Mission Trek International

PLANNING FOR PANAMA TREK 2012

2012-01-15T16:48:00.000-08:00

It is looking like the Panama Trek this year will be in the fall, either early November or early December. Our Trek so far has never taken us to the Darien Jungle. I would like to go there this year. Hopefully with my friend, Tulio, as our guide. The Darien is located on the extreme eastern end of the Republic of Panama. The last 30-50 miles of jungle before Colombia has few roads and travel is mostly by river canoe. I am currently in a conversation with my contacts in Panama about the trip.

View Larger Map

Contact andrew@goodimpressions.us for more information about Panama Trek 2012 or Mission Trek.

Panama Trek 2011 Ministry DVD Available!

2011-08-25T14:40:00.000-07:00

Contact Andrew Burnett, andrew@goodimpressions if you would like a copy.

Video Report from Panama Trek 2011

2011-08-10T16:36:00.000-07:00

Here's the latest on our trip to Panama

2011-06-18T21:41:00.000-07:00

Click on the thumbnail to expand.

Panama Trek 2011 - July 16th -31st

2010-12-27T19:40:00.001-08:00

Check out the brochure for this years Panama Trek. We will be spending a week in the Darien Jungle village of Yavisa with Alex and Jennifer Cabezon working with the Wounaan Indigenous People. Then we will fly to the San Blas islands and spend a week working with the Kuna People on the tiny islands of Nargana and Isle Tigre. Click on the image for a larger printable version.

For more information contact:

Andrew Burnett, Director

Mission Trek International

7112 NE Emerson St.

Portland, OR 97218

andrew@goodimpressions.us

503-256-2043

Life in an Embera Village in Panama

2010-11-25T21:58:00.000-08:00

Check out MTV "Exiled" where 18 year old Cher spends one week in the Embera Village of San Juan. This is a village that MTI trekers have visited in the past. In fact this episode was filmed the same year we visited so many of the villagers are familiar. Here's the link:

EXILED with Cher

BTW - the young girls who help Cher through the process were students that live in the Home that Alex and Jennifer Cabezon started. That's why their english is so good.

Dave Johanson, Andrew Burnett and Jess Fahland strike a pose in San Juan village.

Panama Trek 2011!! - July 16th - 31st

2010-10-16T10:23:00.000-07:00

Excellent News!! Linda and Richard Liebert have agreed to lead a group next summer to Panama. The Lieberts are two year veterans of Panama Treks and avid world travelers. They will be working one week with the Cabezons on the One Story Project (probably visiting the Darien Jungle) and another week in a different part of the country. More news to come about this exciting trip. For more information contact Andrew Burnett, andrew@goodimpressions.us

A visit from the Cabezons

2010-09-28T16:35:00.000-07:00

We recently had the privilage to host Alex and Jennifer Cabezon and (Abigail and Carolyn) at our home while they are visiting friends and family in Oregon. Alex and Jennifer live in Chilibre, Panama and are full-time missionaries with Youth With a Mission. During their week here they had many opportunities to share with both english and spanish speaking audiences. The Cabezons are uniquely gifted to minister to the indigenous of Panama. Pray for them as they continue their home stay for the next few weeks. If you would like to know more about Alex and Jennifer, check out their blog by clicking on their name. Alex and Jennifer are MTI's main contact for ministry trips to Panama. Those of you who have seen our ministry videos will see them as familiar faces.

One of the topics of conversation was planning for another MTI trip to Panama in the summer of 2011. Please keep this in your prayers. We need someone to lead this trip as I will not be able to be gone that long from our family business. Hopefully, our business situation will improve soon and I will again be able to travel. In the mean-time several different individuals are considering going and/or leading the next trip.

Excellent Report from Panama Trek 2010

2010-05-24T10:39:00.001-07:00

Check out the videos from our recent Panama Trek 2010. Our group joined with the School Of Missions at the YWAM Base in Chilibre and went to several villages. Team members shared Christ in nearly a dozen school classrooms and several churches, shared in the daily lives of the indigenous peoples of Panama and helped the ongoing ministry of many Youth With A Mission missionaries (especially Alex and Jennifer Cabezon and Dale and Kimberly Kapsar). We topped off the trip with a day of sight seeing in Colon, Portabello and Isle Grande.

We started the trip by visiting a nearby Embera Indigenous Village near the Caribbean Coast:

Then it was on to two more Wounaan villages on the Pacific Coast - a 45 mile trip by boat:

We spent the second week in Bocas Del Toro working with Dale and Kim Kapsar:

Contact Andrew Burnett if you would like to be a part of our Next Adventure with a Purpose in Latin America. andrew@goodimpressions.us

Colombia Trek 2010 Postponed

2010-04-14T12:23:00.000-07:00

"The times they are a changing". We had tentitive plans to have a group go to Colombia in the summer of 2010 to work with Open Arms Foundation in Medellin. This trip is being delayed until sometime in 2011. More info. to come. If you might be interested in this trip please contact me.

Andrew Burnett, Director
andrew@goodimpressions.us
503-256-2043

Errebache Embera Village

2010-04-11T07:43:00.000-07:00

In less than two weeks our MTI team will be in Panama. Our second night in country we will be staying at Errebache, an Embera Village near Colon, Panama. One of the staff at the Youth With A Mission Base near Chilibre, (where Jennifer and Alex Cabezon live and work,) is one of the founders of this village. Here's a Youtube.com video about the village.

