Davis Park Community Response Team

The Word is a Lamp and a Light

2012-01-18T15:46:00.000-08:00

Love the Word. Learn the Word. Live theWord.

"The Word is a Lamp and a Light"

Discussion Guide

1-15-2012

1. Text forToday's Lesson - Psalm:119:105

2. Today'slesson concerns the importance of God's word. It seems like many of us have lost our regardfor the word of God. Today's Christiansare becoming increasingly illiterate in biblical knowledge. Somehow we have pushed the value of the bible off to the side in ourlives. God's word tells us that it is a lamp for our feet and a light forour path. We need to regain our fervor and passion for learning the word of God sothat we will enjoy all the fruit that it has to offer.

Questions forDiscussion

A. What arefour purposes that God's for the word inthe lives of Christians?

B. What are threethings that God requires of you?

C. Why arethese three things important for us to follow in today's culture?

D. How doesa light and a lamp affect our lives?

E. What isscripture useful for?

F. What isimportant about having the right equipment for a job.

G. What aresome ways to convey the word of God?

H. What arethe identifiers of Crazy Faith?

Micah 6:8 Psalm119:105

Ephesians 2:8,9 2Tim3:16-17

Matthew 22:34 Col3:16

Matthew 28:19 Deuteronomy6:1-9

Matthew 22:29

John14:27

Facebook, Twitter and all the other things going on.

2011-10-17T17:57:00.000-07:00

Social Media is changing the world. We first set out on this blog to chronicle all the things going on in ministry at Davis Park. We were able to stick for a while but then like all other things the glitter and the sparkle wore off. We have not responded in a large fashion to any disaster in the past few years although we have helped on local incidents many times. I want to embrace getting more messages out to everyone over the next few months and will attempt to keep all informed of what is happening at Davis Park. You can follow me on twitter @buddygray or friend me on face book, Buddy Gray and I am on Linked in also. Lets stay connected!

Alabama Tornadoes Response

2011-04-29T15:10:00.000-07:00

Praying for the people of Alabama and other states that have been affected by the tornadoes. Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team is making plans to deploy. Their information can be found here.www.churchesofchristdrt.org. We are praying for God's direction for our response.

A Word from the team in Panama

2011-04-10T07:09:00.000-07:00

GPS Enabled

Wayne, Jason, and I arrived safely in Panama last Monday afternoon with all of our luggage! After being on a plane all night and half of the next day, we were ready to get a bite to eat and a refreshing shower. We were delightfully surprised to find our friend Edwin Garcia waiting for us at the custom’s exit with a big smile on his face. He invited us to lunch at the restaurant his wife Lesbi managers, the Wakki. After lunch he invited us to follow him to his office where he wanted to introduce us to a friend. Because we were pretty grungy from our flight, we were a light tired and reluctant, but no harm can come from meeting one friend, right? After arriving at the new office building for the national Panamanian department of sports, we followed Edwin into a cool air conditioned environment filled with power suits! Edwin toured us around to all the department heads and introduced us as the English teachers from California. Soon he had everyone assembled in a large meeting room, put four chairs up front, invited us to sit, gave an introductory presentation to his employees, then turned around asked us if we had anything to add… Needless to say, we returned the next day in kakis, polos, and freshly showered!

As the deputy to the Head of Human Resources for the Presidential Sports cabinet, Edwin has given us access to air conditioned conference rooms, any supplies we need, and so far about 85 students. So far our schedule is to get up, shower, grab a quick breakfast and drive to the government office to begin teaching by 9am. Our morning classes run until noon, then we pack up and drive to Edwin’s private pre-school and teach a class from 1 to 2pm. Next we drive down to Brisas, grab a quick lunch, then off into the mass of traffic to run down a stapler, extra shirts, or any other supplies we needed. This gives us time to push through the traffic just in time to return to the school to teach classes from 5pm to about 11pm. Each evening Lesbi cooks us a fantastic authentic Panamanian dinner which some wolf down from 8:45 to 9:15pm or so. All of this is a sketch of the joy we have of sitting with open Bibles discussing spiritual truths to souls that are hungry for the Word.

Now, navigation in Panama has its challenges. Besides man eating traffic, steaming humidity, and heavily armed, “no tengo papeles” Federal Police conversations, most streets are unnamed and buildings are unnumbered. I asked for directions our first night, so Edwin sketched a detailed map on the back of my Styrofoam plate. We proudly drove around the next two days with our brand new, green friendly GPS, our Garcia Plate Sketch which we quickly dubbed the “plate of power!” Service in Panama is not all fun and games. After teaching relentlessly for hours on end, Jason and I discovered our teammate Wayne quietly hobnobbing with Edwin and another department head in his personal break room scarfing down coffee and fresh bread with garlic butter. Et tu Brute?? Wayne has become known in the office as “Senor Jefe,” the Big Boss!! Jason is on the mend after poking his finger with his knife and I have found my bilingual Bible to be the perfect pillow while catching a quick nap on the cool tile floor before an afternoon class. Delores Leonard is doing well and had been a delightful host. She sends her warmest greetings to all and declares her house as “open to all.”

Each trip to Panama reminds us clearly how important it is to have a GPS, God’s Planned Service. While we lay out a basic plan, each time God clearly has something even better in mind. We are being blessed with the opportunity to continuing building existing relationships and to make new ones. This trip we continue to hold community classes at Edwin’s preschool as we added a morning schedule at a large government office complex. We constantly experience respect and interest for how we are serving and Who we are talking about. Yesterday we were given contact information to follow up on as one of the largest retailers in Panama has expressed an interested in hosting more of our classes in the future. We are planning an interest meeting next week to see what God has in mind. Tonight we are hosting the movie “Fireproof” for our students and the community around the school, Castle Kids. Sunday morning we will be having a Bible study and time of worship for all that we have invited, please pray for the bridge building and harvest that God desires.

We continue to ask for your prayers for our guidance and stamina and we explore each avenue that is placed before us.

Mike

BASIC TRUTH.

2010-11-09T09:59:00.000-08:00

Celebrate Recovery

2010-10-30T17:33:00.000-07:00

One of the most exciting ministries that we have launched in a long time is CR-28. CR- 28 is about overcoming the hurts, habits and hang-ups that have come your way as you live out life. No one is immune from Hurts, Habits and Hang-ups. H 3's come in all sizes and shapes. They hit you when you least expect it and sometimes originate from events that occurred many years in the past. Come and join us on the road to recovery.

Another Day in Paradise (Panama) -- Mike Crowley's post

2010-07-26T16:09:00.000-07:00

Another Day in Paradise

This trip, like most so far has been a flurry of activity. Our classes are scheduled from 2pm until 10pm, with the last class typically going until about 10:30 or later. Once again God is doing what He does best, He aligns us each with our students in a stunning way, matching our talents and approaches with the students that need each particular approach.

Our mornings are generally busy with errands to run, grocery shopping lists to fill, and meetings with various potential contacts. We continue to be amazed at the possibilities for the Gospel here in Panama. We have had conversation with a director of a local radio program, a new local missionary working in Brisas, and one of our students is setting up a potential meeting with the head of human resources at the international airport. As always, we are waiting on God to move these potential projects forward.

We are also beginning to see plans form for our next trip in January. As the next trip will be in the dry season, we have the possibility to not only continue with the English classes, but we would be able to serve the community in some simple restoration and repair projects around Edwin’s school, Castle Kids, and the nearby neighborhood. Edwin pointed out a neighborhood in the vicinity that is impoverished and could benefit from even the simplest gestures of kindness.

Each day we have been building new relationships in the Word. One reader told us last week that this course changed his life. When we asked why, he said, “Because I have been changed by the Word of God.” Another reader said that she was so grateful that we were bringing what Panama needed most, God’s Word.

Last night was an experiment. Brent and Terry were talking about a new way to make contacts at the same time that one of our readers was talking about his favorite movie. So… we got together a laptop, computer projector, extra speakers, and a copy of the movie “Fireproof.” We played the movie in English with Spanish subtitles as a way for our students to practice their English. A short message from the Word was given before the movie, and an application message was shared afterwards. It was amazing! We saw a real sense of community, a longing for authentic relationship, and an openness to Jesus last night. We were moved to be part of such a moment. It was so meaningful to see our hosts holding hands and smiling at each other with tears in their eyes… good stuff! We are definitely planning on building on this for our next trip. One of our readers brought a friend last night that was broken by the message, Barbara was able to comfort her and invite her to come to see us this week. Please pray for the continuing conversations this week.

We have also had some new experiences this trip. Saturday we were able to visit El Valle. Brent, Patti, and I took advantage of a canopy tour, where we got to fly through the jungle on four different zip lines, one about 180 feet above a waterfall. Wahoo !!! We finished up the day at Coronado beach, where the water temperature was balmy. We stayed in the surf throwing a Frisbee around watching the beautiful sunset, staying in for another hour, watching the full moon sparkle on the water and the volcanic sand. God has done so many beautiful things!

Today we begin our second week. We would appreciate your prayers for the stamina and energy to continue the pace that we have set. We continue to be amazed at God’s blessings and leading.

Another Post from Terry Hoffman from Panama

2010-07-23T21:48:00.000-07:00

July 24, 2010

As we approach the end of our first week, the routine of planning to have time each morning to relax, reflect and share devotional time together has proven to be nearly impossible. Something seems to come up every day. The last two mornings the team has been split to go in separate directions. Yesterday Mike and Brent visited the University and met with a new local missionary, while Barbara, Patty and I went to Old Panama. Today Mike and the ladies went to a birthday party complete with a clown (who happens to be one of our readers), while I took Delores’s van to have the window repaired.

It is important to note that while our plans seem to be somewhat unstable, they all seem to pivot around two key individuals, Edwin Garcia and Norberto Lasso. Both men have never hesitated to give of themselves when we are in need. None of us would even be here without Edwin and his family. His tireless work ethic and desire to serve is admirable. It almost seems like he can read our thoughts just by watching our body language and actions because he is always one step ahead of everyone (except his wife)!!

Norberto and his family continue to provide lodging, fellowship and be our Garmin GPS when we venture out of the normal commute. His mother washes our clothes and shares a bedroom with her son and granddaughter so Mike and I can have her room and shower.

If we recall nothing else on this trip, we should all remember the sacrifices and hospitality of these wonderful friends.

Our readers are humble, dedicated, fun loving and eager to learn. We hear statements and thoughts from them every day that should be compiled into a book. My favorite yesterday was from Yasmir. When I asked him why the devil tempted Jesus in the desert he said, “because it was his job.”

Although serving the Lord is not my job now, my hope and prayer is that when I return home I will be one step closer to making it my job.

We are looking forward to the weekend and another week of being immersed in the wonder of God.

News from Panama, Friday July 23, 2010

2010-07-23T15:17:00.000-07:00

Brent Cowan writes:

In the short time that we’ve been here in Panamá so much has happened! There is no doubt that God is blessing our work here. With every new person met there are new doors open and countless opportunities. We’ve found ourselves on several occasions wondering where God is going to lead us next. With so many choices to be made we are overjoyed that God is leading us and making the way clear. With over 70 students enrolled in our classes we have made some great connections with our new friends. We’re all enjoying working towards spreading the word of God here in Panamá and are on the look out as to where God is going to lead us next.

Terry Hoffman writes:

July 19, 2010

I have to say it is wonderful returning to Panama. I feel at home here as always, and coming with the team from Davis Park solidifies my belief that somehow God wants me here. We miss our church family from Modesto and our relationship with Christ has taken a detour since our relocation to Mississippi. We thought that the mission trips and ties to Davis Park were only going to be fond memories. Taylor and I attend a church in Oxford MS, who actually sent a youth group to Panama two weeks ago. The youth minister wanted us to travel to Panama with them, however we had other commitments. When Mike called and asked again if I would accompany the Davis Park team I felt the strong urge to make the trip. I miss Taylor tremendously and wish she was here with me to share the experience, however I am confident two weeks of the miracles we see, and the satisfaction of doing God’s work will help me to renew my commitment to Jesus.

I am very surprised at how the children we see each trip have grown. Alberto and Manuel are young men now, dedicated to the service of the Lord due to the perserverance of their uncle Norberto and the dedication of Walter. I shudder at the thought of how different their lives would be without Walters intervention.

Edwin’s daughter Alexa was one of my beginner students two years ago. She is in middle school and a sweet kid who will make Edwin very proud. I have no doubt she could conduct her own reading session. Her older brother actually read with two students today when we were short on workers.

Another pleasant surprise is Edwin. The last two years of conversing with Mike has made him more fluent in English that we are in Spanish. I am amazed at the energy and enthusiasim this man posseses and am confident that God has big plans for him.

Our team meshes well as we are all hard workers and understand our purpose and mission. Barbara has the toughest assignment with three basic classes, one of which has 25 students!! Mike continues to strengthen the bonds with all his returning readers. Most only want to read with him because he has made such a difference in all their lives. Brent uses his quick wit and fluency in Spanish to entertain readers , us and anyone else he meets. Patty seems to connect with everyone on a personal level. Her complete organization makes up for the lack of it on my part. She is prepared for anything and everything, except the giant bugs that seem to appear at each meal.

As we progress through the week, we all pray that the Lord will capitalize on our strengths, and help us to overcome each and every weakness. That the seeds we plant today will grow, bloom, and bear fruit for many years to come. We thank you Lord for making all things possible and helping us to make a difference, one person at a time.

Jigours Uganda Trip

2010-06-25T00:17:00.000-07:00

06.20.10

Island visit, Bible distribution, and 1 year anniversary!

Posted in Uncategorized at 6:12 am by Administrator

We have been very busy the last week and a half since our last update. Because we have done so much, since we last posted, we are just going to give an overview of the ministry we have been doing, as well as include a few highlights of the week.

