Todd's in Panamá?

I'm Back! (in case you haven't noticed)

2008-03-27T18:05:00.000-07:00

Well, I successfully made it back home after traveling through most of Central America. It took me about a month to go from Panama to Guatemala and the last week of my trip I was flying (on a bus) through Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala with my friend Alex! It was an amazing experience that I was so lucky to have had. I just wanted to say thank you to everyone that has been keeping in touch with me during my time in Panama and for all those who have been keeping me in prayer. I appreciate it all so much! I don't have a phone or a car yet, but I'm working on those things to look like a " real" American. Still dealing with that whole culture change thing... Anyways, this is my last update for the "Todd's in Panama?" blog. I hope you have enjoyed reading and keeping up with what I have been doing in Panama. Enjoy the last photos!

Bueno, ya llegué a mi patria después de viajar por casí todo de américa central. Demoré un mes en mi viaje de Panamá hasta Guatemala. La última semana pasó muy rápida porque fui con mi amigo por Honduras, El Salvador y Guatemala en muy poco tiempo. Fue una experiencia inolvidable. Doy gracias a ustedes por apoyarme durante mi tiempo en Panama y por sus oraciones. Esta es la última actualización de mi ´blog´ ¨Todd´s (Miguel) in Panama?" Espero que ustedes han disfrutado mi página de web. Gracias por leer! Disfruten las fotos!

Here I am in an old abandoned Spanish gold mine in a national park in Honduras.

Aqui estoy en una mina de oro abandonada por los españoles hace siglos en Honduras.

These two good-looking chaps are my buddies Alex and Emerson. (Alex on the left, friend who came down to travel with me and Emerson on the right is my friend and college roommate.)

Esta foto es de mi amigo, Alex (quien me acompañó durante la última semana de mi viaje) y mi amigo Emerson, quien vive en Honduras y era mi compañero de cuarto en la universdad en los estados unidos.

Here is my buddy Alex in El Salvador near our expensive cabin in the woods. Beautiful, but expensive.

Aqui está Alex en El Salvador enfrente de un rio cerca de un hospedaje bastante caro; solo quedamos allá una noche y estaba despues de negociar el precio.

This last picture was taken in La Palma, El Salvador where lots of fine artisan work is sold. I bought a bunch of cool stuff here. Well, not much better of a place to leave you than a stop sign. Thanks for reading and God Bless!

La última foto tomada en La Palma, El Salvador donde vende mucha artesanía linda. Compré bastante regalos allá. Parece que esto es un buen lugar para parar. Dios les bendiga!

More from Costa Rica

2008-03-06T14:38:00.000-08:00

Copy of probably one of the oldest existing books. Found near the Mayan ruins in the Yucatan area of Mexico and Guatemala. I went to a talk at The University of Costa Rica with the friars and the expositor talked about how the Chinese discovered America thousands of years before the Spanish did and that the indigenous from the Americas are ancestors of the Chinese. Using proofs such as the `Book` above containing similarities to chinese culture and the use of paper. It was a very interesting talk and seemed to make a very plausible case.

This is the cutiest ugly dog I have ever seen. Her name is Betty. Ugly Betty.

Volcàn Irazù near Cartago, Costa Rica.

Stained Glass window in the Basilica in Cartago. Very beautiful church. Not sure if this is depicting the ascension of Christ to heaven or what, but its pretty.

This is a hospital for AIDS patients in Cartago and the surrounding area. It was started by the Capuchin Friar in the middle and works with the community without government assistance so it can run independently. I was simply blown away by the facility because it felt more like a home or retreat center rather than a hospital. It had open spaces like the one shown with flowers, fountains and other plants to make if feel less institutional. Just wonderful work that is being done by the Capuchins all over central america.

Visita a Nicaragua

2008-03-06T14:28:00.000-08:00

A picture of the postulantes (not sure if this is the English word) from Nicaragua preparing to become Friars. They are in a process of discernment to decide if the religious life is right for them. After a year in Nicaragua, they can decide to become friars or not. Those who choose to become friars will spend another year in Honduras for their preparation. Great group of guys. I got to spend a few days with them at their house in Managua.

Una foto de los postulantes en Nicaragua preparandose para ser friales. Ellos tienen un año para decidir si quiere ser friale or no. Despues de esta experiencia ellos van a Honduras por un año de formacìon. Son buena gente; una làstima que no pude quedar màs tiempo con ellos en Managua.

Visita a Nicaragua (cont...)

2008-03-06T13:57:00.000-08:00

World`s ugliest Cathedral?

¿La Catedral mas fea en el mundo?

Friar Cèsar`s Family in Managuas, Cèsar is one of the friars studying in Costa Rica.

Familia de Cèsar en Managuas.

Granada, Nicaragua

View from the bell tower of The Church of Our Lady Mercy

Vista del torre de La Iglesia Merced

Museum in Granada of ancient rock carvings.

Museo El Convento de San Francisco en Granada.

Red Coral Snake, on the path up to the top of a volcano on Isla Ometepe. Very deadly creatures, luckily my guide had a machete.

Un serpiente, Coral, en el camino hacia un mirador en el Volcàn Maderas en Isla Ometepe. Gracia a Dios, my guia tenìa un machete.

Isla Ometepe, view of the other volcano that I didn`t hike which is active and is named Conception. Very beautiful scenery and peaceful place.

Vista del otro Volcàn, Concepcìon. No caminè el otro porque es demasiado grande y activo. Pero desde este mirador se ve casi toda la isla. Muy hermosa.

Cartago, Costa Rica

2008-02-26T07:12:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures to show you a little of Costa Rica and the areas I have been able to travel so far. I plan to be in Nicaragua on Friday. Say some prayers that I may journey there safely. Thanks.

Aqui están algunas fotos de mi viaje en Costa Rica. Disfrutalas! Si Dios quiere, llegaré a Nicaragua este viernes. Gracias por sus oraciones y apoyo.

The above pictures are from a colonial church called La Iglesia San Jose, near Cartago, built about 250 years ago. Now its more of a museum and for special events like weddings and things. Wasn´t able to go in, but from the window it looked nice.

La fotografia arriba es de una iglesia colonial cerca de Cartago. Se llama La Iglesia San Jose y tiene como 250 años.

Here is a view from Volcano Irazú, you can see the clouds below covering Cartago. We were still about 5 km from the top. Pretty amazing view all around. Im afraid my camera does not do it justice.

