Indigenous Peoples

The San Antonio community, located one mile up the Chagres river from Gamboa, consists of Wounan and Embera ethnic natives originally from Darien, close to the Colombian border. They live in primitive conditions, palm huts, dugout canoes, etc. The ministry began about 25 years ago as a small number of natives came to the church and were welcomed. In recent years the numbers have greatly increased as families traveled from the Darien Jungle toward Colombia to find work in the construction of a new 5 star hotel in the area. There is an ongoing ministry to help the children with basic costs to go to the public school 20 minutes away and with their medical and dental needs.