Surreal. First off, I’m here. 3000 feet up in the mountains of Panama. Living with our hosts, the Caballero family. Building housing for the indigenous workers on their coffee plantation.
Busy. To say it’s been a whirlwind would be an understatement. I’ve been on the ground for 10 days now, and it feels like I am just getting a breath of fresh air. Work days have been an intense mix of moving sand, mixing concrete, milling lumber, and framing out the units. Evenings quickly follow with family dinners, dedicated team time, and Logistics details.
Adjustments. On one hand, the transition to the missionary/Panamanian lifestyle has been quite manageable. I’ve been fortunate enough to enjoy many of the same comforts from back home–a bed to sleep on, plenty of prepared food, and Wifi. On the other, the number of bug bites on my legs might inspire a chicken pox diagnosis, the showers are cold, the water is safe for cleaning but not for drinking, and the tissue doesn’t go into the toilet.
Expectations. Life isn’t just like it was in the United States. The important thing is I had no expectation it would be. The Caballero family is a first-time host for World Racers. Unlike other hosts and ministries who have well-documented living conditions and activities, all I knew going in was:
“The Caballero family owns a coffee farm… [Your team] will be helping the family on their farm, and also working to help build some homes for future missions teams. You also may be doing some outreach into the local community, teaching English, and sharing the Gospel with the local community.”
Knowing I was going to be one of six missionaries living with a family on a farm, I fully expected to be sleeping in my tent at the peak of the Panamanian rainy season. So when I was fortunate enough to score a top bunk to lay out my sleeping bag, I was over the moon. So it followed with food, weather, and even my laundry situation (washer, no dryer).
Honeymooning? As mentioned above, I arrived with extremely low expectations of what I would find in Panama. Adventures in Missions (parent to the World Race) does a pretty great job at setting a culture of discomfort. The key moving forward will be carrying this forward in spite of comfortable circumstances. Because at some point I will probably get the runs, or be keeled over a toilet, God-forbid I get seriously ill. These things do and will happen. I’m a week-and-a-half in and it feels like vacation right now. Great living situation, sometimes brutal work but fulfilling nonetheless, top-notch food, incredibly kind hosts. I’m on cloud nine right now, the “honeymoon phase”. It’s a thing with mission trips just as much as it is relationships. So forgive my clickbait-y title as I await the moment the rubber hits the road. It’ll come. For now, I’ll be enjoying the relationships with my teammates and host family, and the Panamanian cuisine of course.
Prayers: To pursue vulnerability with my team and discipline as I seek to be deliberate about my spiritual development and relationships. I’m also still about 2k short of being fully funded so please pray and perhaps consider donating in support of my trip.
P.S. There was an earthquake here yesterday about a hundred miles off (6.2) we are all fine, I didn’t feel it. We also had an aftershock today (4.5) that I did feel, go figure. Everyone is safe, no major damage in our area.
