March 17, 2020 COVID-19 Update
The impact of the Coronavirus pandemic is affecting people all around the world, and regretfully BCA is not exempt. Today we received word that the Zambian Ministry of Health is closing down all schools in Zambia, beginning March 20, as a precautionary measure.
What this means for BCA:
- Beginning Friday, March 20, our two schools in Zambia will be closed until further guidance is given by the Zambian Ministry of Health.
- The closure of schools also means that our students will not be able to receive the daily meal they normally receive at school.
- We will continue to pay our faculty and staff of over 50 people during the school closures.
In addition to the school closures, due to the continuing spread of the Coronavirus in the U.S. and around the world, the uncertainty of both domestic and international travel, as well as how this pandemic might affect our schools in Zambia and the communities we serve, we are also cancelling our trips to Zambia this summer. This is a heartbreaking decision for us, as BCA has been taking groups to Zambia for almost a decade and we see them as an integral part of our work.
In light of these things, we ask you to continue praying for BCA. With the closure of schools as well as the uncertainty of how the Coronavirus might eventually affect the nation of Zambia, the health and well being of our students could be at risk. Let us continue to pray that the outbreak around the world will be minimal.
We also ask for your continued support of BCA during this time. As stated above, even though our schools will be closed for some period of time, we will continue to pay the faculty and staff and seek other ways in which we can provide for the students, faculty, and staff’s welfare. Lord willing, the closures will be brief and our ministry to the students will be restored. As an organization, we are trusting that God is working through the difficulty of this time. We are confident that God’s plans can never be thwarted, even when our own plans are.
We are grateful for you and are praying for God’s provision and protection for you and your families in the coming months.
We will update you as we know more, and we thank you for your continued support.
Aaron Boeving, with the BCA Board of Directors