Tough Times

The last few weeks have been stressful for many of us, and now that New Zealand is officially in lockdown, it will only get tougher. Many are feeling anxious over the provision of food, over finances and the loss of freedom.

For some families, this is a particularly tough time. One of my homeschooling friends, a mum of three girls, is in the position of being the sole caregiver for her daughters throughout this stressful time, because her husband was unable to get back to New Zealand before the borders shut. His job, which entails a lot of international travel, unfortunately didn’t allow him to come back home while the window of opportunity was still open. Having already been away from his family for a couple of months, the prospect of further and prolonged separation is pretty miserable for all the family. I can’t begin to imagine how much harder it must be to cope with grocery issues and isolation (plus the normal day-to-day parenting fatigue) without a husband or main support person by your side.

As if that’s not enough, one of the daughters is immuno-compromised due to a serious chronic health condition from a young age. Even the common cold can threaten a hospital trip. So their family has to be extra vigilant with avoiding bugs, and the current pandemic is no little cause for anxiety. 

Despite all this, my friend has such an encouraging and positive attitude. She is an amazing example to others! I’m praying that her husband will somehow be able to come home soon and that their family will be protected from this virus.