Then he heard about a two-week mission trip to Panama through OM.

Martin, 41 years old, married with three daughters, works as an independent plumber and electrician with gas installations. The trip would be in rural Panama, in the mountains, and would require nine days of camping in rustic conditions, as well as a lot of hiking, something he loved to do.

“When I found out the requirements of the trip, I felt it was really God calling me—and that He had been preparing me for it all along,” he said.

Then Martin found out the price of the trip—$1,500 USD—and was really discouraged. “It was impossible for us,” he remembered. “But God can do anything.”

Martin thought about what an OM worker had told him when he first learned of the trip: “The numbers are scary, but it’s not such a big amount, and you have time to raise it.” Another had told him, “I encourage you to pray about this trip.”

Martin realised the trip was about more than him going—God wanted the local Argentinian church to be involved as well. “So I came into action and shared the project with the churches in the area, with friends and with family. The response was brilliant! Within two months, I had all the expenses covered.

“That’s how God showed His power.”

The only thing left was for Martin to get on a plane.

For the 13 days he was in Panama, Martin taught Bible school for kids every morning. One night he preached in the local church. Even though he spoke Spanish, it was a different dialect than Castellano, and the culture was completely different. It was a great learning experience in cross-cultural communication for him, and he was able to see God work through him.

The night he spoke at the church was a clear, beautiful night in the mountains of Panama. The area was lush, so full of vegetation it was difficult to even see homes underneath the trees. As he waited for the church to start, Martin noticed little bright dots in the air. They looked like fireflies. But then he realised it was a family arriving with a lantern, then another and another. “Those lights moving in the darkness were families walking through rocks, mud and darkness. They overcame all of those obstacles to sing to God and listen to His Word. Others were there out of curiosity, because no one ever goes there to visit. Some of the people who went to the service came to Jesus,” he recalled.

On his last day in the mountain village of Alto Pedregal, Martin knew there was a long trip before him. It’d taken two days of driving and walking to get there in the first place! He and the others in his group loaded up their backpacks and began to walk as the locals stood around, watching them.

“I imagined the worst things,” Martin remembered. “I imagined that they thought we were there to impose our beliefs; that they were looking at us with mistrust; that they were waiting for us to leave them alone.

“We were already on the move and moving further away when a young boy, that was previously filming us with his phone, came to us. He walked with us a few steps in silence, until he couldn’t hold it anymore and said, ‘We don’t want you to leave.’ Those words broke my heart.

“Those two days with them were brilliant. They took care of us, gave their best so we could rest and, while leaving, they opened their hearts with those few words to express their affection and need.

“I will never forget those words.”

Now back from his trip to Panama, Martin recalled what God taught him on the short-term mission trip: “He is the one who chooses the workers, the way He wants, when He wants. There’s no distance or resources that can keep Him from carrying out His will.”

Martin doesn’t know what his next step is or if he’ll get to go on another trip, but he plans to keep sharing with the churches who supported him. There’s one thing he knows for sure—God called him specifically to go to Panama.

About the sending organisation, Martin said, “I totally recommend OM to do missions. I had never even been out of the country before Panama. OM always supported me, gave me advice and information when looking for a ticket, making reservations, etc. OM walked with me through this project in Argentina as much as in Panama. They helped with everything.”

Kristen Torres-Toro loves to tell stories about what God is doing in the world. She currently serves as the field communications facilitator for OM in Argentina.

Laura felt there was a poignant comparison between the butterfly and the women's situation. “Their life is a struggle, but good can come from that,” she said. Laura and a team of volunteers from Logos Hope taught over a dozen women to sew, in order to give them an opportunity to learn a skill which has the potential to help them earn a living.

Most were single mothers between the ages of 14 and 21, and came from a deprived area of Panama where gang violence is rife. One woman, Leylis, travelled a long distance to attend the workshop and showed great motivation to seize the opportunity. She was the first woman to arrive, eager to begin learning to use the sewing machine.

A group of indigenous women attended and explained to the crewmembers that, in their culture, it is the decision of the parents when a daughter is born whether or not the girl will receive an education. If not, a ring is pierced through the bridge of their nose so their status will be visibly defined. The sewing workshop was therefore a precious opportunity for them, as the women each had the ring in their nose.

“It was gratifying to see these women’s enthusiasm and joy while working on these manual projects and with the machines," shared Karla Aguirre (Mexico). "There was a woman who had always wanted to be able to sew her own bag; she was very emotional and moved, and thanked us in her mother tongue. The idea was to teach them easy projects they could adapt to their culture and even sell as handicraft,” Karla explained.

As they worked together, the crewmembers heard about the women's individual situations and could show compassion and offer encouragement to them. At the close of the workshop, Logos Hope's help projects team donated two sewing machines to the group living locally and blessed Leylis with one additional sewing machine, so she could take it home for her personal use.

More than four decades ago, a pregnant young woman named Rosaura came to the mainland in Panama, knocking on doors in a neighbourhood occupied by North American residents and asking for help and food. Eventually she met a Christian couple who felt compelled to show compassion towards her. The couple welcomed her into their home, found her a job and shared the gospel with her.

The American woman who had welcomed Rosaura had the habit of spending many hours each day praying out loud in a language that she herself did not understand. It was when the two ladies started praying together, that they both realised this language was the dialect spoken in the Wounaan tribe, from which Rosaura had come. Thus began the indigenous young woman's grasp of the greatness of God.

Rosaura told Logos Hope's crewmembers that she was uncertain how she had come to be with the Wounaan tribe in the first place; nor does she know her own age. Once her child was born, she went back to the island and shared the gospel with the entire tribe. Most of its members have now become believers in Christ for themselves. A church nearby, called Gamboa Union Church, has been ministering the Wounaan community for the last 40 years. This church facilitated Logos Hope's interaction with the tribespeople.

The team used a canoe to get to the island and discovered that the community was virtually untouched by modern society. Crewmember Any Salazar (Mexico) noticed many crocodiles in the water and when she got to the village, she admitted being amazed by the way the huts were built, with wood and palm tree leaves. “They make absolutely everything themselves! And even though they are isolated, they are very open. They are so intelligent in every way – they make use of everything in nature,” she exclaimed.

While the crewmembers were sharing the gospel with the tribe and praying together, a group of visitors arrived and sat with them. A young girl approached Any and told her she had been on board Logos Hope in the Bahamas last year and had never expected to see the ship again. “God blessed this tribe so much," said Any. "And the tourists’ presence was a blessing too, because they got to hear our message as well.”

