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Ironically, Nora and I have found ourselves extremely busy, albeit, working from very local places, mainly home. Yet, there have also been some needful rest-points, where there’s finally time to stop and contemplate. Is THAT activity really a priority? Is THAT relationship really healthy for me, in the everyone’s best interest? How can some of these isolation times be a measured “reset” times as well? When things pick back up in full blown external activities, will I(you) be able to enter it all a changed person, a better person? I think “yes” to you and me in these things !
Jonathan graduated from CSU with two degrees, physics and engineering. He’s currently en route (via Arizona), to California, where he plans to be near his girlfriend, Emily, who just completed her first year in medical school.
Eliana graduated from Lewis Palmer High School, and is planning to “remotely walk” in her graduation ceremony. During Covid-19, she has worked hard at DoorDash and Qdoba.
Bryan, in the weeks of many experiencing layoffs, landed a full-time position as a pharmacy tech., in Breckenridge, CO. He also continues his pursuits of media/video/photography business, as a priority.
Nora, once again, shined, as she adapted to remote teaching, even with her special needs children. Not easy. Yet her gentle engaging warmth of personality still managed to capture her audience of students and teachers alike.
Dan … ZOOM calls abundant(some 1-3 hours each), SKYPE calls a many, WhatsApp calls and texts aplenty, e-Mails a plethora, trainings, counseling, mentoring, planning, strategizing, … it’s really been a great time to get a lot of internal organization things accomplished, executed, and furthered. I’m already sensing that re-launch post-Covid will be healthier and better than ever! Our teams on the ground are hard-pressed, yet very encouraged !
Iraq/Kurdistan & Lebanon follow-up … April ’20
Iraq/Kurdistan & Lebanon follow-up … April ’20
Thanks for your patience in this trip update.
Sulaymaniyah and Erbil area refugee camps continue to be highest on our priorities for relief and development. All work is on-going, whether we are there or not.
Distributions of food and essentials happened in the Syrian refugee camps in the Beqaa Valley of Lebanon, as well as among the Yazidi in Iraq/Kurdistan. We cannot say enough positives of our associates and leadership in each of these regions, as they do so much ground-work preparations for our time there, as well as post-trip development of TCD-Transformational Community Development.
Please pray our teams can get back into the camps, post-Covid-19, to continue all these important distributions, training, and mentoring work so essential to any long-term successes in these types of environments.
Mike and I are very much hoping to get back, as soon as the window opens again for travel to the region. An important consideration is that we had planned to have an Entrepreneur Leadership Training team there in May. Covid-19 has set many things back. We press ahead.
Many-many ZOOM (and ZOOM-type) calls have happened in the past 6 weeks, and continues to be our mainstay for relating, communicating, trainings, and plannings.
Story …
(not her real name) had taken a tumble a few weeks before our arrival in Lebanon(Beqaa Valley). While there, we were able to get her injured arm X-rayed, and she is now in therapy and progressing well. Many variations of these types of stories happen on each trip, and we are grateful to be available to help those in our current journey.
Story … Kalar, Iraq/Kurdistan was not part of our original plans for this trip. We got word that this was a special town, with special needs that we might possibly address. One thing led to another, and we ended up meeting the wonderful mayor there, and discussing preliminary plans to bring in a medical team. These kind of unplanned side-trips happen on each trip, allowing us the opportunity to move ahead in some form of assistance. If you or others you know would like to be a part of a medical team going there, please contact me immediately.
Bardarash Refugee Camp, near Erbil, Iraq/Kurdistan, was a special focus on this trip, as it allowed us to assess and interview several in the camp, prepping our future times there for helping.
If your heart moves you, we are much intent on priming the pump financially for our next trip into the region. Donations gifts can be made at the link below. Grateful we are, for your considerations in this !!!
https://www.globalhopenetwork.org/about/staff/daniel-emig
For other means to donate directly to a given project, please contact me.
Thanks immensely … ! Daniel
We’re on it ! Coronavirus/COVID-19 … prevention & training …
Delayed trip update …
was planning to wrap up our Iraq/Kurdistan & Lebanon trip briefing, but current conditions in all our lives necessitate this instead! We are grateful to have made it back home, just under the wire of severe travel restrictions ! 🙂
We’re on it !
