Our first full day in Panama was a huge success! We set out this morning on a walking adventure to the market to stock up for the week. We've become pros at navigating through Panama City thanks to Blanca and Doris... we learned from the best! Very proud of being able to get ourselves around a place where we don't even speak the language!
In the afternoon, we headed over to Divino Niño Orphanage, a house that has been turned into an orphanage for children ages 0-6. It was nap time when we arrived, so we sat and talked with Graciella, our guide for the orphanages, and she told us all about fostering and the adoption process in Panama. Jordan, Brittani, and myself were all amazed at how long and difficult adoption here can be... they are just now getting to the applicants from 2009! We also learned that adoption for children with special needs here is very difficult, and they almost solely rely on international adoption in those cases. It was definitely an eye-opener, and put into perspective what we were about to witness.
After that, it was playtime! Divino Niño has about 30 children, so you can imagine how much energy that is! The good news is the children there have lots of toys... although most of them preferred just using us as jungle gyms! We had just as much fun, if not more, than they did! We definitely gained some perspective on the situation, and came up with some points and ideas to share with Misty and Matt for their new orphanage!
For tonight, we're off to the Navarros' house to cook a yummy dinner! It's the least we could do for all the amazing things they've done for us! Time to relax and recover, for we are sure to be sore tomorrow!
:) Brittan(with a Y)
Thrive
Working to thrive, not solely survive
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
En route to Panama- Let the journey begin!
With a flight leaving at 6:05am, it takes an awesome friend to drive a group of 3 girls to Baltimore. Thankfully, Allison is just that AWESOME and got us here safe and sound (with plenty of time!). Brittani, Brittany and I are officially at the gate and ready to depart for Panama (after some Potbelly breakfast sandwiches, of course :)
In the past few days, I haven't seemed to have time to get excited or to even process what we are doing today. Thinking about the friends we get to see, neighborhood we will be staying in, the familiar and new places we will be going- it all somehow feels like I'm headed almost home...
Today will be a day of travel, reunions, and introductions with the new friends we will be spending our time with this week. Look out for more posts from Brittani, Brittany, and myself for updates on all of our activities!
Love always,
Jordan
In the past few days, I haven't seemed to have time to get excited or to even process what we are doing today. Thinking about the friends we get to see, neighborhood we will be staying in, the familiar and new places we will be going- it all somehow feels like I'm headed almost home...
Today will be a day of travel, reunions, and introductions with the new friends we will be spending our time with this week. Look out for more posts from Brittani, Brittany, and myself for updates on all of our activities!
Love always,
Jordan
Saturday, July 6, 2013
The Beginning- Panama Special Needs Orphanage
We are excited to announce that three SU students will be traveling to Panama City, Panama for one week this August to facilitate the beginning stages of the first orphanage for children with special needs in Panama!
Misty & Matt Hedspeth moved to Panama from the US a few years ago, where God called them to work with orphaned children, finding them suitable homes and families to serve their physical and spiritual needs. Their organization, Heart's Cry Children's Ministry, is starting this new orphanage for children with special needs outside Colon, Panama. The construction has been started on this new building and is on track to open in January 2014.
Our role on this initial trip will be to work with children currently in orphanages to assess their needs, begin training caregivers and employees on how to care for the physical needs of these children, and start a training program for future employees to ensure continued education and proper care for children in this new institution.
The other program we'll be working with this trip is a school for children with behavioral and developmental disabilities, founded by Jenny Jack. Jenny is a lawyer from the US, who felt the call to move to Panama and serve this population of children a few years ago. Since then, her school has been meeting the needs of this often overlooked group of children in the heart of Panama. We'll be serving these children alongside the faculty, staff, and volunteers currently meeting their educational needs on a daily basis, providing support wherever they need us!
It is our hope that this is the beginning of a long-standing partnership between our students and these incredible organizations in Panama. Please keep our group in your thoughts and prayers as we begin this partnership!
Our newly added Paypal button is an easy way to contribute to our trips- now and in the future. Any funds donated for this trip will go towards purchasing therapy toys and equipment for the children in the orphanages, educational tools & resources for the school (e.g. curriculums, school supplies, etc), and defer the cost of shipping & checked baggage fees for these items.
Check out more about Heart's Cry Children's Ministry here:
http://www.heartscrychildren.com/our-team/
"Dear Panama" is a documentary on current adoption laws and struggles in Panama, and why serving the needs of these children is so crucial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDDakmqCvUI#at=915
If you'd like to donate, click the Paypal link at the top of the page! You can specify which trip you'd like your donation to benefit by putting the name in "Add special instructions" box on the Paypal menu. Thank you!!
Misty & Matt Hedspeth moved to Panama from the US a few years ago, where God called them to work with orphaned children, finding them suitable homes and families to serve their physical and spiritual needs. Their organization, Heart's Cry Children's Ministry, is starting this new orphanage for children with special needs outside Colon, Panama. The construction has been started on this new building and is on track to open in January 2014.
Our role on this initial trip will be to work with children currently in orphanages to assess their needs, begin training caregivers and employees on how to care for the physical needs of these children, and start a training program for future employees to ensure continued education and proper care for children in this new institution.
The other program we'll be working with this trip is a school for children with behavioral and developmental disabilities, founded by Jenny Jack. Jenny is a lawyer from the US, who felt the call to move to Panama and serve this population of children a few years ago. Since then, her school has been meeting the needs of this often overlooked group of children in the heart of Panama. We'll be serving these children alongside the faculty, staff, and volunteers currently meeting their educational needs on a daily basis, providing support wherever they need us!
It is our hope that this is the beginning of a long-standing partnership between our students and these incredible organizations in Panama. Please keep our group in your thoughts and prayers as we begin this partnership!
Our newly added Paypal button is an easy way to contribute to our trips- now and in the future. Any funds donated for this trip will go towards purchasing therapy toys and equipment for the children in the orphanages, educational tools & resources for the school (e.g. curriculums, school supplies, etc), and defer the cost of shipping & checked baggage fees for these items.
Check out more about Heart's Cry Children's Ministry here:
http://www.heartscrychildren.com/our-team/
"Dear Panama" is a documentary on current adoption laws and struggles in Panama, and why serving the needs of these children is so crucial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDDakmqCvUI#at=915
If you'd like to donate, click the Paypal link at the top of the page! You can specify which trip you'd like your donation to benefit by putting the name in "Add special instructions" box on the Paypal menu. Thank you!!
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