La vista de Volcán Irazú. Se ve una nube encima de todo de Cartago. Aclaró un poco despues. Muy bonito Cartago y toda la area alrededor.

We celebrated mass with this community one day near the house of one of the friars. Much of his family was there and they invited us to a nice lunch and we able to spend time visiting them and getting to know more Costa Ricans. Hospitality here in Costa Rica is probably the best I have seen anywhere. I have felt very welcome in every home I have visited and have been offered tons of delicious food.

Nosotros despues de una misa con la familia de un Fraile. Comimos bastante allá en la comunidad y conocimos y compartimos mucho con la familia. Muy amable y tratable la gente de Costa Rica, yo me siento muy agradecido por toda la hospitalidad yo he recibido.

Here is a painting outside the church above of the crucifixion of Christ. Beautifully moving with the title ¨La Piedad¨ above which means devotion, piety and mercy.

Un muro afuera de la iglesia de la crucificcion. Muy bonito y impresionante con el título ¨La Piedad.¨

Here I am with some of the Capuchin Friars visiting a parque outside of Cartago.

Aqui con los frailes capuchinos en las afueras de Cartago en un parque.

This picture was taken in Wacuco with my friends from Piriati, Juli, Chini and their kids. They came by to say goodbye the day before I left. It was very special to me that they all came to wish me well. Good, Good people.

En Wacuco antes de irme. Mis amigos de Piriati me visitaron con sus niños para despedirme. Fue una visita muy especial. Buena gente.

Al regreso a la casa (english version below)

2008-02-19T07:16:00.000-08:00

Bueno, muchos de ustedes ya saben que voy a regresar a los estados unidos (hundidos). Me da mucha lastima para salir de este país tan bonito y dejar tantos amigos aquí. Pero, se acabó mi compromiso con Capcorp y yo siento que puedo irme con toda confianza y seguridad que yo he hecho todo que pude con el tiempo que Dios me dio acá. Gracias por todo su apoyo y amistad durante este tiempo, me han ayudado muchísimo.

Mi plan ahora es salir de Panamá este jueves en bus a Costa Rica para visitar los Frailes Capuchinos allá y conocer más de américa latina. Después de Costa Rica, seguramente, voy para Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala y desde allá voy en avión hasta Chicago. Hay un mapa un poco más abajo si quiere seguir el camino en que voy a tomar.

Aquí esta una foto de la última convivencia de jóvenes en Ipeti Quebrada la Palma. Esta es una dinámica que hicimos imitando aviones aterrizando, despegando y dando vueltas. Fue muy DIVERTIDO y puede usar esta actividad para simular el vuelvo que voy a tomar de Guatemala hasta Chicago. Disfrútala!

Homeward Bound

2008-02-19T06:28:00.000-08:00

Well, as many of you already know, I am on my way back to the States. The trip will take about a month to do, as I plan to take a bus through most of Central America. The plan, so far, is head up to Cartago, Costa Rica this thursday and stay with the Capuchin Friars there for a week or so and travel around Costa Rica getting to know that area. From there, naturally, I will be heading through Nicaragua, seeing what there is to see there and then heading up to visit a college buddy in Honduras. From Tegucigalpa, Honduras I will be traveling with another friend up through El Salvador and Guatemala. I will then take a plane to Chicago and return "forever" to the good ole United States of America. I drew a map to better illustrate my EXACT route through CA. So, this will act as a very good guide and will tell you precisely where I am throughout the entire trip. (Note the sarcasm.)

Anyways, if time and internet cafes allow, I'll give you all a peak into my journey as I am seeing and experiencing the amazing cultures and landmarks along the way. Enjoy and keep me in your prayers as I make my trek back home. God Bless.

Christmas, New Years and More!

2008-01-21T12:39:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas and Prosperous New Year! (translated from above picture) Here is Father Wally with a niña who recently made her first communion during Christmas Eve mass. I was invited to a friend´s house for Christmas Eve dinner which is customarily served after mass at around midnight. That´s when the fun starts. We sang Christmas carols and danced some salsa, merengue and bachata until the early morning.
Yeah, so life as a missionary in Panamá is rough... Here´s me with my buddy, Elias, who guided my friend Becky and I around San Blas (northern coast of Panamá). We stayed on an island in a Kuna village with his family and were taken around in his boat to different islands and ragging rivers. It was quite the adventure. Becky is a very couragous person to go on a trip like this with her crazy adventurous friend. Not too many people want to sleep in a hut, poop in the ocean and eat lobster on the beach!

So, it´s that time of year again! The rice harvest is in full swing here in Wacuco! I went to harvest rice by hand with one of my friends, Biri, who planted in the ´monte´behind his house. It was a lot of fun working with a bunch of guys in the blistering sun all day; surprisingly. Well, at least I learned something new and was brought closer into panamanian culture, especially the culture of the ´campos.´

These are part of group of ´jovenes´from surrounding parishes. We went to Cerro Azul for a weekend retreat in order to prepare them better for leadership in their youth groups. I had a really fun time hanging out with them all and getting to know them better. Good kids. Cerro Azul was a good preparation for going back to the states. It is very cool there in the night, probably the first time I have been cold in Panamá.

Here is a video from a youth encounter I went to this past week with the sisters and some youth from Alto Bayano. It is basically about 5 or 6 thousand kids going nuts for God. It was a really intense and good experience. Sólo Dios Basta (Only God is Enough) was the title of the program.

INSTANT REPLAY of the last couple months

2007-12-15T12:25:00.000-08:00

So, since my return to Panamá in October, I have really dropped the ball on keeping up the blog. But, have no fear, here is a review of what has been going on the past couple months; with pictures!
This goofy-looking panamanian is one of my buddies from Tocumen who greeted me when I returned from my visit from the states. That same weekend my buddy Alan finished up his time with the Peace Corp in Panamá and we had a little ¨despedida¨ for him which included ridiculous ¨decimas¨ and poking fun at the culture we have learned to love and understand.

Here is my coworker and friend, Orlando, with his wife and daughter after the big Independence day parade in Torti. Panama has two independence days, one from Colombia and the other from Spain; both celebrated with plenty of parading and beer.

Another traditional activity for the independence day, Greasy Pole! So, basically they grease up a tree trunk with animal fat and a bunch of kids work together to try to reach the prize that is hung at the top. Pretty funny watching those youngins scrambling up that pole!

