Simon and Lavonne Challinor Serving the Lord in Panama among the Naso people Challinor Update – April 2012
Dear Friends,
The past two months have gone by in a whirlwind, and it is now the beginning of April. A highlight for our family in the month of February was a visit from our dear Naso friends, Eusebio and Maria and their three young children. They came to attend the the annual intertribal conference. After spending a couple days with us at our house, we drove about three hours to the location of the conference. They didn’t know any of the others attending the conference but received a warm welcome from the Buglere and Embera believers who arrived around the same time we did. When we went to pick them up at the end of the week, we were welcomed with big smiles as Eusebio began to tell us all he had learned through the teaching and fellowship. They spent a few more days with us before heading back to Nasoland.
We had planned to travel to Bocas at the beginning of March, but due to political unrest and roadblocks on that end of the country, we postponed it. Last Sunday found Simon and I making the trek across country. We were able to help a young Naso friend with a homework assignment our first evening. At fifteen years old, Israel has left home to try and finish his high school in town since he can’t complete it in the village. We have known Israel since he was was just a little boy when he and his mom would almost daily walk by our house. Finishing high school for a Naso child involves a lot of sacrifice and planning by the family since the child has to leave his or her community. Sometimes the Naso child will live with a family, or if that is not possible, rent a tiny room somewhere. A large percent of Naso children are never able to finish high school. Israel had an homework assignment that involved using the internet so we took him to a small internet shop where Simon showed him some of the basics of researching online.
The following morning we headed to the Teribe river to wait for our boat driver. He was waiting for us at the river so we quickly loaded up and took off. It was a beautiful sunny day which we were told was the first sunny day they had had in almost a month. Simon ended up being the “palanquero” since we were the only ones in the boat. Basically, he had to sit in front of the boat and watch out for rocks and help pole the boat a bit in shallow areas. Even with the rain, he had to get out a few times and pull the boat up over rapids. During our first years in Nasoland, I really enjoyed getting out and helping, but as the years have gone on, I feel less and less motivated to volunteer. It means slipping and sliding over rocks, and of course, getting all wet.
We always receive a warm welcome during our visits back to Nasoland. We were disappointed to find out that the couple Simon has been teaching on each trip are staying in another community with their grown children. Despite the disappointment, the Lord gave us some special days. Eusebio recounted how the intertribal conference has impacted his life. He has begun a Bible study with extended family members, and he is praying for ways to connect with the Naso believers who are not walking in truth anymore. The highlight of the week was a time of fellowship and sharing we had at their house. We carefully made our way down a muddy path to their home for the evening. We began by singing some favorite songs. What a joy to hear their two little boys belting out the words to the songs that they very apparently had been singing with their parents. Eusebio’s concern for the spiritual life of his children has been an encouragement to us after years of wondering if the seeds of truth that were planted would be passed on to the next generation.
Our trip home was uneventful apart from the fact that we decided to hike out over the mountain one afternoon rather than come down the river early in the morning. It was a last minute decision because we heard that an elderly Naso friend, Cristino, was in the hospital. We wanted to visit him during the visiting hours between 6 – 7 p.m. It was hard to see him laying in his bed in the men’s ward. Absolutely no privacy. He was hooked up to oxygen and an EKG monitor. We sat with him for the visiting hour, and we continue to pray for his recovery.
Next Sunday we will be celebrating the resurrection of our Savior. What a privilege to know Christ and be part of God’s family! We thank-you for your part in our lives expressed in so many ways.
In Christ,
Simon, Lavonne, Michael, Daniel, Robbie, and Andrew
Challinor Update – January 2012
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
After lots of rain the past few months, the dry season winds are gusting through the house. It is a nice change. The grass cutting will slow down a bit which Michael, Daniel, Robbie, and Andrew will be thankful for. They are the ones that keep the NTM mission property raked and mowed.
Speaking of weather, twenty years ago
this past week, Simon and I were married on a very cold winter day. We lived in a one hundred year old Wisconsin farmhouse our first year of marriage. The first few months we spent a lot of time keeping the snow and ice scraped from the car windows and the path shoveled to the house. At that time, we never dreamed that twenty years later, we would be spending our anniversary on the beautiful Azuero peninsula of Panama with our four sons and one of their Panamanian friends. Some friends loaned us their house for a few days. The house, situated on a hill, overlooks a beautiful beach. We enjoyed swimming, long beach walks, football in the sand, surfing, reading, games, and hiking during our few days away.
