How COVID Has Grown My Community

It seems odd, doesn’t it? That a pandemic could actually grow someone’s community? For some, it might be the opposite, but for me, COVID jumpstarted my community growth.

In Kenya, community is a huge part of life. Everyone helps everyone, pitching in when there are difficulties or even big life events. People have large gatherings, with lots of food and fellowship. This was much different than my life in the States, but a good different. At first, this concept of community felt different. But now, I love my community, and I would not change it for the world.

As a TCK and an extreme introvert, I have often struggled to find community and people that I can do life with. I have always struggled to find deep, meaningful friendships, wherever I have lived in the world.

Growing up in the American South, it seemed like hospitality and community should have been foundational in my upbringing. But this was sadly not the case. Often, I felt alone in my community, and never was able to make deep friendships.

When COVID hit, I began to despair. I did not have many friends, nor did I feel quite rooted where I was. I began to see, as the pandemic raged on, a lonely future.

But thankfully, I was wrong.

When we were able to meet again as a church, I began to try to talk to people. And people did the same to me. Even as an introvert, I missed being around people! I began, one by one, to make friends. At first, all the restrictions were hard. Only this amount of people allowed in your home, stand 1 meter apart, wear masks at all times... but once we began to get used to these things, I had true joy again since moving overseas. I had friends who were becoming like family to me.

At first, I was still shy about meeting people and talking with them. Even now, I get nervous around people I do not know. But I have realized that finding a community depends on you just as much as it does on other people. You must be willing and ready to get to know people and let them get to know you.

I turned eighteen during the pandemic, and someone at church gifted me with a beautiful Khanga, one of the traditional Kenyan fabrics. I was so thankful and in awe of this friend’s kindness towards me. I barely knew her, and yet, she gave me such a special gift. She cared about me and wanted to be my friend. I felt so honored and so special that she wanted to give me a gift.

The care of dear friends like this helped me to see the importance of community, even in a pandemic. People were the main reason that I was able to thrive during that time. I felt like I had a safe place to be me. I began to see how much joy and security that community brings. In a missionary’s life, people and community are the most important things to have, especially in a worldwide pandemic.

I thought Covid-19 would ruin the friendships I was trying to build. In fact, the opposite has happened. Even though the virus presented many different obstacles, my community grew drastically. I have enjoyed laughing, eating, discussing books, and fellowshipping with people since the pandemic began. It has looked different at different times during the past year and a half, but I continue to be amazed at how much my community has grown. I now enjoy hanging out with friends and getting to know new people, something that three years ago I could have never imagined. I am thankful that God has brought people into my life that truly care, and who I can do life with, even when the world is going crazy around us. We have learned how to navigate this post-Covid world together, and it has helped us to grow closer together as friends.

Community takes on a new meaning in my country. Before coming to Kenya, this word was not something I understood. Now, even during a pandemic and mask mandates, Kenya has taught me that community means people who laugh, cry, suffer, and walk with you. Community means people that you can be yourself around, that you can discuss deep things with, that you can learn from. Community means much more than the people who live in your neighborhood. Community means family and makes you feel at home, even amidst a pandemic.

Grace M is a TCK in Kenya, where her parents serve as GlobalGrace missionaries