Philip is in his first year of his Theology degree in Cape Town. He is in lockdown during this time due to Covid-19. Lockdown in South Africa started in March this year with 5 weeks of not being able to leave your home unless needing essential services such as medical care and food, but these rules are gradually loosening to allow more businesses to be able to be able to open. There are still a lot of restrictions put in place about the number of people able to meet at one place, and people are encouraged to still not leave their residence if they do not need to. These restrictions still have an impact on daily life. Philip shares with us about how his life has been adjusted during this time.
How are you currently feeling: physically and spiritually?
Greetings to you all in the mighty name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I hope you are doing well though the whole world is going through hardship due to this pandemic Virus. I am very healthy physically. Spiritually, I see myself growing stronger in Christ Jesus during this time of Coronavirus. I think this pandemic has really changed my thoughts in thinking about the power of Our Lord God.
Why do you think that God in His sovereignty would allow this pandemic to happen?
I think that God’s purpose for allowing this pandemic to occur is because people have turned away from him and tended to do their own things that bring glory to them instead. I think this is not the beginning of the end of the world yet, as others thought, but rather a powerful call for repentance and to believe, otherwise something worse than this will happen again.
“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” Mark 1:15
GWC has continued with online lecturers. Tell us about the new “lockdown” study and assessment set up?
Academically, the college is now doing lectures online. This also means that everything concerning academics has to be done online (assignments, research etc.). Although online learning is very new to me, I am starting to get use to it.
Please describe your normal day during this time
I feel very secure and safe in the College’s residence. We normally eat our breakfast and lunch in the dinning hall. For now we are only allowed to sit two people around the table during our meals. We have to put on masks if we need to go to the shops. At the beginning of lockdown we started off by doing exercise in our rooms, but we are now allowed to do exercise outside. Initially the rules relaxed to being able to exercise outside only between 6-9am, but now we can run outside any time of the day. We attend lectures online at the different times and we do this individually in our rooms.
How are you feeling about the fact that you cannot return home until the end of the year?
I am feeling truly stressed about the fact that I cannot go home. It is difficult for me to stay here for one full year away from family; my wife, my son, and extended family. But there is nothing else that can be done. I can only pray faithfully to our God.
Do you think the virus will affect your degree negatively?
Yes, I think that it is obvious that it will. But I know one needs to keep himself in Christ. “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”‘ Romans 8:37. The suffering Christ went through can not be compared with any kind of suffering we are now going through.
What would you say to the supporters from the other parts of the world?
Christ is still in control over any powers of the devil. Be blessed and stay safe and be strong in your faith because these are the real moments that need us to be in Christ.
What is your prayer at this time?
I am always praying that may God’s will be done to all who He has chosen to support the growth of His kingdom of Heaven here on earth and His blessings to pour on them richly.
