History of the Christian Church in San Blas

Dedicated to the Kuna People of San Blas Islands who, through the ages, have reached falteringly for the stars.
And, to the Kuna leader they called Alcibiades - who put a SUN in their sky.

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Missionary to be Kuna Panamà
The Kuna Indians were not evangelizad until a Mennonite lady came to Narganá in the late 1920s. The Panamanian government discouraged the woman by telling her that the Kunas would kill her. She told them that she would rather be killed sharing God's love than stay with them, so they reluctantly allowed her to go. When she arrived to the island, she was thrown off shortly thereafter. However, before she was made to leave, a young man by the name of Lonnie Iglesias was saved. The lady later offered to pay for him to attend college in the United States.

Marvel, a young woman from Michigan, met Lonnie at Nyack Missionary College in New York. It was there that the two young people's friendship turned into love. They were married in Novermber 1932. The following May, Marvel moved to the islands with her new husband. The couple moved to Nargana, the island where Lonnie's family lived and where he grew up.

The Indian called Alcibiades ( Lonnie) Iglesias was assisted by his American brides. Marvel, form Michigan. She is the principal narrator of this chronicle. It deals with the opening of San Blas Islands to missions. The archipelago reaches from off the Atlantic terminus of the Panamà Canal. to Colombia, S.A.

Because some of the first time, deatails and conversations are improvised. Where necessary, some names are also.

Kuna has become preferred apelling rather than Cuna. Out of respect to the Indian leaders and linguists, and their whihes, we used the Kuna apelling.

Marvel Elya (later Iglesias) was born at Frankflort, Michigan, in 1909. Her carpenter father moved the familiy to River Rouge where, at 7 years of age, Marvel experinced her first concept of God. As give her on a Good Friday by Catholic playmate with whom she was roller skating.

Marvel then experienced her first "wonderfull Easter" at a neighborhood Methodist Church. At 15 she was doing evangelical speaking with a team, much to the embarrassment of her relatives. The parents refused to finance a missionary aducation, so Marvel worked her way through Nyack Missionary College in New York. There, Alcibiades (Lonnie) Iglesias was enrolled as a "first" for the Kuna tribe of San Blas Islands. At the college his friendship with Marvel turned info romance and marriage. At that point the book pichs up their story. Within the Kuna social structure, groups of the extended family live together under matrilineal leadership. At the tribal level leadership is patrilineal. For our purpose the extended families are sometime referred to as clans.

Otrer principal indigenous tribes of Panamà are the Choco and Guaymi. While this book deals with the Kuna. readers should be aware of the proximity of the other tribes. And , of the peripheral influence of Kuna Christians and other missionaries. For this reason the Choco and Guaymi are introduced at a few places in the story.

The authors aim to treat all who walk across these pages. including primitives, with earnest respect and understanding. Should there be any misstatement of culture, it is ours alone.

The reader should remember that Kuna think (and usually speak) in their own language. here roughly translated. Now... Won´t you walk with us through the Kuna World?.




















The two heped to start a mission school on the island, but they faced fierce opposition. In time, they were approached to start the mission on the island of Aligandí. Ninety boys showed up for the first day of class; no girls were allowed to attend. None of the children had names, so their first task was to name everyone. When the children arrived the next day, they had all forgotten their names. Lonnie came up with the idea to create a seating chart with the boys' names in it so that in time they could remember. The children were told that they must attend school seven days a week. On Sunday there would be a special class to learn about Jesus. This marked the beginning of Sunday School and eventually Worship Service.

Thousands have come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior since the late 1930s when Marvel and Lonnie Iglesias first came to San Blas.

It is not every day that you find a woman who is willing to support her husband wherever he goes in the world.


Grandma, thank you for reminding us that God is always there, even during the darkest days

A Life Dedicated to Christ

Marvel Iglesias felt very much like Ruth from the Bible. Ruth said, "Enteat me to leave thee, or to return from following after thee, for whither thou goest, I will go, and where thou lodgest, I will lodge, thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God." (Ruth 1:17-18)

Dr. Lonnie Iglesias

Dr. Lonnie Iglesias stops to read John 3:16, which is written in the Kuna lanuguage, which he helped put into written. The Indian boys and grils play in front of the first church in Ailigandi San Blas.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

John 3:16

Marvel Iglesias

For I the Lord that God will
hold thy right hand, saying
unto thee. Fear not; I will help
thee.
Isaish 41-13

Now if we be dead with
Christ, we believe that we
shall also live with him.

Romans 6-8

Inportant Verses to Know for Winning Someone to the Lord

" For God so loved the world that He gave His one only Son, That whosoever believes in Him shall not perist but have eternal life".

John 3.16

" That if you confess with your mouth," Jesus is Lord,"and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with you mouth that you confess and are saved. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved". Romans 10:9-10,13

"Jesus answered, "I am th way and the truth the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
John 14:6

Dedicado para mi Marvel Iglesias

Musica Cristiana

Marcos Vidal

For to me live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Philippians 1; 21

La Banda de Tommy Coomes

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the Faith:

Timothy 3; 7

Roberto Orellana
Creyendo en ti

In can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Philippians 4;13

Jesus Adrian Romero

And ye shall know the tructh, and the
truch shall you free. Juan 8;32

Thank You, Lonnie and Marvel Iglesias