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In
January
of 2002,
missionary/pastor
Mark
Mavar,
along
with his
family,
arrived
in
the Republic
of
Panama
with the
goal of
beginning
a church
planting
ministry.
Early in
2003,
Mark
began
door to
door
visitation
in
various
areas of
La Chorrera
and
encountered
spiritual
interest
in the
Valle
Dorado
housing
development.
As a
result,
in
September
of 2003
a one on
one
discipleship
Bible
study
was
started.
Over the
months
this
study
grew and
from it
was
birthed
Grace
Church
of Valle
Dorado.
We
rented a
house in
the
Valle
Dorado
development
for the
purpose
of
holding
regular
church
services
and on
Sunday,
February
29,
2004,
(leap
year) we
held our
first
official
service
with
nine
Panamanians
present.
It turns
out that
the
house we
rented
for
services
was
right
next
door to
a
Christian
man who
had been
praying
for
seven
years
that the
Lord
would
bring a
conservative
fundamental
church
to his
neighborhood!
Clearly
God
answered
his
prayer,
and this
man and
his
family
were
added to
Grace
Church!
As time
progressed,
Grace
Church
moved
from one
rental
home to
another
over the
course
of just
two
years.
The
church
had a
congregation
of
approximately
15
people
when it
was
asked
once
again,
by the
landlord,
to move
because
he
needed
to
personally
occupy
his
rental
property.
The
church
was
faced
with one
of two
decisions:
find
another
house to
rent, or
step out
in faith
and
purchase
property
to build
our own
building.
After
much
prayer
and
discussion,
it was
unanimously
decided
by the
congregation
that
moving
from
rental
property
to
rental
property
gave the
impression
of
instability
and that
it would
be best
to
purchase
a church
site
of our
own. The
securing
of a
loan for
the land
and the
beginning
of
construction
was
agreed
upon,
and in
May of
2006
the lot
was
purchased
in the
Industrial
Area of
La Chorrera.
Construction
on the
new
building
began on
August
1, 2006
and on
December
17, 2006
we held
our
first
official
service
in the
new
building
with
Grace
Church
of La
Chorrera
as our
new
official
and
permanent
name. We
only had
a roof
and
partial
walls,
but what
we had
was all
ours!
Over
time, as
funds
have
become
available
further
construction
of the
facility
has
progressed.
We now
have
walls,
doors,
classrooms,
a septic
system
and a
fully
functioning
bathroom
and
kitchenette.
Funds
are now
in place
to carry
out the
finish
work of
the
physical
structure,
and Lord
willing,
within
the next
year or
so, the
project
will be
completed.
We
praise
God for
His
faithfulness
to us as
a
church,
and
continue
to look
to Him
to guide
and
direct
us in
the
years to
come as
we
minister
in the
Industrial
Area and
the two
neighboring
developments
of Valle
Dorado
and
Villas
del
Bosque.
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