UUMC Panamá Mission 2007

Children's Sunday at Jacu

This morning, Sunday, July 15, the Mission Team joined the folks at Jacu for worship and to celebrate Children's Sunday, an annual event which seems to coincide with our visits here.  Today the theme was "cowboys." (Last year it was Hawiian.) This is a rural area, so cowboys aren't just something one sees on television or in old movies.  The children all had bandanas and many wore cowboy hats and boots, some quite fancy.  Several groups sang songs, and the winner of the community oratory contest, who looked all of 6 years old, gave his speech.  (Despite my Spanish lessons this spring, I can't say that I could tell you what he said.) Nevertheless, we were entertained by song and dance, and even had to judge the contest for the best outfits for boys and girls!

The church is beautiful, with the new ceiling tiles from this year's team's work, and a lovely altar with a pulpit and lecturn.  John Varden gave the sermon, which was translated by our Panamanian friend, Dania. Will Morrow did a great job translating other parts of the service and reading the scripture, but I wouldn't use "great" to describe our group's rendition of a chant from the Taize community that we have been using in daily worship.  We vowed to practice more next year and choose something a little livlier.  But the Jacu community is always so welcoming to us and truly consider us their brothers and sisters.  Jan emphasized that we are here to work with them and that is one way that they are part of the larger Methodist community, not only in Chiriqui, but in all of Panama and in Chapel Hill and the US.

After the service, the congregation gathered for their version of "dinner on the ground," which, of course, consisted primarily of sancocho, the Panamanian national soup.  I've just about gotten used to eating this hot soup in the middle of the day when the temperature and humidity are in the 90's.  But we were treated to cones of orange sherbert, which, to me, was more appropriate for the weather.

We are all doing well.  We had a successful first week here both in the clinic and at the construction site.  The team is healthy and has bonded nicely.  We cherish your prayers and look forward to sharing our individual experiences with you when we return.

Hasta luego!
Anne

Name:
Email:
Subject:
Comment: *

Security Code:
 

Irene Gattis
Posts: 1

Thinking of you in Panama!
Reply #1 on : Mon July 16, 2007, 00:31:05

---

I love reading the reports given by the team. Sounds as if things are going very well. We had a nice day at church today too--Benjamin Kimball Ellis was baptized--and Carl's sermon was great!
When you can take the text of The Good Samaritan and give it a fresh perspective, I call that successful preaching. It's one of those stories we've heard so many times that you think, "Oh this one again. . ." But I have a new appreciation for that text.
Hello to Jan and all the rest. . .
Irene