Sarah and Team 1 are coming home!

Man, the past 2 weeks flew by so fast! We had both the teams meet here at Delores’ house at 8:30am. We ate cereal and visited about how the impact of being here in Panama has been on Soldados de Cristo. It was an emotional discussion for our team. We have such strong feelings about our mission in Panama . It was difficult to hold back the tears. Just thinking about all the new friends and good times we have had with our Panamanian friends makes it so difficult for us to leave. We have also become close to Delores. She is like a grandma to us. What a way to serve the Lord by opening her home to us. She is such a giving person and we are going to miss her truly. Our team talks about how we are going to readjust to the United States culture, since we’ve adapted to the culture here in Panama . I’m sure we will manage, but we’ll always think of the ways of Panama . For me, today was my last LST day. I was spiritually and emotionally saddened to think of me flying away and leaving my team and my new friends here. I have gathered all my readers’ emails and have promised to keep in touch with them. These relationships are so precious to me. I will always remember my readers and all we have talked about. My last reader of the day, Joaquin (17 yrs.) said, “Sarah, please don’t leave.” At that point, my eyes were full of tears. I just stood up and gave him a hug goodbye and wished him luck with whatever he does in life. As he walked away, I just sat in my chair in silence and cried to myself. We really do mean a lot to these students. We don’t only care for them, but they care for us too. Thank you God for allowing me to experience you these past 2 weeks. For Jaclyn, it was difficult to say goodbye to her last reader of the day. They have discussed many things, other than how to speak English, during their LST sessions. This reader cares about Jaclyn so much, that he said a prayer for her in Spanish before he left. It touched the deepest part of Jaclyn’s heart. They also exchanged emails and promised to keep in touch. This evening, we were invited to a reader’s house. Jaclyn & I went and listened to Christian play the guitar, eat Panamanian food, and just be together having fun. Terry had gone to a bible study with Delores, and then came to pick us up at 10:00pm. My reader, Maritza, got Jaclyn & I a few gifts from Panama . We loved them! No one wants us to leave. They told us all to come back soon. Man, goodbyes are so hard. But, sometime, it has to be said. For me, I thank the Lord for allowing me the opportunity to come and do mission work in Panama , and to grow closer to others and Him. I was so blessed by these last 2 weeks. My flight leaves at 7:00am. Pray for my safety and that God ease my hurt that I am having because I’m leaving. See you all soon! Goodnight...

With Christian Love,

Sarah

Update from Mike Crowley #1 for Team #2

Hello Church family!

We made it to Panama! While our team #2’s classes officially begin this coming Monday, we have been blessed to be busy seeing God bring amazing things together! Our first night in the country, Terry Hoffman and I were driving back to our host home discussing how comfortable we felt being alone in a foreign country when apparently God took an interest in our conversation. It wasn’t five minutes later when the red and blue lights began flashing behind us as we were being pulled over. “How fast are you driving?” Terry asked. “I don’t know, probably about 100 kilometers an hour.” “Is that fast?” “I don’t think so…” It turns out our vehicle had its license plate taped onto the back window, not on the rear bumper. When I had asked earlier if that was a problem, I was assured it was “no problem.” Well, there we were, pulled over at about 1am, six words of Spanish between us, and two officers looking for a bribe. Just to keep it interesting, Terry had left his passport at home, that was a fun game of midnight charades that turned out to be! Fortunately, the Lord must have decided that this was not the night to begin a Panamanian prison ministry.
While team #1 has been diligently working with their readers and investing deeply in their lives, the Richardson’s and I have been gathering information for their possible move to Panama. We have been viewing possible home sights, church sites, gathering information from other missionaries, and preparing for our classes to begin next Monday. We visited the Christian school that Raul and Betty founded, Walter’s eldest daughter and son-in-law, and accompanied Raul to a law office as he handled some legal papers concerning the school and new church plant. We took advantage of the visit to ask additional questions about immigration, work visas, and other potential legal issues involving moving to Panama. While we were there, we mentioned our English classes using the Gospel of Luke. To our delight and amazement, the lawyer and her assistant immediately got excited about participating. However, their faces fell as we told them where the classes where to be held, completely across town from the towering skyscrapers of the financial district where their offices where located. The lawyer immediately offered her high rise home a few blocks away and wanted to invite her friends. Did I mention that the lawyer is the sister-in-law of the former president of Panama, that her husband is the son of the famous Panamanian president that signed the canal treaty with President Carter?! We immediately offered our willingness to come to their office in the morning instead. They and others are clearing their schedules for the next two weeks to attend Biblical English classes hosted in their law firm! So far we will begin our classes in the financial district from 9 am to 11 am, then race across town, change, grab lunch and begin our classes at Edwin’s (a former reader from our last trip) from 1 pm till 10 pm! We are excited and nervous about how our schedules will actually fill out. Please lift us up in prayer as we launch into this opportunity next week.
What an amazing place to partner with God, His fingerprints are everywhere! As I wrap up this update, it is pouring rain, are those strange animals going by my window two by two?! May God bless all of us as we each strive to serve Him today.

Mike