WWC works in new Latin America ground
Panama/Honduras outreach in March brings unexpected view
Evangelist Bill Smith was joined by interpreter Hernan Mendez and the Honduran band Eben-Ezer in the town of Gracias, Honduras for a three-day evangelistic crusade in February
By JOHN BUTTERWORTH
As coordinator and interpreter in Latin America for Worldwide Crusades, Hernan Mendez has long desired WWC to reach out in evangelism from the nation of Honduras to Panama. In March his desires were met.
A three-day crusade held in Panama City brought about 2,000 people together each night to hear Smith and Mendez preach the good news of Jesus Christ.
“I just preached a basic gospel message,” said Smith. “The front was crowded each night at the altar with people seeking the Lord. I was a little surprised at how many people turned out the first night, although I think most of them had already been saved.”
Spending some time encouraging those who had already received Christ as their Lord and Savior, Smith encouraged them to not give up or quit, keep on asking the Lord for the things they need, and to continue to believe God. He estimates that 300 people or more received Christ during the outreach.
The church at large in Panama seems to be doing well, according to Smith, although they needed some help and encouragement in evangelism.
“It has a good spiritual tone,” he said. “They were anxious to receive the Word I preached, and I thought it was a good sign. There’s a tremendous crop of young people in the church there. I believe many of them will be called to take the gospel to the rest of their nation and even beyond.”
Many seem to understand that the gospel has not been preached out in the bush of Panama where the lack of electricity and other such amenities have kept some from reaching out to these areas. “But they seem to be in a mood to be more aggressive in evangelism,” says Smith.
Smith found himself surprised in numerous ways while in Panama. Flying in from Honduras, he was amazed at the number of skyscrapers already built and under construction in Panama City. After meeting people from Canada and Venezuela, Smith thinks the blossoming economy in the nation is coming from businesses fleeing the collectivization going on in Venezuela under the leadership of Hugo Chavez.
Panamanian pastor Leonardo Baily (right) and WWC interpreter Hernan Mendez work to make sure everything is ready for Evangelist Bill Smith to preach during and evangelistic crusade in Panama City, Panama in February.
Although he found some poverty in the nation, a booming economy has reportedly provided a zero percent unemployment rate. Smith was told that although bars can be found around the city, alcoholism is a minor problem, and despite drugs being transported through the nation, they really haven’t impacted the nation that greatly.
“I think most impressive was the economic situation. It’s the fastest growing in the Americas. The government seems reliable,” said Smith.
That seems to be working in favor of evangelism right now. “I think they really are open for something that will bring real peace. I think most surprising is that despite the prosperity, they were still really hungry for gospel. They’ve got money to spend, youth were enthusiastic, good kids, and a there’s a lot of them. There’s a lot of potential there.”
The WWC team left the Christians in Panama a little surprised themselves.
“They were impressed that we didn’t take offerings. They responded well to that,” said Smith. “Whatever offering they had was up to them to do what they wanted with it. I think they got some good offering. “
Smith rates the trip to Panama as a success in more ways than one.
“I think there is a lot of potential there. We made a lot of good friends and contacts. The lead pastor wants to go preach somewhere, even in Africa someday,” he said. I’m happy with what went on with the church. The altar calls started slow, but people would keep coming.
“The want a youth gig there next year.”
Of the three nights in Panama, the last night stands out to Smith.
“The highlight was the last service. All the teens wanted pictures with us. It probably took 45 minutes to get out of there through all that,” he explains. “We’d been there three nights and the people were just getting to know us.”
That last night in Panama also stands out to Grant Laiblin, a member of Alsea Christian Fellowship who traveled with Smith and Hernandez for his first-ever missions trip.
“One little guy came and just kind of stood there looking at me. Then this girl about 12 years old wanted to take a picture of me with the boy sitting in my lap,” Laiblin says reminiscently. “Once he got in my lap, the kids came storming. They all wanted in on the picture.”But Laiblin came away from the journey with many memories.
“The altar calls at both places, I was totally amazed at the amount of people seeking Jesus and just hungry for Jesus,” he said. “To see all those people, I was flabbergasted – and all the crippled people coming to the altar for prayer. I had tears in my eyes watching them come”
Joining in during times of worship in a land you don’t know and in a language you don’t know is a different experience, but Laiblin found some common ground.
“I was listening to the band play and all of a sudden I said, ‘I know that song.’ They were singing “How Great Thou Art” in Spanish.
“Then the tears really came. I was praising God and it was fantastic. (This trip) was the best experience I’ve had.”
HONDURAS
Before heading to Panama, Smith, Mendez and Laiblin first traveled to Gracias, Honduras for a three-day evangelistic crusade. Gracias is in an isolated area high in the mountains and is set just below the highest mountain in Honduras. Not many people travel there for evangelistic work, according to Smith, and the crusade was the first of its kind for the area. The WWC team received help from Christians in the town of Mezapa, where WWC has held crusades and helped build a church in the past.
Laiblin was surprised to see how many people came out of the mountains to attend the crusade each night. Smith was pleased with the results.
“Somewhere between 600 and 700 decision cards were signed, and although we don’t know the exact number of people who surrendered their lives to Christ, we know at least that many did,” he said. “It was very good for that area, especially with the staunch Catholic influence there.”
The town Gracias dates back to the time of Spanish control, according to Smith, and the name came from the fact that when the Spaniards arrived there they were grateful to God for finally finding some flat ground.
For Smith, the highlight of Gracias came on the first night. As Smith stepped to the lectern to preach, he felt inspired to hold an altar call before he even preached.
“It was very powerful, one of those services you just can’t repeat,” he says. “It started as a healing altar call, but a lot of unsaved people acted as though they were ready to go. It was almost like I should stay right there and not even preach. There was a lot of young people there.”