Driving to CCA

Today it finally stopped raining, so I took my iPhone along and filmed my drive to school.
Come along for the ride :)

La Primera Semana en Panamá (First Week In Panama!)

In church yesterday, the message centered on Matthew 7:12, treating others like you would want them to treat you. Simple, right? Not so, as illustrated by Pastor Gunn's aptly written letters in which we were made aware of how often we tend to overlook or ignore certain people in our daily encounters. It was a very powerful message, but one "letter" echoed my experience perfectly.

"Hi, my name is ____. I am completely new to Panama. I'll be teaching at Crossroads Christian Academy in the fall. I am excited to be here but I'm also feeling a little overwhelmed since I don't know how to get anywhere and haven't met many people yet. If I could just take a minute of your time, I'd like to let you know how much I would appreciate your welcome and your prayer as I begin my time in Panama."

After I heard this, I couldn't believe the pastor had described my situation exactly! I leaned over to the person next to me, and said excitedly, "Soy yo! That's me!"

As of 7:30p tonight, I will have been in Panama an entire week. It's been an exciting, full, and busy week, but little by little I find myself discovering what daily life looks like in Panama City.

Here are some questions you may be wondering:

 Why did you go so early? Why are you in Panama?

School at Crossroads Christian Academy(CCA) does not begin until August 9th, but I decided to come down early for two main reasons: 1) to keep up with learning and practicing Spanish, and 2) to get settled and become familiar with the area and community before the preoccupations and responsibilities of school arrive. In addition to teaching middle school social studies (6th-Ancient World History, 7th-Medieval Modern History, 8th-Geography), I will also be the middle school coordinator, which essentially means I'll have an administrative role when it comes to discipline, advocating for students, and being a resource for other teachers. I am especially looking forward to what this role means as far as facilitating collaboration among the middle school teachers and parents, and with regard to planning community service/outreach opportunities.

Being at the school early, not only allows me to become acquainted with school staff, but also informs vision planning for the year. I even had the opportunity this week to connect with the M.S. Principal of International School Panama!

What are you doing this summer and where are you living?
I am volunteering in the CCA school office from 9a-2p every weekday. This past week I did several inventory tasks and now I know the school building inside and out. I was also trained to fill in for one of their secretaries while she is on vacation.

Currently, I am apartment/car-sitting for teachers while they're stateside, which has been an incredible blessing as I navigate my way around and have a safe place to come "home" to. The school owns apartments in an area called, Clayton, Ciudad de Saber (City of Knowledge), located only a 10-minute drive (sin trafico o la lluvia) from the school.

Clayton is a former U.S. army base, but after the Panama Canal was turned over to the Panamanians, the government converted the area into "a center of knowledge, entrepreneurship and innovation. Weapons were exchanged for technological development, battalion flags for banners of international organizations working for peace, troop barracks for classrooms." (Clayton website)

How are you adjusting?

Well. It's been a busy week; I've met some wonderful people and am starting to get to know my way around.

Some highlights/accomplishments:

• Figuring out how to open the front gate (yay, I can finally leave the apartment!)
• Driving to/from school without getting lost on my 2nd day.
• Exploring all of Clayton and realizing it's a huge circle. :)
• Discovering an area of Clayton called, La Plaza: a street of restaurants, a travel agency, a mini-super (market)/smoothie place, a hair salon, and my favorite, a Starbucks-impersonating coffee shop (Duran) where I love to sit and try to decipher the Spanish, keeping in step with the up-tempo of Panamanian conversation.
• Meeting a friend in church and heading to the mall together, only to meet up with the "young professionals" church group in the mall food court.
• Learning the mall has a Christian bookstore. Yes!
• Finding my way into Albrook Mall and out into the right parking lot. (It's the largest, covered mall in all of Central America. So you can imagine what the parking lot is like! Fortunately there are larger-than-life sized animals guarding each entrance, to help you remember where you parked.)
• Visited the Chinese market (fresh fruit and vegetables!), Rey Supermarket, and found two gas stations
• Entertained two very active kids for the weekend while their parents went on a retreat (this included making music videos, doing scavenger hunts, and creating stories on the iPad--fun!)
• Dinner with amazing families from the school
• Speaking TONS of Spanish everyday..slowly but surely :)

 

Funny story from the week:

As I was waiting for my friend to finish paying at the checkout register at Costo, I stood next to a rack of umbrellas contemplating. Hmm..should I buy an umbrella? I already have one in the apartment, but maybe I should get one for the car, just in case. Panama has very sudden, torrential downpours, that as the Panamanians say "La lluvia no avisa" (the rain doesn't announce itself). With that said, I reasoned myself out of buying an umbrella, since I already had one at home, and I'd be fine.

