What! You had a baby?! Jeff, Tracy, Mia & Lettie

Hey everyone! Did you know that we have had a few covid baby additions to our church family since the pandemic? Obviously it's been hard for our community to connect so we're hoping to introduce the littles to you! We also wanted to gain some understanding, insight and empathy for what it is like for families with young children during the pandemic. Here's Jeff, Tracy, Mikaela and their new little one, Violet!

1) What, you had a baby?! Please tell us a little bit about yourself and about your little one!

We are couple of professionals navigating parenthood and church ministry during this pandemic. Letty is our feisty and food-loving second child, little sis to her doting older sister Mia.

2) What was your experience of being pregnant and being on mat leave like during the pandemic?

The pros: Not having to commute to work while pregnant or worry about maternity office wear.

The cons: Not getting to share the excitement and the visual of my growing belly with friends, family, and co-workers like I experienced with my first. And not being able to have Jeff join me for all of my prenatal appointments/ultrasounds.

3) What do you find challenging for your baby particularly because it’s a pandemic?

Letty didn’t get to socialize the same way Mia did before she turned one, like getting to attend church in-person or going to Baby Rhyme Time at the community library.

4) Did you see anything positive about having a baby during the pandemic?

Counter-intuitively, I was in a better mental space having a baby during the pandemic than I was with my first child pre-pandemic. I had a relatively FOMO-free mat leave since the rest of the world was in lock-down and Jeff was able to be home a lot more during Letty’s first months, which was incredibly helpful for me and a new experience for Jeff.

5) How has your perspective of church and community changed since the pandemic?

The pandemic has made me realize how much of a lifeline church community is during such a challenging and isolating time for our world.

6) Do you miss in-person worship/life group?

YES. I crave the connection that can only come from gathering in-person. Now that restrictions are easing, I’m pumped to get together with our life group more, especially for indoor meals! More surprisingly, I find myself actually being excited about going to church service in-person, which admittedly I can’t say I felt pre-pandemic. I’m so thankful for the “reset” that this pandemic has given me.

7) How do you manage your stress/anxiety with your babies during these times?

Going for walks on my own or with fellow pandemic moms was therapeutic during mat leave. So was catching up over Zoom with my women’s group.

8) What would your advice be to expecting moms/families who’s going through pregnancy for the first time during this time?

Two words: Paternity leave! Another two words: Life group!

9) What would your advice be to friends and small group members who want to support new parents during the pandemic?

Reach out to your new parent friends. They will appreciate the moral support and connection to the outside world during a time where parenting can be all-consuming. Don’t over-think it. Drop off some coffee, treats, or a freezer meal. Invite them for a walk around their community. Offer to (safely) hold/watch their baby so they can have a nap, take a shower, enjoy some alone time.

---

Thanks Jeff & Tracy for sharing your experience from the past two years. Our church family would love for everyone to be plugged into a life group (or youth group!) for community. Check out our life groups or contact [email protected] we'd be so happy to hear from you!

What! You had a baby?! Eric, Vania & Ella

Hey everyone! Did you know that we have had a few covid baby additions to our church family since the pandemic? Obviously it's been hard for our community to connect so we're hoping introduce the littles to you! We also wanted to gain some understanding, insight and empathy for what it is like for families with young children during the pandemic. Here's Vania, Eric and their little one, Ella!

1) What, you had a baby?! Please tell us a little bit about yourself and about your little one!

We have been coming to SE Free since the fall of 2021. We are returning SE Freeers having taken some time to explore other communities and have decided to settle back at SE Free with our little one, Gabriella (Ella) who is 15 months old. Vania works in the finance department at a not for profit housing provider called HomeSpace. Eric is an elementary school teacher with the Calgary Board of Education. He is currently teaching grade 6 online.

2) What was your experience of being pregnant and being on mat leave like during the pandemic?

While it has been challenging in some respects, COVID was a mixed blessing for our family as it gave us more time to spend with each other as a family. There were times where it was difficult to not see friends and family, but it gave us the opportunity to have more intimate, smaller gatherings with people. We also learned to adapt during mat leave. It gave Vania a lot of time to go for walks outside which is one of her favorite activities.

3) What do you find challenging for your baby particularly because it’s a pandemic?

We found it to be challenging for Ella to interact socially with other babies. At the beginning, she cried even with grandparents. Thankfully she is now in daycare and having the opportunity to socialize on a daily basis. We look forward to going back to service in a more regular manner so that Ella can be more tied in with her SE Free family.

4) How has your perspective of church and community changed since the pandemic?

