Mission Rio Sambu Report

I just returned from another successful trip to Panama. Again, we partnered with Youth With A Mission missionaries to take the newly translated Jesus film to several villages along the Rio Sambu and its tributaries.  Tulio Rosales planned and led the trip along with Alex Cabezon. Tulio is an indigenous Embera Indian who was born and raised in Panama. Alex is also indigenous, but from the Wounaan people group. Each of these men are strong leaders in the Christian community in Panama, have a love for their people and a desire to see the kingdom of God established in the hearts of Panama's indigenous people.

Our team also included Mireya Arias, a YWAM staffer from Honduras. Mireya worked with us last year when our team went to the San Blas islands. I am greatful to her and the other YWAM staff for making this trip possible. God used our team to shed a little light in an area known to be closed to the Gospel. Omar and Luis were also part of our team - they are being discipled by Alex and Tulio. This was their first missions trip. Also, our team was joined by two school teachers from the villages we visited - Raquela and Jennica. Both of these women were a tremendous help and encouragement to the team. 

We began our trip by taking a van from Chepo to Mettite where we stayed the night at the local Baptist Church. Early the next morning we took a taxi to the coast were we caught a boat to Sambu/Puerto Indio. The 3-4 hour boat ride stopped in La Palma, the capital of the Darien Provience of Panama. We stayed that night at the home of one of the relatives of Tulio's wife. She has many relatives in the area.

The next morning we took pieraguas (motorized dug out canoes) up the Rio Sambu about 20 miles to the village of Borobichi. We stayed there two days and visited the people, went spearfishing in the river and showed several videos including the Jesus Film in the Embera language.Next we traveled back down the river to Boca Trampa where we stayed for two more days. The last two days of this portion of the trip we spent in Puerto Indio. We flew back to Panama city where our team split up. I went back to Chepo with Alex and Omar where I visited with the Cabezons an helped them paint their living room.

The last day before I left to come home to Portland was spent with several Embera families at Errebache, an traditional Embera village near Portobello. Mireya joined us for this wonderful Mother's Day celebration. All of the men cooked a great meal while the women visited. One of my main ministry goals on these trips is to encourage my fellow team members and other believers we come in contact with. This years trip was a real encouragement to ME.

Check out the video high-lights: