April Birthday Celebrations!

Our family has experienced some good times this month celebrating DeLynn's 39th birthday!

At the end of March, we celebrated with DeLynn's family in PA. It was very nice to be with them.

At the beginning of April, we celebrated DeLynn's birthday first with our wonderful intercessors at one of our supporting churches, Vineyard Northridge. Thanks Michelle for making him a wonderful cake! It was funny though, after we ate the cake, we all had blue teeth and blue tongues!

On the 13th, my dad treated us to City Barbeque. Yum!

And then on the 14th, (his actual birthday) we celebrated his birthday with my brother and sister-in-law at Outback Steakhouse. Another Yum!

But the celebration didn't stop there!

We took a family vacation in Houston, Texas over Easter. We were invited by our wonderful friends, Dean and Debbie Corbin, to spend time at their ranch to relax and did we have fun!!!!! The best part was the SUN! It was so nice to get out of cold and dreary OH and actually enjoy the sun ALL day, every day!

We swam and had water fights, sat in the jacuzzi for as long as we could, rode four wheelers, played WII, ate awesome corn dogs, went shopping, and sang Kariokee, where we laughed like crazy!

Then to top it all off, we were treated to The Taste of Texas, to celebrate DeLynn's birthday! Wow! Saying that the steak was so good, doesn't even come close to how it really tasted! It makes my mouth water, just thinking about it! DeLynn ate a 3.2 oz steak! Yes, he ate it all! He was a very happy birthday man that day! Thank you Dean and Debbie!

Another treat was spending Easter Sunday with Kingwood Vineyard, another supporting church. It was so good to see friends that we've made over time!

Thank you friends and family for making DeLynn's birthday last all month! :)

Connecting With Friends

Last Saturday, our family left Plain City, Ohio and traveled to Traverse City, Michigan. As we headed north, it just got more and more beautiful and COLDER! There was beautiful snow piled up. We saw people riding on their snowmobiles and others ice fishing, (something new for Carmelinda).

We headed to visit our friends, Anthony and Sheila Weber, long time friends of ours. I (Gloria) went to school at Shekinah with Anthony. Sheila and I were also roomates at Rosedale Bible College. Anthony was at RBC at the same time too. There was a lot to catch up on after not seeing each other for several years. It was so much fun laughing and sharing together with each other. It was fun to see our children connect as well.





We were able to visit, Church of the Living God, a church that supports our family financially. We were so happy to meet this very friendly church. Anthony is one of the pastors of this church.
Sunday lunch, we were able to go out to eat with Doc! It was a special time. Steve Morgan has been visiting Costa Rica for the past four years and has been giving of his time particularly to the area in La Cuenca. By the way, he's a dentist! This year, Doc is ready to experience something new, so he will be traveling to Talamanca and giving of his services there. Thank You Doc!

Sunday evening we were able to meet with some of the students that have visited Costa Rica. It was great connecting with all of you guys!
On Monday, DeLynn went with Anthony to visit Traverse City Christian School, the high school that has been sending teams to Pura Vida Missions.

Gloria and Carmelinda stayed in the cabin, relaxin', that was given to us during our stay. It was beautiful!

This week, Carmelinda enjoyed a break from school! We've had some beautiful weather, which made it even better! She only has half of March, April and May of school. We are look forward to our summer! But we are all very happy Spring is here!!!

Transition

Transition. I've had to transition many times in my life. Since my parents were church planters, we moved every five years! That meant, new church, new friends, new school, new everything! Transition is hard because one feels kind of out of it at times, trying to discover where one fits. But it can also be exciting, because one can see it as a new start.

In our first five years of marriage, we moved 11 times! We don't recommend that, but that's just how God has moved us around. Since then, we've slowed down a little, thank God! But I still find it challenging and kind of exciting fixing a new space and making it feel like home.

From country to country, house to house, my mom especially tried to make each place feel like home. And that's what we've tried to do with this change in our lives. We're staying with my dad in his basement. Its not the prettiest thing in the world, but after arranging and rearranging, DeLynn has done an excellent job making our basement very comfortable and homey. In fact, it's almost beautiful! We've laughed at the idea of starting a new business for missionaries called "MISSIONARY DESIGN," fixing up ugly spaces with all the junk you left behind!

