The year 2020 was unusual and difficult for people all over the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I myself never thought I would live in a time where everyone would be walking around with a face mask in public. Since the outbreak began one year ago, in January 2020, many people have questioned the effectiveness of face masks, and many recent studies have shown their true scientific effectiveness.
While some face masks are single-layer masks made up of non-woven fabric or wood pulp tissue paper, others are made from 100% cotton, but the most effective masks seem to be N95 masks, but often times the consumer does not know the differences between one or the other. Photo by Molly Munoz
“Someone who only knows one country, knows no country.” Those were the wise words of the New Yorker, Seymour Martin Lipset, not in the context of international travel but in politics. Numerous Americans are still confident the world revolves around the USA and only around the USA. However, for those who find at least a bit of truth in Lipset’s statement, they will recognize democracy elsewhere in world, specifically in Germany.
A flag waves in front of the “Bundestag” in Berlin, Germany. The building’s construction took almost a decade before being completed in 1894, and, after extensive reconstruction in the 1990s, it currently houses Germany’s parliament. Photo by Pxfuel
During the worldwide peak of coronavirus in spring, the metropolitan streets were as empty as supermarket shelves, people feared leaving the house, and all restaurants and shops closed. With the promise of President Donald Trump to approve a vaccine soon and to steer society toward a normal life, one question must be raised: Will there be normal life as we knew it? One thing is clear, humans will survive the virus, but how will it affect our future and our perception of “normal”?
A common view at stores across the country during the COVID-19 pandemic: missing grocery essentials and empty shelves. As widespread lockdowns and quarantines loomed, Americans rushed to get essentials, leading to shortages of many widely used items. Photo by Dan Keck
Spiritual crises, as difficult as they can be in the life of a young Christian, are necessary for a person to truly understand and own their faith. Even though it was the most difficult period of my life, I wouldn’t hesitate to go through it again because I discovered what I truly believed and who I am. This is what I found during my own spiritual journey.
This verse from the Bible has brought me great inspiration in my own faith journey: “If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.” –Jeremiah 29:13 Photos courtesy of Madisyn House
There’s an idea prominent in the business world that proclaims “the customer is always right.” This overused company framework has led to a toxic sense of entitlement and a need for instant gratification among consumers, which in turn, has made working in customer service a dreaded job among many.
Ratna Rani Das works at the Dhanmondi branch of retail super shop chain Meena Bazar in Dhaka, Bangladesh. She is working during COVID-19 and considers her work to be an essential service to help customers during the pandemic. Photo and caption courtesy of UN Women/Fahad Abdullah Kaizer
Here are some interesting facts about MBU Timeline, the student newsmagazine of Missouri Baptist University, in St. Louis:
*Our mission statement is: MBU Timeline is the student news network of Missouri Baptist University, a private Christian university that embraces the essential core value of “social change through service and leadership.”
*The Bible verse that drives our mission is 2 Timothy 2:15 (Worldwide English Version): “Tell the true message in the right way.”
*The WordPress website has been up since late-fall 2013. We average about 3,000 sessions and about 5,000 pageviews per month.
*Our stories and galleries get as few as 40 or 50 hits, or as many as 8,000 hits.
*We have readers in every state and more than 90 countries around the world. We have several readers in South America, the United Kingdom, India and Australia.
*Most of our readers are in Missouri, followed by Illinois, California and Texas.
*We do not accept advertising as we are a not-for-profit online newsmagazine.
*We welcome contributors from all walks of MBU life, regardless of your major. Reach out to us on Twitter at: @mbutimeline.
While some face masks are single-layer masks made up of non-woven fabric or wood pulp tissue paper, others are made from 100% cotton, but the most effective masks seem to be N95 masks, but often times the consumer does not know the differences between one or the other. Photo by Molly Munoz
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