Missions Blog

Bible Chapel Mission Trip Blog

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WOMEN'S PANAMA TRIP - Day 5

Oct 12 4:11 PM

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Traci and Bianca from WOL joined us at devotion time this morning. They told us stories about the ever-present social and financial needs in the areas they work in.

The variety of tasks they perform in a day is dizzying, but they shift with ease from helping in the kitchen, to running to the store or the local clinic to meet campers' needs, to presenting a gospel message, to providing translation services.

Before the morning session, Traci introduced us to a group of 15-20 women, ages 16-80, who traveled from their village 3 hours away to attend the conference. A missionary shared the gospel in their village 60 years ago and they belong to a church that grew from that.

The youth from the village want to grow in their faith and are hoping to obtain copies of the New Testament that has recently been translated into their language. Traci is planning a visit to their village soon.

Sheila was invited up to the stage to give her powerful testimony of God's faithfulness and redeeming power.

WOL staffer Claudia gave the final message of the conference on dealing with stress and anxiety God's way. She had little time to prepare because she was also called to fill in for the speaker who had to go home unexpectedly. She was another living example of trusting God in all things. She summarized the CALMA theme in a practical and memorable way. God is:

Caring

Affectionate

Liberating

Merciful and an

Anchor

After she spoke, the women were asked to give short testimonies about what they received from the Lord through the conference.

Each one said the messages were very needed and timely for this point in their lives.

The conference ended after lunch, and the women departed for home refreshed, thankful, and better equipped to deal with the stressful situations in their lives.

The days leading up to and during the conference were quite busy, so we spent Sunday afternoon and evening relaxing with the WOL staff.

They thanked us repeatedly for our labor and for our "ministry of presence." They look forward to visits from The Bible Chapel, and they treated us like family. We felt so much love for them and from them.

The staff took us to a nearby beach to enjoy the salt air, warm water, and conversation. This gave us an opportunity to talk one-on-one and hear their stories about their lives and their ministry

Jon and Bianca Fowler, the directors of Word of Life Panama invited all of us to their home for dinner. Jon shared his vision for expanding the reach of WOL in Panama. He showed us a map and drawings of a conference center and soccer fields they hope to build as the Lord leads and provides.

Traci is grateful for Jon's leadership and skills to grow the camp and services to reach kids for Christ.

WOMEN'S PANAMA TRIP - Day 4

Oct 10 9:06 AM

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This is the first mission trip for Julia, Sheila, and Rosemary, and the 8th trip for Cheryl, our team leader.

The 4 of us start every morning with a devotion that includes a time of reflection to share what we are learning from our experience here.

This morning, we shared how we are more and more in awe of God's plan for the salvation of the world through missions. Many of the volunteers working here received Christ at WOL summer camp, as teenagers they come back to volunteer to make each camp experience meaningful for the kids. They are here now serving this group of women. They are mopping floors, setting up tables and chairs, preparing meals, and cheerfully serving us. Young men are being mentored to serve selflessly. Some will choose full-time mission work. The others will be better prepared to serve God in various ways.

The WOL staff tell us over and over how much they appreciate the support from TBC. Our visits are a "ministry of presence" that encourages them. They in turn encourage us. It is a beautiful circle of God's love.

Our speaker, Naomi, spoke again this morning about Calma and then explained she was needed at home and needed to leave the conference early.

As she spoke, she was a perfect example of living out God's peace as she spoke to us about casting all our anxieties upon Him.

The WOL team does not allow things that are out of their control to steal their peace.

Traci and Shelia stepped up to present the next two Saturday sessions and they were powerful messages.

In the afternoon the women had a break to swim in the pool, and then they enjoyed painting beautiful nature scenes with the craft supplies we provided. These are activities most of the women rarely have the opportunity to enjoy.

Julia, Rosemary, and Cheryl shared our testimonies through an interpreter. What an experience that was. To share the transforming power and love of Christ with hundreds of women who came from all over Panama and beyond.

