Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid – John 14:27.
Another month over and we remain firmly united in prayer and under the protection, provision and blessing of our Lord. Thank you Jesus.
Amid this global crisis and with over 100 days of quarantine behind us, it has become easy for different emotions like anxiety to reach our hearts. However, we continue to praise God for the peace he gives us because we trust in his faithful promise.
The days in Venezuela have been complicated. The country already suffers from an ongoing political crisis and this latest pandemic has only made the situation worse. Venezuela’s population is now more vulnerable to external forces than it has ever been.
The country suffers from a lack of water and electricity supply and skyrocketing inflation but the biggest problem to date has been the lack of gasoline. Gas stations are closed and people are becoming even more disconnected. The last time we were able to refuel at the station was at the beginning of March 2020. And, at $5 USD per litre, reconnecting is unfeasible for the vast majority of Venezuelans.
On May 12, 2020, the government declared a state of alert and another 30 days of quarantine. Despite this, there were violent clashes in Caracas resulting in a further tightening of the rules.
On May 23, 2020, three cargo ships, loaded with gasoline from Iran, arrived in Venezuela. This shipment was exchanged for a few tonnes of gold but at the time of writing this blog, the gasoline had not yet reached the people.
To make matters worse, the sudden and unexpected departure of DIRECTV, the largest pay television service in Venezuela, left more than 15 million people without access to their only form of lockdown-entertainment, as well as without access to their only news source.
Despite the challenges we have managed to remain connected over the Internet; albeit with great difficulty.
However, there has been talk circulating about the possible withdrawal of Internet platforms: FaceBook, WhatsApp, and YouTube; we are praying this will not happen. Even though the Internet is unreliable here, it is better than nothing at all. As the popular saying goes, ‘bad with it, worse without it’.
On a brighter note, although churches are closed and religious work forbidden, some of our missionaries and pioneers continue to gather in small groups and win the souls of people living in the most distant and isolated places imaginable.
Despite everything that is happening in Venezuela, our hope is in God. If we truly seek him we will find the strength to carry on believing that after this global crisis, our hearts will be stronger!
May the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and thoughts in Christ Jesus.