Dear family and friends,
Greetings to you from the Hulls in Sanford, Florida. The COVID-19 situation has affected us here in central Florida. I will explain that after giving a few statistics about our state, our county, as well as the city of Sanford.
Population of the State of Florida: 21,477,737
–Surpassed only by California & Texas
Population of Seminole County, Florida: 471,826
–Seminole County area: 345 square miles – 309 land (89.6 %) and 36 water (10.4%)
Population of Sanford, Florida: 60,035
Confirmed cases of COVID-19 in FL (Fri.): 30,174
Confirmed cases of COVID-19 (Sat.): 30,839
Confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Sanford (Sat.): 133
Our leaders at The Homes of Ethnos360 are listening to the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) as well as the governor of our state. We are doing what we can to follow their recommendations to protect the residents in our Latham Center and those who live in independent duplexes on the property. We have been encouraged to abide by the Stay-At- Home order from our governor. Duplex folks should only go out if it is absolutely necessary. Our retired folks who live in the Latham Center are not going outside of the building. This is for their own protection. All staff members are screened when entering the Latham Center. This includes food services, nursing, administration, maintenance, finance, and housekeeping. All staff are also wearing masks. Group social activities have been canceled. Residents are not restricted to their rooms but are keeping 6 feet social distancing precautions.
Our population at The Homes of Ethnos360 is elderly. We are doing all we can to protect our residents from this virus. Please pray for the safety of our retirees and staff. Please pray that our trust will be in the One who is our Solid Rock. Changes in normal daily schedules are never easy, but especially for those who are the age of our retirees. (Most of our folks are between 85 and 97 years old.) Please pray for all of us as we weather this present storm. So far COVID-19 has not entered our property and we are thankful. Brad is hard at work figuring out the new accounting program. He is making progress. Please pray for wisdom as Brad figures out the steps he needs to follow to get his job done. Due to COVID-19, the new program will not be in full use until July first instead of the original date of May first.
I would like to share a poem that was written by a friend of the sister of one of our staff. I have included it at the end of this letter. “How the Virus Stole Easter” It is quite long, but since Dr. Seuss is one of my favorite authors, I found this new take on his old story to be a good one. The author was very creative, at least I think so.
We do pray for you and would welcome any updates you send our way.
By His grace,
Wanda & Brad Hull
How the Virus Stole Easter
Author: Kristi Bothur
With a nod to Dr. Seuss…
Twas late in ‘19 when the virus began
Bringing chaos and fear to all people, each land.
People were sick, hospitals full,
Doctors overwhelmed, no one in school.
As winter gave way to the promise of spring,
The virus raged on, touching peasant and king.
People hid in their homes from the enemy unseen.
They YouTubed and Zoomed, social-distanced, and cleaned.
April approached and churches were closed.
“There won’t be an Easter,” the world supposed.
“There won’t be church services, and egg hunts are out.
No reason for new dresses when we can’t go about.”
Holy Week started, as bleak as the rest.
The world was focused on masks and on tests.
“Easter can’t happen this year,” it proclaimed.
“Online and at home, it just won’t be the same.
Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, the days came and went.
The virus pressed on; it just would not relent.
The world woke Sunday and nothing had changed.
The virus still menaced, the people, estranged.
“Pooh pooh to the saints,” the world was grumbling.
“They’re finding out now that no Easter is coming.
“They’re just waking up! We know just what they’ll do!
Their mouths will hang open a minute or two,
And then all the saints will all cry boo-hoo.
“That noise,” said the world, “will be something to hear.”
So it paused and the world put a hand to its ear.
And it did hear a sound coming through all the skies.
It started down low, then it started to rise.
But the sound wasn’t depressed.
Why, this sound was triumphant!
It couldn’t be so!
But it grew with abundance!
The world stared around, popping its eyes.
Then it shook! What it saw was a shocking surprise!
Every saint in every nation, the tall and the small,
Was celebrating Jesus in spite of it all!
It hadn’t stopped Easter from coming! It came!
Somehow or other, it came just the same!
And the world with its life quite stuck in quarantine
Stood puzzling and puzzling.
“Just how can it be?”
“It came without bonnets, it came without bunnies,
It came without egg hunts, cantatas, or money.”
Then the world thought of something it hadn’t before.
“Maybe Easter,” it thought, “doesn’t come from a store.
Maybe Easter, perhaps, means a little bit more.”
And what happened then?
Well….the story’s not done.
What will YOU do?
Will you share with that one
Or two or more people needing hope in this night?
Will you share the source of your life in this fight?
The churches are empty – but so is the tomb,
And Jesus is victor over death, doom, and gloom.
So this year at Easter, let this be our prayer,
As the virus still rages all around, everywhere.
May the world see hope when it looks at God’s people.
May the world see the church is not a building or steeple.
May the world find Faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection,
May the world find Joy in a time of dejection.
May 2020 be known as the year of survival,
But not only that –
Let it start a revival.