During our year of services in the churches we have shared the testimonies of three children:  Raquel, Jose Angel and Linneth.  All three of these children are from the Living Water School located in the town of Tocumen.  These testimonies were given in fall 2003 when they were in fifth grade.  Actually, we’ve only shared a small part of these testimonies.  Their testimonies are quite lengthy, but each very special.  In 2004, we had the opportunity to personally ask this entire class—sixth grade at that time, “How many of you want to go on to seventh grade?”  Nearly all raised their hands.  We watch as Jose Angel raised his hand first!

We thought you might enjoy reading Jose Angel’s complete testimony.  So many have been a part of Jose Angel’s answered prayer.  We have shared his story and the need to add facilities at the Tocumen School.  God has blessed this school beyond its capacity.  But thanks to so many who gave to this project, all needed funds were given or promised by mid-January this year.  We were able to say to Pastor Carlos, “Open seventh grade… Let’s build!”

Registration  for seventh grade began the end of January.  We have been waiting to see if Jose Angel, Raquel and Linneth would come.  We received the class list just this morning and all three of these young people are on the list, plus 19 more! (See numbers 3, 4 and 15)

Thank you for praying and for giving.  We return to Panama in just a couple of days.  We look forward to looking Jose Angel in the eye and telling him, “See, God answered your prayer!”

Please continue to pray for the Tocumen School.  Pray that we will be able to complete the purchase of the house and property located behind the school.  The funds are in or promised.  But the couple who own the home are having marital problems, which has affected the sale.  We need the home to relocate some classes from the older section of the school.  Teams begin arriving in July to work on the school.  Pray that we will be able to accommodate these classes in a nearby rental home.  Pray that the school will continue to grow and reach out to children and their families.  So far there are 300 registered this year, an increase of 50 from last year.

Above all, I thank God for all the beautiful days that He gives us, and I also thank him for keeping me and my family in health.

Well, to begin, I wasn’t in this school from kindergarten to third grade.  I was in another school where the teachers were very stern and they didn’t understand that we couldn’t always be quiet.  The first day I went to kindergarten I cried a lot because my parents left.  I didn’t want to do anything; I wanted to go home.  But those days passed and I got used to things.

I came to this school—Living Water Christian School—in fourth grade.  I have enjoyed the school from the very first day because the teachers are very nice, kind and loving.  But better than anything is that I learned to ready the Bible here and to learn about the life of God.  I thank all my teachers for their patience and dedication they have shown me every day.

I pray that God would bless them with health and wisdom so that they will be able to continue to teach not only school subjects, but also about God.

I ask God to help the school keep growing so that it can add seventh grade.  I want to continue at the school because it feels like home.

I thank God for the opportunity that God has given me and I ask him to bless this school, the teachers, the pastor and all the children that he has placed in my path.

—Jose Angel (5th Grade)