SEWARD, Neb. – They went to Panama to share their artistic talents and to decorate several churches, yet the three Concordia University, Nebraska students and a recent alumna returned with much more than just completed projects. Rachel Dermody, Amber Konz, Kristin Easler and Amalia Hillmann spent a week in Panama and formed connections they will remember for a lifetime.
The trip, a collaboration between Concordia’s Center for Liturgical Art and the ecclesiastical art program offered at Concordia, was organized by Brock Shaw, coordinator of education and outreach services for the CLA. He and his wife, Esther, are currently missionaries in Panama. “We work with the Kuna Indians and the Panamanian people to help them grow their current art businesses,” said Shaw. “We also work with the local churches to assist where it is needed.” The contingent from Concordia spent Jan 1-8 helping with the Shaws’ mission.
While in Panama, Dermody, Konz, Easler and Hillmann painted two entrances at a church located in Balboa, Panama City, Panama. They also designed and repainted the chancel wall and painted scripture verses around the top of the sanctuary in a mission church located outside of Panama City in Loma Cova. “We painted the outline of the cross red and decided to derive inspiration from the molas the local Kuna women make,” explained Easler, a junior from Fredericksburg, Va. “Molas are really intricate embroidered fabric squares they sell and use as part of their traditional costume. It's a big part of their culture, what they're known for, so we stenciled a frequently used pattern onto the cross.”
However, it was not the art work but the time spent with the people in Panama that truly touched the students. During a worship service at Loma Cova, the girls were introduced to the congregation. “During the entire service, and for the rest of the evening, the pastor and members referred to us as ‘hermanas,’ sisters,” shared Hillman, a 2009 graduate in graphic design. “That really captured my heart; almost complete strangers were calling us sisters, not girls, not Americans, but sisters because of our common faith in Christ.”
For Rachel Dermody, a senior from Parnell, Iowa and a member at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Coralville, pictured second from the left, the trip reinforced her desire to do missionary work. “I want to use my skills as an artist to tell people about God and use art to help them find a personal relationship with Him.”
The CLA intends to offer more opportunities for students to travel to Panama and work with the Shaws. A May mission trip is in the works.
"Going to Panama for a week gave us an opportunity to use the skills we've learned at Concordia in helping to enliven the worship space,” said Monroe, Neb. senior Amber Konz. “However, going on a mission trip generally changes you more than it does the people you come in contact with. Crossing cultures is such a great experience and stays with people for the rest of their lives. It allows you to better understand God's children and where they come from.”
