Conectando Panamá. January 2018 LHM Panama ministry center (Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones) Sharing a Message of Hope WORK SUMMARY REALIZED thanks to the support of volunteers, donors and joint work with the Dios es Grande Lutheran Church, the Pediatric Hospital, the Lutheran Mission Peru, the Irma H. Tzanetatos Hospital, Hemodialysis Unit of the CSS, the María Ossa de Amador School, the Jehovah Nissi Church, the Christian University of Panama, the Chaplains of the National Police, the Colegio Bilingue of Arraiján and the Mental Health Network.................... (507)260-3464 cptlnpanama@gmail.com transformandovidasblog.wordpress.com cptlnpanama
PARTNERSHIP IN CHRISTMAS PARTY AT LOMA COVA We were invited to par cipate with Project Timoteo at the Christmas Party of the Sunday School of the Dios es Grande Lutheran Church. This was a me of joy and celebra on, in which we reinforced the true meaning of Christmas, using the puppets of El Clan de Memo. Members of this church were present, organizing and encouraging the ac vi es. Thanks to God for the donors, the volunteers and all those who follow up on the task of Chris an educa on for these children. We highlight many of these children come from the Jesús en Los Pobres School and Estado de Minnesota School, where we work the Bible Values. INSIDE The puppets celebrate at the Outpatient Consultation - "The Christmas Journey" at the Irma H. Tzantetatos Hospital - Joint work in Peru - "The Best Gift" Workshop - Happiness at the Hemodialysis Unit - "Get with me according to Your Word" Concert - Red Boots Tour in schools - Hope in Paso Blanco - Promoting Values in Arraiján - Christmas arrived in Las Nubes - Sharing in the Media - José Pinto's story - Evaluation of the Mental Health Network. 1
CHRISTMAS PERFORMANCE IN THE OUTPATIENT AREA Christmas came to the Outpatient Area of the Especialidades Pediátricas Hospital with the Holistic program of LHM Panama. The group of volunteer students accompanied us from the Universidad de las Américas, who made a special performance with the puppet theater about the history of Christmas. Children listened the message that Jesus is the center of Christmas and He came into the world to bring us the hope of a better life in Christ and to give us His peace. We walked the corridors, talking with the children and singing Christmas carols with them. They received with great joy, this Christmas message in the company of their parents and relatives present. In addition, our ministry and the volunteer students distributed among children, the coloring book Christmas Journey, cookies and other goodies. What a beautiful opportunity to share Christ, the central motive of Christmas! To God be the glory! MINISTRY IN ACTION Know more about our labor, visit us at --> VIMEO.COM/LHMINT 2
WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY OF PANAMA Through Project Joel program, LHM Panama had the opportunity to work as a team with the Universidad Cristiana de Panamá a training on the theme Towards Professional Life, with the sixth year students of the Colegio Bilingüe de Arraiján. We reinforced the Biblical Values, in addition to distributing Christian literature. We thank the volunteer, Professor Tatiana Cornejo, for her constant support and for the coordination of this opportunity to share and guide these young people on such an important issue for their lives: the next step after graduation. END-OF-YEAR MEETING OF THE MENTAL HEALTH NETWORK The Mental Health Network held its end-of-year meeting on Wednesday, December 20, at the facilities of the Mayor's Of ce of Panama. LHM Panama, represented by the Lcda. Itza Romero, was present as well as colleagues from other institutions. Lcda. Icela Rosario, representative of this institution, received us very attentively. During this time, a general evaluation concerning the activities realized during the year was developed. It concludes that 2017 was a very good year, in which some events as the mental health fair and various training sessions for the members of the Network, students, professionals and members of the community were successfully achieved. 3
CONTINUES WORK AGREEMENT OF THE LUTHERAN MISSION PERÚ AND THE LUTHERAN HOUR With the accompaniment of our Regional Director for Latin America, Dr. Nilo Figur, we participated in the Lutheran FORUM of the LCMS Mission in Perú. In this event, we had an excellent presentation to talk about our programs, including the new VIVENCIAR program, which was widely accepted by the members of the FORUM and the Mission. We agreed to continue our joint work with the Mission and we assigned a new Coordinator of Christ for All Nations (LHM) in Lima. Brother Lutheran Jean Carlos Ramírez Zeballos, Peruvian from Lima, is the person in charge of collaborating with us as of January 2018. YOUR SUPPORT TO OUR MINISTRY IS VALUABLE! 4
CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION IN THE IRMA H. TZANETATOS HOSPITAL We participated with the Holistic program in the Pediatrics Room of the Irma Tzanetatos Hospital, which became the scene of the celebration of Christmas. Patient children of this hospital enjoyed the songs, the parade of cartoon characters, candies and food organized by the Department of Social Work in charge of the Lcda. Guevara, who every year invites LHM Panama to share the Christian message of Christmas. What a great opportunity for our ministry to bring this special message to the children and their parents about the great gift of love that God gave us: His only begotten Son Jesus! During this sharing, with the support of volunteer Yuliska Domínguez, we gave the children the booklet Christmas Journey, which encourages children and their families to keep Christ as the center of this celebration, since He is the reason for Christmas. The Lcda. Guevara thanked our participation and express LHM Panama will be always welcome as part of this great family of the hospital. Thank God for supporting us in every place where we are going to share His message of hope. MINISTRY CENTER IN ACTION Follow the news and discover how the life of many people are impacted positively, visit us at the blog... --> TRANSFORMANDOVIDASblog.wordpress.com 5
JOY AND HOPE FOR FAMILIES IN PASO BLANCO Annually, during the Christmas season, the Christian couple Sixto and Phanie Guevara share with the children of Paso Blanco area, the love of God. We join with Project Joel program to this beautiful work with the Red Boots Tour, in order to bring joy and hope to families in this area of scarce resources. Together, with an excellent team of volunteers, presented the message of the God's Plan of Salvation, using the puppets of El Clan de Memo. We animated with songs and games, as well as distributing teaching materials. Each child received a gift, donated by unknown people moved by love. There was a big party with candies, cake and ice cream. 6
CHRISTMAS ARRIVED TO LAS NUBES Little by little, the children of the community of Las Nubes, in the area of Arraiján, arrived at the Betel Lutheran Mission, in order to participate in the Christmas event of the year. Young people of the Dios es Grande Lutheran Church organized with love and effort this event, in which we participated through the Project Timoteo program in conjunction with volunteers of the Universidad Cristiana de Panamá and Capellanes de la Policía Nacional de Panamá. Through the puppets of El Clan de Memo we present the message of the Good News of God in a cheerful and dynamic way for the children, always emphasizing that in addition to toys and delicious food, this date has a main background: the birth of Jesus, the Son of God, and God's plan to save humanity. Candies, food, toys, books and stories, games and lots, but lots of fun. By working as a team with the Lutheran churches, we try to do an effective follow-up with the children and young people we reach through Project Timoteo program. Many of the children in this activity attend the schools where we work the Bible Values, Estado de Minnesota School and Jesús en los Pobres School. 7
WORKSHOP THE BEST CHRISTMAS GIFT IN THE PEDIATRIC HOSPITAL Through the Holistic program, LHM Panama held a workshop with children hospitalized in the Especialidades Pediátricas Hospital in which children participated with their families. In this, small workshop, children read the booklet Christmas Journey, which presents Jesus as the best and greatest gift we can receive and through whom we are forgiven. We talk about the values that this Christmas story highlights, such as solidarity, sharing and family unity. In this regard, Mrs. Lucia told us: "Christmas is time to help each other and share with the needy, especially with those who are going through illness and have no way to cope with the costs that this dif cult situation it brings with it. " Later, the children made a craft about the birth of Jesus, with the help of their relatives. Thanks to God for this special time with these children, for whom we also pray for their healing and so that they can soon return to their homes. Amen. 8
RED BOOTS TOUR AND CLOSING EVENT AT THE MARÍA OSSA DE AMADOR SCHOOL When the school year ends, students and educators organize a very special closing. In the case of the María Ossa de Amador School, they held a fair in which we participated with Project Joel program, the puppets, group games, Christmas crafts and the presentation of the Red Boots Tour. During this tour, we exhorted children to take inside their hearts and to their homes the real purpose of this Christmas season: the birth of Jesus and His message of Salvation. The students received from us, as a gift, the book The Big Feet Angel, which we used in classes to encourage reading comprehension. 9
