Journey to Hato Común (2020)

22The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
    his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
    “therefore I will hope in him.” Lamentations 3:22-24

July 23, 2020

These events took place during the Pandemic in 2020 in Panamá.

Norma’s cousin, Francisco Herrera, Coordinator of the public health clinic in Las Yayas called on Monday (June 29, 2020) to tell us about a family of 13 (four of them, young children, one of them is 6 months old, and a pregnant lady) in great distress for the lack of food in Hato Común, at a Reservation in Chiriquí which borders with Costa Rica. This area is near the Cordillera Central (the higher mountainous area of Panama).  There are no roads up there, only a horse trail, and it takes a day on foot, to reach the nearest town of Llano de Ñopo where their nearest Public Health clinic is located.

As we were told, no help/resources would be coming to them from the government, and their relative who lives in Las Yayas has no way to send funds there because transportation that brought supplies to Llano de Ñopo for them who live in Hato Común,  came to a halt. He used to send them resources by bus service before the quarantine began in March 2020.

This family was told to stay up there where they live by some government official, and that if they came to town they would be given a fine.  These are native citizens with very limited food and financial resources going to Hato Común in normal circumstances. Their condition was dire but this official did not offer to bring them resources, and no one ever came to their aid.

But God, who is rich in mercy, allowed one man related to this family, to go to the clinic in Las Yayas where we all lived, and seek help. Because of our connection with the clinic, we found out about it right away.

We were not sure how to proceed so we prayed and contacted a good friend, Tnt. Angenic Ladrón de Guevara in the police who had worked with us recently with food deliveries to the Police officers who were quarantined because of Covid.  She is also a member of the Police Cristian Fellowship in Panamá, headed by our good friend Comm. (Ret) Willington Zambrano.  The next day, a letter was written and sent to the Aero-Naval in Panamá City, seeking help because it was considered that only by helicopter help could reach them faster.

We also sought help from the community and from our church and friends in the US who quickly responded by sending their gifts which were used to buy enough food to last them a month, while arrangements could be made for this whole family to exit out of that area and return to Las Yayas. 

July 4, 2020.

At the time of our initial contact with the folks in Hato Común, we exchanged phone numbers with Miqueira (the 18-year-old and oldest child of the family there) and with two nurses at the Public Health Clinic in Llano de Ñopo, to coordinate. Miqueira told us how desperate they were and asked when the help would be coming.  We told her that we were hoping and praying that by Monday 6th the helicopter would be on its way.  While still on the phone I asked her to put the phone on speaker so the rest of them could hear me.  Norma presented the Gospel (there were 8 of them listening), and the rest of us present (Sheyla, Cinthya, and I) prayed for them, and reminded them they were not alone nor forsaken, and to trust in the Lord, for His provision in the right time, and to keep praying. 

July 5, 2020

We finished buying the food and general items of personal hygiene and cleaning supplies. The whole team enthusiastically went to work for the next couple of days to get the supplies boxed in to facilitate transport.  We ended up with 12 boxes full. Praise the Lord! We waited and prayed for a call from the Aero-Naval.

July 6th, 2020

We have just been told that the Aero-Naval planes are grounded for maintenance and that these will not be available for another 2-3 weeks.  Our hearts sank, but we prayed trusting the Lord already had the answer as to how the food was going to get there.  We did not know how, but we knew the Lord would provide the transportation needed.

July 10, 2020, 8:00 pm

Casa Beth-El was broken into by five masked and armed thieves who robbed and did other evil things to some of the people with us that night, but they did not touch the food.   We praised the Lord for we knew He protected us from greater harm and also protected the food from being stolen.

July 15

Norma’s nephew, and brother in Christ, Armando Calvo, also a special projects worker offered to take the food when he learned that we would not have help from the Aero-Naval, and the food was very much needed.  We notified Miqueira to expect the food in two days.  Armando and brother Marlon Martinez (on our staff) and the food were on their way two days later in Armando’s truck.  They traveled the 8-hour trip safely, which ended just less than a mile from the Health Clinic in Llano de Ñopo where the road ended. There was only a suspended bridge to cross to the other side where the clinic was located.  So, with help from two of the family members (who had already arrived at the clinic a couple of hours earlier), Marlon and Armando carried the food over this bridge.  They were received at the Clinic by nurse Edilsa and other staff with smiles and much gratitude and by Miqueira and two family members who traveled with her to receive the food.  Armando and Marlon made it back to Casa-Beth-El safely at 2:00 am not wanting to stay overnight at a motel; they said, “not to incur more expenses.”  Praising the Lord for His faithfulness, through the community, Casa Beth-El workers (Sheyla, Marlon, Cinthya, Cely, and Maria), and Armando and his truck who went the extra mile to serve the King. To God be all honor and glory forever!

Blessed and hopeful in Christ the Lord,
Richard and Norma Klingler
Fundación Casa Beth-El, Alpha & Omega Family Ministries in Panamá