How can it be that today is our last full day in Panama?! We couldn't
travel all the way here without taking a tour of the Panama Canal, and who wouldn't
want to hand-feed bananas to monkeys living in the wild?! Alarms rang
extra early this morning since we didn't want the monkeys to get to their
breakfast before we arrived by boat. Already hot and humid, the breeze
off the canal felt amazing as we made our way to the monkey islands to see
White-faced, Howler, and Tamaran monkeys in their natural habitat. They
didn't disappoint, and many students got sticky hands as the banana pieces were
passed around and quickly snatched up by the greedy monkeys. Added entertainment included iguanas, birds,
and butterflies. Did you know that one
translation of “Panama” is “abundance of butterflies”?
Our next destination brought us to the middle of a mountain, as our bus was
unable to climb the steep incline to the summit, where a gorgeous view of old
and new Panama City awaited us. Our
excitement and youthful legs brought us to the top quickly, as we took in the
view as well as the cool mountain-top breeze.
Here, we took the chance to grab some group photos and selfies (of
course!) before heading back down. A
quick stop at one last open-air souvenir shop before lunch concluded our
morning, and many of our students snagged some trinkets as reminders of the
memories made this week.
A quick bus ride brought us to the Panama Canal Museum, where we donned our
stylish 3D glasses for a quick history video, followed by canal and Panama
history pictures and artifacts. The highlight
of our time there were the locks, where we watched multiple ships slowly make
their way through. We spent over an hour
on the observation deck, snapping pictures and analyzing the workings of the
locks and which countries each ship came from.
We spent some time this evening reflecting as a group on our week of
Panamanian adventures. Some highlights
mentioned included bonding time with peers and leaders, experiencing a new
culture, stretching and improving Spanish skills, and experiencing how Christ’s
love spans different cultural barriers.
We are so thankful for this week spent together, the connection we’ve made
with the students and the unity that God has allowed us to build as a
group. There have been lots of moments
of laughter, as well as reflection on the work that God is doing in each life
in Panama as well as in our own hearts. We
are excited to take home our experiences and share them with you.
As leaders, it’s our prayer that God continues the good works that He’s
begun in our students’ lives, and that He continues to equip us with the tools
and words that we need to meet each student where they are in their personal
walk with Him. Thank you for giving us
the opportunity to serve alongside your students this week and this year. We have so enjoyed each moment with them and
look forward to what next year holds.
Dana & Laura
Friday, June 26, 2015
Thursday, June 25, 2015
Hello hello!
Today in Panama we worked with some locals to build some homes for two families. Both of the homes needed the foundation to be worked on so we split into three teams. One team went and mixed concrete to work on the border of the foundation, while another team worked to evenly spread out the foundation of a home. The third team worked by doing a bible study with some of the people who lived there. In a sense, all teams worked on foundations, whether their foundation was with concrete or if they re-rooted themselves in the foundation of the Lord.
Good Night
- Nathan Kos
Today in Panama we worked with some locals to build some homes for two families. Both of the homes needed the foundation to be worked on so we split into three teams. One team went and mixed concrete to work on the border of the foundation, while another team worked to evenly spread out the foundation of a home. The third team worked by doing a bible study with some of the people who lived there. In a sense, all teams worked on foundations, whether their foundation was with concrete or if they re-rooted themselves in the foundation of the Lord.
Good Night
- Nathan Kos
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
School is back in session, at least for one day
Fellow Niekerkians,
Today our group went back to school for a day. It is probably a day that we will all remember as a great day but also a day that was one of our most stressful. As soon as we left the bus to enter the school, some of us knew that we were in trouble. Even though this week is English Week at the school, English wasn't able to get us extremely far with the students. Our day started out at the school with an extremely large group of elementary school students. We started out by splitting into different groups and we started our adventure by venturing into the classrooms. Many of the students were very excited, probably for some reason before we came in. As we entered the room, many of the students were happy to see us. Most of us enjoyed the time in the first classroom, "teaching" the students about different words in English. As our time closed in our first classroom, we felt pretty confident in our ability to handle the next group of students. Most of us were wrong.