LUTHERAN CHURCH OF PANAMA'S CHRISTMAS CONCERT The Director of LHM Panama represented the ministry in the Christmas Concert Be it unto me according to Thy Word" from the Lutheran churches of Panama. This year this event took place in the Dios es Grande Lutheran Church, located in Loma Cova. For our ministry, it was an honor to be present and to share with our brothers and sisters in the faith, of a time of praise to the Lord. The Dios es Grande Lutheran Church's president congregation, Deaconess Griselda Aguilar, gave to Lic. Edilberto Méndez Mora, Director of LHM Panama, a gift as recognition for the joint work that our ministry has done with this congregation, through the years. For our ministry it was a pleasant surprise to receive this beautiful detail. 10
CHRISTMAS CAROLS IN THE UNIT OF HEMODIALYSIS Through the Holistic program, the LHM Panama team, the Martinez siblings of Dios es Grande Lutheran Church and Pastor Patricio Mora of El Redentor Lutheran Church shared a special Christmas message to the patients of the Hemodialysis Unit of the Caja de Seguro Social (CSS), located in the area of San Miguelito. Intoning melodious Christmas carols, accompanied by the tambourine and the four played by Jasmine, we shared with patients during the time they received their treatment or waiting for their admission. Pastor Patricio gave an emotional and hopeful message exhorting this group of people to remember that Christ is the true gift of Christmas that brings us peace and joy amidst dif cult circumstances and the pain of illness. In addition, that in the midst of anguish, problems and illness are not alone in this struggle, because our Savior, Emmanuel, is with us, walks with us and we can live with hope in Christ. The Lcda. Raquel Camargo, social worker of this unit, accompanied us on the tour singing with us and thanked that we could be present again to take this message to this group of people who have their health affected and suffer from the pain caused by the treatments. 11
TAKING ADVANTAGE THE OPPORTUNITIES This month's story is about José, a fth grade student from a city school. Throughout elementary school, José had attended a school that receives children who come from different areas of the city, including dangerous areas. The violence that is lived in those neighborhoods is re ected within the school and in the behavior of the children, and some of them are classmates of José. Thanks to the opportunity to participate in the formation of values in this school, we have been able to see how kindergarten children grow and change their degree. Many of these children have stayed in this school, which allows us to comment on the life trajectory of these students. It is also with José, whom we have seen growing up since he was a child and how he has dealt with the situations of his age and the particular situations of a school with internal con icts. José has seen the harassment and aggressiveness with which some children treat their classmates - sometimes as a result of the same experience in their homes -, bad behavior and school failures. In some periods of his life, José was also involved in all this, however, little by little his life has taken another turn. One strategy that we use in our prevention and promotion of values is to add children to activities and we have observed that this integration has had a positive effect on José. Thanks to the great support of the teacher Norma, we have the accompaniment that she carries out with the student, day by day. José connected through the work of promoting Biblical Values and integral prevention that for years has been carried out in that school. Little by little, José has been involved in the activities that are carried out, such as the handling of puppets, songs, games and readings, as well as the presentations in the Civic Act every Monday in front of the students and educators of the school. For two summers, José began to attend the Church. We have seen growth José and likewise he we have seen mature and strive to be top student... 12
LHM Panamá ministry center Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones We share the message of hope and salvation in Christ Jesus with all people, through programs and resources of spiritual guidance; being also a bridge between those who seek a relationship with God and the church. blog Transformando Vidas www.transformandovidasblog.wordpress.com................... (507)260-3464 cptlnpanama@gmail.com transformandovidasblog.wordpress.com cptlnpanama