One of Logos Hope's crewmembers, Martijn Duijst (Netherlands) explained that the men at the shelter were mainly between 25 and 50 years old, with the majority having come from Colombia and Latin America. Several shared that they were looking for a better place to live and hoped to make their way to the USA. While facilities struck Martijn as basic and dismal, and there were 80 to 90 men living in the temporary accommodation, he found the atmosphere was calm and receptive to visitors.

As the team were looking to connect with the men in the shelter, some of them admitted wanting to simply go back to their country and be reunited with their families, having lost interest in looking for a better life elsewhere. “They just wanted to go back to be out of this misery,” said Martijn.

Tim Rieger (Germany) sat down to talk to some of the men and hear about their lives. “We were singing some songs with them and many sang along. They were interested in the personal stories shared with them, and they appreciated the one-to-one conversations,” Martijn added.

Several men had their eyes tested and had smiles on their faces when they were finally able to see more clearly. The ship brought donations of books to help occupy the men's stay in the shelter, for which they expressed their gratitude.

Arcelio Hartley, who came on behalf of Gideons International, worked together with the crewmembers and helped them bring joy to the shelter. During their one-month stay in Panama, Logos Hope's crewmembers will be joining the visits to men's and women’s shelters each week, to bring help and hope to people in a difficult situation. "I have welcomed the opportunity to have this experience with Logos Hope," said Arcelio, "And it is a rich experience for me as well.”

One of the ladies participating in the ministry for over 2 years is Maria*. She used to sit quietly during the devotional time and sometimes even made facial expressions showing disapproval or discomfort. But finally she started to open up. Now, Maria is willing the read Bible verses and sometimes even participates by commenting on scripture. 

Recently, for the first time ever, she asked for a prayer request.  She shared about her niece, who is extremely depressed and not capable of caring for her 2 boys (4 and 2 years old). She is a single mom, working at night at a chicken farm.  One of her boys is disabled and she is struggling financially and sometimes unable to put food on the table.  During the devotional everybody prayed for Karina’s niece, that she would see the Lord in the midst of her situation.

The next day, the ministry leader suggested that each lady would write a note of encouragement for Karina’s niece.  God touched the ladies and they got together and agreed to bring non-perishable food for this lady in need. The next morning they brought 2 full baskets with food and household items.  Those women themselves don’t have a lot of money, but God spoke to them and they chose to help someone they had never met.

When Maria saw the baskets, she couldn’t believe the amount of items her friends had gathered for her niece.  She was so thankful and her eyes turned watery. Maria used to never show a sing of emotion, but God’s love, manifested through her friends, started changing her heart. She now has the desire to listen to God’s word and learn more.

Please pray for Maria and her niece, that they may put all their trust and faith in the Lord. Please pray for the ministry of “Joya de Esperanza” and their leader, that many more can be blessed through them.

*name changed

When there were only two weeks left to “Holy Week,” the man learned that the local OM team didn’t have sound equipment for the outreach. This man, who had only recently given his life to Jesus, went to the OM Panama leader and said: “I have all the equipment you need. You can use it for free.”

During the outreach, the participants formed groups and went to different locations and churches to do evangelism and minister to the people. The man who was saved just a few weeks ago, also joined the outreach with his wife. The couple was part of a group that went to a dangerous, gang-run area in Panama.

The first time the group entered the gang territory, the participants were not aware of the situation and shared about Jesus with innocent hearts and free of any worries. But the team started to notice people watching them from the windows, observing their steps and actions.

The next day the group returned, and now being aware of the situation, were more worried about their safety. However, later that day, one of the gang leaders came up to the volunteers and asked them to pray for the gang members. "Tell them about Jesus." The group not only shared about the Lord, but prayed for those involved in the gang. “God didn’t just protect us, but actually used us to share the gospel with those who need it most,” said one of the participants.

The outreach participants also saw first hand how God used a man, who had given his life to Jesus just a few weeks before, to build his Kingdom.

Roger Branda is the leader of OM Panama. Through Pan de Vida (Bread of Life), he and his team seek to care for the undernourished children in Volcán, Panama, the town where OM is based.

Living like Jesus

Many families in Panama are poor, especially amongst the indigenous people, and many single mothers can’t work and take care of their children at the same time. Food is scarce in these households, resulting in many undernourished children.  

Every Tuesday and Thursday OM Panama serves free food to the children in Volcán. About 60–80 children attend, and the volunteers are grateful to serve them. However, Pan de Vida goes beyond meeting the children’s physical needs. After the meal, the children participate in a programme called Living like Jesus.

Jesus said in the Bible that He is the Bread of Life. The children learn that they can trust Jesus, because He is the only One who can fill them with true love, joy and life. They also learn how to be responsible and to love each other as Jesus does.

For the team, the ministry is based on what it says in Mark 12:30-31: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these” (NIV). The team puts their faith into deeds through the love of Christ.

Future fruits

Theodolinda, 30, has three children, who all participate in Pan de Vida. Theodolinda thinks it is special that Pan de Vida is a food kitchen that also teaches the Word of God.

“My children are learning how to do good to each other,” she shares. “When they get home, we always talk about what they´ve learnt and what the Bible verse was. I also bought a Bible for my oldest son, Elmer. He’s 11 years old. I thank the Lord for Pan de Vida. The programme helps us to talk about the Word of God in our daily lives.”

Roderique, 31, father of four attending children, also encourages the team by saying that in the future, they will see the fruits of their work in the kids. “Not only me, but all the parents are happy because we hope to have different kids. You give the children the opportunity not to make the same mistakes we made,” he said.

Comments like these encourage the OM Panama team, who hope to expand the programme and offer space to even more children.

Celinda’s eight-year-old girl, who attends Pan de Vida, helps to spread the word in Volcán about the programme. She looks for other children on the streets and invites them to participate.

“Every child is welcome,” states at team member. “For God so loved the world!”

Twice a week the team offers free food and an afterschool programme to children from underprivileged neighbourhoods. The children grow up with very little, in difficult circumstances. 

“It is such a joy to see how excited these children can be, but often heart breaking to see that they are excited about something that is just so normal to us,” said an OM Panama team member. 

The OM Panama team recently visited the home of another little boy who is part of the Pan de Vida programme. He lives in a small room with a family of at least six people. Each time he comes to OM Panama for a meal, he asks for three plates of food.

“As soon as we got to his house, he and his brothers and sisters came running out to visit us,” said a team member. “He hugged us and then quickly turned around and ran back into the house. He came back clutching a bag of toys – his toys. He wanted us to see the things that he could call his own.”

OM Panama asks for prayer for these children, who have so little to call their own. Pray that God would show them how much He loves and cares for each of them.

The first time the team visited the garbage dump, the man was so drunk he could barely stand. He didn’t talk much but accepted the food and drinks that were offered.

