Experiencing a Pandemic as a Biracial Teen

    As I'm sitting at my kitchen table looking out at the dark sky, I'm reflecting on how the covid-19 has affected me and my family so far. For fourteen years, I lived on the island of Haiti. My family and I were missionaries in the country. Since I could remember I had always been actively helping my parents lead hurricane relief efforts, build churches, and share the Bible  to the natives of the country. About three years ago, my family and I moved to the U.S. Our transition to Kentucky has been strenuous as is, but little did we know what was awaiting us in 2020. 

    Looking back to March, I was at my high school's track finishing up my last lap for the day, getting ready for the first race of the season. Everyone had practiced really hard and was ready to take on our first race. We had all heard rumors stating that few high schools had shut down due to a virus that was rapidly spreading. My team and coaches were confident, however, that our school wouldn't soon do the same. However, the very next day we received news that not only was our school being shut down, but there was going to be a nationwide lockdown. I can't really explain in words what was going through my mind at the moment, however, I do remember thinking about my extended family living in Haiti. 

    As the days kept going, the virus seemed to continue to spread more rapidly and globally. When I had seen that it reached Haiti, I felt extremely uneasy. I knew how expensive, yet terrible the healthcare was in the country, and was afraid that if someone in my extended family caught the virus, they wouldn't be able to recover from it. 

    A couple weeks later, I heard news that my Gran (Haitian Creole for Grandma), and Tati( Haitian Creole for Aunt) were extremely sick. I then began to worry even greater wondering if they had caught the virus. My family and I talked to them over the phone daily, checking to make sure they weren't getting worse. My aunt and grandma had no idea whether they had the virus or not and with the country attempting to lock down, riots were occurring frequently making it unsafe for them to leave their house and visit a doctor. With the help of home remedies, they were able to recover slowly. However, I don't know what would have been more painful, actually being badly ill, or being ill and recovering, without knowing if you had this globally disastrous virus.

    As this pandemic continues around the world, it has been extremely painful knowing that my extended family isn't all together or at least on the same land mass. My immediate family and I constantly call to see how they are doing, as that is all that we can do at the moment to help.