Strange the circumstances the Lord protects you from or strengthens you for. In the age of Corona virus I am silently thankful. Not for the devastation that the virus has left in its wake, but for the preparation the Lord gave me a few months ahead.
Let me explain:
A few months prior to this outbreak and before I received a miracle job in September 2019, I was facing the hardest period in my life I had ever faced.
Without revealing to much I was bullied into an agreement that cut my salary in half successfully putting below the bread line and into poverty. I was in a desperate situation, I could no longer afford things, not even my rent. I ran through my savings in 3 months just to keep a roof over my head and eventually scrapped what pride I had left and dragged myself to the Department of Labour to hear what my rights were in such a situation. They gave me positive news and started a claim process for me, but my employer refused to fill in the U19 form because they disputed with them that I was still employed with them and had not lost my job. (By the way, you can claim UIF if you have a loss of income, even when your salary has been cut in half due to demotion or other factors.)
Ignorance is an ugly thing I realised then. It blinds people to others suffering. I ran between the Dept of Labour and hustle jobs for months just to keep a roof over my head. I learnt how the UIF registration process works, how to claim and what the requirements were. I never could claim UIF as my employer refused to fill in and sign the necessary documentation.
I learned valuable lessons that would save me and prepare me for the times we now find ourselves tightly boxed in. I learnt how to save, I learnt the difference between what I need and what I want. I cancelled subscriptions and unnecessary expenditure items. I learnt how to work with my money and eventually after tossing and turning decided to go under debt review just because my salary could no longer support the debt I had made. It was the wisest decision I ever made and gave me the relief I needed to continue to live. In a time where most South Africans are now facing temporary unemployment because of the lock down I am thankful for the procedures I learnt then. No work no pay is a norm right now and unfair. My heart goes out South Africans that do not where their next salary is coming from. It hurts my heart because I know how it feels. I have been there and I feel deeply for those struggling to sleep because of it.
These lessons I could not have learnt if I did not go through that event in my life. God prepares you, He is for you, not against and I believe the same for the current times we live in. We will overcome, we will because of our faith, our hope and overcome spirit as a nation. I have gone into scripture since the outbreak and have had a deep peace that I and my family will be okay since the virus has entered on South African soil. It has been a stressful time but I have known what to do and how to react to it because I have been prepared for it and I thank God for it. I am by no means saying it is easy but what I am saying is that I know God is in control. Again scriptures have saved me. Jeremiah 29:11, Psalm 91 and 1 Timothy 1:7. We are going to be okay and I know it in my soul.
Keep the faith everyone, be strong and do not let ignorance rule the order of the day.
Sending my love to all.
T