Multiply or Divide
A global crisis calls for a global response. As the Coronavirus pandemic continues to disrupt life as we know it around the world, we can see the immediate effects on our healthcare systems, our economies and our families. But there are deeper dangers that we cannot see as readily. In cases where the damage may not be as obvious, the truth is that existing inequalities threaten to further the divide between neighbors across cities and nations.
Six Continents, One Call
On April 8, 2020, Movement.org hosted a video conference call to bring together 330 Christian leaders from more than 35 countries on six continents. The Global City Leaders meeting was a technological accomplishment that was a victory of sorts in its success. However the bigger win was the ability to move past the headlines and hear directly from those who are living through and addressing the daily struggles of their cities.
The City that Never Sleeps
In “The City that Never Sleeps,” New Yorkers are unnerved by the quiet, empty streets. Adam Durso of Movement Day and LEAD NYC described how those who are used to the nonstop hustle and bustle of the city are being overtaken by fear in the eerie quiet – not to be confused with calm. Food and other supplies are being rationed, hospitals are overrun, and emergency technicians are having to make life and death decisions for people who are sick. Schools are closed, leaving 1.2 million students displaced and at the mercy of their home environment. Those in the most fragile zip codes, where poverty is pervasive, normally rely on the public school system for regular meals. They are facing not only the lack of reliable access to adequate nutrition, but also details such as the Internet and deeper risks to their mental health, he said.
Yet as we so often see in God’s economy, the multiplication of our efforts into one united movement to bring solutions – food, supplies, counseling, comfort – is meeting needs and helping to replace fear with a renewed faith among the people. The response from church, non-profit and marketplace leaders working together is a shining example of how this disease is bringing us closer even as it tries to drive us apart.
We are trusting in God’s sovereignty as we join in prayer for healing and hope. As we put our trust in Christ and move forward in unity, we look forward to seeing the blessings that emerge from this crisis. We believe that God can do anything in the most difficult of places. After all, the Resurrection itself happened in a graveyard.