We recognize that you are receiving a lot of information related to the Covid-19 pandemic, and do not want to add stress or overwhelm to the situation. In fact, we hope to reduce some of the negative impact by sharing information about the essential reproductive health services that we continue to offer at Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic.
We are facing unprecedented challenges and uncertainty, but it is heartening to observe that the larger Alaska community has stepped up to mitigate community spread of Covid-19. If anyone is uncertain what we’re referring to, the State of Alaska and CDC Covid-19 websites are great resources for getting up to speed.
As of March 23, we have scaled back in-person visits at the clinic, but we are still offering some of our core services: if you need to get or change birth control, pick up condoms, or get an STI test please call us at (907) 235-3436 and leave a message to let us know what you need and how to reach you.
Providing high-quality services to our clients in person is one of the most important parts of the work we do, which meant that our decision to discontinue on-site appointments was a difficult one. We are working diligently to develop a tele-health program that would allow us to connect with you for a healthcare visit via telephone or video. The Title X and KBFPC priority remains providing excellent reproductive healthcare care that is as comprehensive as possible.
By taking these actions now we reduce the risk of more severe measures in the future. That said, this is a rapidly evolving situation and this plan will be updated as necessary.
We thank you for your understanding and cooperation in keeping our community healthy.
With some of our staff now working remotely in order to help protect Team KBFPC & the larger Homer community, we have found new ways to stay connected. The agency’s core staff, and occasional Peer Educators, join a quick video meeting every work day – which Tyler proposed we refer to as Fika. We have three questions that everyone responds to, the first two remain the same and the third one is selected by a different team member each day. We’re even mixing up the order of speaking with additional “getting to know you facts” such as alphabetical order by middle name.
This 11am oasis of connection is a highlight of my day. This pandemic is bringing many difficulties and negative impacts – but there are also some true gains. Our team is building cohesion and bonding in a way we’ve never had the opportunity to do before.
This #3 prompt was provided by Analise and I shared the story behind the vanity plates on my car.
~ Catriona
Kairos
“There are two different types of time. Chronos time is what we live in. It’s regular time, it’s one minute at a time, it’s staring down the clock till bedtime time, it’s ten excruciating minutes in the Target line time, it’s an unknown period of work from home, it’s when will I next hug my friends time. Chronos is the hard, slow passing time we often live in.
Then there’s Kairos time. Kairos is God’s time. It’s time outside of time. It’s metaphysical time. Kairos is those magical moments in which time stands still. I have a few of those moments each day, and I cherish them.”
That is my modified excerpt from a blogpost “Don’t Carpe Diem” that I came across in 2011. I have shared it many times, particularly with new parents. And it’s a concept that resonates with me on the daily. Especially now.
I hope you all have glimpses of and immersions in some Kairos time every single day.