July 2021 - Lockdown Continues

 Lockdown continues here in South Africa, but it is being slowly being reduced despite exponential growth in the cases of COVID 19.  At the time I write this email, the number of cases has surpassed 50,000 (up 2,500 since yesterday) and we have not started to see a flattening of the curve yet.

During the current lockdown stage 3 (of five stages) all stores are now open for business and alcohol can be purchased for a few hours each day.  Cigarette sales are still banned. Travel between provinces is not allowed other than in a few cases where a permit is required.  Churches have been allowed to reopen as long as there are no more than 50 people, temperatures are checked, masks are worn, and a register is kept.

Here on campus, a percentage of students have been allowed to return (max 33% according to government regulations) and this includes our final year students in Animal Health because they need to finish their practical rotations.  Students in other years will not be returning until January at the earliest and teaching is to continue online next term.

Due to the interruption of the term during lockdown, the university is extending this term by a month and starting term 2 five weeks late.  At this point there is no news as to when term 2 will end (Dec? or carried over into next year?).  At least we have hard plans now and can start moving forward with students in the clinic.

Ministry activity will unfortunately be very limited for the rest of the year.  I’m hoping that when the lockdown moves down to stage 2 I will be able to gather with a few students here on campus for Bible studies in an outdoor setting.  There are a few of our Acts 29 and Bible study students who are still living on campus as their homes are in other countries and they were not able to get out of South Africa before lockdown started.  It would also be wonderful to pull in some of the final-year Animal Health students into the Bible study or have one separately for any who are interested.

In the meantime, I’m keeping busy with guitar practice, learning French with Rosetta Stone, baking (trying lots of sourdough recipes with the starter I’ve recently started), gardening, reading, crocheting, walking around campus, bird watching, and loving on my cats.

Please continue to pray for the students:

• ·       That those who are returning to campus will be safe while traveling back to campus
• ·       That those who are not returning will be able to access the internet adequately for online learning
• ·       That our witnessing students will have the courage to share with their friends and families at home and as lockdown eases further, perhaps start local Bible studies.
• ·       For God’s peace and comfort for those who have lost loved ones to COVID 19