PANAMA | Izzy

This past July, I had the biggest blessing of an opportunity to travel to Panama for a mission trip! When this trip was first talked about at the Sunday morning service, I remember watching the video they had put together for it and feeling so touched. I knew that I wanted to go and that I felt called to go, but I wasn’t sure when. I did not end up going that year, because I just didn’t feel ready. However, the next year, I knew I was set. I know that my involvement in this trip wouldn’t have been possible without my plentiful amount of senders who prayed daily and gave financially. I am so grateful for them and my church family as a whole! We had a couple pre-trip meetings, and I remember feeling horrified at the first one. As they went on, I started to feel more comfortable and ready to take on this trip. My team did a wonderful job at preparing me and lessening the great amount of anxiety that I had leaving the country for the first time without family. 

When it was finally time to depart for Panama, I felt ready! I had this awesome team by my side and a God that would be with me in every situation. By the time the traveling was over, I felt like our team had already started to gel. It felt like I had known these people for much longer than I had. I know that God so carefully crafted our group, and it was so cool to see His work in action through that. By the time the first clinic day rolled around, our team was prepared, excited, and so anxious to spread the love of God. Our first clinic day was by far the most memorable for me. I was serving on the evangelism team that day and got to spread God’s love with so many children. It was super cool to have translators there with us so the kids could understand what we were trying to teach them. My best memory is when I was playing with this little boy who was probably around 8 or 9. He had special needs, and his name was Ben. We started off by making the wordless bracelets together and then reading a poem about Jesus. When we were finishing up, I asked him if he had a bible at home, to which he replied no. I got him one, and then he asked me to not only write his name in it, but my name too. That very moment made my heart feel so full. I was so grateful to have had the chance to plant a small seed in this Child’s heart about God’s love and how He wants a relationship with them. That very moment set me on fire for the rest of the trip, and I couldn’t wait to connect with so many more kids. 

That entire week, I not only connected with many more kids, but with so many adults as well! I was nervous to communicate with the adults because I felt inferior and like I might mess up. I learned so much from Connor, Eric, and Wendell, and they helped me conquer that fear and lead adults to Jesus! It was so inspiring to watch all of these conversions unfold, and simply planting a seed gave me peace and excitement like no other. I consider it a true gift that I was able to travel to Panama with such wonderful people and preach the gospel to all that we met. If you feel called, go! Go and do what we are called to do, make disciples who make disciples. God WILL provide!

Izzy Keslar, Panama 2025