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Monday, December 10th
We spent the morning sharing testimony with Pastor Aris...He's a really special man! God is using him a lot to speak to us...This time has really been a time of mutual edification!!
We met with the teachers again today to discuss what went well, what they need to change and a few other areas of managing over 100 kids between the 5 of them during the opening assembly. They also wanted to record the songs that Chris and I had been teaching them. Their plan is to translate the songs to Kuna, so the need the tune to be able to work out the lyrics! We had to wait until the power came on that night, but we got together and all sang kids songs!! Afterwards, we hung out until the power went out!
(In the afternoon, I worked on translating some other handouts for the pastor.)
Tuesday, December 11th
As was becoming our custom, we spent the morning sharing with Pastor Aris. Then I began to prepare for the Women's Bible study and to finish up translating the handouts for Pastor Aris.
This afternoon, Pastor Aris took us to visit some folks from the church. Hna Blanca is an older lady who has attended church most of her life. In the recent years, she has lost her sight, so Pastor Aris and Hna Tita go to visit her. She can't go to church now because of her sickness. On one of the visits, they realized that Hna Blanca had never accepted Jesus as her personal Savior. So in her blindness, the Holy Spirit helped her see what she had been missing. She prayed to receive Jesus’ invitation to eternal life that very day. Now more than ever she wishes that she could go to church, but one day she's going to see the King of kings and celebrate all day every day!
Then we went to visit Lester's family (the guy who rode with us from Carti Mulatupu). The power came on early today, so we were watching the Bible on video...the book of Matthew. It was really good!
Finally, we went to Nariño's store...a brother from the church who had invited us to stop by. He lived in NY for a period of time with an exchange program through the 4-H club. He worked on a dairy and had really good memories of his time in our country.
Tonight, the women met together to study the Bible, but the young people came to church too. Apparently the youth come to church any time the doors are open, so Pastor Aris meets with them while the women meet together. I talked to the women about discipleship--the need for it and how they could begin.
Our big surprise today was that after church was over, Hno Aureliano came over. He wanted to share his testimony with us. When he was 16, he started smoking marijuana with his cousin. Aureliano had never seen marijuana, but his cousin lived in Panama City. He was visiting his family in Playón Chico, and taught Aureliano how to smoke marijuana. He was hooked.
When Aureliano was 20, the police found a lot of plastic containers floating in the ocean. They brought them back to the island to store until they could turn it in to their superiors. It was in the winter months, so they knew that some ship had lost part of its cargo--coffee, cigars, rum, and a white powder. Aureliano and several other young men were helping the police unload their boat and move the containers to the storage area. Some of the white powder spilled, and Aureliano tasted it. He told us that he thought something ate his tongue...it stung a lot. He had no idea what it was, but when his cousin came for vacation, Aureliano asked him. His cousin told him that it was cocaine and that they could sell it for a lot of money. So they broke into the storage shed to steal 2 kilos of it. They used it and sold it. Again Aureliano was hooked. So much so that for the next 30+ years if he didn't find the cocaine when he was diving, he would paddle in his canoe to Colombia...a week there and a week back. He got other friends involved. His oldest son was involved as he got older.
Then a young man named Olo became friends with his daughter, Arni. Olo went to church regularly, and he wanted his friend to know about Jesus too. He started praying for Arni to come to church too. Before long, she started attending church and she accepted Christ as her Savior. Her brother-in-law and sister were already Christians, so they started praying together for Aureliano. At the Friday night prayer meetings, the church as a whole started praying for Aureliano to realize his need for Jesus. Hno Aureliano lives near the church, so he could hear the singing. He hated it...he always tried to go out diving on the nights that there was service.
One night he didn't go out...he says that he doesn't know how he got there, but he ended up inside the church. AND at the end of the service, he went up to Pastor Aris and told him that he wanted to make his life right. That was a year ago...he and his wife will be baptized on the 20th of this month along with Cariel and a few others! Five of his 6 children have accepted Christ now (including their spouses and children). I mean, do we serve a huge God or what? This 55 year-old cocaine addict has been sober for an entire year...he has no desire to go back to his former life! The shouting and fighting that people always heard when they passed by this house is no more...in their place are peace and joy! Praise God!!
Wednesday, December 12th
We've felt a pretty special connection with Hno Aureliano and his family (especially Olo and Arni). Since they live in front of the church and we are staying behind the church, we have started hanging out a lot at their house too! So part of our time we are encouraging Hno Aureliano and family and the other part of our time we are sharing with Pastor Aris and Hna Tita. We've really fallen in love with Playón Chico!!
