Return to Panama. Again

Front entrance

It's hard to believe that our 3rd trip to Panama has come and gone already.  We've been anticipating it for about a year.  Tickets and hotel stay were purchased in the early spring. The thought of children actually living now at Casa Providencia was just so exciting.

The team

Those first two trips had involved trying to help prepare the building in order to receive children.  The first trip it was clear that unless God intervened, it would never happen.  But visiting other orphanages where special needs children were housed, made it clear that it needed to happen.

The second trip was amazing to see how much more had been done, but it was evident there was still much that needed to be done (including having more than one functioning bathroom!)

I had to fight back tears on more than one occasion,beginning when we entered the building.  A bright, welcoming interior was just the first confirmation that God had indeed intervened and we were going to see the beginnings of what He was doing in the lives of these special children.

On Sunday we were able to have church with the children and staff at Casa Providencia.  Their desire for all of their staff and their children to know God and His love for them is clearly evident.

We toured the facility after our oritentation and it was with such joy to see the work of other teams before us.  The dining room walls had artwork of monkeys, sloths and parrots, all colorful animals of Panama, as well as scriptures that had been a part of the prompting of the building of Casa Providencia.  Micah 4:6-7 is a wonderful prophecy of what the Lord will do, as well as what is already happening here.






As the week went on, we saw other precious things that had been prepared for the children. The swing which had been built which allows a child's stroller or wheelchair to be rolled up and then secured for an outdoor swing is both ingenious and greatly enjoyed by the children.  One day that we were there, the weather was such that it was a perfect day for the children to spend some time outside, something that doesn't happen frequently during the rainy season.


 We ladies were able to spend quite a bit of time with the children.  We were able to help feed at meals sometimes, spend time in the playroom with them, as well as visiting while they were in physical or occupational therapy.  It was fun to see things we had done on previous trips (window sills repaired on the first trip, cameras installed after our last trip when the men had installed the wiring, doors painted) now making an actual impact.

Cheryl and Linda were able to help, adding their medical expertise to make suggestions for the care of some sweet ones with some unusual needs.  Their love was evident all week as they held and loved on the children.


If we weren't with the children, we ladies spent some time helping with some organizational projects: organizing the medical supplies, organizing the storage closet and sorting through kids clothing. Just imagine how important it is to keep a walk-in closet organized when you have to keep stock of things like shampoo, toothpaste, soap, extra toys, bibs, children's dishes for 18 children!!  And many of these items are donated.  So they might of tons of one item and be a bit short of other items. You want to try to keep track???  How about making sure you have enough pajamas for 18?  In the right size!

And what a joy it was to spend time with the children! It did not take us long to find they had made their way into our hearts.  Their unique personalities showed through quickly.  Some wanted to be held. All. The. Time.  Some wanted to swing in the swings in the playroom. Some just wanted to run around.  Some loved to have books read to them, especially if they could turn the pages with their feet. Some squealed with delight when you played with them. Some stopped crying when you held them and sang "Jesus Loves Me" in Spanish.  Some were redicient to play.

But each one is special to God the Father.  For each one God the Son died on the cross.  Each one is truly precious in His sight.

The hard-working men!

The guys worked hard to build bookcases to house the large binders of information that are kept on each child (doctor's reports, hospitalizatons, paperwork that is in process for adoption or foster care).  They also turned a old bathroom into a storage area with shelves as well as built two shelving units on opposite walls in another part of the room.  They had hoped to be able to paint them before we left, but it really was amazing to see what they were able to accomplish in time we had.

One way to keep her happy!

 On our last day, we went to a mall in Panama City and met the children and their caregivers as they were coming off of the bus that had brought them from Casa Providencia.  Other volunteers had come as well, and we had a better than one-to-one ratio of adults to children. We walked some around the mall, managed to move all the children between the floors in a small elevator.  At Casa Providencia the large elevator accomodates around 6 wheelchairs and/or strollers.  The mall's elevators would only hold about 3.  So moving between floors took awhile!  We helped feed the children.  (Oh, I wish I could show you their faces and their cute outfits!!) Then we headed down to an enclosed playground that was wonderful for these children.  None of the equipment had hard edges and there were many things that the children loved to play on.  But the slide was my favorite to watch them enjoy sliding down.  Too soon it was time to get them back to the bus and their other vehicles and let them return home.

We enjoyed some wonderful Panamian espressos (If you know me well, that's not suprising 😁) and lunch before we headed back. (We ate most of our meals at the hotel where we stayed and it didn't take the morning wait staff long to figure out that a couple of us would have espressos EVERY morning)

Playing peek-a-boo

We did manage a trip to see the Aqua Clara locks on the
Panama Canal, enjoy an evening swim most nights after
returning to the hotel, as well as visit another orphange, view some gorgeous flora, hear howler monkeys and just enjoy fellowship as a team.  (We didn't see tucans, howler monkeys or sloths this trip.  Must be we need to go back??!)

We are already talking about "on our next trip." (Want to join us?? Let me know!)  Our prayer is that God will continue to raise up those who desire to come alongside Heart's Cry Children's Ministry as they minister to those who have been abandoned but not forgotten.  They have room for 18 now. They have space for 55.  They are waiting on the Lord to provide their needs so that they can open their doors to more. We are praying.