Hello again everyone. It has been a long and rewarding week. We finished up early today but have mixed emotions about the end of our trip. We have had a lot of fun and much of it has been due to the individuals pictured above. The gentleman on the left is our bus driver and all around handyman. The one on the right is a full time Metodista missionary here in Panama. They are both very funny and they play as hard as they work! (and vice versa)
The Ngobe language is not the same as Spanish so sometimes we need a Ngobe to Spanish translation. The gentleman pictured above provides that service to the clinic. He is tireless at the age of 72 and was at the clinic the entire time it was open. He does this everytime a missionary group comes to the clinic. He is pictured with his granddaughter.
These wonderful ladies are responsible for us getting to eat lunch each day. They cooked every day for the clinic workers and the food was excellent. There are also Ngobe women who cook for all of the patients. Some of the patients walk for hours to reach the clinic and a good meal goes a long way - so to speak.
Either at lunch or in the evening, we tried to read a passage from the Bible and discuss its application to our mission. This particular day, we discussed how we are all members of one body in Christ Jesus. That each of us, whether Ngobe, Panamanian, or American, is a part of the body of Christ in our service here in Panama.
This picture was just too good to not post. This is a group of Ngobe women displaying their handmade goods outside the clinic. Vera Bradley has nothing on them. They make the bags you see here, necklaces, bracelets, hats, and dresses. The lady in black has a squirrel in her bag. We were told we could buy it for ten dollars. Several of us were interested but we couldn´t figure out how to get it through customs!
The young lady with the tambourine lives near the clinic and is the organizer of all of the activities at the clinic. She was there everyday to open up and close down the clinic. After we left she saw to it that the clinic was clean and ready for us the next day. She also arranged to feed all of the workers and the Ngobe people. The picture was taken today during and impromptu farewell gathering. There were accolades, gifts, and a lot of tears. 
What better way to end our last post than with a picture of the children. Children are children no matter where you go. The Ngobe are no exception! They are curious, happy, and just want to have fun. We each seemed to have a special child that attracted our attention during our stay. We watched them play, dance, sing, and recite poetry. We even saw some take a dip in a 55 gallon drum during a rain storm!
Tomorrow we will start our journey back home. We take with us much more than what we left behind as we leave. Thank you for you prayers, love, and support. We give praise to our God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ for the opportunity to serve here in Panama!
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