Dear ADRA Family,
I wake up on the 12th floor of our apartment building in Hanoi, Vietnam, to another day of working from home as the Country Director of ADRA Vietnam. Between checking emails, joining video conference calls and checking in with the ADRA team, there is plenty to keep me busy.
Despite the restrictions on movement we are hesitant to pause project activities. For 30 years the office has been improving the health and wellbeing for people in rural farming households. We are the ones who should be responding to this emergency but at the moment, in Vietnam, it is also our responsibility to protect ourselves and others by practicing social distancing and self-quarantine with our families at home.
During this time Psalms 86:1-7 (NLT) has been a source of comfort.
1 Bend down, O Lord, and hear my prayer; answer me, for I need your help.
2 Protect me, for I am devoted to you. Save me, for I serve you and trust you. You are my God.
3 Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I am calling on you constantly.
4 Give me happiness, O Lord, for I give myself to you.
5 O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help.
6 Listen closely to my prayer, O Lord; hear my urgent cry.
7 I will call to you whenever I’m in trouble, and you will answer me.
When the restrictions on movement have lifted, we will be excited to get back into the office and resume our ADRA activities. Project staff are looking forward to training households to raise and care for goats and to produce silk to increase their household incomes. This will be even more important for these families after these difficult times.
So far (8th April) there have only been 253 cases of COVID-19 and zero deaths. This is a tribute to the resilience of the Vietnamese people and gives hope to people everywhere that social distancing and preventative measures can control this pandemic if everyone participates.
Please keep the ADRA family in your prayers. Remember, we are here and ready to respond when and where we are able.
Quentin Campbell is the Country Director of ADRA Vietnam. He and is ADRA team are currently under COVID-19 restrictions.
