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Joining Hands and Hearts Together: Panama Revisited 2004
What happens when you take an Episcopal Priest, an Episcopal Conference Center Director, and eight other lay persons and mix them all together with an equal number of Episcopalians from the Diocese of Panama? A wonderful cross cultural experience full of worship, work, love, songs, games, stories, food, and laughter.
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Above left: Group gathers under a mango tree for morning prayer.
Above center: Daily catch at the fishing village.
Above right: Swim time at the beach.
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Above left: Jane Milner.
Above center: Daily catch ready for distribution.
Above right: Sue and Lorraine.
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Above left: Sue Boyer hands palms to Raulito, who hands them up to worker.
Top center: Unloading the poles for the rancho.
Top right: Rancho being built by campesinos from Machuca.
Bottom center: Cutting the ends off the palms.
Bottom right: Larry Boyer handing palms up.
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After traveling to Panama on a successful mission trip (Living Church, May 11, 2003, page 8) with a group of seminarians from VTS, Associate Rector of St. Mary of the Hills in Blowing Rock, North Carolina, the Reverend Jeanne Finan was pleased to find the Mission Committee at her parish eager to organize their first international mission trip experience. The ten available spots filled quickly when the trip to Panama (March 9-18, 2003) was announced.
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Above left: Palms are placed over the beams and shoved as tight as possible.
Above center: Finished rancho roof from underneath.
Above right: Finished rancho from the outside.
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Above left: Diana White cuts off the palms on a straight line.
Above center: Raulito getting a ride from Joel.
Above right: Group posing in front of completed second ranchero.
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Above left: Glenda McQueen and Jeanne Finan sort over 300 lbs. of books, crayons, paper, and school supplies to be given to three different schools.
Above center: Joel is preparing our dinner.
Above right: Baby asleep in Machuca.
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Working with the Reverend Glenda McQueen in Bocas Del Toro, Bishop Julio Murray, and his diocesan staff, the trip was planned to be a joint effort between American and Panamanian Episcopalians. The group (ranging in ages 10-80) spent ten days working at the Bishop Shirley Center in Santa Clara. While there the group painted all of the cabins and the bathhouse on the camp grounds and were able to paint some of the interior space in the cabins as well. They also joined with a group of campesinos (rural farm workers) from the village of Machuca in the construction of 2 rancho's on the conference center grounds. A rancho is an open-aired pavilion with a roof made from palm leaves. These ranchos will provide needed meeting space for groups using the center, especially during the rainy season.
The group brought with them over 300 pounds of books, crayons, paper, pencils, and other school supplies which they shared with schools and churches in Bocas del Toro, Rio Hato and Machuca. The group also toured San Cristobal Episcopal School and the Cathedral in Panama City during their visit.
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Above left: Bishop Murray preaches at the Sunday Eucharist in the renovated chapel.
Above center: One of our friends from Machuca and his family.
Above right: Group posing with the Bishop after services in our 'Sunday Best.'
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Above left: Tina Barrett poses with Panama Hats woven by woman's group in Machuca.
Above center: Bishop poses with his new Panama Hat.
Above right: One of our friends from Machuca.
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The highlight of the trip was an early morning Eucharist celebrated by Bishop Murray in the restored chapel followed by a trip to the mountain village of Machuca. While there, they were treated to home grown grapefruits plucked fresh from the trees, water coconuts and a delicious chicken soup prepared by a woman's group in the village. This group was started with help from Promesa, an Episcopal organization which organizes women in remote villages around Panama and gives them resources to help start industries for themselves such as making Panama hats, dolls and baskets which they then sell in the markets. Through Promesa they have been taught how to negotiate for better prices for their goods.
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Above left: Woman from Machuca explaining how our chicken soup has been prepared to The Rev. Glenda McQueen.
Top center: Rodeo on the return from Machuca.
Top right: The horses and riders can ride up to the bar for a beer at this rodeo.
Bottom center: Jane Tollison getting her painting supplies ready.
Bottom right: Jeanne Finan and Senor Raul get ready to paint.
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Above left: Walter McQueen helps with the painting.
Top center: A finished cabin.
Bottom center: Jeanne Finan greets Sponge Bob at a local elementary school in Rio Hato.
Above right: Kuni Indian woman and baby at the market.
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While in Panama, Tom Eshelman, director of the Valle Crucis Episcopal Conference Center in North Carolina, donated his consulting services for the board of the Bishop Shirley Center to further their long range planning efforts. Other members of the mission team included: Tina Barrett, Larry and Sue Boyer, Van Joffrion, Jane Milner, Jane Tollison, Mike Vogel, and Diana White.
Financial support for the trip was earned through fund raising efforts of the participants and other individuals, St. Mary Of the Hills, The Valle Crucis Conference Center, Bishop Robert H. Johnson, The Diocese of Western North Carolina, and the Church of the Holy Cross, Valle Crucis.
Tom Eshelman, Executive Director
Valle Crucis Conference Center
28 April 2004
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Above left: Cindy stuffing the fish with herbs.
Above center: Ship going through the Panama Canal.
Above right: Traditional Panamanian dance.
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Above left: Group in St. Luke's Cathedral.
Above center: Group on the stairway outside the 'White House' at the Diocesan offices in Panama City.
Above right: Group in the airport ready to come home!
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