Tomorrow Simon and I will be traveling to spend a week with the Naso. We are trusting God for a good week of visiting with many Naso friends. Simon will be teaching, and we want to spend some time with Eusebio and Maria as well Tito and Luisa. Pray for both of these families as they seek to raise their families according to God’s Word. Tito and Luisa’s oldest daughter recently finished her first year of Bible School . She came planning to attend one year, but she now wants to stay for the entire three year course.
May you enjoy God’s blessings this coming year as you serve Him.
Lavonne (for the Challinor family)
Tags: New Tribes Mission, NTM
Challinor Update – November 2011
November is known in Panama as “Mes de la Patria” or patriotic month. Preparations for the month of festivities began two months ago with marching band practice at local schools across the country. On November 3, 1903, Panama separated from Colombia so it is one of the two Independence Days celebrated. Public school children march in parades in their communities. Flag Day follows on November 4th. Many homes and businesses are decorated with Panamanian flags and ribbons for the month. November 5th is Panama’s version of Columbus Day. “Primer Grito” is Panama’s first call to independence from Spain so November 10th is also a bank holiday. Independence from Spain follows on November 28th, finishing the month of holidays as banks and government offices once again close. Thousands of Panamanians leave the city and travel to the countryside and coastal areas during these holidays. The boys aren’t able to take all off school, but we took one day off to celebrate the end of their first quarter of school. The beach was their destination of choice so we enjoyed a day of sand and sun at the nearby coast.
In our last update, we mentioned our upcoming trip to the village. Despite the detour to get over the mountains, the Lord gave us a good trip. We arrived at dusk to a dusty, moldy house, but soon we had it cleaned up. Simon taught Juan and his wife along with their daughter each day. What a joy to see their desire to study the Bible. We left them with a battery powered CD player and recorded Bible lessons to listen to while we are gone. Every morning many of the local children came by to see us on their way to school. After school, they would come again to hang out and see what we were doing or if I had any snacks to share. Most of the children receive little love and attention at home. We also enjoyed time with Tito & Luisa and Eusebio & Maria; both couples know and love and the Lord. Please pray for their continued spiritual growth.
With thankful hearts for God’s grace,
Simon, Lavonne, & boys
Tags: New Tribes Mission, NTM
Challinor August 2011 Update
Greetings from the beautiful Appalachian Mountains! After spending most of the summer in Wisconsin, we are spending a week in Kentucky with our home church. Many people have asked us what our connection with this area of the country is. I grew up in Panama while Simon grew up in England and then spent four years in Papua New Guinea as a teenager. Kentucky was just one of the fifty states known for its horse farms in the Lexington area.
After we had been married a year, we began missionary training in Cornettsville, KY. We were assigned a church to attend near Hazard. The friendliness of the church caught our attention right away. In the ensuing weeks, we came to appreciate the in depth Bible teaching of the pastor and his desire to ground people in the truths of God’s Word. Pastor Pete and his wife, Hilda, have ministered at Davidson Baptist Church for twenty-‐five years now.
Throughout the summer, we have been reminded over and over again of the blessing of being part of God’s family. God has used His children to encourage us, pray for us, write to us, and share with us. We have been been reminded many times that God uses his people everywhere to be blessings to others and share His love.
In less than two weeks we will be returning to Panama. We will be busy as soon as we arrive. Simon will be working in the office right away. A week in Chame will be followed by a trip to Nasoland. We will be hosting a mission team from Italy for a few days while we are in the village. There will be many details and logistics to work out for their time with us. Michael, Daniel, Robbie, and Andrew will also be going with us and can hopefully help as translators.
With thankful hearts for your part in our lives,
Simon, Lavonne, & the boys
PRAYER REQUESTS
- safety as we travel back to WI and then fly out of O’Hare on August 14th
- readjustment to our schedules in Panama
- the Italian Mission team. Pray that it would give them a better understanding of cross-cultural mission work
- for the boys as they begin another year of school
- that our focus would always remain on Christ in each situation God allows
PRAISES
- the blessing of our home assignment
- the opportunities that God gave Michael, Daniel, Robbie, and Andrew to participate in different activities
- for God’s faithfulness shown each day in a multitude of ways
- that Lavonne’s mom is regaining strength each day
Challinor Update – March 6th, 2011
One of the busiest weeks in Panama begins this weekend as people gear up to celebrate “Carnival.” Thousands of people leave Panama City, traveling to the interior where they drink and party in what is suppose to be the last big fling before Lent begins followed by Easter forty days later. The main purpose of “Carnival” is to gratify the “carne” or “flesh.” It also brings many unwanted pregnancies, violence, and traffic accidents caused by drinking and driving. We have been in the village for the past decade during this time of year so had almost forgotten what is is like. It is actually a very sad time of year as we are visually reminded of the depravity of mankind without God. It is a good reminder that real joy and happiness are found in knowing God and living His way.
