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 During
our year of services in the churches we have shared
the testimonies of three children: Raquel, Jose
Angel and Linneth. All three of these children are
from the Living Water School located in the town of
Tocumen. These testimonies were given in fall 2003
when they were in fifth grade.
Actually, we’ve only shared a
small part of these testimonies. Their testimonies
are quite lengthy, but each very special.
 In
2004, we had the opportunity to personally ask this
entire class—sixth grade at that time, “How many of
you want to go on to seventh grade?” Nearly all
raised their hands. We watch as Jose Angel raised
his hand first!
We thought you might enjoy
reading Jose Angel’s complete testimony. So many
have been a part of Jose Angel’s answered prayer. We
have shared his story and the need to add facilities
at the Tocumen School. God has blessed this school
beyond its capacity. But thanks to so many who gave
to this project, all needed funds were given or
promised by mid-January this year. We were able to
say to Pastor Carlos, “Open seventh grade… Let’s
build!”
 Registration
for seventh grade began the end of January. We have
been waiting to see if Jose Angel, Raquel and
Linneth would come. We received the class list just
this morning and all three of these young people are
on the list, plus 19 more! (See numbers 3, 4 and 15)
Thank you for praying and for
giving. We return to Panama in just a couple of
days. We look forward to looking Jose Angel in the
eye and telling him, “See, God answered your
prayer!”
 Please
continue to pray for the Tocumen School. Pray that
we will be able to complete the purchase of the
house and property located behind the school. The
funds are in or promised. But the couple who own the
home are having marital problems, which has affected
the sale. We need the home to relocate some classes
from the older section of the school. Teams begin
arriving in July to work on the school. Pray that we
will be able to accommodate these classes in a
nearby rental home. Pray that the school will
continue to grow and reach out to children and their
families. So far there are 300 registered this year,
an increase of 50 from last year.
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Jose Angel
Above all, I thank God for all
the beautiful days that He gives us, and I also
thank him for keeping me and my family in health.
Well, to
begin, I wasn’t in this school from kindergarten to
third grade. I was in another school where the
teachers were very stern and they didn’t understand
that we couldn’t always be quiet. The first day I
went to kindergarten I cried a lot because my
parents left. I didn’t want to do anything; I wanted
to go home. But those days passed and I got used to
things.
I came to
this school—Living Water Christian School—in fourth
grade. I have enjoyed the school from the very first
day because the teachers are very nice, kind and
loving. But better than anything is that I learned
to ready the Bible here and to learn about the life
of God. I thank all my teachers for their patience
and dedication they have shown me every day.
I pray that
God would bless them with health and wisdom so that
they will be able to continue to teach not only
school subjects, but also about God.
I ask God
to help the school keep growing so that it can add
seventh grade. I want to continue at the school
because it feels like home.
I thank God
for the opportunity that God has given me and I ask
him to bless this school, the teachers, the pastor
and all the children that he has placed in my path.
—Jose Angel
(5th Grade)
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