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How a New Family Friendship Endured During Covid-19

By Laura Leigh
7/6/2020

Getting Matched

“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Cor. 13:7). This verse should be the anthem of all of our Family Friendships, and it is especially true of the Family Friendships that started during COVID-19. And none more so than the Friendship between Lisa and Crystal.

These two women were matched by Safe Families when Crystal called looking for help with her kids while she recovered from back surgery. Lisa says that they met, “six days before the world went crazy” or the start of Safer at Home measures in March 2020.

In those first few days, everything went according to plan. The first thing Lisa practically did as a Family Friend was to watch Crystal’s children while she went in to the hospital to get some tests done.

But then a few days later, Crystal came down with COVID-19, which unfortunately meant that the two could no longer meet in person.

Both women could very well have given up on this new friendship given the chaos of Covid-19, but they persevered.

Perseverance

Covid-19 did not stop their friendship. Lisa stepped in to help in unique ways. She delivered hot soup to Crystal’s door. She delivered medicines. She brought a humidifier to Crystal’s home. She checked in with frequent phone calls. They prayed together. According to Lisa, they twice saw a direct turnaround in circumstances after praying together.

After Crystal recovered from the virus, Lisa was also able to help her move by packing up her family’s belongings outside rather than inside.

All that to say that the friendship endured. Lisa walked through this turbulent season with Crystal as an aunt or a lifelong friend would, all while keeping socially distant and being mindful of exposure.

Final Thoughts

Now that the state is opening up again, Crystal reflected on her friendship with Lisa and said, “Even despite Covid-19, our friendship has been really smooth. What I love about Lisa is she is very non-judgmental.”

Lisa says, “This Family Friendship has been so different because we have not been seeing each other in person all the time. But our story does illustrate something I’m passionate about. In times of crisis, the Church should mobilize to do something. Just do something. Bring the soup, or the meds, or even the food for the pet lizard! Just don’t do nothing.”

We are so proud of the way the friendship between Lisa and Crystal has gone during Covid-19. Eight other Family Friendships started during this season, and all of them have endured.

If you are interested in becoming a Family Friend, please email milwaukee@safefamilies.net.