As the weeks passed by, one of the volunteers took the time to ask this man about his past and how he came to the dump. “His name is German Rodriguez and he is from the indigenous tribe Ngöbe-Buglé,” shared one of the team members. “Spanish is his second language and he is naturally a man of few words. But one day we asked him if he would like prayer for something. He responded that he did not know how to pray, but wanted to let God know that he is grateful for His work and provisions.”

Two daughters

German did not know about the ministry of Jesus nor did he know how to pray. But the OM Panama team member took a leap of faith and asked if he would like to learn more about Jesus, the son of God, and he said yes. The relationship began with an honest conversation in which German shared that his wife left him because of his drinking problem and that he has two daughters he doesn’t have contact with. “One of his greatest desires is to see them be successful and do better than he did,” recalled the team member.

Recognizing an opportunity to talk about Gods love for him, the team member shared Matthew 7:11 - Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. German then said he would like to read the Bible because it seemed as if there were so many answers in it. And he was looking for answers.

Sometimes searching for answers in the Bible only brings more questions and this is exactly what happened in German’s case. Every week since the OM team member gave him a Bible, German has had questions ready. Subsequently, the OM team member decided to give him a notebook to write down all his questions, plus a guideline for prayer as outlined by the Lord’s prayer.

Headlamp

German just needed starting points and he has soared with what he has been given. He recently requested a headlamp to read at night. The OM team hopes that through the time spent together every Tuesday, answering his questions and praying together, that God will continue to reveal himself to German and bring internal and external healing to his life.

Please pray with the OM Panama team for German's spiritual life to continue growing and for his vision to be healed. He has cataracts that prevent him from seeing well. Pray also for the OM Panama team members to not grow weary in investing their time answering his questions. As a testimony to the work God has already been doing, German has never again been drunk in the presence of the OM Panama team.

Audrey came to faith age seven. When she was 13, she started going to church alone because her parents were not Christians. She studied to become a deacon three years ago, and during this study Audrey felt that God wanted a deeper and greater relationship with her. She noticed that He was working in her life and freed her from many things of her past. God made her ready for what was yet to come.

As a part of the study, the university asked all students to do a practical training abroad. Audrey looked for an opportunity and asked around. All doors closed, until she found an advertisement about OM Panama and the Mission Extreme programme.

In her heart she felt something special about this programme, but it seemed impossible for her to be part of it: Panama was so far away; she didn’t have much experience travelling; her English was not the best; and she didn’t have the money to pay for the trip.

With these thoughts, Audrey looked around again for something else. When she already had given up on the Mission Extreme programme, God started to act.

Goose bumps

A person Audrey knew very little came to her and said, “I feel in my heart that I should support your practical training. How much do you need?” Audrey was very surprised and told this person the cost of the programme, which was a few thousand US dollars. “This person just said OK and gave me the money,” said Audrey with a big smile.

She realised that God wanted her in Panama, and she started to plan the trip. God sent various people to help her with the preparations, equipment and documents. At the end, all she lacked was money for the flight ticket. God touched another friend to offer Audrey the ticket to Panama. What Audrey felt in her heart from the beginning became reality.

Even on the trip itself, which was very new and challenging for her, God put people in the seat next to her who helped her in various situations, like filling out documents or dealing with lost luggage. “I still have goose bumps when I think about all the things that happened,” she said. “God is so amazing!”

Encouragement

The story of how Audrey came to Panama was an encouragement to many of the OM Panama team members and Mission Extreme participants.

Please pray for Audrey as she hopes to deepen her relationship with God even more during the coming months in Panama.

A few months ago, some OM workers visited the garbage dump of David for the first time. David is the biggest city close to the OM office. They had heard that some people live and work there. Upon arrival, the people living on the dump did not want to shake hands with them. “Our hands are too dirty,” they said, but the OM team members insisted. For the first time, someone outside their community entered their homes and even wanted to shake hands with them. This little gesture impacted them greatly. “Why are you here?” they started asking. On that day, a new ministry was born.

OM Panama now visits the dump every week on a Tuesday afternoon. At first, the team members tried to reach as many local people as possible. They presented dramas, sang songs, taught from the Bible and shared food and drinks. After a few weeks, they decided to make a few changes in the programme to be able to have more personal conversations with the local people. Some of the workers of OM Panama were able to build good and deep relationships with them and help them with their daily problems as well as in their spiritual lives.

Benches under the roof

During the raining season it’s difficult to meet with people in the garbage dump. So the OM team members decided to construct their own roof. Digging in the ground on the landfill was a big challenge, because it consists primarily of garbage. The OM workers didn't have the right tools. But with the help of the locals, the work was finished successfully after a few hours. They do have some experience in how to dig a hole fast and deep.

Now, not only are they all going to be protected from the rain, they can also sit comfortably under the roof. The team also built some benches. The local people and the workers of OM Panama are now looking forward to all the conversations and Bible studies in the coming weeks and months - under the new roof.

Please pray for the local people that live in the garbage dump. Pray for them to have hope in their hearts and grow in faith. Also pray for wisdom for the volunteers of OM Panama in their ministry to the people. Pray that God may give them the right words to say in all the circumstances.

Their primary focus was to help prepare the infrastructure at Lighthouse Ministries so the church would soon be ready to start a food kitchen. This project aims to feed and support 200 underprivileged local children with three meals a week.

Over the course of five days the group of young people, between the ages of 15 and 18, painted walls, built a big concrete floor, cleaned the area, constructed walls and helped build a wooden house.

They also wanted to directly bless local families and help those in need. Many families can't afford a concrete floor, and because of this, they suffer from skin diseases. So, the group raised money and constructed concrete floors in local houses.

They also offered programmes for kids in the afternoon, particularly the kids that will be receiving meals from the food kitchen. While building the floors in the houses, the kids came to play and have a great time with the young Americans. One evening the local youth was invited for an English Café in order to practise English and get in closer contact with the volunteers from Chicago.

The teenagers from the US were just as impacted as the families in Volcán by this trip. Seeing the circumstances many poor families in Volcán have to live in, their hearts were touched. "I learnt to appreciate the things I have at home more and be grateful for them," one participant said.

They were also transformed in their spiritual lives during the devotionals held every evening. Topics like evolution, how to pray, the Trinity and the importance of the Bible were discussed. It opened their hearts and perspectives. The example of the OM Panama workers challenged them and prompted questions like: “Why do they pray so much?”

Please pray that the teenagers would grow in faith while back home in Chicago. Pray for the families that were impacted and blessed during this outreach so they may receive hope in their lives.

This month has been filled with much joy and laughter for 24 boys with a troubled past between the ages of 10-17. The boys are in an orphanage because the government has removed them from dangerous situations at home. The OM team in Panama has been sharing with them about creation and that God says what He has made is good.

