Panama News

Chaz will be accompanying an Embera church delegation in order to give a linguist’s perspective on the alphabet issue. Some possible activities may include Bible teaching, literacy instruction, reading practice, all with the end of strengthening ties with the community. They don’t know if any activities are actually scheduled or exactly what format to expect. Please pray for the Lord’s guidance, safety and good health. Chaz seems to be starting a sinus infection (courtesy of his loving wife). Please also pray that they can be a strong encouragement to a single Panamanian missionary who is working out there alone in church planting.

They will be traveling tomorrow (Monday) to the area that is circled on the map above.

Chaz recently returned from a brief trip to Michigan for a Mortensen family reunion. Someone unearthed this and passed it on to him. We are starting to feel old as we contemplate this c. 1988 photo.  Are there many of you reading this who remember receiving this card?

On August 2, Chaz, Doug, Cornelio, Abundio and Wendy (a New Tribes Mission literacy specialist) went up the Chagres River to Parara Puru (see red arrow in map above), an Embera community with a high interest in reading. They spent the day conducting a “transition literacy” workshop. “Transition” means helping the people transfer their knowledge of reading in Spanish to reading in Embera. (more…)

Danny returned home safely from Peru last week, glad for the adventures he had and the opportunities for ministry. Soon we will post his report and more pictures.

The youth group flew into Guayaquil, Ecuador, then took an 11-hour bus ride to Mancora, Peru. See the upper left quadrant of the map.

Here’s an excerpt from our latest email update from Peru:

“They had another good day of ministry yesterday. Christian and Gerardo did a great job speaking, although Gerardo was a little sick. He is feeling better now. Today there were 55 kids. They were excited about that.

“This afternoon they continued with the youth and more kids showed up there too. They are doing a mini-Crossfire type program [Crossfire is the name of the youth group at our local church]. Danny and Lina shared their testimonies. Then our youth taught them two Crossfire songs and the local kids taught ours two of their songs…. Tonight Mark will teach on 1 Corinthians 10:31-33.

“Prayer requests:
Thursday Alejandro & Andrea will teach on love - sportsmanship and teamwork.
Mark is almost back to normal. Thanks for your prayers.
That God would speak through our kids and to our kids as they interact with the people in town.”