So it turns out that this month has turned into the most open-handed month so far. Our team went from being in the jungle to not being in the jungle to being in a different jungle. The pastor’s house we have been staying at has been a huge blessing while we have been here, but this past Tuesday, the pastor asked if we would go and help this other pastor evangelize in his community there. This sounded like a great new experience for us, the only catch was that this other pastor lived in the middle of a Chiquita banana farm. That was an interesting surprise…
It was definitely a jungle once we got past the gate to get there and start our way towards the pastor’s house. We hiked for about 40 minutes or so passing only bananas or plantains and suddenly, out of no where, came the house where we would be staying. The pastor greeted us and got us situated and introduced us to his family. He spoke no English, but thankfully by this point we have started to pick up the language pretty well (it helps that we have two fluent Spanish speakers on our team). It sounded like this experience was going to compare a lot to our experience with Pastor Luis in Coban, Guatemala. When we asked where we were exactly, he said “Cable 52,” referring to the many cables that run through the banana field that makes it easier to deliver bananas to where they need to be.
Our experience in the “jungle” has really been amazing though. We got the opportunity to evangelize to the community throughout the plantation (yes, many people actually live in the banana fields). We have also had a lot of opportunities to play with all the children here, which is always a blessing. I am starting to realize how much I appreciate a child’s smile or when I get a hug from them. That is definitely something I will not take for granted anymore.
A few of my teammates have also got opportunities to preach while we were here and that was also a huge blessing for us and the community. It amazes me how people can live in the middle of a banana field in some of the poorest conditions and still have a love and joy for God. It makes me check my own faith and take a step back and ask if I could still praise God in these kind of circumstances. I mean, they had no running water or electricity and used the nearby river to take baths. It puts a totally new perspective on things once again.
Even though our time was short, I think our team learned a lot from this experience. It was amazing how much God taught us during this time where we had to rely on Him A LOT. We are currently back with the pastor we were staying with before in Guabito, Panama and will be working with him and his new church that has been planted for the rest of the time we are here. We only have a few short weeks left in Panama, and then before I know it, I will be in Asia…crazy to think about that. As always, thank you so much for all the encouragement and support!
