Sunday Oct 1.
Our day started with orientation about the work being done here by the UP team. We had the privilege this morning to worship with our brothers and sisters in Christ here at a local church. What a blessing to worship along side brothers and sisters we have never met before, that we don’t speak the same language. The love of Christ has no bounds!
After the service, we went to an area of the city called Don Boscoe. One of the church planters that Tim and Tina have been working with wanted help reaching this area. We did a block type party in the community park. We had everything from a bouncy house to popcorn and cotton candy. Ken B. placed hundreds of tattoos on children. Rick J. sang and played for the crowd. There were bubbles and games going. Anything to draw in the people of the community and draw it did. We had a great turn out. One of the big hits of the afternoon was a photo station. Gary M., myself, and our translator, William, had the privilege of running this station. We would take a digital picture of the family or children or some times a group of friends. We would then print out the picture and put it in a foam picture frame for them to decorate. What a hit! We don’t think of pictures as that big of a thing. We have pictures of family all over our house. We have albums of hundreds of pictures. We have thousands of pictures on computers, phones and Ipads. But, they don’t! Ken had the chance to talk with a teenage girl, while he was putting on a tattoo for her. He asked her if she ever had a picture of herself? She had not! That is just unthinkable for us! What started as a simple task for me (to print out pictures as fast as I could) changed. I started not just seeing pictures, but started seeing faces and smiles and the people behind those smiles. Everyone God loves, everyone He sent His son to die for. How can printing pictures and popping popcorn, or putting on tattoos get people the Gospel that everyone needs? These things are just “candy in a storefront.” They are just things to draw people in so they can hear the Gospel. While we were running the booths, the local outreach team was talking with people, sharing the Gospel with people, praying with the hurting.
Praise the Lord, as far as we know, three people were saved, and there were a couple of people considering opening their homes for Bible studies.
Monday Oct 2.
This morning it was back to the community of Don Boscoe. We divided into three groups and headed out on foot. Walking the community prayer “pray walking.” While prayer walking we try to cover the neighbor with prayer. For example, if we see children toys in the yard, pray for the children that they would hear the Gospel. If we see mounds of beer cans, pray for the stronghold of alcohol to be broken down. When we see city vehicles, pray for the government to help and not hinder the Gospel being spread.
This afternoon we split into two groups; one went back to the park and played and ministered to the children as they get out of school. The other group went to be an encouragement to our younger brother in the Lord, Noah. He had a basketball game, we went and hooped and hollered for our favorite player #24! Go Noah!
This evening we held a dinner and praise service for a group that meets with Tim and Tina in their home every Monday night. The goal was for this group to invite others people they know to grow this small group. What would be normally about 15 people tonight was over 50! Praise the Lord; He is working here in Panama.
Posted by Steve Ratzlaff
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