October Trip To Nasoland
Last week Simon and I made one of our planned trips back to spend time with our Naso friends. We visited four different Naso communities on this trip and finished distributing the “Proclaimers” that we had. Michael, Daniel, Robbie, and Andrew stayed at home with their grandparents and continued on with their schoolwork.
For the past ten years as we have traveled to and from the village, packing and planning has become a fine art and very rarely did we forget anything. On this past trip, we forgot so many things that it made up for the previous decade. I think because the trip was just for a week and the boys did not go with us, we under prepared. Saturday evening we found ourselves hiking up the side of a mountain in the dark. To make matters worse, it began to rain so the trail became a gushing stream making its way downward. I didn’t have my rubber boots, and my Crocs soon began to feel like a pair of skis trying to take me the opposite direction, downhill. I opted to take off my shoes and go barefoot. As I edged my way upward with a flashlight and umbrella, Simon followed behind balancing a birthday cake that we were taking to our host family. We were never so happy to arrive at our destination as we were that evening. Our host family had a delicious meal of rice, boiled green bananas and chicken.
The following afternoon we made our way down the mountain heading towards another Naso community where we planned to spend the night before heading upriver to the village. Along the trail, I asked Simon if he had brought the keys to our house in the village. We both had forgotten, making it impossible to get into our house upriver. We called my parents and the following morning my dad went to the City where he was able to get the keys on a flight. We picked them up later that day, went straight to the river and arrived in the late afternoon. We had intentionally tried to pack light in order to be able to carry everything between the two of us, but I didn’t realize how light until I went to put some food away. I then realized that I had forgotten to bring anything to make sandwiches with apart from the bread! Oh well, dry toast and bread aren’t that bad. The generosity of the Naso with oranges, plantains, bananas, and tangerines helped make the week a bit more palatable.
Despite all our mishaps during the trip, we saw God undertake in many ways. Our former house (we stay in our literacy house) now belongs to the couple that own the land where we built it. As temporary as we know life on this earth is, we thought it would be hard to see other people living in the house that was our home for so many years. We were actually so pleased to see that it has been put to good use. The new owners both have elderly parents that demand daily care. They have moved their parents into the downstairs of our “old” house where they can provide the attention they need. With an inside bathroom, solar lights, and a kitchen sink, it is a luxury that they have never known. Our house has been affectionately called the “old people’s home.”
When we visited Nasoland in August, we distributed “Proclaimers” (the Naso NT in audio) to about 15 families. We were pleased to hear that many of them are listening to it and really enjoying it. We continue to encourage them to use it as a tool to improve their reading skills as they read along with the written NT. We “accidentally” bumped into some friends that we haven’t seen for several years now. We made arrangements to meet them the following day and gave them a Proclaimer. A day after we arrived back home, he called us and told us that they were listening to it and enjoying it. Faith comes by hearing! Please continue to pray that God’s Word will penetrate the hearts of the Naso people and more will come to know Christ.
With thankful hearts for your part in our lives and ministry,
Lavonne for the family
Challinor Update – August 2010
Over the past several months, celebrities and other famous families have made national news as they have planned weddings. The cost and design of the bride’s dress, the guest list, the location, the food, and the cake are just a few of the details that consume the wedding planners. On our recent trip back to Bocas del Toro, we celebrated the marriage of Eusebio and Maria (they now live near the Latin town of Changuinola). Even though they had been civilly married a couple months ago, we couldn’t be there because of our visa renewal so decided to celebrate the day a few months later. No invitations were sent out, but on the day of the celebration, family and friends were invited by word of mouth. The menu was simple. Simon and I drove to a local grocery store and bought rice, chicken, condiments, and some vegetables to make a favorite dish, “arroz con pollo.” We also bought a cake, but we couldn’t even have “Congratulations” written on it because the bakery was out of frosting. After collecting the ingredients, we all headed across the Teribe river and found a lovely spot under some trees. The kids collected firewood while some of the invited guests took advantage of the river and did laundry. A few others began cooking the meal over the fire. All the children happily swam and played tag while they waited for the food. After enjoying the delicious meal, Simon shared some thoughts on marriage and explained to the guests that they were actually witnesses of the lifelong commitment that Eusebio and Maria were making. Eusebio and Maria said their vows, and everybody clapped. It was very special to be witnesses of the changes that God has made in this young couple’s lives.