Here I am with my friend Chito and his family in Chepo after a gradution ceremony for his daughter, Anna. I was named ¨Padrino¨ for the graduation with translates to Godfather or maybe better known in the states as a sponsor. Basically this means I brought a gift, went to the ceremony and ate some good food afterwards. They are a great family and Anna is hoping to study to become a doctor. Chito has high hopes for her and works hard so his kids can have the schooling needed to make those dreams possible. I just hope I can help Anna out with her English studies and be a good example in pursing education. The opportunities we have in the states to study are so much greater that we often take even a high school or college diploma for granted. I hope the children of Panamá will continue to have more opportunities to study and earn a higher education.

Here are some of my neighbors before the mass of the Immaculate Conception. These kids dressed up in their traditional Panamanian dress to bring up the offering during the ceremony.

Many of you will not believe it, but I only have two months left here in Panamá. The time really has flown by and its seems like there is so much that I have yet to do. But, in February I will be embarking on a journey north towards the US in bus. I plan to visit Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and possibly Mexico and Belize. Right now, one brave soul is joining up with me in Honduras for the last leg of the voyage. If anyone is interested in coming along, let me know and we might be able to figure out something.

Merry Christmas to all and a happy new year!

Fixing the Damage

2007-10-15T06:57:00.000-07:00

So, a lot of things have become damaged here over the past couple days. First, it was the Torti water project, second the Wacuco water project and then it was the Pan-American Highway.

The water system of the town of Torti went dry for a day or so, so a couple of workers and I went Torti Arriba to investigate why water was not getting to the reservoir tank. Our water source is about 10km up into the mountains, so this is no easy fix just due to the distance and the great trouble it is to travel on the one and only path that goes up the mountain. We took up two ATVs with us. One has four wheel drive, the one Juni and I were using, and another is only two wheel drive, which Ramon used. With only about ten minutes on the trail, we encountered an impassable part that was covered in rock and mud due to a mudslide. So, we cleared a path wide enough to get by and continued on. Then about another ten minutes up the road, the ATV I was on got stuck in a couple feet deep of mud which was very difficult to get loose. Luckily, a guy that was walking by helped us to lift it out of the mud and onto a less muddy part of the road so we could gain some traction and finally get out. There were more parts that made us need to get out and push the ATV or tow using the other ATV or visaversa. But, finally we made it to a part where there was a water shut-off valve, so we could fix whatever tube was damaged. But, to get to the valve, we had to cross a river that had recently risen. So, we followed this river looking for a sign of a break, and finally we found it! It was about midday when Juni and I started to fix the break as Ramon went to turn off the water flow so we could attach a new pvc coupling. Ramon crossed the river at its shallowest point, which still came up to his chest! Luckily we did it all safely and were able to get water flowing through the pipe again. So, we made it back down the mountain and that afternoon the three of us cleaned out the water tank to ensure clean water would be entering into the water system. When the rivers crest due to a good amount of rain, a lot of sediment collects at the bottom of the tank, which doesnt help with the water flow. So, it was quite a long day, but a good day. It´s nice to do things sometimes that has results you can see, especially when you are helping a whole community with something so vital as water.

Then a couple days later, there was no water in Wacuco, where I live. So, three of us went up to check on the water tanks on the Wacuco water system. Luckily we found the problem which was in the break-pressure water tank not too far from the house. Only about a 15 minute ATV ride. This time the exit pipe of the tank was being blocked by roots and leaves, so I climbed on in and cleaned the tank out. We have no idea how this plant got in there, but it seemed to enjoy living in there. Poor plant, but, sorry, we need water!

The third and final problem was with the highway. A mudslide blocked both lanes of traffic in between the towns of Wacuco and Ipeti a couple days ago. There is a good amount of traffic on this road, seeing that it is the only road that connects Alto Bayano, where I live, with the rest of Panama. So, Father Wally was calling the government to see what they would do about, and finally came to the conclusion that it would be faster if we cleared it, because we had the equipment to do it and we are in close proximity. So, right now that is something we are working on and hopefully the government with come through and pay us for our labors. Right now, one lane is open, but it is a very dangerous job to do because more mudslides are possible due to the amount of rain we have been getting lately. So, hopefully we will be able to open both lanes of traffic up soon to give aid to the great amount of people who depend on this road.

So, this week has been full of its calamaties, and I have had the gift of being involved in it all. Never a dull day in Wacuco! Thanks for reading and I'll try to get some pictures up soon. Peace.

Back Home... in Panamá

2007-10-08T14:28:00.000-07:00

I just want to thank everyone that made my trip home so wonderful. I really enjoyed catching up with a lot of you as well as being spoiled for the week I was back. Sorry I could not see everyone of you, but my trip was short. And no worries, I will be back sooner than you know it. Chicago seemed to be pretty much as I left it, except for the Cubs being winners and the Bears losers. That was a big change to me.

Now, I am back in Wacuco after spending a couple of days in Tocumen regrouping with friends there and saying goodbye to my buddy, Alan, who has served his full term of Peace Corp in Panamá. Prayers for him as he travels through central america in bus on his way home to the states. Thanks again for all your support and prayers! I really appreciate you all! Peace.

2007-09-26T12:27:00.000-07:00

Here we have Tucans, Turtles, Hummingbirds and an Eagle all carved from Cocobolo (Rosewood, I believe is the English translation)

Here are some pictures of the Art that I am selling from Piriati. The money from the sales will go directly to the artists, so its a great benefit to the people. Let me know if you are at all interested.

2007-09-01T16:25:00.001-07:00

This photo is from a reteat that Gabriel and I had with former CapCorp volunteers who were in Nicaragua. We had a great time hearing past experiences of CapCorp members and time to reflect on our current experience here in Panamá.

Above is a photo from a recent ¨Convivencia¨ (Youth Activity) in the church of Torti where we acted out dramas based on different parables and played games and were able to get to know one another better. Good times.

My neighbor, Mopri, the proud owner of a recently poured concrete floor. I joined the neighborhood in helping him get this floor poured a couple weeks back. Now, his son, Micail, will hopefully not be as sick as he has been with the dirt floor he was playing on before.