Andrew Burnett, Director
503-256-2043
andrew@goodimpressions.us

Report from Scouting Trip to the San Blas Islands in Panama

2010-03-22T09:54:00.000-07:00

My recent trip to Panama went very well and accomplished a great deal. I have been wanting to vist the San Blas - Home of the Kuna indigenous people in Panama. I was able to visit 3 Kuna villages and 3 pastors to learn more about the Kuna culture and discuss possible ministry trips to the area in the future.

I also wanted to experience the "living aboard" cruising lifestyle. Sonny and Kay Sides of S/V Valentina were excellent hosts and tour guides. They have spent considerable time cruising in this area of Panama. Their personal contacts led me directly to the places and people I needed to talk too. I really appreciate their help and wonderful company. For some time now, I have been thinking about the possibility of a marine based ministry in Panama and Colombia. This experience helped familiarize me with the cruising culture and get a better idea of what it would take to start such a ministry.

Upon arrival back at the Panama City YWAM I had several days to meet with my Panama contacts Alex and Jennifer Cabezon to discuss issues of culture and MTI's upcoming April trip to Panama. I was also able to meet with several new YWAM staffers who will no doubt be contacts in ministry in the future. As well, I was privilaged to attend the opening day of the School of Missions on the YWAM base. This school was placing an emphasis on ethno arts and music to reach indigenous peoples with the Good News of Jesus.

Andrew Burnett, Director
andrew@goodimpressions.us
503-256-2043

Checking out the San Blas and Kuna People

2010-02-15T14:15:00.000-08:00

Andrew will be taking advantage of an opportuntiy to visit the Kuna People of Panama on a trip to the San Blas islands in early March. He will be aboard S/V Valentina for 7 days. The San Blas are the regional home of the Kuna indigenous Indians. Mission Trek has visited villages of Embera, Waunaan and Ngobe in the past two years. The Kuna were the first indigenous group to organize politically and they now enjoy some degree of autonomous liberty. During the time Andrew will have the opportunity to visit several villages and learn more about the culture of the Kuna. Building relationships and sharing experiences with go far in creating a foundation for future Mission Trek ministry trips.

A Taste of Panama

2010-01-16T22:57:00.000-08:00

Anthony Bourdain and "No Reservations" Panama!

Follow Tony as he tours Panama City, Isla Grande and the Darien Jungle. Literally, an excellent taste of this beautiful and interesting country.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Make your own reservation to travel to Panama to live and work with the Embera, Wounaan, and Nbobe indigenous indians with Mission Trek - Contact Andrew Burnett, andrew@goodimpressions.us

Donate your car or vehicle and help the needy in Panama and Colombia

2010-01-07T16:19:00.000-08:00

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

1. What can I donate?
We accept most vehicles and vessels in the Portland, OR metro area including (but not limited to) cars, trucks, trailers, boats and RV´s.

2. Is my donation tax deductible?
Mission Trek International is a 501 c (3) charitable organization and Vehicle/vessel donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the law. Individual tax situations vary, so please check with a tax professional to determine what, if any, tax benefit you may receive.

3. What do I need to donate my vehicle?
We would like the title to the vehicle, but if you do not have it please call us anyway. It is possible that other arrangements may be made.

4. My car isn't running. Can I still donate it?
Yes, we are able to accept most vehicles, running or not. To find out if we can accept your vehicle, please contact us.

5. How much of my car´s value will I be able to deduct?
Your valuation is based on the sale price or you can opt to take an immediate $500 valuation for tax purposes.

6. How will the car be picked up?
We offer free towing. In almost every case, we will arrange to have your donated vehicle transported at our expense, by our people Contact us to schedule a pick-up time.

Contact Andrew Burnett, andrew@goodimpressions.us, 503-256-2043 for more information or to make an appointment to pick up your vehicle.

Save The Date . . .

2009-12-24T16:30:00.000-08:00

Panama Trek Date - April 22 - May 8, 2010

Join the Trekkers for an Adventure with a purpose to help with missionary projects.

Week One - Working with Alex and Jennifer Cabezon - visit a jungle Waunaan Village.

Week Two - Working with Dale and Kimberly Kapsar in the

Bocas Del Toro Region of Panama.

Project cost including air transportation - $1800.00, fundraising opportunities available.

Colombia Trek - July 31 - August 15, 2010

Week One - Working with Enoc and Cristina Hernandez in Medellin. Enoc and Cristina work with Open Arms Foundation, a ministry to Street Kids in Colombia.

Week Two - Working with Youth With A Mission (Jucum in espanol) of Medellin - reaching out to help people in need who have been displaced because of internal conflicts in their region.

Project Cost - $1800.00 Including Air Transportation and Project Expenses.

You will need a valid Passport and you must file out an application.

Contact Andrew Burnett, Director at andrew@goodimpressions.us for more info. or an application.

