*This was a fast type with no time to correct the mistakes! So be patient please...
BRISAS DEL GOLF
Jami and I worked in Brisas Del Golf from the 14th-25th. This was an absolutley amazing opportunity. Steve and Janet Kliest are a couple from California who came here to do LST readings with the people in this community. And since there was such a huge response, Jami and I went over to help them. Everyday we would get a ride from a brother from the church and we would travel 30 to 40 minutes to Walter's house and begin our readings at 2:00pm. Because of the great need for so many people to have beginners classes, Jami and I would spend 3 hours of the day conducting small group classes and ending our night with one large group class that almost all of the small group readers would come back to attend. (We also each had a couple individual readers that we would work with on the LST Luke workbook.) This set up was a great ground for a lot of wonderful relationships to form with everyone there. It was only a matter of time that everyone quickly became good friends. We would find ourselves spending some of the time just laughing, telling stories, talking about music and movies, and just enjoying our time together. Jami did an amazing job in teaching them their English skills and I was so happy to be able to assist her where I could. I found myself being able to really use a lot of my education training in this classes so I am thankful for those skills I learned from Harding and student teaching. The large group night class was the time that we would have the readers look at the Luke workbooks. We followed the format of teaching them some basic vocabulary and sentences to say which they would follow by introducing themselves. For example, My name is "Rachel and I am wearing a black shirt and blue shorts." It was a fun time for the group because of the many attempts that people would make. We had individuals ranging from 16 years old to retired housewives who are trying to learn English... which made it a riot to watch, and it was also very encouraging for meto see them all trying so hard to learn. Then after the English lesson part we would then read the lesson in English and have them try to explain in spanish. It was a great class and I feel like they all we learning a lot from it. On the two fridays the Kliest's would have a party at night for the readers, families and friends, and the members of the church would come too. These were always fun times and good laughs. We would play games and have snacks and mostly we would develop deeper relationships with eachother. Since we finished the Briasa's weekly work on the 25th we started going to Walter's house on Sundays to continue the beginners lessons from 3-4:30. Then we invite them to stay to worship with the Brisas congregation at Walter's house at 5. This is a new congregation that just started this year and I believe that is why God is really working on these people in this community. Last week there were nine readers that came to church and this past Sunday there were a lot that came as well. God is amazing! Please pray for the people and the church in Brisas.
CURUNDU
Starting last week Jami and I have been working in the Curundu school/church. This has been a completely different experience but a great one as well. Our schedule is full with things in that building. We teach summer school during the day (I teach five 10-12 year olds in a class that is, obviously, in all English. It has been a huge learning experience since I have a wide range of English knowledge in that room. Jami is teaching a 6 and a 7 year old and Erica is working with the youngest children) and we each have about 6 readers that we work with as well. This is a completely difference experience because now we are working only with individual readers with more English skills. We both feel like we are able to share the Word more with people. I feel like I have gained a lot from my readers and their insights on the scriptures and what the Word is trying to teach them. On Wednesday nights we are having a "small group" class at the church. This is a time that we have a short bible study, songs and games all in Enlish. We are inviting our readers from Briasas Del Golf and from Curundu to come to the meeting. Last week was the first week and we were happy to see how many people came all the way from Brisas to the class! And the woman that we live with came to the class as well! This is another wonderful opportunity to expose people to the word of God and for them to see Christs light and love in the people of the church. I'm excited to continue to work in Curundu for the next few weeks.
LIFE IN PANAMA
We have done so many things since we have been here. I cannot express how wonderful the people here have been to me and Jami. They have really taken us under their wings and made us feel at home here. There are so many people from Harding here too! A few weeks ago we went on a hike with the youth group from church and when we were fellowshiping at the top, Raul made a comment about the "Harding Mafia" here. I feel like I have a lot of good friend here in Panama! This past Saturday we finally went to the Panama Canal. That was a really great experience. It's just not everday that you get to see something that has such a huge impact on so many countries. This past Sunday we stayed in Brisas Del Golf and went to dinner with some of the teenage and young adult readers that we have met. It was one of the best times we have had yet! Believe it or not I ACTUALLY spoke a lot of spanish. Well, it was more Spanglish but it was a good attempt just the same. This weekend is a huge youth convention and we are really looking forward to going to that. And a lot of our readers might be going to it too so please pray for that as well!