Whenever Hno Aureliano has a good catch in the night, he invites us over the next day to sample some of it...here are a few pictures!
This afternoon, we visited Hno Aureliano's oldest son, Audi...we hadn't met him yet, but we knew that he had a radical encounter with Jesus too! Yeika, his wife, accepted Christ first, and started praying for her husband...around the same time that Hno Aureliano accepted Christ. Audi saw the change in his father's house and realized that he needed that too. Audi and Yeika have 3 precious children--Yeidi, Andi, and Santi--and another one on the way. Audi makes his living diving (like his dad) and Andi can't wait to get started!!
Thursday, December 13th
Today we got a little more insight into Pastor Aris and Hna Tita...they are so authentic in their faith! We were talking about God's provision, and they said, "Yea, everything that we have eaten today someone gave us." (Pastor Aris has been spending a lot of his time with us--talking, studying, and visiting, so he hasn't been able to go out to look for food or wood or anything else most days. Yet God has provided daily!!) They began to share of times that they just barely had enough food for the family to eat, and someone would come to their house asking for food. It would be someone who was worse off, so they would give their food way. Hna Tita wouldn't eat and the rest of the family would eat less. If it was a time when they had food and someone came, they gave willingly. Hna Tita's explanation was this, "It's not our food; it's for whoever needs it." They've learned to share all that that they have. I saw the difference between giving from our excess and giving sacrificially today. I have a lot to learn!
They are always looking for ways to serve or how they can help someone else. Hna Tita is very involved in the community now. So if there is a need, she's aware of it. She knows who to go to and who to ask so that people are taken care of. Pastor Aris constantly points out places that stick out into the dirt paths so that we don't trip and places that Chris might hit his head just in time for Chris to duck.
One time Pastor Aris gave away some of his clothes to someone who was in need. Two weeks later, he received 2 new shirts and 2 new pair of pants from the missionaries from Mexico. They've seen God's provision! They are a really special couple!!
This afternoon, Pastor Aris took us to the Lobster and King Crab coop building so that we could see some of the catches.
Friday, December 14th
Today we hung out with Daileth, Hna Tita's niece. We talked to her awhile yesterday, and she prayed to accept Christ. So even though we knew what goats looked like, we walked with her over to the mainland to see the goats. When we were coming back, she asked if we could go to her mom's house to pray for her. Her mom has TB and all of Daileth's brothers and sisters had runny noses and were coughing as we walked in. We could feel the spiritual darkness as well...something isn't right there. (According to Hna Tita, Daileth's mom has accepted Christ.) We prayed with her and called out to our Father to free this family from the sickness that seems to be all around them. Please lift them up as well!
After we left there, Chris prayed over us for Jesus’ precious blood to protect us from anything that we might have come in contact with when we were in that house. I could literally feel the power of God touching my body! I know that we are going to be just fine!
Tonight at the prayer meeting, Olo shared the devotion...the verses he used are powerful...Job 22:27-28 "You will pray to Him, and He will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows. What you decide on will be done, and light will shine on your ways." Pretty important to think about this and remember this when we are calling out to God in prayer!!
Saturday, December 15th
Chris went with Pastor Aris today to look for wood to cook with while I washed clothes. They had a great time of fellowship together, and we have clean clothes again!!
Normally on Saturday nights, they have youth group, but last Saturday was Mother's Day, so they didn't have it. Tonight, however, we were able to get together with the youth. We played games with them and then watched a movie that deals with abortion. It was really powerful. Our prayer is for purity among the youth...sexual promiscuity is rampant in every society...we need God to heal and to restore relationships!
Sunday, December 16th HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOLLY!!
We observed the teachers again today...yet again we were amazed at how well they were applying what they learned! They did a wonderful job with their classes today!
The adult Sunday school lesson was about baptism. Pastor Aris wanted to make sure that everyone understood that baptism doesn't save you, but that it is a step of obedience. The baptisms are just around the corner...we are still wondering whether we are going to be here or not.
