Eastridge Issaquah Builds on Two Fronts
By Rod and Sherry Boyd

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Fourteen men from Eastridge Christian Assembly in Issaquah, Washington, led by Pastor Andy Rosas, ministered on two fronts in Panama the second week of October. In May 2007 another team from Eastridge was part of building the first two stories at the Jireh Good Shepherd School, located in the community of Pedregal in the outskirts of Panama City. This time, nine men spent the week continuing the building at the school.  The building team accepted the challenge to complete the second half of the block work on the third story that included three classrooms, hall, stairwell and bathrooms. They also formed and poured bond beams at the top of the walls.

The roof will be installed by the time the Portland Christian Center team arrives on November 1st. The Portland team will block the fourth story. When completed, the building will have 18 classrooms/ labs, three sets of restrooms, a library and administrative offices. With current facilities, the school will be able to serve more than 700 children and youth. There are currently 421 children and youth enrolled at the school.

The team was also able to return to the Las Mananitas Good Shepherd School to see the progress made. The team had spent three days last year pouring the floor in the library and administrative offices, and laying block for classrooms and administrative offices. The library is nearly complete. It includes a floor to ceiling world map mural. The library will be equipped in the coming months before classes begin again in March 2009.

Five other men worked on assembling 55 computers destined for seven different schools and the LACC offices in Panama.  (See Eastridge Builds 50 Computers for Panama Schools.)  Eastridge purchased 55 sets of internal components—motherboard, processor, memory and hard drive—and team members brought them in their carry-on luggage. Other components were purchased locally. The team assembled all computers in two days. The next four days the team delivered and installed 36 computers to four different schools in the greater Panama City area.

Team members were able to hear the miracle stories of these new schools. The remaining computers will be delivered and set up in the two remote Indian schools in northwest Panama, the Las Mananitas Good Shepherd School library and in the LACC offices in Panama City.

Both teams attended an elementary chapel service at the Jireh School on the last day. They were treated to typical dances by the children and teachers. The school presented each man with a small gift. Then the team blessed the teachers and staff with gifts. The team then passed out candy to the kids as they left chapel. The team returned for a closing service on the final night. Pastor Andy preached an encouraging message, reminding the church that God is with them in spite of their circumstances.

Thank you, Pastor Steve Jamison and Eastridge Christian Assembly congregation, for your generous construction offering and for purchasing the internal components and licenses for the computers. And thank you, Pastor Andy and team, for your hard work to complete construction of the third floor and for assembling and installing much needed computers for our schools. And thank you to the team members that sponsored children through Latin America ChildCare. Your investment will make a world of difference!

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