As we entered the second classroom, we could tell we were in trouble. For most of us, if not all, there was no teacher in the room. We didn't have any clue what to do since the teacher wasn't there. As time went by, something unusual began to happen. It started in a small amount. A few kids came up to a few of us and asked us, by pushing a notepad and writing utensil, to write our name for them. At first it seemed okay. We were wrong. As time went on, more and more of us were surrounded by kids who wanted our names. In no time, almost all of us were swarmed by kids, even when we were all spread around the school. Let's just say that we all now know what movie stars have to deal with. We then went to lunch, leaving the elementary kids behind and looking forward to the middle school students.
For lunch, it was decided by somebody other than us that we would be going to McDonald's. We all had a fairly American lunch and then went back to the school to have a go with the middle school students. As soon as we arrived, we could sense a different environment. As we split off again, it became obvious that these students held back a little more. We did the best that we could, some of us having no trouble, some of us having quite a bit. As we finished up with the middle schoolers, we were all subjected to a whole new situation. We all had to deal with kindergarten students. This was the point where we all had some trouble, mainly because these kids knew all Spanish and little to no English. We all struggled through this part of the day and finished our school day off with watching volleyball as a few of us were surrounded by new friends.
We finished off our day with tacos and a nice reflection about what we can do back at home. We all had personal reflection time and ended our day with personal time yet again. Thanks for following along with our journey and we'll talk again tomorrow.
-The Fam
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Day 4: An Aboriginal Day
Fellow Niekerkians,
I can tell that some of us are catching up on sleep, which is good on days like today. Today was eventful, exciting, and exhausting.
First we woke up and came down to eat breakfast. We had an egg dish and some orange juice. Then we packed up the materials that we needed for the Vacation Bible School, along with some PBJ sandwiches, and headed to our bus. The bus was cramped, as per usually, but refreshingly cool. We drove about an hour to reach the Chagres River.
We arrived at the river and unloaded our bags. Then we headed down the "stairs" to the lakefront. Where we were met by members of the Parara Puru tribe. We put on our life-jackets and boarded the canoes, which were carved from trees (an original uni-body of sorts). Each boat had two tribe members on-board: one in the front, who carried a pole, to help steer the canoe, and one in the back to control the outboard motor.
After a half-hour ride, we reached a docking area. We left our things in the boat and headed off hiking on the trails. The trails were unmarked and the only indication of their existence was a small break from the forest floor. Traveling on the trails was difficult because they were uneven, slippery, and steep. Many parts of the trail involved walking through a stream, which was an annoyance for those of us wearing tennis shoes. The hike was so hot, that we were all ecstatic at the sight of a waterfall going into a small pool.
We immediately jumped into the water and started splashing each other as much as possible. We made our way over to the waterfall and sat by it for a while (an idea that led to many great pictures). Next one of us got the idea to jump off of a rock jutting out of the pool. The jump was about 7 feet tall (2 meters for you Panamanians), and we all had a good time jumping into the water. After a bold dive in by one of the tribesmen we began the walk back to our boats.
It was a short ride to our next stop: the small village called Parara Puru. We walked up the hill to be greeted by a small group of men playing instruments. The men ushered us into a hut with a palm tree branch roof. We sat down on the benches to hear a man talk about the language and history of the tribe.The native language is called Embera and it is spoken throughout the tribe. The kids are also taught Spanish in school. The people there migrated from a place in Columbia, where many of their people still live, to come to this area and farm. Many years later the government declared their lands a national park and the 84 citizens of the tribe had to stop farming and hunting. Now the people get income from the government and from tourism. Then there was a tribeswoman who told us about the role and dress of women in their society. The woman said that they hand-make many things and sell them at a price of one dollar for every day that they work on the item.
