Panama News

We’re having lots of rain here these days, most likely due to Wilma and aftermath. It always rains a lot in Panama, but the daily pattern has been very unusual, like pouring at 7:30 in the morning, or at 6:30 at night, almost unheard of to have rain at those hours. We have had a long stretch of no rain, also unusual, so this rain has been welcome, except when we have to drive through it! We’re thankful to be in Panama, which is always saved from the worst of the hurricanes, thanks to its geographic location.

Chaz has postponed his trip to eastern Panama for Scripture distribution. Our visas and temporary 3-month cards were delayed until Friday, the day he originally planned to go. Due to other scheduling difficulties, he is now looking at mid-November. Please pray for provision of funds for the flight and other costs, as well as decent weather and good health so both he and Maximiliano, and possibly Bienvenido, can all go.

Doug’s dad has taken a turn for the worse again, so Doug may move up his departure to as soon as possible. He had a power surge in his house on Saturday and lost several appliances, including the refrigerator, but not his computer. He’s trying to get all those repairs done, plus finish up Colossians. He reports he and Abundio have only another page or so to go, and it’s been going well. Please pray that they can finish it and he can get things all done so he can leave to see his dad. He appreciates your prayers very much.

“End of the Spear” has won the grand prize at the Heartland Film Festival! It is scheduled for theatrical release in January 2006. Read about it here:

http://www.heartlandfilmfestival.org/2005/

See new link at right for the movie’s official website.

Last Sunday, October 16th, Doug and I held a seminar about Bible translation at an Embera church close to Panama City. This church has not always given their full support to our work but they were the ones who asked us to give this seminar.

We talked about how words in Spanish and Embera can have more than one meaning and that it is important to understand which meaning of a word is to be translated from the original language to the receptor language. We also talked about the purposes of different kinds of translations in Spanish and how they can all be helpful in putting together the Embera translation.

We discussed the involvement of the Embera churches in the translation project and that everyone interested can have a role in producing a better translation, from those who make the rough draft to those who read improved drafts and provide their comments. We informed the church about the schedule we are on and how they can help us stay on it. And we told them that the door continues to be open for their involvement.

The person who has probably been the slowest to embrace the translation project is the pastor of this church. However, at the meeting on Sunday he participated as much as anyone. He even asked for a copy of the revised edition of Genesis that we had recently finished. It was encouraging to see that 12 of the 15 copies we brought were taken up without our pushing the issue!

The newest official report:

“NTM’s Venezuelan leaders on national TV

CARACAS, Venezuela: NTM leaders in Venezuela received a favorable response to various media opportunities yesterday in Caracas.

A morning radio interview with Marcos Brito, an NTM Venezuelan leader, went extremely well. Marcos expressed our mission’s purpose for ministry among tribal people, and our disappointment at the recent turn of events.

Marcos, along with missionary Tim Fyock, later met with a council of evangelical church leaders in Caracas and received enthusiastic support. The church leaders view this not only as an affront to New Tribes Mission, but also as an attack on the evangelical churches and on religious freedom in Venezuela.

Marcos and Tim were also interviewed on GloboVision, the leading TV network in Venezuela. The interview, seen nationwide, responded to the accusations made against New Tribes Missions and was also well received.

Because of the high public level in which accusations were made against NTM, it is culturally appropriate to refute those accusations in a public way lest silence indicate that those accusations are valid. NTM will continue to use the public airways to address the accusations, promote our service to the Venezuelan people, and appeal for a reversal of the President’s intentions.

As yet President Chavez has not signed the pronouncement that would order the eviction of NTM from Venezuela, and NTM has received no communication from the Venezuelan government.

Hope remains that this situation can be resolved.”

Our partner Doug’s father is deteriorating rapidly. Doug expects him to die soon and would like to be able to go back home to see him and help with all the arrangements. Please pray for wisdom for him in deciding when to leave. He is busy working on Philippians with Abundio and they are having a lot of difficulties with it.

Our partner in the Northern Embera translation project, Doug Schermerhorn, is a member of New Tribes Mission in Panama. New Tribes has also worked for many years in Venezuela and is now facing a crisis.

