Gayton In the Mission Field

Hola, Gayton! 

We arrived in Panama to the warmest welcome you can imagine and were so grateful to be greeted at the airport by our friends late Saturday night. It has certainly felt like coming home. Sunday was full in the best way and set the tone for the week ahead.

We gathered for church and celebrated many joyful milestones all at once. Sydnee’s birthday, Katie’s graduation this year, an engagement and a new home for some of our Panamanian friends. We also had the honor of presenting the gift of Bibles to First Baptist of Pedregal. We heard a powerful word from the book of Joshua on sanctification and shared communion together. Afterward we were treated to fellowship with food and games. Watching everyone laugh and connect reminded us why community matters so much. Pastor Bryon jumped right in and had a great time with the young adults! 

We started the week strong with Vacation Bible School serving nearly 200 kids between both churches. Today’s lesson came from the book of Luke and focused on celebrating Jesus. The kids made palm leaves and learned about Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem. 

While VBS was happening Pastor Bryon spent the day on the construction site where the new church continues to rise one block at a time. Walls are going up with plans to build high enough for windows and eventually an enclosure so the space can be used for services and events. Everything is still very much under construction but the vision is underway and progress is being made.

We are blessed to be here with our Panamanian family and already feel so thankful for how the week has begun. We appreciate your prayers as we continue to serve, learn, and grow together and we hope you enjoy following along!

Panama Mission Team

Hi, Gayton! 

Each day of Vacation Bible School has been a success, with kids showing up eager, joyful, and ready to learn. Serving them day after day has been a reminder of why we came. God is moving in beautiful ways.

We celebrated Sydnee’s birthday together on Tuesday, which was a lot of fun! We learned about a Panamanian birthday cake tradition where the birthday person gets the center of the cake. 

Wednesday’s craft was a hit. The kids made shields to represent the armor of God’s love, and they took so much pride in their work. Watching them carefully decorate their shields and hearing them explain what the shield meant was powerful. It was a tangible reminder that God’s love protects them and goes with them wherever they are.

That evening, we gathered for prayer service and were encouraged by a message from Isaiah 43. A reminder that God goes before us, that we do not walk alone, and that we are known and called by name.

We also spent time reading in Acts 1, reflecting on Jesus’ promise that we would receive power through the Holy Spirit and be His witnesses. That truth felt especially meaningful as we served, reminding us that this work is not done in our own strength, but through the power God provides. Following prayer service, we had fellowship time over ice cream and shared many laughs. 

This week has been full, not just with activity, but with purpose. Long days, joyful noises, tired feet, and grateful hearts. We are thankful for every child served, every conversation shared, and every reminder that God is present in it all.

Please continue to keep us in your prayers. 

Panama Mission Team