Sr. Barbara Brillant, a Franciscan Missionary of Mary, is writing occasional updates on her work in Liberia for the Huffington Post. Her last piece, dated Sept. 15, talks about her unique perspective on the situation – she has been in Liberia for 37 years.
Titled “All Hell Has Broken Loose in Liberia,” it talks about the resilience of the Liberian people, who have survived a 14-year civil war. But Ebola threatens to undo all that has been rebuilt:
“During the war, you could at least hear the bullets, and you knew when to duck. Ebola is different. It's a silent killer that can spread without people even knowing.”
“What's important right now is for people to know and understand all the facts about Ebola so they can protect themselves and help contain the virus. In the absence of a vaccine or a cure, the only way to stop this outbreak is through education that reaches people in rural communities where information is scarce.”
Brillant explains how ignorance makes everything worse:
“When the virus first appeared in Liberia, most thought it was a hoax. When they were told, "don't leave, stay in your area and report anyone that is sick, " they did the opposite. The situation quickly became chaotic.
Remember, links, tips and accounts of the response to any crisis anywhere in the world are always welcome at dstockman@ncronline.org.
Where should you be?
If you’re on Facebook, you know the quiz craze has struck again. What famous actor are you most like? What color is your aura? What tree should you be? The list goes on and on.
But one stands out from the crowd: PlayBuzz’s “What Catholic Religious Order Fits Your Personality?”
The quiz has you answer questions about how introverted or extroverted you are, choose quotes, saints and popes, and even a favorite color, then names a religious order that allegedly fits your personality.
The quiz certainly not a discernment tool, but it is fun to take and is a good reminder of the amazing variety of orders that exist.
And if you’re wondering, the quiz says I should be a Franciscan sister.
[Dan Stockman is national correspondent for Global Sisters Report.]