This week, we travel to the jungles of Panama, where a tribe of indigenous people called the Naso used to live, removed from the outside world. Eventually, the need for medicine and food forced them to make connections outside their villages, which also introduced them to Jesus.

In today’s video, you’ll meet a man whose father brought the Seventh-day Adventist message of God’s love to the Naso. See how his legacy will be carried forward through his grandson because of the inspiring example of Maranatha volunteers.

We hope your kids see how the act of service can go beyond physical actions to inspire others. We also pray they’ll consider who they could encourage or inspire in their own lives.

-------

Pre-video Discussion Questions
- Have you ever changed your mind about something? What was it and why did you change your mind?
- Has someone ever convinced you to change your mind about something? What was it?

Watch the Video
In today’s video, see how volunteers inspired another generation of service to God in a small village in Panama.

Post-video Discussion Questions
- Rigoberto’s grandpa and dad served their church for years, but Rigoberto never thought he would want to be a pastor like them. Why do you think he changed his mind?
- The volunteer in the story, Glen, saw something special in Rigoberto, and took the time to encourage him to be a pastor. What might have happened if Glen never said anything to Rigoberto?
- One of the most popular characters in the Bible is King David. As a young man, he defeated an enemy warrior that gave Israel victory, led his troops into countless battles, and ruled over Israel successfully for many years. But before all of that, he was just a shepherd boy. There was a key moment, when David was a kid, where someone saw something special in him and set him apart to serve God. The high priest, Samuel, was sent by God to bless the next king of Israel and anointed David with oil to mark the moment. The Bible says, “...from that day on, the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David.” Has anyone ever taken a moment to tell you that you were doing a good job or that you could do something special? Who was it, and what did they say?
- Is there someone you know that you could compliment or inspire, just like Glen encouraged Rigoberto?

Prayer Points
- Thank you for the people who see the special sides of us.
- Show us who we can encourage or compliment.
- Ask kids what they would add to the prayer list.

Did You Know?
- The Panama Canal is a 51-mile man-made waterway that allows ships to move from the Atlantic Ocean on the northern side of Panama, to the Pacific Ocean on the southern side. Without this canal, ships would have to sail all the way around South America to reach countries on the other side. It usually takes ships around 11-12 hours to move through the canal.