Volunteers reach Panama communities through service
More than 60 volunteers from Panama and the Kansas District, USA, worked together 27-29 July with Genesis missionaries in Panama City.
On the first day, the team worked alongside missionaries Keila Molina and Joselyn Garcia in the Carrasquilla community by painting, cleaning, repairing, and mowing at a local school, as well as providing anti-bullying training for the students.
The volunteers then split into groups to continue ministry amongst the community. One group delivered bags of food to local families in need. Another group worked at an evangelistic beauty salon where they shared the gospel while providing beauty services. A third group held a Vacation Bible School for children in the area. All three teams ended the day by sharing the JESUS film with local residents. That night, 17 people accepted Christ as their Savior.
On the second day, the team worked in the Los Libertadores community with missionaries Marleidy Sanchez and Ingrid Jochola. Together, along with 35 volunteers from the Interamerican University of Panama, they offered cleaning services for businesses in the area. The team also served in the beauty salon again, played soccer with youth in the community, and held another VBS. Later in the day, the team shared the JESUS film again, and this time 15 more people accepted Christ.
On the last day, the group met in the Rio Abajo Church of the Nazarene to worship for Sunday service where Kansas District Superintendent Jim Bond shared the message.
During the service, Panama Central District Superintendent Carlos de la Cruz presented a gift of recognition to the Slingerland family for their seven years of missionary work as they leave Panama to serve the global Church of the Nazarene in Kansas, USA.
After the service, the volunteer team went to the Juan Demosthenes community, where they cleaned, evangelized, and held a third VBS. During this time, nearly 30 more people accepted Christ as their Savior.
“We ask for your prayers for these Genesis sites, which are places that need the Lord,” said Joel Bermudez, Panama Central District Nazarene Youth International president. “We also ask for prayer for our four Genesis missionaries: Keila, Ingrid, Joselyn, and Marleidy. Pray that the Lord uses them and gives them great strength every day. We would like to thank all of the volunteers from Panama and Kansas for being instruments of the Lord.”