When life gives you lemons make lemonade is one of the most referenced sayings of all time, especially when one comes face to face with adversity. For now the world is assumingly, making lots of lemonade thanks to the current global crisis that has affected all spheres of society and social norms like gathering in public, and social constructs like a quick heartfelt handshake or hug.

In a letter on March 17, 2020, the JCAM President highlighted the importance of prioritizing the responsibility of everybody to adhere to the best evidence-based public health advice. In light of new developments and the rising cases of Covid-19 in Kenya, Africama House, the headquarters of the Jesuit Conference of Africa joins the General Curia in Rome, other Jesuit institutions and global companies like Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Twitter, Google and many others in a lockdown in an effort to promote social distancing to alleviate the spread of the virus.

Africama House staff and the Jesuits of the Saint Ignatius community in Karen, Nairobi, on March 24th joined millions of people through a mandatory remote work policy that will see them work from home during these unprecedented times amid the spread of the COVID-19 across the globe. For now then it is realistic to assume that shifting work places to home, embracing virtual classrooms and praying in our houses or online is a new norm for many of us, and for a while, given the announcement by the World Health Organisation that Coronavirus has officially reached ‘pandemic’status.

It is good to note that Africama House is the workspace of the JCAM President Agbonkhianmeghe Orobator SJ, his Socius Fr John the Bapstist Anyeh SJ, the Treasurer Fr Paul Hamill SJ, the Director of Jesuit Justice and Ecology Network (JENA) Fr Charles Chilufya SJ and the Director of the African Jesuit AIDS Network (AJAN) Fr Elphege SJ. From Africama the staff support the work of the common formation centres within the Conference as well as the Jesuit Historical Institute which is hosted by Hekima University College, the Jesuit Development Office, Safeguarding, Communications, Finance, JENA, AJAN and other support staff.

The Jesuits at the Saint Ignatius Community, however, continue to accompany the sick, the medical practitioners risking their lives to help the sick and all those helping out in one way or another to contain this situation through prayer from their rooms. As the JCAM President’s message highlighted we need to be compassionate and be in solidarity with all those affected during this time. As Apostle Paul said “if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honoured, all the members rejoice with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26 “…there is no better time to practice this lesson than at this time when the world is reeling from the ravages of the coronavirus pandemic.

Let’s continue to be one another’s keeper!