Our schedule for the last week and a half or so has been as follows:

Jinja Preperatory School at 7:20 am every weekday morning. We are enjoying working with this school very much. The head teacher attends Divine Love Church and the students are very attentive and well behaved. Our mornings with them began by the children singing several songs for us in an assembly type setting. We then have about 40 minutes to share a Bible story with them as well as teach them a song or two. On Friday we went back in the afternoon and had a game day with them. Morgan and Megan organized a relay race for the children. It included dribbling a soccer ball across the field to their teamates, then jump roping across the field to the other side, and finally tossing a frisbee to the children on their team who were waiting on the side. The children enjoyed these activities very much. Although it was confusing and chaotic, we had a fun time.

In the afternoon on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays we go to Saint John Secondary School and speak to their Scripture Union Bible club.

Tuesday and Thursdays we go to Wanyange Progressive Secondary School and speak to their Scripture Union club.

Wednesdays we have a home cell group in Nakonyonyi (up the hill from where we are staying). Fridays we have a home cell group in Kikuku ( a small village about 10 miles from where we are staying)

Every evening we have devotions with the children at the home. We have been taking turns leading the devotions. Several times a week we will lead them, and then the children lead devotions a few times a week. We have really been enjoying this time in the evening where we can come together and spend time in God’s word. We have really been inspired by the childrens’ eagerness to participate in devotions. The devotion time is not mandatory, but still more than half of the children attend every evening.

Saturdays have been spent spending time playing with the kids and going into town for errands.

Sundays we have been spending at church and spending time with the kids either playing, or helping with school work etc.

Highlights from the week:

On Monday we were able to go to Kampala to purchase Bibles. We were amazed at how difficult it was to purchase a large quantity of Bibles. Kampala is the largest city in Uganda as well as the capital and even in Kampala, Bibles are hard to come by. After driving for about 3 hours and asking for directions we finally made it to the Bible Society. When we arrived at the Bible Society we were told that they did not have any more Luganda Bibles! Fortunately for us, I had emailed a lady who works there prior to us leaving the states and asked for her to reserve 100 Luganda Bibles for us. The lady I had been comunicated through email was in Kenya so they had to use Skype to communicate with her and figure out where she had placed the Bibles we had requested. After a long while they figured it out. They told us that the hundred Bibles were the last ones in the wharehouse! We could not believe that!

This is evidence of a huge need for Bibles in Uganda. Because Bibles are so expensive in Uganda people generally do not buy Bibles for themselves, so it is very difficult for the development of spiritual maturity. We are really starting to understand the need for Bibles here as everywhere we go people are without Bibles.

We also purchased English Bibles and were able to start giving them out to the children at the orphan home. We are including a session on how to study the Bible and begin a reading plan with the children as part of their evening devotions. We will be handing out the Luganda Bibles to members of the church when they come to a Bible discipleship class on Tuesdays and Saturdays that we will begin this week.

We went to Lingira Island on Thursday morning and returned Friday afternoon. We were able to help purchase mosquito nets and blankets for the children on the island as well as give an English and Luganda Bible to each of the homes of the widows caring for the children.We gave a proclaimer to the headmaster of the primary school who is intending on using it to start listening groups in the community.

The situation on Lingira Island is devastating. The people are living in mud thatched huts with straw roofing. Over half of the Island is infected with HIV/AIDS causing a huge orphan and widow problem. Many widows are caring for ophans, sometimes 6 to 8 people are living in a one room hut. The community survives on fishing. The main source of food for the island is the fish that they can catch and they earn a small income by selling the fish to people on the mainland. The most shocking thing we saw was a twelve year old girl caring for her two younger siblings. Her mother is apparently on another island trying to make some kind of income leaving the girl behind to take care of herself and two younger children. Jane (the headmaster at the primary school and a very important figure in the community) said that the only way the girl and her siblings are surviving is that families will give them resources when they have a little to spare.

Today is our 1 year anniversay! It is great to be able to share this time together in Uganda. Yesterday we celebrated by going to the Source of the Nile and taking a boat ride around the river. We went into Jinja and had lunch and did some shopping in the craft shops. We certainly had an adventure figuring out public transportation, but everything worked out fine and we made it to and from Jinja safely.

We will have much more to say when we return home.We are keeping an audio journal of every day’s events and are taking many photos. Because internet is slow and time consuming we will have to wait until we return home to share many of the details of what is going on.

Until next time Mukama akuwe omukisa (God bless you).

-David and Megan

Sin and Satn

2010-06-10T11:29:00.000-07:00

Declare war on sin . . . Satan is active and working in so many lives around us. The last few days brokenness has come my way in many different forms, yet it all has the same root. Addictions to porn, money, things abound. Vows forgotten, marriages coming undone.

God be with us and help us overcome the fleshly desires that cry out to us in the world. Father these things are shattering trust of husbands and wives. Father help us confess our wrongs and seek viable solutions to our struggles and our problems.

in Jesus's most Holy name,

Amen

Panama Team Returns

2010-03-31T11:39:00.000-07:00

The Panamanics returned without major incident with only one team member suffering from a self inflicted bruise. It was good to see my fellow workers in the gospel at Services on Sunday morning. They appeared exhausted from the trip, yet empowered and enthusiastic about the work that they had been doing. Thank you God for the 80 students who heard your word spoken clearly. Thank you lord for bringing home my brothers and sisters, safe and sound.

Paanama Pics 3-25-2010

2010-03-25T09:15:00.000-07:00

What did you say?

Edwin, the fish was this big!

MORE PICS FROM PANAMA

2010-03-24T13:57:00.000-07:00

News from Mike and the Mission Team

2010-03-24T13:48:00.000-07:00

Wow # 3 From Mike Crowley

Our time in Panama is drawing to a close. We are already experiencing a little separation anxiety. It is amazing the kind of friendships that are forged when you spend invaluable time together each day struggling to communicate the timeless Gospel message. We continue to be amazed at how readily the Panamanians we meet here are ready to open their hearts to us. Jack and I are staying with Norberto Lasso and his family. They were eager to give us the master bedroom, complete with two beds for us to rest comfortably. After a few days we realized that Norberto, his mother, his niece, and two nephews are staying the remaining two rooms. I am confident that Norberto and the boys are not sleeping on any beds so we can be more comfortable.

We discovered the ultimate car freshener during our stay. A few days ago we bought some fresh fruit at the outdoor market, and then hurried to the school to begin our teaching routine. Thus a fresh watermelon, three pineapples, a mango, bananas, cantaloupe, and a papaya stayed out in our black car in the tropical heat in direct sunlight for the entire afternoon. The car smelled fabulous when we got in it that night!

We had a running debate that was finally settled last night. We have been reading Matthew chapter three and talking about how John the Baptist ate locusts and wild honey. For some reason, my readers in the late afternoon starting telling me that locusts were creatures that lived underwater. I had to work to get them to understand that a locust was more like a really big grasshopper. Why were my last few readers suddenly thinking that a locust lived underwater? After a bit of research I discovered that Jack was “helping” my readers in the lobby before they were coming into my classroom! Well…we definitely had words! After much laughter and teasing, we discovered that in Panama the same Spanish word is used for locust and lobster! So… I had to apologize to Jack for all the harsh things I said ;-) Actually, the team has been doing a great job of “smelling like Christ” so we could be helpful attracting others to Christ.

Jack has a reader that works for the Panama Canal Commission. He has been having a great time engaging in some pretty serious conversations about life and spirituality. Veronica has been reading with Janice, Juan Carlos’ wife, and leaving energized about the things they share together, in spite of the fact they are meeting from 9:30 to 11pm!

So now we all have new Panamanian nicknames. Edwin calls Jack, “Panama Jack!” He likes to call me “Captain Jack Sparrow,” Christine is “Tinkerbell” because she is so friendly and energetic. Edwin has nicknamed Andrea “Little Lynn” because she has a mountain of basic readers like Lynn had last time, and Veronica is known simply as “Vanna.” Now we call Jack, “Jack Potter,” I’ll have to explain that one to you later; it has to do with a newly discovered superpower and a new beauty mark…

Christine has an amazing gift. She has a brilliant smile and a charming personality. We have used her gracious spirit to assist our efforts in many ways. She greets everyone in the lobby as they come in, making them feel relaxed and comfortable. To demonstrate how gifted she is, let me give you this one simple example. We have been back to the car rental place a time or two due to difficulties with our vehicle. Our RAV4 is a little cramped so I asked for an upgrade to a slightly larger vehicle, like a seven-passenger Nissan Pathfinder. I was told the first time that I could only have the small upgrade for fee. After the battery died in our RAV4, we took it back to the airport. They insisted that I fill it up first, then bring it in and they gave me another RAV4, this one black and more prone to heat during the day! I thought my plight would surely get me a free upgrade. NOPE ! We went back last Friday to see about renting a 7 passenger minivan so Edwin could be our tour guide. This time I brought Vanna and Tink with me. While I was asking one agent about the problem I was having with the internet registration for the minivan, Christine was looking into Carlos’ eyes and smiling, often. While my agent could not find my registration in the system, couldn’t find any record of my name at all, Christine’s new friend gave us a free upgrade to a diesel powered twelve-passenger van for slightly more than our RAv4 was in the first place! When I returned the van late Saturday night, I was recognized immediately as Mr. Crowley, the one with the two girls! Ugh….

Next we went to the fruit stand to get fresh fruit. After Vanna and Tink starting asking for help (I was standing off to the side only grunting occasionally and holding my wallet.) the owner starting digging fruit out from under the table, from his “private stock.” Needless to say we got really good fruit and a great price and even had it carried to our car… Double Ugh… I’m thinking I’ve got to start working on my smile ?!

We had the opportunity to watch God protect and rescue one of our precious readers, I’ll have to tell you that one next time…

News from the Mission Team

2010-03-22T14:19:00.000-07:00

news from Christine . . . . . . Sun, March 21, 2010 6:55:29 PM

I am soooooo tired!!!!!!

It is the end of the day on Sunday. We went to church this morning, at Iglesia de Cristo and then we went to the big mall. It was nice but I am not in much of a shopping mood because I am sooo tired, you heard me right :)))) Not in the mood to shop!!! That’s not why I came here anyway.

Yesterday we had a very long day. We went to Porto Bello, Colon, Coronado and to El Valle. If you look it up you will see that is was a very long day. We left at 7:30am and got home at 11:30pm. Although, I did put my feet in the Atlantic ocean and the Pacific on the same day. Portobello was cool.... such history! And Coronado was beautiful. The beach sand is black because it is lava. Oh and when we were at the Atlantic (I can now say I have been to the Caribbean) it started raining and it was sooo warm. The waves were rolling in and it reminded me of just how AWESOME our God is !!

It is so interesting to see the difference in the way people live. The flowers here are beautiful and huge!!!!! The only thing is, there is a lot of trash everywhere in the city. I find that a bit sad since it is so beautiful here. Today on the way back to Brisas we went through the city and saw old Panama and the ruins that are still there.

Oh yeah!! I saw my very first fire fly in El Valle!! It was beautiful! We also saw hot springs in el Valle.

Veronica and I bought some special mud for our faces at the hot springs that is only found in Lakewood, Colorado for quite a price. We paid $2 !!!

The people here are so nice and I am really starting to feel a lot more comfortable in my classes. It’s so interesting how God works and how if you just let go and let God it really does work out. I feel so inadequate, mostly because I am not a teacher but it is His entire plan and I am leaving it up to Him and just doing the best I can.

Christine

Panamanians! J 2010 3/19

“Chocolate Chips”

For some reason I awoke with this strange, unexplainable amount of energy. Yeah right! That won’t be happening anytime soon! But I did wake up with the excitement, or I should say, the rush of trying to find flour, and chocolate chips!

Today is Jack’s Birthday!! It is a wonderful thing when you are on a trip out of country and someone has a Birthday! It gives you a kind of energy when you get to celebrate something. Especially when it is someone special like Jack!

I awoke to the rush of, “Oh dear, there is no flour for the gravy!” Or, “My goodness there is nothing for the Biscuits!” and the final, which I searched for myself, “I NEED CHOCOLATE CHIPS!!” So I was sent to search the kitchen for chocolate chips to put in the pancakes to make a special breakfast for Jack.

I discovered something very fundamental when you are going to prepare a meal; you have to have the whole “prepare” part somewhere in your plan. But seeing as we were told just the night before that Jack’s Birthday was today, we did alright. Veronica was a whiz, as always, when trying to prepare an “on the fly” special breakfast meal. But you really should have seen the special candle we got for Jack’s Birthday pancake. (It was a real “hot” one.)

It was a wonderful, amazing, perfect, match. Yup, a match. The one’s where you use them to go “whoosh!” and light a fire! It took several tries to actually keep the thing lit. Unfortunately though, it decided to go out just as it was set before Jack at the table, and at that point we just gave up, and had him just pretend to blow it out, and sang Happy Birthday.

Today was our last day with the Preschool kids. It feels really sad that I won’t see my little Shaun, but it’s been difficult to fully rest and have our mornings when you have to head over and prepare for class. I have come to really love those kids!

Nothing extraordinarily exciting has happened, but I have had some great conversations with some of my students. (Besides discussing fruit!) I have really been enjoying my stay here! Please continue to pray for us as we try to let God guide us on this crazy trip, one Panamanian step at a time.

Love you all!

God Bless!

~ Andrea

P.S. By the way, I did find the chocolate chips; I didn’t want to leave you on tenterhooks!

Updates from Panama . . . . .

2010-03-21T07:33:00.000-07:00

An update from Mike. . . . . . . . . .

WOW !!

