Hoover Times

It is a joy to connect with all of you again. We count it a privilege to have you in our lives. Below are a few updates of our lives. Enjoy.

Carmelinda’s Corner

SCHOOL IS FINALLY OUT! This year has gone by so slow! I don’t know why though. One of the highlights of my school year was winning the basketball tournament. I may not have played the whole game, but it’s the support that counts! Besides that school has been pretty boring. What has been fun is getting involved with the church youth group. Christmas was kinda boring as well we just “relaxed” which means my parents slept while I did nothing. I did get a new watch and I keep telling my parents the time, by the way here it is 3:44! And I am really excited because I am getting new glasses since my prescription has changed and they are scratched up and old. I am also excited because we are going to the mountain on new year’s to see the gorgeous fireworks that light up the night sky threw out the city! Well I hope you and your family have a wonderful new year and may God bless you!

Carmelinda 13 years old 

The Big Move

The latest news is that we have moved. We found a perfect house two blocks from the national university. It's a five bedroom house, two baths, sun room, office, kitchen, a huge living room and a small dining room. We have two small lawn areas, almost big enough for the dogs. DeLynn takes Fred (our dog) on walks now to give them both some exercise! 

There are several reasons DeLynn and I moved. First, we are moving into a new field of ministry. We are starting a ministry with university students and so in looking for a place we wanted it to be close to the university. 

At the beginning of next year, we will be starting a Bible Study with university students using the ALPHA program. We will specifically be using the course ALPHA campus. ALPHA Campus has been tailored especially for college 

students and other young adults. The ALPHA course covers the basics of. It answers questions like: Who is Jesus? and Why did he die? The Alpha course lasts eight weeks, with a day or weekend getaway in the middle. Each week, guests gather for about two hours. They share an informal meal, sing a few songs, listen to a talk on how Christianity approaches the question at hand, and then gather into small groups for discussion. The talks each week act as a springboard for small group discussions.

To help us with this venture, a VIDA220 team of two guys and three girls have been assigned to us. They have been busy with surveying the area, prayer walking, and getting acquainted with the ALPHA program. We are praying that God sends us more workers to help us in this field.

We are extremely excited about starting this new adventure. It’s a calling on our lives that God has had on us for some time, but now that He’s giving us the green light. We are leaving it up to God as to what he does with this, but our prayer is to start a University church. Please keep us in prayer as we move into this new area of ministry.

The other reason we moved was to be close to El Nido, the new ministry Gloria is going to be involved with; more on this later in the newsletter.

VidaNet Base

Just recently, DeLynn was looking for a place to house our VIDA220 team, when he came upon a property just two blocks from our house. It used to be a small Japanese school. When he saw it he immediately thought it might be good for a base. Since we closed the other base in the mountains, we have not found one to replace it, until we saw this! We are grateful that the owner is giving it to us for $1,000 a month for 10 months. At the end of those 10 months, our hope and prayer is to the buy the property. The property is valued at $550,000.00 and she is asking, $300,000.00. The property is large enough for offices, staff housing, it has an apartment for a custodial couple or small family, storage, housing for smaller teams, dining room, kitchen, Vineyard church plant and a house for El Nido. We know this is a God thing and are amazed at His timing.

New Heredia Base 

El Nido

200 pounds of literature are coming this way! What a blessing for El Nido to be able to receive this. This will enable us to share God’s love to so many women that need Him.

At the beginning of November, I, along with our VIDA220 team, was privileged to attend a Crisis Pregnancy training course that was offered by an organization called Beautiful Feet International. And even though I have worked at a Crisis Pregnancy Center already many years ago, the information was so helpful. We all came away ready and excited to start!

While some of the representatives from Beautiful Feet International were visiting Costa Rica, I was able to sit down with them and share my testimony and my calling to start a Pregnancy Center in Heredia, as well, as dream about future centers. I have decided to join with Beautiful Feet International as an organization that will help me get started as well as provide accountability and encouragement for the ministry.

Melissa (Director of Beautiful Feet) and I

Since my new adventure has started, I have enjoyed sitting back and just letting and watching God work. I heard God telling me from the beginning that this will all happen in HIS timing. I just have to be patient. So I have purposed in my mind not to run ahead.

One of the most miraculous things that has just happened is that God has given El Nido its own place! Plans were to share space in our home. We were going to divide our home so that El Nido could have a couple of rooms and share the living room as a waiting room, but God saw things differently. The new base Vida Net will be renting has a house that is perfect for El Nido. So now, El Nido, will have three consultation rooms (where one of them will hold an ultrasound machine being donated), a waiting room, an area for children to play while they wait for their mothers, an office for myself, a baby boutique, two bathrooms and a receptionist office! I am SO happy.

