november 2008 newsletter

… para que la gracia que está alcanzando a más y más personas haga abundar la acción de gracias para la gloria de Dios. 16 Por tanto, no nos desanimamos. Al contrario, aunque por fuera nos vamos desgastando, por dentro nos vamos renovando día tras día… Así que no nos fijamos en lo visible sino en lo invisible, ya que lo que se ve es pasajero, mientras que lo que no se ve es eterno. 2 Cor 4:13-18

…so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day… So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Cor 4:13-18

a note from James and Christel November 2008

AsChristelandIbeginoursecondfullmonthinPanama,wehavebegun to reflect about similarities and differencesbetweenPanamaandtheU.S.A.Lotsofthingsaresimilar,mostofthefoodandproductsthatweareaccustomedtointheUnitedStatesareavailablehere,andwiththeexceptionofafewitems(likebananas)thingstendtocostaboutthesameorabitmorethanathome. Ourwateriscleanfromthetap,andthere’sevenaT.G.I.FandBenniganshere!Ifitweren’tforthelackofwinter,wecouldalmostbetrickedintobelievingwewereathome. Earlierlastmonthwewenttothe village of Rio Rita, one of the first LutheranCongregationsinPanama,foraReformationfestival.Thereweretwobaptisms,communion,aguestpreacher,asoccertournament,aclothingsale,abiglunch,andlotsoffungames.ThefollowingweekIstayedhomefromourSpanishclasseswithdiarrhea,theworstboutofvomitinginmylife,andintensediscomfort.ThewaterIdrankatRioRitawasn’tclean.IhadcompletelyforgottenthatIwasinathirdworldcountry. TheaveragewageshereinPanamaarearound$21aday,thoughmanymakea$1.50orlessanhour.ComparethattotheaverageU.S.incomewhichisnearly5timesasmuch,andrememberthatpriceshereareforthemostparteitherequalorhigherthanathome,andyouwillbegintogetapictureofwhatpeoplehavehere. Seeingpeoplewithoutthematerialpossessionsthatwehavehelps

ustobethankfulforwhatwehaveintheUnitedStates,especiallyasweprepareforournationaldayofThanksgiving.Butwhatwearelearningtobetrulythankfulforiswhatwehaveincommon withourPanamanianbrothersandsisters:“thegracethatisreachingmoreandmorepeople”everyday!Ournewcitizenshipinthekingdomofheavenisfarmoreimportantthanourmaterialpossessions.Evenastheeconomyathomeisonadownwardslide,wedonotloseheart,forevenifoutwardlywearewastingaway,wearebeingrenewedinwardlydaybyday!Wehavesomuchtobethankfulfor! It’seasytogatheraroundabigtablewithaturkeyandbethankfulforwhatweseespreadbeforeus,butsomepeoplecanbarelyputfoodontheirtableeveryday.Thisdoesn’tmeanweshouldbeashamedofhavingmaterialpossessions,infactweshouldbeverythankful. But let us fix our eyes not on whatisseen,butonwhatisunseen.Forwhatisseenistemporary,butwhatisunseeniseternal!(2Cor.4:18)-JamesandChristel

Thanksgiving

Prayer Requests:Give thanks for the harvest in Panama!

Pray that we will eventually be fully funded.Pray that we will continue to learn Spanish.Pray that leaders will arise in the church.Give thanks for the reformation, and the

saving grace it revealed once again!Pray that we would continue to adjust

to being away from home and our families.

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