The team shared this idea with them practically by having them look into a mirror and be reminded that God sees them as beautiful, because they were made in His image. "We also made paper mache globes as a reminder that God created the earth for each of us to enjoy, admire and have authority over the resources," shared one team member.

These boys are very familiar with working the land and maintaining authority over animals as they help with daily chores of feeding pigs, chickens and ducks and tending to crops including beans, corn and plantains. What they are not so familiar with is recognising that God made them for good and right relationships.

"We as a team know that God created each of them with a purpose beyond our understanding," said another team member. "Our goal is to remind them that they are loved and not forgotten."

Recently, during small group time with some of the boys, a few of them shared their stories. The wounds that these boys have are deep and dark, and they face a reality many people have never had to. The good news is that they got out before they lost their physical life, but they have many battles ahead should they try to regain their spiritual health. The OM Panama team is dedicated to helping them with that journey.

The team asks for prayers for this group of boys, as the boys face spiritual warfare to overcome the abuse and abandonment they have suffered. Pray as well for the team to be used as the hands and feet of God in the lives of these boys.

Mission Extreme, a missions exposure programme within OM Panama, is designed especially for international participants. The two-month commitment includes a two-week time of preparation at the training base in Volcán, a five-week outreach mostly amongst indigenous people, and one week of debriefing. During the outreach, the group works with local churches, guided by a pastor.

This group consisted of members from Switzerland, the US, Germany and Italy. They were astonished by the surroundings and the beautiful nature of Panama. “Once we slept under the sky in a remote area,” recalled Laura from Germany. “No light but just the countless stars. God’s creation is so beautiful, and the best part is that over here, it’s around you all the time.”

The team, though, faced their share of challenges, including a food culture foreign to what they were used to. Elliot from the USA recalled that she was “very picky and concerned about the food beforehand.” However, after a couple of days during the outreach, she was happy to eat anything. “There's food? Awesome!” was her response then.

The loss of private space and time, though, was hard on every participant. At the same time they agree that it caused them to get to know each other well. Furthermore, it drew them closer to God, since occasional arguments in the group made them pray and ask God to take control.

The greatest highlight for the participants was the people of the indigenous tribes. The group was impressed with how they received and treated them, and how big of a blessing the group was considered.

“We didn't do any miracles,” Elena from Italy explained. “It seems like we even didn't do anything marvellous at all, just little things. Helping with daily routines, organising church programmes and playing with children. I guess these are things God uses as a blessing.”

Laura from Germany concluded: “You can share love, no matter what your nationality is. Laughter and love are the best languages in the world, everybody can speak them. And the children in these tribes are fluent.”

Please pray for continuous growth and the fulfilment of God’s plans for the participants in the Mission Extreme programme, as they face new situations and challenges at home.

However, when he was in secondary school, Juank parted ways from God for a while. He started hanging out with friends who were not a good influence and attended many parties. At age 15, he felt that nothing truly filled him. That was when he realised again that Jesus was beside him. God healed him, and Juank went back to church with his parents.

For half a year, Juank studied music at a university in Colombia. He desperately wanted to go to the US or England in an exchange study programme. However, even though he did his best to make this happen, all of his plans failed. Juank felt frustrated. His pastor heard of the situation and suggested he join a missions training abroad.

“I had never thought of that myself,” said Juank. “But he already had a perfect school in mind for me to go to. Needless to say, that was OM’s International Intensive School of Missions in Panama.”

Now that he’s participating in the training, Juank can say that this school has been part of God’s plan for his life. He loves his group, teachers and everything God does in and through them. “God has a brilliant future for me,” he said. “Being here, it has been astonishing for me to realise that sharing the Gospel is not about just somebody who should go here and there and do something. No, that somebody is me!”

After he finishes the missions school, Juank hopes to board Logos Hope. He has already discussed this idea with many people who have been with OM Ships and feels that God wants to teach him more about Him and His plans for Juank’s life.

“God wants me to be sharing the Gospel with the nations,” he said. “He has given me plenty of words of encouragement to go. These words from Joshua 1:9 are the most valuable to me: ‘Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go’” (NIV).

Please pray that the Lord would use Juank for His Kingdom, and that nothing comes between Juank and His Saviour.

Over a year ago, the church developed a vision called the Food Project. The idea was to feed the poor families in town, especially the children. Several of these families in Volcán live in shack houses made of sheet-metal and cardboard boxes. One family might include a mother, her five children, and their grandmother and her other five children. Siblings, uncles and nephews live in a 10-square-foot house.

The Food Project operated for a year with one small wood stove. Fresh food was always donated, but there were only enough volunteers to give out the food twice a week. On the best days, 120 children received a free meal.

The need was far greater than the resources, though, so the church decided to pause the project and work on expansion. Now the Food Project is becoming the Food Kitchen, with the goal to feed 200 kids daily.

Besides food, the children will also be offered tutoring help with their homework and free-time activities. For adults, the ministry plans to set up a rehab programme and vocational courses. For example, the mothers can learn sewing, handicrafts and painting.

The ministry hopes that the new kitchen and programmes will have a huge impact on the community. When children are well nourished, they can concentrate on their education and graduate. Teaching young mothers practical skills gives them hope for the future. Even more so, the volunteers in the project hope to show that the Gospel isn’t just words and promises: It is about good deeds, loving and blessing others.

Please pray for God’s guidance and presence in this project. Pray that He will live in the hearts of everyone involved, and pray that it will be His project.

“In all things we have approached here, it's like God is removing a veil for me to see the world and its need more clearly. In this school, we learn about and work with other cultures, people and most importantly, real problems.”

After 2.5 years of study in administration and business, Ángela decided to take a break and ask her pastor to help her find a good place to learn more about missions. “I was introduced to missions a year ago when I got involved with my church's local ministry,” she shared. “During that time, I felt a calling to do and learn more.”

After the school finishes, Ángela plans to teach newcomers between ages 18-25 in her home church. She also desires to work in missions abroad, “but all that is in God's hands,” she shared.

Please pray for Ángela to continue to grow in Jesus Christ and reach people who don't have a relationship with Him yet. Pray for God's guidance in her life.

A single from Brazil of distant German ancestry, who loves to dance samba and cook, Leandro was no stranger to missions, having already spent three years as a missionary to Brazilian immigrants in Germany. It was during his recent home assignment in Brazil, however, that he learnt of OM Panama’s missions training programme for Latinos and decided to attend to grow and sharpen his cross-cultural ministry skills.

During the three months, Leandro was stretched in many ways. A night owl by nature, waking up for the School of Mission’s mandatory 6:30 devotional time every morning was a challenge for him. At times he found it difficult to concentrate on the different classroom modules, where he was taught subjects like theology of missions, anthropology and cross-cultural adaptation. And yet, he gladly put in the effort to stay focused on each topic, even though they were presented in Spanish, his second language.

