Oh, Panama

Well, seeing as how I leave tomorrow for a week long vacation out west, it seems as though the Panama trip summary will not be making it's debut this weekend. Sorry about that - I know you've all been sitting on the edge of your seats. I at least sent out a message to all the people who sponsored me this year to thank them, but I figured that a few of you may not have sent money but you certainly sent prayers and we saw first hand this year the power of prayer. So, I extend my thank you to everyone who lifted up our team...

I have yet to truly put into words what Panama was this year. So far the only two words that I can come up with to start to encompass it are intense and amazing :) I feel like on my first mission trip God showed me a lot about myself. On this one He showed me a lot about Himself...which is intense and amazing :) I shared with the church on Sunday how at one point God gave me a glimpse of just how huge he is and yet how he will move heaven and earth to meet us where we are. It was an awesome moment in time, and one that I think will frame a lot of my future.

As you can see in the picture of our whole group we had armed guards this year...specifically Panamanian special forces...yes, that is a story for later, suffice to say we were in Columbia guerrilla territory and we had lots of medicine and doctors. But, in the end God used the situation for us not only to minister to the Kuna Indians but also the soldiers, which was pretty awesome.
One last picture before I go. Angela took this on our first day of clinic, about 3 days before we really knew why we had guards with us. Every time I see this picture I think of the verse 'If God is for you, who can be against you' (Romans 8:31). At our last meeting before the trip we were given three verses to meditate on and one statement - 'Go in peace, I have gone before you'. And go before us He did, calling in national guards to protect a little team of 9 'Trailblazers' from Charleston, SC.
So thank you for every prayer you lifted up for us, you may never know how important it was, but I'm here to say you made a huge difference in the world!