The Indigenous Village of Piriati

2007-08-24T10:11:00.000-07:00

Several weeks back I had the great pleasure to get to know the pueblo of Piriati and take a hike up to their future water source with Gabriel and a Peace Corp worker, Alan, I am friends with who lives and works in Piriati with an indigenous tribe called Embera. Alan has been there for almost two years now and has been involved in aqueduct projects, composting latrines and other sanitation and health issues. The hike took us all day from early morning until dusk with many obstacles such as steep mountains, slippery rocks and plenty of mud. Luckily Alan´s neighbor was kind enough to loan me a pair of rubber boots for the trail, realizing my shoes would probably be lost along the way due to the great amounts of mud. I was sucking wind part of the time trying to keep up with Alan who patiently waited for me and Gabriel at the top of the steep inclines. Being my first time, I felt I did pretty well considering Alan had probably made the trip more than thirty or so times; probably more. The long haul was well worth it for we encountered beautiful waterfalls, rivers and untouched jungle. Unfortunately, much of the area below has been deforested to raise cattle, but at least the water source and surrounding area above has been protected due to the efforts of Alan and the people of Piriati. All that stands in the way now in giving the people of Piriati a bountiful supply of clean water is a little pvc, a couple break pressure tanks and some motivation for the people to finish it up. Right now they share a depleted and sometimes dirty source that can bring illnesses to the village ever so often. I felt very privileged to be able to share in this experience with the people of Piriati and get to partake in the mission of Peace Corp here and realize the many projects that are going on in Panamá. It gives me great hope for the future that there are people who care enough to give their service for the good of mankind. We don´t all have to be Peace Corp workers or live abroad in order help those in need, but we can live consciously and deliberately each day so that the cry of the poor and oppressed will not fall upon deaf ears. There are many groups working to bring awareness of local, national and global issues that need our attention. I made links to several such groups on the right-hand taskbar on this blog so you can check them out and get involved if you feel drawn to a certain issue. Dom Helder Camara, a Brazilian Archbishop once said, "When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist." Many people feel good about giving, but change in the system of how we all live is feared. Certainly it is more difficult to enact change in the social structure in which we live. But, if we really want to help the poor and oppressed, it is necessary. We cannot keep putting a band-aid on the hemorrhage that is our education and prison system in America, that is the plight of the homeless and the destitute around the world and so on. I read a quote in the National Catholic Reporter the other day that read like this, ¨Keep your coins, I want change.¨ - Referring to a sign held by a homeless person in a charcoal drawing by a high school student from Kansas City. It seemed to make sense (cents, haha) to me and confirm what I have been thinking.

Many of you know I will be coming home to Chicagoland for a visit at the end of September, specifically Sept. 25^th til Oct. 3^rd. I will hopefully be bringing with me some artisanry from the Embera tribe I mentioned earlier. Some pictures are shown below of the art and the people who make it. There are some very beautiful bowls, jewelry and other local works that I will be bringing to sell. If you are interested, please let me know so I can make arrangements to bring enough with me. Thanks for your support. Hope to see many of you soon!

Paseando en Panamá

2007-07-02T13:09:00.001-07:00

I have been able to get out the past couple weekends and do some truly Panamanian things, well, at least things that are truly in Panamá. I went to a music festival a couple weeks ago that was hosted in Casco Antiguo (The Old City) which offered 6 or 7 stages of Panamanian music and other various styles from around the world. My favorite had to be the French Folk Rock which I did not understand in the least, but it got me moving out of my seat. I went with some Peace Corp workers and friends from Tocumen, so it was a nice mix of people.

Last weekend I went to a baseball game in Chepo with my neighbor, Manuelito, and his wife. Our local team of Torti was playing against Margaritas, a town about an hour and a half from Wacuco. So it was a good drive there and back, but well worth it. To me, it is pretty enjoyable to go to a baseball game here in Panamá because most of the game is in English. They use pretty much all the same words like strike, ball, home run and the sort, but with a spanish accent which just makes it all the more fun for me. And frustrating at the same time. For example, I went into a store one time to get a Tylenol. I also for medicine for headaches and they seemed to not know what I was talking about, so I named some brands like Advil, Tylenol and they started at me blankly. Finally the girl behind the counter says, ¨Oh, do you want this?¨ And guess what it was, a packet of Tylenol. But, the pronunciation is so different it sounds almost nothing like it. So, it can be angering at times when you are not familiar with certain words and the people just laugh or stare blankly. But, its ok, im getting over it. Anyways, we lost the baseball game, but it was entertaining. And there was almost a brawl because of a horrible call the umpire made, but it still made for a fun night out of the campos (rural area).

Here is a photo of some kittens that were recently born here in Wacuco in an old oil drum. Don´t let the picture fool you, they are ferocious animals!

Distance makes the heart grow fonder?

2007-06-26T15:01:00.000-07:00

It seems the more I get to see and discover about Panamá, the more I like it. My girlfriend, Janice, came to visit me weeks ago and we were able to travel to many parts of this beautiful country, even parts I have not been to yet. We first stayed a couple days in Wacuco, my home pueblo so she could meet my friends and get more connected to my life here. From Wacuco we went to the city and spent a night in Casco Antiguo and the following day saw the canal (my fifth or sixth time, geez...) and went to some local churches and historic places. From the city we traveled by prop plane to Bocas Del Toro, which is on the Atlantic (North) side of Panamá which has a culture of its own there. It was described to me by an Englishman I met there as Aruba in the 70´s before it got all developed and extremely touristy. Well, seeing that I have never been to Aruba and I was born in the 80´s; I just took his word for it. We stayed on the Island Colón and traveled to some of the other ones to snorkel, see a butterfly sanctuary, beach it and see many other beautiful sites. It was a fantastic time and I was glad we were able to see another side of Panamá. We then returned to the city and then met up with Gabriel (my fellow volunteer from the great state of Kansas) to spend the last night in Tocumen with friends there. So, all in all, it was wonderful to have my girl with me in Panamá so she could share in the experience with me more and understand a little of how my life has changed over the past 10 months of living abroad. She was very graceful the whole time and took the cultural differences and discomforts in stride, so that made it even better. To comment on the title of this passage, I would say it does in my case. It has been a long separation and I can't wait to get back to the states after my time in Panamá.

Here is a picture from Bocas del Toro. One question for you viewers: Am I going going bald? I think I might be in denial, because I just say, ¨Oh, the wind was blowing in this picture, its not my hair.¨ But, the proof is in the pudding, cause there are many recent pictures of me where the male-pattern-baldness seems to be taking effect. You can click in the picture to enlarge it so you can probe the receeding hair line. It´s all good, maybe God is just making me more humble.