Not being the highly structured type, Leandro’s preferred method of ministry was interpersonal and intensely relational. An excellent discipler, Leandro loved late-night, extended one-on-one discipleship sessions—usually accompanied by endless cups of coffee in an all-night café. He had also cultivated an extensive network of unbelieving friends on Facebook and enjoyed intentionally sharing the gospel online with them around the world.

A city boy at heart, during his time in the School of Missions, Leandro had wanted nothing to do with the hands-on-experience of killing, plucking and preparing a rooster for the team’s lunch during the rural outreach amongst a remote indigenous community.

Later during that same outreach, as the team began a three-hour hike from one village to the next, Leandro loudly made it known that he was praying for rain to cool off the humidity on the hot day.

However, as sheets of tropical rain poured down on them moments later, and accompanied them throughout the hike, it was evident as he slipped and slid down the muddy trail that Leandro wasn’t terribly pleased that his prayer request had been answered.

Exuberant, passionate and highly relational, Leandro is in many ways a quintessential Latino. But some of his most distinctly Latino character traits were also the very things that served to teach the OM Panama team so much as well. They were blessed by his vibrant energy and enthusiasm in using the creative arts to share the gospel—through dramas, skits and singing.

His passion for discipleship was evident in the ministry goals he set for himself. And his living relationship with Christ stood as a testimony to all the team members. They loved getting to know Leandro during his three months at the School of Missions and to see his ministry skills grow as he was trained and further exposed to cross-cultural ministry tools.

Please pray that the Lord would continue to use Leandro and the many others who have been trained by OM Panama over the years, and that God would raise more Latin Americans who desire to serve Him around the world.

As the sun set during a humid evening in Panama City, a group of volunteers expectantly met together for an OM Panama meeting in the capital city. However, as the stated meeting time came and went with very few people arriving, the expectations began to dwindle. Slightly discouraged at the turnout, the OMers could have become disheartened. 

Instead, even though the numbers were small, their spirits weren’t dampened. With fewer items to cover now, the small group decided instead to invest time in prayer for the nations.

“Even though our group was small in number, it is a privilege for us to be able to impact the nations through prayer,” said Ryan, a member of OM Panama’s team. “We had three nationalities present in this meeting (USA, Colombian, Panamanian), and it was awesome to hear people from these different nations praying for the nations.” 

Praying through some of the current events and prayer requests from around the world, this small group was reminded that the power of prayer isn’t limited by low numbers.

“Sometimes it might be tempting to think that because our group is small that we can’t make a global impact,” said Ryan, “but we were able to specifically pray for needs in Morocco, Nigeria, Syria, Egypt, India, North Korea, and Panama this evening!”  

As the meeting adjourned, the volunteers reflected on the fact that even though a lot of the seats in the room had been empty, the Lord was at work both here and around the world through the power of prayer.

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” – I Thess 5:16-18; NIV 

They were a little nervous as they walked up the steps to the imposing domed white mosque in the capital of Panamá. The group consisted of six students in OM Panama’s International Intensive School of Missions, along with other OM Panama team members and their guide for the day, a Panamanian missionary who has long served amongst Muslims in Africa.  

Earlier in the morning, as part of their World Religions Tour in Panama City, the group had spent several hours learning about basic Islamic beliefs. This was the first time this group had studied what Muslims believe. Full of questions for their guide, many of the students were amazed to hear that there was a mosque in every province of Panamá. They were eager to apply some of their newly-acquired knowledge. “Remember,” advised the guide, “we are going here as visitors, so please be quiet and respectful once we are inside.”

Having called ahead to arrange this visit to the mosque, the group stepped up to the open front door but waited to enter until their host came to receive them. Peering inside the lobby, they saw a large bumper sticker proclaiming, “I (heart) Islam”, while down the hallway in the main room they saw several men congregating for mid-afternoon prayers.

Several moments later, a pot-bellied older man dressed in a full-length robe and prayer cap approached the team. After instructing the ladies in the group to remain quietly in the lobby, the man ushered the men into the prayer hall, where they were invited to sit in the back corner while the prayer service took place. They quietly observed the 20 or so men kneeling and bowing during mid-afternoon prayers.  

After the time of prayer ended, the host (an older man of Indo-Pakistani background) sat down on the floor by the group and informed them that it was indeed important that they, as non-Muslims, have more instances like this to interact with the Panamanian Muslim community. The team’s guide, serving as the spokesman, readily agreed and echoed his desire for more opportunities for Muslims and Christians to sit down and discuss various issues of mutual concern.

Thanking him, the group left the hushed interior of the mosque and stepped back into the sunlight. The transition from foreign to familiar startled the students—all the more so as they reflected on the fact that with more than 25,000 Muslims residing in their own small country, there was more opportunity to reach out than they had ever realised.

Please pray that many Panamanian Christians would boldly yet humbly take the first step to reaching out in love to Muslims in their own neighbourhood and around the world.

"I am not worthy of God’s love." These were the words of George, who lives in Chimaltenango, outside of Guatemala City, Guatemala.  Lupe, a student in OM Panama’s International Intensive School of Missions, was sharing with George along with the pastor of the local church she was working with during the Easter outreach in Guatemala. OM Panama participated in the outreach Love Guatemala 2012, organized by OM in Central America.

They shared with George about the love of God and his need for salvation. George said he could not be worthy of this love because he has lived a bad life and had made a pact with the devil. Lupe and the pastor began to pray for George and as they prayed, they felt an urgency to pray for his protection because his life seemed to be in danger.

"The next day, after spending time in prayer for George, we were having supper with his mother," says Lupe. "She shared with us that she knew where he was and that there was a price on his head. He was being pursued so that some men could kill him."

The pastor was able to get in touch with George and convinced him to come to the church immediately. George agreed. "When he arrived at the church, we shared more with him about God’s plan of salvation for his life," says Lupe. "Eventually, George accepted Jesus as his personal Saviour!"

Lupe and the pastor gave him a New Testament and shared several verses with him about God’s protection in his life. Please pray with them for spiritual growth in George’s life.

In February, the time neared for the students to spend a few weeks ministering in the Ngöbe and Naso tribal groups in Panamá; however, the country experienced disruption as the indigenous people protested against the government.

Road blocks along the Pan-American Highway stopped vehicles from passing. The situation quickly became unstable and the leadership of the School of Missions decided to keep the students at the training centre rather than send them out to the tribes.

This was discouraging and disappointing for all the students. But while everyone was waiting for national situation to be resolved, God opened a different door of opportunity: the team helped lead the summer kids’ camp at Iglesia Casa de Luz (Lighthouse Church) in Volcán, Panamá.

