We just for done with dinner. The food here so far (2 days) has been really good. Last night it was pork chops, potatoes, and green salad, it was all good. Tonight it was baked chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, coleslaw and brownies and it was delicious. That was another thing I didn't like about Panama City was the food usually wasn't very good.
We went to a boys catholic school this afternoon and did ministry. Tomorrow after breakfast we are leaving for a remote area where the native Ngobe people live and stay there a couple of days. We have to take all of our food and water with us. There are no stores and we don't even know where we are going to sleep for sure. Oh there is no power and sometimes no water either. This sounds like it will be another real adventure. Obviously there will be no Internet so I won't be posting anything again until Friday night if I get a chance or Saturday.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
MINISTRY BEGINS
Wednesday begins our first day of actually going out to do some ministry. The first thing we did is the kind of thing I really like because it is such an unlikely and unusual thing. We went to a private Christian Chinese School in Panama City to share, sing, and perform drama for. Now how many people do you know who have ever done that? It was fun and the staff was really happy to have us be there. I sure didn't know this before coming here but there is a really large Chinese population in Panama, about 5-10 percent of the population is Chinese. They run all the small stores around. Whether I went to the laundry, the Internet cafe, of the grocery store they were all run by Chinese, now I thought that was odd.
So anyway they are not very friendly and they don't want to be bothered with talking to people so these Chinese Chriatians decided to start this school in the hopes of opening the door for the gospel to them. Seventy percent of the kids that attend the school are Chinese. The school teaches English, Spanish, and Chinese so the kids learn all 3 languages and when they graduate they will be able to communicate with 90% of the worlds population. Chinese parents are attracted to sending their kids to this school where they get a better education. It really was a cool school.
In the afternoon we went and shared at another smaller private school that is affiliated with YWAM and the kids that go there come from not such good homes so they were fun too.
The next day we actually went to men's prison and did our dramas, sang and gave testimonies. Now that was pretty wild going to a prison. We had to have papers from a pastor that goes there and works with them and then going through all the security checks was interesting. The kids from the Panama team are quite musical, they play instruments and a couple are quite good singers so they really do a great job. All of together really do a pretty good job of ministering in all these different situations.
In the afternoon we went to a girls orphanage. It was sad to think of those girls having no family but it was good to be able to go there.
Finally on Friday we went to the worst most dangerous neighborhood in Panama City. There are 18 gangs in the area, it's full of crime, drugs, and prostitution. Recently the police have started having a real strong presence in the area and things a improved a little. A Christian group has come in and started a school there and one of the guys who has been there for a couple of years says that he has seen some positive changes since he has been there. We did our program at the school, the kids were really cute. A little lady from YWAM has been working with the kids and some of the moms who are prostitutes trying to show them the love of God and help in raising their kids so she made arrangements for us to also do a prayer walk while we were there so one guy from the school walked with us to the police station around the corner and a policeman went with us on our prayer walk to help keep us safe. It was pretty powerful and quite interesting.
So anyway they are not very friendly and they don't want to be bothered with talking to people so these Chinese Chriatians decided to start this school in the hopes of opening the door for the gospel to them. Seventy percent of the kids that attend the school are Chinese. The school teaches English, Spanish, and Chinese so the kids learn all 3 languages and when they graduate they will be able to communicate with 90% of the worlds population. Chinese parents are attracted to sending their kids to this school where they get a better education. It really was a cool school.
In the afternoon we went and shared at another smaller private school that is affiliated with YWAM and the kids that go there come from not such good homes so they were fun too.
The next day we actually went to men's prison and did our dramas, sang and gave testimonies. Now that was pretty wild going to a prison. We had to have papers from a pastor that goes there and works with them and then going through all the security checks was interesting. The kids from the Panama team are quite musical, they play instruments and a couple are quite good singers so they really do a great job. All of together really do a pretty good job of ministering in all these different situations.
In the afternoon we went to a girls orphanage. It was sad to think of those girls having no family but it was good to be able to go there.
Finally on Friday we went to the worst most dangerous neighborhood in Panama City. There are 18 gangs in the area, it's full of crime, drugs, and prostitution. Recently the police have started having a real strong presence in the area and things a improved a little. A Christian group has come in and started a school there and one of the guys who has been there for a couple of years says that he has seen some positive changes since he has been there. We did our program at the school, the kids were really cute. A little lady from YWAM has been working with the kids and some of the moms who are prostitutes trying to show them the love of God and help in raising their kids so she made arrangements for us to also do a prayer walk while we were there so one guy from the school walked with us to the police station around the corner and a policeman went with us on our prayer walk to help keep us safe. It was pretty powerful and quite interesting.
CATCH UP
I going to try and start some catch up on what has been happening. The Panama City base was beautiful, as was all the surrounding area around the city, it was like a tropical jungle everywhere but I did not really like the base. It was on the side of a mountain almost straight up and down with the girls dorm where I had to stay with about 15 other girls was the very top building with the bathrooms we had to use about in the middle so . . . it was walking up and down the hill and up and down stairs constantly, it about did me in.
