A visitor called recently.  We hadn’t met for a long time.  Our conversation went in many directions; at times we just sat in silence looking out at the sea here in Bettystown.  The tide was in, and by the time we had finished that afternoon it was away on the horizon.

After one such silence she said to us: “ did I ever tell you about my Covid experiences?”  Nadi is Nigerian, a citizen of  Ireland for many years, and working in one of our regional hospitals.  She lives in a housing estate in a fast-growing town from which she travels to work. She has many neighbours some of whom she has only ever seen but has never spoken to.  Next door there is a large intergenerational Irish family living in the elderly, infirm grandmother’s house.  Because one of the younger members has been involved in drugs all  the neighbours shun this  family.

Nadi got Covid shortly before the vaccine was available and being a nurse she was removed from her home in an ambulance with attendants dressed up in the weird looking outfits that became so familiar and are now recent history.  Fortunately she made a rapid recovery and was delivered home again in an ambulance; all the neighbours saw her going and coming.  People were afraid to visit, to go near others, and most of all to go anywhere near someone with Covid so she was left alone.  A note appeared in her letter box on the first day home:  “Nadi, can I help you?  I am next door.  I have left  food including some different fruits in the porch and I found grapes from  South Africa for you.  Tell me if you need medicine or anything.  I will get it for you.  You are a nurse and help us all and you have been sick.  We are not bad people. I am not a bad person – Granny.”  No one else made contact during that really worrying time which Nadi fully understood and respected.  All her needs were taken care of by this  woman who always signed off as:  ‘we are not bad people – Granny.’  A true neighbour!

In the course of the conversation she spoke of a recent visit back to Nigeria during which she and her two nephews went to Cameroon.  She wished to see a family there who had helped her greatly, and she feared she may not meet the old couple again.  They travelled a long two-day journey by car arriving safely; her nephews visited the area while she stayed with the family both days.  On the return journey  the heat was immense and their car overheated.  They were in the middle of nowhere and still in Cameroon.  The men looked to see what they needed and said the car needed coolant but if they could get water this would help for now.  Nadi got out, walked around in the sweltering sunshine, and thought she saw someone near what turned out to be a riverbed.  She was right: there was a heavily pregnant,  young, woman  chopping wood with a heavy axe.  Nadi spoke about her problem and the woman immediately offered the large canister of water she had; she also had a much smaller water container but was adamant that Nadi should take the bigger one.  This was a lifesaver from a pregnant stranger in a  foreign country in the hottest imaginable time of day.  When parting Nadi insisted on giving her all the Cameroonian franks (CFA) she had left as they were going on to Nigeria.  It was a large sum for this young woman.  Nadi suggested she go to a hospital to get help for her imminent delivery.  When describing  how the woman received the monetary gift Nadi held up her arms  in prayer saying this is what the woman did, clutching the notes tightly in her hands and thanking God in a  pose of intense prayer, awe and gratitude.  There were no words.

When departing we thanked Nadi for coming  and agreed that three people had visited us: the caring elderly Irish neighbour from the “not good family,” the pregnant stranger on the road in Cameroon who gave away the precious water and nurse Nadi  – three special women. It was Trinity Sunday – a gift of Three in so many ways.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.