There is a team coming from Ohio at the end of January that is coming to help me get El Nido ready to open. The house will need to be painted and a few repairs will need to be done, but other than that, it will be ready to move in.

Here are some prayer requests regarding El Nido:

1.       That my donations from the States would all be able to get here. I cannot start with what I have because I don’t have enough.

2.      I will find the volunteers needed, especially those who will do the counseling.

3.       That God would continue to provide financially for El Nido.

4.       Creativity as to how to attract women to the Center.

 Partnering

As mentioned before, a VIDA220 team is helping us for the next 5 months. They have been with us a month already. Liz Swagart, who is the leader of the team, is from Plain City, Ohio. Elena Vachon is from Glendora, California. Elena used to live in Ohio and her and her family used to attend the Spanish church my father, Elam Staffer is associate pastor of. John Winston is from South Bend, Indiana. Dina Molina is from Shiroles, Talamanca. Jose Luis is from Carbon, Talamanca.

We have enjoyed our interaction with this team. Pray for them as they learn to live with each other (it’s like being married to each other!) and as God speaks into their lives and as they learn more about themselves and God while ministering to others.

VIDA220 students 

Prayer Requests:

1.       We are currently raising money for our family. Please pray we can raise the sufficient amount to cover our costs.

2.       Pray for our new endeavors, that God would take control of it all.

3.       We are also continuing to raise money for the ministry. Pray God continues to provide for all our costs; VIDA220, El Nido, PVM, Base Heredia and Base Talamanca.

4.       Pray that God provides more workers for our new church plant. 

El Nido

“El Nido” in Spanish means, “The Nest.” When looking for a name for this new ministry I did some research on birds’ nests. Here is what I found...

Birds look for places to build their nests that provide shelter and freedom from predators. Birds construct a wide range of nests, from simple scraps on the ground to elaborately woven nests of sticks and grasses. Some are camouflaged and some are out in the open. Some are big and some are small. It all depends on the bird, and where and how it lives!

El Nido is a new door God has opened up for VidaNet to step through. El Nido will be a pregnancy resource center opening in January of 2014. And just like a bird’s nest, El Nido will be a place where women can feel safe; a place where they can experience peace, away from the storms they are facing. We want it to be a place where they can come and talk over coffee; a place where they feel free to share what’s REALLY happening in their lives.  Trained counselors will be available to listen and give Godly counsel.

El Nido will also be a place where a mother can receive education. El Nido will be offering a Earn While You Learn Program. This program gives a mother the opportunity to earn clothing and furnishings for her new baby while developing parenting and life skills. EWYL has proven to be a very effective program. The lessons are presented using DVDs, worksheets, reading and verbal information. Our clients will see, hear and read the information, then take home homework lessons that reinforce what they learned. When this information is presented by a parenting instructor who they come to know and respect, the results are dramatic and life changing. Long term relationships are able to be established that allow them to make a difference in their client’s lives with God’s love and wisdom!

El Nido will be located in Heredia near the national university. Just as a bird chooses where to build its nest, we are hoping to find a site that will be perfect and adequate; a place that has enough rooms for counseling, storage, a small living room, and who knows what other surprises God has for El Nido.

The goal of El Nido is to share God’s love with every client. History has shown that women who find themselves with an unexpected pregnancy are more receptive to hearing how God can help them make changes in their lives that will benefit themselves and their unborn child. This is the time when El Nido can come along side of them and support, love, and disciple these women.

How can you help? 

Pray. Pray that God would provide a center. Pray for volunteers.

Financial Donation.You can help financially by giving a one-time gift or providing monthly. Financial donations can be sent to VidaNet Akron, OH Please earmark it: El Nido

$7,000 have been raised for this new ministry so far. The total amount needed is $30,000  I am anxious to see how God brings it all in! 

Volunteer. If you live in Costa Rica and would like more information on how you can volunteer as a counselor, or in many other ways, you can call Gloria at: 8347-5036

Donate. We will be receiving new or gently used baby clothes or items at two locations: 318 Willowbend Circle, Plain City, OH or 38 Skyview Lane, Lititz, PA  For any questions please contact Gloria Hoover at: 1-800-413-9818 or at gloria@vidanetonline.org

Thank you SO Much to all of those who have donated clothing and have given financial gifts. It has been such an encouragement to me. 

Note: The previous blog talked about the new ministry, Casa DaLuz. Casa DaLuz, has been put on hold due to a number of complications. 

