Panamanian mission trip inspires local woman

Around town, some people may know Gwen Traylor as “Auntie Pooh,” an entertainer and educator for children’s events. Others may remember her as the co-chair for the inaugural Relay for Life, a fundraiser benefiting the American Cancer Society.

Since beating cancer in 1997, Traylor has dedicated her life to serving God in as many ways as possible, and recently she travelled to Panama to work with children for Mission Clinics International.

“Everything was majestically green,” Traylor said. “It was the rainy season and the rain came heavy. However, it was so refreshing and the enormously tall trees of many kinds, as well as the plants, flowers and grass that were abundantly nourished. The distance we traveled to get to the different villages was long and the scenery just gorgeous.”

 Traylor said they would normally visit one village a day. Mission Clinics International goal is to provide construction, medical and dental help as well as basic necessities like clothing and eye glasses.

“I worked with the children’s ministry,” Traylor said. “We serviced about 1,000 awesome, energetic children in the villages combined.”

There were a few villages where they stayed longer to provide more help. One of those extended visits was to the San Blas Islands on the Caribbean side of Panama, where they met the indigenous people called the Kuna Indians. Traylor said in some areas there were beautiful homes, carefully constructed with bamboo and grass roofs, yet many lacked electricity and running water. Like the rest of the communities throughout Panama, the native people were receptive to their help along the mission’s spiritual message.

“The people are beautiful, kind, loving and respectful,” Traylor said. “They were very grateful and thankful to receive the word of God and our services. They live very simple, united, loving and caring for one another especially for their elders.”

She said that every day she would meet extraordinary individuals and will cherish many memories from the trip.

“When 16 Panamanian brothers and sisters gave their lives to Christ and were baptized is one of those memories that will stay with me,” Traylor said. “The hope and joy on their faces made my spirit leap with thanksgiving to God.”

Traylor said there was also an “89-year-young” woman who was baptized.

“Her face was beautiful, graceful and you could tell she was just filled with light,” Traylor said.