The Balboa Union Church - a very unusual eperience

We like to look at Churches. We like the architecture and the way they are decorated inside. They usually also provide a cool (temperature) and tranquil respite from the fatigue of sightseeing. Our favourite churches so far have been in Mexico. Simply divine (pun intended!)

As you may know I am not a supporter of religion, considering it devisive. I am however curious about Buddism.

Balboa Union Church www.balboaunionchurch.org is a pretty 1914 church perched up on a hill near where we are parked. We popped in to look at the architecture and take a few snaps. Ooops! There was a worship session going on and we were invited to join in. It was a bit awkward to walk out once we had been caught snooping around so we sat down with the congregation and prepared ourselves to 'escape' at the most discrete time. But, surprisingly, the presentation was interesting and relevant to me. And we received a very warm welcome by name during the presentation. In fact, yhe presentation and the singing of a song called Lord of the Dance was so interesting and poignant that it moved me to tears - literally! Uli was concerned and wondering what was up with me. I could only explain it as a mixed feeling of
sadness about not having my family and friends and a community around me - this is something you have to give us when you are driving around in a tin-can on wheels in foreign counties - together with a feeling of warmth and happiness at feeling so welcome and included in this little community.

The Lord of the Dance is a song I sang at school and at that time thought it was a terribly sad song.

And we had a few moments to think of the people in Japan and Libya and everyone who is suffering from poor health and that made me feel sad for them and guilty for my good fortune.

After the presentation and singing, we had coffee and cake and a chance to talk with the locals. Panama City is incredibly diverse, mainly due to the canal constuction. There are also quite a few expatriate Gringos and it was interesting to hear about their experiences and how they came to be in PC.