Panama

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭1‬:‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Panama was a different kind of mission trip for me. It was more relational and less task oriented. Our team joined two other teams – one from Florida and one from South Carolina and we created two groups. Each group created a skit to tell the story of Moses and the burning bush. Each group also selected two games and two songs to play and sing. One of my groups games was “Moses” says (like Simon says). Throughout the week we performed the skit, sang the songs, and led the games.

Each day we experienced different ministry opportunities, and some days the morning and afternoons were different. Even though this trip was much different for me, I found ways to serve where I was comfortable, and I could serve in the capacity of the way God created me. Our first day of ministry we went to a Kuna community where they were living in the city landfill. As others were running around and playing with the kids, I helped the ladies of the local church prepare the snacks for the kids and handed them out.

We had the opportunity to visit kids in a school and share the Bible story with them.

One of our days we traveled to a Kuna village where they live on an island in grass roof houses.

We had our children’s program – played games, performed our skit, and a gospel presentation. As the large group of kids were running and yelling playing a game, I noticed a boy standing off to the side watching. I approached him and motioned did he not want to join. He shook his head no. So he and I created our own game we played together. I could relate to this boy. I too do not want to join in the loud, boisterous crowds. It warmed my heart to see the big smile that lit up his face when I paid him attention. Amongst the chaos and noise, somebody noticed him. Nobody else probably even noticed he and I interacting, but I know he will remember being seen. Jesus also saw someone in a large crowd. His name was Zacheus. He wanted to see Jesus in the crowd so he climbed a tree. I don’t think he was trying to be noticed. But Jesus did notice him, and called to him. And Zacheus’s life was changed.

Also, I am grateful to have gotten the opportunity to do some gardening at the church. One afternoon, our project was the clean up around the local church and I led a group of amazing individuals in cleaning up the front garden.

We may not know the impact we had on the people we encountered that week until we get to heaven but they definitely had an impact on us. The boy I played with in Kuna village. Little Donna in kindergarten class who chatted my ear off in Spanish. Juan Pablo from Colombia who I met in English club and we talked about American college football rivalry. The lady from the Netherlands we met in a park, shared a bench with, and prayed for. The young man at the hospital whose son was having surgery as we prayed for him. The nursing student outside the emergency room we prayed with. The quiet sojourner who so inspired me by pursuing her calling of missions in her own quiet way.