After the explanation, a woman came around with fried fish and plantains wrapped in leaves. Many of us thought the food was delicious, but some of us opted for a PBJ sandwich instead. They also served fresh fruit on handmade platters covered in fresh leaves. After the dinner the locals began their dance. The people danced around for several minutes to the music of their handmade flutes. They did a few different traditional dances and then they asked us to be their dance partners. The music was fun and the dances were very interesting.
After the dancing we began our VBS. The tribes-people of all ages sat around whilst we led them in singing. We told them the fruits of the spirit in Spanish, then we began our craft. We handed out bags for the people to color and we handed out many stickers. The stickers said either Joy or alegria (the Spanish word for joy). We spread God's joy by putting the stickers on our group and on the tribes-people. After that wound down we talked to the people one on one. Our group spent the most time with Kevin (pronounced Keybin). Kevin quizzed us on our Spanish knowledge and told us things about his people.
After the excitement, we hoped back into the canoes and headed towards home. We reached the bus in about twenty minutes, and then we began the journey back on the bus. We had a nice dinner and some time to relax. I think that we would all agree that the day was awesome and probably the best day of the trip so far.
Thanks for reading and see you tomorrow,
Bryce and the rest of "The Fam"
I can tell that some of us are catching up on sleep, which is good on days like today. Today was eventful, exciting, and exhausting.
First we woke up and came down to eat breakfast. We had an egg dish and some orange juice. Then we packed up the materials that we needed for the Vacation Bible School, along with some PBJ sandwiches, and headed to our bus. The bus was cramped, as per usually, but refreshingly cool. We drove about an hour to reach the Chagres River.
We arrived at the river and unloaded our bags. Then we headed down the "stairs" to the lakefront. Where we were met by members of the Parara Puru tribe. We put on our life-jackets and boarded the canoes, which were carved from trees (an original uni-body of sorts). Each boat had two tribe members on-board: one in the front, who carried a pole, to help steer the canoe, and one in the back to control the outboard motor.
After a half-hour ride, we reached a docking area. We left our things in the boat and headed off hiking on the trails. The trails were unmarked and the only indication of their existence was a small break from the forest floor. Traveling on the trails was difficult because they were uneven, slippery, and steep. Many parts of the trail involved walking through a stream, which was an annoyance for those of us wearing tennis shoes. The hike was so hot, that we were all ecstatic at the sight of a waterfall going into a small pool.
We immediately jumped into the water and started splashing each other as much as possible. We made our way over to the waterfall and sat by it for a while (an idea that led to many great pictures). Next one of us got the idea to jump off of a rock jutting out of the pool. The jump was about 7 feet tall (2 meters for you Panamanians), and we all had a good time jumping into the water. After a bold dive in by one of the tribesmen we began the walk back to our boats.
It was a short ride to our next stop: the small village called Parara Puru. We walked up the hill to be greeted by a small group of men playing instruments. The men ushered us into a hut with a palm tree branch roof. We sat down on the benches to hear a man talk about the language and history of the tribe.The native language is called Embera and it is spoken throughout the tribe. The kids are also taught Spanish in school. The people there migrated from a place in Columbia, where many of their people still live, to come to this area and farm. Many years later the government declared their lands a national park and the 84 citizens of the tribe had to stop farming and hunting. Now the people get income from the government and from tourism. Then there was a tribeswoman who told us about the role and dress of women in their society. The woman said that they hand-make many things and sell them at a price of one dollar for every day that they work on the item.
After the explanation, a woman came around with fried fish and plantains wrapped in leaves. Many of us thought the food was delicious, but some of us opted for a PBJ sandwich instead. They also served fresh fruit on handmade platters covered in fresh leaves. After the dinner the locals began their dance. The people danced around for several minutes to the music of their handmade flutes. They did a few different traditional dances and then they asked us to be their dance partners. The music was fun and the dances were very interesting.
