I was so pleased to see this update from Sarah Whang this past week regarding our initiative to sew cloth/N95 masks for our medical professionals on the frontline of this virus.

A huge THANK YOU to our 15 Sew-ists from CHBC and our community who worked hard to sew >240 Cloth masks/ N95 Cover masks. They were delivered to UNC Hospital COVID Supply Team this afternoon. This team was formed and was ready for action as soon as the CDC changed their recommendation for everyone to wear cloth masks in public.  We prayed that God will protect the wearers of each of these masks. This effort was a tangible way our church and our community partnered with our local hospitals to assist in the mask shortage during this pandemic. 

Our next phase is to provide these cloth masks to our isolated high risk older folks in our congregation and the community. If you know someone who needs one, please let Emily Williams know at emily@biblechurch.org. 

Sarah Whang

The team members are: Laura McPherson, Mimi Huang, Genena Land, Angel Lackey, Kristen Wilson , Fran Kanach , Adam & Olivia Enggasser, Scott Sikes, Patty Matthews, Karen Piplani, Betty Gardner, Emily & Byron Williams, Cindy Clark.

We would like to introduce to you one of our volunteers, Angelica Lackey, who has penned her experience below. 

I am a public health student (MPH), aspiring medical student, and volunteer at UNC Lineberger. As I experienced my life and the lives of those around me dramatically shift, I was constantly praying to God regarding where I should give my time to help our community. The constant statements by medical personal about the lack of PPE really upset me. My family has always sewn, so I assumed I likely could too. I just needed a sewing machine. Would buying a sewing machine be wise stewardship of the resources God has given me and my husband? 

When I saw the call to action for seamstresses from CHBC, a sewing machine moved from “saved for later” to “in transit” shortly after. It was quite the learning curve, but I can now sew without referencing the manual and picture diagrams! 

Sewing masks for UNC has been meaningful on many levels. As a Christian, it is important for me to act on God’s prompting to help His children for His glory. And my identity first as a Christian and then as a public health student means that I have to be more than a good example, I need to provide others with what they need to be one too. One of the many idols I have dethroned during this COVID season has been that of “needing to do something big.” Every effort put forth for HIs glory is big in His book. Working behind the scenes to provide cloth mask as a backup for our local hospital- whether at the bedside or assembling face shields – is how God instructed me to focus on collaboration instead of competition. Challenging times like these take an entire community to overcome. I am grateful to be a part of CHBC’s!

Angelica Lackey