As each of us deals with our own version of Coronavirus prevention, playing out in our lives … while also peering into the future of all the “what if(s)”; know that we are extremely pro-active in our staff training and outlay of information and help(s) to all villages we are doing TCD in. Just yesterday, I was pushing out additional lessons and Coronavirus links to all our staff in countries I work in. Many of the preventative principles applied to Coronavirus, have already been taught, to all our trainees and village committees. Not only are we “on it” … we’ve been “on it” for years now, addressing disease prevention, long before Corona became an international household issue.
While not exhaustive or specific to each TCD village situation and/or refugee camp, the following “lesson” will give you a glimpse into what we are actively doing now. And while the lessons are originally written for a somewhat educated audience, they are used well in villages we have TCD in, taught at various levels of education, appropriated to each level. Additionally, below the lesson, are links, such as the (WHO) link, given to all country leaders to pass on to field staff, then committees, and all villagers.
Pray for our staff, our associates, and all villages and refugee camps … as we are very concerned in how highly concentrated people groups are vulnerable to Coronavirus spreading extremely rapidly!
We’re on it … we’ve been on it … we’re staying on it … we’ll be on this for years to come, as this is one of our aims in TCD !
With deep hearts of gratitude for your concerns and financial giving to all we are and do !!!
Daniel
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Based on a lesson developed by
Community Development Consultants, Modesto CA
2/2020
CORONAVIRUS IS COMING! (first role play)
Remember that older people are especially susceptible to Coronavirus, and social distancing is extremely needful !!!
| Role Play: Two people are talking. | |
| 1st | I’m scared! |
| 2nd | What’s the matter? |
| 1st | Coronavirus is coming! |
| 2nd | Coronavirus? What’s that? |
| 1st | It’s a new and deadly virus! And I’m scared! |
| 2nd | Oh! Where can we hide from the virus? |
Coronavirus Disease—Symptoms and Treatment
| Objectives | After working through this lesson:
1. Participants will know some basic information about coronavirus disease-19. 2. Participants will be able to tell others about the symptoms and treatment of coronavirus disease. |
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| Overview for facilitators | This is an introductory lesson about the symptoms and treatment of Coronavirus disease. Next time we will focus more on prevention of this diseases. | |||||
| Materials | · Poster-size paper, markers, and masking tape
· Starters o Coronavirus is coming! · Handouts o Coronavirus Photo and Symptoms |
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| LESSON | 1 HOUR | |||||
| Use the attached Coronavirus is coming! role play. (5 minutes) (Use the first role play. The second role play, I’m still scared!, will be used later. | ||||||
| SHOWD QUESTIONS | What did you See? What was Happening? Does this happen in Our place? Why does this happen? What will we Do about it? | |||||
| I. | What is Coronavirus? (5 minutes)
Discuss in large group: A. Coronavirus is a type of virus. What are viruses? 1. Viruses are tiny. They are too small to be seen, even with a microscope. 2. The common cold is caused by a virus. 3. Many infections are caused by viruses. B. What is coronavirus? Why are people worried about the coronavirus? 1. Coronavirus is a new virus that is causing a lot of disease. 2. Some people die from coronavirus disease. 3. Coronavirus disease is also called COVID-19. 4. COVID-19 is an abbreviation for Coronavirus Disease 2019. It first became a problem in 2019. 5. Coronavirus disease is spreading to more countries, rapidly. 6. People are scared that they may get sick with coronavirus disease. C. If you can, show a picture of coronavirus. (Optional) This is a picture of coronavirus, magnified or made much larger in size. What does it look like? 1. It looks like a big circle with spikes. 2. It looks like a crown. D. In some languages, “corona” means crown. Coronavirus looks like a crown. But it is much smaller. |
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II. | Spread of coronavirus (10 minutes)
Discuss in large group. A. How does coronavirus disease spread? 1. Coronavirus disease may have started as a disease of animals. 2. But then the coronavirus spread from animals to people. 3. Now coronavirus disease is spreading between people. B. How does coronavirus disease spread between people? 1. Coronavirus disease spreads mostly by coughing and sneezing. 2. Coronavirus can spread between people who are close together, within about 2 meters. 3. Someone with coronavirus disease coughs out small droplets that contain the virus. When those droplets lands on the mouth or nose of somebody nearby, they can get infected. 4. It is possible that a person might get infected by touching doorknob or other object which has coronavirus on it, and then touching their mouth, nose, or eyes. But that is not as likely. C. Why is it important to know how coronavirus spreads? 1. If we know how it spreads, we can find ways to prevent its spread. 2. It we know how it spreads, then we can learn ways to prevent the disease. D. Who is most at risk of getting coronavirus disease? 1. People who live in countries or areas where coronavirus is common. 2. People who travel to a country where coronavirus is common. 3. People who work with animals infected with coronavirus. 4. People who care for people who are sick with coronavirus disease. E. Where has coronavirus diseases been found so far? 1. Coronavirus disease was first found in China. 2. Then it spread to South Korea and other countries. 3. We don’t know how far it will spread. |
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| III.
