By Rod Boyd

Many dream… few live out their dreams. Recently, Missionary Kirk Jones and I, along with one of our national brothers, we able to visit the new Guaymi Indian school, located in the community called Duima in the mountains of northwest Panama. When I first visited the site of this school two and a half years ago, it was nothing more than a dream and a mountaintop covered with vegetation. We walked the perimeter of the property that day, claiming it as a school. Now, after months of hard work, we are living the dream.

This was my first time to see the school in action. The school is currently ministering to 49 children, youth and adults. The potential is much greater. Word of the school is spreading through the neighboring communities. We believe within the next few months 40 new children will be enrolling. Because of the diversity of educational levels, there are currently six different classes—two in the morning, three in the afternoon and one in the evening for adults. Classes range in size from 2 (two young ladies age 15 and 20 studying in the sixth grade) to 12 (kindergarten).

The children receive a hot meal at noon each day. The day we visited the children were served rice, beans and sardines plus a nutritious milk drink. We are challenging the other schools to help the Guaymi school, especially with the feeding program. The high school recently gave $150 dollars and basic pots and pans. Another offering was taken at a recent leader’s retreat. Praise the Lord, all are rallying together to meet the needs of this new school.

One of the secrets of the school is the staff. Vielka is the head teacher. She has such a servant spirit and I believe a missionary heart. The teachers are currently staying in one of the classrooms. When we arrived we noticed that they had three tents set up in the classroom. When we questioned them they said that when it rains condensation forms on the inside of the metal building—it rains inside. One time they were flooded out. It is a difficult life. Pastor Cesar is one of our missionaries to the Guaymi and teaches the adult reading and writing program. His two sisters are both involved in the school as well—one as a teacher, one cooking. There is now a viable church meeting in the school. Pastor Cesar reported there are now forty in the congregation.

Please continue to pray for this school. Pray for the teachers. They are true missionaries. Pray for the various projects that need to be completed: floors in the classrooms, fence, teacher’s quarters. Pray for two teams that will be helping this month and next. The seniors from our high school in Panama City will be spending a few days there this month, focusing on laying the cement floors. Missionary Kirk Jones will be working with an AIM team from California on various projects and evangelistic outreach. Pray for us as we work with the Ministry of Education to expand the ministry of the school.

What began as a dream in the hearts of so many is now reality. It was worth it all! Few can really appreciate the work that goes into opening a school—especially a school an hour, or two, from the nearest road. So many contributed. Missionaries Larry and Dorothy Cederblom worked with the national church to birth the vision for the school. Missionaries Terry and Julie Bell worked with two Pathfinder construction teams from Tennessee to build the classrooms. Missionaries Kirk and Yvonne Jones helped raise sponsorship and prayer support. MANY nationals labored to take the steps necessary to open the school. And so many of our faithful supporters and prayer partners have invested themselves in this project. Thank you to all that have had a part. God bless you!

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Duima Photos