Life on the Ebola frontline: 'Things will never be the same in Sierra Leone'

http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/jan/07/life-ebola-frontline-sierra-leone-religion

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As we celebrated Christmas and the new year quietly in our houses, we wait for the day just like the one when our former president Ahmad Tejan Kabbah said “the war is over”. We are praying and fighting to hear the very special words that we are Ebola-free. But as we wait, we continue to strive, with prayers in our hearts for our heroes and heroines who have lost their lives, and fight to be rid of this virus.

When I think back to the end of 2013, so much was happening at that time. From the club house, town halls, city fields, homes to churches, you could feel the mood, the celebrations of people all around you. We prayed that 2014 would be better than 2013, but disaster entered our beautiful land. We have lost so many loved ones and as we progressed to the ending of the year we were still losing so many people.

Most non-essential workers were given a break to be with their families. But quarantine and burial teams did their jobs just like any other day.

To end 2014 this way was something we were not hoping for. The streets were empty, the normal New Year’s Eve services in churches were banned. People went for the Christmas service but were asked to return home just after as every church activity should stop at 5pm. Instead, people were asked to stay at home and no one was allowed to travel to other districts. Even smaller villages stop people, especially health workers without passes, from entering their villages. They believe health workers can easily get infected and pass the virus on.

The ban on celebrations was highly effective in villages, more so than in big towns, as homes in cities did have music and people dancing within their houses but this Christmas and new year is one we never want again to celebrate this way.For Newman though, this Christmas was the best ever. “We didn’t have to worry about buying so many things, or worry about thieves breaking into our homes, or spending too much money going out.” For those who are greatly affected by Ebola, this Christmas was the worst ever, as loved ones they celebrated with last year are not here to wish again for a better 2015.

The normal Christmas songs were covered with information about Ebola. It was a very difficult moment for survivors, even when some were brought together you could still see sorrow in their eyes, but lots of support is being given to most survivors now.

“I had my dreams for 2014, I was supposed to get married, continue my business but Ebola brought me down to nothing, leaving me with trauma, stigmatised and no one to stand by me when I had fully integrated into my community. I will never be able to express the pains, the sorrow of seeing my fiance die in front of me. But I thank God for being alive today,” one survivor who was infected by her partner told me.

In my line of duty, I have heard so many survivors’ stories and all of them, in one way or the other, have mentioned something about their faith in God. We have prayed month after month, having faith that this virus will end soon. Faith has played a very important role in our fight to end this virus, while our brothers and sisters have died and are still dying, while others are still being infected, while our freedom has been reduced, while we are suffering, starving, while many have been stigmatised and traumatised, many lost their livelihoods, even when fear overpowers us, we have hung on to our faith, because we are people of faith.

Every village in Sierra Leone will either have a mosque, a church or both. “I was so worried to death when I was told my result came positive, but I hang on to my faith in God because he is the author and finisher of my life,” one survivor says.

Many survivors are thankful to God, because they believe it was only God who saved them, many having only that to hold on to when they thought everyone had abandoned them. I am a Christian and believe that God can be the only one to protect me from this virus, even though I always follow every precautionary measure to ensure that I do not become infected.

My morning and evening prayers, just like many, have been that of ending this virus in our beautiful land.

We want to have that time again when we can hug, celebrate, visit loved ones, live without fear and worries, think about development, do the normal things we used to do. But things will never be the same again in Sierra Leone, never, especially for survivors and those who have lost dear ones.

Religious leaders have played a great role in trying to end this virus. As a leader in my church, I have seen how easy it is for people to believe and do whatever I say about Ebola. We have put everything aside to help get this virus out of our country, but faith has helped so many people to get this far.

As we continue our work with survivors, we have seen lots of development from the government in trying to help them, but more will need to be done to see that no one will ever again have to go through the things they went through. The survivors I have met are thankful to all who, in one way or another, have helped them during these difficult times.

This virus has pushed us to our limit and we are determined more thanever to see the ending of it. We still have big challenges: there are still those who don’t believe that this virus is real. People are still having a hard time toget through to the 117 helpline. Survivors are still being stigmatised.People are still washing dead bodies before calling 117. The sick are still being kept in houses. But we will surely win this fight.