IMPORTANT UPDATE!!!

 We would like to take a moment to say thank you and express our gratitude for all your love, words of encouragement, prayers, and financial support. Our family remains humbled and truly understands that many of your lives have been severely impacted by the virus and the economy. We never take that for granted. We are in constant prayer for you as we walk alongside one another, sharing together our highs and lows. 

Over the past few weeks, the government of Nicaragua has yet to take action in the prevention of the virus, increasing the risk of exposure. The virus is here in Nicaragua! We believe it is running rampant but numbers are being skewed. The lack of education and prevention from the government has blinded people from the realization that the disease is here and is spreading quickly. The lack of healthcare and resources places people at a higher risk of dying from the virus. Currently, this month is when Nicaragua is supposed to experience the peak of the virus. 

Our family has this burning passion to serve the people of Nicaragua and love them well, but we have been wrestling with whether we should isolate ourselves in order to be protected. We want to practice what we preached to the people 7 weeks ago when we told them to limit interactions with other people and to self isolate. Two blog posts ago, we mentioned that the farm would be a place where families of the ministry, if they chose, could come and live, as a place of refuge. A few families came. Since then, the ministry has invited 14 men from the community, who struggle with drug and alcohol addiction, to the farm, somewhat like a rehab. Throughout their time here, they will continue working on the farm, studying God’s Word, and learning to become better men, husbands, and fathers. Each day more and more people have come to the farm seeking refuge, guidance, and rations. With all that has been going on recently, we have struggled with what our family of 7 should do amidst this difficult time. 

During these times, we have spent hours praying and seeking the Lord, as we make important decisions. Four weeks ago, we made the decision to stay in Nicaragua and not return back to the States as borders were closing. Again, we need to reassess and make a decision. At this point, with an already crumbling economy, no access to healthcare, all borders closed, and no preventative measures such as social distancing or isolation being enforced; our family feels it is most beneficial to seek a place of isolation and refuge for the well being of our family for a time. In the upcoming weeks we will spend our time engaging in intense language learning with the help of an online tutor, hoping to advance in our language. After those weeks, we will be able to gauge if it is safe for our family to return back to the farm. 

This decision has not been an easy one. With that said, we want to ask for prayers like we have not asked before. The virus is here in Nicaragua; it has and will continue to affect the millions of people here. Though our hearts burn with the desire to help all the people in the community, we must think about our longevity on the field, as well as the safety of our children. 

Here are a few specific request you can be praying for over the next few weeks:

• Pray we are able to encounter the Holy Spirit and have our eyes open to the will of the Father

• Pray that God reveals the right time when we should return to the farm.

• Pray for a supernatural ability as we continue to learn Spanish so that when we return to the farm, we are able to communicate more effectively. 

 

Thank you again for your continued love, support, and prayers.