2:00 pm - My plane landed in Panama, and it is so beautiful: lush, tropical landscape, there are lots of mountains all around, and the ocean is just off in the distance. Just a few of the native plants include banana, coconut, sugar cane, mango, papaya, cashew, plantain, and all kinds of colorful flowers.  Ships are lined up to pass through the Canal, which can take up to two days.  It's sunny and 90 degrees outside, but doesn't feel bad at all - this must be God!  I joined everyone on the bus ride to the hotel in downtown Panama City.  There are about a hundred of us from all across America.  As I look out the hotel window from my eighth floor room, I am surrounded by countless other hotels and casinos, and just off to the left is a beautiful old cathedral, which is such a contrast to all the modern high-rises.

7:00 pm - Meeting in the conference room with all the other Operation Christmas Child volunteers and staff.  I am assigned to the White Team.  We each receive an itinerary.  Then, we are shown a skit done by our young interpreters and told to pay close attention because we will all be performing this same skit at each of our distribution sites - yikes!  It doesn't seem to be terribly difficult, but the narration is in spanish, which makes sense because that is what will be spoken on site, but right now it is a bit confusing.  We all pull together and do our best, and trust that the good Lord will bless our efforts.  We also practiced singing a couple of praise songs in spanish and truly worshiped our God and Savior.

Words of encouragement during devotions:  "We have to be careful not to think God can work only in the way we expect (or demand).  Do not put God in a box.  Do not be so concerned with setting boundaries, but with building bridges.  To be jealous about what God is doing elsewhere is insane!  Toss out that box and be open to allow God to help you see with new eyes.  Have an open heart and eyes, and be used by Him."

First Distribution Site - Rio Congo

Rio Congo is a very rural and poor area about 30 minutes outside of Panama City.  We took the bus out to the site and had barely come to a stop when we were greeted by the pastor.  She encouraged us to please come out to the children as quickly as possible because they had gathered at 9:00 am, and it's now 10:00.  We were on schedule, but the children were so enthusiastic about us coming, they all arrived early.  We hurried off the bus - we are just as eager to see them!  The shoeboxes were there waiting for us, so we began to unpack them from the carton and sort them according to girl/boy and age.  With a lot of help from our incredibly talented and energetic interpreters, we sang songs together and performed the skit.  The local pastor gave the children a message of God's great love for them and we all prayed. 

We asked the children to line up, girls on one side/boys on the other side, and youngest to oldest.  They are very considerate of one another and so careful to make sure the youngest children are in the front.  Then, one by one, we began handing each child a shoebox and a copy of "El Meijor Regalo" (The Greatest Gift), as we tell each one, "Jesus te ama" (Jesus loves you). 

The children held on to their boxes and sat down until everyone has their shoebox.  After a lively count, "Uno, dos, tres, Jesus te ama!" everyone opens their shoebox!  What a beautiful sight - all the children laughing and showing each other their gifts.  

Then, we began to sit amoung the children and communicate God's love. One group of girls I sat with eagerly showed me their shoebox gifts.  I shared with them my family pictures trying to explain in my very limited spanish each member.  "Mi esposo - Tony, mi hija - Sarah, mi hijo - Tony, mi hija - Elizabeth..." at this point one of the girls stopped and shook her head, no.  She pointed to Elizabeth and then pointed to me.  I repeated that this was my daughter - Elizabeth, but again she shook her head, no, pointed to Elizabeth in the photo and then to me and just laughed.  OK - it takes me awhile sometimes, but I finally got it - we look very much alike.  I also spent time with a group of little boys who were also very enthusiastic and so affectionate - everyone loved getting a hug and having their picture taken.  I gave out tubes of lipstick to some of the mothers who had come with their children, and they were very thankful - hugs all around!

Soon the children began leaving to go home and we still had some time, so I followed one lady as she headed to her home just down the road.  I didn't know enough spanish to tell her that I wanted to see where she lived, but trusted that God would do the talking for me.  Soon there were several of us following her and she welcomed us to her home and showed us all around her yard on a beautiful hillside.  Her name is Marta, and she couldn't have been more gracious.  She gave Ginny and I each a coconut, and Meg a huge papaya.  She also had her husband cut some sugar cane for us to taste - delicious!   She and her husband have a large area of land, several hectors, and they have built modest homes on the property for each of their grown children as well as themselves.  It's good to see families taking good care of each other.  She praised God before us for His goodness in their lives.