Health workers need support while dealing with deadly Covid outbreak

A Pretoria-based faith movement believes that health workers needed support as they deal with the devastating Covid-19 pandemic.

This as 3 867 people have died after contracting the virus since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak.

As cases continue to mount in the region, the Dare to Love movement and community members are continuing with their prayer initiative at several Pretoria hospitals, which they started during the first wave.

The initiative consists of community members holding an hour-long prayer outside regional hospitals to support health workers dealing with the wave of infections.

Frikkie du Plessis, a member of Dare to Love, said the group started the initiative after they were inspired by children whose father was in ICU after having contracted the virus.

“A year ago, children whose father was sick and hospitalised used to go to the hospital at night, sit by the window of his bed, play music and pray for him,” du Plessis said.

“We joined them one night. As we were praying and playing music, we saw the doctors pulling a sheet over him; unfortunately, he passed away. Standing outside the hospital, we saw the devastation inside the hospital caused by Covid.”

Du Plessis said this incident sparked the prayer initiative which would expand nationally.

Over the past month, the group had prayer sessions outside Pretoria East hospital, Steve Biko Academic Hospital, Life Groenkloof and Wilgers Life hospitals.

“Last year, we had the prayers outside the ICU lawns for 90 days until the wards were cleared. And this year, we are doing it again because we can see the need for it,” he said.

“We will only stop when the number of cases goes down.”

Under the current lockdown rules, all gatherings including faith-based gatherings have been prohibited until July 11.

Du Plessis, however, said the group held the prayer sessions in small groups where most people stay in their cars outside the hospitals to keep social distancing and wear masks while praying.

Du Plessis said the prayer sessions also aimed at uplifting the spirits of those sick.

“A husband wrote to us saying that he had a dream of people singing at the hospital. His wife called him on Saturday evening while we were there, and the husband said we sounded like what he heard in the dream. The wife has since been healed and was discharged.”

At some hospitals, Du Plessis said the staff come out to join the prayer sessions.

“At some point we also went to Steve Biko and gave out 700 packets containing a Bible, coffee sachets and a pen to the health workers to encourage the staff. They are working under difficult circumstances at the moment,” he said.

“We believe that prayer works, and the Lord wants us to encourage people and bring hope to people.”

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