Our time in Panama was split in two - the first few days in Gamboa, a beautiful, tranquil cul de sac little town on the Panama Canal with pastor Bill and the last few days in buzzing Panama City on the 15th floor of a hotel with the vibrant YWAM students.
Gamboa is situated in a lush green jungle, where sloths hang in trees and howler monkeys cry out loud from deep within the jungle. Here we had the great opportunity to do prison ministry and pray over a notorious political figure who was charged to life sentence in jail because of drug trafficking. After many years, he recently repented his actions on national TV. We trust that God will continue to change his heart.
We also visited the Wounaan indigenous tribe at their village in the jungle. Most of them are literally half my size! We had lots of fun when they did their traditional dances for us, while we sang and danced Jabulani Africa in return.
Pastor Bill initiated a treasure hunt (evangelizing) event one Sunday after church, where we handed out Spanish tracts in our bright neon coloured shirts. The people of Panama were surprisingly susceptible to the gospel in tract form. Pastor Bill gave some of us the opportunity to share our testimonies on the local radio to reach even more ears.
While going for prayer walks in the neighbourhood we got to interact and pray for some of the Smithsonian students who study the frogs, trees and butterflies in their natural habitat. The conversations with them were very significant as most students have a scientific belief system and chooses to leave God out of the equation.
We served YWAM in a very practical way by helping them move base, from 3 different houses to one hotel in a matter of 2 days. It was hard work, but it immediately made us feel part of the YWAM family. Hot showers and AC rooms with balconies, not to mention the international cuisine we were served, were much needed luxuries to our luxury deprived Global team.
Other YWAM projects we were involved in were a big church rubble sale and Bible distribution to houses in a suburb next to Panama City's garbage dump.
In Panama we were spoilt with a visit from Mike and Kalyn from Jeffreys Bay, who are like spiritual parents to the Global students. It was a time of refreshment as each of us had the chance to speak our hearts out and draw wisdom from this compassionate and caring couple.
During my sessions with Kalyn I had a lot of revelations on team unity, spiritual pride and sonship, but one thing that really struck me was this question:
"What does God think about me?"
How many of us can answer this fundamentally important question without feeling somewhat condemned or sinful?
But God says: "If anyone be in Christ he is a new creation, the old is gone, the new has come" (2 Cor 5:17) and "“Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life.”
(Isaiah 43:4).
The enemy loves to condemn and make us believe lies about ourselves, because he knows it paralyses us for the work of God's Kingdom.
But lets dare to rather believe everything GOD says about us and start proclaiming and living it. Then we will be able to really step out in power and authority and be unstoppable for His glory! Amen