Mission to the Americas

Serving Ministries and Missions in Latin America

Archives for March 2009

Corregimiento De Bella Vista

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Panama is broken in to Provinces, one of which is named Panama, that contains the capital of the country, Panama City.

That province is broken into 11 districts, and those are further subdivided into corregimientos.

We live in the corregimiento de Bella Vista.

It covers 5.1 square kilometers, (about 2.0 square miles).

According to a 2004 article (link broken), this area had almost 90 banking institutions, 27 embassies, 4700 businesses, 29 hotels, and more than 15 schools and universities.

The article states that the last census (2000) indicated that 42,046 residents.

According to a mayoral candidate in the 2009 election, (link broken) the area has 28,421 residents.

Women’s Day Event

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Women's Day Ministry Invitation

Saturday March 28, Brenda is helping to organize a women’s day event at a local hotel.

As part of our ministry’s outreach efforts to build relationships with unchurched people, she and a team are planning a morning of fellowship, breakfast, games, and even some door prizes (which is customary at events like this here).

The main goal is to connect with people and introduce them to a new church that is in the pre-launch stage.

Tickets are $10 to help share the cost of the event and will be held at the Four Points Sheraton about a block away from our residence.

Leadership Group

How to pray for this event:

Pray for new and genuine relationships with unchurched people.

Pray for our ability to follow up and continue to connect.

Pray for ongoing relationships out of that group.

Church planting in Our Context

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Calle 50 Panama City PanamaI live in a city of nearly 1 million people.

I prayerwalk the 3 neighborhoods regularly and have discovered a few observations:

  • Less than 5 churches in the entire area.
  • Condominium towers from 4 stories to over 50 stories.
  • Very popular night clubs and restaurants.
  • Streets known for hookers at night.
  • A smattering of single family houses.
  • Lots of office buildings
  • Lots of pedestrian traffic during the weekdays.
  • Very empty on the weekends.
  • Residents generally middle to upper middle class.

Housing

Apartment towers have 24 hour security and access to them is by being buzzed in by a resident.

High density housing even among single family houses means that your next door neighbor’s wall is likely less than 3 feet away if not directly attached as row houses.

Single family houses are hidden behind walls and gates.  Windows and doors are covered with iron bars painted to match the color scheme of the house.  Border walls have razor wire or broken glass in the cement to keep people from walking on them.  Some families have their own private security guard that sits at the entrance.

Privacy and fortress like security is a key description of housing in our neighborhoods.

People

As we people watch in some three or four parks, we see families, lots of children, and nannies.  The parks begin to fill up with people as the afternoon wears on, and the sun starts to set.

Live-in nannies are common in our part of town who are likely receiving salaries of about $300-400 a month.

Some parks seem to attract more children with their parents.  One park seems only to attract the nannies and children.  It’s an observation to keep watching.

Questions in our mind

  • How do we build relationships with our neighborhood?
  • How can we discover the community needs as we are in the parks?
  • What kinds of park-based outreaches can we do to start ministering to the need?

Would you join us in prayer as we seek to discern this?  We are participating in Launching a New Church in the city and this is part of our prayerful discernment about our neighborhoods.

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