AS FOR ME
Three weeks is a long time to try to step in and explain the many things I have seen, observed, felt, and learned. Looking back on my journal on my journal it's amazing how I have been brought to face the reality of so many things. I have never been so content and at peace with things as I am right now. It was a long and hard road to this point but, as with any struggle, it becomes so clearly evident the importance of the lessons God is trying to teach you. Lessons that makes you wonder how you ever functioned before them. Instead of trying to write everything out to summerize it all, I am just going to share something I have already written:
1-22-08
...But while sitting here I find myself even more complexed over circumstances around me. Everyday I grow more and more tired and more and more weak while laying under this blanket of shortcoming. Panama has been so hard on me at times. Living here has sent me to a state of absolut perplexity and confusioin. How do I function here? How do I live in a place where I am stripped of one of the biggest comforts that I have: Verbal communication. I find myself sometimes feeling in isolation from the world around me. Not able to tap into the pool of materials that I use when I need to impress people around me. How do I function without being able to tell people about my accomplishments? How will I be able to live around people without them knowing all of my talents and abilities and seeing my charm? And even worse, how do I live when they are able to see Jamis? PRIDE IS A POWERFUL THING. Oh the lies that Satan so desperatly tries to convince us as truth.
Being here in Panama has humbled me down to being someone who is forced to rely on others for everything. It has forced me to reduce my talents down to a very unexercised science of desperatly trying to show Christs love with very basic forms of verbal communication. To develope relationships with a warm smile and a gentle touch. I have sat beside people in church and desperately prayed that my hand on their leg would somehow express to them the depth of the love and concern I have for them and their spirits. The results are amazing. It is said that when you loose one sense, then the others are heightened. Well there is a great power in the universal language of love.
.....Oh God how dare I complain that no one can see my talents when it's to YOUR GLORY that ALL works are done. What an amazing plan you had for the people here. What beautiful children they are. I do not care what role I play here. I am just so thankful for the chance to see your glory and power. I am thankful that you picked me.
Even in the week since I wrote this entry I have grown so much more. I find myself falling more in love with Christ and the more I study the word with my readers the more it comes alive in me. Truths I have known for so long are finally sinking in. The closer you are to God and the more you dedicate your time to serving him- the more fullfilled you are and the more purpose you feel. Thank you for all of your prayers and support. I love you all so much!
Tuesday, January 29
Tuesday, January 8
Going strong
Everyday that I am here I really fall in love with it more and more. I am more comfortable with the people and my surroundings and I am beginning to really love the culture. This might come as a shock for some of you because my heart was never drawn to Panama but I knew that God wanted me there and that it was something I could learn and grow from. But now I am really thankful for this opportunity and I praise God for putting me in this country.
Some things are still hard to deal with.... Mostly it´s just that I don´t speak the language here. It is so hard to go to church and to not be able to bond with the other members (which is sooo hard for me not to talk!-- that comment is for you Mom!) I am so thankful that Jami knows spanish and she is willing to help me learn and fill be in on what is going on! But sometimes it is hard to be the ONLY ONE who does not understand. It can be very lonely and humbling most of the time. But I have never had to rely on God´s strength as much as I am here... so this is a great blessing to me. At church I found myself tearing up when they sang one of my favorite songs. Even though I did not know the words I still felt like I was actually being able to worship God with the people. It´s amazing how we take for granted even the little things in life. I did not realize how much singing praises to God meant to my heart and spirit.
It has become a joke here that I am going to wake up one morning and speak spanish. Some of the people here tease me saying that I have been here two weeks and I should know it by now. If only it was true! :) Betty it arranging for me to have lessons here soon and I cannot wait to start.
This past Sunday we went to the first service at a church in Brisas Del Golf . This was a very exciting day. A couple from California got in this weekend and will be doing LST work here for the next two weeks. Because of the great response they recieved from the people in the community, they needed me and Jami to come and start working there before our work in Curundu. At the information meeting we quickly saw that about half of the people who came did not know very much English. How the LST program works is that you read one-on-one with a reader. Each session you read through a passage in a Luke workbook. This is suppose to help people work on their conversational english skills but it also is a way to expose them to the word of God. Through your sessions with the readers you are able to ask them questions about the text and get them to really think about what they are reading... and also build relationships with them that will hopefuly show them the love of Christ in our own hearts and lives. So since so many people could not even read the text, Jami and I volunteered our time to work with small group beginners level classes. It has been an AMAZING week.