Being on sabbatical is becoming very relaxing, inspiring, up building, encouraging and restoring for us. As a family, we've finished reading, Bruchco, by Bruce Olson. The next book we want to read is Heavenly Man. DeLynn and I have both read it but want to share it with Carmelinda. During the week, DeLynn and I spend a lot of time reading, journaling, being part of a Healing Formational Prayer Group. Gloria has enjoyed being part of a Beth Moore study at Shiloh Mennonite Church. DeLynn is also studying and participating with VLI (Vineyard Leadership Institute), a program under the Columbus Vineyard Church. So along with these programs, requires lots of homework, so we're constantly studying! I feel like I'm back in school!

It's been so nice to be close to family. Our basement doesn't have a kitchen, so we're sharing the responsiblities of housekeeping. Today, my brother, Louie and his wife Cheryl made us a wonderful Sunday dinner!

Dad graciously, even let us get a little Morkie puppy. If you don't know what that is,

it's a cross between the Yorkshire Terrier and the Maltese. Carmelinda and I, especially, have missed our animals. So "Snickers" has brought a lot of joy, especially when those tears come because we miss Costa Rica so much. We needed to get a LITTLE dog, one that we could take with us as one of our carry on's.

Carmelinda has enjoyed the shopping, right a long with her mother! It's always interesting for me to see what the latest trends are, since they are always changing! Probably, our favorite shopping place is so close to us that we can walk there. It's an little thrift store run by MCC, Mennonite Central Commitee. I like that we can have fun and help support others in this way, plus, its cheap!

We have also thoroughly enjoyed interacting with our supporting churches in the area, Vineyard Church of Northridge, Shiloh Mennonite Church, Vineyard of Licking County. We also like to attend the Columbus Vineyard on Saturday nights. We're used to going to church on Saturday nights, since that's when we would go in Costa Rica.

Our plans, right now, are to return to Costa Rica after the summer. But until then, we're planning on soaking in whatever God has for us here. He's teaching us SO much, it's pretty overwhelming. I just hope we can remember it all!

Oh, and one more thing, since dad lives right behind Der Dutchman, a Mennonite Resturant, where they make the best long johns ever (it's a pastry), I can just go right over there and get me one! Love it! It can't get better than that!

　

Winter Happenings

I remember as we prepared to leave Costa Rica for several weeks for the States at the beginning of January, I told myself, I wasn’t going to take much because I was going to bring back different foods that I was craving, like Amish peanut butter, apple butter, different cake mixes, spices etc. etc. So we all packed our suitcases “lite.”
I was looking forward to spending time with family. Since Christmas had just past, both families graciously waited to celebrate Christmas until we got arrived.
Our first Christmas was with the Hoover family. I gotta tell you, my niece and nephews are so cute! Living far away from them is sad for us because we miss them growing up. I remember how I felt living far away from my cousins, I missed them, but then when we were together it was a joyous reunion and one had to soak in every moment.

After spending a week in PA, we traveled to OH. We had some speaking engagements awaiting us. We were also excited about seeing our Stauffer family. Since mom has passed away, walking into dad’s house always seems strange at first.
Our Christmas with our Stauffer family was planned at beautiful lodge. It was so relaxing. We had fun cooking, talking, playing games and just spending time together. Relaxing time was much needed.

It was during this time, our family started processing our furlough. We realized we were feeling worn out and needed some time of restoration. We arrived in the States fully anticipating we would return to Costa Rica in a couple of weeks. But after a lot of prayer and seeking counseling from friends, we felt the Lord telling us we were to stay longer than anticipated so that God could work in our hearts and so that we could return ready and continue the work He has set before us. This took some processing in our minds, but we knew we needed to obey our Heavenly Father. The word we’ve received from our Father is REST. For DeLynn and I, that’s a really hard thing for us to do. I almost think it’s something one has to learn how to do it! Especially, considering our ministry is one where each day is so different than the other and one never knows quite what to expect. That is fun and adventuresome but also can become very draining and tiring.

After talking with Gloria’s dad, we decided the best place for us to stay was in his basement. We decided it would be best for Carmelinda to finish the 5th grade at Shekinah Christian School, This the same school Gloria graduated from. Her mother also taught Spanish there many years. This is a picture of her first day of school, in her new uniform.

We are taking advantage of our time reading books, attending conferences, getting input from those with so much wisdom and just receiving prayer and support from friends and family and, of course, RESTING.

We have certainly had some fun times here. I gotta say though, that we’re all ready for the cold to go away! And we miss Costa Rica terribly! Pray for us as we continue through this time of transition. Keep praying also for the ministry, especially for Jed and Jaime Redcay as they take leadership over VidaNet.

