The fire stopped at Elizabeth’s property line, yet smoke filled her home permeating all of her belongs. The smell clinging to her clothes.
Up to that point, her American employees only knew that she was a faithful worker. As they went to offer help, they soon realized that Elizabeth lived in the poorest community in Bocas del Toro, Panama where small wooden structures on stilts and raised wooden walkways to each home keep this community of houses sitting above raw sewage.
When Outpost Panama staff learned that land had been given to Elizabeth to relocate to, they asked for help from their YWAM family to help build her a house. Staff, volunteers, other base leaders, members from a church plant and a group of 22 from Norway came and worked together to build our first Homes of Hope.
Elizabeth, a single mom of three children, was born in Bocas Del Toro on the Island of Cristóbal. She lived in her Ngabe village until she was 8 years old when she was adopted by American missionaries. When Elizabeth returned to her homeland, at the age of 16, she set out to make life better for her extended family and the many people and children in her community. Elizabeth sets an example of loving others and loving God.
This home, built on firm pilings, sits on hill where the light and hope of Christ shine to all of those who drive by. Through injury, sickness, lost luggage, delayed deliveries, rain, bugs and humidity, a home was built in love with people working together from many backgrounds, cultures, denominations and languages.
A mom and her children now have a haven to share the love of Christ from generation to generation.
Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. Mathew 7:24-25
YWAM Ships Outpost Panama
Interested in knowing more? Contact us. We’d love to chat!
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