More Pictures from Panama . . .Monday January 19,2009

Construction Project Pictures

Picture of Walter's House

News from Panama . . .

The Warden


We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the rest of our team. Lord willing we shoud be re-united tonight at about 10:30pm tonight at the airport to cheer their arrival. Already we veterans have some words of advice for the new arrivals to experience a smooth transition to tropical living. First of all, it is very important that you make friends with the Warden. Our first Monday here in Panama we discovered that Walter is the Warden of the house. I got up early to attempt to go for a run before the temperature rises to the typical suffocating humidity. As dawn was breaking, I prepared everything I needed for my trial run, “wick away clothing,” proper shoes, extra water etc. The other thing I was missing was a loud horn to blend into the typical Panamanian traffic, maybe next time. So… I was ready to embark. However, I discovered that each door is double dead bolted, each with their own individual key. The most important thing was that these deadbolts are key access only, whether from the outside or the inside. So there I was, already dressed up and ready to run, but no way to get out of the house! Bars secure the windows, steel double dead bolted doors, this place was locked up like a prison! Rather than wake Walter and Delores I just decided to pass on the run. With nothing else to do, Jack and I brewed some coffee in preparation for breakfast. By this time Terry and Taylor walked up to the door from the house where they are staying each night. Jack and I started laughing as we could not yet open the door, Walter was singing away in the shower! What could we do??? We opened the side windows by the door and handed them coffee to drink while we waited for Walter’s aquatic concert to end. So there was Terry and Taylor, sitting on the front steps drinking coffee while we visited with them through the iron bars of the window. Who knows, if we are especially well behaved, the Warden may let us out early!

Mike Crowley

Habitat For Humanity, MLK Day celebration and build

Today the Community Response Team is teaming with HFH to feed the 300+ volunteers at the Hope Village work site. Hope Village will eventually be home for 20 families in South Modesto. The taters are wrapped and ready to placed in the oven. The supplies are all purchased. We will hook up the trailer and leave within the hour. Whether its Modesto or Panama God will be served today by Davis Park. Pray for the team of individuals who are on their way to Panama today.

Grace and Peace,

Buddy

God can do anything . . . Report from Mike Crowley, 1-17-2009

“God Can Do Anything”
As many of you know, we are in Panama City, Panama in a neighborhood called Brisas de Golf to assist our missionary, Walter Leonard, in reaching out to the lost in Panama. The approach that we are using is providing free opportunities for Panamanians to practice their conversational English skills. We are using “Let’s Start Talking” or LST materials which have selected passages from an easy to read version of the Gospel of Luke. Our task is to help bring out the theme, or “seed thought” in each lesson. The main “seed thought” for the entire series is “God Can Do Anything!” We have seen this truth displayed powerfully every day here in Panama! For example…
One of my early readers is a man named Edwin Garcia. The first day he was very skeptical of our program. He questioned Taylor is Spanish very intensely, continuing to ask if the program was really for free or if there was a “catch.” He left very skeptical and I honestly thought he would not return. To my absolute amazement he returned the next day, after leaving me on pins and needles by being about 20 minutes late. The next two days saw incredible discussions of infant baptism, and self-flagellation. By Friday I was opening my Bible and we were exploring English verses together!
Edwin brought his wife and children to our Friday night fellowship. Our party went well, providing many bridge building opportunities between us and our new friends, there’s nothing like a spirited game of bi-lingual Pictionary to create a lot of fun and laughter! After the clean up the entire team sat down with a fulfilling sense of exhausted contentment. Walter began to tell us an amazing story. It seems that Edwin has a degree in Psychology and Law. He has put his education to use by creating and leading a preschool with 6 teachers and about 45 students, including a summer program and after school daycare. He talked to Walter in an animated way as he explained that he was so excited about what he has been learning that next time we come, he wants us to use his school facilities for free! Air-conditioning, YES !! He has been telling his teachers and all the parents about the program. In fact, he invited one of the parents to our next course while he was giving us a tour of the facilities today! We immediately stopped last night upon hearing this news and bowed our heads in prayer in amazement and thanksgiving. God turned our greatest skeptic into our greatest recruiter. God Can Do Anything!

Menu for next week provided by Sheila Smith

Sheila sent me the following info, I have added a small amount of commentary.

On the SPAM website, I found some “exotic” recipes that I think will
make the team very happy. My mouth is watering already.