We are having an amazing time seeing God work on the hearts of people. Every day brings a new humbling experience. We are helping people practice their English by using the Bible. People here are open to new friendships and find the Bible very interesting. In fact, the Panamanians that we meet believe in God, fervently believe that the Bible is His Word, and typically have no idea what it says. These factors plus an eager desire to learn more English creates a beautiful opportunity to talk about Jesus.

It has been unseasonably hot. We are melting as we swelter in our classrooms, waiting anxiously for the sun to set and our air conditioners to catch up with the humid heat. It may sound like we are really suffering when in fact we are having a wonderful time. We are constantly laughing, learning new fascinating things, and enjoying a front row seat to God’s miraculous work. Yesterday a family came into the lobby of Edwin Garcia’s preschool and starting asking questions about the school in Spanish. I readily jumped to the rescue with my broken Spanglish and answered their questions. Things were going very well. I was excited about signing up a whole family for English classes when Edwin arrived just in time to prevent them signing up their preschool son for free! Oh well…

We are eating like kings! Veronica is making us gourmet breakfasts and lunches and stacking some amazing sandwiches for supper, she even bought us a can of bacon flavored spam. JOY! We scheduled Veronica with a few gaps so she would have time to make sure the rest of the team is well fed and hydrated. Once our schedule kicks in, we literally go from student to student for hours at a time. It’s amazing how fast time flies when you are having so much fun!

We even had our very own Panamanian “campfire!” Andrea needed about thirty pencils for her beginners’ class, so Edwin and I ran out and bought three boxes of pencils. I noticed that Edwin had also insisted on buying these three little tiny metal cubes with an enclosed razor blade. I never suspected that these tiny little objects were fancy pencil sharpeners. As soon as we got back to the school, I called the team together and we began sharpening pencils for Andrea’s class as fast as we could!

We are not only having a fantastic time laughing, exploring, and having great fun; we are also humbled to see the Spirit do amazing things through our meager effort. Monday night I met my last reader of the day, Juan Carlos, at 10pm. He is a newlywed of eight months to one of Veronica’s readers, Janice. He is a new manager of an auditing firm. After we finished our first reading session of Matthew 1, he wanted to ask a personal question. He wanted to know if the rest of the lessons these two weeks were going to be from the Bible. It’s funny how that is the very reason why we are here and yet I felt a tremor of nervousness. What if he is offended? Should I “tone it down” a little…?

I said gently, “Yes, all the lessons are from the Gospel of Matthew, the first book in the New Testament.”

“Ah,” he said and was quiet for a moment. That was one of the longest moments of the trip so far for me, at least as long as waiting for our lost luggage to be found!

Finally he looked up at me and began to explain the reason for his question. He said that this is a very, very busy time of year for him and his firm, that he has no free time available. When Edwin had invited him to take this English curse, he declined because he really did not have the time. He and his wife did not attend last Sunday night when we scheduled everyone for a class. However, he said Monday morning he felt such a strong urge, and nagging need to sign up that he phoned Edwin Monday morning and took the only remaining time slot available to him, 10 to 11pm.

He continued to explain how he grew up in the Catholic tradition but has no real knowledge about God. He has wanted to learn more about the Bible, but just didn’t know how, or even where to begin. He was stunned speechless to discover that the nudge to make the phone call to sign up was God arranging for his very need!

I explained how we had originally planned to come in January but felt delayed by God to do some things at home in Modesto (the “To Save a Life” movie outreach event) and so we rescheduled for March. If we had come in January, Edwin’s new school would not have been opened, we would not have met Juan Carlos, and he wouldn’t be spending two weeks studying the Bible every night! Didn’t Jesus say if we seek we will find! I can’t wait to show him that verse tonight!

Juan Carlos has been so amazed at the things that he has been seeing in the Bible that he went home and talked his wife into coming also, she is reading with Veronica now! We are going to move our schedule around to be able to study with them both from 9:30 to 11pm. You should have seen Juan’s face when he realized that the Bible doesn’t contain the “three kings of Orient.” He even sang part of the song and gave me their names, yet nowhere does the Bible name them, call them kings, or tell us how many there were.

He said, “So this is just a tradition of men?” You should have seen the excitement in his eyes!

Please join us in praying for our readers.

Wait till I tell you about Jack and Veronica’s readers! Have I told you about the difference between a grasshopper and a lobster? Have you heard of Christine’s amazing gift? Would you believe me if I told you Andrea has a new nickname? Stay tuned…

Jack Hairston writes:

Friday, March 19, 2010

Our day begins at about seven o’clock, and continues until we sweep and mop the School before heading home to shower and collapse by midnight.

Sounds restful, doesn’t it?

Some readers come only once, which satisfies their curiosity. Others get into intense discussion of scripture and life that run over the allotted time. We have given Bibles to those who neither have nor can afford one, and have also given ten copies of People of the Park to advanced readers. Who knew that this would turn out to be an evangelistic tool? When we hand out a copy, we tell the reader, “These are true stories about real people. When you know these people, you will know there is hope for you.” Readers who have finished my story look at me differently. I hope this is a Good Thing.

Tomorrow is Turista Day. The plan is to wade in both the Atlantic and the Pacific on the same day. If all goes well, we will see historical landmarks and end the day out on the Causeway for supper, watching ships enter and leave the Panama Canal.

Andrea # 3

2010-03-18T12:32:00.000-07:00

Panamanians J 2010 3/17

“Another day shall commence!” cries the announcer on her megaphone at what feels like 5 in the morning! When actually it was Christine’s sweet face telling me we must get up at 8:15. But it felt like 5 in the morning!

We taught preschool after having our delicious breakfast by our wonderful cook Veronica. (Or as we have nicknamed her, Vana. If you don’t know who that is watch Wheel of Fortune.) The kids are great, full of energy but good! We then get back to Delores’s house and ate a wonderful lunch of Spaghetti and meatballs. (Notice there is no Spam! Much to the boys disappointment.) We then ran off to Edwin’s school at 2:00 where I have my first basic class. However nothing truly hilarious or exciting happened today, unless you think learning nouns, prepositions, prepositional phrases, verbs, subjects, and objects is fascinating….then have at it!

I however find this story particularly funny. I have a reader named Shamyr, she doesn’t know hardly any English. And I mean practically zero English!! So I was trying to teach her the word Bitterness, and how you can get rid of it, which is of course, with forgiveness. So I was on the ground stooped over holding the “marker of bitterness” which was basically just that I was holding a marker that represented bitterness. And I would keep holding more and more “markers of Bitterness” and asking her, “So how do you get rid of all of this bitterness?” And after a long pause….she replied with a very serious face and tone, “Well, I would add more fruit.” I just stood there for a moment thinking, “seriously she thought I was talking about the taste!?” And I had literally spent 15 minutes trying to explain bitterness, and all this time she answered with FRUIT!! I laughed!! And then tried to explain the feeling of bitterness. That was definitely the funniest story so far!

Even though I am supposed to be teaching students, they seem to be teaching me! Including how to get rid of bitterness, now this is real gold, fruit is the answer! But really I loved it and have enjoyed every minute of this trip! Please keep praying for us as we continue to try and follow God’s guidance one Panamanian step at a time!

Love you all!

God Bless!

~ Andrea

Message from Andrea # 2

2010-03-18T12:23:00.000-07:00

Panamanians! J 2010 3/16

Well the first day of our classes was a success! I had four Basic classes, the first at 2:00, that one was small with only three students, but still a good class! My second one at 4:00, had about nine, or ten students, that was a good one! And the third class at 6:00, had ten students, that was a great one! And the last one was at 9:00, with about four students. Then I had three regular students which were great!

I realized when I first started the first class I didn’t have all of my material! I was standing there thinking, “Oh great I’m supposed to be this great North American that doesn’t have all of her stuff together!” But then God just started dropping ideas in my brain, and we kept going. I have one class that has a lot of younger kids in it but there are some adults in it, so it was interesting trying to balance having kids and adults but still having to teach the same simple material. But it was lots of fun! I absolutely love teaching!!!!

Link to pictures from Panama

2010-03-17T17:57:00.001-07:00

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=195766&id=100000493866074

Message from Mike

2010-03-17T10:07:00.001-07:00

Mike #1

Amazing Grace; Lost and Found!

What an amazing God we serve! God has already begun to weave His amazing story in this trip. We were originally scheduled to fly from San Francisco to New York, to Panama City. We were supposed to leave at 10pm last Friday night and arrive Saturday afternoon. We purchased these tickets because this was such a great schedule! But God… We got to the airport to find a 3 plus hour delay, our connecting flight was impossible, so we got rescheduled to leave San Francisco at midnight, fly to Houston, Texas lounge around the airport for 9 hours, then arrive in Panama late Saturday night. We were excited for all five of us to make it out of Houston on a standby flight arriving in Panama at our original time!

We were rejoicing in our good fortune until we discovered upon reaching Panama that none of our bags made the flight with us! I was struggling to remember that Paul and Silas were praising God from a prison cell after an unjust beating… after all, it’s just delayed baggage, right? The airline told us there would be no problem, our luggage would simply be delayed, it would arrive on the evening flight. We got our rental vehicle and headed for our sister Delores Leonard’s home in Brisas de Golf. After a warm greeting with Delores, Veronica realized that she couldn’t find her carry-on bag! We searched the car, Delores’ house, nothing! We bravely launched back into the incredible Panamanian traffic, rushed back to the airport to meet the evening flight and try to recover our baggage. We hurried to the car rental counter and told them of Veronica’s carry-on bag. What a blessing to be told that security had her bag safe and sound! Our spirits were high as we found the security office, and there was Veronica’s bag with everything still in it! In fact, the head of airport security asked Veronica if she was a Christian. Veronica said that she was and why are you asking, the manager, Zoriada, said, “I looked in your bag and saw your Bible and study materials.” Veronica and Zoriada hugged, we thanked her for keeping Veronica’s bag and we set off to retrieve our poor delayed baggage.

We were stunned to discover that our bags had not arrived! After several frustrating moments talking broken Spanish/English through an intercom, we were told that our bags were missing, that they could not be found in their system, that we could come back tomorrow and try again! Now I’m trying to whistle a strained praise hymn through clenched teeth. So… we went to the store, bought toothbrushes and toothpaste and extra extra strong deodorant. Sunday we all got up, Jack and I showered and then put our clothes back on that we had been wearing since the previous Friday morning! I’ve got to tell you, you could tell that we had been in the tropics for a while. We discovered a whole new “layer” to the whole fellowship thing. We meet the Richardson’s in worship and upon hearing about our predicament, Jim literally offered the shirt off of his back, or at least those in his closet! I could’ve had a whole new style… After lunch we got into our car only to find out that our rental car had a dead battery. It’s a Toyota… what can I say!

What was that praise song?? Actually, everything turned out fine. After Delores’ neighbor gave us a jump start, we returned to the airport Sunday afternoon to find all of our baggage safe and sound, it had simply traveled to Panama via New York without us! We exchanged our rental car for another Toyota and headed straight to our homes for another shower ;-)

Did I tell you the best part? What a frustrating, disastrous trip right? Wrong! God is doing what He does best, He is weaving our lives together to create the greatest story of all time. While we were trying to find our luggage at the airport Saturday night, we decided to ask Veronica’s new friend for help, Zoriada the security manager. We were able to explain our problems as her English skills were very fluent. As she was taking us to various places in the airport to check on our baggage, we were explaining to her why we were in Panama, that we were helping people practice their English using the Bible. We invited her to join our classes and she signed up! As I write this update, Veronica is reading the Bible and talking about spiritual truths with Zoriada right now! What if God delayed our baggage just so we could meet Zoriada so Veronica could share the Bible with her? Zoriada is the first female to be the head of airport security in Panama. We are learning why it is important to relax and trust in God while unforeseen circumstances are swirling around us. Would we have missed a divine appointment if we had been negative, harsh, and griping with anyone who would listen? Please Lord, help us to be more humble that You may be glorified in us…

Pics from Panama

2010-03-17T10:05:00.000-07:00

Chrsitine Chillin at the airport

2010-03-17T09:55:00.000-07:00

News From the Panamaniacs. Andrea Crowley

2010-03-17T09:53:00.000-07:00

Panamanians! J 2010

Well the adventure has truly begun! Not quite the same as the Olympics perhaps, but for me, just as exciting!

Our trip began Friday night waiting in the San Francisco Airport for our flight that will come at 12:20 pm. Our flight had been delayed so we waited for a few hours.

Then our connecting flight in Houston, Texas was also a waiting trip until 9:30 am. Then we were going to Panama!

We arrived in Panama City, at 2:00 their time; however, our luggage did not! But we clung to the hope that they would arrive at 8:00 that evening. We hopped in our rental car and drove off! Arriving at Delores’ house, we then met with Edwin. (He’s the guy who is letting us use his school to do our classes.) We got our tour of the school. (It’s a great building!) I was then invited that evening to join Edwin and his family to go to a small roller coaster park! It was fun, though I must say there are several safety regulations that the U.S. would have a fit over!

I got back with the unfortunate news that they did not have our luggage! So we had to make do and go to church without clean clothes. (In hot, humid weather, might I add.)

After a good church service we had Subway, making yet, another connection with the manager of that Subway. She was excited to come to the English classes. After eating we went to the airport for yet, another try at the luggage. They had it!!! They had our luggage! I never realized how great a big black bag looked as I saw it coming down the walkway! But God works in mysterious ways, yes we lost our luggage, but we made connections with one of the security ladies and invited her to the English classes! And we invited a man to the classes because he helped us with our battery in the car.

Last night, we met with our future students! I am teaching a Basic class which is for those who know zero English. As well as the regular classes, so a full two weeks for me as well as a lot of us! I have thirty-seven students for basic and five students for the regular classes! I am sooo excited!!! Today is the first day! Please pray for me and the rest of us that we let God guide us one Panamanian step at a time!

