Panama—A Ministry to Police

By Jayna Richardson

Jonathan and Hanna Samudio know that police officers face unique challenges in their marriages. For the last few years, they’ve been faithfully ministering to the Metropolitan Police in Panama City through FamilyLife’s Art of Marriage® . . . and they’re seeing powerful results!

This ministry began in 2016 when the Samudios were invited by the commissioner of the national police to present the Art of Marriage to officers and their wives. The commissioner was familiar with FamilyLife because he had participated in an Art of Marriage a year earlier at a church in the city. Since then the ministry has expanded to other departments as well.

“This ministry is very important and strategic in Panama since one of the seven spheres of influence in the society we want to reach for Christ is the government,” says Jonathan.

The Samudios have rejoiced over the changed lives they’ve seen so far. “Husbands have confessed to being sorry for how they’ve treated their wives and have asked for forgiveness publicly; others have pledged to live lives that honor God and leave their children spiritual legacies. So far forty people have accepted Christ as their Savior.”

Although the ministry has not been without opposition and spiritual warfare, Jonathan and Hanna are pressing forward. The police commissioner for the western region of Panama heard about the good work they were doing and invited them to expand their ministry to the Western Regional Police Department. They also have plans this year to organize Art of Marriage events in other institutions such as the National Air Service, the National Immigration Service, the Institutional Protection Service, and others. They pray that they can develop volunteers committed to each of these institutions who will begin HomeBuilders® studies to provide ongoing marriage discipleship.

God is opening doors, but the Samudios know that prayer is crucial as they continue the good work that has begun. Pray for the ministry, the volunteers, God’s provision of resources, and that the lives of many Panamanian police would be forever changed by the transformative power of the gospel.