Today, I got to see the process for making chocolate! What a wonderful gift!! Pastor Aris's mom was toasting the cacao seeds while we were eating lunch. I asked if I could help her, and she was all too happy to let me learn! After the seeds were toasted, Nitzia and I took the shells off and then we ground them up...twice. Then she asked if we could grind some corn. I didn't think it would be that hard, so Nitzia showed me what to do, and I went to work. Oh my goodness...it was HARD work, and I have the blisters to prove it! It was fun to learn though!!
At church tonight, Zelibeth, Paguindili and I sang "O Come all Ye Faithful" in Kuna!! Pretty exciting...singing in a new language!! After church, we watched another movie with the teens. This time it was what can happen in a marriage without Christ. It was a harsh picture...that all too often is reality for many people. We continue to pray for the youth that they will seek God instead of looking for a boyfriend/girlfriend. If they seek Him, God reveals your spouse in His PERFECT time!
Well, we still aren't sure when we are leaving here...there have been absolutely NO open doors!! We do know that some missionaries from Mexico and from mainland Panama will be here on Wednesday....maybe God has something planned with that?! We'll have to see! Keep praying for us as we pray for you! We love you and miss you! God bless you and keep you close to His loving heart!
Other random tidbits from the Kuna Culture:
• When you go to someone's house to visit, they almost always offer you a cup of kool-aid or a cup of chocolate. They give it to the first person then when he finished they serve the next person--in the same cup, and then the next until everyone has had something to drink.
• If someone offers you food or drink and you refuse it, the person thinks that he/she has done something wrong and that you are mad at them. OR They are extremely offended.
• Washing dishes: cups--rinse it in the bucket of not so clean water, don't usually use soap, and hang it up to dry; dishes and spoons (there are no forks)--pour a little water into it, use your hand to get some of the food out, rinse...maybe use a scrubbing pad that's not clean with a little soap
• They sell fish in 3 languages...Kuna, Spanish, and English. Kids walk the streets saying "Ua tres dollars" (Fish three dollars) It pretty representative of this culture because it's a mix of the 3...Kuna and Spanish...that's obvious, but the American missionaries have also impacted this culture in a mighty way!
• It is very common (although we never see it in the US because they are considered rejects) to see 2 or 3 bananas stuck together. They just didn't divide into their own peel when they were growing. Well, their tradition, say that only grandparents can eat those bananas because otherwise the people who eat them will have twins or triplets! I had to smile!!!!
Monday, December 10th
We spent the morning sharing testimony with Pastor Aris...He's a really special man! God is using him a lot to speak to us...This time has really been a time of mutual edification!!
We met with the teachers again today to discuss what went well, what they need to change and a few other areas of managing over 100 kids between the 5 of them during the opening assembly. They also wanted to record the songs that Chris and I had been teaching them. Their plan is to translate the songs to Kuna, so the need the tune to be able to work out the lyrics! We had to wait until the power came on that night, but we got together and all sang kids songs!! Afterwards, we hung out until the power went out!
(In the afternoon, I worked on translating some other handouts for the pastor.)
Tuesday, December 11th
As was becoming our custom, we spent the morning sharing with Pastor Aris. Then I began to prepare for the Women's Bible study and to finish up translating the handouts for Pastor Aris.
This afternoon, Pastor Aris took us to visit some folks from the church. Hna Blanca is an older lady who has attended church most of her life. In the recent years, she has lost her sight, so Pastor Aris and Hna Tita go to visit her. She can't go to church now because of her sickness. On one of the visits, they realized that Hna Blanca had never accepted Jesus as her personal Savior. So in her blindness, the Holy Spirit helped her see what she had been missing. She prayed to receive Jesus’ invitation to eternal life that very day. Now more than ever she wishes that she could go to church, but one day she's going to see the King of kings and celebrate all day every day!
Then we went to visit Lester's family (the guy who rode with us from Carti Mulatupu). The power came on early today, so we were watching the Bible on video...the book of Matthew. It was really good!
Finally, we went to Nariño's store...a brother from the church who had invited us to stop by. He lived in NY for a period of time with an exchange program through the 4-H club. He worked on a dairy and had really good memories of his time in our country.
Tonight, the women met together to study the Bible, but the young people came to church too. Apparently the youth come to church any time the doors are open, so Pastor Aris meets with them while the women meet together. I talked to the women about discipleship--the need for it and how they could begin.
Our big surprise today was that after church was over, Hno Aureliano came over. He wanted to share his testimony with us. When he was 16, he started smoking marijuana with his cousin. Aureliano had never seen marijuana, but his cousin lived in Panama City. He was visiting his family in Playón Chico, and taught Aureliano how to smoke marijuana. He was hooked.
