“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you ask the Father in my name, He may give you.”—Jesus’ words in John 15:16.
At long last, travel restrictions have lifted enough that it made sense for Jon to return to Central America. The goal was to look in on projects Your Kingdom Purpose Ministries had previously funded and to check out other opportunities to serve ministries in Panama and Costa Rica.
As he had done on some previous trips, he took the time to journal his trip, which began in Panama in mid-May. If interested, that journal is posted here.
Halfway House Project still in planning stages
A project that we are considering helping with is supporting a sort of “halfway house” for prisoners being released in Panama. We believe that our ministry will be able to support the efforts of Pastor Luis Altamirano as he ministers to just-released men in hopes of winning them to Jesus and creating a better path for them as they begin their new life of freedom. Jon was able to meet with Pastor Luis and his people, and we continue to explore an affordable way to help with this worthwhile effort.
El Chorillo neighborhood, Panama, Playground Project
This trip was Jon's first opportunity to meet Pastor Ismael Diaz and his wife, Yorleni. This project has been underway for some time, with setbacks from the pandemic and some land development hiccups slowing down progress. In fact, this project began with the work of two pastors working together, but one of them was taken by COVID-19. The primary building part of the project is complete, with a kitchen and meeting area (in the background below) added on to the apartment building adjacent to the playground area to be developed.
The playground itself, adjacent to the building you see pictured above, needs a significant amount of fill before it can be leveled and have playground equipment installed. As we have profiled before, the area of apartment buildings where these pastors serve is in the impoverished area of Panama City, called El Chorrillo. Our network of pastors there work together to spread the Gospel, particularly to young families, in these challenged neighborhoods.
Tent needed for new church plant in suburban Panama City
The area around Panama City is changing rapidly, as the government is spending vast amounts of money to relocate people from city to country and vice versa. They’re building new housing, highways, and railway lines in an area southwest of the city.
Some members of Pastora Dalia Viveros’ church, whom we’ve worked with for three years, are planning to plant a church in one of these growing areas. Virtually no churches exist in this region called La Nueva Esperanza de Arraiján. To facilitate this new church, we will purchase and install a new tent, of the same type and size YKPM has previously supplied to ministries in Central America. We always include seating and other amenities, such as a sound system to give these brothers and sisters in the Lord a running start. With God behind the efforts, it is hoped that someday the church will grow to a point where a bricks and mortar facility will be the group’s next step.
Another church at the city dump
Four years ago, one project YKPM tackled was to help a pastor in Nicaragua add classrooms and bathrooms to his church located at the city dump near Managua. Now, we have that same opportunity to do something similar for a church in the vicinity of the landfill that handles 2,300 tons per day of refuse from Panama City.
La Esperanza de Guna Nega is a community of homes and families who make their living by recycling and repurposing trash at the landfill located nearby. On this trip we had the opportunity to meet Pastor Alejandro Perez and several members of his congregation.
The church community's hopes for modifications are simple: They would like to add on to one end of the building so there is adequate room for Sunday school for kids. Plus, they wish to create a small kitchen area where church functions can be accommodated. Carpet needs to be replaced inside the building. And they need a water tank. Most, if not all, work will be done by church members, so the expenses incurred will primarily be materials for the project.
Pastor Roberto Vazquez and family in new home
On Jon's previous trip to Panama, he met Pastor Roberto, his wife, Marina, and their eight kids. Shortly after he was there, a hurricane wiped out their home, which was makeshift at best anyway. Your Kingdom Purpose Ministries sent funds to help them build a new home on a permanent foundation in a location not far from their previous one. It brought Jon immense joy to see the family relocated, happy, and healthy. The Vazquez family are of the Guna indigenous tribe living in a growing area 30 miles outside Panama City, an area called El Progresso de Chorrera.
Wheelchair Drive meets Christmas for orphaned children
This year will be third for our ministry to take on the challenge of collecting wheelchairs, walkers, and other medical equipment to support the ministry of Pastor John Sullivan in Zihuatanejo, Mexico. Our goal currently is for 50 wheelchairs. We have had tremendous assistance this time, with friends and family pitching in to help acquire the chairs, etc. As of this writing we are 80% there.
Another element of this joint effort is to provide fun-filled backpacks for kids that Pastor John’s ministry serves in orphanages and villages nearby. Melva and her mom, Bonnie, are busy assembling the backpacks now, which will make their way south of the border well in time for Christmas. Last year, 110 backpacks were put together. This year, the numbers will approach 200 as we are adding backpacks for seniors in nursing homes who otherwise might be ignored during the holidays.
And the pastors have requested Spanish Bibles. Lots of them. Study Bibles, children’s Bibles, large print Bibles—you name it. We are honored to be God’s servants to help deliver these to our ministry partners in Mexico.
You are invited to join our efforts
Thanks to your prayers and financial support, we see God’s Word being spread further south of the border to our neighbors in Central America and Mexico.—Jon & Melva Rand
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