Bible Study in a Panama Shopping Mall

Coronado is a pretty coastal town, fast becoming a favourite place for North Americans to retire.

We could see that a lot of new buildings have been built and there seemed to be a building boom happening here.













Coronada was where we visted a couple of times and shared the gospel with a number of families and local business people,  located about an hour's drive from Penonome, Panama.






The Coronrado Mall, Conorado, Panama



There is a McDonald located right beside the Coronado  Mall

The purpose of our mission trip is to follow up and visit people who have come to the Penonome Church before but have not been at the church for sometime or brothers and sisters who are beginning to show an interest in knowing more about the gospel.

Every family we visit has a story of its own. But from the few families we come to know, a few of them have been victims of robbery or home invasion.

Just this morning, before we even woke up, S. called and told us that their store was broken into and many phone cards, merchandises and cash were stolen. Her husband did not come home last night and he even turned off his cell so that S. could not reach him. She was very upset. Pastor Monica prayed with her on the phone and comforted her.

Mrs. C came to pick us up and drove us to Coronado where we visited two families. Mrs. L Senior, operates a cell phone store in the Coronado Mall with her son and daughter-in-law.

A few years back, her husband was murdered during a robbery in their store. After being visited and cared for by the church following this tragic incident, she was touched by the church people therefore accepted Jesus and was baptized last March.

Bible study in the mall

Two years ago when I went to Penonome, I remembered our team stopping by this mall and spoke to the owner of the Bamboo Restaurant that was just opened.

 At that time, we did not know anything about this owner couple. This time, when we went back to the restaurant, he and his wife welcome our team warmly. The husband cooked up a storm and we had dinner right in the mall in front of their take out restaurant.

Singing and praising God in a shopping mall in Panama

After dinner, I was surprised when Mrs. L Senior pulled out a projector screen and a data projector setting them up right in the mall.

 Pastor Monica did ask me to lead singing for the meeting, but I did not expect that I would be doing that in a shopping mall!!!

We found out that Mrs. L and Mrs. C  from Penonome take the hour long weekly drive  and lead a bible study class with several families form Coronado. This time we had: 

1. Mrs. L Senior, her son and daughter-in-law - run a cell phone store.
2. A young couple with a 4 year old son and runs a restaurant

In the subsequent meeting, there were a few other people joining us. This was our first time running a bible study class and praising God with songs in an open space in a shopping mall. Other shoppers were curious and looking at what we were doing.

 Fortunately, we had some Spanish songs ready and played these songs before we started the meeting so local  curious folks knew we were singing Christian songs and having a Christian gathering there.

A play area for kids in the Coronado Mall,  Panama

While Pastor Monica and Helena were helping the brothers and sisters to learn about the bible, I worked with the little boy yanking him from his ipad.

There was also a pay area for kids in the Coronado Mall. What a great idea! Parents could take a break from their shopping while watching their kids play.


The adults, though tired from their work did pay attention to the bible study and displayed a desire to learn about the bible. I was also glad that Kalok enjoyed playing the game I taught him.







By the time we finished the meeting, it was almost 11p.m. and Mrs. C. was too tired to drive, so Helena drove us all back to Penonome safely. Praise God!!!

R.T.
Coronado, Panama