Thanks to God’s mercy and grace, coronavirus in China is now under control to some extent. Meanwhile, there are some disturbing news came out recently while celebrating the positive progress.
It’s said that the recovered patients were being mistreated when they went back to their regular life. It seems that things never the same for them now.
Harsh reality of recovered patients It’s understandable that people’s mindset will be changed due to such a dramatic pandemic. For instance, the awareness of practicing social distancing, the importance of personal hygiene, and the priority of health. However, changes turned out be painful and desperate for some of those who were recovered from coronavirus.
News of them being treated wickedly shocked me in the first place. It’s reported that some of them couldn’t go back to their job because of the repulsion from colleagues, some were being spied on and spat on their window by their neighbours, and some were trying to kill themselves due to hatred and social pressure from people around them, including their own family.
They were victims in this pandemic and suffered the pain that we couldn’t imagine. They overcame all the terrible physical torture. However, hardly would they expect that there were something more dangerous that they need to fight for, which is the prejudice of people’s misunderstanding and unreasonable mental insult.
Kindness matters
I was never in their place but I could resonate with them in some way. As a person originally from Hubei, I also experienced something during the course. I endured disconnectedness during the two-month lockdown in Hubei, was rejected when my neighbours in Beijing refused to have me quarantine at home, and tasted loneliness during hotel quarantine.
Since most of the confirmed case were related to people from Hubei, people were very cautious and sensitive with people from Hubei, which intimidated me during those time, fearing that people around my social circle may hold hostility towards me. At that time, every smile and kind words were valuable to me. They made me feel like that I was accepted, just as a normal person.
Thank God that I was greatly blessed by my trip back to Beijing. The government offered free bus in the railway station and prepared snacks on our journey, the representative from neighbourhood committee was very patient and effective in getting all the procedures and documents done for my hotel quarantine, and my colleagues sent greeting videos in our chat group each day to make me feel connected. It was the kindness of those lovely people that helped me to overcome my worries and fear.
Kindness is a choice
In contrast, I could understand how isolated and despairing that the recovered patients were misunderstood by their neighbors, colleagues and even families. They were in a vulnerable position and really needed support and comfort. Any discrimination or sign of unacceptance will discourage them to begin their life again.
Physicians have reminded the society that it’s rare for a recovered patient to infect others. Our media made continuous appeals to the public to treat people from Hubei with kindness and love. However, people’s eyes are blinded due to their own interest. They wouldn’t realize that their giggle and mockery could arose self-doubt in others’ hearts, their contemptuous look could break a helpless soul, and their decision of expelling others from the community may take a person’s life away.
Those who judged others’ life based on their own likeness may seldom think that they will be judged by a holy God one day. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (Luke chapter 6, versus 38). It’s instructed by an almighty God and His words never fail.
Kindness is a choice. Please be kind to people no matter what, you never know what people have gone through in their lives. A hardened heart is more vicious than the virus. Kindness should always be our first choice, no matter what.
Cindy Cheng was born and brought up in central China. Cindy enjoys travelling and reading history books. Cindy is inspired by talking with local people when travelling abroad experiencing different parts of the world, as well as herself.
Cindy’s previous articles may be found at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/cindy-cheng.html
