DAYRA 2, TULA AND GUABAL - BOCAS DEL TORO UPDATE

"Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law." Rom 13:8

THE PLACES

The team hit two places, one that was not in the plan but was in God's plan. The Lord used the weather to guide us to where He wanted us to go. Guabal was the headquarters where the team came to rest before hiking to the second village. We had sun, flood, river crossing, boat, you name it, but we were blessed. The team was conformed of 5 north eagles, 5 pana eagles, and about 20 Ngobe. Thank you for praying, as slowly God allows the returning to "normality", we appreciate His care for the field and His servants.

EVANGELISM

Hut to hut was done in Dayra 2 and Tula. Due to the rain, the team was able to visit homes in Guabal, which was a treat for it was not the original plan. Due to the short time the team had, a total of 12 homes were visited, spending time to share and try to develop a relationship with the villagers. The Ngobe leaders and guides were enthusiastic and eager to serve.

DISCIPLESHIP

Every morning getting together to read through the book of acts under the guidance of Pastor Keith was such a blessing for the local leadership. So much historical information hidden behind words, sentences, and stories that each team member was enriched in such a way that we kept sharing about it even after the time was up in order to go for breakfast.

WOMEN TIME: While the team was in Dayra 2, Cinthia and I stayed at Guabal to have some "Grace" time with the women of the church and guests. A total of 16 women attended the teaching on Grace, so appropriate to the Passover Season where we make remembrance of God's love manifested at the Cross, extending us His grace of forgiveness and reconciliation with Him, in Christ Jesus.

PRAISES AND PRAYER ITEMS:

PRAISES:

- All three areas were visited.

- God stopped the rain with enough time for the river to come down and for us to cross it to reach the village. (Tula)

- Juanita's family welcomed us in the area of Tula. At the moment is the only Christian family there.

- For the health and protection provided by God during the trip, even though we had floods. - Funds have been received to start changing the Guabal's temple roof. -

PRAYER ITEMS:

- Dayra's leadership team.

- Guabal's leadership team. These two areas need strengthening.

- God's kingdom is to be established in Tula through the Guabal leadership's visits.

- The need of workers for the actual and future fields is urgent. Lc 10:2

MORE PICTURES:

https://photos.google.com/u/2/album/AF1QipMFsjwRLzXkX5F_fU3aso8ylF74QP3klTXMxhla

2021 Annual Letter - Merry Christmas

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” Ephesians 1:3

Short Update…

This year little was done in in-person training or Church Planting Outreaches, but virtually, our Lord opened wide doors to equip leaders and churches.  

It has not been until October that the ministry has gone to the field to reopen the Bible Institute and do in-person Church Planting Training and receive a team from abroad. 

Together with on the field workers and with Leadership  Development Ministries, the Lord has allowed holding 44 Trainings where 236 leaders were trained or equipped with tools to influence their different sectors of work with the Gospel.  

From the different campaigns done, we can report that the MGPanama Team presented the Gospel to 709, from which 214 placed their faith in the Lord and 120 publicly were baptized. The follow-up is always a challenge, but the churches could follow up on 57 believers and continue to do so. Our prayer is that things will start to change for good this coming year, but if not, we will continue to do as the Lord opens doors.

On this occasion, we will like to share the Annual Report from some of the workers in the field.

Mateo Morales & Team: My name is Mateo Morales, and together with my family (Julia, my wife, Israel, and Sarah), we have served as missionaries in the Guabal area, Province of Bocas del Toro, since late 2013.  Read more… https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-WEXsd6tNxH-C_ASJXg1hKS4NnyqNaHl/view?usp=sharing 

Simon Abrego & Team: My name is Simon Abrego, and together with my family we serve in the mountains of Panama in the Chiriqui province.  We strongly believe that the most neglected people are. Read more...https://drive.google.com/file/d/1g_kD4D6KyPTE5LJsNpyDjN8QBE3McUfM/view?usp=sharing 

P. Enrique Javilla:  First of all, I want to greet you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and to express our gratitude for the constant prayers and love shown.  Read more… https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TuSF1oKC41X2LyfqYCDbRzAydSrNqt1M/view?usp=sharing 

All these reports and ours are included in the above. To read all the information and updates uploaded to the web, You can also visit our website at www.mgpanama.com. Once again, thank you for walking with us on this journey of love to which He has called us. Keep in touch, and we pray to see you next year.

P&B Schools - Bible Institute

Our hearts are filled with gratefulness for our Lord’s faithfulness with the Bible Institute in the mountains.  We were able to reopen and the students are eager to keep on with their studies.   With this reopening, the number of students went down to 21 due to several reasons, but mainly due to COVID.