After the dancing we began our VBS. The tribes-people of all ages sat around whilst we led them in singing. We told them the fruits of the spirit in Spanish, then we began our craft. We handed out bags for the people to color and we handed out many stickers. The stickers said either Joy or alegria (the Spanish word for joy). We spread God's joy by putting the stickers on our group and on the tribes-people. After that wound down we talked to the people one on one. Our group spent the most time with Kevin (pronounced Keybin). Kevin quizzed us on our Spanish knowledge and told us things about his people.
After the excitement, we hoped back into the canoes and headed towards home. We reached the bus in about twenty minutes, and then we began the journey back on the bus. We had a nice dinner and some time to relax. I think that we would all agree that the day was awesome and probably the best day of the trip so far.
Thanks for reading and see you tomorrow,
Bryce and the rest of "The Fam"
Monday, June 22, 2015
The Ipeti Roadtrip
Whats up, everybody?
We are on day three, and today was full of laughter and fun! We started off the morning by eating a hearty breakfast, and hanging out until we had to leave for the remote village known as Ipeti. To get to the village we had to take a two hour bus trip. The bus was packed so we were especially thankful that our transportation had AC! Once we arrived, we were all really excited to get off the bus to stretch out our stiff legs. All the kids ran to us immediately when they saw us because they wanted to play with us. There was a little bit of a language barrier, but we still were able to have a great hang out time with them for about half an hour before we had to get on with the lesson. I met this one little girl in a pink dress who was blowing bubbles. When she looked up at me she started talking to me and I had no clue what she was saying. I assume she was probably just talking about the bubbles she was blowing. She somehow managed to get across to me that she wanted me to spin her around! When I did what she said, she started laughing and smiling and it really touched my heart to see that happen. All around people were having a great time. It was an awesome moment.
Later, when we began our VBS lesson, we began by singing a couple Spanish songs. One of the songs was a competition between the boys and the girls. The boys won (OF COURSE). After a fun time of singing, Ross and Bryce told the kids the story of Jonah. They told them about how Jonah didn't listen to God when God told him to go to Nineveh and the whole rest of the story. There was a craft to do once the story was finished. This craft was basically creating a model fish out of a brown paper bag and some other materials. Most of the fish looked really goofy with funny looking fins and faces! Every fish I saw made me laugh. The diversity of each fish reminded me of how everyone has there own unique qualities and how each of these kids are blessed in different areas of their life.
Then it was time for some of us to share our testimonies. This time it was Maegan and Katherine. I thought it was pretty cool to hear their stories. Most of the kids were paying attention really well. I always find it really interesting to hear people's personal stories and what their relationship with Jesus is. Once these awesome testimonies were shared, another game was brought to our attention. Duck, Duck, Goose! (or, in Spanish, Pato, Pato, Ganzo!) You wouldn't believe how fast these kids could run! It was seriously just a challenge to outrun them, let alone, trying to sit down in the correct spot before they caught you! The other thing is that there were big wooden pillars randomly placed around. I'm surprised nobody ran into one.
I just want to say that I love ham and cheese sandwiches. The ham and cheese sandwiches they served today for lunch, were AMAZING. They were really good. We ate lunch in this giant hut, that had two floors. We went up to the top floor because that was where the women from the village sold there trinkets and souvenirs. I saw all of the stuff they, and their families, had created and I thought to myself, look how much work they put into their craft. One of the baskets that a woman made took her 30 days of weaving. It shows how much effort they put into what they do to make a living. I just thought that was really cool.
Generally, there was just a lot of joy to go around the whole time. I think everybody had some sort of amazing moment today because everywhere you went you could just see God working in people's hearts. When we came back to the house, we talked about our experiences today and I was excited to see many people sharing cool moments they had. Thank you guys for all your prayers! It means a lot to know that so many people are supporting us way out here in Panama!