At first it was hard because I felt like I was not contributing much to the classes and most of the time I did not know what was going on. But slowly the people started really helping me feel welcome, but forcing me to practice my spanish and teaching me new words. One woman even promised to buy me a book to help me learn. I may not be able to communicate with them through words but I really feel like I have made some friends through this. (Also our taxi driver teaches me a phrase a night!) It is also incredible to watch as our night large group class has grown up to about 15 people! It is then that we work through Luke workbook with them to practice english comprehension. And with the help of some of the members of teh church who sit in on the lessons, they are able to communicate the messages of the lessons to them! I also have been working with two readers in the LST classes and one of them is hopefully going to start coming to church with us. I feel so connected to everyone and it has been a blessing to watch as we all bonded with eachother (the people in our classes act like they have been friends for years!) Words cannot explain all the amazing things God is doing in Brisas Del Golf!
I have no more time to write but I do want to say thank you to everyone for praying for me and my health! The tests all come out saying I am extremely healthy. My blood pressure was still low but not as low as before (it was 80/50 the first time- I wrote it wrong in my last blog. Now it was 88/60) is still just a little low but I have medicine to continue to help bring it up. So everything is just working out perfectly here!
We are getting internet at our house soon so more updates and PICTURES to come. Thank you for all of your encouraging comments, emails, and messages. I LOVE YOU ALL!
Some things are still hard to deal with.... Mostly it´s just that I don´t speak the language here. It is so hard to go to church and to not be able to bond with the other members (which is sooo hard for me not to talk!-- that comment is for you Mom!) I am so thankful that Jami knows spanish and she is willing to help me learn and fill be in on what is going on! But sometimes it is hard to be the ONLY ONE who does not understand. It can be very lonely and humbling most of the time. But I have never had to rely on God´s strength as much as I am here... so this is a great blessing to me. At church I found myself tearing up when they sang one of my favorite songs. Even though I did not know the words I still felt like I was actually being able to worship God with the people. It´s amazing how we take for granted even the little things in life. I did not realize how much singing praises to God meant to my heart and spirit.
It has become a joke here that I am going to wake up one morning and speak spanish. Some of the people here tease me saying that I have been here two weeks and I should know it by now. If only it was true! :) Betty it arranging for me to have lessons here soon and I cannot wait to start.
This past Sunday we went to the first service at a church in Brisas Del Golf . This was a very exciting day. A couple from California got in this weekend and will be doing LST work here for the next two weeks. Because of the great response they recieved from the people in the community, they needed me and Jami to come and start working there before our work in Curundu. At the information meeting we quickly saw that about half of the people who came did not know very much English. How the LST program works is that you read one-on-one with a reader. Each session you read through a passage in a Luke workbook. This is suppose to help people work on their conversational english skills but it also is a way to expose them to the word of God. Through your sessions with the readers you are able to ask them questions about the text and get them to really think about what they are reading... and also build relationships with them that will hopefuly show them the love of Christ in our own hearts and lives. So since so many people could not even read the text, Jami and I volunteered our time to work with small group beginners level classes. It has been an AMAZING week.
At first it was hard because I felt like I was not contributing much to the classes and most of the time I did not know what was going on. But slowly the people started really helping me feel welcome, but forcing me to practice my spanish and teaching me new words. One woman even promised to buy me a book to help me learn. I may not be able to communicate with them through words but I really feel like I have made some friends through this. (Also our taxi driver teaches me a phrase a night!) It is also incredible to watch as our night large group class has grown up to about 15 people! It is then that we work through Luke workbook with them to practice english comprehension. And with the help of some of the members of teh church who sit in on the lessons, they are able to communicate the messages of the lessons to them! I also have been working with two readers in the LST classes and one of them is hopefully going to start coming to church with us. I feel so connected to everyone and it has been a blessing to watch as we all bonded with eachother (the people in our classes act like they have been friends for years!) Words cannot explain all the amazing things God is doing in Brisas Del Golf!
I have no more time to write but I do want to say thank you to everyone for praying for me and my health! The tests all come out saying I am extremely healthy. My blood pressure was still low but not as low as before (it was 80/50 the first time- I wrote it wrong in my last blog. Now it was 88/60) is still just a little low but I have medicine to continue to help bring it up. So everything is just working out perfectly here!
We are getting internet at our house soon so more updates and PICTURES to come. Thank you for all of your encouraging comments, emails, and messages. I LOVE YOU ALL!
