It’s not every day you can say you turned 27 on the top of a mountain in the middle of an Indian reservation in Panama. Last week, we traveled with the YWAM (Youth with a Mission) staff into Tugri to stay with the Ngobe (pronounced No-Bay) people. The Ngobe are one of seven indigenous tribes here in Panama, and although we did not always understand each other clearly, God knows no language barrier. There were many eye opening experiences, but what really stuck with me the most was how He revealed that without a doubt, His love is universal.
We made our way up this incredibly winding mountain (at speeds that would most likely make you fear for your life on any road) on a road that is not even 2 years old, until we arrived at the brand new community building. We set up our tents inside the walls, made a quick dinner of PB&J, and set up for the worship session that evening. People walked from all over the reservation to attend this service. [Side note: it is quite apparent that walking is a Panamanian way. Earlier this month when we were at a different Ngobe service in a different town, some would walk up to 6 hours to come to the church service. And I have made excuses to not drive 5 minutes when back in the States… yikes!] The pastor Raphael began to preach in Spanish, and eventually Richard, the director of YWAM Chiriqui, took the floor to deliver a message. I will never forget what happened during this service.
Richard, unlike many of our World Race team, is fluent in Spanish. Most of the Ngobe speak Spanish in addition to their native language, making for relatively easy communication (for those who speak Spanish!). When he took the floor that evening, a few of us called over our team’s resident translator, Brad to break it down in English and keep us in the loop. To my surprise, Richard called Raphael back up front with him to translate his Spanish message into the Ngobe language. What?! On the top of this mountain, in the middle of a reservation, inside this metal barn, THREE languages were floating throughout the room that evening. All praising the same Lord and Savior! It was one of the most moving experiences thus far. In church, I have grown up singing songs of how deep and wide is the love of Christ. That night, I actually FELT that immense girth. There was no denying the presence of God in that room.
The boudnaries were continually blown off, and that proved true again while working with the Ngobe children through a vacation bible school program. The first day we showed up and there was a large crowd of children staring wide eyed at all the crazy white people singing and dancing around. To me, this is the greatest set up to see something special. There is that clutch moment when you see the smile creep across that sweet child’s face, and they decide to just give in, take your hand, and run along side you. I cherish those moments so dear to my heart. The next day the children did not have school, so there was a far smaller crowd- no matter! We went house to house and invited the children to join us for the program. Slowly but surely, the kids started to flow over the hill towards the school building. We would sing with them, read the story of creation, do a craft, and then have free time to have fun and play games. God revealed yet again that you don’t need to speak the same language to love someone well. There was a point when about 10 kids gathered around, ready to be entertained. I thought, “OK… duck, duck, goose! That will be easy for me to explain in my broken Spanish- they’ll love it!” Only one small issue…. I didn’t know the word for duck. Or the word for goose. Hmm… I racked my brain for a way to communicate the rules. In that moment Pollo, Pollo, AQUI! was born. And it worked! They got such a kick out of it, and for days after that would ask to circle up for a game of Pollo, Pollo, AQUI! That week, we spoke through high fives, hugs & kisses, laughs, and many arm gestures.
I could write for hours on how the Spirit is alive in the smiles and laughter of the children. Their intense eagerness to be loved and connected. I could write about the unbelievable scenery unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. The rolling mountains that go on for miles until they blend with the sky… the huge waves of the Pacific Ocean… or the stunning sunrise bursting through the morning clouds and settling over the peaks in the distance. There is more of the Holy Spirit every time I shift my gaze. I have to say, it makes it a bit difficult to organize my thoughts. I continue to see the Lord in new and different ways, and my heart is simply overwhelmed with gratitude; I feel as though I am being given the greatest gift, when I initially set out to give. I want to go ahead and post this, although it is a mere clip of all that I wish to share. I have come to the realization that words will always fall short when attempting to capture or quantify the movements of God. It is my hope that these few memories, that will forever be engrained in my heart, might provide the slightest glimpse.
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