Between Jesus & Uncle Bill

As you can probably tell, this team LOVES to laugh. So, tonight's blog title (which doesn't really have anything to do with our ministry today) has to do with little Malachi Kenyon. He is the 3 1/2 year old son of our host missionaries and we've adopted him as an official member of our team. He has found some special friends in Uncle Bill (Bill Lang) and Hector (who plays Jesus in our "Eternal Life" drama). So, tonight at the start of our team devotions, Malachi decides he wants to sit between Jesus and Uncle Bill. We all laughed hard and said, "That's the blog title for tonight!"

Today was our final day of ministry here in Panama and it was both diverse and amazing. We were up early in order to be at the school for a program at 7am. I posted pictures that Randy took during this program. We were able to do lots of fun things with the kids but after the "Eternal Life" skit (notice Larry playing the angel), Brian Josue led the ministry time and the Lord began to move among these children. Several began to weep and cry out. We walked among the aisles, praying over as many kids as we could. For several minutes, we moved from child to child but they continued to pray and cry. Gerritt invited those kids that wanted more of God to come to the front to be prayed for and to seek the baptism in the Holy Spirit. It felt like hundreds of them came forward and swarmed us. They clung to us, seeking hugs and words of comfort. We did our best to minister to them, despite the language barrier. Although we prayed for several minutes, we felt that we could have prayed for an hour more and still not "prayed through" with all of them. Yet, God met them in such a real way. We were humbled and grateful to be used of the Lord in the lives of these kids.

Then, our team split in two: (5) of us stayed behind at the school to finish up the painting projects that we had started earlier in the week. (5) of us had the privilege of going to a Men's Prison. For those who painted, we were honored to complete something that we started and that we know (because people told us again and again) meant so much to the pastors, the school staff and the community. We truly believe that God will use what we did - is using what we did - to draw people to Him. For those who went into the prison, the opportunity to testify to about 75 men (plus, corrections officers; plus, CSI trainees) was both humbling and thrilling. This was a first for some of the members of the team but they jumped in like champions and poured into those men with everything that they had.

In the afternoon, the team had originally planned to distribute flyers promoting an upcoming outreach of the Panama International Church (they are doing a Trunk or Treat, just like Kingsway). Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate; so, instead, the team trekked to the park and prayed under the pavilion there. They prayed for 300 people from the community to come; for many to be reached with the love of Jesus. Prayer continued under the pavilion for Gerritt & Tara and their ministry to reach youth here in Panama. The team is hoping that tomorrow we will be able to distribute the flyers that we weren't able to give out today!

We can hardly believe that tomorrow in our last day in country. We are doing some sight-seeing tomorrow. But, even tonight during team devotions, people prayed for opportunities to share with whomever we meet tomorrow. Will you join us in praying for that?

Thanks for faithfully reading, praying and commenting! We are so grateful and blessed for this opportunity to serve.

See you soon!

Love,
Pastor Arlena