Panama Mission 2009

At some point on this journey, I was talking with Dave and recounting my current devotional readings, which happened to include The Acts of the Apostles:

Paul was on his fourth journey, this time to Rome, where he was to face trial. He had appealed to Ceasar regarding his teachings which were aborrant to the Pharisees and who accused him of treason. So he was sent to Rome and ultimately beheaded for his faith in Jesus Christ. But in the process, the ship he was on was blown off course and shipwrecked on the island of Malta. As predicted by Paul who received his insight from God in prayer, all aboard would survive the wreck.

(The photo to the right is Dave Johanson walking on the beach at Isle Bastimentos, north side.)

I think Daniel overheard me explain that I thought a lot about this journey in much the light of what Paul was doing. This was my personal fourth mission journey and the last of its kind I had decided. Especially as we were to depart to Bastimentos Island later in the week aboard a Panamanian national airline, this just reminded me of the whole story.

(This photo of Daniel Burnett was taken in the village Rio Hondo, up at the school.)

These overseas missions are easy for Lyndsey, who by 21 has been to Portugal, Peru, Costa Rica, and now Panama. I wish that I was as brave about travel. It's taken me years to get up the courage to go overseas.

(This photo was taken on the plane flight from Bocas Del Toro back to Panama City, Panama.)

So like Paul, I've reached the end to my life--at least as I've known it. I'm no longer in the youth of my life and still have the disadvantage (or the advantage depending on your point of view) of being single. I explained it to Andrew recently that these short-term 2-week trips for me had discipled me into a world-missionary--hopefully to do the real longer-term missions in the near future.

(Taken on our final evening in Rio Hondo. Andrew is relaxing in the home of our host family.)

I've come a long way since the first short term trip I made with Hinson Church to Nogales, Mexico, in 2005. I had to start off by being an intercessor for the team in 2004. But in 2005, I got to go. I took a personal break in 2006 to travel to Canada by myself--mostly to Banf and Lake Louise--but I made a committment to continue in these discipleship training mission trips. I'm pretty sure Linda likes this idea.

(This is Linda in the restarant at Bahia Honda, Isla Bastimentos.)

I related much of these accounts to Richard whom I also told of my interests in business-missions. The next mission I took after Mexico was to Colombia and Panama. I was nervous just to go to Mexico, but to go to Colombia for me made me extremely anxious. Now, I've been to Colombia for well over a week, and to Panama for a total of just over a month of time spread out over 2 years.

(The photo on the left is Richard standing next to the 'Ricardo' at the village Bastimentos, Isle Bastimentos.)