Friday, January 4
SORRY EVERYONE!!!
I know it has taken us forever to write in here! We just found a place where we can sit and get online for more than just a few minutes. I will be keeping this more up to date I promise!
Oh and I sat down and wrote out a nice well thought out blog to post on here... and I left it at the house. So excuse the following post if it seems rushed and a little crazy :)
Oh and I sat down and wrote out a nice well thought out blog to post on here... and I left it at the house. So excuse the following post if it seems rushed and a little crazy :)
Blind Faith
God is faithful
These words have been going through my head since the moment I got off the plane here. Scriptures tell us that if we walk in faith then God will take care of us... don´t worry about anything because He will be taking care of His children.
Sitting on the plane I felt as though I couldn´t breath... I had no idea what I was walking into. All we knew was that we had a man named Larry at the gate waiting for us who ¨looked like a dad¨with glasses and that we had a place arranged to stay while we were here. All of that was too overwhelming for me. Little did I know that the Jones family would soon become our close friends and we would quickly feel like they were family to us.
When our host house was dark and looked like everyone was in bed, Karen offered us to stay with them. So there I laid in their daughters bed completely anxious about everything I had already seen and feeling like I will never learn this language that is all around me now. But thankfully I am here with my amazing friend who comforted me enough to fall into a much needed sleep. In the morning we found out that our house would not be ready until Monday but we were able to meet the family that we would be staying with. The mom knows some english from studying with LST (Lets Start Talking) before but the dad does not know any english-- fun for me. They have a beautiful daughter who turns 4 tomorrow and a 4 month old baby boy... which I have already become attatched to.
The Jones took care of us all weekend while we waited to move in. It was amazing to see how many people we knew in common and how many places we had all been before! It is such a small world and I know that God knew that this was the family we needed to walk into. On Saturday we went to the mall and at one point Jami and I got seperated from them... it was so overwhelming. Here we were in a crowded place with no phone, no car, NO idea where we were and I had no idea how to communicate to people around me. At that point only a handful of people even knew who we were in this entire country! It was a lonely feeling that I have never experienced before. Talk about needed to put all your faith and trust in God. (Don´t worry- we found then after about 10 min)
Going to church on Sunday was such a great experience and a wonderful encouragement. The people there were so nice and kind and soooo eager to talk to us. They all expressed an interest in learning English and working with us. hopefully we can start something for the church soon but it just seeing their excitement really made me excited about starting our readings here. We also met a couple named Arielle and Jose (who went to Harding too) and we were able to hang out with them all day long. They quickly became our friends and was another way that God revealed to me how he is taking care of us!
I was here for New Years an that way an experience. Fireworks are the thing to do here and it was so much fun to stand on the Jones back balcony and watch as hundred of fireworks went off all over the horizon (some were so close that we heard multiple car alarms going off!)
Betty and Raul are the people from church who works with LST and are arranging our schedules and readings for us. They are out of town until tomorrow so all week me and Jami have just been exploring and settling in. Something that I know I needed to do. I am so much more comfortable here and I know that I really needed some time to get settled in and get use to everything here. So all week we have been hanging out with our new friends... going to Old Panama, shopping around all the art markets, feeding fish off the bay coast, playing games... we have planned to go to the beach but that hasn´t worked out...
Wednesday morning Arielle was going to take us to the beach. We were outside the mall entrance waiting to go catch a bus when all of a sudden I felt really sick. I turned to the girls and told them that I felt like I was going to pass out... and the next thing I knew I was waking up to Jami saying my name and I was laying on the ground. It all felt like a dream!!! I had a crowd of people all around me and I could not believe that I just fainted. When I felt like I had enough strength we went inside to the AC and I sat on a bench where I eventually layed down because I still felt so bad. Jami said when I was standing outside she noticed how I got a glazed look on my face and she simply touched my arm and it was like someone else guided me slowly and gently down to the ground because none of my weight was on her. And when Arielle called Larry, they were already getting in the car to come to the mall! God was obviously watching after me because if I would have fainted any later then I would have been on a bus or two hours away from everyone! We went to the doctor an my blood pressure was 88/55-- extremely low! It might have just been dehydration but I got some blood work done yesterday to find out (results on tuesday). It´s nothing to worry about but def say a prayer that we can know what happened! God is obviously watching out for me!
I don´t want to write too much but just know that everything is wonderful here. I am excited to start working and I am so thankful to be here. For not knowing what we were walking into-- things have gone smoothly and perfect! I will write more fequently because I have SO much to write about and I hate that I can´t explain everything from this week.