Plans for Colombia Trek 2010 begin

2009-10-07T20:38:00.000-07:00

In the past few weeks I have been in touch with missionaries from Cartegena and Medellin Colombia in preparation for Colombia Trek 2010. Lord willing, we will be venturing south for two weeks sometime in the summer of 2010 with a group from the US. We will join other team members from Medellin and be spending one week in that city and another week in the vicinity of the coastal city of Cartegena. In both areas we will be working with the local missionaries to help with their ministry to the needy children and peoples of the region.

Please pray for me and the work of Mission Trek - that God would lead and guide us to have effective ministry for Him where ever we serve. Check out this video from the Cartegena area working with Youth With A Mission on the Island of Terra Bomba in the city of Bocachica:

Andrew Burnett
Director
andrew@goodimpressions.us

P.S. If traveling to Colombia and working along side local Colombians to reach people for Jesus sounds like something you would like to do, contact me.

Panama Trek Wrap Up 2009

2009-09-19T12:35:00.000-07:00

This years Panama Trek was a real blessing on many levels. Here are the high lights from this years trip:

Week One: 5 of the 7 of us arrived on Saturday around noon. We were met at the airport by the Cabezon's and stopped by a shopping mall for lunch and essentials (Panama telephone cards, etc.) then headed for the YWAM (Youth With A Mission) Base, located about 15 miles from Panama City. That evening we had an orientation time and learned more about the personal testimonies of Alex and Jennifer. Jennifer came to Panama over 10 years ago for a 6 month DTS (Discipleship Training School.) She fell in love with the people and the country of Panama and decided to make it her home. She has been on staff with YWAM ever since. About 7 years ago Alex Cabezon was also doing a DTS and one thing lead to another. A couple of years latter they got married and together they serve as YWAM missionaries to the indigenous peoples of Panama.

On Sunday our team helped out teaching a children's Sunday School class and Daniel sang the offertory in the service. Check out the video for more details.

On Monday our team went out to San Antonio, an indigenous village where Alex's mother lives. We worked that afternoon on the construction of her new village home. Monday afternoon Richard and Linda arrived and joined our team. That evening we got more orientation about the trip to Rio Hondo on Tuesday.

Tuesday we left before sunrise so we could meet the boat and use the tides to arrive at our destination during high tide. We traveled by van for about 2 hours then transfered our stuff to a 28 foot Panga Boat at the Port in Chepo. We then took the 3 hour trip down the Chepo River, out into the Pacific Ocean, and back up Rio Hondo to the village. Rio Hondo (Deep River) is a beautiful village located on a river. There are about 300 people who live there, most of them are indigenous Waunaan Indians. Alex, our leader, is also Waunaan, and he was especially eager to meet these people that he had heard were his relatives.

We stayed in the village for three days. During our time there we helped with a construction project, had two afternoon Bible Clubs with about 80 - 100 children from the village. As it turned out, most of the kids from the school came to the club where they heard stories about God, Creation, and Jesus. We even showed the Children's Version of the Jesus Film in Spanish. We also had sports activities where the village children whipped up on our team in soccer.

On two of the evenings we went to the church service and had the opportunity to share testimonies, do a drama, and even taught the people a new song. Check out the video for more details.

On Friday we returned by boat to Panama City. Saturday we had a break and did some sight-seeing. We visited the Panama Canal and toured the Colonial section of Panama City. Check out the Video for more details.

Week Two: Early Sunday morning our team and the Cabezons headed for the airport and the one hour flight to Bocas del Toro, island region to the North and West along the Caribbean Ocean. In Bocas, we met up the Kim and Dale Kapsar, who would be our host during this week of ministry with the Ngobe people, the largest indigenous people group in Panama. That afternoon we settled in and began to help the Kapsars who too had just arrived from the States a couple of days earlier.

On Monday we met with the teacher at one of the local schools to discuss the consturction project - building a restroom for the school. We also did some clean up and fixing up at the house and Dave worked on the Kapsar's boat, replacing some of the floor boards that had broken during their absence.

Tuesday was a day off, while we waited for materials and supplies to arrive. Part of the team went to Bocas del Toro town and the other went for a hike on Bastimentos. Wednesday morning we had the final meeting with teachers, parents, and political leaders and made final decisions and plans about how the project would be done. Wednesday afternoon we visited another village and school. Our wonderful Children's team, Richard, Linda and Lyndsey decided to have a Bible Club there upon the teacher's eager invitation. Check out the video for more details.

Thursday and Friday construction progressed at one school and "tree house" building at the Kapsar's while the children's team taught at the other school. Check out the video for more details.

Saturday we all headed back to Panama City in the early morning. That afternoon we did a little more touring in and around the city. That evening we had a great time going out to dinner with the Cabezons and several of the other YWAM staff with whom we had served during the previous week. Check out the video for more details.

I think the addition of our Children's Team was the high light of this years trip. It seemed that where ever we went, there were children eager to learn more about the Good News of Jesus and our Team was ready to fill that need.

If you would be interested in our new trip to Panama or Colombia in 2010, please get in touch with us. Contact Andrew Burnett, andrew@goodimpressions.us.