The DTS from the Panama Base was suppose to be leaving for their outreach a couple of days after we got there but they had some problems so they didn't leave while we were there and we ended teaming up with them to so our ministry while we were there. There were 10 on their team and it did work out pretty good working with them.
Sunday we went to a church service in a town called Gamboa and it was across the street from part of the Panama Canal so that was my first view of the canal. Then on Monday we had a free day and got to relax for the most part and recover from traveling. It was hot and humid there and the dorm only had a few fans to cool it off (which they never did).
Tuesday we all had a work day at the base which is never my idea of a good time. We all worked all day up until dinner.
The DTS from the Panama Base was suppose to be leaving for their outreach a couple of days after we got there but they had some problems so they didn't leave while we were there and we ended teaming up with them to so our ministry while we were there. There were 10 on their team and it did work out pretty good working with them.
Sunday we went to a church service in a town called Gamboa and it was across the street from part of the Panama Canal so that was my first view of the canal. Then on Monday we had a free day and got to relax for the most part and recover from traveling. It was hot and humid there and the dorm only had a few fans to cool it off (which they never did).
Tuesday we all had a work day at the base which is never my idea of a good time. We all worked all day up until dinner.
Monday, October 28, 2013
FINALLY
Finally I have wi-fi again and the Internet is about to shut off for the day. We finished our time in Panama City were there was no Internet available and that was not good. Today we took a bus the Chiriqui Panama and that took all day.
Hopefully will have time to update all my goings on tomorrow.
Hopefully will have time to update all my goings on tomorrow.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Panama
Here we are, Panama City. What a day, left at 4 this morning for the airport in Guatemala City and was suppose to be in Panama about 10, it's 7:00 at night right now, we finally arrived and got picked up by the YWAM base and are stopped at a Taco Bell to get some dinner. It has been a crazy, wild day but we are all safe and I'm thankful for that. I pray things smooth out from here.
Our last day of class yesterday was good, Praise The Lord that part is over and we all made it. We gathered together after lunch and had worship and took communion together. It was really nice. Then had an exhausting night of final packing and getting ready
Foods here.
Our last day of class yesterday was good, Praise The Lord that part is over and we all made it. We gathered together after lunch and had worship and took communion together. It was really nice. Then had an exhausting night of final packing and getting ready
Foods here.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
ALMOST OVER
This part of the DTS is almost over. Tomorrow is the last day of class. We have been busy trying to get last minute stuff done before we leave Saturday morning. We are suppose to be leaving here at 4 in morning to go to the airport in Guatemala City. Our flight to Panama is suppose to be a couple hours.
Yesterday afternoon we all went to town for some last minute shopping. Today I started to tackle to task of sorting through my too much stuff, deciding what I need to take and what I should leave behind for now. That is one nice thing that we can leave all our extra stuff here at the base.
One thing I don't like is changing currency again although they say Panama takes American dollars and they say Costa Rica takes dollars also. I think the time is a little different in Panama also. It has been nice to be on the same time here as it is at home but that will change when we go off daylight savings time.
We had my favorite thing for dinner tonight, these chile rellano things with finely chopped veggies and chicken that Floricita makes.
Yesterday afternoon we all went to town for some last minute shopping. Today I started to tackle to task of sorting through my too much stuff, deciding what I need to take and what I should leave behind for now. That is one nice thing that we can leave all our extra stuff here at the base.
One thing I don't like is changing currency again although they say Panama takes American dollars and they say Costa Rica takes dollars also. I think the time is a little different in Panama also. It has been nice to be on the same time here as it is at home but that will change when we go off daylight savings time.
We had my favorite thing for dinner tonight, these chile rellano things with finely chopped veggies and chicken that Floricita makes.
Sunday, October 13, 2013
LAST WEEKEND
This is the last weekend we have in Guatrmala. Next Saturday we leave for Panama. Our Thanksgiving was good and it all went well yesterday. Aaron and Bri found an old Macy's Thanksgiving parade online they played for us along with Christmas music, it was a fun day. Last night, Saturday night was I think the quietest Saturday nights we have had. Everyone was so wiped out from working on the preparations all day and then eating a big meal it was like everyone was in bed before 10:00.
Today after church a group of us went out to eat together. We went to a restaurant called Monoloco (Crazy Monkey). I had heard they had good nachos there so I ordered the Nacho Apocalypto. It was huge, enough for a complete meal for at least four. We all partook and none went to waste.
I have some homework I need to finish up so I better get that done.
Today after church a group of us went out to eat together. We went to a restaurant called Monoloco (Crazy Monkey). I had heard they had good nachos there so I ordered the Nacho Apocalypto. It was huge, enough for a complete meal for at least four. We all partook and none went to waste.
I have some homework I need to finish up so I better get that done.
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