The Reign is Here and it´s still Coming

2007-04-28T10:58:00.000-07:00

I had some wonderful visitors here in from the states a couple weeks back, namely my Aunt Joanne, cousin Mallory, and her stepmom Susan, oh, and can´t forget Susan´s unborn child who was 5 or 6 months old at the time. We had a wonderful time spending Holy Week in Panama City in a bed and breakfast that was very different from my usual atmosphere in Wacuco, but it was very nice all the same. We were able to see some traditional Panamanian dance, check out the canal, Casco Viejo, this place called ¨El Valle¨ (The Valley) which is a beautiful old extinct volcano with lush green forest all around, and Tocumen which was my home when I first arrived to Panama. We had a great time and I was even able to see things in Panamá that I have never seen before. The picture above and below were both taken in ¨El Valle.¨ Behind us in the picture below there are some ancient drawing on this huge boulder that have yet to be interpreted. We speculated that maybe it is just some old vandalism, but that kind of talk could get us thrown in jail or maybe just damage tourism there in El Valle. Who knows?

Yes, rainy season is upon us here in Panamá, which is both good and bad at the same time. Good, because now we have plenty of water to drink and bad because the rain and mud is much harder to build roads and plant crops in.

We recently got a contract from the government to build 20km of road into this area called Congo which starts from the Pan-American highway and goes towards the River Congo. This area has many Teak plantations, farms and livestock operations and in the future it is hoped to extend the road all the way to the ocean so it can be used by tourists. We have been working on it for over a month now and have made a good amount of progress, but due to the rain, we are having to slow down and be careful not to damage our equipment and just do what we can right now. Recently, I have been learning to drive a tractor so we can get the fields ready to plant corn. It is coming along quite well and I seem to be getting hang of it. It is actually quite enjoyable thinking that I am taking part in the food cycle here, instead of just being a consumer and opening up the fridge. It definitely has made me more appreciative of farmers and the amount of work it takes to produce a crop. It is something we very easily take for granted. I have also been working with a couple mechanics to fix one of our tractors that has been off the ground for some time now. And since the mechanics books are all in English, I have the lucky job of translating the information to the mechanics so we take it apart, fix it and put it back together correctly. I have been learning a lot just by working with my Panamanian friends here and tearing apart and rebuilding a countless number of machines. Last week we finished rebuilding an engine for a road grader that was mixing oil and water inside the cylinders. That took a good week and a half, but now it is up and running well. Above is the current project of the farm tractor that we are tearing apart. Right now it is in three large pieces and we are awaiting to buy replacement parts if we can find them here in Panama. The guy with me there is Cheeto, a local mechanic who knows a ton about heavy machinery and trucks, and does work for the foundation from time to time.

Recent Happenings in the Jungle

2007-03-06T15:31:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! Just wanted to give a little update on what has been going on lately. I have done my fair share of walking in the jungles of Panamá lately; once to evaluate a new water source and various other times to build roads for communties living in the interior. Protecting the jungles here is so important to maintaining a source of drinking water for the people here. The trees and other vegetation help to provide a continual source of clean water that cannot be found in the local streams and other surface waters here. So, one of the things the foundation here does is try to buy the land where there are good water sources so that no one will be able to go in and harvest the very large trees that can fetch a very good price. It is hard though, because many people choose to buy or sell land only for the purpose of taking the wood from it and many Europeans and Americans are buying up the land around here just for that reason. So, more and more foreigners are coming to plant and harvest teak, which is not a native species, which is causing a lot of problems with the environment here. And they are doing this under the context of ¨reforestation¨ which the Panamanian government is supporting. So, there is some corruption going on somewhere along the line. But, luckily there are groups here that are aware of the problem and hope to buy land in order to protect it. I understand there is a lot of greed in this world, but when I was walking through this one jungle the other day to find a good water source, I was stuck by its beauty and could not imagine how anyone could cut it down. There were trees with trunks and roots bigger than trucks and beautiful flowers, streams and also a good amout of wildlife. There were about 15 monkeys swinging from branches overhead as we laid pvc pipe to bring the water down the mountain; just wonderful.

Recently, due to many people asking me about learning English, I decided to start teaching an English class every Sunday. I only started the class two weeks ago. The first week there were six students, which I thought was a good number and very manageable. The second week there were over twenty. So, because I like to be busy, I decided to teach two classes every Sunday. One for adults and one for kids. I figured this would be better for me and for the students as well. I am already learning a lot just from teaching and am discovering what my teachers in the past have gone through to teach me. Sometimes I wonder if the student or teacher learns more. So, please keep me in your prayers on Sunday afternoons that I may be patient and clear.

As the battery that I am running this computer on slowly loses juice, I realize it is time for me to go. Thanks for reading and keep in touch!

Adventures on the other side of the mountain

2007-02-14T14:00:00.000-08:00

Well, I figured since a picture is worth a thousand words, why not write a couple thousand words this week. And since I don´t have the time to sit down and really think and write a lot, here are some pictures with descriptions of what´s going on.

This is a view of the other side of the mountain range that is in my backyard. I travelled with Padre Pablo to Colonial Santeña this past weekend for a mass and was able to spend some time with the wonderful people that live there and that I never knew excited until now.

Here is a photo of a girl and her grandpa taking the kernels off of corn, so it can be sold in the nearby villages. They basically just hit the corn cobs with the piece of wood there and the kernels settle to the bottom. Simple, but works well.

Here is the chapel where we celebrated mass and three baptisms. It is quite small and was overflowing with people, but it was so nice to be there to celebrate with them. This community is very hard to get to usually, but we recently cut a road in there, so it only took us an hour and half by truck. It can be 6 or 7 hours by horse, I have been told. Luckily, for me, it is the dry season so this passage was even made possible. When it rains the roads turn to mud and trucks are useless when that happens. I really enjoyed my time there this past weekend and hope to return to the other side of the mountain very soon. But now when I look out at the mountain from Wacuco, I know what is out there and can think of those that live there with even less access to electricity and water than I do. It is very humbling.

The Week in Pictures

2007-01-21T16:28:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to give a little update about some things going on this week here in the Wacuco area. This past week I helped level and tile the floor of the local chapel, which now looks like a new building! Here is a picture of the final product.

The picture below is that of the Pan-American Highway which is right outside my door. I took this picture this morning as I was walking to church.

