Prayer Request on Trip and Panama Orthodox Church

Letting all of my Orthodox family know that I'm asking for prayer requests for my family and I as we go back to the homeland - Panama, where all on my mother's side come from. Praying that we'd have travelling mercies and asking for intercession/protection as we go to and from there for the next week. It's my first time in the nation and I have been looking forward to it for awhile. I have especially been wanting to check out some of the religious aspects of the nation as it concerns churches and seeing what the Lord is doing there. I'm aware of the ways that Catholicism has been very well entrenched in Latin America (as my mother was saved in the Catholic Church/grew up in it) - although I've kept up with the ways that Orthodoxy/Ancient Christianity has spread into the Latin American world rapidly...and it is my hope to be able to visit the Greek Cathedral in Panama (or an Orthodox Church of some sort there while I have the chance). From what I was able to study, Eastern Orthodox churches in Panama include a small Greek Orthodox community, affiliated with the Greek Orthodox Metropolitanate of Central America under Metropolitan Athenagoras in Panama City; the Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church of Three Saints founded in the USA in 1898, affiliated with the Moscow Patriarchal Parish; and the Russian Orthodox Church, affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia-ROCOR. Although Orthodoxy has been spreading throughout Latin America (more shared here in Latin America: Peoples in search of Orthodoxy and Seminarian Witnesses “Explosion” of Orthodox Christianity in Guatemala ), it is interesting to see how limited it is in the realm of Panama...

It has been interesting in some of the conversations we've had - as my uncle is still Roman Catholic and he alongside my mother are more familar with that aspect of things. Yet I, being more open/connected what takes places in the world of Eastern Catholics, have had opportunity to share on the ways that Catholicism from an Eastern flavor is very much a side of things many are becoming aware of - and everytime we've had a discussion on Orthodoxy, it has been interesting to see what comes up. Hoping for more conversations and seeing the Lord's hand at work.

Again, i'll be leaving the country again in 7hours to go to the homeland (Panama) for the first time and seeing my roots, from where my mom's side grew up to the The Panama Canal Zone where my 103yr old Great-Grandfather worked. I'm like Henry Louis Gates going on a history roadtrip - and sadly, I've yet to master Spanish and hoping I can adapt...as well as process the many things within the nation that make it special - from the dance culture that defines it to the technological advances...and having a greater understanding of the Hand of God in the nations around the world.




Blessings....

Thank you for the prayers thus far. We arrived safely in Panama and have been enjoying it - and we are planning on visiting a friend of my mom's from childhood who sadly developed deadly cancer - and has been battling it. Praying that she'd be encouraged on our visit and that the Lord would be glorified.

Sadly, although I had asked my mom to go with me to the Greek Orthodox Church here in Panama, we don't have access to a car to go immediately....and the church is literally on the other side of the country from where we are presently, thus making it the case that we couldn't go this Sunday as I had hoped.

serafin said:

If the Greek Orthodox Church in Panama City is "on the other side of the country", you must be either in the province of Chiriqui (close to Costa Rica) or in the Darien province (close to Colombia). I was in Panama City and in Chiriqui in June of 2012, just 6 months ago. Unfortunately there is no Orthodox Christian work of any kind in Chiriqui that I know of. I attended the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Panama City. It was wonderful.

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WHere we're at is Santa Clara. Cool to know you were in Panama City and were able to attend the Cathedral in Panama City. I will have to simply plan another trip for next time.

Dorothea said:

Sorry I'm late in visiting TAW the past few days. I'm glad you arrived safely. Prayers for a safe and peaceful visit.

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We just got back in yesterday night. Wild time and very intense trip - but glad we made it through. Sadden, again, I couldn't go to the Orthodox Church I wanted to attend...but there will probably be other trips in the future.

ArmyMatt said:

that is a bummer, but it gives you a reason to go back

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That's definately true. It's more so the issue of having the time/money - and also knowing whether or not others you go with are really interested. If I really wanted to go there, I think it'd be something I'd have to go on an independent trip on by myself so I'd have more mobility. But who knows? They may end up making an Orthodox fellowship at the areas my family went to when we choose to go back (as my mom said we'd go back more) - and whether it be more development from a Greek Orthodox/Eastern Orthodox perspective or even an Oriential Orthodox one being set up, you never know what could happen.