Love you all!

God Bless! <3

~ Andrea Crowley

Looking in the Rear view mirror . . . .

2010-02-12T10:44:00.000-08:00

We have been so busy since November I have forgotten about blogging. First we promoted a movie for outreach to teens. The movie was not scheduled for Modesto, but with the help of many local churches and friends we were able to secure it on a screen in Modesto. We also promoted a festival along side the opening weekend of the movie. Lots of folks turned out for the movie and the festival in downtown Modesto. It was truly a great event. God Blessed the event in many ways.

Check the movie out at TOSAVEALIFEMOVIE.COM

Thankful . . .

2009-11-25T14:45:00.000-08:00

In many ways we have much to be thankful for. Spend time over the next few days reflecting and thanking God for all that he has given you,

Family Promise day 5 -- 10-1- 2009

2009-10-02T10:07:00.000-07:00

Spaghetti was great last night. I am always amazed at the volume of spaghetti that can be consumed. We made an eighteen quart roaster full and most of it was consumed by our guests and our hosts for the evening and our overnight hosts. The families are a pleasure to work with and it is our prayer that they will focus on their tasks at hand to have success in this program. We had a bible study with one of guests last night and hope that the study will bear fruit for the kingdom of God. Afterall thats why we do these programs to help people find Jesus and make Him the Lord of their lives. Pray for our guests as they struggle with the elements of life that are hindering them at the moment.

Family Pramise Day 4 -- (9-30-09)

2009-10-01T14:09:00.000-07:00

We had another great day with the families in the program last night. Some came to bible classes, while others took a walk around the park. One of the ladies in the program has been overwhelmed by the kindness she has been shown. We have followed the model of Jesus, by sheltering, feeding and clothing people in need. These three families have been beaten down by the world and for a week we try to show them there is a different way to live.
Sue Huff was our overnight host last night, despite her many health problems, she insisted on sleeping here last night. She brought Josh along, one of the many foster kids she has helped raise over the years. God is gracious and good.
The week is half over,I may have a bible study with one of the guests tonight, pray for God's word to open up her heart.

Spaghetti dinner tonight.

Family Promise day 4 - 9-30-09

2009-09-30T13:48:00.000-07:00

Still moving forward. Sara and Aaron stayed the might last night and all went well. Tonight at supper Sheila is fixing a roast with potatoes and carrots. It is staring to smell very good. We have a first time sleeper, Sue Huff is staying here tonight. Despite all of her recent medical issues and loss of her sister she is still excited about serving God. She is sleeping for Christ's sake tonite. I am excited to see her joining those of us who also sleep in church.
Last night a group from Merced visited with us, they are considering starting a FP group in Merced. May God bless them as they start this venture.

Family Pramise Day 3 -- (9-29-09)

2009-09-29T11:09:00.000-07:00

Two nights in a row on an air mattress in the church building. I am sleepy today and worn out. The Kelley's small group did a great job with food last night. Everyone ate well. Our new family has three little boys with loads and loads of energy. The dad looks worn out. He is wishing he had their energy. Its a 3 on 1 attack for him. Grateful for all our families who are volunteering this week. Thanks

Family Promise day 2 -- 9-28-09

2009-09-28T16:31:00.000-07:00

Another family is headed our way. We will be housing 3 families for a total of 8. One family needed clothes, so we sent Sheila with to buy some for them. Last night was Taco Night. Tonight for food we move to Italy. Those great Italians, Stouffers will provide some great Lasagna for us. They will supply it as long as we will buy it. I will bunk here for another night, it should be an interesting evening.

Family Promise day 1 9-27-09

2009-09-27T22:46:00.000-07:00

Just two families in the program at this time, expecting a full house here by Wed. Helping people through this program is a great way to let people see Jesus. The Newmans group did a great job of feeding us tonite. I had one of the best Taco Salads I have ever had. Thanks to all who will be volunteering this week watch as we update each night for more information.

The Many Faces of Panama

2009-08-26T21:37:00.000-07:00

The Many Faces of Panama . . .

Raul Alvarado says that Panama is often described as a country with many faces. We have certainly been experiencing that blessing. We continue to be amazed by the differences that we experience every day. An earlier post on the blog included some pictures from an interior province called Darien. Raul and I drove about three hours east last Thursday to join our fellow Christians in an evangelistic campaign among the Kuna Indians. This indigenous tribe is known for their very small stature and brightly colored clothes. You can see from the pics that they leave in grass thatched huts with bare dirt floors and simple board siding if they have walls at all. You can also see a pic of a baby sleeping in a hammock, this is the common bed, chair, and resting place for the Kuna. The Kuna’s do not name their girls with an official name until they are twelve years old, then they receive their adult name, marking their availability for marriage. Most Kuna girls are married by the age of fourteen. We assembled in a small block building with a stand off metal roof to sing praises to God and hear His word is both Spanish and Kuni. Next time Raul said he wants me to preach in English, he’ll translate into Spanish, and the Kuna preacher will translate into Kuni. Can you imagine?! What an Acts 2 experience that would be! As we gathered there were about 15 North Americans, about 25 Spanish speaking Panamanians, and about 30 Kuna Indians. It was amazing to leave the modern city of Panama and drive into the rainforest jungle in only about three hours.

In the same kind of way, every day we drive into the central part of Panama city and walk into one of the most modern buildings I have ever been in. Men and women bustle by in their business suits, stopping at the café for a cup of latte or perhaps a mocha. After our morning sessions, we travel across the city to the suburbs where we meet with our readers from a middle class area. Each part of Panama has its own unique face. The one thing we continue to find from place to place is an openness and friendliness toward us. We haven’t witnessed any hostility or disdain from any Panamanians, only gentle curiosity.

We have been blessed with beautiful weather. The mornings generally start with a clear sky. As the day wears on toward the early afternoon, the heat begins to build. Just about the time it is getting uncomfortable, a massive thunderstorm forms, darkening the sky, bringing a driving downpour and cooling off the air. The rest of the day remains mild as a gentle breeze keeps the air cool and fresh. Most nights lightening flickers across the sky, muted thunder rolls across the city and the breeze allows us to rest comfortably.

Last week we were meeting with our readers when the mosquito truck drove by, filling the school and our lungs with an especially potent bug spray. We shouldn’t have any mosquitoes in our lungs now! As I am sipping on my sixth cup of coffee for the day, with four more one hour reading slots to go, I am reflecting on our Friday night classes last week. We had just gotten into our sessions when suddenly the power in the entire neighborhood went completely out. My reader, Maritza, and I had just began to talk about baptism! As the deep tropical darkness settled over us, she began to express her fear of the dark! I pulled out my cell phone and we continued the lesson by the light of our cell phones. I checked down the hall and the entire team was doing the exact same thing! God’s Word cannot be stopped! Edwin arrived after about thirty minutes and brought candles, allowing us to have our last two sessions by candlelight. As Edwin placed a candle on our table, Maritza exclaimed, “We are people of the light!”

I am making seriously progress in becoming bilingual! With our daily commute into the bowels of downtown, I am becoming fluent in “hornspeak.” The most critical piece of equipment in your vehicle is the horn. In fact, this communication device is so important that Walter’s van has had an auxiliary horn installed to replace the original that has apparently quit working due to overuse. His van is American made after all! Let me show you some of my phrase book notes… Suppose you want to say “hello.” Easy, you just give a little “beep-beep”. How do you say, “looking good babe?” No problem, just tap a little “bee-de-bee-beep.” How about the urgent, “Get out of the way you big, sad waste of space!” That’s more the international “HHHOOOOOOOOONNNK!” Then there’s the obligatory “I’m here, don’t run over me” with a simple “honk.” Do you want to pick up a friend from their house without getting out of the car? Just a “Honkity-honk.” If this sounds complicated, don’t sweat it, Jim picked it up on his first try. He drove over to pick me up and laid on the horn, causing everyone to run outside in the neighborhood and look anxiously into the sky, perhaps a bit “Gabriel-ish” but effective nonetheless. Finally there is the general “I’m frustrated and just want to vent my impatience from about thirty cars back” with a “honk-bee-hooooonk.”

As I close out this update, let me just say that Libby has been a real trooper. Today she selflessly took a couple of my readers to allow me to rest, what an awesome servant! May God be praised for this next generation that loves the Lord!

Mike

News From Terry Hoffman

2009-08-26T15:12:00.000-07:00

Sunday August 16th

I am writing this on a blank page in the back of my bible, on the plane from Panama City to Miami. It is 6:00 PM Panama time. We were supposed to be almost to San Francisco by this time. Jaclyn and I will have to spend the night either in the Miami airport or a hotel as all flights to the west have long since departed. We left on time this morning only to have the plane return to Panama due to the smell of smoke in the rear of the cabin. It took 9 hours to determine what happened, fix it reload us and our baggage and get us on our way again. It amazes us to see how a mission trip can make a day as stressful as this one, an almost fun experience. We talked to people and laughed, we marveled at the patience of three year old children stuck 10 hours with only crayons. One girl about 10 passed the time by reading a “Lets Start Talking” workbook we gave her while standing in line. Her father could not believe we would teach English for free, using our own time and money to get here. He took my number because an associate of his needs English teachers to train the staff of the Panama canal expansion. I pray that he will contact me so I can pass it on to the Richardson’s. Jaclyn has been a blessing to travel with. She is patient and mature beyond her years and considers not knowing when we will make it home an adventure. We all forget so easily how precious life is and do not take the time to stop or even slow down to see how God is working all around us. We both wished Taylor and Sarah were with us to share in the adventure.

Tuesday August 25th

Now that I have been home for a while (not a long while because T and I went to Mississippi and Colorado) I have had some time to reflect on Panama again. There is so much opportunity for us to reach people in every walk of life. I miss the fellowship of morning devotion, the excitement in Sarah and Jaclyn’s voices when they talk about their day. I miss how Taylor seems to attract everyone to her when they discover she can speak Spanish. The teachers in the school could not stop talking to her. I even miss the time spent with Mike. We had lots of time to talk, which as everyone knows is rare in Modesto with so much going on. I hope he learned a little something from me, because I learned a whole lot from him. I know team two is having a really busy time, and I wish that Taylor and I could be there to help and share in the reward God will provide for their efforts. We are praying for team two’s safe passage home, that God will grant peace and comfort to the Leonard family, and that God will allow us the opportunity to return to Panama soon.

Terry and Taylor Hoffman

More Pics . . . .

2009-08-24T16:46:00.001-07:00

More Pictures from Panama . . .8-24-09

2009-08-24T15:00:00.000-07:00

We want our Panama Mom . . .

2009-08-24T13:56:00.000-07:00

We want our Mom !! Today we begin the second week of our reading schedule. We are amazed at how we have adapted to our routine. After trying to cram in as much as possible during the weekend, we are now settling into a busy week of interacting with our readers. Saturday began with an opportunity to look at a few houses in Brisas to get an idea of the average home in this area. Finally we got an opportunity to do a little sight seeing! We signed up for a tour of “Monkey Island” in the Gatun Lake portion of the Panama canal. After a beautiful 20 minute boat ride up the canal, the captain gently coasted our little boat up to the tropical foliage of the island, when we spotted a huge Iguana resting on a low branch! This thing was massive, its body was about 3 feet long, tail was over four feet, must have weighed close to 30 pounds. Our guide says they taste like chicken! Like a scaly, cold blooded, tropical chicken with a hint of cricket aftertaste no doubt! Our guide called the monkeys and all of the sudden it was raining monkeys! They were dropping off of the trees onto our boat, onto the shade awning, the deck; it was more fun than a boat load of monkeys! The little white faced monkeys were eating bread out of Libby’s hand. What a beautiful country filled with amazing things and wonderful people. Sunday we were blessed to worship with our brethren of the Metropolitan Church of Christ again. One of my readers, Edwin Garcia, came with his family to the worship assembly! Please pray for the work that God is doing in Edwin’s life and heart! Finally we were able to have a big nap, yes! We turned down a few social invitations in the interested of getting rested for a final week of enthusiastic readers. So, here we go! We left Brisas at 7:30am in order to arrive in the downtown, or centro, district to meet with our readers in their law office. We will finish at about 11am, trundle down the elevators, through security, and drive out of the parking garage. This will just give us time to stop at Brisas, change clothes, inhale lunch, then out the door to the neighborhood, Castellana, where Edwin’s pre-school is located where our classes will begin at 1pm and continue until 10pm. We try to fix a quick sandwich and gulp it down in between readers when we can. So far, we have been so busy that we have often forgotten to eat supper. After visiting with Edwin and his wife Lesbia we usually arrive back at Delores’ house sometime around 11pm, a few times as late as midnight. I am going to have to enter a serious coffee detox program when we get home, I am now drinking six or eight cups throughout the day… We really miss our Panama Mom! During our last trip we were so well taken care of by Shelia and Gertrue that we didn’t realize how hard she worked. Now we are struggling to find time to eat, do laundry, buy groceries, fix meals, take pictures, even to write these updates! We took as many students as we could, about 95 a day, but we still had to turn people away! We have a growing list of people waiting to be called in case of cancellation or to be notified of the next class in January. God has really prepared the hearts of this community, it has been an incredible opportunity to see God do amazing things in the hearts of all of us! I close this update with this good news, no new cop stories! So in closing, Shelia, where are you??!! We need you !! Mike

Video of Pics from Panama

2009-08-20T11:59:00.000-07:00

Team 2 Update 8-19-09 # 3

2009-08-19T17:06:00.000-07:00

I got new shoes, sorry Terry!

Mike

Update from Panama 8-19-09 # 2

2009-08-19T16:37:00.000-07:00

As we like to get coffee first, Jim is making fast friends with the baristas in the lobby of the office building. He says that they are smiling in English!

