As we all know, no corner of the world has gone untouched by this pandemic and no life is unaffected. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly a million people have been infected so far, and over 40,000 have died.
In Timor Leste, since March 15, when the Ministry of Health announced there were several infected persons, with only one imported case being positive with COVID-19, most institutions have warned people to adopt preventive measures and social distancing. Church activities (Holy Mass and celebrations) and school activities were also suspended. The number of cases of Coronavirus here in Timor-Leste is still very low, but we need to prevent its spread drastically to avoid contagion, as is happening in several countries.
A week later, 28 March, the Government of Timor-Leste declared the State of Emergency and applied a lockdown system in all areas. Timor-Leste is a new country with an extremely poor healthcare system, its people living without adequate sanitation, medicines or care. The scarcity of facilities gives no guarantee to the whole population in this moment of crisis. Many people have panicked and are traumatized and most of the foreigners have flown back to their respective countries.
The serious impact of this pandemic severely affects those people who are poor, alone, sick, families who have nothing to eat, those who are jobless and living dependent on other people. Let us remember the invitation of the Rector Major and give a hand to those who are most in need. ‘We are on the same boat …and Jesus is with us on the boat.’
By Fr. Manny Pinto, SDB