- Micah Douma
We are on day three, and today was full of laughter and fun! We started off the morning by eating a hearty breakfast, and hanging out until we had to leave for the remote village known as Ipeti. To get to the village we had to take a two hour bus trip. The bus was packed so we were especially thankful that our transportation had AC! Once we arrived, we were all really excited to get off the bus to stretch out our stiff legs. All the kids ran to us immediately when they saw us because they wanted to play with us. There was a little bit of a language barrier, but we still were able to have a great hang out time with them for about half an hour before we had to get on with the lesson. I met this one little girl in a pink dress who was blowing bubbles. When she looked up at me she started talking to me and I had no clue what she was saying. I assume she was probably just talking about the bubbles she was blowing. She somehow managed to get across to me that she wanted me to spin her around! When I did what she said, she started laughing and smiling and it really touched my heart to see that happen. All around people were having a great time. It was an awesome moment.
Later, when we began our VBS lesson, we began by singing a couple Spanish songs. One of the songs was a competition between the boys and the girls. The boys won (OF COURSE). After a fun time of singing, Ross and Bryce told the kids the story of Jonah. They told them about how Jonah didn't listen to God when God told him to go to Nineveh and the whole rest of the story. There was a craft to do once the story was finished. This craft was basically creating a model fish out of a brown paper bag and some other materials. Most of the fish looked really goofy with funny looking fins and faces! Every fish I saw made me laugh. The diversity of each fish reminded me of how everyone has there own unique qualities and how each of these kids are blessed in different areas of their life.
Then it was time for some of us to share our testimonies. This time it was Maegan and Katherine. I thought it was pretty cool to hear their stories. Most of the kids were paying attention really well. I always find it really interesting to hear people's personal stories and what their relationship with Jesus is. Once these awesome testimonies were shared, another game was brought to our attention. Duck, Duck, Goose! (or, in Spanish, Pato, Pato, Ganzo!) You wouldn't believe how fast these kids could run! It was seriously just a challenge to outrun them, let alone, trying to sit down in the correct spot before they caught you! The other thing is that there were big wooden pillars randomly placed around. I'm surprised nobody ran into one.
I just want to say that I love ham and cheese sandwiches. The ham and cheese sandwiches they served today for lunch, were AMAZING. They were really good. We ate lunch in this giant hut, that had two floors. We went up to the top floor because that was where the women from the village sold there trinkets and souvenirs. I saw all of the stuff they, and their families, had created and I thought to myself, look how much work they put into their craft. One of the baskets that a woman made took her 30 days of weaving. It shows how much effort they put into what they do to make a living. I just thought that was really cool.
Generally, there was just a lot of joy to go around the whole time. I think everybody had some sort of amazing moment today because everywhere you went you could just see God working in people's hearts. When we came back to the house, we talked about our experiences today and I was excited to see many people sharing cool moments they had. Thank you guys for all your prayers! It means a lot to know that so many people are supporting us way out here in Panama!
- Micah Douma
Sunday, June 21, 2015
The Return of Panamaian Adventurings: Day Two
Hello Niekerkians,
I speak for everyone when I say that we all enjoyed our sleep, no matter how much (or how little) we got. Our first meal for the day was simply cereal, milk, yogurt, and fruit. After breakfast we headed out on our first adventure of the trip. VBS! It started with the kids pouring into the church. When we first sat down, it was a bit uncomfortable, but thankfully the leaders pushed us out of our comfort zones and I had the chance to sit with the people of Panama. The kids were shy as we, with our light skin and hair, sat with them. Soon, after asking them a few questions (using the little Spanish that I had learned so far) they warmed right up to me and the rest of THE FAM (youth group). I would describe the events that happened with these kids as chaos, but it was extremely lovable. The kids enjoyed the company of our loud, Niekerk style, singing and they got super excited about the relay game that we had planned; a game based on the story of Joseph and his multi-color coat. The kids raced to color lines of Joseph's coat. The gentleman in charge provided a lively commentary that added joy to us as we watched the kids compete.
