David Lin

These were the words that greeted me as I walked towards the hospital main entrance when I came to work early this morning. A lone man, standing outside in a sea of empty parking spaces, called out those words to me. He was far enough for social distancing purposes, but he said those words loud enough for me to hear. “Who me?” I thought in my head, as I looked around and realized that I was the only other person in said parking lot. And my scrub uniform gave me away.

 

“Thank you sir,” I replied, not thinking that this day was any different than all the others.

 

Then it hit me all at once, the reality of this battle – no, rather this war – that humanity is fighting. Against this coronavirus. Against fear. Against uncertainty.

 

Crises like these bring out the best in people, but it also inevitably brings out the worst as well. But I have been humbled to work alongside those who exemplify the former. The nurses. The respiratory techs. The EMT’s and first responders. The doctors. Every time I see one of them don an N95 mask, I fear for their safety. I fear for our safety. And the safety of our patients.

 

And then I realized that what we needed more than any cure, more than any vaccine, was prayer.

 

Prayer for those afflicted and for their recovery.

Prayer for those lost and their loved ones.

Prayer for the nurses, the doctors, and all those in the “front lines” all over the world who are fighting against an invisible enemy.

Prayer for our leaders, that they would make wise decisions.

Prayer for provision of all the tools needed (N95 masks, ventilators, etc.) to fight this war.

And most of all, prayer for our hearts to turn towards God in this time of need, to see us through this storm.

 

Now looking back, I realized that I did not truly understand the importance of that chance encounter this morning. But to the man standing outside the hospital entrance this morning at 7:30 AM, I want to say “thank you, God bless you too.”

 

You made my day.