Donnie
Roark
Groups & Outreach
Pastor at Eastside
Christian Church
Definition of leadership:
The ability to engage, equip,
and empower other future lead-
ers. I believe that everyone has
the ability to be a leader in some
capacity. Not all forms of lead-
ership are about being front and
center. Some forms of leadership
are in the background.
How has the coronavirus outbreak impacted your life most and
what will you tell future generations about COVID-19 from your
perspective?
The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted my daily life. I have been work-
ing from home, and my wife has been temporarily laid off. So with both of us at
home, we are adjusting to that work from home balance. We have an 9 month old
at home, so we have enjoyed the additional time spent with him. This pandemic
has impacted me in other ways as well. I have multiple family members, including
my mother, who serve in the medical field on the front lines every day. I also have
a brother with Cystic Fibrosis who could be severely impacted if the virus were to
reach him, so we are keeping that in mind in all that we do.
I would tell my son and future generations, that this virus reminded me that God
has designed and created us to be in relationship with others. The whole social
distancing recommendations have made that much more difficult. Thankfully we
have amazing technology now and can still connect, but I think I have learned that
it still isn’t quite the same as in-person interaction. So I would tell them to deeply
value the relationships that they have, and never give up meeting with one another.
We all truly need each other to get through times like we are going through.
May / June 2020
43