While this was different ministry than the students had planned, each learnt that the Lord’s plans are always perfect. During the camp, the team met two siblings, Yuli and Roderick. Afterward, the siblings came back to the church to ask for food because they had none at home.

The students gathered the money they could find and brought money and food to the family. Through this, the team ministered to the mother of the family and she recommitted her life to the Lord. None of this would have happened if the team had gone to the tribes.

The students learnt an important lesson that day: that God is always in control, even when situations seem discouraging.

The seven students come from Panama and Ecuador and include one married couple, four single women and one man. The first week was spent in orientation, relationship building and learning the biblical basis of missions. In the second week, the students learnt about God’s father heart for them and their position in Christ. The students are living in dormitory-style rooms at OM’s partner church, Ministerios Casa de Luz (Lighthouse Ministries).

Each student has come with an expectant heart, willing to allow God to shape and mould him or her during the three months of study and outreach. Please pray for each student, as well as the OM Panama team and leaders of the school. The team believes that God is going to use each student to further His Kingdom.

It was 1992 and just one year after his father’s death. Ivan was still hurting and broken. When a friend invited him to a church service one Sunday, Ivan had no idea that God was about to do something amazing in his life.

At the end of the service, two crew members from OM’s ship Logos II shared about how the ship would visit Panama City very soon. They explained the need for local people to volunteer on board. Ivan had never been on a ship before but was intrigued and interested in the opportunity. Within a week, he had been accepted as a port volunteer during the ship’s visit. During his time as a volunteer, Ivan began to find healing for his broken heart and discovered new purpose in life.

Through the years, Ivan has kept close ties with the OM community in Panama, through serving as a local OM partner in Panama City. He serves as a volunteer, helping to promote OM and bringing awareness of missions.

As a school teacher, Ivan is passionate about reaching the young people of Panama City with the good news of Jesus Christ. Ivan says, “I think the teaching is a good tool to reach my students.”

This year, when school got out, Ivan made a decision to use his vacation time in a different way. He wanted to volunteer for three weeks with OM Panama. He left his home in Panama City for the OM base located on the other side of the country. Since arriving, he has been involved in many aspects of the ministry: cooking, ministering in a local prison, helping with translation and sitting in lectures of the OM Panama School of Missions.

Ivan says that this time has been unforgettable: “I have learnt to hear God´s voice through different seminars. I have experienced the passion that a missionary can feel in doing missionary work. I have learnt the importance of having a time with God and sharing with people from different cultures who have the same love and passion for God. It is an experience that I will never forget.”

The people of Volcán, Panama, are still trying to make sense of the violence that recently took place on the square of their usually-quiet mountain village. With the recent riots that followed the indigenous protesting against the government, downtown Volcán was left virtually in pieces.

OM Panama, who calls Volcán home, quickly responded to the great need of the town by sending the six participants in their mission exposure programme to help clean up and re-paint the police station, which had been vandalised, looted and burned by the riotous crowds during the protests.

The Mission Extreme participants had been ministering in the Comarca, a remote indigenous area, when the protests took place. They were evacuated from the area for safety.

But now, with these young people back in Volcán, the leadership of OM Panama realised that they could do a lot to help clean up the village.  

The group spent the day scrubbing the burned walls of the police station and painting the outside. Though the work is different than what the team originally had planned, they recognise that God has a plan for everything.     

Please pray for the village of Volcán as they pick up the pieces of the vandalism. Pray that OM’s presence during the clean-up effort will be a blessing to the community and a light for the entire country.

After a week of riots, fires, road blockages, shortage of food and fuel, looting local businesses and much tension throughout the country, Panamá woke this morning in a state of hopeful expectation. Pending the signature of the president on the agreement between government and the indigenous, things are cautiously getting back to order throughout the country.

The protests of the indigenous tribe Gnöbe Buglé in the western part of Panamá caused great problems to the OM team in the Province of Chiriquí. Last week, a group of protesters blocked the only highway between Chiriquí and the country’s capital, Panamá City. The Gnöbe Buglé are upset with the government for approving hydropower and mining developments in the region. They want President Martinelli to exclude the indigenous area from the industry to protect the natural environment.

It now has been reported that the first nine trucks of fresh produce from the province of Chiriquí have made their way to Panamá City in the early hours of the morning, after a week of no commercial trading throughout the country. 

All of this is good news for the team of OM Panamá. This means that they should be able to resume normal activity in their daily operations. It also means that the OMers from around the world who have been in Volcán this week for the OM Latin America Finance Forum will be able to travel freely to catch their buses and flights home.

The participants in OM Panama's missions exposure programme Mission Extreme were successfully removed from the Comarca (the indigenous area where they were ministering) and will return to Volcán today. Praise the Lord for His protection and guidance while they were in the midst of all of this. 

The team of OM Panamá thanks you for your prayers throughout this uncertain time. Please continue to pray for peace to reign throughout the country. Pray for wisdom for the government moving forward. Pray also for all the travelling that is to take place this weekend with all the OMers in the Finance Forum leaving to return to their countries around the world.

Pray also for wisdom as the team seeks the next step for the participants of Mission Extreme, as well as the International Intensive School of Missions. Both were scheduled to be ministering in the Comarca in the coming weeks.

The protests of the indigenous tribe Gnöbe Buglé in the western part of Panamá have caused great problems to the OM team in the Province of Chiriquí.

Last week, a group of protesters blocked the only highway between Chiriquí and the country’s capital, Panamá City. The Gnöbe Buglé are upset with the government for approving hydropower and mining developments in the region. They want President Martinelli to exclude the indigenous area from the industry to protect the natural environment.

This weekend the police intervened with tear gas to restore the passage on the Pan-American Highway, but the situation remains unstable.

OMers who travelled this weekend from various parts of the world to Panamá for the Latin American finance forum had problems reaching the OM base in Volcán, Chiriquí. Because of the blockades there is currently no fuel available in Volcán, which causes trouble for the OM team members. 

Shortages are also appearing in the grocery store on staple items such as meat, among other things. This situation could potentially become serious if the highway is not re-opened soon to allow deliveries to go through.

OM Panama would appreciate your prayers for the Mission Extreme participants, the OMers in the finance forum and the team members in Volcán. Please pray that the conflict between the indigenous tribe and the government will be solved soon. 

This past weekend, OM Panama welcomed people from all over the world. Three years since hosting the last International Intensive School of Missions, OM Panama opened its doors to six new students from Panama and Ecuador. Please pray that these students will be willing and ready for what God has for them during this three-month programme.

