Blog note. Jesus indicated that ‘fearful sights’ (various natural disasters) would occur leading up to the time known as the Tribulation and Great Tribulation (a combined seven year period of great destruction on earth). Although these types of things have occurred in the past for centuries and thousands of years, they could be identified as the ‘season of the times’ due to the ferociousness of these events. They would be occurring in greater intensity, severity, frequency, size, duration, scope … just like the pains that a woman experiences in labor the farther along she is in the labor process. We are in the ‘season of the times’ that comes just before the seven (7) year Tribulation/Great Tribulation period
… And great earthquakes shall be in diverse places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. (Luke 21:11).
… And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; (Luke 21:25)
… Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken; (Luke 21:26)
… This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. (2 Timothy 3:1)
Jesus is giving a series of prophecies about what to look for as the age of grace comes to a close. These verses are several of many such prophecies from throughout the Bible. 2017 was the worst year in recorded history for the intensity, frequency, severity, duration and occurrence of a large number of severe natural disasters worldwide. Earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, typhoons, cyclones, torrential flooding, unprecedented wildfires in unusual places, devastating droughts, excessive/scorching heat setting records everywhere, record snowfalls in Europe and Russia. Snow in the Arabia. This list can go on. Most studied Eschatologists believe these ‘fearful sights’ and massive natural disasters are all part of the ‘CONVERGENCE’ of signs that this Biblical and prophetic age is closing. Most people who study prophecy are familiar with the routine reference(s) made that these things will be like a woman having labor pains, growing in intensity, frequency, size and duration.

A new wave of violence in DRC could cause Ebola to spiral out of control

11 JULY 2019 . telegraph.co.uk

A new wave of ethnic violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is threatening to undermine efforts to prevent the spread of Ebola into other parts of East Africa and beyond.

A fresh outbreak of fighting in Ituri province means that thousands of families may be forced to flee across the Ebola zone of neighbouring North Kivu. The director general of the World Health Organization, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, warned on Tuesday that political instability will worsen the epidemic.

Humanitarian agencies have been warning for months that Ebola is spiralling out of control, threatening a repeat of the West Africa outbreak that killed more than 11,000 people. A mass movement of people within north eastern DRC, the heart of the disaster zone, could be catastrophic.

During a visit to North Kivu this weekend, international development secretary Rory Stewart noted the critical funding gap – calling out European countries which have offered “strikingly little”. Without an increase in financial support Ebola will continue to rage on.

Health workers and humanitarian staff remain worked to the bone, trying to halt the outbreak in a war zone while fighting for desperately-needed resources.

If protection protocols were properly followed and those infected sought early treatment Ebola could be contained relatively quickly, but this demands community cooperation. In the DRC, where distrust of the aid response has resulted in attacks on treatment centres and even the murder of aid workers, this is a difficult task.

It means the response must work with trusted community groups and leaders. Prevention and awareness is just as important as treatment.

Religious leaders like pastors and imams are particularly trusted by their communities in North Kivu. They are a highly effective but grossly underused weapon in the fight against Ebola.

World Vision has reached 12 per cent of religious leaders in at-risk communities so far, and have begun enlisting the help of leaders in Goma, anticipating a spread into the major trade hub bordering Rwanda.

The strategy is working, but we desperately need greater international support to expand it further. Halting Ebola in a conflict zone requires a unique mix of public health skills to deal with the potential pandemic. Doctors and health workers need to be peace builders, negotiators, broadcasters and training experts.

And this needs to be part of a holistic response – with increased focus on other pressing humanitarian needs. Part of the distrust that has hampered aid workers is resentment about apathy over long-term health problems like cholera and measles.

We are at a crossroads. More than 2,400 people have contracted Ebola, and 1,630 have died. Transmission may be reducing in some hotspots, but cases are accelerating in other areas. Only one active case is needed for the threat to persist.

Health workers in Uganda appear to have averted an international catastrophe for now, but the risk remains high in other neighbouring countries. Ebola has been reported just 43 miles from the South Sudan border, where unlike Uganda, local health networks would struggle to cope with an outbreak.

I wish this weren’t a familiar scenario. It was only five years ago that health workers in West Africa issued a similar ultimatum: either invest in preventing Ebola, or wait for it to appear on your doorstep.

Like many people who fought on the frontlines of the worst outbreak in history, I’ll never forget the three long years of preventable suffering. Ebola results in an incredibly painful and dehumanising death.

For almost an entire year we’ve implored time and time again that investment in prevention is critical. Dr Tedros has warned that international health systems are only as “strong as the weakest link”.

My message to world leaders is this: don’t wait until Ebola is threatening your own borders before acting. 

Dr Agoustou Gomis is the Ebola virus disease project coordinator for World Vision DRC

If the international community doesn’t step up its game, we can expect Ebola to spread. It will kill more people, tear more families apart and leave countless more children orphaned. 

Pestilence

Disease

Death

Virus

Bacteria

Superbugs

Contagion

Epidemic

Pandemic

Spreading from one person to another

Perilous times have come

Pestilence spreading around the world

Pestilence in diverse places

Disease spreading around the world

Disease in diverse places

Disease increasing in frequency

Disease increasing in size

Disease increasing in strength

Disease increasing in durationIncreasing like the pains of a woman in la