During the week in Panama, everyone on the team did a devotional. Mitch and I were on the last night in Panama. I liked the beginning of my devotional, that I'm going to use it here but change the ending. Enjoy!
Matthew 4:18 and Mark 1:17-18 says "'Come follow me.' Jesus said 'And I will make you fishers of man.' at once they left their net and followed him." When Jesus said to come and follow him, the fishermen went immediately. They didn't hesitate and they didn't follow him one day and not the next. They followed him everyday that he was alive. And that is what we are called to do when we follow Jesus. We follow him everyday, with every step and with every word. And one word can change a persons life, either for the better or for worse.
It was the last night in Panama and Mitch and I had just finished our devotionals, and we were just chatting about what we learned during the week. Then Joe was talking. A brief history of Joe is that this was his third time in Panama, he was older then me, and when we weren't around the translators he translated for us. I looked up to him the whole trip. So at the end of his talking he said something along the lines of, "I'm proud of Jordan, Max, and Kaitlyn for coming and not really knowing anyone, and fitting in so well with the group." At that point my eyes started to water, and I kept telling myself not to cry because I don't like to cry in public. Then we kept going around the circle talking, and I remember one girl, and I'm sorry I don't remember who, started talking about language and language barriers. At that moment, God told me that I should talk about watching the words we say when we get back to America and the people can understand us. I started talking and the words that God put in my mouth were words about what I just went through a few minutes ago. I said something along the lines of, "We need to be careful to use our words wisely when we go back to America because they can understand us, and one word can make a difference. When Joe said my name, it meant something to me because at home I really only have four friends..." After that I couldn't get anymore words out. Then Kelsey looked at me and said, "Well now you have 12 new friends." At that point I knew I had new friends. I didn't come to Panama expecting to make new friends. To be honest I was just going to go, hang out with them, and forget about them as soon as I stepped on Colorado soil. But a lot can change in one week.
So on the airplane back to Colorado, I started crying. I was crying because it hit me that as soon as we are back to Colorado, it would be hard to connect with them because we don't live close to each other. I prayed to God that he will help me keep these connections alive. Sunday, I was talking to my Mom and she said that I could have a Facebook. To me that was God saying, "you want to keep these friendships alive and you have proved it so let me make it easier for you." Then that night at youth group, Mitch talked about what we did in Panama. At the end he said, "And five people showed up tonight after getting in late last night." I started crying again because, I wouldn't forget them, and they wouldn't forget me. Then during worship, a lady comes to me and said that she brought a cloth just for me. Then later that night, I was praying with an adult and I said that I wanted to thank God for the friends I made in Panama, and he said all the right words. This to me showed me that this was God's plan for me.
It is important to watch every word we say because one word can change a life. You don't know when God will use you, so you need to follow him everyday. No one would have guess that saying my name would change my life. But to be honest, I wonder sometimes if the other students in my class even know my name at the end of the school year. So to know that in a little over a week that everyone knew my name was big to me. If any of the Panama team is reading this, I want you to know that I appreciate all of you. I may not be able to say it in words, but I can say it here. Thank you!
Matthew 4:18 and Mark 1:17-18 says "'Come follow me.' Jesus said 'And I will make you fishers of man.' at once they left their net and followed him." When Jesus said to come and follow him, the fishermen went immediately. They didn't hesitate and they didn't follow him one day and not the next. They followed him everyday that he was alive. And that is what we are called to do when we follow Jesus. We follow him everyday, with every step and with every word. And one word can change a persons life, either for the better or for worse.
It was the last night in Panama and Mitch and I had just finished our devotionals, and we were just chatting about what we learned during the week. Then Joe was talking. A brief history of Joe is that this was his third time in Panama, he was older then me, and when we weren't around the translators he translated for us. I looked up to him the whole trip. So at the end of his talking he said something along the lines of, "I'm proud of Jordan, Max, and Kaitlyn for coming and not really knowing anyone, and fitting in so well with the group." At that point my eyes started to water, and I kept telling myself not to cry because I don't like to cry in public. Then we kept going around the circle talking, and I remember one girl, and I'm sorry I don't remember who, started talking about language and language barriers. At that moment, God told me that I should talk about watching the words we say when we get back to America and the people can understand us. I started talking and the words that God put in my mouth were words about what I just went through a few minutes ago. I said something along the lines of, "We need to be careful to use our words wisely when we go back to America because they can understand us, and one word can make a difference. When Joe said my name, it meant something to me because at home I really only have four friends..." After that I couldn't get anymore words out. Then Kelsey looked at me and said, "Well now you have 12 new friends." At that point I knew I had new friends. I didn't come to Panama expecting to make new friends. To be honest I was just going to go, hang out with them, and forget about them as soon as I stepped on Colorado soil. But a lot can change in one week.
So on the airplane back to Colorado, I started crying. I was crying because it hit me that as soon as we are back to Colorado, it would be hard to connect with them because we don't live close to each other. I prayed to God that he will help me keep these connections alive. Sunday, I was talking to my Mom and she said that I could have a Facebook. To me that was God saying, "you want to keep these friendships alive and you have proved it so let me make it easier for you." Then that night at youth group, Mitch talked about what we did in Panama. At the end he said, "And five people showed up tonight after getting in late last night." I started crying again because, I wouldn't forget them, and they wouldn't forget me. Then during worship, a lady comes to me and said that she brought a cloth just for me. Then later that night, I was praying with an adult and I said that I wanted to thank God for the friends I made in Panama, and he said all the right words. This to me showed me that this was God's plan for me.
It is important to watch every word we say because one word can change a life. You don't know when God will use you, so you need to follow him everyday. No one would have guess that saying my name would change my life. But to be honest, I wonder sometimes if the other students in my class even know my name at the end of the school year. So to know that in a little over a week that everyone knew my name was big to me. If any of the Panama team is reading this, I want you to know that I appreciate all of you. I may not be able to say it in words, but I can say it here. Thank you!
The Panama Team
