Ciao

Appropriate word for the final Panama blog.. I think so :-) So, what and how did I spend my last weeks in Panama? Well there was the English Special Assembly Day which was the C part of the circuit. The English Circuit has had so much growth lately, they are now 3 parts to the circuit and had 183 in attendance.  They are 1082 in total for the circuit, and Costa Rica is part of the A side of the circuit. They also have a large English need. Speaking of Costa Rica, we went to Costa Rica with an amazing couple and a sister serving in Changuinola, Panama.  I think they deserve a formal shout out so Heyyy, Darrin, Iliana, and Micah.

So yes, we went to Costa Rica, with them and had an amazing time. The beach was like a pool so calming unlike the waves that beat me up and made me feel like I had been hit with sacks of beans in the beaches in Panama.  Well back to the ‘min’ (as the brothers I met from New Zealand call the ministry), the growth is tremendous they in 5 years have added several new English Congregations and other foreign language groups. Most Recently in Armuellas a new group for English was just started which consist currently of 1 family, 2 New Congregations in English in Boquete and Changuinola.

Our trip ended with Panama City, and meeting the brother in person for the first time who helped us out from the start of our trip. He found us a brother (Thanks Tito Miller) to meet in Bocas and show us around the Island also Ismael picked us up from the bus terminal to take us around the city and to the airport finally at 11:00pm, what brotherly love and hospitality he showed. Thanks Ismael :-D Did I mention he and his friend Ichy are great tour guides as well? I think they know more about Panama and the Canal than the people who built it ;-)  Thank you Jessica for making that connection for us.  It’s so amazing to see the brotherhood at work.  Until Next time

 Ciao!!!!!

Check out other random pics..and yes the soup with the fish called Rondon was Delicioso!!! Oh and I walked across a border, also something I have always wanted to do...there was a bridge between Costa Rica and Panama and these nice men escorted me across after finding contraband..haha just kidding but they did take a picture with me!!

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Touchdown

   Fittingly named because I played football on the beach and scored our teams only two touchdowns!! Who says a total lack of knowledge about the game prevents you from being a successful player.  :-) Ok so let’s rewind to how I got there.  The congregation minus 2 went to another Island where there is a beach called Red Frog, known for its poisonous red frogs. We took a boat, all of us piled in..

 

We arrived at the beach, hung out had a few snacks, and played football on the sand as well as a form of keep away in the water. The beach was beautiful, crystal green water which you could see through for miles, the waves crashing over you left you in awe and then in ow.. The waves crashed strong and hard felt like getting hit with sacks of beans, consequentially I woke up the next day extremely bruised and sore. It was a good time for all though and a much needed Vaca from the normal activities.

 

OK so , touchdown is also appropriate to describe settling into life here. It’s been a challenge to learn the routine for preaching there isn’t much activity on Monday or Tuesday from either group English or Spanish then they go hard the rest of the week. So since we don’t work were kinda hanging out seeing stuff on the off days, but were growing accustom to it.  Site seeing and cooking like the locals.

 

We took a long bike ride out to a place called Playa Bluff the other day, it was almost 10 miles. I am proud to say I handled it like a champ, I wasn’t even tired in fact it invigorated me. (side note: those reading this blog who have asked me to bike with them please realize this is a horse of an entirely different color were talking about and do not use this information against me upon my return) The waves were gigantic, biggest waves I have ever seen and they crash right on the shore so you really couldn’t swim only hang out about ankle to knee deep, but well well worth the ride. 

 

On preaching days we get started at about 7am and have a black coffee, and chat with the regulars. We can usually share a bible text with them since we see them so frequently and simply follow up about it the next time we see them. Often we are able to share chapters at a time with people while sitting in the park. The other day we conducted a study on an upside down canoe beside an uncompleted building.

 

 One of the sisters studies came to the meeting on Saturday and we didn’t recognize her cause she looked so much like a sister, she cleaned up so differently than when we see her in her work setting. My study was ready when I arrived on Sunday, magazine and bible in hand. It is such a joy to see the eagerness in the territory. Touchdown!!

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