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Symptoms of coronavirus (15 minutes.)
Give out the handout, Coronavirus Photo and Symptoms. A. What are some symptoms of coronavirus disease? 1. Many people will have a cough. 2. Many will have a fever. 3. Many infections are mild, like a cold. 4. But some people will get pneumonia and be very sick. 5. Some people may even die. B. What are some symptoms of pneumonia? 1. Shortness of breath 2. Difficulty breathing 3. Rapid breathing C. Divide into groups of three people. Pretend that you are visiting a neighbor. Use the handout Coronavirus Photo and Symptoms to describe what coronavirus disease is and what some of the symptoms are. Then switch roles. |
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| IV. | Treatment (10 minutes)
Discuss in large group. A. Who needs to be cared for at a hospital or clinic? 1. Anyone who is very sick 2. Anyone who has trouble breathing 3. Anyone who may have pneumonia. 4. Anyone who has other health problems B. If you think you may have coronavirus disease, what should you do before going to a hospital or clinic? 1. Call your doctor or health care provider (If you have one locally). They may need to take special precautions. 2. Wear a face mask (check your local markets for these masks, as many are being produced rapidly worldwide). 3. Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. 4. Separate yourself from other people. 5. Wash your hands. C. What will your health care provider ask you to find out if you are at risk? 1. Where do you live? Do you live in an area where there has been coronavirus? 2. Where have you traveled? 3. Do you work with wild or farm animals? 4. Have you been around someone who is sick with coronavirus? D. Is there a lab test for coronavirus disease-19? 1. There is a lab test (WHO-World Health Organization provided), but it may not be available in your area. E. What is the treatment for coronavirus-19? 1. Treatment is supportive. 2. People who are sick will be cared for at the hospital or clinic. 3. Many people can be taken care of at home. 4. There are no specific medicines for coronavirus disease yet. 5. There is no vaccine for coronavirus-19 yet. 6. But they are working on a vaccine. 7. And they hope to develop medicines for coronavirus disease. |
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| ATTITUDE: | Participants will know that coronavirus can be a serious disease, but it is not always serious and it can be avoided.
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| SKILL: | Participants are teaching others about coronavirus disease. |
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EVALUATION: |
Are the participants talking with their neighbors about coronavirus disease?
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References:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2020. Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Wikipedia. 2020. Coronavirus disease 2019. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronavirus_disease_2019
World Health Organization. 2020. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. Available from: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public
World Health Organization. 2020.
Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, 2029
IRAQ/Kurdistan … 1 March 2020
Dear one …
IRAQ/Kurdistan now … Erbil, Kalar, and Sulaymaniah …
Each person and family has a story. Severe loss and trauma escapes none of their personal histories or lives. You and I are on journey with these precious ones.
Sometimes it all seems like a drop in the bucket … $6K spent on food here … $2.2K spent on heating fuel there … $1.2K spent on a flood prevention drainage pipe over there … $150 given for a severe case of asthma in another place … $150 given for X-rays for a fallen damaged elbow of an 8 year old girl … $200 given for location permanence costs … it can never end.
Yet none of this life we live is really about funds.
Relationships, yes.
Some relationships are ever so brief, only a half-hour interview, at times leaving one with a type of vacuum of heart … what just happened back there?(.) Another has been built over several years now, ever deepening in each of our times together. Most are somewhere in-between.
We are working with such great teams over here. They know how to love … a lot longer and deeper and better than we do in these contexts. We are so grateful they are here, living close, able to relate and give much more in relationship, as we are here for such a brief time as this.
A lot more is happening outside these camps, in other relationships and venues we savor.
More to come in our next update … cannot thank you enough for your being here with us and them in prayer and financial backing !!!
“(He) is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”
Daniel
