I took a little walk outside around the house, and I thought I would post a few pictures of what I saw! It is so amazing all the different little things out in nature here.  I am hoping to get up early one morning to take some pictures of birds.  Apparently, Panama has the most variety of birds.  :)

This is a papaya tree. 

Banana Trees

Otoy--Something like a yucca (I've never had it)

Ants...

...and more ants!

There are also two kids here that like to talk to me in Spanish!  They are brother and sister (10 & 8).  They have learned to talk to me slowly, and I can really understand them to!  I love talking in Spanish, and I talked to them for about a half hour last night, and some more today.  My Spanish is slowly getting better...

Here is a picture of Joanise:

I praise God so much for this opportunity to strengthen my language skills!  It isn't easy, and sometimes I wish I could just let it go, but I believe God has given me a talent I just need to strengthen.   I want to use this opportunity to learn Spanish better so I can use this for God's glory.

I prayed before I left and told God how much I wanted to learn to speak Spanish, and it's amazing, because He has brought people and different situations into my life that force me learn or speak a little more.  God cares about the little things that matter to us!

I shall leave with a little thought:

"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ."   Col. 3:23, 24

Week of Prayer

Later today I went with the Acostas to help them with the week of prayer for children at their church. Those kids are so cute!  They sing so enthusiastically!  I helped pass out the craft, where they had to make little caterpillars on clothespins using cotton balls.

I also have a new friend--Josúe.  He is ten years old, and determined to help me with my Spanish!  After the week of prayer, he and a couple of other kids came up to me and asked me (in Spanish) if I wanted to play hide-and-seek with them.  Of course, I said yes!  So, first they made me do the counting.  I had to count up to 20 in Spanish, then go and find them.   It was fun trying to communicate to them!

After the program, Mrs. Acosta and I were walking back home, and Josúe came with us.  He asked me a bunch of questions in Spanish, and I did my best to answer them.  A little later he told me that he can figure out what I am trying to say before I finish a sentence, so he is able to just finish it for me. :)   

We Have Arrived!

We have finally arrived at the Acosta's home!  It was a very long trip.  Our plane flight to Panama was 6 hours.  When we finally arrived, we had to go through customs, which was a interesting experience in of itself.  When it was finally my turn to talk to the customs agent, they would not speak to me in English (they knew English by the way)! Yikes! This was the time I really didn't want to practice my Spanish.  They were trying to get me to go back to a desk where I needed to fill out a piece of paper, and I couldn't understand.  It wasn't that funny then, but it makes me laugh now.  The only thing that made me feel good about that was their stubbornness--at least it was forcing me to try to figure out what they wanted from me. :)

After we got out of customs, someone picked us up and took us to the bus station, where we had an 8 hour ride to a town called David. Then we hopped on another bus for 1 1/2 hours until we were picked up by the Acostas.  The country is hot and humid, but it is so beautiful.  I haven't had much opportunity to take pictures yet, but I am hoping to soon.  We flew into Panama city when it was dark, so I couldn't see much of the countryside down there, but we were starting to get into the mountains when it got light.  So beautiful!!  Everything is a vibrant green, there are so many different kinds of trees and plants, and beautiful flowers.

We arrived at 8 this morning, and after a several hour nap, I feel quite rested and rejuvenated.

In Los Angeles!

We have finally arrived in LA!  It was a very early morning, starting at 2:15.  Our flight left from Sacramento at 6 this morning, and  Dad flew with us the first leg and made sure we got to the right terminal in LA for our international flight. And now, we are just waiting!  Our flight leaves at 10:30.

Thanks Dad for flying with us, and thanks Mom for fixing our lunches!

And, thank you to Stacey, Kelly, Brenna, and Michelle who got up so early to come and see us off!

Picture

Here I am with Stacey and Kelly, and Sandra and Danielle Acosta.  I am traveling with the Acosta sisters to Panama.  :)

Sabbath Blessings...

After a long week of studying, finishing up classes, and preparing to leave for Panama, it was such a blessing when Friday evening and Sabbath rolled around. 

But even greater were the blessings that I could help be a part of.  Friday evening just before Sabbath, a group of us students from the college went caroling.  We took with us wrapped Desire of Ages with invitations to our Christmas program the next night. 

It was such a blessing to sing for these people.   People were touched by the songs…some people cried, others were so appreciative that anyone would come and sing to them.

Yet even greater was the joy of seeing people that we invited to the Christmas program come! 

Now Sabbath is over, and a new week has started.  Only three more days till I leave—it is so hard to believe!   I just have a couple of finals to take, and some more packing, and then it will be time to go. :)

Upcoming Trip

I was standing in our living room.  We were talking about work for next summer, still far in the future, but yet a topic that seemed to keep coming up.  “I don’t know where I’m going to work yet…”  Than a thought popped into my head, and I said, “Maybe I’ll just go somewhere overseas this summer to learn Spanish, and do some student teaching.”  I was surprised to hear myself saying that.  I had no desire to even think of leaving home.  Home for me is the best place on earth.   But even more surprising was the answer I received from Mom. “Yes, that’s a possibility.”  

I actually liked the idea more and more as I thought about it. I started praying that God would open up some possibilities for me.  I have a friend who is from Panama, and I mentioned to her that I was interested in going somewhere to learn Spanish and to possibly teach.  She mentioned several places, but they didn’t seem to fit quite right with me.  I continued to pray about it, leaving it completely in God’s hands.   

The next week at school, my friend came up to me and pulled me aside.  She said, “This might be kind of sudden, but we are going home to Panama for Christmas.  Do you want to come with us?”  She said it so directly, I was completely shocked and speechless.   I had not expected anything like that to happen.  I told her I would talk to Mom and Dad, and I would get back to her. They were leaving in four weeks, so she needed to know by the end of that week. 

And so, after many prayers and discussion, I am finally booked to fly with Sandra and Danielle Acosta to Panama!  I will be leaving December 10 and coming back January 6.  I am so excited about this trip! I really believe that God opened the doors for me to go, and I can’t wait to see how He will use me in the next month. 

From what I know right now, I will be helping their family on their farm, doing some cooking schools, and helping out with church programs and projects.  And, the whole time I’m there, I will be learning Spanish!  Please continue to keep me in your prayers, as I finish up school here and prepare to leave.