Panama 2019

                   "That's just the way we like it!"
You may remember from last year when I went to Panama this phrase was the anthem of our entire team. When something went wrong, we the team got soaked from a tropic storm during our drama, when we had back to back programs in the hottest heat ever, or when we had to get up the earliest of all the groups we all chanted "that's just the way we like it!" Panama was lively and fast moving as always. This year on July 15th Global Passion took a team of 9 people back to Panama. We joined a larger group of over one hundred volunteers doing ministry that week with El Refuge. We performed school assemblies, dramas, and prayed with students. My team did nine different school assemblies over 3 days! Literally rain or shine we were performing dramas that communicated how Jesus can transform a life. My favorite day of school assemblies, we ministered at the same school all day long. Our team walked up and down a hill with our sound equipment, drama props, and each of our own backpacks four times! On the last time up the hill we were asked to one more assembly for a class that did not get to participate earlier. The difference this time was a storm was brewing in the sky. Sure enough by the teams second drama the heavens opened up and poured out. One of Global Passion travelers, Veronica commented to me later that when it began to rain she sensed God's blessing being poured out over Panama. She was overwhelmed with the sense that God was working in students lives. It was an epic image of God’s power and love for His people. I am so proud of my team's hard work!
I got the privilege of having the same national, Jayro, on our bus to MC and share his testimony during the school aseemblies. I am so proud of my teams hard work!

Our team also helped put on a two day conferences called ILUMINA. It was a whole lot of fun! There was a total of four sessions total for the Conference three for girls and one for boys. While the entire service was in Spanish, all the teams were able to minister when it was time to pray at the end of each session. One session in particular the speaker gave a call for girls to come forward if they feel like they have a dream for their lives but it feels too big for them to accomplish it. That alter was full! How cool to see that young ladies feel a God sized dreams for their lives and are asking for help from their heavenly Father. It was an absolute privilege to pray for the next generation of Panamanian youth.
One of our travelers, Sofie agrees that praying for girls at the end of each conference session was her favorite part of the trip. As Sofie put it, "the girls seemed very moved and changed and it felt like there was a lot of power in the room." It was a packed auditorium of over 600 girls seeking the Lord together.

Going to Panama always is a reminder to me that God works beyond culture and language barrier. Most of the team serving with us didn’t speak the language, but that never stops God from moving. He is bigger than our lacking.