Just as soon as my foot touched the store exit, BOOM! The whole mall rattled and shook with the fury of the thunder and de repente I heard the heavy pounding of tropical rain on the roof above. I whipped right around, walked back into the store, and bought an umbrella. Perfect timing.

Prayer requests:

• Safety (driving, living on my own, etc.)
• Patience with myself and that I'll make good friends to practice Spanish with (I feel that I am almost starting back at square one, because Panamanian Spanish varies drastically from Costa Rica's Spanish. I am working on fine-tuning my ears and trying to imitate what I hear.)
• Wisdom in planning and the right mind-set as I prepare for the new school year
• That God would provide great teachers (there are still some crucial positions that need filling..pronto!)
• For the CCA staff--that God would grant them a refreshing and rejuvenating summer
• For the CCA students and their families, that ultimately they would come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior and learn more what it means to live for Him.

 

*Pictures and possibly a movie to come!

Thanks for your prayers as I begin this new adventure!!

After 70 years

Some things never change. Algo nunca ha cambiado. Happy 70 year anniversary ILE! Copy, paste into browser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMpNNywxqaE&sns=em

Preview to Panama

My heart soared as I caught a glimpse of Panama City out my airplane window. The towering skyscrapers contrasted with the little pueblos interspersed among dense bamboo jungle, mountainous countryside, and islands surrounded by marine blue ocean. This was going to be my new home.

Friday
Kicking off the week, my parents and I met up with a Panamanian family that my grandparents had shared Christ with and discipled during their missionary days in Latin America. Now this couple is grandparents and their whole family is following the Lord. When I met their youngest grandchildren, 8 year old triplets actually, I practiced my Spanish with some basic questions: que le gusta hacer? What do you like to do? one of the triplets smiled wide as she told me, "I like to dance for Jesus." me gusta bailar para Jesus.

It took all my willpower not to tear up as I reflected on Gods faithfulness and seeing the fruits of the seed of the gospel my grandparents had planted in Panama many years before. Not to mention this little girl was a miracle herself. The third triplet born, she came into this world with all of her major organs outside her body, barely hanging on to life. Yet, glory be to God, through surgery and many days of hospital care, her life was saved. Today, she is a radiant, joyful 8 year old who loves to tell stories and dance for Jesus.

Saturday
My parents and I spent relaxing on a beach/pool resort that a very generous friend had lent us for a day. It was a wonderful time to debrief and spend time together. A great mini-vacation for my hardworking parents who rarely get a breather from their busy jobs. We met up with our Panamanian family friends at their beautiful, self-constructed beach home. We laughed over stories of how they built the pool first, then the house, how the Abuelo of the family invented the paper straw in his backyard, and at the amazing way the triplets could switch between Spanish, English, and Mandarin Chinese, which they've been learning in school since they were in kindergarten. 

We became like family as we gathered around the table for delicious coconut rice, chicken, and pork, which the Abuela promised she'd teach me to make, and spoke in the wonderful rhythms of Spanish. In that moment, I was so grateful for my four months in language school. I could not only understand what they were talking about but also be an active participant in the conversation! I'm looking forward to spending more time with this family once I move to Panama!

Sunday
We attended church at Crossroads, the church associated with the school, which has a bilingual service and a huge emphasis on missions. Afterwards, we had lunch at Albrook Mall, which was just a tad overwhelming. The mall was huge: full of brightly colored shops, 2 carousels, three food courts, and many families in line for the new movie premiere. Through this mall experience, I realized that aside from specific teaching supplies and clothes, my packing should be light. Everything is available in Panama City. And there's no sales tax, since most everything in the stores pass through the Canal!

