Like Nutcracker But Better...

What Christmas show could possibly top The Nutcracker? I think I have finially found one that does. Now, I am a die hard Nutcracker fan. I love it. Christmas means enjoying the Nutcracker in some form either dance live or on video or even just listening to the music and remembering the dances and steps. The Nutcracker is a classic Christmas story centered around believing that your dreams can come true. Christmas isn't Christmas without including the Nutcracker somehow but...I have just experienced something that blows Nutcracker right out of the water!

(Final rehearsal before moving to the theatre)

The show is called Noel. My church here in Panama, Crossroads Bible Church, in collaberation with some other churches in the city pulled their talents and gifts in the performing arts to put on a spectacular Christmas cantata. The show used naration, music, and dance to share the Gospel and use the medium of live theater to present it to the world. Performed in both English and Spanish the show carried a deeper message to the people of our city. In a place where English and Spanish often cause division, they were used together to demonstrate the unity that we have in Christ.

(Me with the other Canadian, an amazingly talented professional sax player from Montreal, Quebec.)

I spent almost 10 hours a day in the national theater of Panama. It was awesome. For the last few months I have been choreographing and rehearsing with a Christmas Cantata and Gospel presentation here in Panama City. It has been wonderful. After dislocating my knees I did not think that I would dance again ever and that God had closed the door on that part of my life forever. As I watched the dancers perform my

(Going over my steps with an other cast member) choreography and waited backstage for my number, I was totally overcome! This whole show was for Jesus. I danced for a really long time, and I can't say that before this, it was ever for Him. The final performance was amazing, the dancers (mostly youth) nailed their dances...I was so proud of them. But what made me the most proud and emotional was after the show. They presented me and the other choreographer with flowers, and began to chant our names..."Sarah, Yeal, Sarah, Yeal, Sarah, Yeal"...the chant morphed though, it became "Cristo, Cristo, Cristo, Cristo"! I was speechless. These teenagers got it. The show was not about any of us...it was about God. God gave us the gift of dance...we need to use it for Him.

It is funny to think that had I not dislocated my knees I would never have come to Panama. And if I had not returned to Panama I would not have started dancing again. I love dance so much, and in the past couple years had forgotten how special it is to me.


(Getting the position just right)
I have once again been bitten by the dancing bug, and am going to be taking a class with some of the dancers I met through this show beginning in January. I realize now, that dance needs to be in my life...I am not sure how I got by without it the last two years. It is exciting to be dancing again. I am working to get my strength back...needless to say, taking two years off doesn't help ones fitness level. I don't know why God has chosen this time to bring dance into my life again, but I am so glad He has. I am excited to think about how He might use it! God is (Post show hug with the girls I worked with the most) so good to me!

Thanks so much for your love and support. This has been an exciting adventure for me, I had to share it with you all!

(The final scene of the show, the curtain is about to close...Can you find me??)

For video of one of the dances go to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHEU5e2xnk8&feature=related

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!!!!

IT SNOWED IN PANAMA YESTERDAY!!! My Church rented a snow maker, and a huge 18 wheeler filled with blocks of ice, and filled the parking lot with snow! It was crazy. The Panamanians were complaining about how cold it was, but I was playing in a t-shirt! Some of my friends from church, decided it would be fun to make the Canadian freeze, so they picked me up and held me in front of the hose that was shooting out snow. I had snow down my pants, in my pockets, down my shirt, in my ears and up my nose!!! It was crazy. I had so much fun! It was probably the last thing that I thought I would ever do in Panama! The rest of the team teased me a lot about intensity in the snow, apparently I got a little hard core! But I have no shame because it was a some of the best fun I have had in a long time! I guess I have been missing the snow a little more than I thought! Anyways, enjoy the pictures of me in my first and probably last Panamanian snow ball fight!!

Santiago

I have had a wonderfully awesome week in so many, many ways! This week has been one filled with adventure, relaxation, encouragement, and plain good old fashioned fun!

Our team has spent the last ten split in two groups of three. The western half of our team (Lindsey, Steve & Jess) headed of to David, while the eastern contingent (Jon, Tricia & I) went to Santiago. Our missions were to cast some vision to the students who are involved in Campus for Christ in those cities and to make some preparations for when a team of 50 plus Canadians come to Panama in May for six weeks. Lord willing we will send a team of students to each of these cities as well as with us in Panama City. It was so encouraging to be in Santiago and to see what God is doing in that city. The city itself reminded me of Fredericton New Brunswick. I definitely fell in love with it.

Because the students are currently in exams, there was a limit to what we could accomplish on campus, so with a little extra free time we had an great time slowing down the pace of our daily activities and really got to enjoy the time. We took some time to walk around the city to get to know it a little, enjoyed a fun little market where a lady offered me "papas bonitas" or beautiful potatoes, LOL. I decided not to indulge.

I am continually amazed and humbled by the people I am serving next to here in Panama, the people in Santiago just the same. What an amazing group of students and volunteers that God has working in that city. We shared with them what Campus for Christ has happening around the world, and challenged them to take hold of that vision and run with it on their campus. I hope and pray that this time in Santiago was as encouraging to them as it was to us. Please join me in praying that a team of students would be able to go help the ministry in that city in May, and that a STINT team might be present there next year.

Christmas Update

Merry Christmas…Feliz Navidad

I was in the mall this weekend and the loud speaker was playing “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas”, I had to laugh, because quite frankly, it looks nothings like Christmas to me at all! The absence of snow and the thirty degree weather make for a very non-Canadian like winter wonderland. The evergreen trees for sale on every corner (all imported from Nova Scotia by the way) are a constant reminder that Christmas is just around the corner! This year is going so fast. Thank you for allowing God to work through you to bless me. Your support, words of encouragement and prayers mean so much to me. Muchas gracias!

(The tag on the tree reads 'Nova Scotia Balsam Fir'!)

The semester is rapidly coming to a close, but I am anxiously anticipating the New Year. I am and will continue to focus all of my efforts at Universidad Interamericana. Since first becoming a presence on this campus, only a few weeks ago, God has answered our prayers by connecting us with a core group of students to work with. Tricia, Steve and I (Team Interamericana) are experiencing a very different type of ministry. A much harder climate spiritually, the students are slowly warming up to the three of us, and the rumors that have been spreading about why we are around are seemingly yesterday’s news. Amazingly we have already been able to challenge students into discipleship at Interamericana. One of these students is a girl named Laura, who has not only has accepted the challenge to one-on-one discipleship, but has stepped up to be the key student leader at her school. Laura is taking a big step of faith in this. Together Laura and I are going to be looking at the book of Ester, a beautiful lesson in overcoming your fears and stepping out in faith. Please pray for Laura as she is taking a very big, public stand for Jesus in a place where His name is used most commonly uttered in vain as profanity.

(Laura, Tricia, and I )

It was the university campuses in Panama City that I wanted to impact for Christ this year. God had other plans. We are currently working on fulfilling what God has planed in other cities around Panama and internationally in Dominican Republic, the first Panamanian ministry partnership! To continue my ministry here in Panama, and to aid in founding of the partnership with Dominican Republic, and to cover the costs of some Biblical training here in Panama and in Costa Rica I need to raise $10 000.00 to ensure that I am able to fulfill my calling to the ministry here. Would you please consider a special Christmas gift to help me reach my support goals? You and your family have already played such an important role in this ministry. It is such a blessing to know I am partnered with you taking the gospel around the world. Thank you once again for your encouragement and prayers.

Many blessings this Christmas,

Love, Sarah