Mike

8-19-09 Team 2 Update

2009-08-19T13:34:00.000-07:00

Our routine has begun in earnest! We begin our day by leaving from Delores’s house at 7am in order to arrive at the “Tower of the Americas” downtown to read at 9am with four lawyers in their office on the 5th floor. As you read earlier, this is an absolute Divine appointment as these contacts came by “accident!” As it turns out, Libby’s reader is looking for a church, Lynn’s is struggling with some life path choices, Jim had a wonderful “seed moment” in a discussion of the meaning of the word baptism, or as Jim likes to say, “baptizmo!” My reader, Fabiola, and I got into a fantastic study of the first chapter of Luke. Her English is so fluent we are having a full blown Bible study right out of the English Bible! Today we were talking about how Zacharias demanded more evidence to support his faith while Mary simply surrendered to the Lord’s will. This text has been our foundation here in Panama as we do our best to go from one Divine appointment to another.

Mike

I actually have a gap in my schedule today so I wanted to share a few photos with everyone. We were blessed to visit the Carundu Christian Bi-lingual school that Betty and Raul Alvarado founded about 9 years ago. While we were visiting the children were practicing for a presentation of folk dancing, so of course Libby Richardson had to show them how it is done in California!

Mike

If the shoe does not fit . . . an Update from Team # 2

2009-08-18T18:17:00.000-07:00

If the shoe doesn’t fit…

Coming to Panama is all about learning about yourself, experiencing new adventures with God, and trying to boldly go where your faith has never gone before. I have crossed a new frontier of faith. I have given up comfort for style! Because of the tropical climate and informal setting, I did not pack dress shoes for this trip in interest of saving wait to transport our teaching materials. For the same reason I did not pack dark socks or more than three polo shirts. As you have read previously, God has given us an opportunity to read with several lawyers in their downtown office. Picture the scene, here we are in an ultra-modern steel and glass building, super digital security, everyone dressed for serious success. Did I mention that we would be reading and interacting with Norma and Omar Torijjos? He is the brother of the former president of Panama and the son of the most famous president, Omar Senior who signed the Panama Treaty with President Carter? What do I have to wear? Sandals, t-shirts, and shorts?? I dug out my only pair of khaki pants, lined up my three polos and fretted about my tennis shoes. Once again Terry came to the rescue, he loaned me his Bun Nunn dress shoes and one pair of dark socks. The glitch? For one thing, even if I turn them inside out, I’ve got to go two weeks with one pair of socks. Worse yet, Terry’s shoes are a size and a half to small for my feet! So… for the last two days I drove to the law office, put his shoes on in the parking garage and took them off as soon as I returned to the car. I usually would lose all communication with my toes in about 30 minutes. Know I understand why women so often kick off their shoes during church and hope the preacher gives them a moment’s warning before the invitation song! I spent the whole lesson wiggling my feet, desperately trying to ensure blood flow to my poor oppressed feet. What’s next, separating lights from darks in the wash? Organizing my sock suitcase??!!
Proper sizing continues to be a challenge. I have discovered that if I sleep diagonally across the bed, by feet would be trapped in the metal footboard. Jim is sitting on a tiny preschool chair for hours as he patiently teaches his students. It’s amazing hard to focus your bifocals when your knees are obstructing your view! Lynn has had to begin turning students away for her beginners English classes, she has discovered that ten students in her tiny classroom is roughly equivalent to the steamy environment of sardines, hold the mustard! This restriction limits her to a total of 50 students with five different classes each day. Whew!
God has continued to amaze us with the opportunities He had brought us. Lynn had a fantastic spiritual conversation with Norma Torijjos today. My morning reader in the law office “Torres de Americas,” Fabulosa, is interested in a late night Bible study with her husband and other friends. Omar and Norma have invited Libby to attend a special youth night at their church with their daughter who is the same age. My first reader in Castellana, in Edwin’s preschool, asked me five minutes into our lesson, “what is the baptism of the Holy Spirit?” We launched into a slow, tortuous, broken English/Spanish Bible study! I figure we probably had about a 30% accuracy rate. We keep reminding ourselves of the truth, God can do anything!

Mike and The Police: Incident #2

2009-08-17T14:24:00.000-07:00

Mike get’s pulled over again!

My multi-cultural education is progressing nicely. Today I was driving a van load of Panamanians home after church while talking to Terry on a local cell phone. Terry and Jaclyn are till trying to get home! About an hour after take-off, the plane had to turn back to Panama because the crew starting smelling smoke. Where there is smoke... They have been stranded most of the day in Panama, until finally being able to leave for Miama at about 5pm, a little later than their original 7am flight. They will be arriving sometime tomorrow evening, Lord willing. Because of all this turmoil, Terry and I were updating each other and trying to decide if they would wait it out at the airport and whether I would pick them up for a while. So, here I am having this conversation while threading my way through Panamanian traffic when a policeman that was standing on the median, armed to the teeth, walks through the traffic and stops me, right in the middle of a crazy traffic circle! Suddenly, everyone starts telling me in the van that you cannot talk on the cell phone while driving, at least not while the police is looking. Great, now you tell me...! So, I have to open the door because the magic spoon is holding the window up, then try to talk my way out of a $75 ticket! Traffic is honking and pouring around us like the surf pounding against a rock. Was I worried? No way, I just did what I do best, look completely blank and clueless... After a pretty good lecture and much finger wagging, I was finally allowed to go. I am thinking of becoming a Panamanian taxi driver, or maybe a tour guide, I seem to have the talent.

We were blessed to worship with the Metropolitan church of Christ as it is now called. The bi-lingual service was so uplifting as we sang with about 65 of our Panamanian brothers and sisters. Though hurting with the loss of Walter, the church seems to be looking to God and growing. The church is meeting in the high school where the first team, Terry, Taylor, Sarah, and Jaclyn taught English lessons.

Team two met tonight with everyone interested in taking English lessons using the Bible. We got slammed! So far we have 48 conversational students and 35 beginning students. Lynn is really going to have the opportunity to use her ESL gifts and experience! Our teaching schedule will be from 9am to 11am with the lawyers in their law office downtown that we met last Thursday. Then we will hustle back to the Brisas area and teach classes from 1pm to 10pm, Monday through Friday. So many people showed up and really wanted to participate that we have doubled up on students, scheduled readers during our supper break, and anything else we can think of. Please pray for our stamina and attitudes as we begin this rigorous schedule. I am already planning the mother of all naps Saturday! More updates to come as our work begins!

Mike

Wow, It's Hot. update from Team #2

2009-08-17T14:20:00.000-07:00

Wow, its hot!

Yesterday was an incredible day. We tagged along with the missionary, Raul, and looked at several commercial properties for a possible future site for the church plant. While we were asking questions, we looked at several houses in the Brisas area to get an idea of the going rate. We pulled up to the last house got quite a surprise, it seems we were expected! When Raul got out of the car, the owner came out of the house and asked, “Who sent you?” Raul said, “God sent us.” The owner began to cry and invite us into her house. That morning she had imagined her living room filled with people praying and praising God so she spent the morning asking God to send someone to her. When Raul told them about the Richardson’s and their interest in moving to Panama to help with the mission work, she started crying and telling us about her prayers that morning. Pretty soon there wasn’t a dry eye in the house; in fact, I must have gotten something in my eye as it started to water just a little bit! Over and over we see God moving powerfully here. I still don’t understand His choice in calling our brother Walter home, he has left a huge hole here in Panama, but it is clear that God is doing something big!

Terry and I started our day with a run through the muggy weather. We “randomly” decided to run a certain way and what happened? We ran straight into one of the people I was praying to meet to be able to have an important conversation! That schedule left Terry and I behind while the rest of the group enjoyed some of the sights in Panama city. In a few hours, the skies cleared, the sun came out, and all the water that was on the ground from the thunderstorm the night before started to go back up into the air. It became incredibly hot and humid. As Terry and I sat sweltering in a house without air conditioning or fans, he suddenly had a brilliant idea. “Let’s go to the internet cafe!” So we jumped up and walked down to the corner market that has a room set aside for computers and internet access. We each gladly paid a dollar to sit in the blessed air conditioning for an hour. We ended up sitting there drinking cold water and cooling off for two hours!

The group had a great time seeing new things and Terry and I had the blessing to talk and pray with a hurting soul for a couple of hours.

Mike

Sarah and Team 1 are coming home!

2009-08-14T10:46:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-14T10:45:00.000-07:00

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

Sara's Update from 8-12-08

2009-08-13T10:11:00.000-07:00

Hola California!

Our days here at Panama are coming to a close. Our 2nd Panama Team, Mike Crowley, Jim, Lynn, & Libby Richardson, made is here safely about 10:00 last night. We were very excited to see some familiar faces. It was like they brought a piece of home with them. They stayed for an hour here at Delores', then headed out to Raul & Betty's house. The Richardsons are staying at Raul & Betty's for this week, and then they will be here at Delores' after Soldados de Cristo leaves for California. Mike is staying with Terry at Norberto's house (A member of Iglesia de Cristo). We are all praying that this trip will give the Richardsons answers about their possible move to Panama. What we do know is that God is in control of it. Team # 2 spent their first evening having an adventure. On the way home last night, they were pulled over by the police. There was some difficulty with communication because the officer didn't speak English, and no one in the Cali. car spoke Spanish. What ended up happening was that their license plate was taped on the rear window (which was tinted, so you couldn't see it), instead of in the appropriate place. The officer then asked everyone for their passports. Everyone had one except Terry who was just going along for the ride. The police officer followed Mike & Terry back to Norberto's house to get his passport. The officer said, "Because it is a rental car, I won't give you a ticket." Praise God!

What a great first experience on the first night here in Panama for Team 2. Ha! Team 2 spent the day organizing the rental car situation, and met with a lawyer to go over all the necessities and steps for moving to Panama. They then were planning to go to a small group with Raul and other Iglesia de Cristo members this evening.

For Soldados de Cristo, it was another normal day doing LST at the school (Instituto America). Terry & Jaclyn have 2 LST days left and my last day for LST is tomorrow. As we are informing the readers when our team will be leaving, they look at us with sadness and are bummed that this all has to end so soon. We are encouraging the students to continue to practice speaking English, so for the next time we come, they will show us how good their English has gotten. After school, we had a journey picking up Alberto, Manuel, & Inka (Norberto's nephews, & niece) from school today. We had to take Inka back to her parents house before heading back to Delores'. We were driving in traffic for about 2 hours. The ride was a blast! Jaclyn & I sang some church songs, while the kids tried to sing along with us. It was such a blessing to be on the road that long, so we could fellowship together. We were sad when we had to drop them off, because we were having so much fun. For our evening LST group, it was the usual evening.
We were invited to our reader's house tomorrow after LST. We are all excited to go and spend more time in fellowship with our friends. So, it is about that time. I guess this is goodbye for now. We will all see you soon! Please pray that we are able to plant those seeds that have not been planted. Goodnight!

With Christian Love,

Sarah

Sara's Update from 8-11-08

2009-08-12T13:35:00.000-07:00

Another successful day here in Panama ! We are really enjoying the relationship building that we are experiencing with our readers. We have become good friends, and are getting more and more comfortable with talking about our relationship with God. The readers are very responsive and eager to learn not just about English, but about our Lord. With every encounter, we have seen God working. At the beginning it was hard for us to see it, but now it is crystal clear. Thank you Lord for making it clear for us to see your work. We feel that God is not only present in our conversations, but that he uses our voices to speak to those who don’t know him. We are so blessed to have God in our life. We couldn’t do this alone. I also would like to say how awesome it is to have a supportive team. We have become like a family. We eat together, talk together, cry together, and laugh together. Everything we do...we do it together, as a unity in Christ. Every day, we feel we have grown so much. We couldn’t do it without our Lord, and we couldn’t do it without each other. There is only 2 days left of LST, then another party on Friday. As the end is getting closer, we are all getting sad because we don’t want to leave. This is too bitter sweet. As this evening is closing, we are presently waiting for the 2nd Panama team to arrive from Miami . We have been praying that they have a smooth flight and an easy transition from the US to Panama . Church family...please continue to pray as the 2 teams work together the rest of the week to serve others and God. Soldados de Cristo signing out. Goodnight!

With Christian Love,

Sarah

Update from Terry Hoffman

2009-08-11T14:10:00.001-07:00

It has been a week since we stepped off the plane into the 90 degree weather, with 90% humidity. I haven't written because I was unsure what to write. This trip is different from the last in several ways. This is my 3rd trip this year to Panama and it feels almost like home. The weather is pretty much the same except for the torrential downpours that occur everyday. It rains more in 1 day than we get all year. Taylor & I had the wonderful opportunity to stay with the parents of one of our readers from last January. We became fast friends and spent many late nights sitting on the couch talking and enjoying our short time together. They plan to visit us in the US in February. My favorite activity is watching Jaclyn & Sarah experience the amazing work that God performs. They both connect so well with the students here. I see the joy in their faces everyday and thank God they were given this chance to make a difference in the children's lives. I pray that they will always remember their experiences and use their talents to the fullest potential. This will be a tough week for me as Taylor had to return to work. She is a wonderful wife, and a huge asset when we get into "Spanish Trouble". We look forward to returning to Panama in the near future.

