Belonging During the Pandemic

There is a sense of quiet in the corridors of Christ House as we live and work in this unanticipated world of the coronavirus.

Many routines are maintained, but more are interrupted as each day we recalibrate daily activities to safely care for our patients and the individuals in the Kairos housing program. There is no rushing about to get patients to outside appointments or ready for discharge. The patients currently on our unit will remain with us during this crisis until placement in supportive settings can be secured. With strict adherence to protocols, we are admitting individuals who are COVID-19 negative, and individuals who are COVID-19 positive and have been quarantined.

Christ House is working with local homeless outreach teams to identify and refer men to Christ House who would benefit from our 24-hour nursing care, while being attentive to their COVID-19 testing status. During this difficult time, we seek to both maintain a posture of hospitality while reducing the risk of spreading the virus to our vulnerable patients.

The absence of community volunteers is felt by all of us, as their vitality and generous spirits have supported every aspect of our program since the beginning. Staff members continue to come to work to do the task at hand and with a resolve to maintain the essence of our program despite this major disruption.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the normal hustle and bustle of Christ House looks quite different, especially with implementing social distancing. Nurse Practitioner, Mari Lowe says, “Social distancing is a form of hospitality and respect. By creating space, we are protecting the patients and one another by reducing risk of transmitting COVID-19.”

There is a different sense of belonging during this pandemic. It is an opportunity to see things in a different light and to recognize our interdependence. It is this vision of the common good that gives us the courage to continue the healing work of providing medical care and hospitality.