Next we headed off to the mall for a delicious lunch of chicken, pork, vegetables, plantains, and rice. After finishing our lunch we wandered around the mall and found that their stuff is very similar to ours. Another adventure we were able to take on this hot day was over to a sports camp to play soccer (or as they call it here: futbol). Even though the heat was "hotter than your average Michigan day" we enjoyed playing with the kids. They were extremely skilled. In fact, it took a few games before we could score. While we rested Emma Jo, Lauren, and myself were able to share our testimonies with the kids. They were so thankful to hear our experiences with the Lord. Then WE got the chance to hear one of their stories. The leader of the group shared how he strayed from God a little, but his family kept praying for him and he came back to teach these kids.
Our final activity of the day was tasting the Panama pizza. It tasted similar to that of an American pizza but with a different sauce. We all had the chance to try the pizza with chicken, ham, and pepperoni. Back in our room we talked about our "one word" summary for the experiences of our day. Daryl talked about how a hymn reminded him that Niekerk is part of a larger body of all Christians, including those we worshiped with today. Thanks for all your prayers and we miss you!
Buena noche! (good night)
Emma Vander Meulen (and THE FAM)
I speak for everyone when I say that we all enjoyed our sleep, no matter how much (or how little) we got. Our first meal for the day was simply cereal, milk, yogurt, and fruit. After breakfast we headed out on our first adventure of the trip. VBS! It started with the kids pouring into the church. When we first sat down, it was a bit uncomfortable, but thankfully the leaders pushed us out of our comfort zones and I had the chance to sit with the people of Panama. The kids were shy as we, with our light skin and hair, sat with them. Soon, after asking them a few questions (using the little Spanish that I had learned so far) they warmed right up to me and the rest of THE FAM (youth group). I would describe the events that happened with these kids as chaos, but it was extremely lovable. The kids enjoyed the company of our loud, Niekerk style, singing and they got super excited about the relay game that we had planned; a game based on the story of Joseph and his multi-color coat. The kids raced to color lines of Joseph's coat. The gentleman in charge provided a lively commentary that added joy to us as we watched the kids compete.
Next we headed off to the mall for a delicious lunch of chicken, pork, vegetables, plantains, and rice. After finishing our lunch we wandered around the mall and found that their stuff is very similar to ours. Another adventure we were able to take on this hot day was over to a sports camp to play soccer (or as they call it here: futbol). Even though the heat was "hotter than your average Michigan day" we enjoyed playing with the kids. They were extremely skilled. In fact, it took a few games before we could score. While we rested Emma Jo, Lauren, and myself were able to share our testimonies with the kids. They were so thankful to hear our experiences with the Lord. Then WE got the chance to hear one of their stories. The leader of the group shared how he strayed from God a little, but his family kept praying for him and he came back to teach these kids.
Our final activity of the day was tasting the Panama pizza. It tasted similar to that of an American pizza but with a different sauce. We all had the chance to try the pizza with chicken, ham, and pepperoni. Back in our room we talked about our "one word" summary for the experiences of our day. Daryl talked about how a hymn reminded him that Niekerk is part of a larger body of all Christians, including those we worshiped with today. Thanks for all your prayers and we miss you!
Buena noche! (good night)
Emma Vander Meulen (and THE FAM)
Saturday, June 20, 2015
We Made It!
Lauren Petroelje - Somehow, I was nominated to write the blog again tonight. Apparently everyone in the youth group really likes my writing style. (Or they're all just too tired to write it!) So, I will start by telling you that yes, we made it to our site, and no, none of our luggage was lost. (Cue the sigh of relief from all of the family members of those on this trip.) Our wonderful drivers got us all safely to the airport with just one bathroom stop. (I won't mention any names.) We arrived at the airport and immediately got our bags checked, went through security with no problems at all, and then the wait came. Many of us found our way to a little cafe where we invested in overpriced food that was very satisfying. Muffins, bagels, cookies, sandwiches, the whole deal. After finding our way over to our gate, M6, we sat and waited for about an hour. They called our group to the terminal, and just like that we were on the plane.
