San Blas...Irgandi Island Here I Come!

Saying Goodbye to the Great Elder Hansen

Farewell Elder Hansen and La Cabima!

Note: This week Elder Doxey could only Instant Message us. The headphones and speakers in the Internet Cafe were broken.  His camera is broken too. So, this week's letter is a summary of our messaging conversation, plus some explanation on the significance of today's communication.

"El Sordomudo" ... We could only see each other and IM this week  :)

After spending nearly 10 of his 20 minutes trying to connect, we finally just decided to message each other.  I could see him, but there was no sound.

BIG NEWS OF THE WEEK!

Elder Doxey has been transferred from La Cabima, San Miguelito Zone (just outside Panama City, near the Canal) to San Blas - Irgandi Island, a primitive Kuna (aboriginal Panamanian--Guna Yala) island where there are 40-50 structures/homes.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuna_people

The Guna Yala were not conquered by the Spanish / Hernan Cortez so they've very native. Their primary language is Kuna https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuna_language

The reason very few people settle on the coast in the Guna Yala area is b/c it is a very dense jungle mountainside with no roads, and tons of mosquitos  So, they live on the islands--much more accessible by boat, cayuco or plane.

Elder Doxey Transferred to San Blas -- Irgandi Island

Elder Doxey's cousin Ben Call just returned from serving in Panama, and served in several San Blas areas where Nate will be serving.  When Ben heard Nate was headed to Irgandi, he said...

"You're going to love it man.  I went to Irgandi all the time when I was on Ukupa island, which is the village right before Irgandi. I served two transfers on the islands directly after Irgandi.  I love that island of Irgandi though.  Hopefully you can get over to Ukupa too.

You will serve in all the coastal village islands along the coast.  There are four that you travel between by cayuco (dugout canoe); they are are Magebhandi, Aidirgandi, Ukupa and Irgandi. The more you pay, the better the boat. Don't skimp on boats if the sea is rough b/c cayucos can get swamped in the waves. 

Ukuspeni Airstrip

I used to walk from Magebgandi island all the way to Irgandi to have four different sacrament meetings. I'd be hiking through the jungle and along the beach all freaking day to get there.  Ha ha ha.

Ukupseni Island, with Irgandi Island  in View

I hope you get to go to my little village of Mageb and Aidir. They are super tiny, sketchy and awesome all at the same time. I'm so pumped for you!"

Store Sign Shared by Another Elder
(Though less emphasized, I guess you can pay in coconuts as currency too, so that's a bonus!) 

When President Garrett called Elder Doxey to ask him to serve in Irgandi, San Blas Nathan said it was a special conversation.

San Blas at Low Tide

Another Elder Using the Good Wood.  A Great Time to Know Your Lashings!

About our special interest in San Blas ... In short, (skipping 1000s of details) Nathan's grandpa Eran A. Call was a military chaplain in the Canal Zone during the Korean War. There was no mission in Panama at the time. Yet, on the base there were several Kunas that he taught.  In time, he was invited to fly out to the San Blas islands to meet the chief b/c one wanted to be baptized. No white people were allowed to stay the night there at the time.

Eventually, Nathan's grandpa stayed the night in the chief's hut and they conversed extensively about the history of the Kuna and the Book of Mormon. President McKay was returning from South America and stopped by Panama to interview this soon to be convert. In 1953, Nathan's grandpa baptized the first Kuna, Jose Coleman (who was the chief's son-in-law, translator and commerce negotiator when they would go to mainland Panama to trade coconuts).

A page from Nathan's grandpa Eran A. Call's history about San Blas

Nathan's Uncle Tom Call served in Panama /Costa Rica in 1989, Dad (Dan Doxey) served in Costa Rica in 1990-1992, Cousin Ben Call (Tom's Son) served in the Panama mission from 2017-2019.

An Elder Bringin' Home the Bacon in San Blas

Today we learned Elder Doxey's companion in San Blas is Elder Navas...the son of Elder Luis Navas, who served in Costa Rica under President Bowler (Dan's mission president)!

Let's just say there is a lot of Costa Rica / Panama / Kuna love going on right now!