Stranger to Friend

So this month we have been in Panama. We started in Panama City where we stayed at a hostal just tucked away from the main strip of commotion and traffic. We stayed there 3 days in total. We’d seen the Lord’s hand there by highlighting someone at the Hostal that we were able to minister to. From there we took the public bus. We got on this big two story bus where we were all sitting together and started our 8 hour bus ride to the city of David. 

We arrived in David after the long ride. The Lord had called us to David but we weren’t there to stay long. We get off the bus and grab our things. There to meet us was some people from the YWAM base ( youth with a mission.) We all packed into the small van and off we went for another 45 minutes higher up in the mountains where it was cooler. We got there and met so many nice people and we were able to pour into one another as a team. We worshipped, prayed, ate, and had fun all together. We got to meet new people at YWAM, and make new friends. It was a really sweet experience. The temperature, the weather, and everything about it was so amazing. 

On a Monday while we were at YWAM we decided to go into David (Remember the Lord is calling us here to do ministry.) We walked 20 minutes to the closest bus stop and we got on this small public bus where I stood the most of the time because there wasn’t room to sit and it even became so full there wasn’t took to stand. Nevertheless, we made it to David wondering where we should get off. Yet we just rode the bus to the bus station in David. We get off the bus and the team asks what are we doing. We decided on a grocery store. We are walking down the street to the store. As we are walking to the store, this guy drives up to us and asks where we are from, in Spanish of course. We say Estados Unidos which means United States. He pulls the car over just ahead of us. 

He gets out of the car and his girl friend does as well. He introduced himself, his name is Edwin. He starts to ask us a few questions. We proceed to tell him how we are missionaries and some of the places we have been. Then he tells us how he is a retired US vet and he was an intel officer. He proceeds to tell us about some of his time spent in the Middle East, he talked about his kids, and the Panamanian culture. He also talked about the goodness of God. We start talking about how God has protected him and guided him through so many things. Edwin is a fellow believer. He has been a Christian for a while. We talk about other things but they had to get going. We exchange contact information. He tells before he leaves that he would love to spend the day with us. He wanted to take us out to eat, buy us hotel rooms, and just spend time with us. This is our first experience in David and the Lord set up this divine appointment.

So today is Saturday, June 18th. I am sitting in the hotel room after the day with Edwin is finished. 

He came and picked us up at the bus station here in Boquete. He was so excited to see us. We put our bags in the van and we drive to this really nice hotel that’s right beside this rushing river that sounds so beautiful. We go in and out our bags in the storage room so we can have room in the van and have our stuff at the hotel when check in time came around. We go and pick up the rest of the team. He drives up the mountains where we get to this small touristy village. There is coffee plants on both sides of the road as we go up. He took us out to a place on the hillside in a town called Boquete, Panama. It had a really beautiful view. We sit down he orders us all hot chocolates and the conversations began. 

He talks about one thing he does in the morning to pray. He asks us what we thought about it. We got to share our favorite part of the prayer and scripture we heard. He asked us about Covid and we talked about Covid and how it affected us. We talked about how we have seen God move in each of our lives. He was so encouraged to see young people who dropped everything to follow God. He proceeded to tell us more about his story and how important It is that young people be taught properly. He talked about how his generation missed it with the young people because they weren’t present at home. Now young people are confused and parents aren’t role models any more. He said we can still change things. We can break the generational curses and he just dropped so much wisdom. He talked about how important God was in the home. He  speaks 10 different languages because of his time in service. 

As we are sitting there this woman named Sarah walks in. She sits down opens her computer and starts doing some work. She is a local Panamanian woman. As she is sitting there she hears us speaking English and some of our God conversations. She stops a member on our team named Ericka and talks to her. She proceeds to tell her how she prayed this morning to meet people. That’s exactly what happened she got to meet a bunch of believers and we were able to share some with her and pray with her. She also gave us contacts in David. Tonight we are going to be sleeping in David no matter what, but at the time, yesterday, our AirBnB fell through. She gave us contacts and said talk to these people they should have somewhere for us to go. And we said our goodbyes and left with Edwin. He then dropped us at the hotel where we checked in and got to look around the town. We were going to meet him at 6:30 for dinner. 

We then went to dinner where conversations continued. We got to know more and more about Edwin and his woman. We ate some good food and just had an all out good time. We had great conversations and was able to encourage one another. He really just poured into us as we poured into him. Edwin is an amazing guy. It was such an honor to get to spend time with Him. He bought us lunch, dinner, and each of us our own bed in a nice hotel. He encouraged us and we encouraged him. Edwin is really such a generous and amazing guy. The Lord really loves to show up and just show out. The Lord set up divine appointment after divine appointment. I know that won’t be the last time we meet Edwin. He goes to the city of David on the regular and that is where we will reside for the rest of our time in Panama. The Lord is just so amazing.

I ask that you pray about our time in David. At the table while having dinner with Edwin, Cici received a text from a pastor back home that said “call me”. So Cici politely left the table and gave her a call. When Cici called the pastor she told Cici that she had been praying for her and our team. The pastor proceeded to tell us the reason we still wasn’t in David was all in Gods plan. We meet Edwin because witches were preparing for us in David. They were expecting our arrival. God wanted to delay that because we did not know yet what we are waking into. So we are walking into a place of heavy dark spirits.  With witchcraft and sorcery and evil of every kind. 

I ask that you pray for us. Pray that we find a place to sleep. Pray for protection and strength. I love you guys and thank you so much for all you do!