Verna Geldreich looks out the living room window of her apartment at The Heartland assisted living facility. The world outside seems far away as the sun begins its descent, splashing orange hues on the homes across the street. It’s been hours since she last spoke. The loneliness, a frequent visitor since the recent lockdown, tries to creep in like a shadow. But Geldreich is strong. She glances at the clock. Her iPad sits on the table, waiting.

It’s almost time.

She types in the code and settles into her recliner. Within seconds, dozens of familiar faces appear on the screen. Families wave and smile and greet her by name. For the next couple of hours, the feeling of isolation disappears.

“How grateful I am that we can have our meetings on the internet,” Geldreich said in a recent news release from the Jehovah’s Witnesses. 

Since the beginning of the pandemic, congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses, including hers in Powell, shifted their religious services and ministry from in-person to virtual, from house-to-house visits to telephone calls and letter writing.

In regard to the recent lockdown to protect the safety of Heartland’s residents, Geldreich explained, “We have to stay in our rooms all the time.”

However, instead of allowing her circumstances to overtake her, Geldreich focuses on the positive aspects of her situation.

“I use my tablet,” she said. “I’m able to see friends and hear what’s happening in their lives, and that’s really helpful.”

In fact, even while under these restrictions, Geldreich keeps a busy schedule with the help of technology, which she has gradually learned to use over the past couple of years.

“On Tuesdays, I try to go to my daughter’s congregation meetings in South Dakota, and then on Saturday mornings, I meet with my congregation for my ministry work,” she said.

Geldreich’s ministry involves joining fellow believers virtually and writing letters to share an encouraging Bible verse with her neighbors.

“At my age — this month I’ll be 89 — I can get about four letters written a week,” she said with a chuckle.

In total, Geldreich attends about four meetings a week on Zoom. She also spends time every day studying the Bible with the use of her iPad, and she even knows how to operate her Roku to watch her favorite programs.

“She loves to visit and see how friends are doing,” said a staff member who regularly checks in with Geldreich. “She logs in to her meetings early and spends 15 to 20 minutes visiting friends before it starts.”

Time spent on her favorite website for Bible-based content, jw.org, with articles like “How to Deal with Isolation” also help.

“What would I do without it?” she said. “What a blessing.”

Although the future is uncertain because of coronavirus variants, Geldreich feels prepared for whatever may happen.

“God is always just a prayer away,” she said. “We just have to call on him. He gives us what we need to deal with any situation.”