I'm going to do my best to describe the plane ride. Now, mind you, I am a girl who has only ever been in an airport once, and never been on a plane. So, it was all new and exciting. Every part of it. You can ask any member of the group, and they can all tell you that I was a nervous wreck, but hid it well behind my curiosity and sarcasm. The ride itself was a whirlwind of excitement for me, with beautiful views of the clouds, land, and ocean to guide my way! I think it's safe to say that I could definitely do this whole flying thing more often!
But in all seriousness, the plane ride was one of the best. Those who are used to the feeling of flying say that our turbulence was minimal, and it was a really smooth ride. The flight lasted about 4 hours and 45 minutes. The landing, our experienced flyers say, was a little rough, but we still made it just fine.
As soon as we stepped into the terminal getting off the plane, we could feel the heaviness and thickness of the air. IT. WAS. HOT. And I'm not talking like a nice-beach-day-in-Holland hot. OH NO. I'm talking thick, muggy, heavy air that fills every inch of space around you, leaving you with nothing but sweat and heat. In short, the air conditioning in the airport felt great.
It was not long after that that we found ourselves getting almost lost among the crowds of people swarming the airport. We did, however, make it all down to the area where we were checked back in, had our passports stamped, and then rushed off to customs. After making it through customs, we were able to find our SCORE sponsor fairly easily. His name is Ethan, and his hair is as orange as a carrot. But my goodness, is he sweet. He is SO nice, and was so ready to receive us!
The bus ride that followed was nice, considering the fact that we had air conditioning in the bus too. We were all pretty tired, so it was a rather quiet ride to our campsite. El Calle Paraiso is the name of the street that we are located on. Here's the fantastic part: the literal name of our campsite, translated to English, is "Paradise", and it couldn't be more true.
For those of you who were on the Belize trip, I'm sorry (not really) to say that our accommodations are the opposite extreme of yours. It looks like a house, and feels like one too. We have two sides of the structure, one for boys and the other for girls. In the middle is a big living area, complete with dining table and kitchen. There's lots of couches, lots of space, and lots of room for group meetings. We are a short walk from the Panama Canal, and a small little store, or "tienda" for those of you who are trying to learn Spanish.
One of the things that I, as long as many of the other members of the team, are a bit nervous for, is the language barrier between us and the people here. Our guide who got us here, Ethan, is very American, but he also speaks fluent Spanish. I know that many of us are worried about this as we go into our first VBS session tomorrow, so your continued prayers for this issue are greatly appreciated.
As I said, tomorrow we plan to go to church in the morning, and then finish the morning with VBS. The leaders said that we will be working with over 100 kiddos, and we are SO excited! For now, however, I think I speak for all of us when I say that our sleep tonight will not go to waste. We are exhausted, yet excited for what this week will bring for us all.
On a side note, we want to say a huge thank you to those who took time out of their busy schedules and wrote us our notes! I know that I am one who gets very easily homesick, but it all went away as I opened just a couple of the letters that my dear friends and family wrote to me! It was so fun to hear all of the "Awww!"'s from each group member as they opened their little pieces of home and read them to themselves. Those were really awesome, and a great way to end our first night here in the beautiful country of Panama!
I want to close our this entry with a prayer. It's in Spanish, but I'll translate it to English for you. I have been saying this to myself for a while now, and especially today as we left our comfort zones behind and went head-on into the unknown. It's been extremely helpful to keep me calm, and keep my eyes set on the purpose of this trip: Expanding the boundaries of God's kingdom to Panama!
Padre,
Gracias por este dia. Gracias por mi grupo de jovenes. Ayudanos a servirte su nombre aqui en Panama. Te amamos,
Amen.
