Missions Blog

Today started bright and early at 4:45 with five of the team members taking a hike up Mount Chame. The hike was difficult, but the view was well worth it. Though a bit exhausted, we were able to accomplish a lot after we came down from the mountain.

We made custom partitions from telephone poles and put them up in the girls' pool bathroom. The grinding in the showers is officially done, and we started putting up marbling. Painting through the whole camp was completed. The majority of the ceiling got completed with only the shower ceiling needing to be completed tomorrow.

We are right on track to get all our goals done before we leave. Family Picnic Day is tomorrow, with at least 1,000 people expected to attend. God is good.

We were blessed to have safe and delay-free flights today in Pittsburgh and Atlanta, and arrived in Panama at 1 PM. Stepping out of the airport, it was quite hot and humid, and we jumped into the van from The Word Of Life Camp and started to drive to the camp. Right away, just seeing the difference of palm trees everywhere and 5-foot high grasses along the highway is different from back home, and seeing the cultural differences, being present in the moment, and taking it all in.

We arrived at camp around 4:30 PM, and in the distance behind camp, you can see Mt. Chame that overlooks the Pacific Ocean, which is quite stunning. The fellowship has been great between the guys, and lots of good conversations and good unity between the guys to serve and be the hands and feet for Jesus.

We were greeted with amazing hospitality and hugs from those living at the camp, and they made us feel at home. After getting unpacked, we went and were shown the projects we would be fixing and working on. We were able to get a quick start on the boy's room bathroom, tear up tile, and get the doors removed to be worked on the rest of the week.

Around 7 PM, we met for dinner, and the full-time Missionaries at the camp made us an amazing meal with fried yucca, which is like a French fry, but in our opinion, maybe better than any fries you've ever eaten.

After dinner, everyone stayed, and we all opened up God's word. Ben Hirsch led us in a great devotional. We were in Judges Chapters 13, 14, 15, and 16, and we read a few verses from those chapters. Taking away from what we read, we see how Samson, rather then trusting in God's plan for his life, he chose to fulfill his own desires that came with consequences. Yet, God still had a plan for him, and Samson just needed to trust in God rather than himself.

I pray that we, as a team, trust in serving to do God's purpose and to do His will through our mission team.