Hello there friends, family and fans (just kidding)...but seriously, Hi.

I had a great time in the Darien Jungle of Panama these last two weeks or so.

After a few hours driving down the far stretches of the famous Panamerican highway and a canoe ride, we made it to our first destination. It was a Kuna village called Pintupo. The Kuna are an interesting tribe. First of all, I understand that they're the second shortest people group in the world, and they have the highest birth-rate of albinos. They also say that the Kuna are one of the harder people groups to "reach" with the gospel.

Judging from the village we were at, I have a hard time believing that. The place was absolutely awesome. I personally had a ton of fun interacting with the kids. They laugh a lot. Usually their jokes consisted of either strange bodily noises, impersonating animals and stuff, or introducing their friends and giving them ridiculous names like, "Here's my friend Fish-mouth..." It was good for the soul to hang out with those kids.

And not only were they funny, they also were perceptive and interested in learning. They taught me some Kuna words (the coolest of which is "Nee-Squaw" which means stars) and the song "Are You Sleeping" which apparently is in Kuna also. I also got to teach them some English words and some songs. They loved it.

The village itself was very National Geographic-esk. Although they are a short people group, their huts are quite large (not the doorways, however, as my bruised head can attest to). The roofs are made of dried palm leaves. And people sleep in hammocks. They have some electricity which they get through solar panels, but they still cook over fires and grind corn by hand. We all felt super privileged to be able to stay there.

So that was Pintupo, and it was awesome.

Next we went a few more hours down the Panamerican and took another canoe to an Embera village called El Salto. Apparently it's the capital village of the Embera people. Like Pintupo, El Salto was not at all geared for tourists. It was a real look into the Embera culture. It was interesting because they had traditional huts next to more western-looking ones that the government had built for them after some flooding. They also had electricity and power lines even though the only way to the village was a canoe ride up a river.

It seemed like a lot of the youth of the village were just waiting to get out of the village and to the big world. A lot of the kids don't speak the Embera language and some of the culture is being lost. It's a delicate balance to try to keep the culture of a people group like the Embera in the face of such a changing world. On the one side you can hold too tightly to tradition and become stuck in detrimental ways of life, unwilling to change them. On the other side you can simply fall in sync with whatever you see on TV and find your identity there as opposed to your unique roots. You have to preserve and progress at the same time.

However, one of the guys who works with YWAM here is an Embera named Tulio. He was our guide when we stayed at El Salto, and it is really encouraging to see his passion for his people. He's got a vision to encourage them, to shake them awake, to get them to become progressive in their own Embera way. He said he wants to see Embera hospitals and universities started for all the Embera villages in the area. He says that Christ is absolutely central to finding the balance between preserving and progressing.

That's an easy concept to say, but perhaps a bit more difficult to understand. I certainly don't understand it completely, but one thing I've been learning through these last few months is how relevant Christ is. Relevant. Perhaps the idea of a God-man does speak into present day issues like that. It's some food for thought.

Anyway, I had a great time in the jungle. Here are a few overall personal highlights: watching two Kuna guys swim underwater and spear fish, eating a bit of wild boar, seeing flocks of parrots flying over the river, seeing a band of monkey-type things in a tree, and taking a walk in the jungle by myself. The only negative thing is that I got a bunch of insect bites that have been itching the last few nights. Oh well.

This week we're mostly debriefing our trip. And we get to go to the beach. It'll be a fun week, I think. I'm flying home on Sunday the 13th! I'm excited but it's going to be really weird to part ways with my team. We've been together almost nonstop these past five months. It'll be a bit hard to say good-bye, but now I've got friends across the nation and even in Europe. Just more excuses to travel. (Yes!)

Alright. I may or may not write another blog here in Panama. If not, just know that I've had a very good time here in Panama. Thanks for reading all these silly blogs and for all the prayer support. If you're still interested in hearing about my travels and experiences, I would love to chat face-to-face when I get back.

Until then,

Take it easy.