We arrived in Panama!
After arriving to our ministry location late on the 10th, it worked out beautifully that our very first day of ministry on the World Race fell on my birthday. It was a gift from God and it couldn’t have been better.
Our ministry hosts this month are Danny and Heather Nelson, a wonderful Panamanian/American couple who are missionaries to the Ngobe tribe here in Panama. They picked us up at 9:00am and told us we were going to visit one of the pastors they work with who lives in the mountains. Pastor Onecios had fallen off his roof while cutting branches and was thought to be paralyzed, but miraculously survived the accident and is now recovering.
So all 12 of us girls loaded up in Danny’s pickup truck and we drove to the area where the pastor lives. We parked the car and walked to meet Pastor Steven, who lives on the edge of the jungle (still in civilization). Pastor Steven and his 8 year old daughter Eileen guided us on an hour and a half hike through the mountainous jungle to get to Pastor Onecios house. It was a rigorous hike, to say the least. We were all dripping gallons by the time we got there.
Pastor Onecios received us so warmly to his humble hut home, and introduced us to his wife and 5 children (they are expecting number 6 in two weeks). He thanked us for coming and shared that he had been reading Hebrews that morning, and that God was speaking to him through us, because we represent Jesus.
In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us through by his Son. –Hebrews 1:1-2
It was a blessing that we blessed him so much just by being there. I imagine they don’t get visitors up there very often. Also, Heather told me on the way back that he normally travels 5 hours each way to pastor one of his churches, and he hasn’t been able to do that since his accident, so it meant even more for him to have the opportunity to fellowship with other believers.
We helped him prepare his garden to be planted, so we grabbed the primintive tools he had and whatever sticks we could find and started digging. After a few hours, we collected water for them from the nearby stream and then said goodbye.
On our way back down the mountain it started to rain. And when it rains in Panama, it rains HARD. And it doesn’t stop. So we got a nice shower as we hiked back to the truck. When we arrived at the truck (soaking wet and at least 4 hours overdue for lunch), we discovered that Danny had accidentally locked the keys in the car. So Danny took a taxi back to his house to get the spare keys while Heather and us girls sought shelter under a nearby porch.
I am 100% convinced that God had us lock the keys in the car for a reason. Our work there wasn’t done yet. While we were waiting under the porch, a woman named Estelle came out to see who we were. It turns out that this is the main center for helping Ngobe women. They teach Ngobe women to read, write, sew, make crafts to sell, take care of their children, and other things to help them improve their lives.
Estelle introduced us to a room full of Ngobe women who were busy sewing traditional Ngobe outfits. We awkwardly said hi, I bought a blouse, and we left the room to go back out to the porch to wait for Danny. I couldn’t shake the feeling that God had us there for a reason. Estelle and I talked in Spanish for about half an hour, and as I shared about the World Race, she mentioned that some of the women at the center are Christians, and others are not. So I asked her if we could talk to the women about God, and she agreed.
So I told Heather and we gathered the girls. I asked if anyone wanted to share their testimony or tell about the World Race and why we’re here, and that I would translate for them. Jenna and Tara agreed to share, so we went back in. I introduced our group to the women and invited Jenna to share her story, then Tara, while I translated for them. Jenna and Tara did a great job explaining what it means to have a relationship with Jesus, and how He forgives us for our sins. After that I asked the women if they had any questions, and they asked more about our beliefs and our trip, then I prayed for the women before we went back outside again. Shortly after that Danny came back and we loaded up the truck to head home.
When we got back, we all changed into dry clothes, made dinner, and then celebrated my birthday. I opened the present that my friends from home sent with me in my backpack, and my teammates also gave me a gift. They also made my cupcakes and topped them with my traveling Buck. They know me so well already!
I am overwhelmed by God’s goodness to me. I have waited so long to be sent out to the nations to do mission work, and this was the absolute best way to start it off. A gorgeous hike to encourage a remote pastor, a surprise opportunity to witness to a room full of women, and a great memory to keep forever. I wouldn’t mind at all if every day on the World Race looked like this. I have so much to look forward to! 🙂
