I mean really, I got to hold a chicken! It's a Gallina Latina! :D
...anyway...
I arrived last Thursday or Friday (who's keeping track?) to Vickie and Scott's house. They are friends who used to live in Wisconsin, and moved down here to this beautiful country.
They so generously let me stay and share meals and live the Panama life. Such an incredible blessing. :)
So for us, "Panama life" meant a few things.
The first few days were spent painting a gate to go over the back door.
Here in Central America, almost everyone has bars covering their doors and windows, (and also often a threatening fence around the yard) and if they don't, they are often broken into and robbed. Thankfully, this is a really safe area and until recently had no issues. Unfortunetly, the corrupt world is catching up with the country and after a recent incident nearby, the bars became priority.
I spent quite a bit of time walking down the broken asphalt roads, taking in the tranquility and calmness. I will never tire of the slow pace down here. The people work hard, yet they recognize that work will always be there, and it's just as important to enjoy the life you're living.
Everyone takes time out to stop and talk, and if you don't, you're rude. Annoying if you're in a hurry, but, that's your own fault, because they're usually not in a hurry here. :)
One of our walks introduced me to a very talkative farmer who was pruning the hedges. (They do so much by hand here, from fieldwork to cutting weeds along the road. Another time I saw a guy with a machete walking, swinging repetedly, cutting the tall grass along the road...for what seemed like miles. Lawn mower anyone?)
So we stopped and talked to "Neko"for awhile, and he showed us this strange, cactus like fruit.
The fruit, "anon", is similar to a guanabana, but he said it is bitter and you don't want to eat it alone, just mixed with other fruits or as a sugared drink.
The area, lucky for me, is home to plenty of cows. Cows makes for happy Jenna.
And of course exploring random trails through the woods and country side, over streams and rocks and looking out at the mountains and all the Panamanian houses...(sorry, no pictures of the mountains currently. I would take some, but it's raining, again, and you can't see them. :))
Sunday, I had the amazing opportunity to join some beautiful people for their worship service.
The little church was at someone's home, and they said had grown immensely in the last few years since it started.
They had an interpreter, as it was a pretty even mix between Panamanians and Americans, so it was awesome to be able to understand, and get a little Spanish practicing in.
Everyone was so friendly and welcoming, just like most of the people I've encountered in Panama. Everything I experience here just makes me love it more.
After the service, the local YWAM group (youth with a mission) held a fundraiser in the towns basketball court.
There were many foreigners, as well as many Panamanians. Everyone had made a specialty food from their country, and I had some Dutch rice pudding, and Honduran tacos! Yummmmyyyy.
I also had the opportunity to talk to many people who had left their homes to be missionaries in Panama, and even some that had never been to Panama before but had felt God calling them to this place, so they sold everything and came. Their stories are so incredible. I cried, marveled at the faithfulness of God, and wondered how and why so many people could feel the same calling and end up in the same middle-of-nowhere town in Panama. So cool.
Later, I walked the two or so miles home, saying hi to everyone, singing inside. And I met a little friend who came along for the ride.
Monday was spent shopping. We went into David, the local city 30 minutes away. Stocked up on plenty of fruits and veggies...
Fed the pigeons... (I can never resist...)
And we parked on the sidewalk. No big deal.
We were only in the city few hours, but I was ready to be done. I had packed a few things, and as Vickie headed home she dropped me at the side of the road, where I caught a pretty, local chicken bus to a local plaza.
There, I met up with another favorite Panama family! These guys I had met my first trip to Panama (God thing) and can't stay away. :)
Right away, Mary Elizabeth invited me to join them for church volleyball. We headed into Boquete where we met up with several other American and Canadian families. Then, after a half hour of debating, we ran into the pouring rain and played volleyball and soccer for an hour or so...much to the delight of local school kids peeking out of the next door windows.
And there was an adorable little girl, continuously sweeping water out of that hallway. What a project, trying to keep rain out of your house during the rainy season...
Eventually we headed back "home". Goodness I missed this amazing view.
