August update

Well it has been a little while since I updated the blog, and we have a lot changes and events that have happened within the past weeks. Two weeks ago we have prayfully decided to return back to States. We have a close family member that is in need of our assistance. We will arrive back to Texas Monday September 13th. We fly out of Panama September 5th, but will be heading to Florida to catch the last US District Convention Sept 10-12. So we look forward to seeing our family and friends again. We will miss the close friendships with have established with all the friends in David, Boquete, but especially here in Volcan.

On Sunday August 22nd ...Volcan experienced a torrential rainstorm that dropped 10-12 inches within 1 hour. We were at a local restaurant enjoying hospitality with the Russell's, and returned home to find 5-6 inches of water throughout the whole house.  What a shocking event to see personal items floating through the house. I placed a few calls to some local brothers (Tom Blacker and Larry McMillian) and within 10 minutes they were here along with the Isaacs (Doug and Peggy) and the Langans (Steve and Adriana) assisting us getting items to higher ground and removing the water. What another fine example we experienced in the brotherhood of Jehovah's organization. Within 3 hours that night we had the water out of the house and dried up using brooms, squeeges, and a shop vac. The McMillans lovingly opened their house for us to stay with them for the next 2 nights. This was a treat to be them and have their loving support, not to mention Alice's delicious morning muffins, fruit shakes, and cookies :-). We spent the next 2 days drying items and washing clothes that were in the flood. Sadly some of the other brothers in the area experienced worse damage to their homes. Several roads in the area are in need of repair. 

Throughout the whole experience it has helped me appreciate that materials things don't last and can go in an instance. I was very proud of the children and how they handled the event. At first (and understandable) they were shocked and tears ran down. Stephanie and I spoke with them and told them these were material things and can be replaced but we still have each other.  Andrea Blacker later related to me how she was impressed how the children were stating "Oh these are just material things".  I am also thankful no one got hurt, and that this didn't happen in the middle of the night because the results could have been disastrous. Most of all it helped me appreciate Jehovah's organization and how the love that we have amoung each other as Jesus mentions in John 13:35 trully sets us apart.

Abigail went out in ministry with Ngobe Saturday

Abigail was invited by missionary couple to go out in service, and preach in Ngobe today. Ngobe is indiginous tribe which often are the workers on farms in this area. They live by very, very humble means (poor conditions), but the growth in this field has taken off in Panama. It was an encouraging experience for us all to her about her day out in the ministry and seeing her zeal to preach to the Ngobe. It was just announced that there will be having a Ngobe convention here in Volcan October and we will have the priviledge of supporting the lodging arrangments by opening our houses to the Ngobe families.