ServingHIM update on COVID-19/Coronavirus

 March 13, 2020

Dear ServingHIM family,

As we approach the upcoming mission travel season, I wanted to give an update and some perspective on the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic that we are all facing.

First, let me say that this pandemic is not a surprise to our God…HE has known of this virus and disease since the beginning of time, and HE continues to reign on HIS throne despite the panic and chaos that seems to surround us! “You alone are the LORD. You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and the seas. You preserve them all, and the angels of heaven worship you.” Nehemiah 9:16

This pandemic has caused each of us to thoughtfully consider our potential risks of exposure and adjust our habits and behavior to mitigate that risk. This does not mean that we should all “hibernate” until the risk has passed! However, we should evaluate certain potential exposures and avoid those that place us at higher risk of contracting this disease.

As COVID-19 has continued to spread across the world, the CDC has made several recommendations that are worth highlighting.

1.     Level 3 travel warnings are in place for China, South Korea, Iran and Italy. The CDC suggests avoiding nonessential travel to these countries. The virus continues to spread aggressively throughout Europe and additional travel restrictions may be initiated.

2.     Individuals over 60 should avoid crowds and non-essential air travel (especially long flights).

Our ministry partners in Romania and Moldova are working hard to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus in their communities and clinics. While the reported numbers of cases in each of these countries is low, they are expected to rise in the coming weeks. Please pray for our ministry partners as they work on the front line of controlling this pandemic in their country. They saw more than 20,000 patients through Diaconia in 2019!

While the incidence of COVID-19 seems to be plateauing in China, the number of cases in Europe and the US continue to climb. These areas are 2-3 months behind the outbreak in China. While we are hopeful that the numbers of new cases will begin to drop as warmer weather arrives, the nature of this virus is not fully understood. It seems likely that the US, Central America and Europe will still be dealing with significant COVID-19 cases into at least the early summer.

Airline travel has been curtailed with major carriers cutting back on capacity. This presents challenges with securing airline tickets in the near-term. Many corporations have limited or ceased all non-essential travel for the next several months to avoid exposure for their teams.

The ServingHIM leadership has been in prayer for several weeks about how the Lord would have us respond to this challenge. We have continued to gather information and have sought the counsel of many.

After much prayer and consideration, we have decided to postpone our mission trips to Romania, Moldova and Guatemala scheduled for the remainder of the 2020 mission season.

While this is disappointing to many, it is the right decision and exhibits good stewardship. If you are scheduled to participate on a ServingHIM team this summer, please contact your team leader with any questions.

Our Lord has plans of which we cannot even conceive for the advancement of His Kingdom as we continue to work with our faithful partners in Romania, Moldova and Guatemala.

I pray that the Lord will bless and keep you as you strive to Serve Him in the days and months ahead.

In His service,

Cam Nelson, MD

Medical Director

ServingHIM