A short story about COVID

As I mentioned in my last post, I was potentially exposed to a student who tested positive for COVID. I didn’t know a way to get tested on Shabbat since almost every place is closed and all the websites are in Hebrew and everywhere you call begins with automated Hebrew haha. I can’t wait to learn some Hebrew so maybe I can have a fighting chance (: Last night, one of my new friends Rachel, a second-year, messaged me to make sure I was doing okay. She also gave me the location of a Clalit clinic accepting walk-ins. Her message meant the world to me. I’m so thankful for the way God puts exactly the people we need in our lives. There were several mishaps throughout my morning. I couldn’t get an appointment, my phone stopped working, my rav kav (public transportation card) didn’t work on the bus, and when I finally got to the clinic I couldn’t find anyone who spoke English. But each problem was slowly but eventually solved. I was still able to call the phone company. I had to sit through about three different operators who didn’t speak English before I finally got passed to one who did. He asked questions and called me back several times before the problem was fixed (he was very nice ).

Then when I got on the bus and tried to pay with my rav kav card, it gave me a red screen with Hebrew words, which again I couldn’t understand (: but there was really nothing I could do about it since I know there is still money left on the card. At the clinic, I walked in and asked if anyone spoke English (in Hebrew, one of the few phrases I can remember lol). I got several head shakes, but one doctor motioned for me to follow him. I couldn’t understand a word he said, but I gave him my papers and insurance number. He motioned for me to go to the other side of the building and after several more gestures and stops, I ended up back where I started and a very kind lady took my sample, through gestures and a couple words, she indicated I would receive my results via SMS.

I made it back to the dorms even with my nonfunctioning public transportation card. But when I checked to make sure my new phone number was connected to my Clalit account, I discovered it wasn’t… At this point I wanted to be done. It felt like I was chasing rabbits and getting nowhere. But Rachel messaged me once again and said she and her friends were having the same issue. She told me of a different clinic I could go to in order to set up my account information and attach it to my phone number since it had to be done in person. Thankfully, this one was much closer, so I was able to make the 20-minute walk there. Rachel was so sweet to wait for me at the clinic and help me navigate it. Man am I thankful and blessed she was there! I would have been lost since it involved setting up an account online once I received login and password information with security questions and instructions all in Hebrew. But it was a successful mission!!! I got my test done and now I have ensured I can receive the results (: I had lots of help along the way from numerous humans 

COVID causes people to react in ways they wouldn’t normally. I was thoroughly annoyed at first. Why did this student come to a big group gathering if they knew they were waiting for a COVID result? But at the same time, I understand it. They had already been vaccinated, they are in a completely new place, and they wanted to be with people. I thought about it, why was I so upset and frustrated? I reached the conclusion it was because I felt inconvenienced. But should my inconvenience be enough of a problem that it could lead to potentially harming other people? Ephesians 4:2 says, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love”. I realized what this looks like as I went through my day. It’s not about COVID, it’s about learning how to love people better and humble myself. Being here, away from my support system, has been continually revealing sin in my heart that was much easier to ignore when I was in my comfort zone. It is hard to realize its presence, but it is also good. Growth is happening (: