Day 4 11-17-25

 This morning we saw this ship out the window-

How exciting! A SCIENCE ship - that alone was interesting for me as most ships do not carry "science", but then there was also the intrigue of the letters ICBM, which at least I usually associate with "inter-continental ballistic missile", which is not something I usually associate with at all...But in case there is any concern of nuclear arms floating around outside our hotel window, upon further investigation, that is not the case - this vessel (RV Sonne) is a German deep ocean research vessel. It is a former fishing vessel that became available for science in Dec 2014 and its mission is NOT to study inter-continental ballistic missiles, but rather oceanography, marine geology, marine and atmospheric chemistry, marine geophysics and meteorology. (ICBM stands for the Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment by the way)

We went downstairs for another delicious breakfast 

After breakfast, we gathered outside the breakfast room for devotions, but also observed this bird outside the window

Pastor led the devotion on his favorite Bible verse - Philippians 4:4 -

 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

We are able to rejoice in ALL circumstances because we have God's mercy (We are NOT getting what we deserve - death, hell and damnation), we ARE getting God's grace, which is what we don't deserve (forgiveness of sins, life and salvation), and where there is God's mercy and grace, there is true peace.

We then went down to load the bus (and greet Radisson, who still occupied his same chair outside the lobby). 

We were headed to Loma Cova, and so we left the hotel at 8, because the traffic across the Bridge of the Americas becomes two way at 8AM, but prior to 8AM it is one way (the way opposite to the way we wanted to go...)

As always, there were lots of ships on the water

As was to be expected, there was a lot more traffic heading into downtown than heading away from downtown, so we were definitely in a good traffic situation. The yet-to-be completed rail line will hopefully improve this congestion. 

After we crossed the bridge, we were in the Arraijan disrict of Panama (which means "at the right hand" because it was the last stop before going on the Army base. ) 

It took less than 20 min to get to Loma Cova. Entering the town, we saw the fruit stands,

and the houses with chickens in the yard, and laundry hung across porches and yards.

We arrived at God is Great Church

and gathered before unloading the bus.

Judy and I engaged in a photography dual. 

This is the house immediately to the right of the church where Pastor Demetrio Perez grew up (and his parents still live there).

This is Griselda's home, a short ways down the road from the church and to the right. 

The stairs leading up to the "Pastor's residence" were being cleaned (currently there is no Pastor. The pastors from the Lutheran Church of Panama take turns coming out so that there can be a service here once a month or so.)

Before long, Griselda and her mother came out of the church

and led us over to their house to show us the molas that Griselda's mother had made. The green sign by the door says (in Spanish): "hard candies and wafers are for sale"

looking down the street further beyond Griselda's house

Griselda's mom with Griselda's grandson (Ethan) 

We passed around the Molas and anyone who wanted could buy some. 

Afterwards, we went back to the church -

This is inside the sanctuary.

Look at the banner - they are celebrating the same theme as Our Redeemer - Alleluia! (with a distinctively Guna inspired artwork)

This is looking out the back, toward the rail line which will one day connect this community to Panama City.

This is looking out the back to the left, where there is house next to the church. 

If you look under the branch of the tree, you can see the new railway station (still under construction)

This is the back of the church (with the Lutheran Symbol on it), and the fellowship hall door over by Pastor and Cindy. "Pastor's residence" is 2nd floor. 

We got to work, setting everything up

The nursing station only took about 30 sec to set up so Cindy and I had a little extra time

Because I couldn't get my bandana/mola to tie properly, Griselda did it for me

Pastor did the Gospel presentation station in the sanctuary

where he talked about the meaning of the colors of the beads that we handed out to everyone who came to the clinic.

The clear bead by itself represents the holiness of God. 

The grey bead represents our sin.

The red bead represents Jesus blood when he died on the cross for us.

The white bead represents that are sins have been removed through Jesus death, and we are holy.

The blue bead represents the waters of our Baptism where God made us His own.

The green bead represents our growth as Christians, through reading the Bible and going to church.

The yellow bead represents the crown of life that is ours. 

After the Gospel presentation station is the nursing station - Cindy worked with Kathy as her interpreter. Kathy was adopted at 2 weeks of age. Her biological family is Kuna. Her adoptive father was American. Her adoptive mother was Kuna. Her adoptive father translated the New Testament into the Kuna language! Kathy herself served for many years as secretary of the Lutheran Church of Panama (in Balboa).

My interpreter was Tiffany. 

 I also met her 9 year old daughter, Sujhin. Sujhin likes to talk with everyone (even those of us who don't speak her language). She loves to draw and dance. She was super excited to receive a pair of glasses.

Next was the vision testing station.

Then the glasses distribution area

And finally, the cleaning and sunglasses area

Before long, it was time for lunch- chicken, green salad, coconut rice, and plantain, which Mauricio (Griselda's husband) prepared for us. It was excellent - just as I remember him cooking it last year when we were here...We ate in the "Pastor's residence".

Out on the balcony, we could look out over Loma Cova.

The only need for an umbrella was for sun protection, as there was no rain today!

Toward the end of the day, when there were not many people coming through anymore, Sujhin and I got to know each other more. When I found out she liked to draw I gave her my notebook as to use as a sketchpad. She sketched me, looking at me, then looking at the paper, then looking at me, then looking at the paper. It was like having a charicature done

She also drew Pastor Hartwig (left) and Denise (middle). I am on the right with my mola bandana and glasses. 

After that, we started training her to work the eye chart pointing station.

She tended to point in some unusual positions... (I don't think Dan or Laura would point in quite this way...)

On the way back, there was a bit of a traffic backup  going the other direction, but our direction had little traffic and we were able to cross the Bridge of the Americas before it closed to two way traffic. 

Crossing the bridge, we could see our hotel down below

Driving out on the Amador Causeway was beautiful

We stopped at Gelarti for some ice cream cones.

Then we walked to some tourist shops in the vicinity.

The sunset was amazing.

Next we boarded the bus 

and drove to Pencas Restaurant.

They have a pretty extensive menu - pizza, chicken, seafood/fish, nachos, etc.

After arriving back to the hotel, there was nothing to unload since we are returning to Loma Cava tomorrow. We gathered for devotions and his and lows in Pastor's room. There were lots of highs!

-Camilla, one of the teen age interpreters, had a grandmother who had waited throughout the day in the sanctuary but was not seen after about 3pm. Later, we found out that she had waited all day so that Camilla could serve as an interpreter, but around 3pm she had gone in her air conditioned car (Pastor was thinking about how he could join her there...)

-Many smiles on children's faces after getting that pair of glasses that enabled them to see clearly 

--Older gentleman who kissed Marilyn out of thankfulness

-Older gentleman who had a hard time understanding Tiffany (my interpreter) when she told him that he should look at my nose while I shine a light to look at his eyes. When he finally understood he laughed and said "si si" and then something that was interpreted like "I don't mind doing that. You are beautiful!."

-There was one person who either couldn't see anything or couldn't figure out how to do the hand signals. Eventually Myrl just asked him to say which pair of glasses is better or worse, and then it went smoothly.

-Similarly, Cynthia was struggling with getting another person to position their hands like the hand signals on the chart, so she pulled out a mola she had bought, then asked the woman to look at that and see which pair of glasses she prefers (which the woman was happy to do). 

-There was another person whom the team thought might be legally blind - no lenses seemed to help UNTIL they found these lenses (-27 prescription) which the woman thought improved her vision  such that she was able to see SOMETHING.

 

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.  

Colossians 3:1-3

 

Lord, set our hearts on things above, on things that really matter. Because this world cannot satisfy, but You can and do. Thank you for this day and for working among us at God is Great Lutheran Church and the community it serves. Be with everyone who received glasses today at the clinic, and may the message of Your Gospel grow among them. Amen.