The following pictures are those of the water ¨toma¨ which is the water source for the area of Torti. Today I visited the water source for Wacuco and for Torti. And I was able to play a little bit in the water below the source in Torti Arriba. (We are not just all about work here.)

Feliz Año Nuevo

2007-01-03T16:48:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to all! I hope this blog update finds you well and in joyful spirit this new year. I thought I would give a little recap of what has been going on here this past year to bring in the new year.

Lots has been going on here in Panama the past couple months. It is harvest time right now, so all of our harvesters are out in the fields working hard and bringing in the much needed rice. There is a bit of a shortage of rice this year due to some bacteria that causes the harvest to be as low as half production. And supposedly the is some chemical available in the U.S. to treat it, but it´s illegal to import it here; politics...

So, when the harvesters break as they did on New Year´s Day, twice, the workers and I all rush out to solve the problem. I spent my New Year´s ankle-deep in mud helping weld a broken axle on one of the harvesters. And about an hour or so after, the same machine broke again, but this time in a different spot. One of the heavy track wheels it has, much like those on an armored tank, came off the track. So we were out on the side of the road putting the track in line until after nightfall. Needless to say, not the way I pictured spending the holidays. But, it was a good experience because the guys I work with amazed me through it all. They kept working, knowing their wives would be mad when they came home late, and we got the job done. If anyone ever tells me ¨the poor¨ are lazy I will point to this example along with many others I now have as testimony as to how false of a statement that is.

Well, the dry season is now underway, so we will be starting the water and road projects we have been planning very soon. We are expanding one of the existing water lines so we can provide more water for the growing population here. In the future we also would like to build a dam so the water will last through out the dry season, but that will have to wait until we aquire the needed funds for a project of that size. There are also many roads that need to be re-graded because the rainy season washed out a lot of road material. And these roads need to improved so the locals can get their crops and livestock out to market. So, we will be very busy the next several months. Whether it is harvesting rice, building roads, expanding water projects, or fixing machinery there will be much to do.

I thank God for the opportunity to learn and do so much here in Wacuco. As I think about the new year, I realize I will be spending all of it in Panama. I pray God will give me the strength and encouragement needed to live out this journey here. Thank you all for your prayers and support. I pray this new year will bring you many blessings and that you will be able to reflect those blessing on those around you in need.

Christmas in Panama

2007-01-03T16:14:00.000-08:00

My sister and I at the top of Cerro Ancon

A nice view of Lago Bayano, which is on the way to Wacuco

This Christmas was different than most for me and my family. My mother and sister came to visit me here in Panama to spend the holiday together. We spent the first part of the trip visiting my old home of Tocumen and getting to know the neighborhood, neighbors, my roommates, and the priests (Padre Jose and Lorenzo) that work there.

We then went to the city for a couple of nights and stayed at a hostel in Casco Viejo, a historic, colonial part of the capital. We visited the canal, of course, the ruins of Panama Viejo, and got a beautiful view of the entire city from the top of ANCON which is a forest preserve on top of a massive hill. We covered a lot of ground in the two days we were there and my mom and sister were probably sick of the many buses and taxis we took by that point. And I, in my frugality, enjoy taking the ¨Diablos Rojos¨ which are buses that cost only a quarter and go all around the city. Sure they dont have A/C and half the time you either stand or are squished between two hefty panamanians in a seat big enough for only two, but they are cheap and everyone uses them. Well, not everyone, not the rich or gringos, but the regular folk. We were sort of a novelty and my family mentioned that they felt like we were an exibit at a zoo. But, it was to be expected, we kind of stick out. Even a couple police officers offered us a free ride into the city so we would not ride the bus, because they were afraid for us. I told them that I take the buses all the time and nothing has happened, but still they insisted, and I can´t say no to a free ride anyways.

A view of the driveway in Wacuco

After the city, we took a bus to Wacuco taking the ¨Pan-American Highway¨ which has potholes big enough to put New York to shame. The plan was to spend the next couple days in Wacuco, including Christmas, to meet the people I work with and check out my new home. Well, not all worked out according to my master plan. Once my sister and my mom saw the rooms they were going to sleep in the next few nights they began to tear up. Being a male, I didn´t understand. The rooms were clean, there was a bed, toilet, and a shower. What more could one need? I guess the junkyard motif we have going here is not as conducive for living for women. And the lack of electricity and the fact the nearest town is a couple miles away didn´t help either. We agreed to spend one night in Wacuco, enough so they could see everything and meet some people. Well it all worked out and we decided to return to Tocumen for the rest of our stay. Upon arriving in Tocumen, we were welcomed with open arms and the neighbors were thrilled that we would be joining them to celebrate Christmas. We ended up having a wonderful time, eating lots of food at all of my neighbors´ homes and enjoying their company even though my mom and sister do not speak the language.

Gabriel with my family on Christmas Eve at the neighbor´s

It was definitely a good learning experience for all of us and it was good that my family could get to know the area I have been living and see the things I see. I will have to now redefine what ¨roughing it¨means to the people that come visit, because many are not used to the lifestyle. But at least, I hope my family came away from the experience with eyes more open the to the world around them and hearts more touched by the poor.

Neighbor, Barbara, celebrating Christmas Panamanian Style with sparklers

Portobelo a Wacuco

2006-11-20T07:17:00.000-08:00

Here I am in Portobelo, located in the northern part of Panamá. I visited here with the family of the one of the nuns who works here in Wacuco. She is from Colón which is a city near Portobelo. I stayed with her and her family for three or four days and had the opportunity to experience the culture of Colón which is much different than Wacuco. In Colón there is much more of a mix of caribbean culture, spanish culture and a little of the native culture. In contrast, Wacuco or Guacuco as it was originally spelled, has more indigenous (Kuna Indians). So the cultures, food and traditions tend to differ.

Here is the view that I have from my porch overlooking part of the workshop of the foundation in Wacuco. I talk about it in the following section as my ¨junk.¨

Think Locally, Think Globally

2006-11-20T06:44:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! As I write this ¨Todd Update¨ I am sitting on the porch above the kitchen gazing out onto the property of the foundation of which I work with. A dirt (mud, right now) road leads up from the Pan-American Highway directly to this site where we have many buses, tractors, trucks and many other pieces of machinery. My first impression of this place was, ¨wow, what a bunch of junk!¨ Sure lots of things are sitting on blocks rusting away and the house in which I live may look delapitated to the eyes of a foreigner, but there is something more here. It is what´s behind the junk here that matters. All of this equipment enables many things to get done here and for people in the community to have employment. The foundation does a little bit of everything to better the community of Wacuco and it´s neighbors. Here we grow rice and beans, repair buses for the school system, build roads, construct aquaducts for clean drinking water, build schools and churches and many other things.

