The first week in Panama has been amazing! We have seen God’s hand in a number of different ways, including a kind couple, Kevin and Deanna, who have given us a beautiful place to stay right on the ocean, which has allowed us to decompress from the busy North American lifestyle and clearly discern and listen to God’s voice!
While trusting in what God has, and praying about a place to stay after we leave here, God has provided a place just down the road! These beautiful people are also allowing us to stay in their Panamanian home rent free. Another awesome American couple that wants to advance the kingdom of God in Panama have stepped up to be a blessing to us! Thank you Jesus for your faithfulness!
While the kids and I have been completing school in the mornings, Sam has been going to the workout gym down the road. He feels like he has a deep connection to the young men at the gym, and wants to tell them about Jesus, but not knowing the language has been a huge barrier. We want to be able to fully answer our the call here in Panama, so Spanish schooling for our family may be in the future. A pastor that we met last Sunday at church told us about a top notch school in Costa Rica, so we are praying about this and seeing if we have peace about going there. It is a big commitment, so we’ll have to see.
The Panamanian people here are kind and welcoming, so we feel at home here. Sammy and Justice were learning Spanish on one of our first mornings here while playing with a young Panamanian boy named Davidson. They learned how to say “Ariba!” (which means higher) as they built a sand castle, (castillo in Spanish), together and they learned “cangrejo” (which means crab). They had a ball with each other and didn’t even speak the same language! Kids are so cool that way!
We also witnessed a lady that got pulled out into the ocean too far last night and couldn’t swim well….people were yelling and trying to help her, but most of her family on the shore couldn’t swim out to her. It was getting dark, and Sam had to swim quite a distance to help her. We were praying on the shore for safety and protection, and God got everyone to shore safely. Thank you Jesus! It was a little scary to watch, but as we prayed, peace came over us, and we felt like God’s angels had surrounded the people out in the water. Praise you Jesus for your hand of protection!
Anyway, we already feel purpose here in many different ways, and there are many opportunities to serve the kingdom of God here. There are remote Panamanian villages in the jungle that we look forward to visiting, and we’ve have already been to our first Spanish bible study in a little town called El Vaille (in the bottom of a dormant volcano in the mountains). It is a really cool little town with a quaint, laid-back atmosphere…..Sam and I both felt the presence of the Holy Spirit at the bible study and got rocked! Sam was able to share his story of coming to Christ after going through years of addiction, and it encouraged another young man there to share his story as well. At the end of the night, he was able to pray with the young man and felt that he had made a difference! God is SO good!
This is our first post, so thank you for your support and for taking the time to see what God is doing! Blessings to all of our family and friends! Please if you feel led to pray for us, we would really appreciate it. Protection, guidance and direction, and that God’s will would be done in and through us in Panama would be a great place to start! Much love to all!