schultz

COVID Strikes!

During the final week of our last Equipping module CIT was exposed to the COVID virus as six students tested positive right after departure. Through contact tracing we believe we know how this was introduced. All those who tested positive were connected to off-campus situations. 
 
In the following few days four staff members got sick, tested positive, and followed isolation/quarantine guidelines. Most have improved already and are out of quarantine. We have one who is in the ICU unit at a hospital in Asheville, NC as it hit him very hard. We pray for a full recovery soon.   
 
This situation forced us to move the Language Acquisition module and cohort to virtual training with no face-to-face contact. This was a particularly difficult subject to do this with as language learning requires a lot of face-to-face work. Nevertheless, the staff did a great job, but it involved much stress, long hours and extra costs. In the end, the product we delivered was not what we would normally have provided but the participants got the essential items. The students were very grateful for what they got, and the effort made given the difficult situation. 
 
In the abundance of caution, all staff involved with participants were tested to assure there is no further spread of the virus. All results have now returned negative.  We are working directly with a local doctor who is advising us, engaging with the Health Department, and taking additional necessary precautions. It is our belief that we have a clean bill of health on campus, so we are beginning our next summer Equipping 2 module in normal fashion.    
 
In some ways we think dealing with COVID will be the “new normal” for the foreseeable future. There will always be risk and we have to embrace that not living in fear but relentlessly trusting God with our lives.
 
We would appreciate your prayers as we daily and hourly monitor the campus situation and prepare for future training events. We want to serve our trainees, agencies, and staff as safely as possible. We see it as a matter of good stewardship.
 
Prayer requests:

  1. Complete healing for one staff member in ICU 
  2. Protection from any further outbreaks during the rest of the summer
  3. Cooperation from students to not become lax in our health protocols
  4. Life growth and transformation 

 
Your prayers are critical at this time and we thank you in advance. 
George and Kathy Schultz

 
“I would highly recommend this course for any cross-cultural worker who hasn’t taken it. Even if they have already worked overseas. I had no clue how much I didn’t know! Every day, Every topic, Every activity was very helpful!”  NL-W Africa - Comment from the Equipping for Cross-Cultural class – W Africa