Most of the next two days were just rediculous, having fun, hanging out, being included in their family.
(That is a huggee bug.)
I definitely love my homes away from home. :)
We did head into town one of those days, as always for some shopping...
And some kids that are way too adorable. :))
With their matching red dresses and crocs. :))
The dresses are the common dress for the Ngobe Indians. This area is split between very modern locals and the traditional culture Indians.
And the highlight of the week, a surprise birthday party for Mary Elizabeth. Yesterday, we spent the day getting ready, cleaning, making delicious food. I was so blessed to be a part of the family, and I spent most of my time in the kitchen, talking to an incredible Panamanian couple as we made delicious fried chicken.
After dinner, we sat around talking, sharing, and speaking truth and encouragement to Mary Elizabeth, sharing how she has impacted each of us, and then spending some time praying for her and the coming year. Such a beautiful birthday tradition.
It was so incredible to be included in such a mix of Americans and Panamanians, talking in English and Spanish, and laughing in the same language. So beautiful.
And of course, desert. :)
Possibly the best cheesecake I have ever consumed, thanks to Sarah. :)
And finally, today, today has hands down been the most incredible day so far, and it makes me sad that I am leaving for Costa Rica tomorrow, though I couldn't be more excited to see my friends there.
Today, I got up, spent beautiful time with Jesus, went walking up and down the hilly backroads, said goodbye to my Panama siblings, then caught the bus back to Vickie's. Except, it wasn't that easy.
The first bus, no problem. It stopped right as I got to the bus stop. Got on, got off. Was going to wait for another bus. It didn't come within seven seconds, so I decided to start walking.
So, walking with tight jeans and a backpack isn't a problem when you're up in the mountains, but apparently we had descended quite a bit, and it was hot.
I walked for about an hour - the bus didn't come. I kept walking, sweating, slipping in my sandles. I took them off. The ground was hot. Thank God for grass along the sides.
As I walked, I lost count of the honks. And the waves. I didn't loose count of the guys who stopped and offered me a ride though - eight. A banana truck stopped. I really wanted to ride in the back of a truck with bananas, but, considering the two guys inside and what my mama would say, I kindly declined. I was honestly amazed at how many people stopped, and if 1) I was a guy or 2) Any of them had been a girl I wouldn't have hesitated to catch a ride. As it was, I continued to walk.
I saw some cows.
I also saw a bus go by. I waved for it to stop. They waved back and kept going. Jerks. (Ok, so maybe it was packed over full.)
I finally made my way to a bus stop where I stopped to wait for the next bus. Thankfully, it was in the shade, and thankfully there was a little old man there, missing the left side of his teeth. We talked, a lot, and I proudly understood maybe half of his wordsthatallrantogetherbecausehetalkedsofast. But if not for him, I would have been bored waiting the next 30 or so minutes. And, if not for him, the bus, also packed overly full, would not have stopped.
The bus stopped, two teen guys got out, I got in, they got in behind me, and stood barely inside the door, crunched together with 30 people in this bus that is actually a 15 passenger van. It was cozy. And also hot.
But on the plus side, we passed some vaqueros.
And we all laughed and smiled sympatheticly at each other because we were all just as squished. Someone in the front seat offered to hold my bag. Another lady gave me an annoyed look when I bumped her shoulder. You win some you loose some.
When I got off, I didn't realize they were driving closer to my house than my stop, but my Spanish failed me I waved for the bus boy to forget it. When he realized that we were going the same way, he laughed and said, "venga venga venga!!" And I jumped back on. Lucky me, because then, after all that hot sun, it started raining.
And it hasn't stopped for the last four hours, like usual. But, I made it back, and when I arrived, just in time for lunch, a local boy that helps out here started asking questions, and we spent the afternoon teaching each other Spanish and English. Yes yes yes. And this is why I love to travel.
Tomorrow, I catch the early bus for a long drive to San Jose, Costa Rica. Hopefully, it won't be too long before I'm back here with my Panamanians again. :)
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