ANNA RYAN - SWIM & DIVE

I am so grateful for my experiences in Panama. I am grateful to have been able to serve in a few different ways while we were there. I think the types of things we did were very well balanced and I found it impactful that we were aiding in pre-existing long term relationships (ie between Matt and Angie and the other missionaries).

 I enjoyed seeing God's faithfulness and how he is working in other parts of the world! The group that went on the trip this year just clicked so well and made it so much more fun. Some of my favorite parts of the week were simple like the car rides or daily devotionals each night. My favorite experience was definitely the Embera Drua tribe day. That is a once in a lifetime experience that if not for this trip I likely would never have done. 

Being out in the middle of the jungle and then being warmly welcomed by the Embera people was awesome. Ending out that day with some Baptisms was just the cherry on top. I am so grateful for this amazing trip to serve His kingdom!

HENRY HICKS - CROSS COUNTRY/TRACK

 I remember the first day we arrived, everyone was so tired it looked like we were practically sleepwalking through the airport—but the vibes and energy were great. What surprised me most was that, yes, I knew everyone on the trip, but prior to it, I had only briefly run into some of them or seen others from afar. Yet immediately, it felt like we had all known each other for a long time. On every single car ride we took, there was never a dull moment—the van was always filled with laughter. 

It was only after we had been working for six hours, lifting what felt like a million rocks, that some of us decided to take a little “cesta” on the way back. But it was very clear to me that God had chosen each one of us to be on this trip. My favorite memory of the entire trip was when we were riding up the river in these tiny little sardine boats. I remember sitting in front of Jon and Bronnie and hearing Jon yell at Bronnie for getting him wet and rocking the boat. The whole ride, I was just looking at the shoreline, surrounded by amazing people, thinking to myself, this is why God wanted me to come on this trip. 

To meet people like Jon and Bronnie, and to show me how many incredible people are truly on the Pepperdine campus. God did bring me down there to help others and to have fun doing it—but more importantly, He brought me down to create new, meaningful, God-centered relationships. 

KENZI MCSPADDEN - BEACH VOLLEYBALL

The Panama mission trip was one of my favorite things I have done. It was so encouraging to be able to meet Matt, Angie, the local missionaries we partnered with, and the other pastors and missionaries there to see their dedication to the faith and reliance on God. 

Another thing I loved was our day at the tribe. I was able to talk to some of the members of the tribe and asked them if there was somewhere they wanted to go or a dream they had. Surprisingly to me, they all answered that there was nowhere they wanted to go and nothing they wanted to do because everything they needed and loved was right where they were.

Lastly, I loved our time we got to spend together in the word and talking at the end of the day. It got me in a rhythm of looking for joyful things during the day and recentering my mindset at night. Listening to everyone being able to be completely honest and real with where they were in their faith was also so encouraging because I feel as though many times we attempt to mask how we truly are doing when talking about our faith in order to seem as though we are right with God or something of that sort. It was wonderful being able to connect with people from across the world, as well as each other, and see how their faith and struggles are all so similar. 

BRONSON BIRDSALL - WATER POLO

This Panama trip meant the world to me to travel to a different country with a group of people so kind and generous. Experiencing the different cultures within the country was amazing to see, especially riding on the boat up the river to the tribe was my favorite experience. 

Of course getting baptized in the river was an amazing experience and to do it with Jon and Henry was special and Jordan doing it was amazing. Helping the church level that ground I will never forget how hard it was but we never gave up and kept going. I enjoyed our nightly talks spreading the gospel and relating  it to each of our lives, it truly opened my eyes to a different perspective on God. 

Going to the tribe and meeting the people there was an amazing experience, getting to watch their dances and eat their food. In all, this trip really opened my eyes to so many different perspectives on life and how people find joy in what they have and don’t feel entitled to stuff a lot of us here at home feel.

VICTORIA ALESSANDRINI - SOCCER

This Panama trip has genuinely been one of the best experiences of my life. The first few days at the church, we did physical labor and got our hands dirty. It was tough work, but that made it that much more rewarding. We even got to see the results of our efforts when it rained, and the water flowed through the trench we built. Although we didn’t finish everything on the first day, and were completely exhausted, everyone was eager to push through and get the job done. 

Our trip to the tribe was also unforgettable. Watching people live such simple, joyful lives was incredibly inspiring. In contrast, our lives are filled with a million distractions, especially with sports and devices, but these people just live to survive and find happiness in the little things.

My favorite part of the trip, though, was working with the children at the school. We visited a public school in Panama, where we did physical activities with the kids and taught them about God. I learned that combining fun with teaching them about God is a powerful way to help kids engage and remember. Linking joy with faith makes them excited to learn about God. These kids go through a lot, yet they were so joyful and eager just to play and connect. It can be hard for them to stay positive with the challenges they face, so teaching them about God’s love and helping strengthen their faith is so important. Faith can give them hope and direction.

I also really loved practicing my Spanish! It challenged me and made the experience even more meaningful.

KIANA FAN - SWIM & DIVE 

As I look back on the week we had in Panama now that I am home, it highlights my priorities in life. In Panama, setting aside time to think and journal felt much easier. But now that I’m home, I’ve had to be more intentional and set time aside. I think that once I have more of a routine, it will help. Panama truly showed me what is important in life: God, family, and the connections you make with people. No matter the circumstance I am in, I can always turn to God. It also makes me think about ways that I can serve others and share God’s love daily. 

The people in Panama, specifically those in the tribe, lived such simple lives, yet they were content and happy. The Lord is so faithful, and he will work in wondrous ways if you put your trust in Him. It brought to light that wherever we go in the world, we still worship the same God. And there are people around the world who also believe in Jesus, so it was cool to be able to serve and connect with those who share the same faith. God truly works in every part of the earth, as the Bible says “you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all of Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the Earth” (Acts 1:8). 

Even though we were all at different points in our faith journey, we still all serve the same God. I must look for ways that God can increase in my life, and I can decrease. I pray that Jesus will start to change my heart and help me to live a life that glorifies Him.

JON CARCAREY - WATER POLO

The trip to Panama is one of the best decisions I’ve made. It was a great trip all around. I think the group we had made the trip truly special. The place where we stayed was awesome. I loved all the places we went to and how we incorporated some fun tourist stuff to do while on the trip.

 I really enjoyed our daily meetings as a group and just reflecting on the day and what we enjoyed, those were some of my favorite moments. Matt and Angie truly make the trip special. Being able to see what they do and how passionate they are about what they do but also showing their love for it, that was an awesome thing to be around. 

I think this trip was extra special because of the group we had. Super grateful for this opportunity and grateful for you as well for setting this up and having me along for the trip.

My favorite part of the trip was getting baptized with the boys! Awesome and unforgettable experience. I truly wish we could have been there longer.