My heart sank when the announcement came late Saturday: “COVID quarantine lockdown.”
COVID had been slithering through the Ohio Reformatory for Women (ORW) for weeks, striking with stealth – not like in 2020 when it was boldly proclaimed by regular updates. This time, it was more insidious; no official information was shared. Inmates simply disappeared into isolation, and housing units were suddenly locked down. It was Twilight Zone-esque.
My housing unit had remained COVID-free in 2021, and I’d treasured the freedoms we had: Mass, visits once or twice per month, no masks (for the summer), almost unlimited outside yard time. A new normal was established, and we made the best of it.
Then, with three terrible words, it was all gone, and that stung. Thirteen of ORW’s 15 housing units were quarantined in rapid succession, so I was not alone in my dismay. We were all deeply affected.
The next day, I called my best friend, Jo, for our regular Sunday chat, which we’ve maintained since 1994. We’ve been through everything together over the years via thousands of phone calls, letters, photos and visits, and our bond is extraordinary.
During this call, I vented about the drastic quarantine restrictions and lamented the losses they caused: no Mass, visits, library, school, gym or outside/yard time. “All my major coping activities have been taken away. How on earth am I going to manage?” I asked.
Jo shared a bit of the sermon she heard that day. She said, “God will provide for you. He is not mad at you or anyone else in there. He just needs you to trust Him right now. He will bring you happiness again.” She added, “You still have your Bible, right?”
That’s all I needed to hear. It could not have been clearer that God wanted me to spend extra time while in quarantine with Him. I was grateful for the message and for Jo being His spokeswoman.
Later that afternoon, I settled in for Bible reading and quality quarantine time with God. The Mass readings from the previous week had told the story of Samuel and Eli, so I reread them with a new perspective.
In 1 Samuel 3, Eli helped young Samuel recognize when God was speaking to him. I’m a lot older than Samuel, and Jo is much younger than Eli, but the concept was similar. I’d needed help recognizing God’s voice and presence in the midst of my turmoil. Jo, through her attentiveness to the sermon and willingness to share it, provided that help.
I also started thinking about all the people who have helped me grow in my relationship with God. I have staunchly supportive family, friends, pastoral counselors and God Himself to thank. In the past almost 30 years, His presence has become undeniable, and my awareness has grown exponentially.
The relationships I have are continuous blessings. Through countless letters, phone calls, visits (and the implementation of emails) with these special people, I see how God is working in my life.
Family and old friends who have stood by me since day one, newer friendships I’ve made inside and outside the fences – these people know me best and accept me. They are my support system and a network of praying people. With them I am most vulnerable, sharing joys, worries, successes and anxieties. I count on their honest opinions and advice, but even more so their prayers. God works through them to help me recognize His voice and His messages of unconditional love.
I talked with – “vented to” is more like it – more of my support people about the 14-day, super-strict quarantine and received so much encouragement, advice and prayer in return that I had plenty to draw from for the duration.
Interestingly, the following Thursday, I was put to the test because our 14 days were reset due to another positive test result. I had to apply what I’d learned and believed, what I’d been told first by Jo and reiterated by others: The world was not a happy place right now, and God needed us to trust Him to bring us through and restore our happiness. I had to dig deeper and continue reading the Bible because that’s where the key to happiness is.
I am not alone in my struggle with COVID. Everyone is dealing with it. I am comforted by knowing I don’t have to figure out everything on my own – that’s where the “Eli’s” in my life really shine! I am reminded daily that God is with me. And that is enough.
Michele Williams is an inmate at the Ohio Reformatory for Women.