A lot to catch up

*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!