Fagerlands to Panama

After years of preparing and a year in Costa Rica, we're finally settling into life in Panama. We share the story of finding our new home, beginning to put down roots, finding a church where we already feel connected, and helping our kids adjust to another season of change. We also share what we're praying about as we look toward making Panama home for the long term.

00:55 – Finally home in Panama and finding our new rhythm

05:09 – The journey to finding a place to call home

25:10 – Finding our new church home in Panama

35:31 – Helping our kids build friendships and put down roots

45:01 – Praying and dreaming about our long-term home

After nearly a year in Costa Rica, we're finally approaching the move to Panama. We share how we're feeling about leaving language school, saying goodbye, helping our kids find stability in transition, and stepping into the place God has been preparing for us all along. It's a conversation about gratitude, belonging, and the excitement of what's ahead.

00:57 – Two weeks left and ready for what's next
05:43 – What a year of language learning has taught us
09:09 – Helping our kids navigate transition and goodbyes
12:29 – Finding belonging in the missionary community
15:51 – A trip back to Minnesota and family roots
19:39 – Why Panama feels like home already
22:36 – Gratitude for everyone walking this journey with us

We’re a little past halfway now, and this episode is really just us sharing how it’s going. We talk about school, language learning, the weird in-between of being close to Panama but not there yet, what’s been encouraging our hearts, and a really sweet answer to prayer about housing. It’s honest, simple, and a good snapshot of this season for our family.

00:56 – Halfway feelings, school struggles, and giving ourselves grace
05:06 – Why Panama still feels like home, even while we’re in Costa Rica
09:18 – The people God has put around us in this season
18:43 – A big answer to prayer about our first landing spot in Panama
23:52 – How the kids are really doing now
26:41 – Finishing well, looking ahead, and praying for the final stretch

Hey friends! This one’s straight from our living room in Costa Rica. We’ve been here a month now, walking to school every day as a family, stumbling through Spanish, figuring out grocery shopping without Trader Joe’s (no green beans!), and learning what it means to slow down.

We also tell the story of the earthquake that shook our house and honestly, our souls. It was loud, it was scary, and it made us wrestle again with what surrender really looks like. This is us, sharing the highs, the lows, and the surprises of this season.

What’s it like moving to a new country as a kid? In this special mini episode, Marcela is joined by the Mini Fagerlands—Benaiah (13) and Maja (9)—to hear their thoughts, excitement, and honest fears about their family’s upcoming move to Panama.

From learning Spanish to making new friends, facing the unknown, and even hoping for monkeys in the house, this episode captures the real and unfiltered perspective of missionary kids stepping into a brand-new adventure.

From Amsterdam’s red-light district to the villages of the Philippines, the islands of the Caribbean to the streets of Bogotá—Steve Mickler has spent his life following God's call to the nations.

In this episode, we sit down with Marcela’s father to hear his incredible journey through decades of global missions, how it shaped his family, and what it means now as the Fagerlands prepare to go to Panama.

This is a story of faith, obedience, and the unexpected ways God weaves our lives together for His purpose.

Seth and his family are preparing for the biggest transition of their lives—leaving everything behind to serve in Panama. In this episode, Seth, Brian, and Eric dive into what the past year has looked like, from the excitement of answering a calling to the challenges of fundraising, preparing their kids, and trusting God through uncertainty. Hear the raw, behind-the-scenes emotions of stepping into faith, the unexpected joys along the way, and what’s next as they count down to launch day.

(01:28) | Recap of the last few months
(03:34) | A fundraising breakthrough
(05:51) | The hardest questions to answer
(07:36) | What real support looks like
(09:44) | Encouragement from past students
(13:39) | How a matching pledge changed everything
(22:23) | Seth’s biggest fears
(28:47) | Is the timing right?
(30:16) | How the kids are handling the move
(37:19) | A moment that changed Seth’s son's perspective
(45:11) | What life in Panama could look like
(46:14) | A prayer for the journey ahead

After the whirlwind of deciding to move to Panama and sharing the news, Seth goes beyond the surface details into the deeper meaning behind the decision and the full scope of this unfolding and incredible story.

(2:24) | Learn About Panama

(18:20) | The Need in Panama

(24:00) | Why Panama?

(27:28) | When Did You Know? Really?

(32:17) | Brian's Provocative Question

(37:00) | What Has Gone Well? What Hasn't?

(42:16) | What Keeps You Up At Night?

(47:00) | It's Your Decision, But You Can't Do It Alone

(48:50) | "Vocational Missionary" ⬅️ Don't Miss This

(58:25) | The Adventure Has Already Begun!

(1:01:39) | Seth Knows 5000 People (probably)

(1:04:08) | Here's The Deeper Question

(1:08:30) | The Real Support

(1:09:50) | Seth's Real Thoughts On Fundraising

(1:15:06) | How Long Will You Be In Panama?

We share the incredible story of how our dream to move to Panama began and the journey that led us there. Eight years ago, during a youth group trip, a casual conversation sparked a life-changing adventure.

Join us as Anna Shoberg guides us to recount the moments that solidified our decision, from the initial spark to the exciting announcement.

Also available to watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/u297Z40SYqw