Bible Chapel Mission Trip Blog
Welcome to The Bible Chapel Mission Trip Blog. Please use the dropdown feature below called - Any Tag - to choose which trip blog you'd like to read!
WOMEN'S PANAMA TRIP - Day 7![]()
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Oct 14
9:50 AM
Final day and homeward-bound after a week that felt like a month because it was so eventful. We were well cared for and loved on by the WOL staff.
Arodis, her husband Roberto, and 2-year-old daughter, Kylie, joined us at breakfast for our final send-off. They gave each of us a Panama mug as a thank-you gift. We were touched by this gesture and enjoyed one last conversation with them. It was fun hearing how they met each other at WOL camp and now serve together as missionaries. They have a pastor friend in Nashville TN who provides funding for them to fly to the states to talk to churches about their ministry.
We shuttled to the airport for the first of our 2 flights to get home. We had a layover in Atlanta, so the 4 of us debriefed about our trip over a leisurely dinner at the airport. We landed in Pittsburgh just before midnight but were too tired to take one last picture together before we hugged each other goodbye.
Save the Date: On Wednesday, November 1, 2023, we are hosting a dinner and a presentation to share more about what the Lord has done in us and through us as a result of this unforgettable mission trip. Check back here for details of the time and room number at the South Hills campus.
Thanks for following our adventures on this blog. We count you as part of our mission team and we ask for God's richest blessings to be upon you.
Read more about the WOL staff, mission, and vision at:
WOMEN'S PANAMA TRIP - Day 6![]()
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Oct 13
9:39 AM
Monday was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Leslie and a few other WOL staff drove us in their van for a two-hour trip to visit an indigenous village on the Chagris River. The village can only be accessed by boat.
We traveled in canoes dug out of tree trunks they hollowed out with primitive tools. They add motors in order to make the 45-minute trip up the river easier. The river is clear and pure with occasional rapids. As we traveled through the tropical rainforest guided by villagers, we felt like we were in a National Geographic documentary.
When we arrived at our destination, we hiked up a hill and were greeted by the villagers in their tribal dress playing their hand-crafted drums and wind instruments. They danced for us and pulled us in to dance with them. The male chief, female president, and Christian pastor and his wife spoke with us. The chief and president are elected by the villagers. It was a first for them to elect a female president.
The villagers have built a concrete building for the school and the Christian Church. The government provides a teacher who comes to live at the village Monday through Friday and goes home on the weekend. The WOL staff visit often and provide programs for the children. They have plumbing and a bathroom house for the teacher and the tourists and satellite dishes for the school but the villagers prefer to live in grass huts. They cook on an open fire in a central building. They made us a lunch of fried fish and plantains wrapped in a large leaf from the forest.
A number of the villagers are Christian but they follow many of the traditional practices governed by nature. They have access to the public hospital which they use on occasion but they prefer to use their own native herbs and cures.
The women make hand-woven baskets, bags, jewelry and wood carvings to sell to the tourists to make an income. We enjoyed being able to support them. As a team, we managed to buy something from each of the artisans.
We had to leave by 3 in the afternoon so the villager who took us in his canoe could return back up the river by nightfall.
From there we traveled by van back to the city for our final night at the hotel near the airport. The rest of the WOL staff joined us there for a send-off dinner. This was yet another opportunity for us to engage in one-on-one conversations with the WOL missionaries. We learned more about their own ministries over and above the work they do at the WOL camp.
The life of a missionary is built on faith because they depend on monthly financial support from individuals and churches who believe in the mission. Seeing their faith and passion for sharing the gospel made the stories of the mission trips described in Acts come alive.
WOMEN'S PANAMA TRIP - Day 5![]()
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Oct 12
4:11 PM
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![]()
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Oct 10
9:06 AM
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![]()
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Oct 08
12:17 PM
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.
