dias de fe... days of faith

(some of the ladies at the anniversary dinner)

I always think things won't be as busy as they always are. And the last couple weeks haven't been any different. They've been busy but more at the same time completely rewarding. It all kicked off with the 42nd anniversary dinner of Crusade here in Panama. It was an encouraging time to look back at where the movement has come from but at the same time look ahead to where not only the campus ministry is going but also to where the other branches of the ministry are heading.

(las chicas with the "week of values" banner at UTP)

Monday morning dawned bright and clear and with the start of our theology class on, "Christ, Man and Salvation." Its been an interesting class and I've been enjoying learning more about the basics... and realizing that they're not really that basic at all. Tuesday came around and with it the kick-off of "Dias de Fe," or "Days of Faith" at the Tecnologica university (or UTP as we call it). The administration at UTP had implemented a week of values at UTP and we'd (Vida Estudiantil) had been invited to participate in this.

(one of the shots from the concert on Wednesday)

What did that look like? 30 some odd classroom talks on building successful relationships in first year lecture halls and an estimated 600 (at least!!) exposures to the gospel over this time. We were able to throw a concert on Wednesday and the lectures continued over Thursday and Friday. I felt like we had open heavens over us as the administration ushered us into classrooms and announced we would be sharing something that was important for the students to hear. I've never been so openly invited into lecture halls, it was amazing. I was super encouraged as not only was the campus staff team present, but all of the staff from Cruzada. So every day 20 of us or so would descend on UTP, it was sheer insanity and I loved it! We had a great time sharing our faith and it was so cool to see everyone coming together.

(one of the shots from the concert on Wednesday)

Please be praying for all the students that were exposed to the gospel over the last week. The staff team at UTP is small but committed to beginning the long and slightly overwhelming process of following up all the students that indicated interest in hearing more about what it means to have a relationship with God. The task is huge but we know that the Lord is bigger!!

(one of the comment cards from my classroom talk... I actually had a chance to meet up with this girl... but thats another story!)

humanity and deity.

The whole team has been taking a theology course over the last week and into this week and looking at "Christ, Man and Salvation." It's been heavy material to take in Spanish at 8am but I've been learning a lot and have being challenged to think on concepts I normally think I grasp. And reading through some material this morning I was encouraged by something and just wanted to pass it along....

"Here is a man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another obscure village. He worked in a carpenter's shop until he was thirty, and then for three years He was an itinerant pastor. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never owned a home. He never had a family. He never went to college. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place where He was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but Himself. He had nothing to do with the world except the power of His divine manhood. While still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against Him. He was turned over to His enemies. He was nailed on a cross between two thieves. His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had on the earth while He was dying- His coat. When He was dead, He was taken down and laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend. And on the third day He rose from the dead. Nineteen centuries have come and gone, and today He is the centerpiece of the human race and the leader of the column of progress. I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, and all the navies that ever were built, and all the parliaments that ever sat, and all the kings that ever reigned put together have not affected the life of man as powerfully as has that One solitary life The explanation? He is the Son of God, the risen Saviour."

-Phillips Brooks, 19th cent. preacher

there was an earthquake... seriously...

So apparently last night there was an earthquake. Which explains why I woke up at about 12:30 and in a groggy state remember thinking to myself that it felt like my entire bed was vibrating. Confusion reigned and I fell back to sleep thinking nothing of it until the boys brought it up tonight. Apparently I wasn't hallucinating and I lived through my first earthquake ever... that and both of my roommates slept through it. Apparently it wasn't that bad.

monday+ apartment tour

Yesterday was my 23rd birthday and we had a great weekend at the beach on Saturday and on back in the Panama City yesterday in a 2 day blitz of birthday celebrations. And now... Monday has come and with it a little bit of everything. Today (and really for the rest of the month) the focus is evangelism... and more evangelism. Derek and I went out sharing this morning and ended up wandering through the economics faculty... a little bit of foreign ground for me. We ended up having two great conversations with a couple of students, one in economics and the other in tourism. For me it was a completely different experience to be translating for Derek as he asked question after question and I scrambled to find my Spanish vocabulary to relay everything on. Even still I left today feeling encouraged... that we're communicating and at the same time simply getting to know these students. Asking about their trials and joys and not going in with a motive to say certain things but to simply love the students and let it be the love of Christ that really ministers to their hearts. So... its been another day and its still going but it was a great start to a long week! And.... the september update is on the way this week with more details so keep your eyes peeled in your mailbox! :)

And now for the long awaited apartment tour.. .a little fast, I got dizzy but hopefully it'll do the trick to give you a little taste of our Panamanian abode.

one more year...

(living room windows... )

(a sunny view out the living room... more pics to come)

So... back in Panama and getting used to all over again everything... the spanish, the traffic, the heat. It has been such a blessing to arrive and have an apartment, electricity, internet and all the other things my team worked so hard to set up. Our apartment is such a blessing! We're in a quieter area of the city but still close to buses, groceries and everything we can need. There's even a massive park across the street that we can jog in and play soccer or frisbee in. As I've had a couple of days to settle in and unpack its been a huge blessing to have this weekend to chill before we get on campus full time tomorrow... which is super exciting. I've been reading through the book of Job and found a passage that really spoke to me;

"How great is God—beyond our understanding! The number of his years is past finding out. He draws up the drops of water, which distill as rain to the streams; the clouds pour down their moisture and abundant showers fall on mankind. Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds, how he thunders from his pavilion? See how he scatters his lightning about him,bathing the depths of the sea. This is the way he governs the nations and provides food in abundance. He fills his hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark. His thunder announces the coming storm; even the cattle make known its approach."
Job 36:26-33

I think sometimes I forget the majestic character of God. In chapter 38 of Job the Lord finally speaks to Job and asks him question upon question. As I read through those I realized that there's no way I could answer any of them. I can't control the constellations (38:31) or the storehouses of snow (38:22) and yet God in His power can. And yet He loves us. In all of our weaknesses and imperfection He simply loves us. In Matthew 11 He calls the weary and burdened to come to Him and find rest. And so.... in the middle of settling back into a strange and yet familiar culture I was quieted by His love this afternoon as I realized in spite of His majesty He loves me and desires to call me His own.