9 days into Panama and WOW do I have so much to share with you guys!! A video is coming soon that will show you guys all the people, places, and things we’ve encountered so far in the short time we’ve been here in Chiriqui, Panama. But don’t stop reading just yet because this blog is going to explain ALOT of what you will see in the video!
God has blessed us so BIG here in Panama! We have been hosted by a wonderful family who have provided comfy beds, toilets, showers, 3 delicious home cooked meals a day, and so much love and laughter. Our team is definitely aware that life on the race won’t always be this luxurious but we’re so grateful that God has provided such an atmosphere of love and comfort to make this transition from home to month one very smooth!
Who are we staying with?
We are staying with the Caballero family who own a coffee farm and most of their proceeds go towards supporting missionaries!
So what does our daily life look like here in Panama?
The family has a vision of building housing for the indigenous workers that work the coffee farm. Most of them live in small shacks that are beginning to fall in. For the last 9 days, we wake up and have breakfast at 7am then from 8am-4pm we have been painting, putting up sheetrock, putting up walls, mixing/laying concrete, harvesting/sawing/cleaning bamboo for some of the walls, installing windows and doors, and killing lots of spiders. We take a lunch break around 12:30 and we will either come back to the house for the meal or the wife of our host family will bring it to us on the worksite. Then we will have dinner around 5:30-6. Let me tell you guys, my aspirations of losing weight on the race have been destroyed by all the delicious meals we receive. After dinner, we end the night doing team time/feedback with just our team then we will spend time with the family singing and dancing or just sharing smiles and laughs.
What has been the high and low of Panama thus far?
The high point of Panama so far has been meeting and bonding with this incredible family. They are so loving and kind, they call us their children, and getting to know them and learning from them has been such an honor.
The low point of Panama so far has been adjusting to a different culture. I knew signing up for The Race that I would be immersed in different cultures and while that excited me, I never fully thought about the language barriers or becoming a minority for the first time in my life. Although it’s been a struggle at times, I’m beginning to see it as God humbling me in a HUGE way. He’s flipping the script on my privilege”ness” and comfort so that I can become more grounded and begin to grow as a new person.
What word has God spoken over me thus far?
One word I feel God has spoken over me while in Panama is “HONOR.” That’s what He has called us here for, to honor Him and to honor His people. Honoring people is a way to show Jesus to them and that brings honor and glory to The Father and His Kingdom.
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading/seeing my video! Thank you guys so much for your support and love! I love sharing my experiences with you and showing you how the Holy Spirit moves in all of them! Keep an eye out for that video! Love you all!!!!!
