Here in Panama we have been working hard. Our work days have been filled with construction on a church/bathroom, and three nights a week we would send a few of us to minister to the indigenous people in the mountains nearby. The whole church is under construction, but we needed to get the most important part finished before the first church service… the bathroom! This was our main project for the month, and it has been a blast laying pipelines, laying brick, and watching this section of the church come together.
As we finish up our work here, we will be leaving our hosts soon. Danny and Heather, have been so generous and gracious to us. We have been working very hard, and we have had long days, but they have been right there with us working beside us. They have a love for Jesus and for His church that is alive and evident in their work for the lord. Their faith is proven to be alive by what they are doing for the cause of Christ! It has been an honor to be a part of the ministry that they have work so hard to maintain.
We will also be leaving our supervisor, advisor, manager, and honorary abuela, Pastor Manuel Gonzalez. He has been sharing his philosophy of work which is “bueno, bonito, y barato”. This means that your work should first of all be good work; second, it should be beautiful work; third, your work should cost you as little as possible by being resourceful. Pastor Gonzalez has been sharing his knowledge and wisdom about construction with us for the month that we have been here. He has shown us that he wants us more than anything to learn to think and problem solve. He has not been the easiest person to work for at certain times, but he loves us, and it is so refreshing to have someone who is not afraid to tell us hard things in order for us to grow. He has not only been sharing his knowledge of construction but also his love for the word of God. It has been a pleasure to work under a hard working and loving man. I pray that my work will be first bueno, second bonito, and third barato.
