July 2007

Psalm 17:8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under
the shadow of thy wings, (KJV)

Dear Brethren,

Hello from Panama in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I hope that the Lord is blessing you. We received a huge blessing this month. On July 26 we were informed that we have been granted our one year mission­ary visa (permission) to continue working here in Panama. I appreciate your prayers. I am sure they had an effect on the outcome.

My wife and children are glad to have their new (used) mini van. We purchased it while we were in the U.S. in March. Our pastor, Brother Brian Disney, found it for us at a very low cost. My special thanks to him and to the Lord. I had such a hard time getting it down to Panama initially, but the Lord worked it out so that I wouldn't have to DRIVE it all the way down. At the last minute, I was given the name of a shipper in Miami. I was in the States the first two weeks of July. I had to fly to Houston and drive it to Miami. I was able to have it shipped here for $685.00, since I was able to use frequent flyer miles for the plane tickets. WOW! The Lord is good!

July 20th through July 27th we were visited by some of the brethren from Metropolitan Baptist Church, Ft. Worth, Texas. Pastor Larry Adkisson braved the journey, the 3rd pastor to visit us in the 8 years we have been in Panama. We thoroughly enjoyed the fellowship with all 13 who came. As missionaries, we mostly depend on the fellowship of our Panamanian brethren as we labor side by side. When visitors come and get to see a small glimpse of the ministry taking place here, and even pitch in and help us, it encourages us greatly. We spent a few days in Panama City with them at missionary Robert Creech’s house. We were mostly at Cañazas where they got to meet some of the brethren there, and in Santiago as well. Bro. Alexis Gordon made the 5 hour trip to Cañazas from Colón with Justino, a new man that he is discipling who wants to be baptized soon.

We spent two days with part of the Metropolitan group here in Penonomé. We visited some of the Bible correspondent students in our area, and on Tuesday the 24th we gave a Bible presentation to over 200 students and teachers at the public school in Las Guabas, a community near us where several people are studying the Bible courses. Bro. Cristobal Yañez came with six helpers, and we all worked together to make a Gospel presentation based on the Bible story of building your life on Jesus, the Solid Rock. There was a flannel graph lesson, a puppet show, a devotion, a movie, clowns, a skit, and refreshments. The elementary children received coloring and activity pages which reinforced the lesson, and the junior high students received New Testaments. Although we had techni­cal difficulties - we blew out the school’s television and a fuse on our speaker by plugging them into an outlet which we did not know had a short—the feedback we received from the teachers and a few parents who came was very positive. Please pray that the Lord will bless the seeds which were planted, and that many will seek Christ because of the efforts which were made there.

We are truly grateful for your prayers for this ministry and for our family. May God bless you.

Michael Lea