We have many frontline health workers in our church family. We wanted to reach out to see how they're doing and hopefully in hearing their stories we can gain more understanding and empathy with what they have to face each day. Meet Silas:

Hi there! Could you introduce yourself and let us know what you do for work?

I am a pharmacist.

How has the pandemic affected your work?

Like many of my colleagues, I am on the verge of burning out. My time at work consists of giving vaccinations, providing Rapid Antigen tests, handing out test kits, entertaining non-stop phone calls, while trying to do my regular job as a pharmacist.

How has the pandemic affected your personal life/family/mental health?

Needless to say, work has drained out my energy. I often try to understand the reason why God allowed this to happen and for so long, but like everyone else, it's just speculation. I do give thanks for the peace that God has given me in the midst of this storm. This peace has provide me the strength I need to get up every morning to go to work, and the determination to carry on in times when I feel that I should just retire and quit. But what I missed most is not being able to spend time with my family, and able to visit my mom more.

What have you learned from your experiences of the pandemic over the past two years and how has this affected your faith?

The past two years has reminded me how limited human strength and knowledge can be. This pandemic has taught me to trust and rely on our Creator. I learned to appreciate more what Moses meant by " Our days ... yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away... Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."

With all the changes that have happened to your family during the pandemic, what is one change you’d like to carry with you into post-pandemic life?

One thing at the fore front - Spend time with family and friends both in quality and quantity.

How can we pray for you?

Give thanks with me that I learned to rely on Him more.

What are some practical ways we can show our frontline workers we care?

My view doesn't represent all frontline workers. Personally, I do enjoy spending time in solitude and quietness.

Some of us on the comms team received boosters from Silas' pharmacy over the holidays and he told me it was his day off. Thank you.

“Empathy is seeing with the eyes of another, listening with the ears of another, and feeling with the heart of another. – Alfred Adler”