Coronavirus

Amazed by what is happening on the world scene? I've been in the truth for 50 years and never, never have I seen the hysteria the coronavirus is causing. Even SARS, MERS, and Ebola were not like this. Here in Africa it has not affected us to the extent of China or Europe, but about a week ago the first case in Rwanda was discovered. It was an Indian man who was traveling from India to Rwanda. The authorities quarantined him immediately. Then, a report appeared yesterday stating that now there are a total of five cases here. In the rest of East Africa (Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania) there is only one reported case in Kenya. A few more cases in West Africa and South Africa. But the governments here have some experience with monitoring the Ebola virus. Anytime you cross a country border, they check your temperature by putting a probe against your neck. So they are taking this situation very seriously.

The meetings here in Kigali have been canceled for two weeks by order of the Ministry of Health. Assemblies have been postponed. We had a Chinese class going on that has to be canceled for the time being. Preaching is allowed but we are careful. Our congregation is doing only cart witnessing (and phone and letter, but those are not commonly done here). Other congregations may have door-to-door activity but with caution. Now I'm afraid to get on a public bus. Fortunately I have a car so I can get around. I've heard about the price gouging in the U.S. for things like hand sanitizer, antibacterial wipes, etc. (I brought back quite a bit of hand sanitizer from the Dollar store--because it was cheap--when I was in California even before this all happened. Anyone want a bottle for $100?) And hoarding of all kinds of basic supplies. What is the world coming to?

Also, maybe some of you have heard about the devastating locust plague in East Africa. Millions of locusts have wiped out crops, causing the authorities to believe that a famine is imminent. A report I read, interestingly, stated that China is planning to send 100,000 ducks to Pakistan, one of the affected countries, because unlike chickens, which can eat 70 locusts a day (and are also harder to manage), ducks can eat 200 locusts a day. This, they say, is more effective than pesticides. So, then what? We're going to have a duck plague! All due to climate change, is the conjecture.

So...we need to trust in Jehovah. (Prov. 3:5) Never more than now do we need to follow carefully the direction given by Jehovah's organization!