Icandi.

As our boat pulled up on the shore of Icandi and as we unloaded equipment I felt like the whole place was something out of a movie. We were surrounded by massive huts and packed dirt pathways snaked in and out of buildings and trees. It was the furthest away from quote on quote "reality" I’d ever been before. We call these trips “missions experiences” and for me this was definitely a little out of my comfort zone. I’d been on 3 of these trips before but never in such rustic and at times brutal living conditions. All 10 of us, the 6 stinters, the Tillinghasts and 2 Kuna pastors who came with us stayed in one massive hut, sleeping in hammocks and changing in darkness to try and grab some sense of privacy. But the people there were absolutely beautiful! I had never been in a Kuna village before but we were welcomed in as all the children and some of the men carried our equipment and set up our hammocks. The women were pretty shy and the language barrier didn’t help but we were still able to exchange smiles and have some conversation through our translators. Kuna women don’t speak Spanish but all the boys and therefore the men do, so it was interesting to be back in a situation where I couldn’t quite communicate at the level I’m used too.


The 3 and a half days we spent there were full of constantly changing plans and activities. We spent times throughout the day working with various families and Juan Carlos and I found ourselves grinding corn, cutting and gutting fish, machete-ing a little field and cutting and peeling green plantains. It was a totally new experience for me but one that we both enjoyed. The first day we didn’t really get a chance to talk with any of the families as we simply worked on our tasks, but as Juan Carlos said as we were working on a little field, “I hope that somehow this shows them the love of Christ.” And I pray that it did. We were able to have a bible study we the Kuna ladies on both days that we were there and I was able to share my testimony one of these days. This was while the boys on our team were entertaining and keeping all the tonnes of children distracted with singing songs and crazy re-tellings of bible stories.


The children too were absolutely amazing! We were mobbed as we walked throughout the villages and many a time I felt a little hand grab mine as we were walking to and fro. It was fun to play with them and teach them new games but also super encouraging hearing them sing Christian songs well into the night.


On our final evening there we had a chance to show the movie, “Magdalena.” It’s a newer film that uses scenes from the Jesus film and new scenes to tell the story of Jesus through the eyes of a woman. The message was powerful as the gender relations in a Kuna village are drastically different but not necessarily bad. When we asked a woman what her purpose was, she said it was nothing. It was sad to see women think that they were worth nothing but through the women’s bible studies and through seeing the film my prayer is that they know Jesus loves them and that they’re worth dying for.

It was a challenging three days but more than anything I left encouraged. There’s good follow-up set in place and a pastor named Lazaro that’s been visiting the village once a week. He’s respected by the chiefs and in the village and so as he continues to work there along with another Pastor named Leno I have a lot of hope for this village in spite of the challenges that are there. The beliefs of the people are so close to Christian beliefs; they say we have the same God and they believe that Jesus was the son of God. But they see no need for a saviour because their salvation is based on works. If the good things you do outweigh the bad ones you get to go to heaven. They're missing the truth of the word. The bible has been translated into Kuna but is still not in this village, the pastors have bibles but the people don't, many of them can't read. But my prayer is that as Pastors Lazaro and Leno teach from the word and build the church they just received permission to build, the truth about Gods grace but also the truth and need for a saviour would be spoken and received.

we're back.

We’re back in the city and ready to leave all over again! David and Santiago was great and Steve, Dorrie, Mike and I had a great time connecting with the students and one of the volunteers that work with the movement. For me it was exciting to see many of the students I had met last year still connected in and faithful with the ministry. But even more than that hearing their hearts to follow God through all the ups and downs and discouragement was a testimony to God’s hand at work in their lives.

In Santiago we met up with three students from the ministry; Enoch, Marquis and Melissa. Mike and Dorrie were curious to hear their life stories and so away we went. Enoch went first and explained about his Christian upbringing but how as he got older church just became something he did socially. One day he was walking along on the university when he saw a piece of paper on the ground that said, “Are you a Christian?” and advertising for a Vida Estudiantil meeting. Enoch went, in his words thinking that maybe there were cute girls there and ended up being invited to a retreat VE was having. He ended up going and in a quiet moment under a palm tree he said that he felt the Lord spoke to him and he decided in that moment that he was going to follow God no matter what and for his own belief and not anyone else’s. I remember hearing about this retreat because the team that was in Santiago on my project put it together... it was over 2 years ago. Today Enoch is still connected in with the movement as well as being super involved in his local church. For me it was so cool to see how God has been moving over the years and how the Canadian partnership with the Panamanian ministry here has gotten to be a little part of that!

Please keep the team in your prayers as we leave tomorrow for the Darien jungle where we’ll be on a four day mission trip in a Kuna village. As always pics and details to come! Thanks so much for staying tuned!!

this week.

I'm at home with the girls anxiously awaiting the arrival of two staff members from Canada. Mike and Dorrie are on their way down to "meet" Panama and prepare for the arrival of the summer project of students heading down throughout May and June. They'll be in town for the next week. Tomorrow the 4 of us, Mike, Dorrie, Steve and I will be in meetings with the national staff to talk about the vision for the summer project. Then, later in the afternoon we're setting off for a rapid 3 days of travel to the other side of the country and back. Not that far really as its Panama. We'll be heading to the city of David first and then we're off to Santiago. The goal for the four of us is to connect with the local staff and volunteers in the prayer that we'll be able to send summer teams to each of these cities, as well as Panama City this summer. David doesn't currently have any staff members but we're praying for that and are excited to meet the committed group there. Steve and I were there last year so I'm looking forward to revisiting the ministry there and seeing where they've been the last year and where we're looking forward to going. Visiting Santiago is always a joy and connecting with Duby (the local staff) and the group of students is awesome!

Please pray as we travel through the country over the next week. We'll be leaving Monday and returning sometime Thursday. Pray that we'll be able to have good conversations and get solid planning and preparation in place for the summer project. We're excited to get rolling! Also please keep in your prayers the group of students currently in the application and support raising process to come to Panama this summer. Summer project is always one of the highlights of he year and for me was an absolutely life changing experience! Thanks so much for all your prayers! I'll let you know how it goes!

i was going to blog but...

Hey everyone! I was going to blog away like normal when I received a link to an article in my inbox and it would be great if you took a look at this. It's a great article that got posted about our trip to the Dominican Republic.... pretty cool!

http://ccci.org/locations/americas/panama/panama-to-dominican-republic.aspx

change.

I feel like a part of me is growing up and getting ready to move into whatever is next. At the same time growing up comes with a lot of change and that's not something I deal with well unless I have control over whatever it is that's changing. But that's not how life works, especially life with God. Everything here in Panama is such a huge part of me, campus ministry included and so as scary as it is to leave it all behind I know that a lot of things will come with me. All the memories and all of everything that I've learned here. People are in our lives for a season and longer or more unexpected than others. And yet as everything changes and time continues to pass by there really only is one constant. Christ. Time and time throughout the Psalms David comes back to the refuge and shelter of the most high. Its as if David knows that's his only safe place. I don't know whats to come as everything around me seems to be changing but I know that God calls us into these ever changing season and that He'll be beside me every step of the way.

"The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong for the Lord upholds his hand."

Psalm 37:23-24