MTI helps a Youth Watersports Camp

2009-09-06T20:11:00.000-07:00

During the last weekend of August, our Director, Andrew Burnett took the family boat to participate with Hinson Church's "The Cove 2009". Every summer the Hinson youth head out to Eastern Oregon for a great time of water sports fun and discipleship. This year Mission Trek provided the gas for the Burnett's boat. Several of the 2009 Panama Trekkers were also part of the camp staff, including Andrew, Lyndsey Walker and Daniel Burnett. During one of the teaching times we were able to show one of the Panama Trek 2009 videos and later have the opportunity to share with many of the campers about the work of Mission Trek International in Latin America. Contact Andrew Burnett if you would like to have him share about the work of Mission Trek International, (503) 256-2043.

Week Two Report - Bocas Del Toro

2009-08-18T14:04:00.000-07:00

We finished up our trip to Rio Hondo and did some sight-seeing in the Panama City area before heading up to Bocas by plane early Sunday am. We would be arriving just a couple of days after our Hosts Dale and Kim Kapsar (pictured at the left) had returned from the states.

Our team helped them get situated, began a work project at a hearby school, held a Bible Club at another nearby school and continued construction on the "Treehouse", a multipurpose building just below the Kapsar's house on the Island of Bastimentos. Check out the videos, plus in future updates, we will have some reports from this years Panama Trekkers.

One big change with this year's team was having a group that can work specifically with children. Linda, Lyndsey and Richard were perfect in that regard. During our time in Panama we had the opportunity to speak to well over 100 children from 4 different indigenous villages.

Here are a couple of videos about our activities in the Bocas Region:

Check out all of the Panama Trek 2009 videos on Andrew Burnett's Youtube.com page: www.youtube.com/user/andrewaburnett

Week One Report from the Panama Trek Team

2009-08-15T20:21:00.000-07:00

For our first week in Panama our team joined in the ministry of Alex and Jennifer Cabezon to reach out to a Wounaan village. Jennifer (pictured in the photo with her daughter, Abigail, walking to a VBS at an indigenous village in Panama) gives an excellent report about our stay at Rio Hondo on her blog http://www.cabezon.blogspot.com/ as follows:

Alex lead the group of curious Portlanders up the path towards the community of Rio Hondo (which means Deep River). They left behind the river, the water slowly going down as the tide went out. The boat that had carried them about 50 miles down the Chepo river and out over the Pacific ocean was now resting on a gravely bank.

I can't describe the scene from the perspective of the Americans present, since Abigail and I were safely at home, praying for the safety of the team and success in their mission. But I can tel you what Alex first noticed - the last names of the people in the village. The Wounaan determine relatives by last names. If someone shares you mother's or fathers last name, they are family. And as they were introduced to one person after another, he realized that the majority of the community go by the last name of Cabezon.

The team spent their time participating in the small church consisting mostly of the pastor's family and one other extended family in the village. They carried gravel up from the river in order to put a cement floor in the church and did a Bible Club for the kids of the village (over 75 attended each day). They showed the Jesus film, told Bible stories, did crafts and played soccer with the children.

When Abigail and I arrive at the banks of the Chepo river on Friday to pick the team up, I was eager to hear their observations. They had many, one of the being the remoteness of the community, and limited outside influences. They wondered, as I have heard many missionaries, both short and long term, whether they would be doing more harm than good if they continued to bring in those influences.

Wondering what Alex's take on this was, I asked him as we swerved in and out of Panama traffic in the YWAM van.

He said, "There are so few in the church, and so many lost. And they are all Cabezon's. How can I just leave my own family like that? We need to return." (Alex is a indigenous Wounaan Indian. His family came from Colombia to Panama about 40 years ago and settled in the National Park near the Panama Canal. Jennifer and Alex have been married for 4 years. They have one born child, Abagail, and another is due in January of 2010.)

More videos of the Panama Trek 2009 trip are available on Andrew Burnett's Youtube.com page - www.youtube.com/user/andrewaburnett

Through the Eyes of a Child

2009-07-01T12:33:00.000-07:00

In these last weeks before our team leaves for Panama, two of our team members are hard at work to put a teaching program together for children. During our time in Panama we will visit at least 3 indigenous villages and probably more. Each of these villages have many eager young minds who will be fascinated about the visitors who are in their village. This is an excellent opportunity to tell them about the good news of Jesus. Pray for Linda and Lyndsey as they prepare for their assignment to teach these young minds about Christ in a meaningful way. There are barriers, both language and culture, that can hinder the presentation of the gospel. If you have any suggestions or know of any good approaches for working with indigenous latin cultures we would love to hear from you. Here's a short video showing a typical village scene with young children.

Here's great video about how one church shared the Gospel of Christ in the summer of 2008 in Panama.

Panama Trek Team - "Working our way to Panama"

2009-06-09T08:55:00.000-07:00

Part of the team spent the day doing a home improvement project for one of our supporters. All of the money we made on this project will go towards our travel expenses for the trip to Panama in July. If you have a project you need to get done and would like to help our team, give Andrew Burnett a call, 503-256-2043.

Please Pray For Our Panama Trek 2009 Team!