If Eusebio and Maria’s wedding celebration wasn’t enough to make it a wonderful day, Simon also baptized Eusebio. He had asked to be baptized a few months ago and it worked out to combine it with the marriage celebration. Eusebio gave his personal testimony of salvation through faith in Christ and his desire to publicly proclaim it.
After spending the weekend with Eusebio and Maria we traveled upriver to spend a week with our Naso friends. Simon taught Juan and Hortencia Aguilar every afternoon along with their married daughter and anybody else who was there at the time. Juan and his wife were very pleased with the “Proclaimer” the audio version of the Naso New Testament. All the other Naso families who were given a Proclaimer were very pleased as well. We encouraged them to use them as they read along in the written New Testament because it would improve their reading and comprehension skills.
Now we are back in Chame. Michael, Daniel, Robbie, and Andrew start school on Monday. We are thankful for the way God worked it out for us to receive their school materials for this school year. Lavonne met a lady in a store who mentioned a grocery store in Panama City that shipped boxes from the US for personal use. We received great customer service, and everything arrived safely.
With grateful appreciation for your part in our lives,
Simon, Lavonne & boys
Challinor Update – July 2010
Dear Friends,
It is a very rainy morning here in Panama! Actually the the past month has been unusually wet and rainy. We feel right at home since in the jungle we often had one day after another with continuous rain and precipitation. We are adjusting to life in “town” after living the past 11 years in the jungle. We have kept busy this past month turning the NTM guesthouse into our “home.” Simon has been in the office learning what needs to be done so that he can fill in when the regular office worker (who happens to be my mom) is not here. The boys have enjoyed making friends in the local Spanish speaking church. Michael, Daniel, and Robbie all attend youth group on Saturday afternoons and on Sunday afternoons, rain or shine, play soccer with the young people from the church.
Last month we made a trip back to “Nasoland” to visit friends, deal with things in our house, and just let people know that even though our summer plans had changed, we would be back to visit as well as to teach anybody interested in studying the Bible. The elderly couple that Simon had been studying with for several months were keeping track of the days and noticed that we arrived back a week later than we had said. Their comment to us was, “We knew somebody must be sick or something bad has happened for you not to come back on the day that you told us.” They are waiting for our next visit at the beginning of August to continue studying the Bible lessons. We will be taking the audio version of Naso New Testament recorded onto small machines called Proclaimers. We trust that these, along with the written Word, will be another tool that God uses to reach the hearts of the Naso with the Truth.
Changuinola has been making the Panamanian national news as the town has been the center of protests and demonstrations. Many Naso people live in in the Changuinola area so the demonstrations have affected them as well. Eusebio (Pipón) and his wife, Maria, recently moved to another Naso community near Changuinola so that he could work for a hydroelectric project. Due to the problems, Eusebio hasn’t worked for the past week. We have kept in touch with them by phone. Even though politically things have been uncertain for them, Eusebio and Maria both continue to grow in the Lord and find their strength in Him. They continue to spend time in the Word as a family and now are beginning to teach extended family members. It is very exciting for us to see them take what God has taught them and have the desire to see other Naso people come to know the Lord. Please continue to pray for them as well as the other Naso believers.
Thanks for your prayers,
Lavonne for Simon and and boys
Challinor Update – May 2010
Yesterday was National Census Day in Panama. Everybody was supposed to stay home until they had been counted and questioned by one of the census workers. After being counted, people could leave their homes with a pass proving that they had stayed home until counted. It brings to mind the well-loved hymn, “When The Roll is Called Up Yonder.” What a blessing to know that our names have been written in the Lamb’s Book of Life and our eternal home is secure.
The past month has brought some unexpected changes. We arrived in town a week ago in order to renew our visas in Panama City. About the same time, our coworkers Don and Pat Barger left suddenly for the US to help care for Don’s sick father. We will be staying in town to cover for some of their responsibilities as long as needed. We had planned to transition to town later this summer with trips back and forth to the village, but now it looks like we will begin that transition a couple of months earlier than thought. We will go back upriver sometime in the next month or so, but it will be for a shorter length of time than originally planned.