Casa DaLuz

Drum roll please! I’ve been waiting to announce something very exciting for me, Gloria. But I had to wait until my project was presented and approved to and by our board. But now is the time…

God has been getting me ready for this new ministry called, Casa DaLuz (meaning, Give Light House) (Da Luz is a word that Spanish people use when a woman has given birth.). It was while in REACH, a discipleship program, (20 years ago) that I was challenged to write out what I would dream of doing if God would allow me to do. My dream has been to have a home filled with mothers and children. This desire has come partly from my own adoption experience, but also just because I love babies and the excitment of teaching mothers to care for their little ones! Because of the focus DeLynn and I have had lately in establishing VidaNet, my dream has been put on hold.

Katherine and Dylan (6 months)

But when our “adopted” daughter Katherine came into our lives a year ago, my vision was rekindled. Her life has impacted my life in such a way, that I’ve come to a place in my life where I am ready to open this home where teenage mothers and their babies can be embraced and cared for. My prayer and goal is that they find Jesus in this process. I am ready to love on them and their babies and I can’t to see who God sends.

Casa DaLuz is a new ministry that will be under the umbrella DaVida. This ministry is a very special ministry for young women, ages 13-19 that are in their first pregnancy or already have their first child under the age of 12 months, who need a place to live. This ministry is for those young women who have little to no moral or financial support from their family.

Casa DaLuz would offer them a place to live, food, baby items and clothing both for the expectant mother and child, medical expenses, if needed.  To help them on their journey, parenting classes would be offered, as well as teaching them hands on job training for jewelry making, cooking classes, hair and beauty classes, and painting classes, and the list goes on. Spiritual input would also be given through discipleship classes especially to meet the spiritual needs of each of the girls. If the young mother would like to look for a job, we want to help facilitate that by taking care of her child while she works.

Future Casa DaLuz

In Costa Rica, teen age pregnancy is on the rise. On average 41 teenage women per day learn they are pregnant in Costa Rica, and relative to population this represents a rate 50% higher than the United States.  This statistic makes me want to help as many young women as I can. But to start out, right now the plan is to have a house for 4 girls. 

Costa Rican friends 

One of the fundraisers we are doing to raise money is selling beautiful headbands and barrets (examples shown below). Presently, these headbands and barrets are being made by myself and my Costa Rican friends. In the future, these headbands will be made by the young girls living in Casa DaVida. If you are interest in helping us either sell or would like to buy one of these gorgeous headbands and/or barrets, please let me know. ALL proceeds will go to project Casa DaLuz. 

I have a several prayer requests as this ministry gets started:

1.    A house for the young women

2.   Financial provision to get this new ministry started

3.   Lots of wisdom to make wise decisions concerning this new ministry

4.   Patience as I watch and wait how God gets this altogether

If you have any questions and or would like to help with project Casa DaLuz you can write to:

guatechic@gmail.com

NEVER ONCE

"Never Once"

Standing on this mountaintop
Looking just how far we’ve come
Knowing that for every step
You were with us

Kneeling on this battle ground
Seeing just how much You’ve done
Knowing every victory
Was Your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Kneeling on this battle ground
Seeing just how much You’ve done
Knowing every victory
Was Your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Never once did we ever walk alone
Carried by Your constant grace
Held within Your perfect peace
Never once, no, we never walk alone

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Every step we are breathing in Your grace
Evermore we’ll be breathing out Your praise
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful



These are the words and song of our theme song celebrating 10 years in Costa Rica. Our hearts are filled with gratitude as we think back over the past 10 years. God has changed us so much. Never once were we alone. We look forward to what the next 10 years will bring! 


www.youtube.com/watch?v=de6M5iu3Ez8

Happy Holidays!

The Holidays are here! Costa Rica is decorated with Christmas trees, manger scenes, and lots of lights. The weather gets cooler here and the rain stops, which is a nice change for all of us. We even have to bring out the sweaters and scarves at times.
Here is an update on what each of us have been doing lately:

DeLynn
He's been so blessed working with Raul in leading the VIDA220 discipleship school. We have 14 wonderful students that have dedicated 10 months to serving the Lord in Talamanca, Jaco and Omotepe, Nicaragua. We've enjoyed using our bed and breakfast hosting them once a month for a week. We've also enjoyed all the speakers that have put time into giving of themselves. We're seeing huge changes in the lives of these young people. This ministry is a dream come true for DeLynn.
Raul and Kimi, the directors of this ministry, are doing an excellent job with the students. They have sacrificed so much time, love and effort. We love them very much. They are getting ready to visit the States this week. This is Raul's first time to the United States. So if you see him, give him a big warm welcome!
Another highlight this year for DeLynn is being the leader of a men's small group at our church. He has been blessed by the friendships being developed.