In addition, OM Panama is hosting Mission Extreme, with participants from Switzerland, Norway and the UK. This is an intense two-month exposure trip, and participants will minister primarily in the indigenous areas of Panama. Please pray that this also will be a life-changing time for the participants and that they experience God in new and exciting ways.  

Please also pray for the OM Panama leaders as they seek to guide the participants through both the School of Missions and Mission Extreme. Pray for wisdom and love as they pour into their lives.

And yet, as the sun sets over this once-prosperous port community, a strange scene takes place outside the Methodist church. Cars slow and pedestrians stop to stare at a group of young people dressed in a colourful collection of outfits from cultures around the world preparing to enter the front doors of the small church.

As the 13 teenagers walk slowly down the aisle of the church in their ethnic outfits carrying flags from around the world, every eye in the crowded church is riveted on the procession.

This first-ever Missions Night at the small church was organised by Sonia, a 2007 graduate of OM Panama’s International Intensive School of Missions. She’s a Panamanian who comes from a town 45 minutes away and currently serving as the director of the children and youth ministry at this small, but active Methodist church.

“One of my expectations when I began my missions training with OM Panama was to prepare myself to preach the gospel,” says Sonia, who creatively puts into practice the things she learnt during her training with OM Panama. She has a big heart for missions. One way she impacts these young lives with the gospel is by intentionally teaching about missions.

Sonia’s eye for creatively organising programmes was clearly on display during the programme. Having taught the youth group several dramas and songs to perform, she was encouraged to see the excitement on their faces as they praised the Lord—and to see the faces of more than 100 people in attendance drinking in the message.

OM Panama, who was also invited to the event, brought along their team members from Sweden, South Africa, U.K. and the U.S. Each briefly shared about their home cultures. It was undoubtedly the widest variety of cultures ever present at the same time in the small church and a night few in the community would soon forget.

“OM Panama’s International Intensive School of Missions impacted my life in a very special way,” recounts Sonia. “I realised that I can be used by God, both here within my country…and also in other countries to tell people that Jesus is real!”

As Sonia works hard to bring the message of the gospel to the children and youth in the town of Puerto Armuelles, she transfers her passion for missions on to the next generation.

“Should I speak in Spanish or English?” Ryan, OM Panama team member from the U.S., leaned over to ask his Panamanian teammate, Albin, who sat next to him. “Oh, don’t worry, just speak English and I’ll translate for you. They actually like hearing English speakers on this radio station!” he replied with a grin.

As Albin, Ryan, and Clint (from South Africa) adjusted the oversized microphones that hung in front of them in the small soundproof room, they could see through a large window into the other half of the radio studio where the DJ sat. With headphones covering their ears, they could also hear his broadcast and knew they would soon be on the air.  

Trying to stay focused as they waited, Ryan thought back to how they had gotten there. As a Panamanian, Albin is tremendously well connected within the Christian community, and through one of his contacts, he had arranged for the OM Panama team to be invited to share about the work of OM during one of this radio station’s daily talk shows. 

Suddenly, the DJ pointed at them through the studio window and his voice boomed through their headphones: “And now we have some special guests with us from Operation Mobilisation Panama, here to tell us about their upcoming new programme: The International Intensive School of Missions!”   

As Clint, Albin and Ryan each took turns describing this upcoming three-month training programme for Spanish speakers who are interested in being trained in missions, Ryan couldn’t help but smile. He reflected, “As a foreigner here in Panama, I never would have dreamed about the ways that God would open up this unique door for free publicity. But as the Lord says in Isaiah 55:9, ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts’ (NIV).” 

Please pray that the OM Panama team continues to trust Him for more unexpected blessings as they seek to mobilise, equip and send out Latin Americans as missionaries to the unreached world. 

The three-month programme is designed to equip the next generation of Latin missionaries to take the good news of the gospel to the ends of the earth. A mix of theoretical and practical training will provide the students with skills for local or cross-cultural ministry.

In the classroom, students will be challenged to deepen their relationship with God, focusing on issues in their past that might hinder their effectiveness in ministry. They will also learn about different world faiths and how to reach people with the gospel. They will gain the practical skills necessary to function and thrive in a cross-cultural, multi-national team. The outreach portions of the training will challenge the students to use their newly-acquired skills to reach out to different communities around Panama.

Please pray for the OM Panama team as they prepare for the school to begin on 15 January. Please pray for the students who are making preparations to join the school. Pray that they will be able to raise the support needed for the training.

For more information, please contact OM Panama.

This small church had invited the OM team to hold a three-day outreach to share the gospel in their town, a slow-paced community of a couple thousand known for being home to one of the country’s most famous rum manufacturers.

Being a small congregation with a high number of children and youth, the church were eager for OM to provide training in how to creatively share the gospel and lead them into the streets to put it into practice.

On this morning, with OM’s training seminar just finished and still ringing fresh in everyone’s ears, about 30 people formed small groups and began spreading out to share the gospel door to door throughout the community.

One small group came upon the home of Marciano, who greeted them at his door.

Taking the initiative, Nadine, a teenager in the group, explained the purpose of their visit—to share the good news of the gospel.

Marciano invited them inside, and the team wedged into the living room of his humble home. Nadine then pointed to OMer Ryan and dramatically said, “And now Brother Ryan would like to explain to you God’s plan of salvation!”

The group and Marciano looked at Ryan expectantly. He asked Marciano if he had ever heard the good news about what God has done through Jesus Christ. Fully expecting Marciano to respond that he had, or that he was already Catholic, the team was taken aback when he responded with a simple “No, I haven’t”.

“Would you like to hear about this?” they asked. Smiling, Marciano responded that he would. The team shared several passages from Paul’s letter to the Romans and explained that, like Romans 5:8 says, “...God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (NIV).

Encouraged by Marciano’s attentiveness, others in the group eagerly jumped in and further explained the gift of God’s love. Ryan was blessed to watch the group so passionately share the good news.

Even more, the team happily reported that Marciano gave his life to the Lord.

Please pray that the members of this small church will grow in enthusiasm for sharing the gospel and reaching out to their neighbours. Pray that God will continue providing training and outreach opportunities to OM Panama.

It was an experience that really stood out for Jonathan in the two-month programme in Panama: the building of an altar in a church in Bonyic. Together with seven other young people, mainly from the UK, the USA and Canada, he spent several weeks doing practical work and sharing the gospel in the Panamanian countryside.

“The church had a big gaping space at the front where the concrete floor ran out, and the pastor assigned us the task of filling it with an altar,” says Jonathan. “Firstly, it was a good move on God’s part to include Andrew and Jonny, two people with backgrounds in designing stuff, in our team and they were able to apply those skills to design the thing. Not only was that a blessing but just seeing how each and every one of the team chipped in with the tough manual work that we had to do was so encouraging. We essentially moved part of a hill 20 meters to provide the support underneath the layer of concrete, and it was a mammoth job with just a pickaxe, some spades and a wheelbarrow. But each and every person in the team really gave their all and battled through the physical demands, back pain, sunburn and more together.”

