Be not afraid of swine flu, bishops say
A UMNS Report
By Linda Green*
May 4, 2009 | BETHESDA, Md. (UMNS)
Stay calm. Avoid blaming others. Embrace the sick in Christian love.

Bishop Deborah Kiesey
|
Those are some of the words of counsel on the swine flu epidemic
offered by United Methodist bishops throughout the world gathering for
their spring meeting, which began May 3.
United Methodists and church officials need to be cognizant of their
call to reach out to people with compassion and love, Iowa Bishop
Julius Trimble said in an interview.
“We have not been given a spirit of timidity or fear but a spirit of
power in love,” he said. While being aware of the health warning and
precautions to take, he said, “We should not separate ourselves from
those persons who may be the most vulnerable and may need the church at
this time.”
Since the first reported outbreak of the swine flu virus in Mexico
in April, 20 countries have reported nearly 1,000 cases of the virus
also known as influenza A (H1N1), the World Health Organization
reported May 4. The United States has reported 226 cases in 30 states.

Bishop Earl Bledsoe
|
United Methodist bishops are urging church members not to panic and
to avoid stereotyping people or countries to prevent any backlash
against immigrant populations.
“If we compare what is really going on with the 36,000 deaths that
happen yearly with the regular flu, I think we can put this into some
perspective,” Dakotas Bishop Deborah Kiesey said.
California-Pacific Bishop Mary Ann Swenson agreed. “People need to
stay calm in the midst of this and remember that people get the flu
every year.”
She urged people not to think about where people are from but to
‘remember that we are all neighbors to one another and friends to one
another.” She also advises following health protocols like regular hand
washing and use of sanitizers to stay safe.
Another church leader advising calm and respect for the dignity of others is North Texas Bishop Earl Bledsoe.
When people overreact, “they do not come forth being the best that God would have us to be,” he said.
Bishop Robert Hoshibata
|
Bishop Robert Hoshibata of Oregon-Idaho Area said efforts should
focus on preventing the spread of the flu instead of concentrating on
who started it or where the virus originated.
“This is not a new thing,” he said.”The concerns about health and
sanitation are not new and we encourage people to educate others as
best as possible and not be afraid.”
Sickness is something that can happen to anyone, said Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar of the Greater New Jersey Area.
“It can come to anyone and it can be spread from anyone. All of us
are children of God. Don’t put the blame on a particular community and
we need to be very sensitive to that because we are all children of God
and it can happen to any one of us,” he said.
United Methodist bishops in Northern Europe and Africa also called for calm and pastoral care.
Bishop Rosemarie Wenner
|
Bishop Rosemarie Wenner of Germany said hospitals are aware of the
swine flu and all European countries have promised to share medicines
if necessary.
“It is not a big issue in our country so far and we hope and pray
that this will be the case in the future,” she said. The church is
called to be with the sick and with those who are afraid of the future
and of death, she said.
Mozambican Bishop Joaquina Nhanala has not heard of any cases in her
country. She said the church can promote pastoral care and help
alleviate people’s fear about the virus throughout the world through
educating and informing people of the precautions needed. “I think fear
comes because people are ignorant about the disease,” she said.
Bishop Peter Weaver of the New England Conference said there is a
need to recognize that communities should care for one another.
“It is not about whether I contract the flu or whether I am in
poverty,” he said. “It is about sharing one another’s burdens, weeping
with those who weep, rejoicing with those who rejoice, particularly
around our sisters and brothers who may be from other nations in the
world living in our midst. It is an opportunity to reach out and let
them know that we care.”
*Green is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in Nashville, Tenn.
News media contact: Linda Green, (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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