January - April Update 2018

Hello my brothers I hope you are okay.

In April God allowed us to see lot of things.

In personal life, we finally moved to our apartment I am sending a few pictures of it, thanks to everybody that God has touched to support us and for being part in this new step in my family. I send a big hug from Panama.

At the south side of the mountain(Pacific side), we have the following report to share:

Bernabe Morales:  He serves at the church in Balsa and at the moment he 6 people that are being discipled, we don’t have a picture yet, but we promise that by the end of this month we will have one or maybe two, hahaha just kidding more than two. 

He started to teach in the church so the disciples may see how he does it so they can learn more. God is giving more strength to his church, for those who doesn’t know, Bernabe is more than a disciple for me he is my friend, he has been for years by my side working.

To share a little history of the church he is serving at (Balsa), nearby where Bernabe lives a pastor sinned and abandoned the church, the church tried to survive without a leader, holding a service as often as they could.  Last year the church was destroyed in a storm (can you imagen how they felt?).  Last year a team came to rebuild the church in less than one week!! (https://mgpanama.squarespace.com/news/2017/6/27/balsa-report-rebuilding-the-church-building-june-27-2017), and then the Balsa Church realized that they are not alone, that God cared about them too.  

Besides all this, and after this, a church from one of the team that I consider my friend too (that is another story), adopted Bernabe and now Bernabe has started to disciple them and try to train a new future leader for the community.

Bernabe is also attending the Bible Institute at Cerro Miel in order to gain more training.

Simon Abrego. oh! my brother Simon…

He is just amazing, he has been our friend for almost 10 years, he started working with kids around 3 or 4 years ago besides pastoring the Church in Raton https://mgpanama.com/news/2018/1/9/january-update-2018.  He with his team have reached around 3 thousand kid for Jesus and counting. He has been adopted by another Church that supports him through MGPANAMA.  This year they will be hosting a team coming to strengthened the church and do some repairs to the structure. https://mgpanama.com/news/?category=Community+Transformation

Enrique Javilla

Enrique is a new member to the team, we have known him from years and years.  He was one of my father’s disciple, joining him to several trips to the mountain.  Due to one training, Enrique felt called to start planting churches. As part of our team we are praying and waiting for someone or a church to adopt him. Today, he is a church planter, have started his ministry where he has developed a team and 17 churches have been started and 8 of them are where there are no churches. In the plan they are planting 6 more this year.

Part of the team are Pastor Heitor and Pastor Rey Camilo, who serve as trainers in different areas.

In North side of the mountain.

At this side of the mountain there is a courageous missionary, we pray that God will send more like him, his name is Mateo.

I know that lots of you have heard about of our friend Mateo, but now is not just Mateo, God has given him true believers and disciple that they believe in what the Bible say and want to change the communities nearby.

Monte Lirio Baptism

Monte Lirio is one of the areas he looks after.  Monte Lirio was a place where teams have gone several times until we felt to stop sending teams but, rather to start a Bible Institute in order to train the 5 to 9 sporadic members.  Sometimes we give up on things but not God, the Church belongs to Him and He looks after her.  

After our return from the States, I traveled to see Mateo and share some good news in reference to the work he is doing in the area.  We talked about Monte Lirio and I told him to give up on the place, but Mateo told me “David, something is happening there, the church is growing, for there are 20 people gathering and 3 have been baptized.” So, I told him to keep going there for now is when they will need help in guidance and training. Praise the Lord. 

in MGPANAMA

1. Our ministry have started the last processes to be a tax deductible.  This has been a process of one year.  As soon as we have more news we will share it with you.  

2. In the month of April the mission trip that I did was mainly for preparing the missions trip in every area. This year we have around 4 international mission trip, little by little God is bringing more servants, to work in the mountain.

3. I have also met with Mateo, Bernabe and Pastor Simon in order to be with them and plan for this year’s work.

4. We are working in new ways to help and support our national partners. The ministry is growing not just in the spiritual side but is growing with more people that need tools to do their work better for Jesus.

5. We have met with pastors that Pastor Heitor have trained in order to serve them better, therefore a mini campaign has been programmed for August but before that the training will be strengthened with them.

We are so grateful for our trip to the States where we were able to share about the work being done in Panama but also to strengthen our relationship with Churches that support financially and through prayers, the ministry in Panama.

Know that your prayers and support are deeply appreciated, trusting the Lord for the provision He has in store for you.

