Santa Catalina Stories Part 2: Snorkeling and Isla Coiba

The whole reason behind choosing Santa Catalina as our destination for Carnival break was for the amazing snorkeling around Isla Coiba. That, and the surfing, which at the beginning, neither of us knew how to do, and, now, thanks to D.C., we know at least some basics.

Isla Coiba used to be a prison where they would just drop prisoners on the island and say “good luck,” and, not only would they be trapped on the island, but they would have to find a way to survive. (Like Survivor mixed with Hunger Games?)

Mami and I traveled on an hour-long boat ride out to Isla Coiba with a Coiba Dive Center snorkeling tour (recommended to us by the Pills who are avid scuba divers), and were pleasantly surprised with what we discovered.

The snorkeling was truly amazing! There were so many colorful fish: ones that you’ve only seen on the glossy pictures of national geographic, like a fish whose scales flashed the colors of the rainbow and another whose entire body was covered with tiny blue dots.

We stopped on Isla Coiba to eat our packed lunches and see the island. For all the talk about it, the island looked to me like many other islands I’d seen in Panama: lush jungle filled with monkeys, coconut trees, hidden sloths and lizards and all sorts of strange looking birds. This particular jungle was crisscrossed by rugged paths that had been created by the National Park association. Our group stumbled upon one of these paths by accident.

Our snorkeling group was sitting together, enjoying our peanut butter/granola tortillas and watching an elderly tour group cross through a “crocodile zone” section of the beach. We watched their tour guide point out the various birds and the fact that the crocodile was nowhere in sight. Then, the guide led them over by some low-hanging trees, and we lost sight of them. We finished our lunches and continued making observations about the island, when suddenly a thought came to my mind. “Where did the tourists go?”

“Over by those trees,” Mami pointed in the direction where the tourists disappeared. “But I don’t think they ever came out.”

“Hmm..I wonder what’s over there.” I jumped to my feet. “Let’s go investigate!”

Mami and I made our way over to the trees hanging low over the sand, and I cautiously peered past the branches. Sure enough, there was a path! The path was a set of stairs leading upwards into the jungle. It was like an Indiana Jones movie (minus the rolling stone about to crush us).

We called the rest of our snorkeling group over and began a ten minute tromp up the stairs and around the island. We spoke in hushed voices and would pause every so often to listen for monkeys or other wildlife. We did see monkeys, and our curiosity continued to pull our tired legs forward, urging us to see what was around the next bend.

Around the corner was a tiny stream with a narrow plank bridge. Granted, it was about 4 feet off the ground, but it still took some courage to cross. We went a little farther, marveling at the variety of plants and the strong vines that looked they were strangling the trees like boa constrictors, then, due to time, had to turn back the way we came. I knew my group was right about the time, but someday I would love to make it back to see what’s on the other side of the island and what lies along the path and where does it really lead.

Our snorkeling team returned to the beach and clambered aboard the boat, sweaty and relieved to feel the cool ocean breeze as the boat sped away. I sat backwards, watching Isla Coiba grow smaller, more distant, and finally recede into the horizon. The wind whipped my hair, and I dipped my hand into the ocean to splash on my forehead. What an adventure!

And what a blessing! We had one more snorkeling destination to visit, and by this time, we were confident enough to swim after our snorkel guide and watch people take turns doing flips underwater or dive down with their underwater cameras. My favorite part though was snorkeling along and noticing a series of bubbles coming up from a certain area. As I swam closer, I saw large cylinder-shape objects, metallic in nature, with the sun glinting off the sides. Then through the shifting sand and waves, I could see heads. Heads and metal canisters..must be Scuba Divers!

Wow! I had always wanted to see what it was like to scuba dive, and there were eight of them right below me. I shifted my position, in case any of them needed to “come up for air” and observed how they drifted and bobbed along the sea floor. One scuba diver told me later that they had been looking at sea turtles and had maybe spotted a manna ray camouflaged into the sandy ocean bottom.

Oh yeah, did I mention that on our way there, a whole pod of dolphins started swimming next to our boat and jumping out of the water? Magnificent!

As our snorkeling group swung ourselves up and over into the boat again, we laughed as we exchanged stories of undersea life that we had seen. It was a whole new world we got to peek into: “under the sea”. In some ways the day had been exhausting, in some ways thrilling, and in some ways unexplainably peaceful. Our boat captain passed us each a packet of Maria cookies, and we took in the views of the gentle ocean waves pushing us towards the mainland. I contemplated how such a great expanse contained so much mystery and how God had designed it all and how much I still hadn’t seen. The wonders of the ocean, the beauty in that moment, and the adoration of my Creator left me utterly speechless.

Psalm 24:1‑2

   The earth is the LORD's and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.

“The Heavens declare You are God
And the mountains rejoice
The Oceans cry "Alleluia"
As we worship You Lord
For this is our song of love

Jesus, I am in awe
Of the love that You have shown
Jesus, how precious you are
To me, To me” (Rebecca St. James)

Stories from Santa Catalina: The Church

The newly-painted church building in Santa Catalina (Panama)

After a 5.5 hour drive through Panama/Veraguas provinces, Mami and I finally arrived in beautiful beach town, Santa Catalina, Panama!

