We have created a short video to share our response to the coronavirus pandemic with you. You can watch the video below or, if you are viewing this post through e-mail or a feed reader, you can view the response on our blog or on YouTube.
After discussing the issue with our board, our clinicians, and the team, we have made the decision to move forward with launching Seeds as scheduled. We will increase our medical screening and routinely check temperatures so that we can respond swiftly and appropriately to the first signs of a fever. We will also focus on hygiene best practices. We will be rejecting any patients with signs or symptoms of COVID-19 or recent contact with someone with a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19.
We are seeing a lot of panic in the culture right now. We don’t want to follow that panic, but we do want to be diligent in our response to the virus. We will be following all of the government regulations limiting group sizes by reducing our enrollment and staff sizes. In addition, we will follow all travel restrictions for as long as they are in place.
Seeds is not actually opening until the first week of May, and so we are hoping that this will give us enough time to allow the worst of this to blow over before we bring our first groups into the wilderness. We will continue to monitor the situation as it develops, and adjust our plans as needed to ensure the safety of our participants and staff members.
The Word of God says that we are not to be given over to a sense of fear. Our way to conquer that sense of fear is two-fold: We will be diligent in our efforts to understand and appropriately respond to the virus, and we will recognize that God is still God. He is the God of peace and of hope and of purpose.
All across the nation, schools are out to allow people to stay at home and reduce their exposure to the virus. During this time, kids are looking for things to do. This is an excellent opportunity for families to bond with one another. Spend some quality time with your kids to strengthen your family even while helping them to overcome their fear and uncertainty. Answer their questions. Pray with them.
We all need to find the peace of the Lord in this trying time. Seeds is moving forward to support families and their teenagers. Wilderness is a wonderful place to be as this pandemic unfolds.