Mysterious Covid-19

 Locked-Down because of "mysterious" Covid-19!

From one day to the next South Africans are faced with being locked down for 21 days because of an unknown and mysterious virus called Corona/Covid-19. And after 21 days our lock-down is extended for another 2 weeks, or until we hear what the verdict will be soon.

The first week I think we all came to terms with this situation we were placed in. Being gripped by uncertainty, shock of being faced by a sudden law-enforced lock-down. Preparing for a possible lack of produce and that shops might be closed soon.

Now, in week two of lock-down most of the food shelves in grocery stores are still well stocked accept for sanitizers of course as well as cake flower and yeast for some reason, even though all the bakeries are still baking and selling bread.
Just before lock-down I went to stock up a bit myself and witnessed how people overstocked their trollies completely.

Why do I describe the Covid-19 epidemic as  'mysterious'? Because that is exactly what it is, an unknown and unseen virus that can either kill you according to all the constant statistics we receive daily on the news of thousands who have died in China, Italy, Spain and now the Americans! The Germans seem to have been quick to respond and efficient in testing and diagnosis. Perhaps some grace shown to them from above for always acting as the good Samaritans, welcoming a constant influx of refugees into their country? Just my own thought and assumption I guess.  
Coming back to mysterious Corona,  it can also make you very sick and cause you to remain weak for many weeks or you can recover rather fast like Prince Charles did and be on the move again soon.

It brings it back again to the 'unknown'. We all prepared for lock-down, but did we all prepare for if one of us in our family starts showing symptoms? Where do we go and what do we do? I heard that your local private hospital does not take you in but you will be sent away to a specific hospital, in Gauteng it will be one of the following places the Charlotte Maxeke Hospital, Steve Biko or Tembisa Hospital? And to crown it all, if you are admitted, no one is allowed to make any physical contact with you except for medical staff. You are completely alone! 

Never have I imagined that I will experience these current events in my lifetime. No, these circumstances are meant for a Hollywood movie or a generation to come in the rear future. On the contrary Hollywood with all their foresight-like movies were visually preparing man-kind of what could happen in the future.

Being a visual artist I just recently felt drawn to dystopian imagery of people wearing face masks and little did I know what I will soon be faced with. Not quite a dystopian reality yet but scary enough, a biological warfare of an unknown virus that you need to disinfect your hands from non-stop. The war zone is in the street and in the shopping spaces. Even your family or friends can be possible threats.

South Africans on the contrary are used to survival-mode-living and learn to cope in uncertain and un safe conditions, but we have learnt to adjust and live with it and have grown accustomed to our "Fort Knox" living styles to be able to sleep peacefully at night.  We have also grown used to continuous unsettling news about our economy, we learn to work harder and persevere. It is as if you toughen up again after each blow. We pay high taxes yet do not receive free education for our children. We pay out of our own pockets for a proper health insurance as well as for house and car insurances that is a priority considering our crime rate.

Stay witness to the beauty in Human Nature

I have a serious concern for the vulnerable people of South Africa, the day-to-day workers who provide food on the table, having to cope as it is with the bare minimum. How on earth can they be kept in-doors? Never before have I felt so guilty being able to take care of my own family during this time  knowing there are countless families living in lack of provision even in the basics? Knowing that the bare necessities that they have may also be stripped away from them? During times like these the beauty of human nature also appears. Our community has some hard-working, devoted groups who organize in this time to collect food parcels for desperate families and the whole community can contribute. These actions give me hope and fills my heart with contentment that I can contribute to families after my own shopping and add groceries to the collectors space made available by the grocery store for the Community organization. ;-)

Title: Consolation, medium: Charcoal

Your loved one did not die alone! 

Then to finalize my experience I want to share a recent drawing with you I added to my blog, titled  "Consolation".  It visually speaks about  an experience which I had during the first week of lock-down. I tend to wake up during early hours of the morning, I am sure many people are during these times because of various reasons. Either to fight off anxious and fearful thoughts or simply because they sleep too much. During this particular morning I recalled images I saw watching the news on TV about thousands of people dying alone around the world I thought of the people in Spain, Italy and now in the USA without their family members or anyone familiar with them. This reality gripped me and I cried before God in anguish and prayed. Then this image appeared to me and was incredibly consoling to me. 

Be consoled all you people from around the world, your loved one who died was NOT alone he had heavenly visitation during his or her last moments.