Here is the official statement:

“13 October 2005
CARACAS, Venezuela: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced yesterday during a nationally televised speech that NTM missionaries would be expelled from the country. He did not indicate a specific time, but did say it would be done in an orderly manner.

“NTM is aware of the statement made by President Chavez and the implications his comments will have to our organization. We would welcome any opportunity to address the President’s concerns and help him better understand our organization and the work of New Tribes Mission in Venezuela.

“The primary concern is for the indigenous people of Venezuela whom our missionaries serve. In addition to religious teaching, our missionaries also minister in areas of humanitarian assistance, community development and literacy.

“We have the highest regard and respect for the people, laws and country of Venezuela. We hope that President Chavez will reconsider his decision and allow us an opportunity to clarify misunderstandings and misinformation that exists regarding the work of New Tribes Mission in Venezuela. New Tribes Mission is not and has never been connected in any way with any government agencies. Our goal is to serve indigenous people.

“We are confident that President Chavez wants the best for the people of Venezuela. New Tribes Mission considers it a privilege to have served the indigenous people of Venezuela for the past 59 years. We deeply desire to be able to continue serving them.

“Please pray that NTM’s leaders in Venezuela will have wisdom as they pursue further dialogue concerning this matter. And pray that our missionaries will know God’s peace in the situation.”

For more news, go to NTM’s official website: http://www.ntm.org/

Remember we told you Chaz would be going to Colombia in November? Well, that trip has been postponed until probably January, due to scheduling problems. That means he will also miss the New Testament dedication for the Epena people. We hope to get a report and pictures from it, though, and will share those with you.

One thing Chaz had hoped to accomplish in Colombia was to distribute some portions of the translated Scriptures. God has provided a way for that to happen anyway. Last week some former Colombia colleagues were here in Panama for meetings. They live in Quito, Ecuador, but travel regularly to Colombia for translation and literacy projects. They will be in Colombia for the Epena NT dedication, so they took some Scripture portions Chaz had, Genesis and Exodus, and will deliver them! We’re excited that finally some Scripture will be getting to Emberas in Colombia. Now we pray that it will make its way to some of our old friends, like Roberto and William.

While in the US trees are changing color in the annual beauty pageant, here in Panama it’s just green, green and more green, with splashes of color from flowers and beautiful shades of blue, green and brown in the various bodies of water. Our weather alternates between hot and sticky sunshine to warm and sticky clouds to varying degrees of rainfall. We continue to appreciate our apartment’s central air-conditioning.

Good news from Kirsten in Ann Arbor: she now has a job! She interviewed on Monday with a faculty member doing research on effects of iron deficiency in infants. Kirsten was hired that same day and started work already. She is sorting through video data and can go in on her own time. She and we are relieved that her hard work paid off and that now she can get good work experience in the medical field and earn her work-study financial aid at the same time. She continues to adjust to various stresses that come with college life, but is hanging in there. She has found an on-campus church she enjoys and hopes to join a small group from the church that meets in her part of campus. Next weekend she’ll spend some time in Kalamazoo with her Aunt Barbara and Uncle Patrick and Mutti, Helga’s grandmother. When we talked with Kirsten earlier today she was enjoying the UM-Minnesota football game, from the warmth of a friend’s room.

Danny is happy to finally have his bike back. It had been awaiting a new tire and other minor repairs for awhile now. One of his favorite activities is riding it to and from friends’ houses - often in the rain. He’s keeping busy with schoolwork and the student council, as well as a photography class once a week. Our digital camera is getting lots of workouts these days. He is looking forward to the youth group weekend retreat in a couple weeks. Laura has started gymnastics and is enjoying it very much, learning new skills and routines, especially perserverence. She continues in Brownies Girl Scouts as well as regular 3rd grade activities. Both she and Danny will be helping in their respective class booths at the school’s Fall Fun Fair this Friday. Chaz and Helga keep busy with kids’ lives and Bible studies and regular exercise, not to mention all the usual activities of life. Our temporary visas will be up next week, so we hope that our one-year ones will arrive on time. In the meantime, we are healthy and doing well and we thank God for His blessings.