Change is good?

What an odd title, right? Chris and I have been here five years running. We started off with our 4Runner, then used a bicycle to reach distant territories (and started many studies where Missionaries like Mike Lachynski and his wife visited), then used a dirt bike to get there regularly, then purchased...

 this, which we still use often. What a workhorse. It squeaks, groans, and climbs everything in sight. Impresses the hell out of everyone, and everyone wants to buy it, for $5. We are, after all, in latin america. (Jose is doing an impressive pose. He's coming with us on a Costa Rica trip in a few days).

 The views are, as always, spectacular, and the people even more so. Our territory in Volcan is getting smaller - a rarity, as most congregations in Panama have HUGE territories not covered very often. Because of so many studies, it´s very difficult to actually get out and witness. Our studies go from late morning to late evening almost every day. Added to this is the student needs - explaining the WT to those who can't understand it, working out minor (and sometimes major) issues that creep up and so on. Plus, we get the odd dropped study that comes around and asks for us to start up again. It's been five in two months, plus our regulars, which sit around 40.

 We don't have time to start any more, like these.

 The two kids you see here are unbelievable. Chris is doing an amazing job with both, and both the 6 and nine year old blow us away. They completely understood the 19 of January study article, in all it´s complexity, going so far as to explain why Jehovah wouldn't permit Acab's throne to be taken from him even though he was an evil king ("because Acab sat on Jehovah's throne, and only God could take it away"). In front of them is a model of the tabernacle they built together.

Although our territory is done often, we still have territory that has never been done before.

 This family has been studying for a while. Because of grandmother, a number of her family members are now studying too.

 Breathtaking views still blow us away, every day we're out.

 This little congregation is in Hornito. The only elder is deaf and very old, but is very lovable. His personality easily overshadows any limitations he may have. Another elder drives up from an hour away to help out. He's been doing this for 7 months. When we told them we were visiting, they misunderstood and announced we'd be moving into the area. Ouch. They have a huge territory too.

 Pictured is a Special pioneer who has been assigned to Gualaca. This is another huge territory, with only one congregation covering it.

 I knew this brother from way back when we first arrived.

 We had just come back from speaking to an evangelical pastor. This area is full of very poor people, many of them living in tin shacks and mud floors. On the way through, we passed an impressive church, and, from experience, guessed that it´s pastor lived nearby, likely in a nice house, with a Toyota Hilux parked in front.
We were right. Although I have no idea if this pastor used his own funds or not to build the church and sustain his means of living, our experience is chock full of ministers who use the bible to make a living, at other people's expense. In this case, our conversation went very well, and we left on friendly terms, hoping that the pastor would accept the bible truths we left with him.

Lots of territory, so few workers. We've been branching out to other fields. Our studies have either gotten baptized, will get baptized, are publishers, will soon be ones, or, for the odd ones, be dropped. Is it time to leave our area and head for riper fields here in panama?
We'll keep you informed...