Murrells Inlet church gathers to offer prayer at Tidelands Health amid coronavirus
Over 100 churchgoers gathered outside Tidelands Waccamaw Community Hospital Thursday night to pay homage to the doctors and nurses working tirelessly to aid those battling the coronavirus back to health.
With the goal of offering prayer while practicing social distancing, members of Belin Memorial UMC in Murrells Inlet lined up their cars outside the hospital’s main entrance, waving signs, honking their horns and flashing their lights in solidarity. The roughly 30-minute vigil offered words of encouragement, prayer and hope to remind workers they are supported.
“We want to show them that we thank them for what their willing to do, we pray for them, we encourage them and we appreciate that they would do their jobs in a way that helps our society continue to function,” Belin’s Senior Pastor Rev. Will Malambri said. “Things that many of us don’t have to do, they have to do, and because of their willingness to do that, we are better and we are grateful.”
Georgetown County currently has 15 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with neighboring entity Horry County accounting for 50 cases and four deaths. South Carolina currently has 1,554 cases overall, including 31 reported deaths. The total number of positive COVID-19 cases among patients tested at Tidelands Health facilities is 23, Tidelands Spokesperson Dawn Bryant said.
Attendees from the over 2,400-member congregation waved signs reading “Not all heroes wear capes” and “Praying for you” while Jim Sellers, director of traditional worship at Belin, led the group in singing, “Amazing Grace” and “We’ve Got The Whole World In Our Hands.” Volunteer Chaplin Kathy Sharpe offered words of prayer.
Those in attendance stressed the need for health care workers to understand how appreciated they are during this health crisis, with many adding that prayer is the one thing people can still rely on. Murrells Inlet resident Jennifer Smith said it’s important to have faith in God right now.
“It’s comforting,” resident Sharon Champagne said. “To have faith, it takes that fear away by knowing that God is in control.”
Smith added that the prayer the congregation offered Thursday night expressed a level of love and support that hopefully encourages that those impacted by the coronavirus won’t be alone in this fight to restore health and peace.
With folks encouraged to stay home, attendee Jodie Rowe said the gathering was the perfect way to offer support while adhering to the guidelines of social distancing. She said it’s difficult right now to do something that feels like you’re helping when people are asked to stay home.
“I felt like this was something I could do to be supportive,” Rowe said. “So many people are probably feeling alone or by themselves right now just because you don’t have that social interaction, so seeing that we can do something as a group, even still distanced, is still really important for people’s well-being.”
As most health care workers in the Intensive Care Unit lined up along the hospital windows waving to the dozens of churchgoers, several stood outside expressing their gratitude and praying along with the group. Some nurses said it was heartwarming to see complete strangers take time out of their day to offer a their appreciation.
Nurse Lauren Collins said that she’s been dealing with an immense amount of stress and anxiety, but said the congregation’s efforts was very emotional. Nurse Brittany Grant added that while it’s been an exhausting few weeks, she is proud of her colleagues, community and the fact that she’s an employee at Tidelands Health.
“Working for this hospital, every single day we come in and we have a lot of support, but it is very heartwarming today,” Grant said. “We’re holding back the tears just knowing that we have a community behind us and knowing that every single thing we do is appreciated.”
