Did you know that our very first class in Panama is about to graduate? This amazing group of leaders has been meeting in an online format due to COVID-19 gathering restrictions, but they were determined not to let the pandemic keep them from getting the training they needed!

There are a few characteristics that make this class special. First, the online format has allowed these students to benefit from the excellent teaching of faculty members from diverse locations, such as Cuba, Guatemala and the US. While our Cuban faculty members can't travel to teach in other countries, they have an amazing depth of knowledge and ministry experience which they are now getting to share with our Panamanian students—thanks to the pandemic!

Second, this has been the pilot class in a new partnership with Cru's "Multiplying Churches and Communities" (MC2) ministry. In this innovative collaboration, we combined Global Action's Foundations biblical training programme with Cru's church planting training. Once the students had been equipped with a solid understanding of Scripture, doctrines, leadership, and other essential topics, they were ready for Cru's targeted training on how to effectively evangelise and plant churches.

At the end of the training, each student is required to plan an evangelistic event and invite non-Christians from their network. Through these events, they are to establish discipleship groups or missionary communities. Many people are hearing the gospel and being discipled through this collaboration—and this is only the beginning!