Later, we rented bikes and rode down the Causeway. Basically, the Causeway is made up of all the land they dug up forming the Canal, and they laid it in one long strip connecting the islands to the mainland. Now the Causeway has a road paralleling a sidewalk path, lined with benches and small palm trees. Looking out over the sparkling waters on either side of the Causeway was absolutely stunning. We even had the chance to see a cruise ship coming out one end of the canal!

Monday was a national holiday with no school, so I spent another day with my parents exploring, reestablishing old connections and making new ones. We had the greatest privilege to serve alongside Traci and Marco with Palabra de Vida (Word of Life) camp, and I can't tell you what a powerful experience it was to look out at the large crowd of families and church groups in attendance as they heard the Gospel loud and clear. Pray, for the fields are ripe and ready for harvest. (Jn. 4:35)

After our time at the camp, we drove around to some little towns in the hills, explored artisan markets, and hiked along a few jungle trails.

Tuesday-Thursday were spent at the school, getting incredible insight into exactly what my position next year of middle school social studies teacher and middle school coordinator will entail and observing in classrooms. I was greatly encouraged through meeting the current teaching staff and immediately felt welcomed into the CCA family. Staying the nights with teachers helped me more realistically picture what my transition into Panama would look like, and it was incredible to hear their stories of how God had brought them there and already what they had seen God do in their students' lives.

 A special moment for me happened during senior chapel on Thursday. I love any chance I get to see a graduating class of a school where I'll be teaching. It gives me a long-term perspective and allows me to see what the school and students value. Through a creative slide show, I saw the strong bond amidst this class of students. Most had been together since primary school and they hung out all the time, even outside of school events. Classmates and especially teachers had come and gone through the years, but they were able to appreciate and reflect on those times and how it had changed them. 

One senior girl shared a bit of her testimony and you could tell God had captured her heart. To her, the relationship with Jesus was real. More than knowing the Christian lingo or knowing how to behave politely in church or making moral choices because it's "the right thing to do." Jesus was the ever-present comforter, the one to turn to in times of trouble, the only one in whom we can find our true identity and purpose.

Gaining a further glimpse into Gods faithfulness, I was honored with the invitation to attend the Palabra de Vida (Word of Life) 20 year anniversary celebration. What started as a simple idea: “Wouldn't it be great if Panama had a Word of Life camp?” grew into a property purchase, the construction of camp cabins, facilities and a pool, and once in operation, branched off into other local ministries where these newly discipled students could put action to their faith and be the hands and feet of Jesus. I sat at a table with people who were part of this amazing legacy as we listened to testimony after testimony about the influence of this camp in young lives. I can’t wait to see how God’s going to continue to use Palabra de Vida in the next 20 years and am excited about the possibility of volunteering time with them in the future.

Through this full but rich week of my Panama preview, I came away with four main realizations: 1) God has prepared me to go. This new position at the school fits my personality and skill set exactly, and I know He’ll give me just the wisdom I need to do the job well. 2) He’s provided the way to go and a loving community that’s already established at CCA. 3) He has built my understanding of His people and given me the gift of language to understand and listen to their deepest needs. 4) God is faithful and hears our prayers. He blesses when we obey, and He is mighty to save.

Matthew 17:20

Jesus said to them, “….For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, 

you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’and it will move, 

and nothing will be impossible for you.”

This is the incredible assurance we have in Jesus Christ. So, as I pray for Panama, my future students, and others I will come in contact with during my next two years there, I carry this song and this promise:

“Savior he can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save, he is mighty to save
Forever, author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave. Jesus conquered the grave.” 

(Hillsong: Click to Listen)

When “we give our lives to follow everything we believe in and surrender” our lives and daily will to Christ, He will move mountains, even making Himself known through “impossible” situations. 

Have faith.

Despedirse (Spanish Version)

No tengo suficiente palabras para expresar mi gracias a todos que eran parte de mi experiencia en Costa Rica. Gracias por me enseñaron.

Los 4 meses ha sido llena de oportunidades de aprender y conocer muchas personas asombrosas. No solo he aprendido mucho espanol, sino que tambien he aprendido las lecciones en humildad, paciencia, y valor. Gloria a Dios.

