We did not know what to expect, and I suppose that was the most exciting part. I was excited to be in Panama. Our first day we met an older lady named Edisa. Going on a second day of no sleep, Zach and I walked around the neighborhood of the hostel we were staying at for the night. We were looking for areas to eat when we walked up to Edisa, sitting outside of a small souvenir shop that she owned. We looked in, and almost deciding that we should keep walking, I began a conversation with Edisa in Spanish. I told her about our team and the mission trip we were on called the World Race. Over the next couple of hours we learned that Edisa was a devout Christian who trusted in Christ as her Lord and Savior. She asked us if she could pray for us. We said yes. She put her hands on our shoulders and began to pray in Spanish. Then she started to sing praises to the Lord. Edisa was a sweet lady who had an obvious love for the Lord. After some time, Zach and I thought it best to leave, find food, and talk to the team about coming back later for all of them to meet Edisa.
Edisa was having a hard time financially, and our team was having a hard time finding a place to stay that was within our budget. Edisa offered us the lower part of her house which was a few rooms including a shower and bathroom for a price closer to our budget. There was no furniture and the rooms were not in great condition but we tossed the idea around with our team. We went back to see Edisa that night. We were able to pray for her, but decided not to accept her offer of staying in the lower part of her home. This was only the beginning of our journey.
After a couple of days, we moved to another hostel, less expensive, in the center of a small historic town within Panama City where we remained for the rest of the month. Deciding to explore our new home, we found a park square beside a market place where we wanted to go and spend time in prayer asking God for direction for how we would spend the next few weeks. Instead of sitting down in prayer, we walked up to a church congregation gathered in a circle worshiping and dancing, with one man preaching from his Bible in Spanish. So we decided to jump in. They welcomed us into their dance and afterwards we talked to them. They were very kind and welcoming and we asked about opportunities in the area where we could serve and told them who we were and what we were doing in Panama. At that moment a door was opened.
One of the members of the church referred us to a pastor at their church nearby who could get us connected with a nursing home attached to San Felipe Church not far from where we were. We met with the staff at the nursing home, explained who we were and asked if we could help. We started working with them the next morning. We spent our time every morning with the ladies and gentlemen living there. We talked with them, sat with them, played games with them, and prayed with them. They were some of the loveliest people I have met on the race. They loved us being there. We loved being there with them. We experienced a few of their birthdays. We listened a lot. Later in the day we would serve them lunch. Some days, we would help feed some of them because they were not able to feed themselves.
Bonnie, one of the oldest men living there, sat in a wheel chair and could not do much besides get out a few words and phrases most days. Zach spent a lot of time with him, talking to him, helping him eat, and praying with him. Bonnie was very special and weighed heavily on Zach’s heart. Ms. Morgan weighed heavily on mine. She had Alzheimer’s and on many days forgot the conversations we had the day before. She was very sweet. She loved the Lord. Ms. Morgan was fun, and she liked to dance. She also enjoyed games and a nice hand of Solitaire. One day I brought her a deck of cards. She was very excited and kept saying how she was going to play a game of Solitaire later that night. Ms. Morgan was special. Many of them touched our hearts. I can recount some of those who impacted me. Victoria, a sweet little old lady in a wheel chair, who was a little princess. Frederico, a kind man who always had a smile on his face. Cecilia, very feisty, but very affectionate and sweet. Dulce, a very kind and loving woman with a lot of faith and life experience.
We spent the rest of our month helping out at the nursing home. We got to know and love these people as best we could, and soon we were preparing to leave again. Getting ready to leave was difficult, but we could see a difference. In only a month we saw hearts lifted, many people encouraged, and hope restored. In one month, we were able to impact many for God’s kingdom. I remember one day praying for Ms. Morgan. I was able to speak truth into her life, that she was loved, beautiful, and a daughter of the Lord. She was so encouraged she prayed for me in return.
God opened other doors as well, from hanging out and playing soccer with the local kids on the nearby soccer court, to meeting different people in our hostel, to volunteering at a school for at risk youth in the afternoons, and even going out into the community to pray for people and talk with them. We experienced God in a lot of ways. We needed God to provide work for us to do and he did. We needed him to provide a safe place for us to stay and he did. God allowed our team to make some necessary choices, but at the end of the month we could see his hand guiding us through all of it.
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