MENU:

Breakfast
SPAM & Cheese Quiche

This is an all time favorite of every missionary.

Lunch
SPAM California Rolls

This is kinda like sushi, only its not freshly dead.


Dinner
SPAMALADAS

By now the team is desiring some good old fresh Mexican food. Spamaladas always hits the spot.

Just in case Mike cannot wait for the spam and apple cake we are including the recipe.

Dessert:

SPAM and APPLE CAKE

Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan. Cut SPAM into several pieces and place in a food processor or blender. Process to a paste consistency. In a large mixing bowl, combine SPAM and next 4 ingredients and mix with an electric mixer until well blended. Gradually add flour, mixing well after each addition. Stir nuts into batter just before pouring into pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool for about 15 minutes before turning out onto a plate with deep sides to glaze.

Glaze:
In a small saucepan, heat whipping cream and brown sugar until brown sugar completely dissolved. Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar until thick, but still pourable. Pour evenly over warm cake.


INGREDIENTS

Cake:
• 1 (12 ounce) can SPAM® Low Sodium
• 2 cups white sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups chopped apples
• 3 cups self-rising flour
• 1 cup chopped or broken walnuts or pecans
•
• Glaze:
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1-1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar

For more info on Spam please go http://www.spam.com/eatspam/recipe_detail.aspx?Id=188to this website:

News and Pictures from Panama, January 17, 2009

Mike has some comments on his cooking adventure

“This Mystery is Great…”
We have been to the outer rim of sanity and peeked over the edge. This morning marks the fifth day of the exploration of bacon flavored spam. We launched into our week with a fairly prosaic presentation, fried eggs with fried spam on the side, rounded out with toast, jam, coffee, and orange juice. We chose the path less taken Wednesday morning with some “stay-with-you-all-day” spam omelettes. Yesterday the tropical sun rose over the enticing smell of breakfast spam burritos. This morning we boldly went where no man has gone before with “I-hope-this-doesn’t-stay-all-day” spam quesadillas without the cheese, we were out. It continues to amaze me of the multitude of sins that can be covered with Panamanian hot sauce! What’s next, spamcakes, rotisserie spam perhaps, or the perennial favorite, spam on a stick? Things could be worse… right? As you no doubt have heard the famous legend of the pizza run through the gauntlet of the intersection of certain death last Wednesday, you will be surprised by the accurate accounting of the “day after.” Some pizza was left over Wednesday night and sadly left out on the counter. Our unflappable Gringo Beacon, Jack Hairston, padded into the kitchen for an early breakfast. Apparently he wanted to rev up his metabolism in preparation for another onslaught of “spam surprise.” In the early morning gloom, he reached into the pizza box and begin to enjoy a piece of Panamanian combination pizza which had been aged to perfection. About half way through his slice of “if I can’t see it, it won’t hurt me” pizza, he suddenly felt the uncontrollable urge to brush off a host of “crawlies” from his arms. With lightening swift resources Jack switched on the kitchen light to discover that the pizza he was eating was covered with swarming ants! Jack reports that ants taste a little like chicken!! The team is anxiously awaiting Sheila Smith’s arrival this coming Tuesday to rescue them from the “spam purgatory” that their great chef Mike Crowley has led them into. Is it Tuesday yet??!!


Jack has some text to add to the blog today.

What’s New
Panama City, Panama, Friday, January 16, 2009

At breakfast today, after a week of working with Spanish-speaking readers, all four of us burst out laughing when we realized that we were speaking to each other like we speak to our readers—slowly and distinctly, with much arm-waving and gestures to illustrate each word. After we stopped laughing, I started to say something that had the word “little” and made a small square with my fingers before I realized what I was doing. [more laughter] I wound up sitting on my hands.

Last evening was the regular Bible study for the Christians that meet here at Walter’s house. Walter asked me to prepare a thought for discussion. I suggested to the group of fifteen or so that faith has three parts, and that there is no faith unless all three parts are present.
1. Truth For example, God exists.
2. Agreement I agree that God exists.
So far there is no effective faith. “Even the demons believe, and shudder.” (James 2)
3. Surrender Only after surrender will I obey God, and trust him to take care of me, especially when I am frightened by events.
Walter translated into Spanish, after which the discussion was spirited indeed among the Spanish-speaking members. Afterward, Walter said that I must come up with something equally good for next Thursday’s meeting. I fear I might have set the bar too high.
Jack Hairston

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
from

Happy New Year . . .