Unbeknownst to us, there was a mission team from Ben Lippen school (in South Carolina) serving the church in Santa Catalina that same week. The team, of all things, was led by Dan Cotton, a teacher at our school! One of my small group girls from the Crossroads youth group was even helping the team translate! What an amazing gift to watch them serve in this small community!

Our first morning in Santa Catalina, Mami and I headed up the hill to the church to say "hola" to the team. Some of the juniors/seniors were busy painting the walls a light lavender color, and some were entertaining the local kids with hand games, trying to keep them out of the paint. Mami and I chose to eat breakfast at the tiny restaurant next door to the church, so we could watch the progress.

Striking up friendly conversation with the cook/server, I asked her if she attended the church. The woman flashed a proud smile as she explained that in fact, she was the daughter of the church's original founder! When asked, she elaborated on the story, explaining that there had been few Christians in this little surfer town, when her father arrived with a vision and the support of a larger church in Panama City. He was bold with the gospel and desperately wanted to create a space where people could meet together to worship God.

Multiple people came to know Jesus, and the pastor began excitedly praying about the construction of a church building in the community. Well, did God have an answer or what?

Mami and I heard the rest of the story, told this time by the pastor's wife, during the farewell service to the mission team on Thursday night.

Following a powerful night of acapella worship songs (accompanied only by drum/tambourine and enthusiastic clapping and dancing) and the mission team members sharing their testimonies, the pastor's wife gathered the mission team members around her for a final good-bye.

 The pastor's wife told the team the story of the Santa Catalina Church. She spoke with the confidence and amazement of one who had been given a precious, undeserved gift, and one of the team members translated, trying to capture this incredible story:

"Two weeks before Dan Cotton came, the Lord gave me a dream. In the dream, I saw a beautiful, two-story house and two men I had never met. I heard the Lord say, 'This is my house.'

I woke up confused and wondering if the Lord wanted me to move or something. Just weeks later, one of the men from the dream drove into town and introduced himself as Dan Cotton. He was looking for the pastor of the church in town, and I said, "I know him! I'm his wife!"

I introduced Dan to my husband, and Dan explained that he wanted to partner missions teams from the United States with our Santa Catalina church to bless and encourage us with a new building. I couldn't believe what I was hearing! Then, I couldn't believe what I was seeing!

Dan began to unroll a blueprint of a two-story house that looked exactly like the house from my dream! "What do you think?" He motioned to the plans and laid out in detail what this partnership would mean and inquired as to what the local church wanted done.

I hadn't told my husband yet about my dream, but I pulled him aside in that moment and urged him to seize this opportunity. "This 'house' is the Lord's, and He will bless our friendship with these teams." My husband returned and shook hands with Dan, sealing the deal.

Ten years have passed since then, and as I stand looking at the transformation that this church building has undergone, I know that both of these men as well as every team that serves here has been sent for a purpose. To make this "dream" a reality and for God's name to be glorified in this town.

I have pictures of each of the mission teams lining my living room wall, and I remember our sweet interactions, how they loved the kids here, and how they gave their time and energy to help complete this church. Literally, this church has been a dream come true."

(Note: The other man from the dream, George, arrived shortly after, being hired as the head construction worker, and, later, another couple chose to move to Santa Catalina to continue ministry and outreach with the church.)

Today, the Santa Catalina church hosts weekly Sunday services and even events, including Wednesday night "movie night" for the youth. Their prayer is that the pews will be filled with sincere believers in Jesus, and they can grow together in knowing Him and proclaiming His name.

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The Mission Team from South Carolina and the Pastor's Wife and Daughter (center)

After hearing about the pastor's wife's dream, I realized what mattered. It wasn't the choice of paint color for the walls or the amount of bowls of steaming rice/lentils that were served or even the amount of kids that we could squeeze into the church pews on movie night. It wasn't the fact that the team had raised support or that they had traveled thousands of miles to get to Santa Catalina or that they had prepared Spanish worship songs to sing and testimonies to share.

What mattered was God's presence. End of story.

If God is not present in our acts of service, then they are meaningless. If God is not present in our plans, then they are futile. If God is not present in our lives, then they are without purpose and joy.

But thanks be to God! He IS present. He IS working. He IS our joy and our purpose and ALWAYS keeps His promises.

God was present in the pastor's family and in the lives of the two men he brought to the unrecognized, Santa Catalina, one of the"least of these" towns in Panama, so far from everything that groceries have to be bought in two month shifts. GOD brought these Christian brothers and sisters together from two different cultures to work out His purpose, and the partnership continues.

God's plan is like nothing we could ever comprehend, and it is an eye-opening privilege to catch glimpses of His promises fulfilled here on Earth. He is present. He is with you. He is HERE.

Listen and enjoy His presence with you today:
Tu Estas Aqui