One constant is... change!

We are sorry to be leaving, but it is so reassuring to see how Jehovah and Jesus have the congregation well in hand.

The English congregation in Panajachel has been shrinking - for many good reasons. Over the last year or two, some have left to serve in Spanish, some have left to serve in other areas in English (Roatan, Nicaragua, Mexico). And some have returned to the US for family or just because their time here ended. We have missed them... but recently the congregation has been really sparse! 

And now we're leaving. 

Here is the congregation a couple weeks ago: 

But already, we have more folks coming. 

There is the Llora family. They visited to get things set up, with their youngest child, and are in the back left corner of the photo. It is a lovely family with four kids, ages from age four to ... fourteen? They will be a delight. He is an elder, which will be a big help to Neto Garcia. Vincent Llora also writes a blog that shows Pana from a newcomer standpoint, and from standpoint of a family with four kids! 

And we have three young men from Atlanta area who just arrived (in the back center of the photo, with Aiden in there too). One is staying for a month (and wants to come back) and the other two are staying. They have huge smiles and a great attitude. 

There are some others coming, soon or in the next six months. A couple from Australia. Another couple from...  I'm not sure where. Another couple (from Boston and a Guatemalan sister living in Philadelphia) will get married in November and hope to move down soon after to live.

Life in a need-greater congregation is filled with constant change. Ups and downs, people coming, people visiting, people leaving. But it is an amazing life. 

So, Jehovah makes sure we all get what we need. One of my regrets about leaving is we won't get to see what Jehovah does to help the Panajachel congregation grow, how it will morph into something new and exciting! Constant change, growth.