Pictures of Covid-19: Remembering A Year of Crisis

What were the most significant moments for you in 2020? Revisit your snapshots, reflect on them, and share them with us!

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How has 2020 been for you? What is your personal experience of life in a pandemic? How about sharing with us a picture or two? As you go through your collection, how about taking a moment to reflect on how this year has been, and how God has been with you?

Chia Poh Fang

During the Circuit Breaker, senior citizens were encouraged to stay at home. Dad was okay with it, but Mum felt cooped up. After the restrictions were eased, we took them to Seletar Reservoir, a place that brought back many fond childhood memories. Thank God for keeping my parents in good health! (Psalm 104:1-3)

Walking around Bishan, I saw migrant workers giving the HDB blocks a fresh coat of paint. I’ve often taken them for granted. Only when many workers were quarantined earlier this year, was I reminded of their plight and our calling to love the foreigners in our midst and treat them as our own (Leviticus 19:34)

Eliza

The Circuit Breaker gave me much time for solitude with God, who used those moments to surface issues He wanted to address in my life. In His presence, in His Word, and in nature, I re-discovered our sovereign, faithful, and loving God. One memorable moment was watching a beautiful sunset after a downpour cleared the sky, preparing a canvas to declare His magnificence. As Psalm 19:1-4 proclaims, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”

Ian Tan

With church services and Sunday School suspended for most of this year, I had an opportunity to talk about Jesus’ death on the cross with 2-year-old son as we read a book together. The experience reminded my wife and I to be more intentional in sharing Jesus with him, knowing that we have a responsibility to help Him know God more—to talk about Him wherever we are, at all times (Deuteronomy 6:6-7).

Teaching my 2-year-old son to wash his hands amid the constant reminders to stay clean in this pandemic reminded me of the need to ask the Lord for forgiveness for our wrongs each day. While we seek to protect ourselves and loved ones from Covid-19, I am reminded of an even deadlier disease that needs our attention—the disease of an unrepentant heart that can only be cured by our Saviour’s blood. And so I pray every day: “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10).

My wife and I are expecting our second child, any time this year. It’s a challenging year to become parents once again, and there are many moments of anxiety, worry, and stress. As we eagerly await the arrival of No. 2, we recall God’s hand in all that happens in our lives, for He created our inmost being. Truly, we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:13-14).

Lee Sing Chyun

Jogging around Seletar Airport one night, I came across this workers’ canteen along Piccadilly Road. The rustic set-up, illuminated by a full moon of a Mid-Autumn’s Night, reminded me of a Chinese poem poignantly describing a longing for one’s family far away. Our migrant workers must feel the same, separated from their loved ones by the travel restrictions. I thank God for them, and pray that I will learn to love them as our own, remember that we, too, are sojourners in this world (Deuteronomy 10:18-19).

In March, in the midst of rising Covid-19 infections in Singapore, my daughter came down with a persistent fever. To avoid exposing others at our usual neighbourhood clinic, I brought her to a nearby hospital. (It turned out to be a viral infection, not Covid-19).

Seeing her lying in my lap waiting for our turn, I couldn’t help but think, “Oh, how I wish I had the ability to give her anything to make her feel better!” It reminded me of this truth: If I, being a sinner, have such a deep, innate desire to give good things to my children, how much more our perfect heavenly Father is eager to grant us gifts that are good for us (Matthew 7:11).

Seeing the scaled-down Christmas decorations at malls such as Compass One in Sengkang, I found myself appreciating the simplicity, as it reminds me of the humble conditions of the first Christmas more than 2,000 years ago. On that day, when the Son of God was born, there was no fanfare or jingle bells—just an animal feeding trough (Luke 2:6-7).

Malcolm

Driving into town with my faithful driving companion, Bjorn, during the Circuit Breaker, I was struck by the rare sight of an empty highway. I could not recall a time when I’ve seen this during the daytime. As I had just got back to driving after a long break, I was thankful for the opportunity to have a “refresher lesson” on quiet roads. We may not understand why all this is happening, but as Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 notes, “There is a time for everything”—God is sovereign over everything, and He holds everything in His hands.

The Marina Barrage is usually packed with crowds on weekends. With social distancing restrictions, it was less crowded even when Singapore entered Phase 2. I had to wait a while before I was allowed onto the rooftop garden, but fortunately, not for long. With less traffic and pollution in the city, the sky seemed much clearer and more beautiful, inspiring me to praise God for His creation (Psalm 89:11, Psalm 24:1).

I’ve never visited so many nature trails in Singapore before! Since we couldn’t travel overseas, I took the opportunity to explore the country, and discovered some beautiful panoramas like this one from Faber Peaks. This view of older HDB flats juxtaposed with the modern, thriving cityscape, surrounded by lush greenery, reminded me of how far Singapore has come—and how God has protected and nurtured Singapore into the nation it is today. May we continue to uphold His righteousness and honour Him (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Being confined to our homes for many months was tough. Once restrictions were eased, I went to explore parts of Singapore that I had always wanted to see. Lazarus Island Beach, I felt, is aptly named: the white, sandy beach and pristine waters give a sense of nature being resurrected. Watching volunteers comb the shoreline to pick up litter, I was reminded of how all of us need to do our part in taking care of the environment, which God has created and called us to take care of (Genesis 2:15).

T E Yeoh

In 2020, I embarked on a 40-day of personal solitude to draw near to God. On 8 March, I went to my bedroom to start my prayer time. I closed the door, opened the windows, and saw these clouds which reminded me of God’s promise in 2 Chronicles 7:13-16. I thank God for His promise that He will answer us when we pray. All glory to God!