Thank you for all of your prayers and support! You don´t know how much you all are a big part of this mission. Pray for our readers that we will be working with soon!
These words have been going through my head since the moment I got off the plane here. Scriptures tell us that if we walk in faith then God will take care of us... don´t worry about anything because He will be taking care of His children.
Sitting on the plane I felt as though I couldn´t breath... I had no idea what I was walking into. All we knew was that we had a man named Larry at the gate waiting for us who ¨looked like a dad¨with glasses and that we had a place arranged to stay while we were here. All of that was too overwhelming for me. Little did I know that the Jones family would soon become our close friends and we would quickly feel like they were family to us.
When our host house was dark and looked like everyone was in bed, Karen offered us to stay with them. So there I laid in their daughters bed completely anxious about everything I had already seen and feeling like I will never learn this language that is all around me now. But thankfully I am here with my amazing friend who comforted me enough to fall into a much needed sleep. In the morning we found out that our house would not be ready until Monday but we were able to meet the family that we would be staying with. The mom knows some english from studying with LST (Lets Start Talking) before but the dad does not know any english-- fun for me. They have a beautiful daughter who turns 4 tomorrow and a 4 month old baby boy... which I have already become attatched to.
The Jones took care of us all weekend while we waited to move in. It was amazing to see how many people we knew in common and how many places we had all been before! It is such a small world and I know that God knew that this was the family we needed to walk into. On Saturday we went to the mall and at one point Jami and I got seperated from them... it was so overwhelming. Here we were in a crowded place with no phone, no car, NO idea where we were and I had no idea how to communicate to people around me. At that point only a handful of people even knew who we were in this entire country! It was a lonely feeling that I have never experienced before. Talk about needed to put all your faith and trust in God. (Don´t worry- we found then after about 10 min)
Going to church on Sunday was such a great experience and a wonderful encouragement. The people there were so nice and kind and soooo eager to talk to us. They all expressed an interest in learning English and working with us. hopefully we can start something for the church soon but it just seeing their excitement really made me excited about starting our readings here. We also met a couple named Arielle and Jose (who went to Harding too) and we were able to hang out with them all day long. They quickly became our friends and was another way that God revealed to me how he is taking care of us!
I was here for New Years an that way an experience. Fireworks are the thing to do here and it was so much fun to stand on the Jones back balcony and watch as hundred of fireworks went off all over the horizon (some were so close that we heard multiple car alarms going off!)
Betty and Raul are the people from church who works with LST and are arranging our schedules and readings for us. They are out of town until tomorrow so all week me and Jami have just been exploring and settling in. Something that I know I needed to do. I am so much more comfortable here and I know that I really needed some time to get settled in and get use to everything here. So all week we have been hanging out with our new friends... going to Old Panama, shopping around all the art markets, feeding fish off the bay coast, playing games... we have planned to go to the beach but that hasn´t worked out...
Wednesday morning Arielle was going to take us to the beach. We were outside the mall entrance waiting to go catch a bus when all of a sudden I felt really sick. I turned to the girls and told them that I felt like I was going to pass out... and the next thing I knew I was waking up to Jami saying my name and I was laying on the ground. It all felt like a dream!!! I had a crowd of people all around me and I could not believe that I just fainted. When I felt like I had enough strength we went inside to the AC and I sat on a bench where I eventually layed down because I still felt so bad. Jami said when I was standing outside she noticed how I got a glazed look on my face and she simply touched my arm and it was like someone else guided me slowly and gently down to the ground because none of my weight was on her. And when Arielle called Larry, they were already getting in the car to come to the mall! God was obviously watching after me because if I would have fainted any later then I would have been on a bus or two hours away from everyone! We went to the doctor an my blood pressure was 88/55-- extremely low! It might have just been dehydration but I got some blood work done yesterday to find out (results on tuesday). It´s nothing to worry about but def say a prayer that we can know what happened! God is obviously watching out for me!
I don´t want to write too much but just know that everything is wonderful here. I am excited to start working and I am so thankful to be here. For not knowing what we were walking into-- things have gone smoothly and perfect! I will write more fequently because I have SO much to write about and I hate that I can´t explain everything from this week.
Thank you for all of your prayers and support! You don´t know how much you all are a big part of this mission. Pray for our readers that we will be working with soon!
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