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While ministering to the people of Kuna Yala,
the BC team stayed on an island, where the
men slept in hammocks in the church and
the women in hammocks in a local pastor’s
house. There, they lived as the Kuna lived,
sharing meals, taking boats from island to
island, and learning about the Kuna lifestyle.
“It was a very humbling experience,” said
Spencer. “The Kuna people are so grateful for
every breath they receive, every break of day
they get to experience. They are not worried
about what is going to be occurring in the
next hour or next day or week. They are just
grateful to be alive, living in a place that most
United States citizens would not dare go.”
The experience, the students said, provided
them the opportunity to learn more about
not only the Kuna culture, but also God
and each other as they grew closer to one
another throughout the week working toward
the common goal of sharing the love of Christ. Each
member of the team, they said, brought a different skill
set to their ministry, and they were able to advance the
kingdom of God, despite the language barrier.
“We were given so many opportunities to serve the
Lord, develop and cultivate wonderful Christ-centered
friendships, and really witness how big and inclusive
the family of God really is,” said Ivester. “It’s kind of
hard to grasp that God is the God of every person and
every language, but truly seeing that in action, I don’t
think I could ever forget that.”
And while the Spring Break mission trip is over, BC’s
work with the people of Kuna is not. Leaders of the
association of Kuna Baptist churches have formed
a training institute to equip pastors, teachers and
missionaries, and have asked visiting professors from
Bluefield College to come alongside them to help
train those leaders, which will begin first with Pastor
Clary returning to lead short-term courses.
“I can honestly say that I experienced a new freedom
in Christ while I was in Panama,” said Johnson. “It
is so easy to let the pressures and struggles of life
tear you down and discourage you, but God offers
an unexplainable peace through it all. God does not
expect us to be perfect; he expects us to be willing. If
we can take that first step, God will meet us where we
are and use us even in our brokenness. It is through
our weakness that God’s strength shines through.”
Story by BC student marketing associate Whitney Browning.
Christ-centered
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The universal language of music and dance helped BC students
overcome the language barrier to connect with the Kuna children.
Kuna Baptist youth greet BC students as they
begin their mission to share the Gospel in Panama.