Blessings and we will see you next time, if He does not come back before that.

Written by David Vega / Talsy

B&PSchools - Bible Institute Jan 28-Feb2, 2018

Bible Institute

In this occasion we had more students than expected and others for strong reasons were not able to attend but are committed to catch up with the module.

Telling the Bible Story - Nitzia Javilla

Pastor Jim and Mickel are good exponents of the Word of God and open to answer any question the students might have.  This group of students is more proactive, they are not afraid of asking questions and they are good questions, one of the things we tell them is that it is very important not to go home having doubts, better to ask than to keep not knowing.  So that is what they are doing.

Participation - Bernabe.  Oops we have a dog in the class.

Pastor Enrique, who is the one coordinating the place to stay, the cooks and did the invitations supervises many of the pastors attending the Institute therefore he follows up with them in anything they need in reference with the Institute and materials needed.

We appreciate your prayers for the next class that is programmed for the end of May and in this opportunity the Church that sponsors this Institute will be sending a few teachers, among them is the Senior Pastor, brother Todd Calaway.  So also keep them in prayers, for any need there might be with their trip.

May God keep you and bless you as you serve Him in the calling He has given you.

Talsy and David.  

18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. Eph 6:18[g]NLT

Follow up to Balsa - Sept 2017

 Hello my friends, is good to say hi again.

This time I was in Balsa, doing the follow up with the church. 

This is a church that was rebuild with an American team, but as the church needed rebuilding from the outside is necessary to do it in the inside too.  For you to have background, the pastor that used to be in this community sinned and the “matata” religion took advantage from this, at the moment there are 5 member from this church that are been discipled, hopefully one or two of them will start the Bible Institute with us next month, God is doing amazing things in this place people are hungry to hear more and more from God.

We taught on, what is to be a Christian?, What is to be a church?, The unity of the Church as the Body of Christ, and more. We had around 20 to 30 persons in the lessons and during the nights we had around 50.

God opened the doors for a church to support Bernabe to take care of this place until one of them are ready to take the leadership of the church.

Things to pray for.

1. That God give strength to His church in the mountains. 

2.  That God raise leaders hungry for Him.

3.  For Bernabe to have strength to keep the hard work in the mountains.

4. For us, that God give us strength to be a support to His church and keep serving them.

5.  For my missions trips this month, I have 3 more mission trips to different areas.

6.  For wisdom to all member of MGPANAMA team.

Blessings as together we serve Him,

David E. Vega

MGPanama  

Guabal Update / April 2017

Introduction

Upon my return from Costa Rica, we visited our missionaryMateo, who is in Guabal, just to visit with him and learn how was his family.  Bernabe, my faithful friend joined me in this journey. 

We had a good surprise as we saw how nice was the road, unfortunately the advance is only 20%,  :)

Our arrival to Guabal was really nice,  at first sight we could see the results of the offering given by our partners,  the missionary home where Mateo and family live, is already looking good with a new kitchen place and a new bathroom (in a month time will be complete).  Is good to part of such a blessing, together with all those that gave for this to be a reality.  

They were very happy with our visit and spend time with them as well as with the beautiful church members, hungry to do their best forJesus.

Different people came over to say “hola” and share a cup of coffee accompanied with stories that talked about the Good News.  

In the evening we had a time with the leaders and went over some basic teachings with them.  We also talked about, Why are we Christians? What is the fuel of our faith? What is that, that motivates us to keep on going?  

These were key questions in the lives of the 15 + leaders and disciples that were present.   Their answers to my questions were interesting, fear was the common word, and that is because their cultures fear is present, they grow with it; they are afraid of satan, afraid of the witch, and many other things.  It was important and fundamental to reassure them, through the Word, that our fuel should not be fear, but love, love to our Savior and the one that took our place on the cross.  As we went through the Scripture and the sharing, their faces started to change, joy and peace could be seen.  Our gathering started around 8pm and ended past midnight, just sharing about the Bible and questions that arose from the sharing about proper relationship in marriage, how to be a person with a good testimony, including that your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, etc. 

This kind of trips are very important, to be able to sit with the church leaders, because as leaders we also need advises, encouragement, love and above all search for God’s wisdom in His Word for their is hunger to learn and hunger for Jesus. 

Thank you sooooo much for keeping us in your prayers, we deeply appreciate your love shown to our family and ministry.  

God bless,   David Vega / Panama