Gloria
Gloria has had fun decorating the house for the holidays, first for Thanksgiving and then for Christmas. We enjoyed having a huge Thanksgiving meal and Christmas dinner with the VIDA220 students before they leave for their Christmas break.
She LOVES being grandma to Dylan. He loves when grandma reads him books and puts him to sleep!

Carmelinda
Carmelinda is taller than Gloria! She played basketball this past semester and loved it! Next semester she's planning on playing volleyball. When she's not doing homework, she's listening to Adventures in Odessey, doing some kind of craft project or playing basketball outside.
She is an excellent student and loves her friends at school and at church. We love watching her grow and continue to pray that God leads her as His disciple.

Katherine and Dylan
Everyday, Katherine is learning what it means to be a mom. If you are a mom, you know some days are better than others. The love she has for Dylan is obvious.
She has experience many new things in living with us like eating casseroles, baking cakes, celebrating Thanksgiving and decorating for Christmas.
God is also doing an amazing work in her heart. It's rewarding to see the change that is being bought about.
Dylan is 4 months old now. He's starting to slobber! He's the cutest kid on the block! He gets lots of attention and love by our family as well as by the VIDA220 students. He's at the stage where he recognizes us and smiles and coos when he's happy!

We look forward to spending Christmas and New Years in Costa Rica this year. We always miss our families but we know this is where God wants us for now. Blessings to all of you this Holiday season.

Welcome Baby Dylan!

At the beginning of the year, a young lady came into our lives. Her name is Katherine. She's a beautiful 19 year old. When she came to us, she came confused, sad and unhealthy. Through some very unfortunate circumstances, she found out she was pregnant. She needed support emotionally, physically and spiritually. God laid it on our hearts to "adopt" her into our family and care for her and her baby that was growing inside of her. She has a family, but they are unable to care for her due to limited resources.

We have had the priveledge of watching her grow, not just physically, but also emotionally and spiritually. We took her to church. She comes from a Christian home, but through this tough experience she needed to experience more of God's love. We discoved she knows very little about the Bible. Gloria has a lot of time sitting on the bed talking with her and encouraging her. They prayed many times that God would give her courage as she atticipated becoming a mother.
It was exciting to see her stomach grow, knowing that there was a little one inside! Gloria was priveledged to take her to all her doctors appointments and ultrasound appointments. When we all found out it was a BOY, we cried for joy. Katherine wanted a boy and God granted her wish.
God took special care of Katherine and her baby throughout the pregnancy. He also provided clothes and other needs for Katherine and her baby. It was a miracle.

As the time came closer for her to deliver, we got more nervous and excited all at the same time! Katherine asked Gloria to accompany her in the delivery room, which Gloria was more than willing to do! When the day FINALLY arrived, Gloria, along with Katherine's parents, took her to the hospital to have her baby.
At 8:14am, August 24, 2012, Katherine delivered a beautiful baby boy, Dylan Samuel. Gloria had the JOY of seeing the miracle of childbirth. Read her personal blog as she describes her experience.
www.guatechic.blogspot.com
The next day, Dylan Samuel was brought home. It has been SO beautiful and wonderful to have him become part of our family. We have become the "adopted" grandparents and Carmelinda the "aunt" and his personal fashion designer!

Katherine and Dylan live with us. They are part of our family now and we love them very much. Some of you have asked us, if we plan to adopt Dylan. Our answer is "no." Our desire is to help Katherine raise Dylan however we can. Katherine would like to finish school and get a job. We want to help make that possible. If any of you would be interested in helping with this endevour, please contact us and let us know.
Continue to pray for Katherine and Dylan as they grow together. And we're sure you'll be hearing a lot more about them and seeing pictures of them in the future!

Baby Shower

On July 29th, we celebrated the coming of Katherine's baby boy and held a baby shower. Katherine is due the 26th of August. So we are getting prepared!

At her shower she was pleased to have friends from Nicaragua that her family has known for years. She also had a childhood friend, friends from her church, a family members that came. It was a special time for all of us present. We laughed and cried and laughed until we cried! Here are some pictures.

Center pieces.

Pin the pacifier on the baby!

Laughing with Katherine's mother.

Katherine with her parents, Samuel and Margot

And us! 

She has been blessed by so many people, from Costa Rica, Nicaragua, as well as the United States. Thanks to all of you who have given and helped us.

She told me the other day that at the beginning of all this, she was so confused and now she sees that God has a purpose and she's anticipating good things to come out of this.

Continue to pray for her as she gives birth to her son. We ALL can hardly wait to meet this little guy!