2009-06-08T07:54:00.000-07:00

July 18th is just around the corner and our Panama Trek 2009 team is making final preparations for the trip to Central America. From left to right: David Johanson (2008 Panama Trekker), Andrew Burnett, Lyndsey Walker, Jess Fahland (2008 Panama Trekker), Linda and Richard Liebert, and Daniel Burnett. Pray for them that God will prepare their hearts and minds to serve Him this summer. Also pray for Alex and Jennifer Cabezon as well as Dale and Kimberly Kapsar, our Youth With A Mission contacts in Panama. Pray as well for the indigenous peoples with whom we will be working. We still have individual support needs and another $1800.00 in material expenses for the construction projects. Let us know if you would like to be a part in supporting this project in prayer or financial support. God Bless!

We may have gotten ourselves into a "stinky" situation.

2009-06-02T14:29:00.000-07:00

Dale and Kim Kapsar, YWAM missionaries to Bastimentos Island, and MTI partners report that a nearby indigenous school of 90 students has no restroom facilities - none, except the nearby river. If you have any experience building pit toilets in Latin America with available tools and supplies we would greatly appreciate your shared knowledge. We would like to address this need when our team visits this summer in late July. Contact Andrew Burnett, andrew@goodimpressions.us with any input

Habla Espanol? - Is learning another language worth the trouble?

2009-06-02T14:09:00.000-07:00

As our Panama Trek Team makes preparations for this summers July 18 - August 2 trip, several of the team members are making a serious effort to learn a "little" Spanish before we go. Team members have purchased Rosetta Stone Level One, (About $250.00) and Level One of the Visual Link Spanish course ($133.00) and one of the members has made an arrangement with a friend from Cuba to teach each other their native tongue. We will have a report on how these different courses/learning methods worked out.

Learning another language is a difficult undertaking - even if you only want to become "conversational". We are hoping that our efforts will pay off in deepened relationships and understanding with the people we are working with in the field. If you have any experience in this area please make a comment!

Andrew Burnett

Director

Looking Forward to Colombia Trek 2010!!

2009-04-26T17:56:00.000-07:00

Check out this awesome travel video with Anthony Bourdain called No Reservations - Colombia. The first two clips are about Cartagena and the last three are about Medellin. Having just returned from Colombia to do research for the upcoming Colombia Trek 2010, it was exciting for me to see another person's perspective on this beautiful and interesting country.

Follow these links to the remaining clips:
Part 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeL773ekGd0&NR=1 - Terra Bomba island, Cartagena
Part 3 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0GsEfSsQeg&NR=1 - Medellin
Part 4 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvvpPdP8WOI&NR=1- Medellin
Part 5 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BekBAWksSZY - Conclusion

Follow this link to my 6 videos from Colombia on YouTube.com as well - http://www.youtube.com/user/andrewaburnett

If you would like to be a part of the Mission Treks Colombia Trek 2010 drop me a line:
Andrew Burnett, Director
andrew@goodimpressions.us
503-256-2043

Last Chance to Sign Up for the Panama Trek 2009

2009-04-25T15:12:00.000-07:00

We have been making final plans for this summers Panama Trek 2009, July 18 - August 2. There are currently 6 signed up for the trip and we have room for a couple more. Week One of the trip we will be working with Alex and Jennifer Cabezon and traveling to Rio Hondo on the Pacific Coast of Panama. It's a three hour bus ride and a 5 hour boat ride to the remote Waunaan Village.

Week Two we will heading up to Bocas del Toro again to work with Dale and Kimberly Kapsar and the Ngobe Indians of the region.

Here's a video from last summers Trek to Panama:

Check out the post for Nov. 22, 2008 for more details on the trip or give our Director, Andrew Burnett a shout:
andrew@goodimpressions.us 503-256-2043.

Field Report from Colombia

2009-03-22T07:03:00.000-07:00

See all of the New MTI Colombia Videos on Youtube.com http://www.youtube.com/user/andrewaburnett

Sunday - Tuesday, after five flights and three days of travel, I finally made it to Cartagena. Thanks so much to Enoc and Cristina Hernandez who came to my rescue when I missed my Cali flight on Monday and took the only other flight to Colombia which landed in Medellin. They graciously picked me up at the airport and put me up for the night. The next day Cristina introduced me to the YWAM staff in Medellin and then got me on the airport bus for my flight to Cartegena.

Tuesday - Saturday, in Cartegena I met up with Jason who took me and a Canadian couple (Richard and Brenda) over to Bocachica. This is where Jorge and Karen Silva have a ministry with the island people who live there.

I spent the first day seeing the work they do on the island and the next two days working on the Boat that the ministry plans to use to reach the peoples of the islands and rivers of the region.

On Saturday I flew back to Medellin and am staying with the Hernandez's again till Tuesday when I will bus to Pereira to meet up with Alan Wymore, a Wycliffe Bible Translator and Mission Trek board member.
Saturday - Tuesday am, my flight back from
Cartagena went without a hitch. I will be staying at the Open Arms Foundation Apt. till tuesday am. Sunday morning we went to church at the OpenArms Center. This is where the boys from the street and the boys farm attend church. There are also a number of adults who attend as well. In the afternoon I joined the youth of the church and their leaders in a fun time at Bill Parrow's home on the eastern side of Medellin. The
kids played scoccer, volleyball and ate hotdogs. I also was able to visit the girls home which is next door. This home is where very young girls (ages 10 - 15) can come to help get out of prostitution.