When Aureliano was 20, the police found a lot of plastic containers floating in the ocean. They brought them back to the island to store until they could turn it in to their superiors. It was in the winter months, so they knew that some ship had lost part of its cargo--coffee, cigars, rum, and a white powder. Aureliano and several other young men were helping the police unload their boat and move the containers to the storage area. Some of the white powder spilled, and Aureliano tasted it. He told us that he thought something ate his tongue...it stung a lot. He had no idea what it was, but when his cousin came for vacation, Aureliano asked him. His cousin told him that it was cocaine and that they could sell it for a lot of money. So they broke into the storage shed to steal 2 kilos of it. They used it and sold it. Again Aureliano was hooked. So much so that for the next 30+ years if he didn't find the cocaine when he was diving, he would paddle in his canoe to Colombia...a week there and a week back. He got other friends involved. His oldest son was involved as he got older.
Then a young man named Olo became friends with his daughter, Arni. Olo went to church regularly, and he wanted his friend to know about Jesus too. He started praying for Arni to come to church too. Before long, she started attending church and she accepted Christ as her Savior. Her brother-in-law and sister were already Christians, so they started praying together for Aureliano. At the Friday night prayer meetings, the church as a whole started praying for Aureliano to realize his need for Jesus. Hno Aureliano lives near the church, so he could hear the singing. He hated it...he always tried to go out diving on the nights that there was service.
One night he didn't go out...he says that he doesn't know how he got there, but he ended up inside the church. AND at the end of the service, he went up to Pastor Aris and told him that he wanted to make his life right. That was a year ago...he and his wife will be baptized on the 20th of this month along with Cariel and a few others! Five of his 6 children have accepted Christ now (including their spouses and children). I mean, do we serve a huge God or what? This 55 year-old cocaine addict has been sober for an entire year...he has no desire to go back to his former life! The shouting and fighting that people always heard when they passed by this house is no more...in their place are peace and joy! Praise God!!
Wednesday, December 12th
We've felt a pretty special connection with Hno Aureliano and his family (especially Olo and Arni). Since they live in front of the church and we are staying behind the church, we have started hanging out a lot at their house too! So part of our time we are encouraging Hno Aureliano and family and the other part of our time we are sharing with Pastor Aris and Hna Tita. We've really fallen in love with Playón Chico!!
Whenever Hno Aureliano has a good catch in the night, he invites us over the next day to sample some of it...here are a few pictures!
This afternoon, we visited Hno Aureliano's oldest son, Audi...we hadn't met him yet, but we knew that he had a radical encounter with Jesus too! Yeika, his wife, accepted Christ first, and started praying for her husband...around the same time that Hno Aureliano accepted Christ. Audi saw the change in his father's house and realized that he needed that too. Audi and Yeika have 3 precious children--Yeidi, Andi, and Santi--and another one on the way. Audi makes his living diving (like his dad) and Andi can't wait to get started!!
Thursday, December 13th
Today we got a little more insight into Pastor Aris and Hna Tita...they are so authentic in their faith! We were talking about God's provision, and they said, "Yea, everything that we have eaten today someone gave us." (Pastor Aris has been spending a lot of his time with us--talking, studying, and visiting, so he hasn't been able to go out to look for food or wood or anything else most days. Yet God has provided daily!!) They began to share of times that they just barely had enough food for the family to eat, and someone would come to their house asking for food. It would be someone who was worse off, so they would give their food way. Hna Tita wouldn't eat and the rest of the family would eat less. If it was a time when they had food and someone came, they gave willingly. Hna Tita's explanation was this, "It's not our food; it's for whoever needs it." They've learned to share all that that they have. I saw the difference between giving from our excess and giving sacrificially today. I have a lot to learn!
They are always looking for ways to serve or how they can help someone else. Hna Tita is very involved in the community now. So if there is a need, she's aware of it. She knows who to go to and who to ask so that people are taken care of. Pastor Aris constantly points out places that stick out into the dirt paths so that we don't trip and places that Chris might hit his head just in time for Chris to duck.
One time Pastor Aris gave away some of his clothes to someone who was in need. Two weeks later, he received 2 new shirts and 2 new pair of pants from the missionaries from Mexico. They've seen God's provision! They are a really special couple!!
This afternoon, Pastor Aris took us to the Lobster and King Crab coop building so that we could see some of the catches.