So, in the midst of a great deal of unemployment in cental america in general, there is hope here. Hope to bring clean water to the homes of many, so illness will no longer prevail. The hope of employment and job security so families will be fed and their children placed in schools. And the hope of good roads and bridges so people can have safe travel to work and to school. So, despite all the great desparity in the world, there is hope. And that hope helps me realize that what I work for is not in vain. And what I have been discovering more and more lately is how some of us may be called to go volunteer in other countries or the inner cities of the USA, but what is just as important is the work that is being done locally in our home towns. Each one of us can work for justice in one way or another.

Organizing a fundraiser, volunteering in a homeless shelter or soup kitchen, visiting the imprisoned and the sick and many more things can be done on a local level to try to alleviate the suffering of so many in our midst. And even more vital than the temporary alleviation of the suffering of the poor is to work for changing the systems and institutions that cause this suffering in the first place. Letter writing to congress, working with groups to promote awareness of the plight of the poor, protesting injustice, boycotting unfair business practices are all examples of this. Any action that will work to eliminate the root causes of social problems should be taken. There are 800 milion people in the world today on the verge of starvation and about a third of the world does not have adequate drinking water or sanitation. But, this planet has the resources to provide for everyone. It is the distribution of the goods that is lacking. Us, being Americans, have a great amount of influence in this world. It is a great gift and priveledge to be American, but we need to use that gift for good.

I challenge you to think about how you could be a part of the system of change that is needed so much in the world. And this can start now in your neighborhood, in your hometown. Please contact me if you would like to talk about this and maybe work together to find some projects to get involved in if you would like suggestions. I by no means claim to have all of the answers, but I would love to talk it out with you and maybe give some ideas. Thanks all for reading and taking part in what is on my heart and mind. I pray you are all well and I look forward to hearing from you. ¡Que Dios te bendiga!

Mi primer dia en Wacuco

2006-10-27T18:42:00.000-07:00

Friday, October 27, 2006

First, I would like to apologize for slacking on the updates, but it has not been easy to get internet access and to have the time to sit down and write as much as I would like. But, anyhow...

I am finally in Wacuco after two months of being in Tocumen and getting acclimated to happenings of Panama. It has been a good time for me to get adjusted to the culture and learn the language better.

So, yesterday I said goodbye to Tocumen and to many friends I had made there to make my way here to Wacuco to start working on the water and other projects out here. It was sad to leave, but not painfully sorrowful, because I was filled with feelings of excitement for Wacuco and I knew that I would be returning there once every couple months to reunite with my friends and community there. I mean to write more about Tocumen and some great people I had met there, but maybe I will have to save that for sometime in the future when I have the time.

I went with Padre Lorenzo (Father Larry), Laura, and Gabriel (Nathan) to the airport yesterday to pick up Padre Pablo (Father Wally). Father Wally was on vacation in the States for the past month, but even though it was vacation, he still managed to work most of the time on raising funds and getting donations for the work in Wacuco. This time he managed to obtain a heavy roller to do more road construction. He is pretty excited about it and it should be coming in a big crate by boat sometime in the next couple months. Its always fun to get new toys, especially when these new toys can help the community here.

Last night Father Wally, and I stayed in Chepo at a Cappuchin Friary which is about halfway between Tocumen and Wacuco, because driving at night here is pretty dangerous, especially when there are no street lights and very big potholes. I made it here safely and have already started doing some small things around here. My first task was to fix the leg of the table in my room that fell off when I moved it; oops. After that, I saw how they dry the rice that they harvest here in these huge kerosene burning dryers. I also am currently trying to figure out how to fix this house heater that was donated, so we can use it to dry more rice. This one burns any kind of oil, so we will use the oil that has been used up and is no good anymore. It would be wonderful if we could get it to work, so we could use the oil we have so it does not go to waste and could be used for something useful. Otherwise it would be no good for anything else.

Well, Wacuco is good so far. It is definitely a change from the city style living of Tocumen. It is amazing, I didnt see a bus or hear loud music or anything like that today. This country living thing is nice. But, of course, there are things that could be considered downsides, like limited electricity, telephone and all those creature comforts I have come to know and love. But, I think this will be a very good opportunity to read, pray and reflect more. Especially during the night, because without light, there is just not as much to do. Well, maybe with all this reflection I am going to be doing I will have more profound things to say next time. I hope you all are doing well and enjoying your lives and working toward something in your own life, whatever that may be. Please let me know how you all are and if there is anything that needs prayer. La paz de Cristo!

Where has the time gone?

2006-09-19T13:20:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Hope you are all doing well and enjoying life. I am doing well here in Panama. I can´t believe that I have been here a month already. It feels just like yesterday. Anyway, things are good and I am pretty busy here in Tocumen. I will be heading out to Wacuco in a little bit less than a month to start on the water projects. Right now I am helping the Parish of San Pio in Tocumen with many different things.

There is going the be a procession this Saturday to celebrate the feast day of San Pio, so my friends and I are organizing it and getting everything ready. The procession is going to have two ¨andas¨ which are like altars with the crucified Christ at the front and San Pio following. This is to show how San Pio tried to follow the example of Christ and to put the focus on Jesus. The procession starts at the current church of San Maximiliano Kolbe and finishes where a new church is going to be built in the area where I live in Tocumen. So, it is a lot of work, but it has been very good organizing it and helping out the priest here in anyway we can. As are the priests in the US they are very overworked.

I am also helping out with a youth group in my neighborhood. This week we have had a ¨Novena¨(or prayer meeting) ever night with the teens as a meditation and preparation for Saturday. There are a lot of good kids here in Tocumen that need an outlet and a fun time with a good message, because there are a lot of problems here with drugs and gangs. So I am just happy to be a part of it and to try to help out in any way possible. Really, I don´t do much to help because there are leaders here already that are doing some good things. Mostly I try to support their efforts and help organize the teens in our area. It is mostly like networking and just being there with them. It really does feel like I am not doing anything except going to meetings and listening to them. But, I guess that is what is needed and I am just glad to be a part of it. Please pray for these leaders here and teens as well that are struggling to get this youth group going to give some good options for the youth.