 

Ahora sé las situaciones cuando estoy siento en clase y no puedo hacer los ejercicios solo o pronunciar las palabras correctamente. 

Ahora sé lo que es tenido 5-6 otras personas alrededor de mi, reindonos, y tranquilizamos otro a otro que todo iba a ser bien. Tarde o temprano vamos a aprender espanol.

Ahora sé lo que es sientado como finalmente he aprendido pero el proximo minuto alguien me corrijo. 

Ahora sé lo que es necesitando comunicar con un extrano en el supermercado y hablando alrededor del subjecto hasta el/ella se dio cuenta que estoy tratando de decir.

Ahora sé lo que es esperando para el bus, cuando tenia ni las minima idea cuando iba a llegar. 

Ahora sé lo que es escuchando a fuegos artificiales en la noche, para no proposito.

Ahora sé lo que es el sentamiento del corazon cuando estaba levantando en el borde mismo de una plataforma 200-300 metres arriba, y mirara abajo, listo para saltar. 

Ahora sé lo que es el recordamiento que Dios es poderoso y nos tiene en la palma de la mano.

 

 Ahora sé lo que es la iglesia me dio la bienvenida con los brazos abiertos (literalmente), aunque no puedo comunicar bien todo el tiempo. 

Ahora sé lo que es la experiencia de llevar a cabo las manos y de la oracion en un coro ferviente para alguien. Ahora sé lo que es permitir que mi música se una a el suyo. Un sonido bonito. 

 

Ahora sé lo que es me enamorado con una cultura y un lenguaje. 

Sé lo que es despegando en un avion y llorando porque no queria salir. 

 

Pero la direccion de Dios es claro.

Y la obedencia a El va a empezar con un paso.

 

 

Saying Goodbye (English version)

English version (again, not everything exactly translates, so additions were made):

Words aren't enough for me to express my gratitude to all who were a part of experience in Costa Rica! Thank you for teaching me.

The past four months have been full of opportunities to learn and get to know some awesome people. Not only have I learned a lot of Spanish, I have also learned lessons in humility, patience, and courage. Glory to God!

NOW:

I know what it's like to be sitting in class and not being able to complete the exercises on my own or pronounce the words correctly. 

I know what it's like having 5-6 other people around me, being able to laugh at ourselves and each other and comfort one another that everything's gonna be okay. Sooner or later, we WILL learn Spanish.

I know what it's like feeling like I have finally mastered an aspect of the Spanish language, and the next minute someone corrects me. Realizing perfect practice makes perfect but mistakes are completely natural.

I know what it's like needing to communicate with a complete stranger in the supermarket and talking around the topic until he/she realizes what I am trying to say.

I know what it's like waiting for the bus, when you don't have the slightest idea when it's going to arrive. Or what it's like to fly along the highway in a taxi cab, racing the bus in order to beat it to its next stop and climb aboard.

I know what it's like to hear fireworks going off late at night, for no apparent reason.

I know what it's like in my heart when you're standing on the edge of a zipline platform, 200-300 meters in the air, looking down and ready to jump.

I know the reassurance of a hand squeeze reminding me God is control. He has us in the palm of His hand.

I know what it's like being welcomed by a church with open arms (literally!), even though I don't always have the words. 

I know what it's like holding hands in a circle and praying in a fervent chorus for someone. 

I know what it's like to allow my music to join theirs. A sweet aroma of praise.

I know what it's like to sing "Jesus loves the little children" while standing in the back of a crowded room of ESL students. Their mouths trying to imitate the foreign words, as they read the Spanish translation and wonder who Jesus is.

I know what it's like to see the joy in someone's eyes who has finally understood what the word "grace" means.

I know what it's like to fall in love with a culture and a language. 

I know what it's like taking off in an airplane and brushing away tears

because the last thing I wanted was to leave. 

I am beginning to know 

what it means

to obey God's next direction

Which always starts with a step

Something Beautiful

Tonight, I went to the weekly prayer service of my local church. It was only 12 of us, so I didn't feel so intimidated sharing prayer requests and reading scripture aloud in the small setting. But, when I was asked to lead the group in prayer for a woman whose husband left her, I could scarcely form the words. Yet, as I began a shaky prayer, "Dios...Estamos orando por esa mujer." (God, we are praying for this woman.), a beautiful thing happened.