We have learned that community can be done online and in a way because we are spending more intentional time together, it can be more fruitful in some respects. It has also taught us that it's ok to slow down, the life we were leading prior to the pandemic was unsustainable and tiring. It was a good time to re-focus and align our priorities so that we can be our best in serving God. We do see the importance of in person worship though as it is such a huge component of community.

5) Do you miss in-person worship/life group?

Definitely! We would love for Ella to have the opportunity to meet other kids at SE Free. We also love being able to have dedicated time, undistracted time to worship.

6) How do you manage your stress/anxiety with your babies during these times? Walks, lots of walks outside. Also Whatsapp vent sessions.

7) What would your advice be to expecting moms/families who’s going through pregnancy for the first time during this time?

To enjoy the time that the Lord has given to you to spend together. Take time to evaluate what is important. PRAY. Say yes to what God has prompted on your hearts and honestly and respectfully say no if it's not the right season.

8) What would your advice be to friends and small group members who want to support new parents during the pandemic?

Meals, whatsapp messages and walking sessions are certainly appreciated.

9) The floor is yours - is there anything you would like to say!

We look forward to seeing everyone! Life will return to a new normal, but we also think it's a good new normal.

Frontline Worker Feature: Genevieve

Dr. Rosca all garbed up in her PPE

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

Hello, my name is Genevieve and I am a dentist.

Covid has definately affected the way we do dentistry. For starters, you are required to wear layers upon layers of PPE.

It is very hot and cumbersome, and it takes time to properly gown up and gown down.

It takes longer and more work to perform procedures due to all the safety protocols we now have.

I remember feeling hypoxic and exhausted on many occasions.

Because of all the PPE, you are basically unrecognizable. Your patient has no idea what you look like and therefore have to trust a masked person. Who can trust a masked person? Precovid, the patient gets to see my face, shake my hand and talk to me unmasked prior to a procedure. I miss that! But God showed me that even when I am covered up, the patients can see me smile through my eyes and see kindness and sincerity through actions and words as I serve them.

After our lockdown of 2 months, when we had to go back to work, it was a little scary to crawl out of our turtle shells. Would the new guidelines be safe for all of us as the pandemic was new? As a dentist, you do get up close and personal with your patient. This requires being within 6 feet of your unmasked and mouth wide open patient, while you perform an aerosolized procedure.

But I remember at that time, I read my devotion and it said that fear encircles you like a shark, you have to let trust and thanksgiving be the guard. And that helped me during the first few weeks back at work and over the past 2 years. And now, even when I'm super close to the patients, there is no fear, but love ❤️ .

Due to the need to socially distance, we all couldn't freely see and meet people the way we normally do. Therefore, you would think that the community/connection aspect of life would be drastically affected. However, God showed me that was not the case. I remember serving at an orphanage in Kenya where the Thika River runs through the area. The leader of the orphanage always wanted to build a bridge across this river, but could not. The rain and the Thika River helps feed the orphans and the surrounding communities by providing water to the crops in the field. Then one day, the rain stopped, a drought occurred, which affected the yield of crops for the orphans and the people of the surrounding communities. So we prayed hard for them and God sustained them. A few years later, I returned to the orphanage and my eyes were surprised to see a bridge crossing the Thika River. Then I learned that in these periods of drought, bridges can be built. In the same way, Covid had caused a drought to our land, and so many were hurting, but this allowed me to build stronger relationships with people as I walked with them literally and we encouraged one another.

Although, Covid has rocked everyone's world, it also gave it many blessings.

When Covid first entered the scene in Calgary, it caused everything to shut down. This allowed me to have a good 2 months to rest and rejuvinate, something that is very hard to come by as there are too many distractions in life. So we take the opportunity and the gift of rest when it comes. It also simplified my life and allowed me to focus on what's truly important as many little things that I thought were important were taken away. It taught me to be content with a simple cycle of home-work-home-work and that it can be beautiful and much good can come out of it.

It taught me the meaning of Ecclesiastes 3:12-13, when it says..."I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God."

And so I pray that post Covid, I would not drift from this simple lifestyle and focus on what's truly important.

During this pandemic, God had intentionally put me in situations where I need to trust Him more fully. There were great many things to worry about, but God showed me that everything was okay and will be okay, because He is here with us. And so I pray that I may always remember His goodness to me during the pandemic and that I know that I can always trust Him.

Thank you for encouraging and showing your appreciation to the front line workers, what more can we ask for but that.