Today my fellow missionaries and I went to check out this language school in Panama City. We are going to be taking classes there starting next week. These classes are to help us progress faster in learning Spanish and I am looking forward to learning more intesively. It is going to be hard to have my Spanish scrutinized, but it will be good. I have already learned a ton from just being here and conversing with so many different people. It is still hard to constantly be thinking in Spanish, but it is much better than when I first got here.

Thanks so much to everyone for your emails and comments on my blog. I love to hear how everyone is and to be able to keep up with your lives as well. So, please dont feel like you are bugging me. I would love to hear from you. I may not be able to respond directly due to a lack of internet access, but I´ll try. Thanks for reading! Paz y Amor, Todd

2006-09-08T12:23:00.000-07:00

Here is a photo of me, Luis, Father Larry, Nathan and Laura before a celebration when we first arrived in Panama. The celebration was for the anniversary of the church in Tocumen. There was dancing, song, food and other fun things. Good times.

This is a picture of the outside of our house in Tocumen. We live on the street Aguadulce (sweet water) in the urbanization, La Siesta. Our neighbors here are wonderful and it is one of the safer areas of Tocumen.

Estoy aqui (I am here)

2006-08-28T08:17:00.000-07:00

Nos Hemos Llegado (We have arrived)

We have finally arrived in Tocumen, Panama! We landed in the late evening on August 17th and have settled in to our new home. Laura, Nathan and I were greeted by Father Larry and some others from the church at the airport and we were taken to our home and greeted with a great reception of many parishoners and neighbors. The house we are staying at in Tocumen is very close to the airport, so we hear airplanes go overhead every once and a while, but not too often. We have electricity, clean water, kitchen appliances and the works. The house is great and the neighbors that we have met so far are very nice. I met Father Wally today, who is the person I will be working with most of my time in Wacuco starting in a couple months. He seems like a very good guy who can organize to get things done here. There is a link to his website on the right-hand side of this website if you are interested in projects he has done in the past.

It is hard to get used to the language here in Panama because they use many different phrases and words than other Central American countries. It just makes me realize home much I need to learn. I am very grateful for my roommates who know more Spanish than I do, because they are helping me sound less like an idiot. Please pray for me that I may grasp a better understanding of the language so I may communicate well with the Panamanians. Muchas Gracias.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support of this mission. If you are interested in supporting the cause monetarily, you can send a check to the following address. It is tax-deductible and much appreciated because Cap Corp covers all of my costs for the trip. Thank you so much!

Cap Corps Office
301 Church Street
Mt. Calvary, WI 53057

Nuestro Viaje a Wacuco (Our trip to Wacuco)

Today we visited Wacuco to check out the place that will be my home for the next year and a half. I will start working there with Father Wally some time in October. It is amazing the amount of projects that he has done and is currently working on to help improve the area of Wacuco and other surrounding communities. It is about two or two and a half hours from Tocumen, where I am currently staying with the other volunteers. We took the Pan-American Highway most of the way there and we found out that much of the highway near Wacuco was paved by Father Wally and his team of people there. It was quite amazing to visit Father Wally’s place because he has so much equipment and tools that he has acquired through donations that allow him to do so many big projects there. The first project I will be helping him with is the burying of 20km of pvc pipe for the water system he built in that area. Currently the system is not big enough, so he wishes to expand it so more people can get clean water. Before Father Wally came to Panama 18 years ago, the people did not have a source of clean water and resorted to drinking runoff on the side of the road or well water which was very brackish and not good for drinking or cooking. He also has plans to build a dam at the source of the water supply so there will be enough water during the dry season as well. Currently during the dry season there can be water shortages, so Wally drives around in a huge milk truck filled with water and goes up and down the street giving out water to the community. I am very excited to start working in that area and to learn all these different projects that I will be helping out on. Thanks everyone for tuning in! Please keep me in your prayers. Que Dios te bendiga! (God bless you)

International Mission Training

2006-08-13T18:20:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I am still in Milwaukee doing some international training and will be leaving Thursday morning (August 17th). I am very excited to get to Panama and start to learn the language better and meet many people and begin to form relationships there. The training is going well right now. I am learning a lot and it has been good to be refreshed on topics like adjusting to a new culture. There are four girls doing the international training with us from a Marional group from St. Louis who will be going to Southern Mexico. It has been fun to have others partake in this training with us. All these people are very amazing and have had many great experiences in their lives already that have shaped their beliefs and which give them great passion to do the work they will be doing. It is just wonderful to be encouraged by them and be able to be very open with them. Here is a photo of the Cap Corp volunteers. The two on the left are the ones joining me in Panama; Nathan and Laura. Enjoy and talk to you soon.

Training in Milwaukee

2006-08-05T08:23:00.000-07:00

Training has started full force in Milwaukee with the other five Cap Corp volunteers that will be serving in Panama and Milwaukee this coming year. There are three of us that will be staying state-side in Milwaukee and serving in soup kitchens, schools, and homeless shelters and the rest of us (including me) will be serving in Panama. Upon arriving in Panama, I will stay in Tocumen for two months with the two other volunteers and take Spanish classes and help out the local church. After that, I will go to Wacuco, which is a couple hours from Tocumen, to work with Father Wally on water projects.

Training is going very well and I am learning a great deal about the Capuchin Franciscan Order and am growing to love their mission. We had a celebration mass yesterday with all of the priests that were celebrating their 25th, 50th, 60th and 65th anniversaries as priests in the Capuchin order. It was wonderful to be able to celebrate that with them and also have a send-off ceremony for us volunteers as well. It is good to know that we are joining something that is bigger than all of us, a community that is commited to service in the name of Christ. I will post pictures and more text when I have the chance. Until then...

Hold on a second, not just yet...

2006-07-09T14:10:00.000-07:00

If you are reading this, then you must know that I am going to Panama! I am going with a group called the CapCorps, which is a Capuchin Franciscan Volunteer Program that roots itself in the teachings of Jesus and St. Francis of Assisi. I will be working with a priest in Panama, Fr. Wally, to develop the water system in the area outside of Panama City along with other projects. I am leaving in mid-august and will be there for over a year. I hope to stay in contact with you all through this blog site and email, but I have no idea what my access to the internet will be like when I arrive in Panama, so it may be infrequent. Let me know if you are not on my email list and would like to be (my email address is in my profile). Thanks!