Comments from Terry Hoffman about the mission trip . . .

Terry Hoffman makes the following comments:

It is natural before any trip to be a little apprehensive, especially if the destination is somewhere we have never been. The apprehension increases when you know you are staying with people you do not know, and almost reaches the “uh oh” point when the goal of the project is to bring non English speaking people closer to Christ.

We are happy to report that the apprehension was short lived. We were welcomed with the utmost excitement, love and hospitality. The readers we are blessed with helping to learn, have been an inspiration to all of us. We learn as much from them as they do from us.

We have already become accustomed to Walter singing hymns in the morning shower. Mike is well on his way to breaking the record for different ways to cook SPAM. Taylor is the life saver and comes to the rescue when we get ourselves in Spanish trouble. We thank God daily for our successes and that Jack only packed one pair of camoflage shorts to wear with his dress shirt and white Panama cowboy hat. Delores has been more than patient with us rummaging her kitchen and hanging our semi clean laundry on her line.

We look forward to next week’s arrival of the rest of the Davis Park team and another week of bringing another group of readers closer to God.

More Pictures from Panama . . .

More Pictures from the classes being taught in Panama.

Panama Pictures

More Pictures from Panama.

A picture of a baptistry, Jack reading with some students and Jack sharpening a knife.

Panama Pictures

These pictures show the materials laid out for the construction team which will be leaving for Panama on Monday, January 19, 2009. Mike is standing by his new best friend, a continuous flow hot water heater.

Panama Mission Team Report from Mike Crowley

Here's some babbling text for your enjoyment...

I hope you have an awesome day today. We are truly seeing the hand of God, we are doing His work in the clearest way I have ever seen. The blessing is beyond description... Can't wait to just explode with information and joy when we get home, can't wait for the rest of the team to get here and join the fun!

I had wonderful readers today, 7 ! One is a CFO of an architect firm, another is a university student! Taylor had a new reader who is a lawyer, whose husband is a Petroleum Engineer who works internationally for Texaco !!!! We have architects, lawyers, university professors, house wives, psychologists, businessmen/women, artists, college students, high school students, jet mechanics, airline call center trainers, managers, Who's next????? So far we have read with about 36 readers!! Each story is more incredible than the last, how can this be possible? Are we exhausted after 10 hours a day? Are we having fun...

I drove our team to get pizza tonight!! What fun! We had 30 minutes to get it and get back before our next classes. Why order in when you need a little adventure out of the house? So...

I backed out of the driveway, threaded my way through the street of destruction and gunned it for the intersection of certain death. I pulled up to the busy four way intersection where two major roads cross with no lights or stop signs and put on my game face. With nerves of steel I moved to the center of my two lane street, claiming the right of way by sheer force and bravado. Suddenly cars were everywhere, other, lesser drivers trying to assert their strength in this Panamanian wolf pack. Undeterred, I aim for the gap in the center of the melee and accelerated, panicking a lessor driver into yielding. With that gap consolidated, I swerved to the left, forcing a competing vehicle onto the median, then suddenly, deftly shifting to the right to confuse my enemies. I laughed at the success of my clever ruse, traffic being distracted did not anticipate my calculated move, allowing me to gain at least four feet on the dump truck coming through from the other side. Victoriously I cut in front of the bus, fearlessly brandishing my brake lights as I slowed into opposing traffic, in one final, daring, breathtaking maneuver swerving across opposing traffic, humbled and subdued by the sheer ferocity of my approach, I triumphantly took possession of the finest parking place. I delighted in the absolute genius of signaling a right turn while I brashly claimed the spot on my left!

Ah, another peaceful night in the Panamanian tropics begins as the melodious sound of diesel trucks gracefully gives way to barking dogs and screaming children. Already my eyelids droop at the anticipation of the gentle slumber accompanied by a raucous blend of salsa and samba music pulsating through the concrete wall against which I sleep. Perhaps tonight the fan will not seize as it did last night, allowing us the pleasure of bathing in our own sweat as we slept.

submitted by Mike Crowley
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