Right after the 11am worship service in the Eagle Cafe (12:30 pm)
AND
after Sunday evening LifeGroups in the coffee shop in the bottom of the Adult Life Center (7:30 pm)
Email received from Cary Phillips, team leader:
We got on a bus in Changuinola at 6pm last night and arrived in PC this morning at 5am… It was a long bus ride but we are glad to be back! After breakfast and a real shower, the team doesn’t know what to think, haha!
It was an amazing week, and we were able to share the gospel door-to-door with families throughout the village. There is no doubt that God is at work in that village and we are glad to be a part of it. The people received us and the message of Christmas and the Gospel of Jesus Christ despite of false teaching that is taking place there. We are praying that the Holy Spirit spreads the good news and the Word of God throughout the village and in the hearts of the people. He is the one that changes people lives, hearts, and minds. I can’t wait to give a full report, and we are excited about what God did while we were there. Christmas is a great time to tell the good news of Jesus birth, and death.
The team did a fantastic job and in a very rough setting. We trudged through muddy slopes up and down hills in the rain at times to share the gospel door-to-door, and when we were not visiting homes, the kids would join us in the school compound to play with us. Often, we were ready for a break, but knowing our time was limited we played with the kids while we could. Some of the regulars pretty much stayed the entire time, except when we were sleeping.
Everyone is doing well. We are planning to rest and spend some time in PC today, and we travel home tomorrow.
The trip has been amazing, the people are awesome, the village is really cool. It’s been many new experiences and some things have even been outside of my comfort zone! I wasn’t expecting to get to write again until the 22nd, but i have Internet here. (Cary was at a clinic with Jacob who was having problems with his eyes being irritated – all is well with him). We have spent the last few days playing and working with the kids, and visiting house to house praying with families, sharing the gospel, and sharing scripture with the people here. We have had a lot of really cool opportunities, and have been able to share our faith a good bit. We have also ran into several “persons of peace” that have helped us in times of need. We are looking forward to a big Christmas celebration and time of teaching on Sunday. Please pray for church that morning, and our Christmas presentation that the village is invited to that evening.
There is a LOT of spiritual oppression and darkness here. There is a false teacher that calls himself a prophet, and he uses political power in the village to force people to be members, attend, and give to his “church”. He does not teach about Jesus, but about a man/prophet messiah that lives in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Two college students Wica, and Ariel, both Kuna Indians wanting to be pastors came as missionaries to the village 2 months ago, they have done a very good work. I am so thankful for them. They have seen 5 accept Christ, and have started a in home church that meets on Sunday. The people have accepted them well, and they are doing good things. It is exciting to see what God is doing in this village through them, and we have been very glad to be apart of it. There is no doubt to our team that God redirected us here for a specific purpose. We came at such a critical time to support the work and the church plant that they have begun. They have been sharing the good news along with us, and distributing Bibles. We have come at an important time to support the work, encourage the few believers, and provide momentum for this new very young and small church.
Wica and Ariel extended their stay a few days to be here with us. They will be leaving the same day that we are to go to seminary, and return. It’s exciting to be apart of this.
One of the persons of peace we met is a school teacher/principal. She has allowed us to stay in the school compound in concrete classrooms. It has been good and has made it much easier on us. We have easy access to water for filtering, a safe place to sleep, and we have been working together on projects. We are helping her with a dinner that she is doing tonight for 160 students. We are making tamales and providing fruit, cookies, and hope to share the gospel with students at the event. She has been very helpful, but the school year just ended and she is also traveling back home the same day that we leave. It seems to be the day of departure and the village will need much prayer.
About to leave Panama City
Albrook Mall in Panama City
Leños y Carbón at Albrook Mall - The Best Ever!
On the way to catch the bus
Morgan celebrating her birthday!
Taxi cab ride!
Jacob at the clinic - still smiling!