Here is my photo...I'm actually fashioning a surgical scrub cap that Joni made for me. https://www.onishaartworks.ca/

Frontline Worker Feature: Alex

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 Alex!

1. Hi! Please introduce yourself and tell us what you do?

I am a sports physician at Group 23 Sports Medicine. I look after athletes of all level, but most importantly, my group and I try to bring elite sports and exercise medicine to the general public. I am also a hospitalist at the transition care unit, a place for patients who are not well enough to go home from the hospital. I also have background training in public health and I have been involved in developing covid strategies for certain community clinics and care facilities.

2. How has the pandemic and covid affected your work?

It was daunting first year of the pandemic. Thinking back, my fellow docs and I weren’t quite sure how we survived he first year. No one in the world knew much about the virus. We relied on our scientific knowledge and our training to improvise and to come up with our own “covid strategies”. There was no vaccine. My wife and I had constant fear that we would get infected and pass the virus to our patients…and to our family. There was not enough PPE…in fact, we didn’t have enough masks, hand sanitizers, and even throat swab and staff! There was time pressure. It took twice as long to see patients because of the PPE. The public health rules seemed to change daily. We adapted and we shifted gear to the best of our ability. Many of our elderly patients ended up in the ICU. This virus was nasty. Sometimes, we all thought it was amazing we got through the first year. (My wife and I are pretty sure God got us through it.)

In this second year, the challenges continue. The variants are popping up everywhere. The delay to essential surgeries and procedures is rampant. Bringing back anything normal (like sports) has been a monumental feat. Mental health issues are skyrocketing. But in the face of all the challenges, God is still looking after us. We are learning ever more about the virus. We have better ways to combat it. The 3Ws work: Wash hands, wear mask, and watch distance. The vaccine has really made a mega difference. Nowadays, vaccinated patients truly have milder symptoms. I see much less patients end up in ICU. There seems to be some light at the end of the tunnel…more hope.

3. How has the covid pandemic affected your personal life?

As a family, we miss seeing our friends and family members regularly. This is hands down the toughest part. The pandemic really amplifies how much we miss (and how much we take for granted) the company and presence of our family and friends. The pandemic really highlights how we need each other and God to get through major crises.

4. 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?

Three changes actually:

a) Walk closer with God

b) Stay close to your family and friends

c) Don’t delay on your dreams and adventure

5. How has the pandemic affected your faith?

During this difficult time, it is even more clear that God is in charge. In such times of uncertainty, it is even more critical to be closer with God.

6. How can we pray for you?

Please pray for my family and I to find ways to be closer to God. That will be the best prayer. God will in turn give my family and me strength and wisdom to face our challenges.

Frontline Worker Feature: Lucia

December 2020: Lucia transporting a patient up to Edmonton ICU.

We have many frontline health workers in our church family. We wanted to see how they're doing and hopefully in hearing their stories we can gain better understanding and empathy with what they have to face each day. Meet Lucia! 😊

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

I am Lucia Chan. I came to Canada in 1993 and joined SCCEFC. I love snowboarding. I am a registered nurse and have worked at the Peter Lougheed Hospital's ICU unit for 15 years.

2. How have the pandemic and covid affected your work?

When COVID just started in 2020, it was a frightening experience taking care of COVID patients, especially when they needed to be intubated and extubated. Even entering a COVID room was stressful. We had extra precautions to protect ourselves during intubation. All nursing staff tried to minimize the frequency of entering COVID patient’s room by extending IV tubing and placing IV pumps at the door entrance (now we don't do it anymore). During the first wave, lots of COVID patients died alone due to visitation restrictions. Only one family member without close COVID contacts could visit a COVID patient during an end of lives situation. In my career, I have never witnessed such sad situations like this.

Some of the ICU nurses stayed in hotels instead of going back home since they were afraid of spreading COVID to their families. I was also afraid that I would bring germs home and told my family to be prepared if I needed to isolate or if I needed to stay in hotel if the situation got worse at work.

One of my coworker had reminded me that we had worked in ICU for so long and dealt with lots of infectious disease patients. However, we have never got infected so far which its true. Thank God for his protection that my family has not had COVID so far.

In the last two years, our ICU staff haven’t been allowed to take vacation during the waves. We get vacation only when we have low patients rate in ICU, which it's not very many days. We now have to put 2 patients in the same room so the workload is doubled. Recently a lot of nursing staff got sick from Omicron and so staffing is a huge issue at the hospital. Also, lots of ICU nurses have retired or took stress leave during the last 2 years. Shortage of nurses is a problem.

