"We're being quarantined here.
We're being kept here to die."
from the film 'Ruins'
Our classes were avid SARS watchers; certainly no one wanted to come down with it. The medical staffs stayed on duty...not leaving the hospitals. Quarantine was the 'word of the day'...and those in charge were clamping down on travel, etc.
When we shopped for groceries and things at Carrefour (the store of choice for us) we lined up to have our temperatures checked before entering...like the thousands of other shoppers. Everyone, but everyone was 'masked'. I never noticed anyone being turned away so I suppose all of us were 'healthy'. Who was to know...except the police and in China? The police know everything...really!
At that time travel between provinces (like our states) was prohibited which presented a problem for some; such as lovers separated by miles! You remember what that's like? I'm sure...of course you do. 'Off Limits' is not what they want to hear so what to do w/an aching heart?
Why you take action of course...
in this case one sneaks across the border into our province of Hunan and into the city itself...Changsha...and into the down room of his lady love herself.
Our friend April stayed out of the picture and kept her mouth shut about what was going on...but remember? The police know everything...
they have eyes and ears in every corner...oh yes they do!
Don't call them 'snoops' for nothing!
(You don't suppose we have those here in the U.S. do you?)
Sense of humor w/masks! SARS quarantine hospital; closed 2010.
Some informer squealed and the raid was on. Oh my, along w/her roommate's boyfriend and the roommate...April was to be deposited in the quarantine prison on our campus
While processing to the quarantine facility she sneaked upstairs to our apartment...stopped on the landing and left a letter she had written. She wouldn't come near us; tearfully walked off...saying we would never want to see her again...ever!
The letter was rather like a 'death-bed confession' of everything she'd ever done wrong, trust me, everything. Convinced she was going to die, she bared her past...laying it at our feet.
"When you get caught in a lie,
the truth doesn't seem so bad anymore."
She was horrified, humiliated and totally ruined...in her eyes, that is. While it was anything but humorous to her but M and I couldn't help but smile at the irony.
M & I weren't surprised by anything she'd confessed...we had already figured out what was going on in her life months prior to SARS. After all, at our ages we were more than experienced and besides, we were fairly smart cookies!
She rode out the quarantine...didn't contract SARS and we had lots of heart-to-heart talks and lessons were learned; she vowed never, ever to lie again. As far as we know this story has a happy ending. Whew!
While the quarantines were in effect the international inspection teams visited Beijing, taking stock of how China was handling the epidemic. It was almost laughable; the hospitals would load the suspected SARS patients into ambulances and tour the city during the inspections...then return the patients to the hospitals when the inspectors were safely out of the city.
In no way do I mean to take epidemics lightly; they are extremely serious and dangerous. I merely share with you what took place in our lives during the SARS epidemic in 2003. Illnesses come and go; some worse than others. These days the world is plagued with Ebola which is extremely deadly...we're learning more, day by day.
Fortunately for those of us living in the USA we have first class medical care and facilities...we have much to be thankful for. China made it through SARS and other things in these past few years. They handle it in their own way...our country handles epidemics in our own way...to each their own.
China is old...and she is changing at break-neck speed; still maintaining traditions w/a fascinating culture. Michael and I have been privileged to witness the 'real China' and the experience continues changing our lives...for the better.
"Heavenly Father,
You chose Michael and me for something that we never dreamed of;
revealing you to those who didn't know you...in China!
We remain in awe of your love and your confidence in us...
we are an ordinary couple that you chose for something extraordinary.
It seems you had been prepping us for this most of our lives...
we just hadn't realized it until it you put it into action...
as always your timing is perfection.
Being 'spirit-led' is one blessed gift that you have given us...
thank you for protecting us, trusting us, encouraging us
and putting us where you meant us to be.
We remain conduits for your living water.
Thank You, In your son's most holy name...Amen"
From my heart...to yours,
Vasca
It's kind of funny now but at the time.......
ReplyDeleteYou have had such interesting experiences.
Yeah...we can laugh about it now. And we really have had some unusual experiences! Michael was quarantined a few years ago in Qingdao when the bird flu was active...at least it was in a 5 Star hotel. Thanks for reading and especially appreciate your comments.
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