Monday was a bit of a holiday for me and Colombia. In the morning Enoc, Cristina and I took the Metro and Metro Cable Cars up to Enoc's old neighborhood. Enoc grew up in a poor area high on the hill overlooking Medellin. Most of his peers were killed by drugs and the violence that surrounds their trade.

In the afternoon we stopped at a small roadside resturant on the way to visit the Boys Farm 30 miles from the city center. All I can say is, "that was a really big Checharon!!" We had a wonderful time eating and eating and eating and talking about mission purposes and practices. I really like the Hernandez's and Lord willing, I hope Mission Trek will have the opportunity to do much ministry with them in the future.

The Boys Farm has developed a lot since my last visit in the summer of 2007 with Hinson Church. The project we had begun is finished. There are now 37 boys in the program and the facilities continue to develop as well.

Tuesday PM & Wednesday - Tuesday morning I visited the downtown facilities of YWAM Medellin. It was another wonderful experience meeting believers who are busy do the work of the Kingdom. The Medellin YWAM does Discipleship Training Schools, operate and home for needy children (many of who we orphaned by rebel activity), and do community development Outreaches in smaller towns to the north that have been hard hit by violence.
In the afternoon I took the 5 hour bus ride to Pereira, the city where Alan Wymore is staying. This will be my base of operation for the next week till I come back to PDX.

Wednesday morning I visited some of the work of Willing Hands Foundation, a group of believers that are doing many things from Bible Studies to Church Building and community development.

In the afternoon we met with many of the believers who are key players in the work that the foundation does. I was so blessed to hear the testimonies of the men and women who's lives have been transforned by the Gospel of Jesus!

Thursday - In the morning Alan and I had a excellent discussion and prayer with Susana about developing a closer personal relationship with God. It was a delight to hear a Godly women from another country share her perspective. We ended that time listening to a Worship song in Spanish. Alan interpreted the words while Susana prayed for me. I was blessed.

In the afternoon we visited the Translation House and home of Phil and Judy Harms. During the afternoon a number of the indigenous language helpers dropped by to say hi. Another excellent time!

Friday - Alan and I joined two local Colombians for a sightseeing trip to Bellecazar. It was a beautiful place up in the mountains perched atop a 2500' ridge with beautiful vistas on both sides. In the evening we spent a couple of hours in La Virginia, the hometown of Luz Dalia and Diego who had accompanied us and acted as tour guides. Diego would like to join Mission Trek when it comes to Colombia in the future.

Saturday and Sunday -On Saturday I made a video for Willing Hands Foundation from pictures and videos I had taken earlier in the week. I also helped them set up a Blog for their organization. Later that day I had a fun time with Alan and Colombian friends at a finca (Spanish for farm) where we ate pollo asada and went swimming in the pool!! Sunday we went to Augustine and Susana's church in Pereira in the morning and worked some more on the video and blog in the afternoon. Tomorrow we head out for Cali and the way home. Here's a video of the sunset from the balcony at Augustine and Susana's apartment.

Monday - Wednesday, Alan, and I made the trip down to Cali with Augustin Torres and Philip Brown in Phil's car. We dropped Alan in Cali where he stayed with a friend overnight till his Tues am flight home. Phil, Augustin and I headed west to a little town called Dogua. This place was beautiful, it reminded me of Hawaii with steep hill sides and beautiful flowers and trees. We spent the night at Freddy's home. Freddy is a Colombian man who, with his wife and two children, works full-time meeting with people and doing Bible Studies in small groups. Overngiht it poured down rain and the next morning we were surrounded by water pouring down the hilside around the house. That morning we shared the Word and prayed with Freddy's family and a few christian friends who came by. In the afternoon we visited a adult foster care center and then it was on to Palmira where I stayed the evening with new friends Adrianna and Pablo before heading back to PDX on Wed. morning. I want to thank all of you who prayed for me. This was an excellent trip for Mission Trek, many new friends and contacts were made and I am looking forward to the Lord's leading about future trips to this beautiful and needy country.

Just A Quick Note To Our Mission Trek Supporters

2009-03-07T14:01:00.000-08:00

March 15th – 31st will find me, Andrew Burnett, on a “Scouting Mission” in Colombia, South America. The first half of the trip I will be visiting two Youth With a Mission Bases (Cartagena and Medellin) to seek out possible places and relationships for a Colombia Trek in 2010.

I also hope to visit with some of the staff of Open Arms Foundation, Enoc and Cristina Hernadez – they work with street kids in Medellin. I first met these folks two summers ago when I went to Colombia with a group from Hinson Church, my home church here in Portland, OR.

The picture in this post is of youth activities on Bocachica island near Cartagena, Colombia. Pray for Karen and Jorge Silva as they direct the ministries on the island.

The initial contacts have gone very well and I am looking forward to meeting the people and seeing the ministry to needy people of Colombia first hand.

The last few days before coming home I will be with one of our Mission Trek board members visiting one of the indigenous people groups in Colombia.

Traveling to Colombia is a very important step for Mission Trek. Lord willing, we will have at least two groups going out in 2010 – one to Panama and one to Colombia.

Please pray for me while I am on this trip – that God would use it to expand my vision for ministry and help to create a bond of ministry between myself and the other believers in Colombia.

