicked off in Karachi, Pakistan on March 23, two weeks before the end of our Urdu language classes. The whole area where we were was in total silence which was very unusual. We don’t get this kind of silence during ordinary days. The only usual sound left was the call to prayer for our Muslim brothers and sisters which at one time I felt was a very sad voice. I took that initial lockdown time to rest from our language studies and do some stuff. My first month gave me the feeling of being in solitude. Spiritually I was enthusiastic and faithful to the schedule that I set up. The feeling of being alone with God was a moment of grace and joy. From time to time I received voice or video calls from my friends and family around the globe. Thanks to the internet communication is possible. It made us updated and felt closer to each other. I remember towards the end of March one of my family members had to go back to her work place abroad. The fear and worries my family had to go through was really bizarre. I felt the effect of this pandemic emotionally when we started sharing our fears which I didn’t feel during the first few months the news erupted.