Well, I'm sitting here on the eve of leaving with lots of mixed emotions. It seems every time I come to Panama I fall in love with it's people that much more. Rebekah has done a great job of posting on the blog and is a much better write than I am, but I thought I would share a few thoughts. The past two weeks have been a whirlwind of excitement and exhaustion. It's funny because whenever we come here my intention is to"bring Jesus to them" and every time I come, its Jesus that I seem to find. Between the two districts in Panama over 500 people have committed to sharing their faith this week, over 60 have rededicated their lives to Jesus and 26 have become first time disciples of Jesus! I wish I could take credit for the results we have seen, but I can't. The Holy Spirit is alive and active in Panama. Rebekah touched on it yesterday, but we have sat in ugly church buildings, hot church buildings, hugged sweaty people, listened to people sing off key, terrible musicians, sat through 15 minute prayers and we've sat in lawn chairs in most of the sanctuaries. We've rarely started church on time, there was no children church, no demographic target and we tracked mud into most of the churches. Most buildings we were in weren't completely finished and church wasn't just an hour and 30 minutes long. You see, when your in Panama you realize how wrong we have it in the United States. In our churches we need to have the music at just the right volume, the preacher needs to have the right clothes on and church has to be over at noon. If those things and many other are just perfect, then maybe we will have the kind of service where the Holy Spirt shows up. We have forgotten where the Holy Spirt resides and that's in me! And In you! That's one reason I love Panama so much. The people are still pure enough to not get caught up about superficial things. Oh, I know they have issues, which we have discovered this year. But they are spiritual concerns, not superficial concerns.
The work in Panama is really just beginning. There are 31 organized Nazarene churches in the country. 10 on the west district and 21 on the Panama City district. There is also a mission type church being planted in San Blas with the Kuna Indians. There are many churches trying to finish building projects so they are able to minister to people in their communities. Some churches are running food programs for the children of poor families in their communities. There are pastors who need help paying for their training classes ($15 a class). There are VBS opportunities and ministries to be started. There are needy church folks who need to be loved on and need help with things you and I take for granted, like clothes and shelter.
The needs are overwhelming and I've said to myself, where does a person start? The answer I received from the Lord was to just say, "yes, I'll go." I've had people say, well why go to Panama, we have needs here to you know! Yes, they correct. Couple problems with that thinking is, Jesus said to " Go into all the world.". The second problem is these are people who don't have Medicaid, foodstamps or a Goodwill down the road. There is no food pantry or clothes closet nearby. They aren't going to find a job making more than $1.50 an hour in most parts of the country. These are very content people who are happy and most of them joyful. The problem is, most don't know Jesus. The ones that are disciples of Christ do a wonderful job Being Jesus to their community, but who will be Jesus to them? I will, will you go? Will you be Jesus to people in "all the world?"
I'm sure in the next month or so we will be putting together another team to go to Panama next year. I actually would like to take two teams but we will let the Lord lead in that area. If your interested in a life changing experience, send us an email or facebook message so we can get you the information when its ready.
Jeremy
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