LDS Church officials in Panama called the U.S. government's intervention to "safeguard" the new civilian government of Guillermo Endara and attempt to capture Gen. Manuel Antonio Noriega an "answer to prayers and fasts."
They told the Deseret News in telephone interviews that signs were apparent as early as Saturday that U.S. and Panamanian forces would engage in battle. The deserted streets of Panama City and hostility they encountered from the pro-Noriega "dignity battalions" signaled trouble.Nelson Altamirano, regional representative of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Panama, said four out of five Panamanian church members are "grateful" for the American intervention.
"The situation in Panama during the last few years has been bad," he said in Spanish. "There will be a great number of members without food and jobs. Many will go to the streets to find food but will not be able to buy anything or get any kind of work."
Altamirano indicated much looting has occurred in Panama City stores. He said the resulting food shortages will hurt many church members, most of whom are unemployed and face difficult financial situations.
"Tomorrow (Thursday) children will be hungry," he said. "The bishops will do whatever possible to give them food." He said 60 percent to 70 percent of church members in Panama are in need of food and have financial difficulties.
Altamirano said that in their search for food, Panamanian church officials will be contacting the bishop of the English-speaking Cardenas Ward, primarily made up of U.S. military families. "He's our only hope for food. There's no other way to receive food in Panama right now."
It's been impossible for church members to plan how they will assist each other if the U.S. attack lasts till the end of the week, Altamirano said. But many LDS families have gotten together to "pray and fast for the welfare of our country and the United States."
"There has been so much dictatorship and oppression in Panama, we're all tired. We don't really think the United States has saved us, but we think the intervention has been good for us."
Altamirano indicated Wednesday night that the church's 13,000 members in Panama were all safe. No members have been wounded, killed or arrested during the U.S. attack against Panamanian military forces.
Members are following the unfolding events on an American television channel and radio station. However, he said, most members don't understand the English being spoken on the stations, so they have stayed in touch with church officials who do, for translations.
Altamirano said the government-owned Radio Nacional was bombed Wednesday at 6 p.m.
On Saturday, Altamirano said, he contacted stake presidents from the David Panama, Panama City, San Miguelito and Bella Vista stakes and their respective bishops to ask them to conduct only sacrament meetings the next day. "We wanted members to go home early. We told them not to do their home or visiting teach-ing."
He said members were told to stay home and save water and food in case of a national emergency. He directed stake presidents to tell bishops to cancel all church services next Sunday, Christmas Eve.
"There won't be Christmas in Panama," he said. "It will be sad."
He said church officials are glad the new Panama City mission is only 6 months old and has 120 missionaries, 100 of them Panamanians and the rest from neighboring countries.
"That has helped us a lot. The missionaries are Panamanians who live in their own country. We're prepared to evacuate them and put them up with member families if necessary."
Romelia Garcia, wife of Panama City Stake President Jose Antonio Garcia, said her husband was in Spain visiting his mother. But she said she has contacted Bishop Edwin Brandao, who leads the Marcasa Ward, the biggest in Panama City, to check on church members.
"No ward member has been hurt or killed during the attack," she said. "The bishop told me all ward members are safe."
Garcia said she also called families in the Bella Vista Stake, and no casualties or problems have been reported there.
"There's only a lot of fear among some of the members." She said Bella Vista Stake members are scared because some live only three kilometers away from the Panamanian Defense Forces headquarters, which was bombed early Wednesday morning.
"I think the majority of church members here applaud the United States' action," she said. "The majority voted in favor of Endara.
"There was much fear among us on Sunday. That's why we only went to sacrament meeting. The bishop was scared something could happen to us."
Garcia said the education ministry has closed schools in Panama City till further notice.
"We're all praying as a family. The church, in spiritual terms, has made us understand that the Lord will help us accept whatever comes. He will make us strong. We have felt much support from our church leaders. The Lord is on our side."