Terry Hoffman

Sara's Update from 8-10-08

2009-08-11T14:01:00.000-07:00

Today was a reassuring day. We were all feeling great about how the day went. We had many students and teachers come in to the conference room asking if we can put them on the schedule for LST. We made a lot of connections with the students we saw. Jaclyn had one challenge today teaching a beginning English learner. She used the LST beginners book that our wonderful ESL Teacher, Lynn Richardson, has put together. We have used a few of those books and it is an amazing tool that we are blessed to have. Thank you LYNN!! Terry had an opportunity to meet a new teacher at the school and hear some of what is going on her life. We had never seen her before and she had just walked in and asked if we could fit her in for only today. Terry was very blessed with that visit. I had the joy of spending time with a couple of my readers from last week. Our relationships are growing so much and we are excited to see each other more and more every time. I am going to be sad to leave my new friends. This evening, we had so much fun talking with a group of our teenage readers. They were trying to teach Jaclyn & I Spanish after their English session, but they always laughed at us when we tried to say what they were saying because they said we had an accent. It was the most funniest time of the day. We also have good news for the 2nd team that will be flying in tomorrow. Raul and family has handed out brochures around town advertising FREE LST CLASSES. The schedule is filling up very quickly and we are all getting excited! Praise GOD! Hope all is well back at home and we miss you all!!

With Christian Love,

Sarah

Jaclyn Williams' Blog

2009-08-10T12:27:00.000-07:00

Jaclyn Williams has been blogging about her adventure in Panama these past eight days. For more insight into the adventure of short term mission work go to her site which is in the link section to the left of the main column. You can also paste this into your brower if the the link to the side does not work for you. http://www.jaclynwilliams.blogspot.com

Update # 8

2009-08-10T12:16:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, this is Soldados de Cristo (Soldiers of Christ) reporting from Panama! Today was a very nice day for the team. Although, our team just doesn't feel the same without one of our own, Taylor Hoffman. We are still waiting to hear that she made it home safely. Are prayers are with her during this long trip home. On the way to church this morning we were hoping we wouldn't be late, when Delores shared with us her words of wisdom, "What ever time we arrive at, we are on time." Thanks to Delores we were at peace with the time. We arrived to church this morning at 9:30am. There was class, and then worship began around 10:30am. Raul's son, Raul Jr. did a great sermon today. He is a student at Harding University, and will be leaving to Arkansas this Thursday. We had a full van today. In Delores' van was Terry, Jaclyn, Delores, Deborah (Delores' daughter), Norberto, Alberto, Manuel, & me. We had lunch at Niko's Cafe', a great place to try Panamanian cuisine. It was very filling and delicious! After lunch, we went to the ruins in Panama, which is also called the 2nd Panama City. The buildings were very old fashioned, the roads were narrow, and some people still lived in the tiny rooms there. The design of the buildings were colonial like. Very old fashioned! But, What we didn't know was that the White House was around the corner. We figured we would park and get out and walk. We made our way down a road that had a woman selling coconuts. Jaclyn & I decided to buy one for $1 and drink the juice out of the entire thing. It basically tasted like watered down milk. Not too bad. As we made way to the White House of Panama, we were so surprised to have the opportunity to walk in front of it. The guard checked our bags, and there we went. We took pictures and was so amazed that we got to see the President of Panama's White House. Did we see the President....No. But, it was still an amazing sight. We seemed to be having so much fun, that some gentleman decided to find a seat next to Delores and put his arm around her. We got a picture of that. We all laughed and told Delores this strange man had a crush on her. She just laughed with the rest of us, and said he was crazy. :D As we left the White House, we made our way back to the van. We ended up driving down the coastline and pulled over to hear one of the school bands practicing at the huge park. It was so loud and so fast. They were very talented musicians. This place seemed like a theme park, but with no rides. Just a bunch of people of all ages gathered around like a day at the park. After we decided we had enough entertainment, we decided to take everyone back to their houses and head back home. We were very blessed with the Word of God and the beautiful things that God has made. Pray for our team as we start another week of LST. Sweet Dreams.

With Christian Love,

Sarah

Update # 7

2009-08-09T17:06:00.000-07:00

Today was a day out on the town! We began our morning at 9:00am when the Hoffman's host came to pick us 4 up at Delores' house. They were so excited to take us out and show us the ins and outs of Panama. They had 2 guests with them...my reader's (Jessica) kids. First, they took us to the Botanical Garden. There were animals we have in the US, but there were some that we've never seen before. There was one that looked like a mixture between a pig and a hippo. Ha! It was the most weirdest looking animal. There were so many animals I couldn't describe it to you. We saw tucans, vultures, jaguars, monkeys, crocodiles, and different kinds of birds. The place was beautiful. That is one thing about Panama that the teams loves; it's the amount of green and trees and mountains that there is. You always feel like you are in the tropics. So, we spent a couple hours walking around the garden. We found a beautiful bridge that went over a swamp like thing. As I went to take a picture on the bridge, I glanced in the icky brown water and barely saw a head and some eyes looking in my direction..it was a crocodile! There were no fences, no walls, no nothing to separate me from the crocodile. I then froze, yelled and said, "Ummm, that's a crocodile, I don't think so!", and took off back to the path as fast as I could. Everyone laughed and told me that he wouldn't bother me. I still wasn't ok with the fact that there was a "free" crocodile just swimming around while we walk around near it. It freaked me out. But, I toughed it out and made my way (very quickly) to the bridge and took some pictures. We also had experienced a lizard encounter. Jaclyn & I were walking ahead of the group, minding our own business, when the tiniest lizard jumped in front of us causing us to scream. As the group caught up to us, we then pointed out the tiny lizard to the 2 kids. Terry had put his arm out for the lizard to climb on. The little boy (4 yrs. old) with us wanted to touch it but was so scared. Then, Taylor got it on her arm, and the boy tried to put his arm out for the first time, but pulled away really quick. While we are trying to explain to the boy that the lizard wouldn't hurt him, the lizard darted off Taylor's arm and attached to the boy's shirt on his chest. He screamed and slung it off of him so fast, we all began laughing so hard!! It was the funniest thing of the day. The look on that kids face was priceless. As we continued the adventure through the beautiful and "hot" Botanical Garden, Jaclyn & I noticed a huge fake cow. We decided to jump on and take some pictures with the cow. It's fun to be silly sometimes. :) After that tour, we then went to the place we'd all been waiting for...The Panama Canal! We watched a movie (in English) that told the story of the canal, then we walked through a museum like tour to the top of the Locke. We then watched the ships move through the Locke from the Atlantic to the Pacific side of the ocean. It was the most amazing thing we'd seen here in Panama. We stayed there for 2 hours, then made our way down the Causeway, which is a long road down the coastline. There are many restaurants and stores along the coast. We had lunch on the Causeway, and wanted to walk down it. But, the hard rain surprised us, which kept us from walking. We had stopped at a few souvenir shops. So many cute things for such a cheap price. Once we finally got back to Delores' house, it was almost 6:00pm. We had a couple boys that go to church with us, come over and hang out with us. Terry & Taylor wanted to head back to their host's house to take a nap, as did we. We put on ET and watched that (in Spanish...which was interesting) and took a nap. Terry & Taylor wanted to come back this evening to say goodbye, because Taylor is flying home tomorrow morning at 7:00am. We will miss our teammate so much! Taylor has saved us many times because of her fluent Spanish speaking skills. It just won't be the same without her. We love you Taylor!! Well, now the day is over and it's time to prepare for a church day tomorrow. So, we are hitting the sack. Goodnight.

With Christian Love,

Sarah

Update # 6

2009-08-09T17:02:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone from Davis Park! Today was a long day for Soldados de Cristo. Our morning started very encouraging with a devo that Terry led, and then we got to experience the hard rain pouring on us during our drive to the school. Our team had a lot of time to do some thinking. Taylor had 1 reader, Terry had 2 readers, Jaclyn had 3 readers, and I had none. The part that is difficult about LST is that there are many readers who don't show up to their appointment, or that we have so many open slots in our schedule that we get a lot of down time. The last readers of the day were 2 teachers that never showed up for their appointment. That topped it off for us. We just shook our heads in disappointment as we left the school for the day. During the quiet car ride home, we all felt a spiritual reminder of why we are really here. We all thought about how we need to be more like Jesus in these difficult times, so we asked ourselves, "What would Jesus do?" We began discussing that it's not how many we have on the schedule, but the importance of those hearts we do touch. We are grateful for the time we have here in Panama, and for the many opportunities to build new relationships. Being reminded of that, it was then time for a party with those new relationships we had made this week. The party began at 7:00. We had pizza, colas, and brownies with ice cream for dessert. After the food and socializing, we started a fun game of Pictionary. Boys vs. Girls! There were about 14-15 of us all together! in Delo res' house for 2 1/2 hours. May I say, the girls ended up beating the boys by 10 points! Yeah!! There was so much laughter and excitement as the night continued. One of the teen boys that was here played the guitar and sang us some songs. A very talented teenager he is! As the night ended around 10:00, we helped clean up the house and are now settled down for bed. Thinking back to how the morning began, to the thoughts we were having in the mid-day, we are finally at peace. Thank you God for guiding us back to you when we drift away! Goodnight church family.

With Christian Love,

Sarah

Oops! Forgotten Blog

2009-08-09T16:50:00.000-07:00

Hola Davis Park Family!

Our team has come up with a team name: Soldados de Cristo, which means Soldiers of Christ. Isn't that great!? Well, anyway, just thought that would be fun to share with you. On Monday, we showed up to the school where we are doing LST at 9:00am, and the school was not prepared to have us start that day, so we had a free day. When we realized we had a free day, we weren't sure what we were going to do. But, Raul, which is Delores' son-in-law, found something fun for us to do. So, here is where our adventure started. Raul needed us to come pick him up because his car broke down on the freeway. Does he call anyone from Panama? No, he calls us to go find him and his mother. By the way, listening to Taylor talk to Raul on the phone trying to get directions to where they are stranded was so funny to hear. Terry of course was driving us, and being very patient with the whole thing. Jaclyn and I were in the back seat of Delores' van just having too much fun. :) Once we figured out we were lost, the laughing and frustration kicked in. Besides the fact we were all hungry and just wanted to go home and rest, we couldn't leave our lost friends stranded. I can't tell you how many time Raul called Taylor, and Taylor called Raul to find out where we were and if we were headed in the right direction. During the adventure, we seemed to notice a funny thing about Panama. We noticed, the more hungry and tired we are, we don't pronounce words correctly. For instance, I decided to say "roller sockey" instead of roller hockey. Ya...I don't know what I was trying to say there, but everyone thought it was a hoot. While we were sitting in Panamanian traffic, Taylor was on the phone with Raul, when all of a sudden she pulls the phone away from her ear and looks at us (with Raul still talking like Taylor was listening), she then says with a very serious t! one, "I can't understand what he is saying and I'm getting aggravated." Between the tone in her voice and the look on her face, we all began to laugh. This could not have been happening! It was so hilarious! She laughed about it moments later. I know what you all are thinking...Why didn't you ask for directions? Well, we finally did and they all told us we were headed in the right direction. THEY WERE WRONG!! Once we realized we had been going the wrong way for 1 hour, Raul finally figured out some landmarks that we could see to help us find him. So, once we found those landmarks (McD's & Pizza Hut), after another 45 minutes, Taylor called Raul again, and told him we were here. One thing that Raul never shared with us was that he had already caught a taxi to pick them up. Can we say this trip was a waste of time...sure...but we had a great time doing it all together. Before returning to the "great" traffic in Panama, we parked ourselves at Pizza Hut for lunch. Oh but wait...that's not the end...Terry decided to lose his phone. He said, "I can't find my phone, Taylor, what did you do with it?" Taylor was almost sure she had given him his phone back. Just then, Terry looks down and realizes he had his phone in his hand. This ride was a fun adventure for all of us. :)

With Christian Love,

Sarah

Update #3 from Team #1

2009-08-07T00:01:00.000-07:00

I honestly can't tell you all how much fun we are having here in Panama ! We have come across so many interesting things. I'm going to share a few with you. Every day we get into Delores' van and wonder why there is a spoon wedged in the window. Terry decided to take it out once and the window almost dropped through the door. It was so hilarious! Now we know how they hold up their broken windows...with the magic spoon. Our team also gets a kick at Raul. Every time we see him, he gets Terry and Taylor backwards. He will come in and say "Hi Taylor," to Terry, and then say "Hi Terry", to Taylor. He can never get it right. :) We have also come to the conclusion that Taylor cannot keep her eyes open to take a picture. Almost every picture we take of Taylor, we have to try again because she closes her eyes every time. We make fun of her because of it. (Love you Taylor!) One of the cool things about having a one on one session with the students at the school, is that you build relationships.
Jaclyn had a reader today that shared his life story and all the struggles that he and his Mom are going through right now. Jaclyn felt so honored to have been chosen to be the listening ear for her reader. He made it clear that he had never told anyone the true story about his life. When he left, Jaclyn felt a calling to invite him to church with us on Sunday. She tried to go find him to give him the information he will need, but he was no where to be seen. She came in and I told her that hopefully we can see him tomorrow. Well, just then here he comes back in the door, telling Jaclyn, "Hey, I have your pen, Jaclyn," Praise God for directing this special reader back to us. I know this wasn't the power of the pen...this was the power of our great and almighty God. Jaclyn and I decided that wasn't just coincidence. We thanked the Lord after the reader left, again. During one of my sessions I worked with 2 students. Our topic was about believing what we don't see or hear. It was focused on prayer. We said that sometimes it's hard to pray when you don't see or hear the answer, or at the time we want it. Following that great conversation, the teens needed to go study for exams they were about to take. They seemed really nervous and unsure about the exam. So, I offered to pray with them at that moment and they said yes. Because one of the teens probably wouldn't have understood my words during the prayer, I had the other teen, who was more fluent, translate for him. They seemed very thankful and a lot more relaxed about the test. I thanked the Lord for putting it on my heart to pray with those teens. Today, again was a successful day for our team. Our morning was busy, but once we hit 2:00, we come to a 3 hour gap in our schedule. During that time, Taylor made a relationship with one of the teachers, while Terry relaxed. Jaclyn and I watched a movie on her laptop, when we all decided to go to the quick stop across the street from the school. As we walked across the street a man stopped us, and in Spanish, asked us if we taught English classes at the school. We told him we did, and then we connected that he has a son that reads with Jaclyn during the week. The father said that his son comes home and talks about us and all about the sessions and the Bible stories we read together. It was a very neat time for us to hear that the teens do report to their parents what goes on during the English classes. Praise God for that assurance that we are making a difference in the teens and their parents' lives! Tonight was another one of those nights where we got to experience more of Delores' cooking. There was chopped up chicken, mixed with veggies, and delicious red rice. Mmmm! Well, I'm in the mood for popcorn and a movie, so Jaclyn and I are going to bed early tonight. We miss you all! Sleep tight.

