CO Visit

The week of February 10-16 brought much activity for the family.  We began with the extreme drama of attempting to pick up Ray's step mom and sisters but that is in a different blog entry:)  Then Tuesday brought our first CO visit.  We enjoyed the company of Cesar and Valda Pascal subbing from their assignment as special pioneers in Colon a suburb of Panama City.  They have been assigned to Panama for about 14 years.  I was able to take Valda out on Wednesday afternoon before the Pioneer Meeting and Ray took Cesar on Friday morning before the Servants meeting.

** (sidenote) Ray and I have finally figured out a schedule that will enable us to school the kids and get out in service.  Monday Ray takes the group out so he is able to be out all day if he chooses while the kids and I do school, Tuesday we were going as a family in the afternoon to work on Carenero, but that has changed since our move (another blog) so now Tuesday is school and home until meeting.  Wednesday Ray stays home and does school while I go in service all day.  Thursday is now our long day in service as a family...often we go to Bastimentos.  Friday we all get to stay home...I do school while Ray does what he does.  Saturday continues to be our family day where we have fun together...the first Saturday of the month we are going in service though.  Then Sunday we go to meeting and out in service too.  This seems to be working so far...**

She is amazing!  Not only is she a great conversationalist, she is very good at drawing out the people in the territory.  I hadn't had much time out to develop any good calls, studies, or real skill at talking to the people here...so to say the least, I felt totally inadequate.  I learned a lot from her and way so glad to have the humbling experience of service with her.  She is very good!  I know I can't really do it justice with words, but I will take the experience with me the entire time I am here in Panama and hopefully be able to bring it home too.  

During the circuit overseer visit we had a nice time visiting Bastimentos as is now the norm on Thursday.  This week I chose to photograph a hostel of a man I met on the boat over.  He had spent some time in the US during his life and spoke English very well.  This is an amazing display of artistic talent.  I asked if he had painted the picture, but he stated that he had hired it done by someone he knew there on the island.

Unfortunately, this week there was also a funeral.  Now musical instruments are not easy to find on Bocas, but this man had arrived from the main island Tuba in hand with an entire band to play at the woman's funeral.  She was 59 years old and knew or was related to everyone on the island.  We pretty much felt it was time to leave around 2:00 as the entire island was attending her funeral at 3:00 and were getting ready to go or had already left their homes.   Right before lunch, the COs wife, Valda, met a woman who was the daughter in law of the deceased.  She struck up a conversation with the lady just because she looked sad...placed a new tract on what hope there is for the dead.  She shared one scripture.  It was very nice of her and a good example to follow (more about that later).

Sometimes we have to take a break while we are in service.  Bastimentos gets really hot.  I haven't figured out why yet, but it is always warmer and sunnier here than in Bocas.    Here is where we take a break.  It's not Starbucks, but I don't think "Little Man" minds.

I realized that I hadn't included any photos of the Kingdom Hall yet.  We arrived really early this day so I took a couple of shots while no one was here so you can get a feel for it.  There are only like 60 seats inside.  The Spanish congregation often has standing room only while we tend to have many open seats.  We were busting at the seams though for the COs talk on Sunday!  Cesar did a really nice job with the final talk and moved many to tears. The CO assigned here is responsible for not only all of Panama, but also a chunk of Costa Rica as well.  At times, the distance between his congregations is too far to make in a couple of days, so there are, I think, 3 subs here in Panama to help him out.  Our coordinator is one as well and recently was down in their congregation for their visit.

Raymond and I signed up to take the CO and his wife to lunch on Sunday.  Carenero is sort of far to go so we chose instead to take them to lunch at this little stand.  The place is called Empanada George's.  His girlfriend makes the BEST empanadas I have ever eaten.  She had charred vegetables, with chicken, and ginger ones on this day along with pumpkin and onion and vegetables.  They were both amazing!  She also has our favorite drink there...fresh lemonade with cucumber and mint. YUM!  We have started making it at home now.  They had a wonderful time and thankfully got all full too.  We were all starving, there had been a follow-up servants meeting right after the public meeting then Bro. Pascall had to meet with our Coordinator after that.  We left to eat at about 2:00.  Meeting is at 9:30....it was a long wait.  George is quick though because everything just needs to be warmed up.  Here's the shot before and after:

After a wonderful week of service and nice meeting parts, we were able to enjoy a Panamanian tradition (I guess).  On Sunday afternoon around 4:00 we went to a brothers house for dinner to celebrate a great visit and send the CO off on his journey home (They left on Monday).  We grilled and ate hamburgers, hot dogs, and chicken.  There were chips, tapenad and hummus with crackers, and salad.  Later we popped pop corn.  We had planned on playing beach volleyball, but it rained so instead we got out dominoes and played that while other talked.  Then to everyone's delight a brother got out a guitar, Raymond grabbed an upside down trashcan for a drum, another had a harmonica, and a tambourine and we sang songs some theocratic and some not.  It was so much fun!!  What a nice end to a great week.  It was pretty dark at that time, so my camera didn't take good pictures.  I'm waiting for some to send me their shots to include in the blog for you all.  I really enjoyed getting to know the Pascals, not just as COs, but as real people who enjoy fellowship and downtime like the rest of us.