What’s the Latest?

Well I think it’s about time I update everyone with the
latest details of our whereabouts, since I’m sure many family members and
friends are curious. Sorry about the recent lack of details; I hope this will
get everyone caught up to speed.

So we’ve been in Panama
now for about two and a half weeks. We spent the first few days getting
acquainted with the city and having some fun events as a squad. A few days
after arriving, my team met John Mark and Cheryl Hansen, who we’ve been working
with during out time here. We spent five days out in Santa
Clara at the IMB Beach House, reaching out to nearby
areas and prayerwalking. We returned to the city this past Monday and moved
into the First Baptist Church of Balboa, where we also reached out and traveled
to nearby areas to prayerwalk, mostly with the help of a missionary couple from
America, Brett
and Rochelle. We also were able to meet some of John Mark and Cheryl’s students
from a Mandarin Class they teach and have an end of session party. 

I really have enjoyed my time in Panama
and I’ve been surprised at how fast it has gone by. In six weeks from today, I
am sure I will be saying the same thing about Nicaragua
and wherever else we end up. Time on the race seems to be flying by so quickly,
especially as we get closer to the end.

So tonight at 11pm
we get on a nice comfy Tica Bus and head up to San Jose.
This is the same company and route as the way that we came to Panama,
so we should arrive roughly around 2-3pm.
Then all 26 of us will gather up all our belongings and walk about five blocks
to the nearest Hostel. We have from the time we get there till 430am the next
morning until we have to be back at the bus station to continue our journey to Nicaragua.
After rechecking our bags and getting on the next bus, our travel should last
from 6am until 2pm, when we arrive in Granada,
Nicaragua. So basically,
we have our longest (non-airplane) day of travel still ahead of us.

Once we arrive in Nicaragua
on Thursday the 12^th, we will fi our hostel and probably sleep a
lot. We also have a lot of details to work out with our upcoming week of
ministry, but basically, from the 15^th of June until the 22^nd,
we will be assisting a short-term team coming from America
with medical missions and a VBS program. We still have many details to work out
on this, so I’m not sure exactly what that will look like yet.

After the 22^nd of June, we have about three weeks
left on the field, before we have to be back for our final debrief. (I still
can hardly believe this even as I say it). We aren’t sure what we will be doing
during those three weeks yet; we have many ideas, but nothing nailed down yet.
I’ll be sure to keep you informed as we make decisions.

So I guess I will just leave you with a bunch of much needed
prayer requests for the next week or so…

Ø     
Pray for safe and timely travels

Ø     
Pray for my back which has been hurting really
bad lately (and has potential to get worse on the bus)

Ø     
Pray for our minds to be focused these last 6
weeks of the race

Ø     
Pray that the Lord would begin to show us where
he wants us when we go home, and that we would be patient and trusting in the
process and have complete peace about it

Ø     
Pray for a sweet time of fellowship in our team
in these last 6 weeks

Ø     
Pray for guidance for our team for the last
three weeks of ministry (after Granada).

Ø     
Pray for our upcoming time in Granada
and the people we will be working with there

Thank you prayer supporters!