Quarantining on Mission - Times are tough so bring your rocking chairs inside!

 Hi friends,

We want to take a minute and share what life has looked like in our little part of the world in the midst of this pandemic. We know everyone is facing unique and difficult times right now, and we are praying alongside you for things to return to “normal” once again! We are always thankful for social media and the ability to communicate regularly with people back home, as well as to stay informed of how things are being handled in our other home.

Some of you have asked, what does social distancing and an economic crisis look like in Costa Rica, and how has it affected your ministry?

·         Driving restrictions were put in place from the very beginning to avoid unnecessary travel and gatherings. We are currently not allowed to drive on Sunday or Monday, or we could face a $200 fine.

·         A curfew was put in place from the beginning, starting at 5pm, which was later extended until 7pm, and now is 10pm. No driving after that time or before 5am, or again, face a fine.

·         Every grocery store or other business had sinks installed by the doors. You must wash your hands before entering, and most places only allow one person inside per family.

·         Church buildings have been closed until at least mid-June. Many people do not have internet in their homes, so we cannot do a live feed like many in the States. We send out pre-recorded sermons via WhatsApp messenger, and listen at the same time in our homes. We have also started up some small groups in homes throughout the week in order to reach and encourage others.

·         The borders of Costa Rica are closed until at least July. Thankfully, our tourist visas have been extended so we will not be penalized for staying in country. If we leave the country, we would not be allowed to re-enter until the borders are open for tourism again. Our trip home in August is currently up in the air, as they continue to push the re-open date later.

·         We have been working on obtaining our temporary residency here, but the Immigration offices are closed, so we are at a stand-still.

·         Statistically, Costa Rica has been doing very well with keeping the number of cases and deaths low. Recoveries are high as people continue to respect the rules put in place. As of today (May 30), there have been 1,047 total cases, 10 deaths, and 658 recovered.

·         Many businesses have been shut down for the time being, and the economy has taken a big hit without any tourism. The normally thriving tourist towns are empty as the borders remain closed.

·         The school year here starts in February, which means the children and high schoolers had one month in school before essentially the rest of the year was canceled – kids are sent packets of homework in hopes they will be able to learn from home. Many parents are not educated enough to help their kids and, again, many do not have online resources available.

·         To the north (Nicaragua), the government refuses to acknowledge what is going on – they have a very high death toll, and no shut down. People try to escape to Costa Rica, which means constant police checks when we do drive (we are about 1 hour from the Nicaraguan border).

·         As people struggle, petty crime goes up. Someone helped themselves to a rocking chair on our front porch one night, meaning Katana earned a new sleeping spot by the front door!

This is just a little perspective on what this worldwide pandemic looks like in other places, remember that God is sovereign and His plan is better than ours, even if we have some crazy hairstyles for a while! As we pray for the people of our church and community, we are also burdened to pray for our friends and family in PA as we see people struggling and tensions rising. 

As a “high risk individual”, there is not too much that is different for me (Samantha) as I live with lupus. I still just have to be careful as my defenses are always low. I am avoiding crowded places and washing my hands like everyone else. I have been taking the now commonly talked about drug, hydroxychloroquine, for over a year now because of my condition, but as far as I know am still just as susceptible to the virus as, again, my defenses are always low.  I am stocked up for now on my meds, and hopefully there will not be a shortage of the drug if others decide to buy it without need!

A large donation for the expansion of the church building came in, so we are taking the time to work on that and look forward to our first time back together in a new sanctuary! This is the first phase in a series of add-ons and modifications we have planned for the ministry building, and we are thankful for all that God has provided thus far. We will continue to pray for funds to complete the rest of the project. If you would like to learn more about what this will look like, or how to give towards our goal, please reach out to us! 

Currently we do not know when we will be back in the States. There are flights out of the country each week (very expensive ones), but even those who have temporary residency would not be allowed back into the country. If we would leave, we do not know when we would be allowed to come back home. Numbers have been staying low here, but a big part of that is not having foreign travel, so we do not know when they will allow it again.

Thank you to everyone for your continued prayer and support in this time, we are so thankful for you! If you would like to know how to give towards us and our ministry here in Costa Rica, please reach out via e-mail - bhoover18@gmail.com. We would also love to hear if you have any prayer requests at this time, or want to share how God is working in your life - we love to hear from you!