Well friends, I’ve been in Panama for a week now!
This photo was taken on a hill overlooking Panama City, you can see the ocean to the left. We are living right in the middle of Panama city. I’m not a city girl, but it’s been kind of cool to experience so far.
Ministry this month –
We are working within the Indian community with Shibu and his wife Lily. Shibu is from India. His heart is to reach the Indian families here for Christ. There are over 15,000 Indian families in Panama. This ministry is newly established, they started it about a year ago, it’s at its beginning stages.
We will be helping with house visits, outreach, relational evangelism, indigenous ministry in the mountains, church planting, participating in church activities, children’s ministry, women’s ministry.
During the home visits we will lead worship, prayer, give testimonies, and bring a message of encouragement. The goal is to build relationships and trust in order to reach this community for Christ.
We will be helping with a children’s ministry. Doing skits, children’s songs, games, and a lesson. So much fun!
They would like us to reach out to the ladies here so we will be helping our beauty for ashes team member, Melissa prepare and organize a woman’s outreach. Beauty for Ashes is a ministry focused towards creating a safe place for women to share their stories, while making way for the holy Spirit to bring healing. The four main themes we focus towards are identity, worth, forgiveness, and community. The goal of it is to bring God’s restoration, hope and healing to suffering and victimized women through ministry and training. The vision is to see restored women of all nations serving as Christ’s ambassadors for change, healing, and freedom in their homes communities and cultures.
On Sunday’s we will lead worship, prayer, give testimonies, and a message. Shibu and Lilly are very excited for us to be here and walk alongside their ministry with them.
We will also be helping with a Christmas program! I’m so excited because I love Christmas! We will be presenting a skit, songs, and a message. It is going to be so much fun! Shibu really wants to reach the Indian community through this program. Introducing them to the story of Jesus and present the Gospel.
Almost all of this ministry is going to require me to step outside my comfort zone. But I’m so excited to be a part of this ministry this month, and get out of my comfort zone! Please pray I wouldn’t let my fear and insecurities hold me back from reaching these people.
Personal growth –
I’m currently trying to grow in community. I’ve realized my strong suit is not building relationships. I’m pretty lazy in this area and instead of reaching out to build relationships, I wait to be reached. That’s very one sided. This really only brings loneliness and highlights all my insecurities and lies I believe about not being wanted or needed. It’s also not fair to my team.
We can’t have full community within the team if one is holding back and not being in full communion with the other members. It causes miscommunication, and misunderstandings. If I’m not being a part of the community I’m withholding from the body and causing the body to not be whole. Also I’m missing out from learning from the other parts of the body and getting what I need from the body in order to function correctly.
I would appreciate prayer through this growth. It is going to be a challenge until building relationships becomes more naturally to me.
Blessings –
The ability to be here serving in Panama with Shibu and Lilly!
God has answered my prayer about cats yet again!
We are right across the street from a grocery store! Praise the Lord, because we are feeding ourselves this month!
A real Christmas tree!! It smells like Christmas!!
Lights for our room!
The resources to draw pictures for the walls in our room.
My talented teammate painted a wreath for our door!
I truly think beautiful things will come from this month. God is going to do great things in Panama! In the community here that Shibu and Lilly are reaching out to and also within my teams community. I’m excited to share all the amazing things the Lord does!
Until next time,
God Bless!
