New Life Evangelical Lutheran Church, New Tripoli, sent a mission team to San Felix, Panama, for a second time in August.

Pastor Scott Lingenfelter and his daughter, Melinda, joined Jessica McCullum, Chelsea Ritter, Jimmy and Monica Betancourt for a week of service with the church's mission partners in Panama.

Ritter was actually in Panama for two months helping to teach English in the school.

The work included sanding and painting school and dining room chairs and tables, visiting a local orphanage and hospital to deliver some badly needed supplies, teaching English in the San Felix school, visiting a local artist, and spending time with the people sharing God's love.

For Melinda Lingenfelter and McCullum, their first time here will stay with them for a long while, as they saw first hand how the indigenous people live in the Comarca and here in town.

In the book of John, Jesus says, "Come and see," and the mission team came and saw.

While the sights were varied, the highlight was probably the visit to the orphanage, where there are 28 children, many abandoned by their parents.

Some were left in the hospital as newborns; others were just left alongside the roadside until someone rescued them.

How sad.

We took them some gifts, but the main focus was to just play and love those adorable kids as much as we could in the couple of hours we spent there.

The seemingly mundane visit to the local hospital turned out to be anything but. We didn't have a lot to give, however, the things we had were desperately needed.

The ambulance usually doesn't have any oxygen for patients, so they have to wait until they reach the bigger, more modern hospital an hour away in David.

We were blessed to have an oxygen-making machine to donate for use in the ambulance so that won't be an issue any longer.

But, the doctor's eyes really lit up as he was rooting through the box of goodies.

He found some sort of "gizmo" of which he had just used the last one. He said he was completely out of the item and needed more immediately.

We were so glad we could help and so thankful to be present for his response.

In this instance, we were blessed to be a blessing to others.

Isn't that what life is all about? Taking some of our abundance and helping those less fortunate.

While the physical work, the sanding and painting, etc. are necessary in the stewardship of God's kingdom; the one-on-one time with the people is where the rubber hits the road for most Christians.

Forgetting what we have at home, what we earn, and spending quality time with people, especially the little ones, really changes hearts.

The experience really makes us aware of what really is important in life. It's not the things we have, the area we live in or who we know.

Life must be about having a relationship with all those around us that honors God; a relationship of respect, compassion, love, acceptance and forgiveness.

Well, the mission team is back in their New Tripoli homes, but a piece of their hearts is still in Panama.

Until next time, visit my blog at bobmoyermissionary.wordpress.com to see 'the rest of the story', as Paul Harvey would say.

And by the way, "Jesus te ama."