Friday, December 14th
Today we hung out with Daileth, Hna Tita's niece. We talked to her awhile yesterday, and she prayed to accept Christ. So even though we knew what goats looked like, we walked with her over to the mainland to see the goats. When we were coming back, she asked if we could go to her mom's house to pray for her. Her mom has TB and all of Daileth's brothers and sisters had runny noses and were coughing as we walked in. We could feel the spiritual darkness as well...something isn't right there. (According to Hna Tita, Daileth's mom has accepted Christ.) We prayed with her and called out to our Father to free this family from the sickness that seems to be all around them. Please lift them up as well!
After we left there, Chris prayed over us for Jesus’ precious blood to protect us from anything that we might have come in contact with when we were in that house. I could literally feel the power of God touching my body! I know that we are going to be just fine!
Tonight at the prayer meeting, Olo shared the devotion...the verses he used are powerful...Job 22:27-28 "You will pray to Him, and He will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows. What you decide on will be done, and light will shine on your ways." Pretty important to think about this and remember this when we are calling out to God in prayer!!
Saturday, December 15th
Chris went with Pastor Aris today to look for wood to cook with while I washed clothes. They had a great time of fellowship together, and we have clean clothes again!!
Normally on Saturday nights, they have youth group, but last Saturday was Mother's Day, so they didn't have it. Tonight, however, we were able to get together with the youth. We played games with them and then watched a movie that deals with abortion. It was really powerful. Our prayer is for purity among the youth...sexual promiscuity is rampant in every society...we need God to heal and to restore relationships!
Sunday, December 16th HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOLLY!!
We observed the teachers again today...yet again we were amazed at how well they were applying what they learned! They did a wonderful job with their classes today!
The adult Sunday school lesson was about baptism. Pastor Aris wanted to make sure that everyone understood that baptism doesn't save you, but that it is a step of obedience. The baptisms are just around the corner...we are still wondering whether we are going to be here or not.
Today, I got to see the process for making chocolate! What a wonderful gift!! Pastor Aris's mom was toasting the cacao seeds while we were eating lunch. I asked if I could help her, and she was all too happy to let me learn! After the seeds were toasted, Nitzia and I took the shells off and then we ground them up...twice. Then she asked if we could grind some corn. I didn't think it would be that hard, so Nitzia showed me what to do, and I went to work. Oh my goodness...it was HARD work, and I have the blisters to prove it! It was fun to learn though!!
At church tonight, Zelibeth, Paguindili and I sang "O Come all Ye Faithful" in Kuna!! Pretty exciting...singing in a new language!! After church, we watched another movie with the teens. This time it was what can happen in a marriage without Christ. It was a harsh picture...that all too often is reality for many people. We continue to pray for the youth that they will seek God instead of looking for a boyfriend/girlfriend. If they seek Him, God reveals your spouse in His PERFECT time!
Well, we still aren't sure when we are leaving here...there have been absolutely NO open doors!! We do know that some missionaries from Mexico and from mainland Panama will be here on Wednesday....maybe God has something planned with that?! We'll have to see! Keep praying for us as we pray for you! We love you and miss you! God bless you and keep you close to His loving heart!
Other random tidbits from the Kuna Culture:
• When you go to someone's house to visit, they almost always offer you a cup of kool-aid or a cup of chocolate. They give it to the first person then when he finished they serve the next person--in the same cup, and then the next until everyone has had something to drink.
• If someone offers you food or drink and you refuse it, the person thinks that he/she has done something wrong and that you are mad at them. OR They are extremely offended.
• Washing dishes: cups--rinse it in the bucket of not so clean water, don't usually use soap, and hang it up to dry; dishes and spoons (there are no forks)--pour a little water into it, use your hand to get some of the food out, rinse...maybe use a scrubbing pad that's not clean with a little soap
• They sell fish in 3 languages...Kuna, Spanish, and English. Kids walk the streets saying "Ua tres dollars" (Fish three dollars) It pretty representative of this culture because it's a mix of the 3...Kuna and Spanish...that's obvious, but the American missionaries have also impacted this culture in a mighty way!
• It is very common (although we never see it in the US because they are considered rejects) to see 2 or 3 bananas stuck together. They just didn't divide into their own peel when they were growing. Well, their tradition, say that only grandparents can eat those bananas because otherwise the people who eat them will have twins or triplets! I had to smile!!!!
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