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A Pastor’s Battle With COVID-19

A leader that survived COVID-19/Corona Virus &Hydroxychloroquine

Prophetess Deborah Allen Interview

Covid-19/Corona Virus is a pandemic that has swept this entire world. However it is an enemy that is being battled! Covid-19/Corona Virus alone has claimed the lives of over 182,000 people nationally. I write this article from a place of reflection, strength, faith, gratefulness and healing. In life we never know what trial we will face. Even as leaders and believers we are not exempt from suffering or sickness. I understand that people tend to believe that believers will not get sick with this virus but that is not true. Life happens to us all. As a pastor and leader we have to be able to lead from a place of strength. Leaders need to lead.

I am a leader that was in quarantine when I was infected with the COVID-19/Corona virus. Also, my husband, Bishop Glen Allen Sr. was infected. This had been a mighty battle of survival for about 3 weeks before a change came. I want to encourage someone that because you have gone through this that you are not alone. Neither has God forgotten about you. But even in the battle of COVID-19/Corona Virus, God is with you. This was a sickness that took all I had to battle. Even being a person in good health it took the hand of God to release healing. Never in my entire life have I experienced sickness like this. It was such a battle just to breathe. I went through over 2 weeks of fever and intense debilitating flu-like symptoms. Fatigue was also a constant companion during this time. Words cannot describe how sick and miserable we were.

As I was under care for Covid-19/Corona Virus the emergency room doctor wanted to admit me. However my husband was home infected and currently have stage IV cancer. My family needed me. I chose not to be admitted so that we could stay at home and battle this sickness together and help each other. I could not stay in the hospital and leave my family during such a crisis. Understand that we had children at home as we battled this Covid-19/Corona Virus. Our girls still at home are 7, 13 and 22. There was a time that all day long we had to clean and sanitize our house. Not only that, to feed them, we had to wear gloves and mask. While trying to sanitize and battle this virus that is threatening to take our lives. I have never known such fear or discouragement. I felt so alone and yet God was with me. There was days that I laid in bed barely clinging to life. I’m truly aware that I should have been numbered with the dead but God. Doing the 2^nd week I had to return to hospital because of my fever and difficulty breathing. It was then that I found out I had pneumonia and was prescribed the medication hydroxychloroquine.

Our health professionals are on the front line doing everything they can to save as many lives as possible. I’m so grateful for their sacrifice and all they do for us all. Hydroxychloroquine is a medication they are using to battle Covid-19/Corona Virus but it does come with some side effects. This medication decreased my ability to breath even more and I had to take sips of air just to breath. I could not walk but a few steps and speak only a few words due to the restriction of air flow and accelerated heart rate. I’m so grateful that I recognized I was having an allergic reaction and two days later had to be switched to another medication. As I laid in my bed it was only God that was sustaining my life. Not only that but the medication caused me to have anxiety and panic attacks. I went through feeling forsaken. I’ve never been so terrified in all my life. Doing my darkest hour God spoke and encouraged me. He proved how much he loved me and he went through the storm with me. This was the turn around and the beginning of my recovery.

Doing this course of sickness, we were still able to pastor. Despite our affliction, we were able to continue church by online means. God always allowed one of us to be able to do the job we were ordained to do. Even when we only had a little strength God allowed us to move forward in ministry. Our desire as leaders was to lead from the place of strength and faithfulness. We wanted people to see how God was a keeper, healer, and his faithfulness. To us, both our dedication, love, the sacrifice were something the Lord saw and honored. It was so important that as leaders we lead at all times. It’s been a month now and God has allowed us to walk back into his sanctuary! What a mighty battle that has been won. Be encouraged for God is a healer and deliverer. America our God is with us. He is bringing us through this pandemic.