With Christian Love,

Sarah

Update #2 from Team # 1

2009-08-06T23:54:00.000-07:00

Another good day in Panama! Soldados de Cristo was successful again. Today, there were many students who came in to schedule sessions with us. They seemed very nervous but excited about learning English. Some students who came in spoke great English, and some could barely say English class. It was so cute and exciting for us that they want to learn a foreign language. For Jaclyn, today was a busier day. She felt very rewarded to just be with the teens and experienced a lot of laughing and smiling. Terry had 2 readers, but on his down time he relaxed with Taylor, outside on the bench, watching the rain. By the way, today, the rain looked just like California rain. So, nothing different there....YET! Taylor had 1 reader this afternoon with a girl who was very quiet and spoke little English. It was a great time for Taylor to open her heart and show compassion with this shy reader. Surprisingly, I had no readers today. But, I was sure busy. I had everyone's schedules and was working with the coordinators from the school to fill up our schedules. I guess you could say I am the team organizer. Today, I was very thankful to have the skill of organization. By the end of the day, it had all come together. Some of the moments today were slow paced. But, sometimes a little relaxation never hurt anybody. After leaving from the school, we went to eat and did some grocery shopping. We have planned our party and are ready for Friday to be here. Speaking of parties...we were invited to one of our reader's(Jessica)daughter's 14th Bday tonight. So, after our last session from 7-8, we went to the Bday party. They had some great lasagna and a delicious cake! We sang happy birthday in English first, and then in Spanish. It was very cool! Well, I am a little tired and am ready to hit the hay. I hope you all are enjoying the updates on Davis Park's team in Panama. Please continue praying that God blesses our time here. Goodnight.

With Christian Love,

Sarah

Update from Panama

2009-08-06T11:49:00.000-07:00

Team #1 reporting from PANAMA!

Well church family, we have made it safely to the hot and humid Panama! Although we had a couple delays in our flights, we finally arrived at 9:00pm. Terry, Taylor & I were welcomed at the airport by our wonderful chauffer, Elio (who waited 2 hours for us to arrive). We had a warm welcome from Delores and her daughter, Deborah. Delores is so sweet you just want to squeeze her every time you see her. Jaclyn and I have the wonderful privilege of being Delores’ company for 2 weeks in her home.

Terry & Taylor have a very hospitable host, also. The Hoffman’s are so happy to be staying with a family they met at the last LST visit. During a late night snack at a McDonald’s restaurant, Terry & Taylor’s hosts showed interest in why we were here and what we are about. It is so exciting to see God working with us and through us, and we haven’t even begun the LST program yet. This family is already planning to attend church with us next Sunday. : ) Our first evening in Panama was blessed.

Sunday morning, we had our first experience at church, which takes place in a high school classroom here in town. We had the honor of meeting new Iglesia de Cristo families, and reuniting with the old. Following worship service, we went to pick up our last team member, Jaclyn, who made it safe and sound. Finally, the team is all together! Definitely taking advantage of the little free time we have, Deborah took us to do some sight seeing, and shopping while Delores cat napped in the passenger seat. Awww! Finally, our grocery shopping is done for the week, and we are ready for some rest. Pray that God gives us wisdom & patience as we begin LST tomorrow. Goodnight!

With Christian Love,

Sarah

Team # 1 in Panama Right Now . . .

2009-08-02T15:25:00.000-07:00

We currently have a team from Davis Park in Panama. Terry and Taylor Hoffman, Sara Scott and Jaclyn Williams. Pray for them as they serve God teaching English through the Book of Luke. I know they are excited to be there. The work continues despite the significant loss of our dear brother Walter.

Team 2 leaves in nine days. Keep the Panama Project in your prayers.

Buddy

Keaton's Candles

2009-07-13T16:23:00.000-07:00

Alicia Root wrote this on Facebook:

Keaton's Candle started as a memorial for my baby, Keaton Joshua Root. He died due to Hellp Syndrome on July 27, 2006, and I needed something to do for him on the day of his death a year later. As I went through the grief process, I realized I was not alone and that this happens a lot, no warning, no cure.

Keaton's Candle is more than a memorial for me now. It is a memorial to all of lost babies. It is a prayer for all expecting mothers that they will deliver a healthy baby through a safe pregnancy. It is a prayer for a warning, a cure for the unexplainable deaths that happen daily to mothers. New this year is that there will be candles lit in praise to God for babies born safe and healthy.

Keaton's Candle started because I needed something else to think about than Keaton or myself and now I think of all of my friends and others I do not know. I think of my dear friends who are about to give birth. I worry about them CONSTANTLY. I think of mothers who know my pain and I pray that God eases their pain and I pray they know He is with them every moment.

This July 26, 2009 will not just be the day before the 3rd year anniversary of the death of my son. I will not be plagued with thoughts about how my son is supposed to be 3.

It will be Keaton's Candle.

I will be thinking of all the mothers out there I have yet to hug and new babies I have yet to hold. My thoughts and my heart will be with those who have lost and those who are expecting.

If you or someone you know is pregnant or has lost a baby, please message me with the name or child's name so that I can light a candle for them. It would be an honor to remember them at Keaton's Candle.

If you would like to join me, my family and friends, I would be honored with your presence:

Davis Park Church of Christ
901 W. Rumble Rd
Modesto, Ca 95355

Sunday, July 26th at 4pm

Grief . . .

2009-07-05T08:17:00.000-07:00

This past month has been a month of grief. Howver I would say in the midst of it al it was good grief. All of those who passed were saints and went on to their reward. Kirk Lindsey, Walter Leonard and Bonnie Chism each made a significant impact on my life. Kirk a world class christian businessman, Walter a world class warrior for God and Bonnie a world class mother and mother-in-law. All three have left deep voids that need to be filled and all three will be greatly missed in my life. To all three I congratulate you on a job well done. Enjoy your new eternal home.

Walter Leonard passed away . . . . . .

2009-06-14T21:33:00.000-07:00

My fellow christ warrior Walter Leonard passed away on Friday. Grief has set in and the reality that I have said my earthly good-bye to him is near. On Wednesday we will have a congregational good-bye for Walter. Forty years of minitry, numerous congregations planted, hundreds if not more new Christians baptised and nurtured. Walter will be missed.

New Babe in Christ . . . . Old Friend passing away

2009-06-10T12:08:00.000-07:00

Ministry is a lot like a rodeo. The bull comes out of the gate and you do not know which way its going to jump twist or turn. My good friend Kirk Lindsey is in his final hours of life as we write this. He has lived a full life, but is still quite young by many standards,but cancer has defeated yet another strong person. He and his family have bravely fought the fight, now it it a time to celebrate and remember the blessings he passed out along the way. More on Kirk in a later post.
Last night I had the blessing of baptising Barbara E. what a blessing she will be to our congregation. I was blessed talking with her and discussing her life and teaching her about her new life in Christ.

Rejoice! and again I say rejoice!

Buddy

Texas Fuenral

2009-05-26T15:39:00.000-07:00

Just beginning to get over a three day jaunt to TX. A friend from high school mother passed away and she asked me to fly in and do the funeral. It was great to be allowed to work with the family for a few days and reaquaint with Karole Kieth. Krole was a part of our infamous championship swim team at Brazoswood High School in the 1970's. Karole did a great job of honoring her mother with the service we were a part of. My hope is that Jesus was seen in the midst of the grief.

2009-05-07T18:28:00.001-07:00

Wildfires in Santa Barbara.

Pray for the folks in SB. There are many lives turning upside down as we speak. DRT is working on a response as we speak.

Swine Flu Post # 2

2009-04-30T12:50:00.000-07:00

So far the swine flu is creating a large buzz but not having a lot of bite. It appears according to many sources that it is a mild viral diease. We will wait and see. Our local popualtion is about 40% hispanic many of which travel to from Mexico frequently. We will have to wait and see what happens as the virus hits the general population as to what kinda of emergency develops and what kind of response is needed. Pray for God to mitigate this outbreak and let it not be much of a problem.

2009-04-27T16:27:00.001-07:00

The threat level for the swine flu phenom seems to be ratcheting up. We will stay updated and take action as necessary. Our role is cooking for medical staff.

Spirituality . . .

2009-03-30T15:27:00.000-07:00

I went on a chaplain call for a local agency this week. Taking calls is not all that unusual, however each one has their own unique signature. This one included a lot of spiritual people. Not the kind of spirituality that I am used to, mind you but spiritual none the less. A middleaged woman had succumb to heart issues and we were waiting for the coroner to come and do their work at the scene. Many of the indviduals on scene were from a 12 step program which emphasizes the spiritual nature of healing that you need to over come addictions. Expression of grief is always unique in every group of people you come upon. We had native american spiritualits, spiritual coaches and all kind of other spirtualists mixed in. I felt surrounded by the non-Christian spirits of all kinds. There was one Christian in the mix of people and him and I took time out to prau that God would create peace in that chaotic environment and that God would let His presence be felt.

For Such A Time As This . . .

2009-03-15T19:34:00.000-07:00

Today it was my turn to preach. It is always a blessing to spend several days reading and contemplating the message of scripture. The message today came from The book of Esther. Esther's uncle tells her to take advantage of the moment because God has placed her in the right place at the right time to do the right thing. Esther steps up and does the the right thing and saves her people(God's people) from certain destruction. This scripture speaks to us in the middle of one of the worst finacial crises that has come along in years. It is our time to stand up, it is our time to speak up and proclaim Jesus as our savior. This week rejoice that you belong to Christ. If you do not know the Christ story contact me in the comments section and we can discuss what it means to have Christ in your life.

God is in control . . .

2009-03-13T21:15:00.000-07:00

It has been a wild week. Most of the things that I have watched God do this week I can only keep within. I have seen God working in lives of people who were in despair about their life situation last week and now hope is in their lives. I have witnessed lives turned upside down this week because their workplace has cut their job. Several of these folks are still waiting to see what God is going to do for them in the future. I can only tell them that God cares and that he knows the pain they are in.
I get to preach this week. Mike is in Tacoma,WA. Sermon Title: For such a time as this! Esther steps up to the plate for her people and saves many lives from the destruction of Haman. How many of us need to step up to the plate and take a swing, to saves some souls? I pray to speak Gods word this week. Pray for me.

Veggietales . . .

2009-03-06T12:57:00.000-08:00

The latest Veggietales movie has been released and we will have a viewing of this new movie tomorrow at the building. Free popcorn, free drinks all are invited, no admission. Abe and the Promise 4pm - 6 pm.

D Street Feeding

2009-02-26T23:41:00.000-08:00

One of our small groups did the nightly dinner at the "D" street mission tonite. I was not able to attend, Because DR V. placed me on the sidelines with pneumonia. This outreach event is an eye opener to say the least. 120 men and women whose only Hot Meal on this winter day is here at the Salvation Army run, City of Modesto facility. People of all shapes,sizes, ethnicity and many types of cultural backgrounds. This shelter differs from the Mission in that it is less restricted on who can stay or not stay. If you are among the first 100 men and 20 woman you have a meal and a place to stay. No time limit and not to many personal question. Meals at this facility are all brought in by a different Faith Based Group every night of the week while the facility is open amd all the meals are free. Tonight the food was Chilli, Cornbread, Salad and Lemonade. One of the volunteers commented, 2000 years ago the masses were feed by Jesus with loaves and fish, tonight Jesus used chilli and cornbred. I wish I could have been there to see the Chilli and Cornbred stretch to fit the hungry stomachs on hand. I wish I could have seen Jesus meet their needs, while our Christian Soldiers were His hands. Next Year we will reach out and feed at this shelter again.

Outreach Update . . .

2009-02-23T16:39:00.000-08:00

We have just finished another succesful week ministering to the homeless. The two families were ministered to by seven different families as obvernight hosts and by dozens of folks during supper and the evening each night. Both families are about to secure housing and move on with life. The young man in the program had several great questions concerning God. Planting seeds and working the garden are what God expects from us and that is what this program is all about.

My friend Jacob from a local store is still struggling with life issues. Please pray for Satan to release him from the bondage and hold he has on him.

Family Promise: February 2009 Day 1

2009-02-16T10:36:00.000-08:00

The folks we have in Family Promise are among some of the nicest people we have ever had in the program. Last night we had 5 in the program, tonight we will have 7. Our over night hossts cooked breakafast this morning and it was delicious. Thanks to Susan and Michael Brown for the food. Lee and Sheila Walls provided some incredible Chilli Mac for the Sunday evening meal, great food, great fellowship.

Krista, my wife, invited a homeless man named Ryan and his friend Mark to breakfast and to come in out of the rain at the church building. They filled up on pancakes and sausage, and put away alot of hot coffee. Each of them normally stay at the "D" street shelter but the lines were long at the shelter last night and they stayed outside. We were able to give them some new socks and a pair of new shoes to make life a little easier for them.

What a great start to week of serving . . .

