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For the past seven years, my family and I (JENNIFER DIENER HOOVER ‘90) have worked with VidaNet in Heredia, Costa Rica. Vidanet exists to develop global disciples of Jesus Christ through intensive discipleship and mission opportunities. My husband, DARYL HOOVER ‘88 and I serve on the executive leadership team. Daryl is CFO, and I am the hospitality coordinator, mentor for our staff girls, staff nurse and volunteer for the crisis pregnancy service we offer.
Vidanet has 4 main branches of the ministry: Vida220, a 10-month cross-cultural, bilingual, Discipleship Training School. Vida Missions, a 10-day mission adventure for youth groups. Vida Global, sending Latins long term into missions. Davida, the program that connects us to the local church and to churches throughout Central America.
Some of the highlights of my work and life here in Costa Rica are living in an intentional, intercultural community, cultivating friendships from different backgrounds, and our boys attending a local school and thriving in their second language (Spanish). I am passionate about helping women realize their value, know they are loved, and finding their purpose in life and in God’s kingdom. God has supplied me with many opportunities to speak life, hope and peace to women through my job as a labor and delivery nurse in Lancaster. Now, through VidaNet I mentor our staff, students and moms who seek help from our crisis pregnancy service. It is an incredible privilege to walk with these dear ones. It’s a beautiful thing to see them make choices that honor God and themselves, set healthy boundaries that acknowledge their self worth, and raise up disciples of Jesus.
We have collaborated with many alumni from LM, including serving for three years in ministry at VidaNet with DELYNN HOOVER ‘90 before his death. We’ve had many groups from LMH and churches come through our doors at VidaNet. Lifelong friendships are the absolute best thing to come from my years at LMH, and 30+ years later we still get together to share life, laughter and tears.
The emphasis on Cultivating Global Citizens is important in the LM’s curriculum and core values because this awareness focuses our attention on a broader worldview and not on ourselves. It causes us to become aware of our part in advancing The Kingdom of God, and raise up a generation to serve God, love like Jesus, and be guided by the Holy Spirit.
If you want to catch up on life with The Hoovers, follow our blog: Rice and Beans of Life at: dnjhoover.blogspot.com.
