Challenged by COVID-19

Several St Augustine’s Foundation scholars have had their studies interrupted by the Coronavirus. For some, studying away from home, has added to these challenges. However, their reports on these challenges also paint a hopeful picture. 

Gideon Sam Paulraj, from the Diocese of Madurai Ramnad in South India is studying for a PhD at the University of Gloucestershire and is being partly funded by the Foundation. He was hospitalised when he contracted the virus and was seriously ill. Thanks to the family he was being hosted by, his own family in India were kept informed and he was supported as he was brought off a ventilator and on to the road to recovery. When writing to the Administrator describing his ordeal he closed by saying, “here I am alive to write this to you, which is made possible only by the Almighty. I am managing to get back to normal and hopefully soon.” He also added, “in my academics, I’ve sent the full draft of my dissertation to my first supervisor.” We look forward with interest to Gideon completing his doctoral studies.

The Foundation is supporting a cohort of three ordinands from Biharamulo Diocese in Tanzania who are studying at St Philp’s Theological College in Kongwa, Tanzania. The students, Mathayo Makenzi, Zephania Daudi and John Daniford, were all sent home at the outbreak of the virus. Their Bishop, Vithalis Yusuph writes, “due to Covid-19 they are at home and can’t have online classes as they don’t have computers. This is too challenging, and we don’t have any means to help them have computers!” However, we have since learned that they are returning to the College in the first week of July. In July and August, they will be finishing their first year and then they will start their second year immediately in August.  

Masalakulangwa Mabula, a doctoral student supported by the Foundation, lives in Dar es Salem but is studying at St Paul’s University in Limuru, Kenya. He has family in Tanzania and had to decide where he was going to locate himself during the epidemic. He writes, “I am sure people have been encouraged consider postponing events that bring people together in close proximity. I have taken this stance this week in postponing even traveling to Tanzania, I am staying in St. Paul's Limuru working from my room. I do trust your better judgment, and I know that situations are diverse according to context, and so I simply let you know that you are in my prayers. On the other hand I also know that our faith is an agent of calm, reassurance, and compassion during times of uncertainty, God provides comfort to all of us during this difficult time. Our general we can send to the world is ‘Slowly, God’s people will begin to understand that God was in this place, too’ The world is in a strange place. We may be feeling afraid, or alone, or confused; exiled from the life we were living just a short while ago. But perhaps we can also be those who remind ourselves and others that God is in this place too.”