I hope you all are having a good start to the new year. 2009 should be a doozie of a year for all of us. It definately is going to be a year of faith. Uncertainity seems to be on every corner in every aspect of our culture and country.

Most recently I have made a few calls for local law enforcement. The calls were juxtaposed in that one was a person who passed was elderly and the other was an infant. Death seemily know no boundaries and does not ask permission before happening. It happens much like Jesus describes the end times. It is like a thief comes and takes the perosn away. Regrets are usually commonplace in the notification process. Everyone wonders what they could have done to make the outcome different. Many times they ask me why these happen. I always tell them that I wish I knew. I always try to affirm that we all try to do our best with the time we have with our loved ones. The only thing I have to offer most of the time is a listening ear. Many times this feels extrememly inadequate. I certainly am glad God knew what he was doing by letting Christians be His hands and feet in this world. May we praise him and worship him forever.

Merry Christmas

God has blessed us more than we can be thankful for. I want to continue to reach out to those in need in 2009. One more project in 2008 . . . Feed the Hungry at the D street shelter. Everyone is welcome to help. Share the blessings you have recieved with those who for some reason or another seem to be lacking in a lot of ways. I cant wait for this adventure. See ya at the building at 2:00 pm on 12/ 27/ 2008.

News . . .

I apologize for not sharing any news lately. I have been lax in updating the blogg which is evident by the the lack of posts. There has been a lot going on here in Modesto and even more things are planned for the future. On the near horizon the women of Davis Park are having a time of fun and fellowship with our neighbors at Parkview Christian Estates. Our family outreach for Christmas is gathering steam. this year we have chosen ten families to bless with food, clothes and the word of God.
Our two weeks of Family Promise went very well. The best gem in the two weeks was the relationship between the Padilla family and one of the families. Lee and Selena are studying and mentoring this family, pray for fruit from this bible study.

After Christmas on the 27th we are scheduled to feed the folks at the "D" Street Shelter. We are partnering with my fitness instructor and friend Don Harris on this project. We will feed in the neighborhood of 200-250 people that night. Volunteers are needed for all kinds of tasks related to this project.

In the near future I will be on call with the local law enforcement chaplaincy program. One week with Modesto PD and one week with Stanislaus County. Pray for peace in our city and county.

Take a look at the Church of Christ Disaster Response Team website and blog by clicking on the link at the botton of this page. Work continues in Bridge City, TX. Pray that this good work can continue and impact people for Christ . . .

Family Promise Day 2

Thanks to the Higgies, Calibros and others for helping out last night as we have taken on an additiional week. I know that the families are glad to be here and it gives us a special touch with other local groups that help with this program. I believe this is the best program for those trying to get back on their feet from homelessness. I will publish more as the week progresses.

Buddy

Ike Relief Trip Pictures - Bridge City, TX

Pictures are from one of the first houses we worked on. Brian is sweeping, the Cowan Brothers are making quick work of demo sheetrock. Cindy Fox is working on taking sheet rock out.

Ike Trip concluded. . .

We had a great trip to the coast(Texas) doing storm relief. All of us are back and most of us are well. I will give an update on our only injury after I talk to the injured party today.

Wow! that's how I would describe the trip. Church of Christ Disaster Response Team is the finest organizations to work with. They are volunteer friendly, in that they have jobs lined up, supplies, shelter and tools. These folks are the real genuine people God wants them to be.

Mucking Houses, Distribution of Supplies, Moisture Testing, Warehousing, Counseling, Worshipping, Praying, Interviewing, Cooking, Food Service, Transportaion of Supplies, First Aid, Clothing Distribution, Ice Distribution and Bobcat operation.
These are the jobs that were undertaken by the Community Response Team and I am sure there were others.

I know that God allowed us to touch lives in Bridge City. He allowed us to work everyday from dawn to dusk.

It is good to be home. Thanks for helping us help others. I will start posting stories about people that we met along the way as I have time.

Ike Relief Day 6

Sorry for the lack of posts. ATT does not have good coverage here. Right now I am in the middle of a parking lot, posting this post. Its 50 degrees and humid. We had another great day. We moved a thousand pounds of hamburger meat today, all in one pound plastic wraps. Brittney went out with a group from Freed Hardman University and mucked a house. Lynn has found his niche moving ice. Oleta kept things in order around the camp. Pictures will have to wait till I am home.

Buddy