Social distancing. Flattening the curve. Self-isolation.  Covid-19. These words have become part of our everyday vocabulary. Our world feels smaller and eerily confined as we grapple on a daily basis with the restrictive chaos of an unprecedented global pandemic.

Yet, all of us are creating stories out of our unique circumstances, tales that will be remembered and told, which will form part of the history of the future.

Almost twenty years ago, my family and I moved from our home province of Ontario to Nova Scotia. We have been blessed to maintain old friendships while also forming new ones. During the past weeks, some of these relationships have interconnected in an amazing way.

On March 16th, my friend, Donna, from Ontario, and I exchanged a number of texts about her son, Curtis, who was with three friends on a hiking trip in Peru. After President Martin Vizcarra declared a state of emergency, including border closures, the boys tried to reach the airport in Lima.

If only returning home was that easy.

When Curtis and his friends arrived at Cusco, Donna told me that they had met up with three young men from Halifax.

I texted my Nova Scotian friend, Kelly, and told her the story.

Kelly said, “I wonder if one of the boys might be my friend, Carla’s, son Jordan?”

After several more texts back and forth, Kelly put the pieces of the puzzle together. Donna’s son, Curtis, and his group had met up with Carla’s son, Jordan, along with his friends, on a street in Peru! Curtis texted his mom that they noticed that one of the boys was wearing a Blue Jays cap and decided to ask them if they were Canadian. The three boys and four boys joined together to become seven, trying to reach home.

The distance from Cusco to Lima was far too great to travel before the borders closed. The boys travelled in rental cars from Cusco to Arequipa. On some parts of their journey, there were no roads, only dirt.

After they reached Arequipa, Curtis and his friends spent the night in a hostel while the other boys stayed at a hotel. In the morning, the Ontario boys found out that they couldn’t drive because of the state of emergency. They decided to join the Nova Scotians at the hotel. The staff were very kind to them. The boys were apprehensive about leaving to get food because of the police presence on the streets so at one point the head of security made the trip for them.

On the homefront, many contacts were made with officials both in Nova Scotia and Ontario. One friend chose a day to send e-mails to the premiers every hour on the hour. Many people prayed for the boys’ return. On Facebook posts, the defining signature became three hearts plus four hearts, for the seven boys. The Canadian government began sending in planes to bring stranded citizens back and finally, the seven young men were taken by bus to Lima, and then on a military airport, put on a flight to Canada.

What were the chances of the four young men from Ontario meeting the three from Nova Scotia on a street in Peru, and then finding out that there was actually a connection between Curtis and Jordan, through friends in both provinces? Coincidence? No. I believe that God brought the boys together for mutual support and protection. He used my friend, Kelly, to put the pieces of the puzzle together, which led to Carla, Donna and others building relationships which provided mutual support, comfort and finally, shared joy. Donna and Carla were complete strangers, in two provinces, but were brought together at an appointed time, just as their sons were. I would call this a divine appointment, not a coincidence

None of us know exactly how long the spread and effects of Covid-19 will last. We need to do our part to stay home, practice social distancing, observe good hygiene and offer hope and encouragement to others. The story of Curtis, Jordan and his friends reminds us that we are not alone. God hears our prayers and works in ways that we could not have imagined. No matter what happens in the days ahead, I will always associate Covid-19 with three hearts plus four hearts for seven brave young men, and new friendships formed.

May  God grant us all peace and protection.