Life in Panama! La vida en Panamá!

Some of you may have received this email multiples times.

I'm still figuring a few things out. So sorry! - Susan

Do you have a facebook account? Follow our FB page here: @selbys.in.panama

WE HAVE ARRIVED!

It’s astounding to us how many things could have prevented us from being in Panamá, yet the Lord resolved them so we could be here. Even up to a month before leaving, we were still not fully funded. There was also Brook's thyroid surgery that had to go very well, in order for us to leave. But, here we are! Just as we had prayed, we were able to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary in our new home country.

It is hot! And we are loving Panamá!

During our first days in Panamá, we met our friend Darling and the three girls she is supporting from her orphanage.

DEPENDENCE

One of the books we read in preparation for Panama talks about bonding with our new culture similar to the way that a newborn bonds with its mother. This means choosing to enter the culture dependent on new friends. It is very humbling, but it produces real, interdependent friendships, instead of ministry projects.

We've had lots of opportunity to receive already. As soon as we got off the plane, we went to find Darling. It was so wonderful to meet in person this friend we have been getting to know over video chat these last many months. She took us to a restaurant and helped us buy dinner before touring us around the city and showing us where to buy coconut water, straight out of the coconut. Later, Darling asked one of the young women that she is supporting to guide us to the subway and then bus station so that we could travel to our anniversary spot. Our new friend Jamileth was so helpful in teaching us how to use the Metro. It was also great practice in learning Spanish and getting to know this new culture.

EMBRACE HARD THINGS

In February, we spent a month at a language and culture training center in Colorado Springs. Here's the summary video that we recorded at the end of that time. Many times during our training they referred to the "continual, relentless high stress of cross-cultural ministry." Yes! Sign me up! They painted a realistic picture of the stress that comes from almost everything being unfamiliar and challenging. That's pretty scary to hear when we're getting rid of all of our stuff and buying one-way tickets to a place of stress! Sometimes it might be hard to go practice language learning in 85 degree heat and 85 percent humidity, especially after a long bus ride and carrying a heavy backpack! We have made and will need to continue making the decision, "Okay, we're doing this for love, and we're in for the long haul!" We were recently encouraged by the scripture from Hebrews 12:4, "you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood." There is a privilege in joining Jesus in sacrificing for the sake of people knowing that they are valued. (We may need you to remind us of this after a few months.)

PRAYER REQUESTS

Would you pray with us:

that we will hear God's Spirit as we look for a place to live
for Brook to receive healing of his remaining parathyroid, which was impacted from his thyroid surgery
to choose contentment in difficulties we might face
for God to lay a solid foundation in these relationships we are starting in Panamá
that we really bond with the people and culture of Panamá

REST

Okay, so not everything is hard!

While on our anniversary trip, we learned that not everyone has hot water in Panamá and we were grateful that we did. We saw lots of wildlife including a Coati, Howler monkeys and Capuchin monkeys, lots of birds, and some interesting bugs, including a scorpian, glowing click beetle, and a Giant Cicada. Brook also went up on the roof with our AirBnB host to pick mangos!