More than 500 young people spread out across communities in Panama’s Chiriquí province, turning faith into action through the 2026 Jabez Identity Project—a Seventh-day Adventist youth missionary initiative that engages participants in evangelism, small groups, Bible studies, and community outreach each year.

During five weeks from January 9 to February 14, 2026, their efforts helped establish 10 new congregations, build six churches, and lead to 190 baptisms, while launching 169 ongoing Bible studies across the region.

Participants served at 20 mission sites throughout the West Panama Conference, combining evangelism, community outreach, and discipleship.

Organized by the Panama Union for the past nine years, the initiative continues to engage young people in mission while addressing both spiritual and social needs in local communities, church leaders said.

Evangelism produces tangible results

Young participants conducted daily Bible studies, home visits, and evangelistic meetings, offering spiritual support that brought comfort and hope to many families, church leaders said.

Naydelin González, a young volunteer who served as a group captain in San Lorenzo, described the experience as both challenging and transformative.

“It was a great challenge to participate this year and see the reality many people are facing,” she said. “We encountered individuals who have gone through very difficult situations, including abuse and abandonment. This helped me understand how much people need both material and spiritual support—people need hope, companionship, and someone willing to listen.”

Despite long days that often began at 8:00 a.m. and ended late at night, González said the team remained motivated to continue serving.

“God sustained us, protected us, and gave us strength,” she said. “He opened doors in many homes and cared for us throughout the project.”

Her group alone helped establish dozens of ongoing Bible studies and drew between 80 and 100 attendees each night during the evangelistic campaign. She recalled one of the most meaningful moments:

“Seeing 41 people decide to be baptized and give their lives to Christ was one of the most beautiful experiences.”

A life transformed serving others

Among those impacted by the initiative is Carlos Bravo, 65, from Los Guayacanes in La Chorrera, whose life was transformed through the project.

Before encountering God, Bravo said he faced one of the most difficult periods of his life, even contemplating suicide. In that moment of crisis, he prayed for help—and soon after, a group from the Jabez Identity Project visited his home.

What he initially considered rejecting became the beginning of a new chapter. Through friendship, Christian fellowship, and Bible study, he experienced a profound transformation.

A year later, he felt called to join the same missionary effort that had helped restore him.

“I understood that God had already chosen me before the idea even came to my mind,” Bravo said. “I wanted to be for others what those young people were for me, a reminder that God is still searching for His children.”

Assigned to Doleguita in Chiriquí, Bravo participated in intensive outreach efforts, witnessing firsthand how God opened doors and guided their work. Despite challenges, including rejection and even a minor accident, he said he clearly saw God’s protection.

Sharing his testimony became one of his most effective tools.

“When people heard my story, they realized that God could also do something for them,” he said.

Today, Bravo lives with renewed purpose as a messenger of hope.

Service strengthens local impact

In addition to evangelism, the initiative also included health fairs, the distribution of food packages and humanitarian aid, clothing donations to families in need, the cleanup of streets and public spaces, as well as home improvement and sanitation support.

Hesleiny Pérez, another young participant, described the experience as life-changing.

“It’s something no one can fully explain, you have to live it,” she said. “The impact is not only on those who receive the message, but also on those of us who serve.”

She recalled the gratitude of community members who were encouraged by the presence of young people committed to sharing God’s love.

Closing with a vision forward

The program concluded with reports and testimonies from each group, highlighting the spiritual impact of their work across the region.

José Smith, president of the Panama Union, encouraged participants to continue living lives of mission and service.

“Young people must be committed to God and involved in the mission,” he said, expressing hope that even more youth will take part in evangelism efforts across Panama.

Moisés González, Youth Ministries director of the Panama Union, noted that many young people joined the initiative for the first time, calling it both a challenge and an opportunity to connect with and retain young people during formative years.

The event closed with a baptism and the announcement of the next mission field in Panama City, where the 2027 Jabez Identity Project is expected to mobilize a new generation of young people. Church leaders expressed their prayer that participants will continue living as missionaries, renewed and transformed.

The original article was published on the Inter-American Division news site.