Highland Lakes women of all ages discover friendship amid pandemic
Zy Baig insisted her friendship with Becky Web page is a big motive she’s lived through the pandemic.
“I severely do not assume I could have survived emotionally and physically experienced she not come into my everyday living, and that is not an exaggeration,” explained Baig, sitting across from Website page. “The goodness, the kindness she and her spouse (John) showed me was amazing, and they under no circumstances designed me really feel for a next that I was a load.”
Web page smiled.
“It’s been an honor to provide you, and, for me, I’ve also manufactured a excellent close friend,” Web site mentioned. “Had it not been for this pandemic, we possibly would have hardly ever fulfilled.”
Site is Baig’s shepherd via the Highland Lakes Disaster Network, a volunteer who will help an individual get well from a disaster or offer with a crisis, these kinds of as the COVID-19 pandemic.
To Baig, Web page was the respond to to a prayer she designed in March 2020. Just as the pandemic was using maintain, Baig, who suffers from an car-immune disease, was hospitalized. When she was produced, she was extremely weary and weak. Her disorder puts her in a really significant-risk group for health conditions this kind of as COVID-19.
Even in her weakened condition, Baig tried to shop for groceries but uncovered empty shelves at H-E-B. She could scarcely make it halfway by way of the retail store due to the fact of her wellness.
When she returned to her Cottonwood Shores residence, despair set in. How would she survive if she could not get out of the property?
Baig sent a prayer that evening to God, inquiring for aid.
“The upcoming working day, I read an short article where by Kevin (Naumann) reported if persons necessary assist, connect with the (Highland Lakes Crisis Network),” Baig explained. “I believed, ‘My God, my prayers have been answered.’”
She produced the simply call. Anyone took down her details and promised a further particular person would be in touch.
Site called the following day.
“My guardian angel,” Baig explained Website page.
When the pandemic commenced, Page volunteered to help with the network’s feeding plan, which built foods to deliver to individuals in need across the Highland Lakes.
Baig’s situation was Page’s first time as a shepherd. She managed all of Baig’s searching in the course of the pandemic as very well as other wanted tasks. Page’s husband, John, served get Baig’s motor vehicle running soon after it sat for pretty much a calendar year.
Baig stated Web page even went purchasing for her the working day just before Web page was scheduled for operation in July to eliminate a brain aneurysm.
The standard interaction with Webpage — even from a harmless distance — was just as essential as the buying and additional assistance, Baig reported. For most of the calendar year, Page was her sole get in touch with.
Owing to her auto-immune situation, Baig only went for walks at night to limit get in touch with with some others and lower the possibility of contracting the virus that leads to COVID-19.
Web page introduced peace of brain to Baig and her household, who lives somewhere else.
“They were being happy that I had a person listed here serving to me,” Baig stated.
After her past attempted grocery browsing trip in March 2020, Baig’s future outing was to vote in the presidential election that drop. Page drove her to cast her ballot. Afterwards, Webpage took Baig to a clinic for her initially dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Baig is now fully vaccinated and feels a little safer venturing out.
Although Webpage began as Baig’s shepherd, their marriage has grown into a friendship.
“Every single working day, I’m in this kind of a point out of gratitude for Becky,” Baig explained.
“We probably would have never crossed paths other than for this pandemic,” Webpage included.
Volunteering as a shepherd by means of the Highland Lakes Crisis Community is not the time dedication folks could possibly think it is, Webpage claimed.
“The gains are exponential,” she added.
Test out the HLCN website for data on volunteering or assistance.
When the network’s purpose is to assist people today in occasions of need, friendships typically sort.
“It’s been a supply of consolation for me to have Becky in my lifetime,” Baig mentioned. “I’m so glad to get in touch with her my mate.”
