Hola, from Chiriqui, Panama. It has been good here. A lot of growth, I am starting to put into practice what the Lord is showing me. I was aware of a lot of things but no change, now I am starting to see change little by little as I have applyed it. Thanks be to God for that. The team change has gone well. We are challenging each other and building one another up.
I would like to talk about my experience in Granada, Nicraragua. Also Jaco, Costa Rica. The farm in Granada was are “all squad month” as was Jaco. In Granada we were taught a lot of spirtural disiciplines. We got up early in the morning at 5am to pray and 6am quiet time. I am now getting up regularly at 6am. Then we started our ministry after breakfast. We split into groups, some went out to pray for the community. Going house to house and it is cool becuase they have already established building relationships by going house to house and they have a good relationship with a lot of people. They go out to communities that they haven’t reached as well. Specfically we prayed over a woman and a member of my team said she would be healed in two days. So there is some really cool things that can happen through prayer. We all want to see the Spirit of God move and its cool when it happens. I would like to see the Holy Spirit move in a miraculous way in front of my eyes!
Other groups helped with the farm work and this is all done until lunchtime. Then the groups switch places. So the people that did prayer walks would go to the farm and vice versa. Julio is a particular man that we worked with. He was a great influence to our squad. We got to joke around with him a lot. We dug out plantante trees for a few days. Which was really fun. I take a lot of pride in my work, sometimes too much. But it was good.
Some groups go to the dump. Locals work there independently everday and make very little. I don’t know but it is some crazy number. Not enough to live off of. For some it is generational. There parents did it or are doing the same work. The people there search for bottles or metal and various other things. It was hard to see.
There are a lot of people living in really tough situations. On our prayer walks we saw a lot of harsh condintions but the people seem happy. There is so much oppurtunity for outreach here, not to fix them but to build them up. I would encourage you all to consider missions. There is a physical need here and spritual needs and even where we are now in Panama. Although they don’t need white saviors but only Jesus Christ. I would encourge everyone back home to give radically for the cause of Christ. Your time and money. I would like to recommend a book Crazy Love by Francis Chan. He really changed my perspective. It is partly why I do missions.
I would like for everyone to add me on facebook (Jonathan Thorstad). I will be posting pictures on there. It is too time consuming to do it on these blogs. Thank you! God bless you all. Don’t be afraid to leave comments below. I would love to hear from you.
Childrens ministry in Boquete Panama. We played with them and taught the Noahs Ark story.
Jon Ames surprise going away party! I was almost as surprised as he was lol. I forgot about it until we walked back to the base. I was with some people keeping him preoccupied and the rest of the squad surprised him. So funny! In Jaco Costa Rica
Our ministry in Ciudad Dario. Where we went for 4 days in Nicaragua. Playing a game with the kids for there first day of bible school.
Ciudad Dario. We went on a prayer walk and prayed over the childrens parents who sacrifice a lot for them to be in school. God is so Good! Some kids walk long distances to get to school. Some drop out becuase it is too much. They also have to go to regular school during the day.
In Ciudad Dario. This is the building where the ministry is, Also we slept on the floor here as well. These are the kids having lunch from the bible school. Around ages 10 to 16. They were amazing, there teachers were too. We got to do teaching with them as well. Before each day. This was one of times that I had the most fun on the race. Me and my other teammates had a lot of laughs here at night.
This is the futbol field we worked on. We dug holes to put the tires in as boundries for the field. This is one of the opressed areas in Jaco Costa Rica. It is called Invu park. Oceans Edge is working on fixing it up for a safe place to go for kids and families. They are building this community up. Looking to do outreach however they can.
