Mike and The Police: Incident #2

Mike get’s pulled over again!

My multi-cultural education is progressing nicely. Today I was driving a van load of Panamanians home after church while talking to Terry on a local cell phone. Terry and Jaclyn are till trying to get home! About an hour after take-off, the plane had to turn back to Panama because the crew starting smelling smoke. Where there is smoke... They have been stranded most of the day in Panama, until finally being able to leave for Miama at about 5pm, a little later than their original 7am flight. They will be arriving sometime tomorrow evening, Lord willing. Because of all this turmoil, Terry and I were updating each other and trying to decide if they would wait it out at the airport and whether I would pick them up for a while. So, here I am having this conversation while threading my way through Panamanian traffic when a policeman that was standing on the median, armed to the teeth, walks through the traffic and stops me, right in the middle of a crazy traffic circle! Suddenly, everyone starts telling me in the van that you cannot talk on the cell phone while driving, at least not while the police is looking. Great, now you tell me...! So, I have to open the door because the magic spoon is holding the window up, then try to talk my way out of a $75 ticket! Traffic is honking and pouring around us like the surf pounding against a rock. Was I worried? No way, I just did what I do best, look completely blank and clueless... After a pretty good lecture and much finger wagging, I was finally allowed to go. I am thinking of becoming a Panamanian taxi driver, or maybe a tour guide, I seem to have the talent.

We were blessed to worship with the Metropolitan church of Christ as it is now called. The bi-lingual service was so uplifting as we sang with about 65 of our Panamanian brothers and sisters. Though hurting with the loss of Walter, the church seems to be looking to God and growing. The church is meeting in the high school where the first team, Terry, Taylor, Sarah, and Jaclyn taught English lessons.

Team two met tonight with everyone interested in taking English lessons using the Bible. We got slammed! So far we have 48 conversational students and 35 beginning students. Lynn is really going to have the opportunity to use her ESL gifts and experience! Our teaching schedule will be from 9am to 11am with the lawyers in their law office downtown that we met last Thursday. Then we will hustle back to the Brisas area and teach classes from 1pm to 10pm, Monday through Friday. So many people showed up and really wanted to participate that we have doubled up on students, scheduled readers during our supper break, and anything else we can think of. Please pray for our stamina and attitudes as we begin this rigorous schedule. I am already planning the mother of all naps Saturday! More updates to come as our work begins!

Mike