It is already going to be February, which will mark 6 months on this wonderful experience. This past month has been a wonderful experience, which reminded me why God has given a path for each individual. For three weeks I had the pleasure of supervising two groups that had to do community service. I was accompanied by a wonderful teacher who teaches Spanish. After the three weeks, I accompanied a mission group from Trinity Wall Street based from New York.
Let me start off with the amazing experience I had supervising the two groups. I was a little nervous because I was going to be working with 12th graders, especially because I have only worked with 8th and 9th graders. I initially thought the two groups were not going to want to do anything — but I was proven wrong. We went off to the Fundacion hogar de ninas de la Capital. The girls home is an institution of the Episcopal Church in Panama, which offers a short or long term home for girls in at-risk situations. The home is responsible for the education, training, health, nutrition and spiritual guidance for the girls. We painted most of the place. I enjoyed helping out because it’s a wonderful program needed in Panama. It also needs help with funding, so being able to help out was a blessing. The home also reminded of me working for Good Sam. Good Sam will always be a part of me and it felt good hearing about the non-profit in Panama.
The teacher that was with me was a Spanish teacher and has worked with this community service site for about ten years. I was a little scared because my Spanish is not the best, but I can get by. The teacher only knows Spanish (most of the teachers at St. Christopher’s are bilingual). Well, I’m proud to say I had not one, but a lot of conversations with her and she said that my Spanish has been really good from the first day I got Panama. I also found out that she has a sister that lives in McAllen, TX. Here are some pictures on what we did.
After the three weeks, I was greeted by a group from Trinity Wall Street. They have had a partnership with Panama for about 5 years. I did not go with them for two days because I had a duty for the school but on Saturday and Sunday I was able to join them. On Saturday we went to a rural community that the Episcopal church has a presence in. It was the community of Tres Hermanas in Capira. The program from the Episcopal church is a agriculture project that helps the community to show how agriculture can help the family and the community. Below are some pictures.
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| It was in the middle of nowhere. |
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| They were talking about the program. |
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| We walked for about 20 min to get where they plant crops. |
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| One member for Trinity working to harvest. |
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| Surrounded by the forest. |
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| Walking back to the car. |
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| This was most of the group |
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| Panama and Trinity at the Bishops house. |
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| Panama Group |
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| Yes I helped. |
This month has been a great month and I am so blessed to have witness the community service that the children do and the relationship that the Anglican and Episcopal church has in the world. I want to leave you with a prayer that was given to me when I was taking an online class from Bishop Michael Curry from North Carolina. I believe this sums up what I pray for everyday. Thank you for reading and God Bless.
O God, let something happen to me,
something more than interesting or entertaining or thoughtful.
O God, let something essential happen to me, something awesome, something real.
Speak to my condition O Lord, and change me somewhere inside where it matters,
a change that will burn and tremble and heal, and explode me into tears
or laughter, or love that throbs or screams, or keeps a terrible cleansing silence,
and dares the dangerous deeds.
Let something happen in me which is my real self, O God.
(Ted Loder)
