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¡Panama!

Bucket list:
Walking across a border between two countries- check
Staying on an island in Panama at a beach hostel- check
Snorkeling in the Caribbean- check
Taking a water taxi to an island- check
Seeing dolphins- check 
Meeting missionaries that are teaching natives that traditionally are hunters and gathers to be self-sufficient by farming and collecting water and other things I don't really understand because as the island is becoming more populated they can not move for food- check
Digging a ditch to provide better access to water for a school and a crippled man- check

Panama was hot and moist. I hate the word moist but there is no better explanation for it. Nothing was dry, but it was an adventure. We left the Villa at 3am on Tuesday. We arrived at the Panama border around 8am. From there we checked out of Costa Rica and into Panama. A couple hours later we were back on the bus headed towards Bocas. All 40 some of us unpacked our stuff from the bus and loaded up four water taxis, aka little motor boats, to head to Red Frog Island. It was about a 30 minute boat ride to our island. It was the best feeling in the world sitting in the front of the boat like I always did when my family would go boating in NY. Along the way our drivers saw some dolphins so they drove towards them so we could see them. When we got to our island the first thing we saw was a resort. Well we all hiked up the hill and to our hostel, not the resort, but still a really cool experience. We had about 12 girls staying in bunk beds in our room with one bathroom. Then we had our meals in the hostel restaurant/ common area. From the hostel you could get to the beach in about a 10 minute walk through the jungle.
 
Wednesday we went to another part of the island to do a service project. We went to work with another missionary and the locals to dig a trench for water pipes. We turned over a lot of dirt, fought off a lot of ants and other nasty bugs and played with kids. The trench was about half a mile long. After a long sweaty day we went back to the hostel and ran to the ocean. Thursday we went snorkeling. Swam around in the Caribbean with goggles and snorkels.
Then in the afternoon we went back to the missionary's home so that Andy's family and Lydia, the group that didn't get to go the day before, could go. We played with the children, had cookies, plantain bread, and Johnny Cakes, and heard more of their story. Also if you didn't not know Lydia re-fractured her foot. She came to CR on crutches and should have been healed by now but she hurt her foot the other day walking and got it re-x-rayed. She found out it is fractured again and is now back on crutches. She had the best attitude imaginable and she managed to navigate our week in Panama all on crutches. Please be praying for her and healing for her foot.
After visiting them we went out to the beach where everyone else spent their day. Friday morning we started our journey home. We went from the hostel, to breakfast, to the boat taxis, to the bus. The ride home was mostly uneventful. We ate lunch in Panama and went to the grocery store because things in Panama are less expensive than in Costa Rica. We got across the border fairly quickly and thank the Lord because it was very humid and sweaty. We were home by 9pm.

I also wanted to give Lydia a shoutout. She crutched up hills, down slippery docks, across wet wood and tile, into boats, and through the jungle. Panama and specifically our island was not handicap accessible, but Lydia had a great attitude, she inspired everyone with us. I am very proud of her and I am so joyful that we are on this journey together and that I get to help her wherever she goes.
Panama was hard on most of us, it was hot and sticky. Our rooms were not the most comfortable. It was difficult to adjust to but it was an adventure and it definitely helped me appreciate Costa Rica and the Villa more.
Appreciate my own life more and more- check
Without borders,
- RachelMartha

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