July 18 – August 2, 2009 is our Panama Trek 2009. Please pray as we make final plans for our return trip to Panama. Pray especially for the Alex and Jennifer Cabezon and the Dale and Kim Kapsar families – they will be our hosts as we travel and participate in their ministries there in Panama.

Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to participate in “Praying”, “Giving” or “Going” on future Mission Trek activities. Thank you for your prayers and support.

Serving Him,
Andrew Burnett, Director
andrew@goodimpressions.us
7112 NE Emerson St.
Portland, OR 97218
503-256-2043

Turning Family Fun Into Father/Son Ministry Adventure

2008-12-20T20:20:00.000-08:00

For several months I had planned a camping trip to the United States Virgin Islands with my son Mark. Shortly before the trip we learned about a painting project that Young Life had on St. Thomas. So Mark and I spent the last several days of our trip helping Don Mook (pictured on the left), Caribbean Director for Young Life, paint his house. We also helped out at the Wyldlife program at the local Junior High School! Helping a friend, helping Young Life, helping kids come to Christ! That's what ministry and Mission Trek is all about. Join us on our next adventure!

Andrew Burnett, Director
Mission Trek International

Don Mook's Website - http://www.caribbean.younglife.org/

Video Highlites of Father/Son Ministry To Young Life In the Caribbean

Panama Trek 2009 Brochure Published!

2008-11-22T12:36:00.000-08:00

Check out the Panama Trek 2009 Brochure! The brochure has all the information you need about the upcoming Panama Trek, July 18 - August 2. (Click on the page for a full-size printable version)

Contact our Director, Andrew Burnett to get a copy at:

Mission Trek International
7112 NE Emerson St.
Portland, OR 97218
503-256-2043
andrew@goodimpressions.us

MTI Gets Report Card From Panama!

2008-11-20T09:52:00.000-08:00

Kim Kapsar, Youth With A Mission Base Director on Bastimentos Island, shares a good report about last summer's MTI work. (Photo of Kim on the right with Dave Johanson, MTI volunteer)

It was a wonderful help to our family to have Andrew Burnett and MTI serve with us in Panama. They were a group who showed up just when we needed them, and had the exact experience we needed to help. My husband had surgery coming up, and they helped us learn to drive the boat without him, and were a total blessing to our family. They built stairs into the equipment room so that my husband could get down after his hip was replaced, and just helped us in numerous ways.

In addition, the village near us never had a clean water supply. Andrew worked for several months figuring out the best method of providing the water. He also really listened to our input, and was very respectful of the way in which we have been led to serve this village. We wanted them to really "own" the water project, and have hands on experience helping install it. Andrew patiently helped them to do the work, and helped bring the love of Jesus into an area that really needs it. Thanks MTI, we hope you'll come back!!

God Bless,
Kimberly Kapsar
YWAM, Bastimentos Island
Bocas del Toro, Panama

VIDEO OVERVIEW OF THE TRIP TO THE YWAM BASE ON BASTIMENTOS

Are Short-term Missions Really Worth The Effort?

2008-11-19T21:25:00.000-08:00

Here's an encouraging word from Jennifer Cabezon about the impact that short-term teams have had on the lives of the young people she works with in Panama. (Photo of Jennifer and Jess Fahland at girls' Bible study, Summer of '08)

At our Youth With a Mission base we have a boarding school for young people from hard to access indigenous communities. Not long ago, we asked them to share about when they had first heard the good news of Jesus Christ. I was surprised by the responses, as one by one they answered:

"I first heard about Jesus when the YWAM teams came to my village."

"A team of missionaries came and did dramas, and I heard about Jesus for the first time."

"I didn't know Jesus died for my sins until a team came from the US and told us about how he loves us."

I was astonished and grateful to see how much of an impact the teams that we had sent had made on these impressionable young people. Keep in mind that these teams were not made up of professional missionaries, but youth and adults here on a 10 day missions experience. Never think that you can't make a long term difference on a short term trip. Our long term missionaries could not do what they do without the support of the short term teams that visit us each year.

God bless, Jennifer Cabezon
Director, Youth Home
YWAM Base, Panama City

VIDEO OVERVIEW OF MTI PROJECT AT THE PANAMA CITY YWAM BASE

Chart Your Course for the Tropics!!

2008-08-05T14:58:00.000-07:00

Mission Trek Update:

Plans are in the works for at least 2 and maybe 3 Mission Trek Outreaches in 2009.

PANAMA TREK 2009 - July 18 - August 2, two weeks working with 2 different Youth With A Mission Bases - including a 3 day trip into the Darien Region with a visit to indigenous Ember Indians - another week in the Bocas del Toro Region and ministry to the Gnobe Indians of that region. We will most likely be doing at least one "Living Water" Project during this trip. Cost: $1800.00 (See posts below for a report on Panama Trek 2008.)

COLOMBIA TREK 2009 - March 15 - 31. Journey into the heart of "Coffee Country" in Colombia. Also, we will be helping needy people on the North Atlantic Coast. Cost: $1500.00.

ST. CROIX - U.S. Virgin Islands TREK 2009 (????) - Late Fall of 2009, 2 - 3 weeks (????) Working with the Youth With A Mission Base, then an optional side trip to beautiful St. John, USVI.

Maybe this video will get you in the mood for a tropical adventure!!

