When the La Vida Mission students went home on March 14 for their one-week spring break, all schools in New Mexico were ordered by the governor to close. At that time, La Vida Mission made the decision to use a distance learning program. Good internet is an issue in this part of the country, though, and many of our students don’t have internet access in their homes, so online school was not an option.
Educators opted instead to mail schoolwork to students weekly and have them mail back their finished work. Elementary and high school teachers Claire James, Vicky Pioche, and Catherine Hartley used this distance-learning method.
The church also closed, but worship continues to happen in members’ homes. The La Vida Mission staff continue to hold outdoor Sabbath worship at Treehouse Park, with everyone sitting six or more feet apart.
Church leaders are able to connect with church members and community through Facebook, Messenger, text messages, and phone calls. The outreach team packs “love/care packages” of rice, beans, canned goods, wipes, fruit, bread, missionary books and other essential items, and delivers them to local friends in the community. Church members are truly grateful, because the stay-at-home order prevents many of them—especially elders and poor families—from going to stores.
At the end of April, board member Neal Kelley brought food from the Montrose Church and several of the Montrose Church members. Sharing Ministries, an independent food bank involving several area congregations, donated the food. Such donations support and reinforce the Mission’s community food distribution.
Despite the lockdown, La Vida Mission is still at work and continues to serve the Lord through its ongoing ministry to the students, church members and community family. We continue to keep in prayer our students, their parents and mission supporters. May God keep us all safe.
Dorie Panganiban is office manager and community outreach director at La Vida Mission in Farmington, New Mexico.
