Today, as I sit here and write this from my new suburban life in Texas, the governor is easing the ‘shelter in place’ restrictions that we’ve been under for the last ‘roughly’ 6 weeks.
With this easing of restriction, we decided to get crazy and order out for our Friday Pizza Night. I ventured out, and I saw streets buzzing again. The restaurants and bars had people in them, but it wasn’t the same. It is different.
People are cautious (rightly so), no one shakes hands, you can’t read people’s facial expressions making conversations more static. It just seems strange.
COVID-19 has changed us, even us ‘fortunate’ ones. Life won’t be the same, and it’s quite possible that it shouldn’t.
There are many who have lost loved ones, who have endured sickness themselves. There are many who have lost jobs and income. I pray as my heart grieves for those who have lost so much.
I am so grateful for the frontline workers, the nurses and doctors who are risking their lives. I am grateful for our leaders who have lost sleep trying to find the best way to keep us all safe. As I watch the videos of appreciation online, as I read the stories of sacrifice and creativity, I am so proud to be human!
Over the last 2 months, I have had many incredible meetings with the teams we work with as a part of Ten Thousand Homes. Many of these teams work in some of the world’s most vulnerable areas. These meetings have been amazing, because these guys have not shrunk in spite of adversity. They have stepped forward and accepted the opportunity presented them. They’ve gone beyond their commitments to feed the vulnerable children and have taken on more families as the communities we serve are struggling due to lost wages, loss of transport and/or access to food. I could not be more proud of those I work with.
What makes this even more incredible is that many of these teams have lost income due to COVID-19. Ten Thousand Homes uVillage in South Africa has lost their operating budget for the remainder of 2020. They don’t know how they’re going to pay the electricity next month, yet they continue to strive to meet the needs.
Our friends at #GivingTuesday have stepped forward as well. In addition to their December 1, 2020 giving day, they are hosting #GivingTuesdayNow tomorrow, Tuesday, May 5th. #GivingTuesdayNow is an emergency response to the need caused by COVID-19.
We at Ten Thousand Homes are asking you to join us in #GivingTuesdayNow. The donations received on this day will go toward bringing relief to the frontline workers serving these vulnerable communities.
Will you join us in this opportunity?
Gratefully,
Jeremy Price
Founder Ten Thousand Homes