Other people in the circle began praying aloud, and their words finished where mine trailed off. It was like an orchestra, where the violin has the pick up notes and the entire orchestra joins in the next measure, escalating, crescendoing into an overlap of melodies that fit together to make heart-melting music. It was marvelous. And I wanted to hold that moment forever.

That moment where I felt so incompetent, but God answered. He surrounded me with His people to whom He had given the words and, hearing their petitions for this woman, I eventually paused my own prayer and just listened, echoing their words in my heart and saying "Si, Senor. Gracias Dios." (Yes Lord, Thank you God.) We held hands, uniting in our petition, and I listened as the prayers ebbed and flowed, and, after awhile, slowly waned until people were repeating one after the other, "en el nombre de Cristo" (in the name of Jesus). Not missing a beat, nor waiting for an awkward silence, another launched into his prayer, playing the next pick up notes, and the resounding chorus began again.

It reminded me of this passage:

Romans 8:26-27
²⁶ In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. ²⁷ And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

My whole life I've wrestled with prayer. How to pray? What words to say? I know God cares more about your heart than the words you say, and that prayer is simply talking with God. But to know that God loves us so much even to give us Christ as our intercessor, standing at the right hand of God pleading for us. Which in itself is powerful. Then, He's also given us the Holy Spirit to express praises and petitions we don't have the words for or sometimes don't even realize are on our prayer list until God prods that part of our soul. So what is stopping us from praying?

In my phonics class, we start every session with prayer. With us, gringos praying, that is. Our first prayers went something like this: "Gracias Dios por ese dia. Gracias por esa clase. Ayudanos para aprender mas espanol. Amen." It was difficult, because I felt I couldn't express the real desires and gratitude on my heart. I knew God understood; He knows our thoughts and requests even before we open our mouths. (which is very reassuring and somewhat alarming sometimes).
Even so, I found myself being even more careful in prayer, selective of what words I used and hoping they made sense.

Then, I led a study on prayer for the women's bible study at school, and through it, realized prayer is more about enjoying that fellowship with God and listening to Him. And intercession is a tremendous gift. Intercession is uniting with others in acknowledging we can enter into God's presence only through the blood of Jesus Christ, and God uses this time to conform our desires to His, to teach us oneness through pleading on behalf of the other.

Here are two long quotes that I love. May you be inspired as you pray:

"Why does God need our prayers? If He knows what is best for someone, why doesn't He just do it without involving us? That's the other dimension of the oneness Jesus prayed for. He came not only to make us one with God, but to call us into oneness with each other. The reconciliation He died and rose to provide, and returned to impart, is both vertical and horizontal; it is with God and between us and others. That's why intercessory prayer is so crucial. The Lord wants us to be to one another what He has been to us in love, forgiveness, and unlimited concern. The mystery of it all is that often He will not bless another until we pray. When we do pray, His love flows through us to the other person." --Lloyd John Ogilvie (pastor/author)

"WHAT IS PRAYER?

Prayer is the soul's sincere desire
Unuttered or expressed
The motion of a hidden fire
That trembles in the breast

Prayer is the burden of a sigh
The falling of a tear
The upward gleaming of an eye
When none but God is near.

Prayer is the simplest form of speech
That infant lips can try;
Prayer, the sublimest strains that reach
The Majesty on high:

Prayer is the Christian's vital breath,
The Christian's native air,
His watch-word at the gates of death,
He enters heaven by prayer.

Prayer is the contrite sinner's voice,
Returning from his ways,
While angels in their songs rejoice,
And say, Behold he prays!

The saints in prayer appear as one,
In word, in deed, in mind,
When with the Father and the Son
Their fellowship they find.

Nor prayer is made on earth alone:
The Holy Spirit pleads;
And Jesus, on th' eternal throne,
For sinners intercedes.

'O Thou, by whom we come to God!
The Life, the Truth, the Way,
The path of prayer thyself hast trod,
Lord, teach us how to pray!'"

(James Montgomery, 1818, poet/hymn writer)