DO ANY OF THESE ADVENTURES LOOK INTERESTING TO YOU?
For an application contact:
Andrew Burnett, Director
Mission Trek International
7112 NE Emerson St.
Portland, OR 97218
503-256-2043
andrew@goodimpressions.us

Up a Creek Without a Paddle

2008-08-04T20:09:00.001-07:00

CHECK THIS OUT!!

I highly recommend checking out Jess Fahland's blog about his Adventure up the river to an Embera Village. Jess was a participant on the Panama Trek 2008 and his journal entry includes the high-lights of an exciting trip in a dug out canoe, living with the Embera and a hike up to a neighboring village. Here's the link with his journal and several dozen great photos - http://www.ascds.com/panama08/SanJuan/SanJuan.htm

You can also check out the Indigenous Embera Village Adventure on these videos:

DVD of Panama Trek 2008 Now Available

2008-07-18T14:28:00.000-07:00

Mission Trek International's DVD of the high lights of the recent Panama Trek is now available - and it's FREE!
The video is 35 minutes long and has 7 episodes that cover the different locations and aspects of the June 2008 trek to Panama. Contact MTI for your own copy:

Mission Trek International

7112 NE Emerson St.

Portland, OR 97218

Andrew Burnett

503-256-2043

Salt Creek Outreach - Bocas del Toro Region

2008-07-17T23:02:00.000-07:00

We had been in the Bocas Region for a few days working with the Kapsar Family at the YWAM Base on the isle de Bastimentos. Sunday we got situated, then Monday and Tuesday it rained hard so we did some excavating and poured half of the basement floor at the ywam base (all work done by hand - including mixing the concrete!). Wednesday we did most of the work on installing the water system at a neighboring village and we had plans to go back the next day, but the weather turned beautiful so we all hopped in the Kapsar's Panga Boat and headed out to the eastern end of Bastimentos.We stopped for gas along the way, the guy siphoned the gas out of 55 gallon drums into 5 gallon buckets, then used a smaller bucket to ladle the gas into our gas tanks - something else! Then across the bay and into the mangroves. Salt Creek was pretty big in comparison to some of the other villages we had seen. It was spread out over several hundred acres with a school in the center of it all. First we talked to a local Pastor and prayed for his eye - which was badly infected. He suggested with take the children's coloring books and Bible story books to the School and see if the teacher would give them out to the students. The local school serves children up to 8th grade and had 175 students.

On the way to the school we stopped by a local craft shop where we found two men having a bible study. Another gringo (he was a property manager of some vacation homes in the area) had come by the village and was sharing with the local artisan about Jesus. We chatted a bit and went on to the school. When we arrived, most of the kids were gone but we talked to one teacher and the principal who assured us that the materials we had brought would be given to the children.

On the way back to the base several of our group went snorkeling, Andrew even tried his hand at spearfishing but we had to settle for buying a few small lobsters to augment our dinner fare! The local folks had been very friendly, they seem to be a happy people for the most part. We all agreed that we would like to come back to Salt Creek again when we were in the area.

Check out the Kim and Dale Kapsar's blog - http://www.agapeinpanama.blogspot.com/

Check out this video of the Salt Creek Outreach:

"Living Water" for Children at Bocas del Toro

2008-07-13T13:44:00.001-07:00

(Written by Jennifer Cabezon - Jennifer and Alex are Youth With A Mission Panama and Mission Trek International Team Members)
Bocas del Toro means "mouths of the bull", a name that Christopher Colombus gave to an area of the Panama coast. The area has many islands, and the bays and inlets he assumed to be the mouths of rivers. The roaring of the waves on the coral reefs reminded him of a bull, and so the name.
We were in Bocas del Toro (or just Bocas) this last week with a team from Oregon, installing a system that will provide clean drinking water to a small community near a YWAM outpost there.
The community had a system that brought water from a nearby stream, but at every rain the water would turn muddy, and the people would not be able to drink it or cook. When you consider that Bocas recieves about 350 inches of rain per year, you can understand why that would be a problem. The community had requested YWAM's help with the project, and so we teamed up with Mission Trek International and Eternal Perspective Ministries to buy the materials and complete the project. Not long ago a small baby had contracted a bad case of diarrhea, most likelyfrom the water, and died soon afterwards. This kind of thing is not unusual and seemed to awaken the community to the need.
The small village is on land owned by one man. The others came to the area when they found work with a nearby luxery housing development. The workers went on strike last year over unfair wages, and now the whole project is at a standstill. So, the people don't have any work, or anywhere to go. They had uprooted their families to come at this promise of steady work, and now are at a dead end.
As the men were working on the water project, Abigail and I got to know some of the ladies and children. We passed out some coloring books, and talking about life in the village. Abigail is a great conversation starter, and seemed to enjoy the attention.
The project was a success, and the day we left it was pouring down rain, so as we speak they should be opening the faucet to drinking water that won't make them sick. Some from the village also have been attending church services now held at the YWAM house. We hope that many others would also find the water of life that will never leave them thristy again.

Check out Alex and Jennifer Cabezon's blog - www.cabezonywam.blogspot.com

If you would like to help a village with a "Living Water" project like this one, contact us at Mission Trek International.

Check out this great video of the "Living Water" Project in Bocas del Toro