Over the past few months we have enjoyed some wonderful times of fellowship with Pipon and Maria. Simon started teaching them the book of Acts but felt lead to ask whether they would like to study what God’s Word has to say about marriage. They both said that they would like such a study. In Naso culture Pipon and Maria were considered “married” because they live together and have two children together, but according to Panamanian law they were not married. Recently, though (before Simon asked about teaching about marriage), Pipon asked Simon if he thought it would be okay for them to get married civilly. Of course we responded positively. It took about a month to do the necessary paperwork and set the date with the judge. Last week they were officially married. We had wanted to be at the courthouse with them as their witnesses, but the assigned date coincided with our visa renewal. It has been neat to see the way the Holy Spirit is teaching them regarding family. Pipon has expressed over and over that he wants to be a good example to his two young boys and that he desires to love and be a leader to his wife. His own extended family is in shambles relationally, and he desires to have something completely different in his own home.
Andrew celebrated his 10th birthday a couple weeks ago. According to family tradition, he picked his favorite meal as well as a special activity. He chose to go to the river for a cookout and swimming. Both Andrew and Robbie recently made their debuts swimming across the river alone so it is an all-time favorite activity for them.
Please pray that more Naso would come to know the Lord. A hydroelectric project is taking many men from the Naso communities as they begin working for the project. Pray for the challenges that the believers face in a culturally and politically changing world. Pray that they would be witnesses to their families and friends.
With thankful hearts for your part in our lives and ministry, Simon, Lavonne, Michael, Daniel, Robbie, and Andrew
What am I doing here?
November 18, 2009
Dear Friends,
Have you ever been in a situation and wondered, “What am I doing here?” Yesterday (Tuesday), sitting huddled under a black garbage bag in a dugout canoe as our family traveled upriver, the thought did cross my mind a few times. The pelting rain was cold and miserable, and all around me was a dirty, rushing current. The river was twice its normal width with rapids coming fast and furious. We were on our way home after a very quick trip to the city to renew our visa. We had left the village early Saturday morning and had driven ourselves out to the mission guesthouse in a rental car. Monday morning we drove to the city, renewed our visas, and did some supply buying.
We left the guest house yesterday at 4 a.m. in order to make it to the river for our prearranged time with the boat driver. It was raining when we arrived at the river, and I wondered if it would be possible to travel upriver because it seemed to be quite high. When our boat driver, Nicanor, got off the bus (he had been to town to buy the gas for the trip) he said that we could travel upriver, but he had bought an extra gallon of gas because of the extra strong current. I encountered several moments during the trip wondering, “Why in the world am I doing this?” First of all, Nicanor had to be on the constant lookout for debris and logs being carried along by the rushing current. He also had to pull to the side of the river several times to check the propeller for entwined vines. The most concerning part for me (Lavonne thought the whole trip was concerning) was when we were almost home, and Nicanor had to navigate a long stretch of current full of white water followed by a bend that was also raging white water. We were thankful for the Lord having answered our prayers when we safely disembarked at the port. Even in the midst of hair-raising moments like yesterday, we are thankful that we really do know why we are living in Panama as well as the ONE who has us here. We are thankful to Him for His protection for our family as we serve Him here among the Naso people.
We mentioned the “Faith Comes By Hearing” project in our last update. Thank you for your prayers. The days were long, busy, and very tiring, but it was a blessing to work with Carlos and Miguel from Guatemala. We also enjoyed getting to know Tito (a Naso believer) a bit better since he lives in Changuinola, and we don’t see him on a regular basis. This past month was also a good reminder that we are in a spiritual battle as we faced many obstacles. As the Naso New Testament recording began, there were rumors that some in the community weren’t happy about it and were going to stop it. The rumors never materialized and nothing was ever said to us personally.
November is Panama’s month of national patriotism as the country celebrates “Flag Day and their independence from Colombia and Spain”. To celebrate these days, all of the schools have bands that march. Here in our community, the band consists of six drums and two xylophones. The kids began practicing almost daily at the beginning of September for about three to five hours per day. Because of the noise, we ran into conflicts with the recording. The Lord enabled us to make a workable schedule with the school for the band to practice and for us to record. There were many other small issues that had to be overcome, such as readers not showing up when they were supposed to, equipment malfunctioning, etc. but we are thankful for the way the Lord undertook in each situation and the project was even completed ahead of schedule. The finished project should be available for the people to listen to by the end of next summer.
Continue to pray for our Bible studies with Pipón & Maria, Juan & Hortencia, and Teodocia. They all continue to be faithful in studying and want to hear what God’s Word has to say.
We appreciate your prayers,
Simon, (Lavonne & the boys)