Help in Seemingly Helpless Times
Hi Faith Family,
In today’s climate it may feel like there is very little we can do to help others. Well, several members of our community took it upon themselves to help in seemingly helpless times. Please enjoy my conversation with Faith Covenant member, Diane Vorhis:
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Question: Diane, how long have you and Van (spouse) attended Faith Covenant Church?
Answer: We have attended Faith Covenant for approximately 15 years, and the time has flown by! We love our church family and we have really enjoyed all of the Alpha sessions, which enabled us to meet even more people—on a very personal level.
Question:What inspired you to make masks for healthcare workers?
Answer: My inspiration to start sewing the face masks came in the form of some very heart wrenching stories, both online and in the news, where I learned about the critical shortages of face masks that caused the front line health workers to put themselves in harm’s way as they treated people who are infected with the coronavirus.
The other very vulnerable group of people are the elderly, and those with underlying health conditions. I personally know people in both groups, and I was compelled to hurry and make face masks to use when they feel the situation warrants it.
Question: How did you make and distribute the masks while also practicing safe, social distancing?
Answer: I am also over the age of 65 and I have a few underlying health conditions myself, so it did not take much to get me to practice social distancing and to follow the other guidelines recommended by the health experts. Another friend from church, Donna Sagmoen, is also making the masks and she delivered the first batch of masks for both of us. She told me that the facility made her stay in her car and a healthcare worker came out and retrieved them. I think most of the facilities are practicing this as well.
Question: What advice do you have for those of us looking to help others at this time?
Answer: Helping people is what we are called to do by Jesus, and while it is certainly challenging at this time in our lives, it’s not impossible. I heard someone on the news last night say that a better term would be “physical“ distancing as opposed to “social” distancing, because we all need people in our lives!
Right now, one of the best ways to help people is to reach out to them, but do it in a safe way: call to check in and connect with them, send emails and use FaceTime or Skype for a more personal connection. When I hear a funny story or read a joke, I get busy emailing and texting my friends, hoping to brighten their day and cause them to smile.
People need hope and they need smiles and cheering up. This is why I decided to make the face masks from bright colored fabric with cheery designs. Put on a happy face (mask) and we will get through this together!
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Diane, thank you so much for your willingness to share your story with us. A huge thank you to you and Donna for using your God given talents and time to help others. We are blessed by your example and encouraged by your wisdom.
Blessings,
-Tone Waters, Director of GO & Communications