Hello everyone!
Today was the second full day of our already-wonderful trip in Panama. After the new and fun experiences of yesterday, we were all excited to get started with the baseball clinics. Though we are representing SCORE International, we were joined by another missions team called BLITS Worldwide with whom we collaborated to run the two clinics for the day. Our first stop was very nice baseball field settled in the middle of a hillside community, and our second stop was a field in the center of Panama City. Both clinics took the same form and were different in the ages of the kids present. The kids were lined up waiting for us and we soon began to run 4 separate stations which would help them practice all different skills. As the groups rotated and we all got to work with more and more people it was incredible to not only see the skills of the players, but also to see how baseball and fun both transcend language.
Once the drills were finished we had all of the kids sit down and listen to the testimonies of multiple members of each missions team. I was one of those, along with Jacob Allen, who got to share what the Lord has done in my life. Although I felt challenged to simplify all of what I had to say concerning the gospel due to the young age of the kids, our translator was able to help me to communicate in a way that was effective. Once the time of testimonies were over, a representative from the BLITS team (former pro baseball player, Danny Sheaffer) gave a challenge to the kids. Danny communicated the gospel to the kids in a way that stressed salvation by grace through faith. This was an especially important message for these kids who grow up in a region that is heavily Catholic. Danny wanted to make sure that the children understand that no matter how many good things we do, salvation is only given to us as a gift from God who sent His Son to die in our place. We were humbled and blessed to see how many kids responded positively to the call to salvation, and we praise God for the work that He has already done through us on this trip.
John 14:6 - Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
-Mitch Peiffer