Water Filters Project

This project is on pause at the moment.  New filter cases were taken to Manchuila to have things ready when the opportunity arises to reopen this project.  

Family:

Praise the Lord for His faithfulness this past year of 2020.  There are praises  we would love to share with you:

1- Teo and Ruth received their bundle of joy, Helena Esther, this past Sept the 4th, 2021, and Ruth has started a new job.

2-God opened doors for David and Cinthia’s 2020 annual support and praying for this coming year.

3-Our kids are about to finish their school year, they all did great but worry a little for next year schools will re-open again. 

4-Moises and Delia have been able to see that the company is doing well and most important God has been faithful in the finances and how He has used the company to support many families that work with them.

5-Talsy was finally finished her two years of service, now she is waiting for her papers as a “registered nurse” and applying to be transferred closer to home.

6-This 2021 has been a stretchy one personally but very gratifying spiritually, physically, and mentally.

There is no complaint at all because Jesus is in us and with Him things are different.  

Prayer Points …

1-For the teams coming in 2022. There are 3 CPC Teams, 1 Exploratory Trip, 3 Bible Institutes, and Leadership Seminars, as well as follow-up trips. 

2- We need to pray for translators for the teams, people of peace in the areas, and open hearts.

2-Moises Jr company, Elconix.

3-God's provision for 2022. (Spiritually, physically, and financially)

5-The water filter project, for God to reopen the project and use it to open doors in far-out villages.

6-Above all, wisdom from above, nothing can be done without it.

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Num 6:24-26. Thank you for going, praying and sharing your resources.

MGPanama Team and Us.

Bible Institute - Oct ‘21 - Update

Bible Institute - Oct ‘21

Our excitement to reach Cerro Miel and re-open the Bible Institute classes was overwhelming because to have fellowship with our brothers and sister with whom we had more than 1-1/2 years without seeing has no words. Who was going to be there? How many will attend? 

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In total, we had 15 students, and many were not able to make it. Two pastors went to be with the Lord due to COVID; others had other commitments and decided not to continue. We are grateful to those who were there to continue with the classes. On this occasion, with “Doctrine of the Holy Spirit.” My mother had the blessing of teaching together with the teachers that came from Costa Rica. 

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The subject brought up many questions, mainly on the baptism, fullness and speaking in other tongues, questions well answered by the teachers, student’s participation was outstanding; by being open on sharing, we could see that their desire to learn and grow in the Word. Our hearts are grateful that God’s grace is abundant and His love has no limits when He brought us together for such a time like this.  

On this occasion, the classes had to be given at Pastor Enrique’s place, for the school had a vaccination campaign, but we must say we are happy with the site. It accommodated the team. The kitchen was right there, so enabling the fast  distribution of meals.

Always grateful for your prayers and support enabling the work of equipping to continue.  God bless you.

In Him and until He comes back

David & Talsy 

Mission starts with you.    

May Newsletter - 2021

The work continues

The work in the area of Guabal, which covers Tula, Dayra, Monte Lirio, Venado, and beyond has continued amid this situation.

Mateo reports how they continue to follow up and study God's Word, helping them grow and multiply as the living 5th Gospel themselves.  

As you already know, Celina, Lazarus' wife, went to be with the Lord this past month, so your prayers on behalf of the family are highly appreciated.  

David keeps the periodic visits to the area to be a support, encouragement, and following up. Our brothers are praying for the teams to come back and help them reach out to new places.  

Please keep them in prayers as they go and serve in the different areas, living their homes and families for days.  

Donation to Women’s Jail

Even though we cannot enter the women’s jail due to COVID restrictions, we met with the new administrator, who thanked us for the donation taken to the institution. Our conversation was very encouraging, for she assured us that doors are open when conditions allow our going back.

The administrator informed us that most Christians we had before are out of jail due to good behavior, which brings us to starting a new group when doors open again.   We continue to pray for believers to remain strong and faithful while inside.

Virtual

The Lord continues to bless us because we continue to be part of the training and equipping of leaders virtually.

 Been able to participate in different functions is such a blessing. I have learned so much by serving ministries like Haggai Int’l and Faith Ablaze Int’l as technical coordinator and translator.MG Panama is also coordinating new training virtually, trusting that soon we may be able to meet personally again.

Trip to Manchuila:

It was a blessing to receive Pastor Enrique from the USA this past month. They were able to travel to Manchuila to plan how the team would serve from June 12-19. In the end, the team will arrive at Hacha, where half of the team will stay and serve there, and the other half will advance to Manchuila. Two purposes, 1-Strengthen Hacha by visiting and keeping the relationship and 2-Start a new work in Manchuila, in part, by using the Water Filter project. We need your prayers and will appreciate them.  