They were all daunted by the task, says Jonathan, and in the end it took them three half-days of work to get it done in the blazing heat and on top of the tiring outreach that they were also doing that week. “But we pulled through together. The reward was seeing how grateful the pastor was. This experience really made our team bind closer and closer together. We just ignored our physical pain for the benefit of growing God’s kingdom. We have God to thank for providing everything that was necessary and after overcoming this challenge, we never looked back.”

The power of the gospel

Jonny, another participant, learned an important lesson during Mission Extreme about the simplicity - and the ultimate power - of the gospel. As he and his fellow participants were sharing the gospel in a little wooden house during an outreach in Solong, his motivation was low. “It had been a long morning,” he says. “We had been hiking there in the heat and crossing rivers and this was one of the last houses we were going to visit. However, I summoned the energy and began to share the story of the gospel to two young guys that were sitting in their house. My Spanish is pretty poor at best and I had to speak in simple sentences and just convey the simple message that Jesus loved them and had died on the cross so they could go to heaven.”

They looked really uninterested, Jonny says. “But I gulped back my feelings of scepticism, said a quick prayer in my head, and asked if they wanted to accept Christ. And they both nodded their heads! I was so amazed at the power of gospel, I didn’t need to convince these guys with clever arguments or give loads of details of what it might mean to be a Christian… I just stated the basic facts. This was such an encouragement to me!”

Encouraged to encourage each other

Throughout the two-month-training, God just continued to give the team strength and support, says participant Bonnie. “He put people on the team with whom I was able to have amazing conversations, deeply impacting the way I think about myself and how I can be an encouragement to others. From the very beginning, I was enlightened by how we need to know who we are as individuals for us to have a beneficial relationship with God. Therefore I felt the need to think more about who I am, and through this God has really helped me in so many ways and revealed his amazing abilities to guide and comfort. This is because knowing myself and my differences to other people, I know what I need to be asking for from God and how God can help me to be an encouragement to others with the different gifts that I have.”

Bonnie says that there were many times when the team just felt weak by the heat and the work that they were doing. “But God gave us strength. This led to the team getting along a lot more and it encouraged each of us to encourage each other.”

The participants look back at a fruitful period in which they were able to bless others and be blessed themselves. “It was incredible how the words and activities that the Lord put on each person’s heart in group devotions came just at the right times,” Bonnie concludes, “just when we needed to remember to love each other and not to be lazy, but to make sure we were doing our parts with each of our different abilities.”

Panama - They come from Germany, the United States, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, France, Colombia and Panama. The ten students of Mission Extreme Panama are full of energy and enthusiasm to go out and share God's love. OM Panama is happy to have received this group of people in their country.

It is the second group of students for this programme in 2010, which started with a week of evangelism training. During this week the participants learned different ways of sharing the gospel, either in the streets or in a local church.

“After the week of training in our environment, the team did practical work in the community of Volcán, in the province of Chiriqui, with a local church”, says Albin Villarreal of OM Panama. They visited schools, elderly homes and central parks. They shared in the streets, gave social help with painting a house and helped three brothers that are in critical conditions in every sense of the word.

The team moved to the mountains of Panama, after having stayed in a little village where OM has an office. There, they encountered an indigenous area called Gnobe Bugle. In August, they came to a place called Llano Sonso. It took them four hours of travelling in bus to get to this community, plus four hours in a pick-up on a road that was difficult to reach and after that two hours of walking.

“We could see that the participants were very enthusiastic playing, sharing and preaching every day that passed by in this community”, says Albin. Despite the heavy rains they continued walking in remote places to bring the gospel of salvation.

“We firmly believe that God will do wonderful things with this team just like he has done with previous ones”, says Albin. At the moment, the team has a participant from Germany that came back after having participated in 2009. She returned to accompany her sister that was motivated to come by seeing the photos and hearing the experiences of her own sister. They say that they want to see God moving and using them, sharing the love of God with every child and person in different ways and that it has been the greatest experience of their lives.

Let us pray that the training continues in a successful way and that God will protect the students and that He will continue to use the participants in a wonderful way.

LLEVAR EL EVANGELIO A LUGARES REMOTOS - Panamá

Son de Alemania, Estados Unidos, Suiza, Inglaterra, Francia, Colombia y Panamá. Los diez estudiantes de Misión Extrema Panamá están llenos de energía y entusiasmo para salir a compartir el amor de Dios. OM Panamá está muy contento de haber recibido este grupo en su país.

Han recibido el grupo numero dos en el 2010. El programa empezó con una semana de entrenamiento de evangelismo, donde cada participante ha aprendido diferentes maneras de compartir en evangelio ya sea en la calle o en una iglesia local.

“Después de la semana de entrenamiento en nuestras instalaciones, el equipo ha desarrollado sus prácticas en la comunidad de Volcán, Provincia de Chiriqui con una iglesia local”, dice Albin Villarreal de OM Panamá. Han visitado escuelas, centros para ancianos y parques centrales. Han compartido el amor de Dios en las calles y aun dado ayuda social a una casa pintándola y ayudado a tres hermanas que están en condiciones criticas en todo el sentido de la palabra.

Luego de haber estado en el pequeño pueblo donde OM tiene sus oficinas, el equipo se traslado a las montañas de Panamá en donde se encuentra la zona indígena llamada Gnobe Bugle. A la fecha de agosto se encuentran en un lugar llamado Llano Sonso, por el cual han viajado cuatro horas de bus, más cuatro horas de camino de difícil acceso en un pick-up y luego caminar dos horas hasta llegar a la comunidad.

“Pudimos ver a los chicos muy entusiasmados jugando, compartiendo y predicando cada día que pasa en esta comunidad”, dice Albin. A pesar de las fuertes lluvias ellos aun siguen caminando por lugares muy remotos a llevar el evangelio de salvación.

“Creemos firmemente que Dios hará cosas maravillosas con este equipo así como lo ha hecho con los anteriores”, dice Albin. En este momento, el equipo tiene una participante de Alemania que ha vuelto después de haber participado en el 2009 y vino acompañada de su hermana quien se motivo por las fotos y experiencias contadas por su propia hermana, ellas dicen que quieren ver a Dios moverse y usarlas compartiendo con cada niño y persona el amor de Dios de diferentes maneras y que ha sido la experiencia mas grande que han tenido las dos en sus vidas.

Oremos para que la gira continúe exitosa y que Dios les proteja en todo y los continúe usando de una forma maravillosa.