Family Promise is coming this weekend

2009-02-12T12:28:00.000-08:00

Family Promise is coming to our building in just a few days. We will be hosting approximately 3 families and as many as 10 individuals ffrom Sunday to Sunday. What a great way to be Jesus to the community. People without jobs and homes, coming to our building to find the things that they are in need of. It is always exciting to see what god has in store for us during that fast moving week.

Comedy Night with Bob Smiley was a great success. . .

2009-02-09T21:01:00.000-08:00

Great! Fantastic! Amazing!

Bob Smiley is one of the most gifted performers that I have ever seen. He had all the audience captivated for over one hour with his off the wall humor. His Christian message was easily understood by people of all ages. We had 609 in attendance which is the largest crowd at the building since I have been in Modesto. God brought people of all flavors and stripes to hear the message of Jesus.

Our members are to be applauded for their effort to invite people to this event. Over 200 nonmember/ non-christian visitors.

Christian Comedy Night . . . Saturday Night 7:00 pm.

2009-02-06T10:28:00.000-08:00

Bob Smiley is coming to town tomorrow night. We are gearing up for a packed house. He is hilarious and family oriented. He performs throughout the United States and maintains a very busy schedule. Tickets are available at the church office and will be available at the door. To see his humor style you can go to Bob Smiley.com

Apartment Fire 2200 Coffee RD. . .

2009-02-02T20:38:00.000-08:00

The Red Cross was called to the scene of an apartment complex fire last Thursday morning that involved 16 units. In matter of minutes 40 individauls were displaced from their residences. I was called to the scene to help those who were unsettled with the events of the day. Emotions were high to say the least. Many of the residents had lived in the complex for more than a decade, many had their earthly treasures inside their apartments. All of the residents were told on Friday that the buidling was beyond repair and even though half of the apartments were untouched by the fire.

3 of the individuals have no family in town and no means to move to other apartments, physically by themselves. All three disabled in their own unique way. The property management company and the City of Modesto required them to have their belongings moved by Tuesday, morning Feb.3.

The Red Cross asked if our congregation could help with the moves. Aaron Scott and the youth group volunteered to help these people move. 20 of our teens and their parents packed boxes and moved them. Tears of joy flowed from one of the residents eyes as the last box was placed in his apartment. Aaron commented that it was amazing to see Jesus working at the apartment complex.

I was amazed at he power of the Gospel displayed by our youth. The apartments were dark and smelly from the smoke of the fire, the folks we were serving were frazzled by their life situation, yet they served with smiles on their faces.

Hot Dogs In Panama . . . A message from Wayne Smith

2009-01-25T17:40:00.000-08:00

Well tonight we had a party for all who wanted to come. Sheila had Jack & I cook hot dogs. Little did we know that in Panama hot dogs not only come in a sealed 10 pack as they do in the US but they also are individually wrapped in plastic so thin you can’t see it. Well they cook up ok but don’t taste to good. And you know you have to let your guests go first. (cuz after all it may not taste good). Well we removed what we could and then cooked up a bunch of new ones.

See ya later

Wayne

Panama Video from Sunday Morning's Worship

2009-01-25T16:56:00.001-08:00

More Pics from Kaiser/MLK Day -- Habitat Build

2009-01-23T17:15:00.000-08:00

A few more pics of the great work that happened locally earlier this week. Thanks to Susan Brown for these photos.

A Message From Sheila Smith . . .

2009-01-23T12:37:00.000-08:00

My Life in Panama

Our adventure in Panama began the first night with an unplanned tour of Panama. Apparantely, Walter had never been to one of the host homes and after driving for what seemed like days and three phone calls to the host family we arrived at our first drop off point. Walter, Wayne & I then proceeded to our host family but first made a much needed food run at 12:30am for Wayne & Walter. The trip continued with Walter driving down a one way street, into oncoming traffic all the while thinking the other fellow was on the wrong side as Wayne and I protested, "Walter, this is a one way street and you're on the wrong side." I thought I was going home to Jesus and I had not even seen Panama yet.

The work here is amazing...bible studies, English lessons, construction, cooking, eating, laughing. Rut is my driver and personal shopper and each day we do our grocery shopping...Rut can stretch a dollar a mile. Gertrue, having recovered from a very bad couple of days is a great asset for me in the my kitchen...yes, it's my kitchen...it's off limits to Dolores. My new friend is the large electric skillet that Mike found for me. We have had fried potatoes and fried spaghetti. Ernie is working a tight ship with the work crew. A few nights ago, after Wayne sat down with a plate of food, Ernie let the crew know the work was not done for the evening...it's so pathetic to see my husband walk away from a plate of food...he's wasting away to nothing. Lynn has been a hoot. He is a work mule like Ernie and Wayne and loves to slop wet cement on anyone within a 10 foot radious.

And right now, as I type this message, I hold a beautiful 2 month sleeping baby...is God good or what!? I praise Him for this opportunity, for the beauty of this country, for the cooler than normal weather, for the people so kind you feel like you've known them forever and for this team of family and my DP family back home.

A Message from Talyor . . .

2009-01-23T07:44:00.000-08:00

As adults we all go through the mixed emotions of watching our children head off to college or move some distance away. I think the four teachers (workers) have very similar feelings today as it is the last day we spend with our students (readers).We haven’t had the years to bond with them, however, a mere ten days has been enough to make it tough to say goodbye. I believe the feelings are mutual by listening to some our readers as they express the same. We hope the friendships we have started will yield the fruit we hoped for when this endeavor started.

here is a message from one of Taylor's students

Hello

Yes I am. Thank for the time you and Taylor spent teaching me. I really apreciate the biblie and everthing you share with me to contribute God s will.
i would like to help others like you, I really think that God has a plan in our life

Bless

Maritza

Divine Appointments . . . by Mike Crowley

2009-01-23T07:29:00.000-08:00

We are continuing to meet with our different students each day. With each new lesson from the Word of God our exploration goes a little deeper into matters of faith. We have a large white board where we keep track of all of our appointments for each teacher and reader. We have begun calling this schedule board our “Divine Appointments.” It has become so clear to us that God is moving in incredible ways here in Panama. It is obvious that He has been preparing us to share His Word and preparing others to receive. For example, Taylor’s 10am reader named Itza told her today how she came to read with us. Itza told us that she has never read or even picked up the paper her entire life. Yet for “some reason” she picked up the paper a few weeks ago the day that Walter placed an ad in it for the LST program. She signed up with some reservations. She went on to tell Taylor that she had recently paid $1400 for an English course only the have the instructor disappear after only three lessons with everyone’s money. No wonder Edwin was so skeptical at first! Terry is reading with Maritza. Maritza told us that she came to read the Bible with us because she believes she is “supposed to be here.”
Today I had the blessing to read a passage from Luke with Edwin. As we were discussing the four different kinds of soil in Luke 8:4-15, he read the question in our material that asks, “Did you find youself in this story?” He said he did, that he was the rocky soil. He continued to say that he has let too many things distract him from Jesus. After a thrilling, deep conversation in a blend of his broken English and my pathetic Spanish, he asked me about opportunities to continue his reading. As I talked about Walter following up with him, he told me that while he has been enjoying reading English, talking about Jesus has meant even more to him! Can you believe it? This was our greatest skeptic, not only is he now our greatest recruiter, he is quickly becoming the greatest prospect!! What else can I say…… ??

A message from Wayne

2009-01-22T18:35:00.000-08:00

Hello All

Its 8:46p.m. on day #4, we just finished having church. We had the pleasure of hearing Jack Hairston speak with Walter translating for his church family. Walter ask Jack to speak and to keep it short so we could get back to the homes that we stay in and get to bed because we all have to get up early. Well as you all know if you ask Jack to keep it short believe me he will, He had a point, he got to his point and he was done in around 5 min. Well at that point Walter did not know just what to do with the remaining 30 min he needed to use up, so we had a short question & answer section and it all turned out good, (as it always does when you involve GOD).
The work here is going very good, Each team member has found his or her talent, Ernie is great at spotting talent. Lin Clasby is great to work with he’s like a old farm boy that is used to hard work in hot conditions for very long hours, and not reaching your goal is out of the question.
But the person that I’m most impressed with is Rut, she is like a machine Mike does not even try to keep up her, in fact none of us do.
Well I have to go now its time for Walter to take Sheila & I to Betty’s house for the night, Its around a 30 to 45 min drive and Walter just stays there for the night because the traffic is so bad in the morning it would take him 1 hour just to get to her house. I cant remember the last time that I could not wait to get to bed, its very hard to work here due to the weather but GOD is so good. Starting the first work day its been cool and cloudy (well cool to the people that live here)in fact we were told today as it started to rain at 85 that we would have to come in or we may get sick ? I said get sick, we have been praying for this.

We miss & love all of you

Wayne & Sheila

A message from Ernie Yoshino . . .

2009-01-22T17:16:00.000-08:00

January 22, 2009

Greetings from Panama. As part of the work crew we started immediately on Tuesday morning even though we didn’t get to bed till midnight after having gotten up a one in the morning Monday so that we could get to SF to catch a 6:00AM flight. We arrived in Panama at 10:00pm their time (EST). Walter, Mike and Jack greeted us.
Work had already begun, with all the materials here – blocks, sand, gravel, cement. Lyn was upset that they didn’t have a mixer, we had to mix all the ingredients on the carport and then we mixed it in a old wheel barrel that could hardly stay up right, so we sent Walter to buy us a new one. The locals mix their concrete on theground with the water right on the concrete driveway. We hauled the mixture to the backyard and used a hoe to mix in the wheel barrel then shovel it into the footings.
Once we laid a thin (4”) thick x 12” wide pad (footing) and once it was set up we then laid 6” wide concrete blocks. Then we filled them with concrete, then add another row of blocks, fill them with concrete and then we use 4” blocks for the fence. So far we are getting ready to start the 4” thick blocks. Which is right at ground level. All the work so far has been below ground, which is killing our backs.
Weather has been great, cloud cover to keep the hot sun off us. In the late afternoons there is a cool breeze which we can’t wait for it to come. Sheila has been cooking for us (great food) so we haven’t tried Mike’s spam yet.
Days are exhausting, but rewarding for the work that’s been doing by the work crew and especially by the “Let’s start Talking” group, there are 4 sessions going on in different parts of the house, inside and out. People are so excited about reading English and especially about Jesus.
Continue to pray for the group here and for the same type of weather we have been having. During cancellations we have put Mike to work. (see pictures)

Ernie Yoshino

A Message from (Panama)Jack Hairston . . .

2009-01-21T15:29:00.000-08:00

Impressions of Panama

Panama City cannot be Damascus, Syria, because there is no street called Straight. The streets follow watercourses, and run around any unevenness, rather than the straight and level cut-and-fill that I am used to. During morning rush hour, counter-commute traffic is as terrifying as commute traffic. Instead of two lanes in each direction, it becomes three in the busy direction and one lane in the other. Each direction is as crowded as the other, with no passing in the single lane. The surface of most streets was constructed by that French contractor, Mssr. deTour—very rough.
We are all immersed in Spanish day and night. Our speech rhythms will be ruined for weeks after we return home. Hearers will think we are talking down because we speak so slowly and distinctly. We are so used to acting out each word for non-English speakers that it is dangerous to stand too close while we are talking. I will have to sit on my hands for the first week after returning. Last night all my dreams were in Spanish—didn’t understand a word. Here, it does not matter, because everyone is both friendly, and too polite to point out errors in our pidgin Spanish. Well, some errors are so funny (or embarrassing) that the hearer cannot stifle a laugh.
The English readings are all taken from the Bible. Every day we discuss how we plan to explain unusual words in the next lesson, and in the process we have many disagreements about vocabulary. As a result, we spend several man hours daily gaining new insights into stories we thought we knew well.

More Pictures from Panama . . .Wed. Jan 21, 2009

2009-01-21T12:15:00.000-08:00

2009-01-21T11:55:00.000-08:00

They're Here . . . .

2009-01-21T11:42:00.000-08:00

They’re here!

The rest of our team arrived late Monday night, finally getting to bed by 1am. Our hard working folks hit the ground running working a long day in the tropical heat without the benefit of a good night’s rest. Great spirits continued through the day as the reading team continued to work with their readers and the construction crew worked at digging footings, hand mixing cement in wheelbarrows, and pouring new footings. Walter’s house is a crowed, chaotic, wonderful hub of all kinds of activities. I am happy to report that Shelia and Gertrue have successfully invaded the kitchen. The bad news is that we are now two days SPAM free, already we have the shakes… perhaps we can sneak out and get some SPAM. We continue to ask for your prayers for the work here and the people we are touching.

Mike Crowley

MLK Kaiser Lunch Project. . .

2009-01-20T13:31:00.000-08:00

The feeding project went wonderfully yesterday. 300 + volunteers from Kaiser and various other organizations were fed lunch yesterday by 25 great volunteers from the Community Response Team. The Beans and Potatoes were nice and hot, plus tastey. A lot of hard work to make sure these volunteers had a good hot meal. It was a great day and a lot of fun. Thank you to all the volunteers that made the day a success.

Second Team Arrives in Panama Safely . . .

2009-01-20T11:11:00.000-08:00

Here's the picture of the second Team arriving at the airport to make their way to Panama.

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

2009-01-19T15:45:00.000-08:00

Construction Project Pictures

2009-01-19T15:27:00.000-08:00

Picture of Walter's House

2009-01-19T15:14:00.000-08:00

News from Panama . . .

2009-01-19T15:06:00.000-08:00

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

2009-01-19T06:09:00.000-08:00

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

2009-01-17T20:37:00.000-08:00

“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

2009-01-16T11:57:00.000-08:00

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

2009-01-16T11:00:00.000-08:00

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