Father,
Thank you for this day. Thank you for my youth group. Help us to serve your name here in Panama. We love you,
Amen.
-Lauren Petroelje
I'm going to do my best to describe the plane ride. Now, mind you, I am a girl who has only ever been in an airport once, and never been on a plane. So, it was all new and exciting. Every part of it. You can ask any member of the group, and they can all tell you that I was a nervous wreck, but hid it well behind my curiosity and sarcasm. The ride itself was a whirlwind of excitement for me, with beautiful views of the clouds, land, and ocean to guide my way! I think it's safe to say that I could definitely do this whole flying thing more often!
But in all seriousness, the plane ride was one of the best. Those who are used to the feeling of flying say that our turbulence was minimal, and it was a really smooth ride. The flight lasted about 4 hours and 45 minutes. The landing, our experienced flyers say, was a little rough, but we still made it just fine.
As soon as we stepped into the terminal getting off the plane, we could feel the heaviness and thickness of the air. IT. WAS. HOT. And I'm not talking like a nice-beach-day-in-Holland hot. OH NO. I'm talking thick, muggy, heavy air that fills every inch of space around you, leaving you with nothing but sweat and heat. In short, the air conditioning in the airport felt great.
It was not long after that that we found ourselves getting almost lost among the crowds of people swarming the airport. We did, however, make it all down to the area where we were checked back in, had our passports stamped, and then rushed off to customs. After making it through customs, we were able to find our SCORE sponsor fairly easily. His name is Ethan, and his hair is as orange as a carrot. But my goodness, is he sweet. He is SO nice, and was so ready to receive us!
The bus ride that followed was nice, considering the fact that we had air conditioning in the bus too. We were all pretty tired, so it was a rather quiet ride to our campsite. El Calle Paraiso is the name of the street that we are located on. Here's the fantastic part: the literal name of our campsite, translated to English, is "Paradise", and it couldn't be more true.
For those of you who were on the Belize trip, I'm sorry (not really) to say that our accommodations are the opposite extreme of yours. It looks like a house, and feels like one too. We have two sides of the structure, one for boys and the other for girls. In the middle is a big living area, complete with dining table and kitchen. There's lots of couches, lots of space, and lots of room for group meetings. We are a short walk from the Panama Canal, and a small little store, or "tienda" for those of you who are trying to learn Spanish.
One of the things that I, as long as many of the other members of the team, are a bit nervous for, is the language barrier between us and the people here. Our guide who got us here, Ethan, is very American, but he also speaks fluent Spanish. I know that many of us are worried about this as we go into our first VBS session tomorrow, so your continued prayers for this issue are greatly appreciated.
As I said, tomorrow we plan to go to church in the morning, and then finish the morning with VBS. The leaders said that we will be working with over 100 kiddos, and we are SO excited! For now, however, I think I speak for all of us when I say that our sleep tonight will not go to waste. We are exhausted, yet excited for what this week will bring for us all.
On a side note, we want to say a huge thank you to those who took time out of their busy schedules and wrote us our notes! I know that I am one who gets very easily homesick, but it all went away as I opened just a couple of the letters that my dear friends and family wrote to me! It was so fun to hear all of the "Awww!"'s from each group member as they opened their little pieces of home and read them to themselves. Those were really awesome, and a great way to end our first night here in the beautiful country of Panama!
I want to close our this entry with a prayer. It's in Spanish, but I'll translate it to English for you. I have been saying this to myself for a while now, and especially today as we left our comfort zones behind and went head-on into the unknown. It's been extremely helpful to keep me calm, and keep my eyes set on the purpose of this trip: Expanding the boundaries of God's kingdom to Panama!
Padre,
Gracias por este dia. Gracias por mi grupo de jovenes. Ayudanos a servirte su nombre aqui en Panama. Te amamos,
Amen.
Father,
Thank you for this day. Thank you for my youth group. Help us to serve your name here in Panama. We love you,
Amen.
-Lauren Petroelje
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