Where is the Hoover Family?

Today, 8 years ago, was the first full day the DeLynn and Gloria Hoover family spent in their new home, Costa Rica. It is amazing to look back at all the “water that has passed under the bridge” in this time. We have experienced the blessing and fulfillment of having over 2500 participants, long term staff and short term staff past through the ministry. The ministry has grown from just Gloria, Carmelinda, and I to a small community of people committed to the vision of being and making disciples. It has been awesome to know that we have effected lives for the kingdom and been successful in fulfilling the Great Commission and “made disciples.”
The journey, as with all journeys has had its ups and downs. For instance, 3 ½ years ago we lost Gloria’s precious mother to cancer, living on a “by faith” basis has its own set of trials, and relationships in a tight community have their normal ups and downs. We have come to know our heavenly father as faithful provider in all circumstances!
We, as a family came for a short trip to the states at the beginning of January. As we spent time with family, friends, and supporting churches and took stock of health and where we are at in ministry, we realized that it is time for an extended sabbatical/furlough time in the US. The last extended furlough that we had was 2 months in 2005. Therefore, we are extending our time here in the US for several months.
Whenever an announcement like this is made all kinds of different scenarios arise in the minds of friends and family. Therefore, I would like to make some certain assurances so that we can be clear:

• We are still very committed to, VidaNet, the ministry we started back in 2003 and plan to return as soon as possible (I will be returning for PVM in May)
• We have an awesome staff that is and will continue to maintain ministry as normal while we are absent.
• Our marital and family relationships remain as strong as ever!

We believe (and have for some time) that God is calling us to a season of rest so that we can be prepared for the next period of ministry. So we will be spending the next several months with Gloria’s father, Elam, in Plain City, Ohio. We look forward to spending time with the family and reconnecting with some of friends and supporters as well. If you are interested in connecting with us feel free to email us! I am open to speaking engagements as well. I like nothing better than to motivate Christians to deeper discipleship!
Some items for prayer during this time:

• Finances- Please pray that the Lord will supply our financial needs! We are doing some things concerned with health and we do not have stateside insurance and as you know these are costly. We have also placed Carmelinda in a local Christian school and are needing to pay tuition. Being stateside puts a heavier strain on our finances.
• Ministry- Jed and Jaime Redcay, Raul and Kimi Molina, Nathan Sensenig, and Beth Peters are working hard at maintaining the ministry. We give much thanks to God for such a capable staff. Please keep them in prayer as they function in our absence!

If you would like to contact us you can do so at 937 215-5106

Gingerbread Fun!

A Holiday tradition in the Stauffer family, that is being passed onto our family, is making gingerbread cookies! I love them! Last year, we make only a little bit because we didn’t have enough molasses. Last year, I went from grocery store to grocery store trying to find molasses, but to no avail! So last Spring, when I traveled to the States, I brought home with me some molasses!

About a week before Christmas, Carmelinda and I decided to have some fun and invite some of our Costa Rican friends to teach them how to make gingerbread cookies! We invited our good friend, Laura with her two children, Julisa and Willie, our VidaNet cook, Yadi and our Canadian friend, Melissa. Boy, did we have fun! Our Costa Rican friends had never tasted or made gingerbread cookies ever. They told me they had only seen them in recipe books!

We even decided to make gingerbread houses, something I had never done before. We laughed until we cried! Some of us good luck with our houses and others of us did not!

In the end, we had SUCH a fun time; we decided we want to do it again next year!

Melissa was definitely the pro at this. We all copied her!

Our sweet children having fun together!

We seriously laughed so hard that our stomachs hurt!

Laura learning how the dough is made.

Laura's calls her real house, her "gingerbread house." So she said this is her house with her and her husband, William, standing in front of it!

Ok, my house DID looked like a house, but didn't stand very long due to the heavy icing! Laura fixed it up for me and we called it the stable!

This is the "love shack" that Melissa made for our newly married friends, Kimi and Raul!

Our finished products!



The Beginning of our Adventures

This is the beginning of our family blog. The name, The Adventures of Being and Making, was chosen because it's what we want our lives to reflect. Jesus has called us His disciples. DeLynn, Carmelinda and I (Gloria) have all chosen to follow our Heavenly Father. He has commanded us to share His love with others. We’ve chosen to this in Costa Rica for now. Being a disciple means growing in Him, learning from Him, maturing in Him, and becoming more like Him. It’s an adventure full of surprises! This is a sneak peek of 3 simple disciples.