For more than a month 300 young Seventh-day Adventists in Panama dedicated their vacations to serving God and transforming communities through the Jabez Identity Missionary Project, organized by the Panama Union Mission. Earlier in 2025 the Jabez Identity Project deployed its volunteers to various locations of the Central Panama Conference. Divided into 16 groups, young people arrived from several provinces to the country’s western region, where they stayed for 35 days as they served the community and preached the gospel.
The Jabez Identity initiative, founded by current Panama Union Mission Youth Ministries director Misael González, led young people to carry out evangelism activities, form small groups, organize Bible study meetings, and participate in outreach initiatives, regional church leaders reported.
“Jabez Identity highlights not only the importance of faith but also the power of perseverance and love in action,” González said, referencing Jabez’s prayer recorded in the Bible in 1 Chronicles 4:9, 10 as inspiration for the initiative. “Through their dedication, these young people have shown that evangelism can have a deep and positive impact, far beyond any obstacle,” added González, who founded and has been leading the project since 2018.
Real Obstacles, Stronger Faith
Although enthusiasm marked the beginning of the initiative, several groups faced unexpected challenges. One of them took place in La Floresta, Vacamonte, where neighbors initially viewed the presence of young people with suspicion, even reporting them to the authorities for fear they were dangerous people. After initial discouragement, Yorlenis Córdoba, the group captain assigned to La Floresta, encouraged them not to give up. “Your mission is not the result of circumstances,” she told them. “It’s a divine calling, and we are called to persevere in faith.”
Córdoba explained that facing such hurdles, the group decided that instead of just preaching with words, they would preach with actions. “We cleaned streets, painted park benches, washed cars, and picked up trash. That’s how we gained their trust,” she reported.
This practical and selfless approach led people to start opening the doors to the young missionaries, allowing them to pray and share a biblical message with them. “The turnaround was so significant that at the end of the project the community awarded them a certificate of appreciation for their contribution to their well-being,” initiative leaders reported.
Overall, by the end of the project initiative leaders reported that young people had made 2,570 missionary contacts, given 1,450 Bible studies, and held 16 simultaneous evangelistic series that led to 205 baptisms.
“It fills me with deep gratitude and satisfaction to recognize the commitment and dedication of our young missionaries, who, year after year, participate in the Jabez Identity project,” González said. “His tireless evangelistic work has not only strengthened his own faith but has also been crucial in spreading the gospel and transforming countless lives.”
Participants’ Testimonies
Córdoba said that Jabez taught her to be more patient, listen, value teamwork and be humble. “I learned how to manage my time, how to hold morning services, and how to give Bible studies. All of that is helpful not only in church but also in my personal life,” she shared. She concluded with a piece of advice for those considering participating. “The key is not preaching so much with what you say but with what you do. That opens more doors than any sermon,” Córdoba said.
Nineteen-year-old Dylan Garcia also shared his experience. “This was my second year at Jabez. At first I joined to fulfill a camporee requirement to give Bible studies, but I found that this goes much further. I learned to stand up for my faith, not only to repeat what I was taught but also to investigate for myself why I believe what I believe,” he said.
For old-timer college student Naydelin González, 20, working on a project like Jabez was quite sacrificial. “You face many challenges, but God has never abandoned me,” she said. “For me, Jabez is like my time of gratitude to God for His goodness in my life. I gave Him of my time to help others and get closer to Him, because every year I learn new things that help me to become a well-rounded human being, leader, and future professional.”
Another leader participant, who didn’t share their name, explained that the initiative included extensive walking and daily sacrifices. But it was all rewarded, he emphasized. “Living with different people, with different characteristics, characters, personalities, and being a group leader on top of it, was a challenge, but I learned a lot from all of them,” they said. “Three months after we left, a person who had been studying the Bible with me died. I realized it was his last opportunity to accept Jesus in his heart, so I don’t want to miss a single opportunity to share the gospel.”
Building Tomorrow’s Leaders
González said that he is aware that making the decision to be part of Jabez Identity is not an easy task, especially for those young people who are still in their teens and face their own personal situations. “Leaving the comfort of their homes and the attention of their parents to move to unfamiliar places represents a significant challenge,” he acknowledged. “However, these young people always demonstrate exemplary courage and dedication, overcoming obstacles and putting their faith into action.”
According to González, among the participants since 2018, more than 10 have felt a divine call to ministry and are now about to finish their theological studies. “These young people, inspired by their experience in Jabez Identity, have decided to consecrate their lives to ministry, which shows the profound impact the initiative has on the formation of future leaders in our church,” González said. But besides that, he added, “My hope is that the Jabez Identity project can continue to reach many more hearts for Christ.”
The original version of this story was posted on the Inter-American Division news site.