Ay primo hermano

As part of our training in Panama, we've been participating in some workshops run by the  Iglesia Evangélica Metodista de Panamá , in which professors from FATEO in Brazil have been teaching topics such as Wesleyan Theology within the Latin American context. The theology has been challenging, but not quite as much as the 3 hour mix of Spanish and Portuguese :)

Today was the fifth session of our "Culture Shock" training, which has been taking place in our apartment. Ben (from Puerto Rico) and his wife Jenny (from Brazil) lived and worked in Paraguay for 16 years, and have taught us a lot about becoming bi-cultural and differing European/South American worldviews. And they've introduced us to some constructive attitudes which we'll be trying to live by, such as: I will resist the temptation to have an answer for everything on every subject. I will not allow a spirit of dependency to develop around me. Having someone else take my job is why I came here in the first place.  I need to remember that. Note to selves: re-read this section in six months time...

A cool service today at Pastor Luciano's church - 15 people baptised in their outdoor pool...