After dinner, the ladies of Panama were treated to a Hawaiian Luau

serenaded by a Mexican Mariachi band. Charades, a limbo contest, and the best Lua costume contest were also part of the festivities. Our team was called upon to judge the best costume, and last year's winner crowned the spirited 85-year-old winner.

Panamanians know how to demonstrate their joy in the Lord.

We walked back to our quarters exhausted but exhilarated by the day's events.

WOMEN'S PANAMA TRIP - Day 3

Oct 08 12:17 PM

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We spent a lot of our day prepping for the conference. The Palabra de Vida (Word of Life) staff had many tasks to complete. We found so much joy working alongside the kitchen team as helping hands shredding chicken off the bone. It’s amazing even the detail and time that takes! We have a new appreciation for the work that goes into preparing home-cooked food for over 300 people!

We eagerly awaited the arrival of all the guests. It was powerful to see bus after bus pull up with all the women excited to be coming to the conference. We helped welcome each guest as they arrived and had the pleasure of giving them gift bags full of the items our supporters helped us gather. Even with our limited Spanish, a universal smile and hug went a long way to make everyone feel welcome. It was obvious the Lord was in this place when we came together, representing 9 different countries, with the multitude of voices singing as one, worshipping God! Our night finished with food, prayer, worship, and a lesson on our emotions and how God uses them all for his good and our sanctification.

John 14:1” Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.

WOMEN'S PANAMA TRIP - Day 2

Oct 06 11:55 AM

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On our second day here in Panama, we continued to have fellowship with Tracy from Word of Life as well as the woman who will be the main speaker at the conference. We were blessed with the opportunity to visit Curundú which is one of the poorest areas of Panama City. Violence and broken families are abundant in this area, and so for many children, a good education means hope for a better future.

At the Christian school managed by Juntos Podemos, they can find this hope. Juntos Podemos currently manages 3 schools that educate 275 students, teenagers, and adults. They also have a community dining room that feeds 525 people, a Saturday program for kids of the community with moral and recreational purposes, and a feeding program designed for the homeless. “Together We Can” being their motto, they are striving to rebuild their community with Christ as their foundation.

The children we met were overjoyed to meet us, and there were many hugs, high-fives, and smiles. They were proud for us to see their school. Later in the day, we were saddened to learn that just this past Saturday, a 10-year-old girl lost her life to gun violence. While she was not a student at the school, she was an attendee of the Saturday program, and this is an example of the dangers these children face. Word of Life is striving to raise funds so that the children at the school can attend the upcoming camp. For many families, $30 is just not able to be spared on a minimum wage income of about $400 a month. As a team, we desire to help as many students as possible have the opportunity to attend camp and learn about the gospel.

The rest of our day in Panama City was spent in the old part of the city. Here is where the original city was founded and at one point was destroyed by pirates. There are still the ruins of churches from the time of the Spaniards. The streets resembled many old European towns, and there were many shops and a market area where people sold their wares.

We have safely arrived at the Word of Life camp in Chame where we will support the women’s conference. The staff are so excited for us to be here and help. We have prepared just over 300 goodie bags to pass out to the attendees. It is such a blessing to give our time, small gifts, and support to our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are family, and “together we can” bring glory to the Lord and be His vessels to minister to the Panamanian women that we will be meeting.

Please pray for the community and children of Curundu, and please pray for us as we all prepare for the conference which starts tomorrow evening. Muchas gracias!

WOMEN'S PANAMA TRIP - Day 1

Oct 05 9:47 AM

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God provided us with a perfect day to travel to Panama. We arrived safely and so did all of our luggage and supplies.

We were met by Word of Life staff who took us to see their office & meeting space in Panama City and had the privilege of meeting additional global workers. It was a blessing to fellowship over a meal with them and to be shown the Panama Canal. What a wonderful sight to see!