PRAYER ITEMS:

• Safety, protection, and wisdom in the coming trip to Hacha and Manchuila.

• As Pastor Heitor meets with new churches and pastors, that God’s grace be with him so we can keep on equipping.

• Of course, the situation with COVID has limited us from entirely going to the field, something that we miss so much.

• Teo and Ruth’s awaiting a baby girl should be due between the end of August and the beginning of Sept. Also, pray for new projects to come their way.

• As a family, to keep on growing in the knowledge of God’s grace and love as we navigate through these days.Thank you for accompanying us in this journey, knowing that we depend on His grace. Keep strong, keep safe.

AGENDA FOR JUNE:

• June 5 - David travels to Mateo’s place. Work meeting

• June 5 - Talsy’s virtual training with two ladies.

• June 12-19 - Mission trip to Hacha and Manchuila

• June 12 - P. Heitor’s meeting with new pastors for virtual NPL Training

• July - Possible trip to Pastor Enrique’s place.Talsy & David

Thank you for accompanying us in this journey, knowing that we depend on His grace. Keep strong, keep safe.

Talsy & David

July - Sept 2020 Report (from the field)

 September, 2020

 Hello my Brothers.

Is has been a while since the last news from the work down here. It's a blessing to write this good news, with new fruit.

I will go area by area. 

Simon

He is doing a very good job. I was there meeting with Him to see how the ministry can be of help and the next step of what to do.

Right now he and team, have already evangelized 8k children, his goal is 10k for this year. We believe he will complete the proposed goal. 

Due to the effective work he is doing the denomination with which he is partnering with, has opened a new division so the children's need can be met and Pastor Simon is leading this team of 4 teachers and 15 pastors that together will implement this new method of teaching children. This my friend in Jesus, is very good news because he is seen right now the fruits of his hard labor.

They are safe, this oldest son, Adoniran (nickname captain obedience) is helping them with everything, at some point the ministry helped in his education to be a teacher. Now he wants to be a pastor like his father.

My friends, this is amazing for us, to see how new fruit is growing and taking their place in God's world as warriors of Jesus. It is just amazing how God works and how He places every piece in His master plan.

Also, they make a face mask with the colors to evangelize people (see the picture in the link)

Yellow: heaven

Black: sin of men

Red: Jesus died for us

White: Jesus cleans from our sin

Green: grow up by reading the Bible and be His disciple.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-aDBuoAvRumwfMu1sMol1usuJeNmSh0-?usp=sharing

Bernabe:

He did a trip to Bongo which is 24 hours hiking for them, for us will be 2 days, from his home in Raton.

Bernabe reports that all in bongo are mama tata, but they are very open to hear the Good News of Jesus. He held a service where around 25 people showed up. They requested him to come more often, they also helped him carry everything he needed to be there The film equipment will be sent to him, so He can present the Jesus film in this place. This place they just heard about Jesus but no one has taught about our Savior.

Also, Bernabe has been in Hacha, a place where there is a church but no pastor. To start a Bible discipleship, there are around 15 people enrolled to take receive it, to be a future pastor in this area. Bernabe already finished with balsa this discipleship, where before wasn't a pastor and now they have one as a result of the discipleship program. We pray that the same may happen in Hacha, that God raises up a new leader for them, that can keep the good work growing.

When Bernabe was in Hacha a family accepted Jesus, I will share the testimony of it. There is a couple, the husband was a Christian but his wife was mama tata. His wife, always that her husband would bring a Bible she would reap it and burned it, beaches of this he went away from the Lord. Well, on this trip, Bernabe talked to the wife, who accepted Jesus, and then the husband reconciled with Jesus, now both are followers of Jesus. The name of the husband is Roberto.

Mateo:

The ministry has a project of building a new house of prayer in one place call Daira 2, where we have been working for some years now together with a partner church (Crossridge Church). A piece of land that has a more or less kind of building was donated, we do not have the pictures of the place yet, but it has a roof, and around 25 people have been meeting in this place for months now. Those that come for every meeting want a church building in that place, the youth ministry and the Pastor from Guabal (mother church) will take care of that place.

In these hard times, the work of Jesus has not stopped, the work to reach out to the loss continues. 

Please the only thing that our missionaries ask this time is to pray for health, so they can continue to take the good news in these dark areas.

Thank you so much for the prayers and support provided.  May our Lord keep you and guard you, may He make His face shine upon you.

Written by David Vega

Note:  If the Lord guides you to be part of MGPanama support team let us know, any donation made is tax deductible.