Ariel - Kuna church planter
Team at Atlanta Airport
Actually at the time of this post, they are still waiting at the gate for their flight to board, but…
The Panama GO Team travels today to minister in the interior of the country. They had planned on working among the Kuna in a couple of villages. These villages have been flooded from the heavy rains recently – the villagers have evacuated to higher ground! What to do now??!! After looking at several options, the team is headed to another village to share the Gospel through the story of Christmas! God knew all along that these 9 would be holding tickets to board the flights to carry them to Panama long before the rains began to fall! God’s sovereignty at work again!
Pray for the team as they travel, for favor at ticketing counters, immigration and customs, for as much rest as they can get on an overnight bus ride and for obedience and servant hearts as they serve an indigenous people group in a remote area of Panama!
Greetings from the Panama Go Team!
Update from Day 1-
We had a great day in Panama. We start the day off with a trip to an American Christian’s home and a reunion with Steve, who was an interpreter for the team and a real pleasure to get to know and spend time with. We met his wife, Lucy, and then we were off for church in the community of Ciamito. Jonah Echols and I rode in the back of Steve’s truck which had been outfitted for local mass transit with a vinyl bench seats and a roof the length of the bed. Ciamito is in a quasi-mountainous region of Panama near La Chorrera, Panama’s 4th or 5th largest city. While the roads were mostly paved with very windy and narrow sections (there were several one lane bridges on the way), there were some spectacular views of cloud covered mountain tops and all very lush vegetation.
When we arrived at the church, a very simple structure with a concrete floor, metal bench seats, and a corrugated steel roof. There were no walls to the structure which was really neat as it afforded a great view and an occasional cool breeze. The restroom was an outhouse structure on the property. There were only a few people present when we arrived but in about 30 minutes approximately 30 -35 people of various ages were ready to worship. The worship service started with the pastor Jose and his wife leading in singing. Some of the tunes were familiar but we had no idea what were the words they were singing. I was impressed with their excitement and energy level during worship. Each member of the team had an opportunity to share their testimony during the service.
There was an intermission and the church served a cold oatmeal drink that was very interesting. Not wanting to offend the team all partook in the drink. Following intermission, Ted Echols was asked to share the biblical perspective of conflict resolution using an example of two neighbors and one neighbor’s dog, killing the other neighbor’s chicken. As most Panamanians own chickens, the audience was very engaged in the lesson and were very participative in the discussion groups. It was a very good lesson and I was very impressed at the level of engagement and dialogue of a majority of the church.
We had lunch with the pastor and his family outside under a tree. Several of the ladies of the church had prepared the meal, a traditional chicken soup (meat still on the bone), a potato like root plant and rice. While the meal was simple, Steve told us that it was their very best as their honored guests.
In the afternoon, we meet with the youth, twelve young people from the ages of 13 to 28. Pastor David Cline, our missionary host, facilitated a skit on forgiveness. All of the kids were involved and seemed to really enjoyed acting out a part of God’s word. After the skit, Tom Clark, presented an illustration called “The Hand” which uses each finger as different ways of “grasping” God’s work. They are hearing, reading, studying, memorizing, and meditating. The group was very attentive and participative. Following that, Ted Echols and Jody Yancey, shared the construction of a “Salvation Bracelet” with a different colored bead representing steps of the Christian salvation and growth process.
After a full day we went back to Panama City and had dinner with the Clines at the mall. The food court looks like one from an American mall with Taco Bell and Burger King. The mall is very crowded with people as there is a bus terminal at the mall. The local bus system uses old school buses that have been refurbished and painted with different designs. Someone said Panama is where American school buses go after they die.
What do you think of when you hear the word, “Panama“? The Canal? New location many Americans are retiring to? No clue? Of course, it’s the Central American country, but around Eagle’s Landing, people think of Dave and Nancy Clines! Along with their two girls, Gina and Didi, they spent a year in our Oasis House (missionary housing), quickly becoming part of the family! In fact, Nancy’s sister, Loida Lainez and her husband, Cesar, are members of Eagle’s Landing. The Clines serve through the International Mission Board, mobilizing the Panamanian church to be about Great Commission work. Cool!
Drop them an encouraging email: dnclines@yahoo.com
