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Weekend field trips in Panama can discover new and interesting things.  This weekend I had an opportunity to see how one church in Panama does a Sunday service. God was smiling on a church in Rio Sereno, so Mayra and I went to meet some of his agents. It was pastoral appreciation day in the Assemblies of God church in Rio Sereno and the Pastors are Mayra’s sister and brother in law, both wonderful people. We gathered the family into three overcrowded cars and drove the route to Rio Sereno.

The video below starts in Cuesta Piedra which is the fastest route to Boquete, goes through Volcan and then the very nice but very dangerous curve ridden fifty minute drive to Rio Sereno. This very beautiful area is mostly devoid of human habitation until you get to Santa Clara. Santa Clara, just outside of Rio Sereno has large coffee and plantain farms.

I enjoyed the first five minutes of the service because it was all music and dancing. I liked the integration of culture and church. The music was good and as you can see in this photo the church has all the cultural diversity that is Panama, Indigenous, Caribbean, European and Mestizo, all represented.

Five diverse children in Rio Sereno

When the service turned to more serious matter, prayer, I went for a walk.

 
The church is about half a kilometer from the dusty frontier with Costa Rica. Rio Sereno is probably best known by those expats here on recycled tourist visas, it is low traffic, low hassel compared to Paso Canoas.

Among the photos in this montage is the voter registration drive for Cambio Democrato, the Presidents political party. If enlisted the bribe was a drink and sandwich; a low cost voter drive.