More than two hundred young people from Adventist churches across Panama gathered this past weekend for a community service initiative focused on disaster preparedness and family support. Volunteers distributed emergency kits, offered basic first aid training, and organized recreational activities for children in three neighborhoods affected by recent flooding.

“Our goal was simple: show up for our neighbors and be a visible presence of hope,” said Marisol Fernandez, youth ministries coordinator for the Panama Union. Fernandez explained that the initiative grew out of a training program held earlier this year, where church leaders identified emergency response as a priority area for youth engagement across the region.

Local pastors noted that the event strengthened relationships between congregations and the surrounding community, with several families expressing interest in future church activities. Organizers say similar projects are already being planned in Costa Rica and Nicaragua for later this year.