I pray to God to help me at work every shift and to cure my patients so that they could get better soon. I also pray for COVID patient’s family at home.

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

In the last wave I felt upset toward our unvaccinated ICU patients of different ages because it could have been prevented. Also, I felt bad for the double or triple vaccinated immuno-compromised patients. There was a vaccinated immuno-compromised patient who got COVID from her unvaccinated son and daughter in law. When the patient's mother came to visit her sick daughter, she felt so helpless and was very upset.

For our family, initially we were not used to not going to church and not able to see our friends. Zoom meeting are also overwhelming. As a family, we spent more time together and play lots of games, which it's good.

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

Recently lots of family/friends around us got Omicron and fortunately, our family so far has been healthy. In the last 2 years, only my daughter and husband got colds once. Otherwise, we have been healthy which it's very amazing how God has protected us. We just rely on him day by day and knowing that only God can help me and family through this. I am also grateful God has given me a peaceful heart during this pandemic.

5. 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?

There is not much change in our family but continue to follow God.

6. How can we pray for you?

Please pray for our health and that COVID will be kept away from our family. Please pray that COVID will be gone and that our lives will be back to normal. AMEN!

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

We already received lots of love, gifts and kind words from our community. I can’t think of anything more that we need! ❤️.

8. The floor is yours. Is there anything else you want to say?

Our ICU not only filled with COVID patients but lots of suicidal, overdose and alcohol related problems (young) patients. The pandemic has intensified lots of mental distressed patient’s challenges and family violence issues. Please show your kindness to other people and pray for our local community. Thank you ❤️

Essential Worker Feature: Jenn & Ben

Teachers are among our essential workers and like frontline health workers they pivoted many times during the challenges of the pandemic to be a constant anchor and support for their students during this chaos. We have a few teachers in our church family and we wanted to know how they're doing, what the pandemic has been like for them and hopefully in hearing their stories we can gain more understanding and empathy with what they have to face each day. Meet Ben & Jenn! 😊

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

Ben Lee (Grade 6 teacher)

Jenn Lee (Kindergarten teacher)

2. How has the pandemic and covid affected your work?

We don't know where to even start.... from sanitizing, masking, cohorting, keeping kids "physically distanced" - like that actually happens, planning for in-person... oh just kidding.. you're online... and back to in-person... but still provide work for the ones who are quarantining and have to be taught online, ABSOLUTLEY no sharing and did I mention cleaning and sanitizing? This is just the tip of the iceberg, talk to any teacher and ask them how the last couple years have gone... better yet... just ask them how this last wave with Omicron has gone... we have stories... we can go on forever.

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

Our personal lives have been a lot quieter, which in many ways have made our family life better! We welcomed the simplicity of life, especially during the Summer months. We stayed home, played outside, made home cooked meals, taught Ezra how to bike, skateboard, rollerskate, play basketball, swim in the lake... no paid lessons required! We made great family memories during Covid. We love being in nature with our son and our dog, seeing them play together in God's creation brings us so much joy. Some of our favourite memories include camping, hiking and driving out to the mountains. We didn't completely isolate ourselves from people though, we bought a fire pit which came in handy when we couldn't gather indoors. We are also thankful to our family, ALG (adult life group) and community of friends whom we stayed connected with throughout the pandemic. Our mental health has definitely taken a toil, especially during the school year and we are still struggling with how to navigate the constant demands, changes, uncertainties and pure exhaustion that comes with teaching during this Covid pandemic.

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

Last year, we were very stressed and had a lot of anxiety about keeping our family and our students healthy. We worried about exposing our unvaccinated students (who weren't eligible at the time to get vaccines) to Covid. We worried about exposing our son to Covid. Eventually two out of three of us ended up getting Covid anyway, it was inevitable. Covid has disrupted the lives of so many, and in some cases, taken lives. Recently one of our own family members passed away from Covid. We have experienced moments of great heartache and sorrow. In these challenging moments, we found ourselves asking, "Why?" And somehow in God's mysterious ways, He always reminds us that His ways are not our ways, trust Him.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."- Isaiah 55:8-9

5. 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?

Live simply and stay connected to God and others.

6. How can we pray for you?

Pray for the students, families and staff at our schools. It has been a very very difficult few months with Omicron ripping through classrooms. Pray for the physical and mental well being of our students. Pray for school staff, who are burnt out physically and mentally.

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

To remember that your choices affect those around you and show kindness, appreciation and empathy.

8. The floor is yours. Is there anything else you want to say?

Got nothing. We're tired. :)