Facts About Panama

I wanted to share with our friends what we have learned about Panama so far from people who have lived there, our publications, and sources that give practical information about traveling here. We hope this will answer questions that ones have about the country and what we can expect, and this will also be an interesting post to look back on after our (hopeful) trip to see how much more we learned and will later add our own experiences here.

Introduction: 

Panama is a country that borders Costa Rica and Colombia, with both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans as neighbors.

According to the 2015 Yearbook, Panama has an approximate population of 3, 931,000 with 16,217 of those people being publishers of the good news, leaving the Publisher Ratio 1 to 242. 

There is a definite spiritual need in this country! There are brothers and sisters in groups and congregations of many different languages here, and it is no wonder! Panama is a cultural melting pot due to it's canal and major ports. 

Besides congregations in the native Spanish language, some groups, pre-groups, and congregations you will find here: Bileez Kriol(say it just as it is spelled and see if you can figure it out :) ), Ngäbere (a native indigenous language), ESL (which I have been told is very similar to ASL), English with waiting lists for bible studies!, and even Chinese is a field that needs lots of help here. There are people from ALL over the world hear, so even though these are the established groups with the most need, one would probably run into all sorts of spoken languages here. I even hear that there are residents from the Netherlands, who speak Dutch (my favorite language!)

*Update 5/27/15: English is still a need in some areas, but the biggest need is Spanish, in addition to the other languages listed.

With all this need, there is no doubt that the friends that move here to increase their share in the ministry have rich blessings and experiences that last a lifetime. 

Traveling to/Living in Panama:

You will need passport and shots: Updated routine shots, Hep A, Typhoid, and possibly Yellow Fever if visiting certain areas. We will receive all three and an updated Tetanus. 

Flights from Orlando and South Florida are very cheap through Spirit Airlines. Other airlines have flights to Panama City, Panama as well, but the tickets are more expensive. There are pros and cons to different airlines so be sure to understand how different ones you are considering operate and what your fees include. Also factor in baggage costs and what comfort level you need while flying.  

There is no currency exchange, you can use American Dollars.

Unlike some countries, Panama is relatively easy to enter if you are a foreign resident. The country has nice benefits for visitors, especially those that are retired (Pensionados). As of writing this, it is our understanding that there are no special forms and visas, only your passport is required and you receive a visitor visa stamp in your passport that allows you to stay in the country for 6 months. It would also be wise to print a bank statement showing you have 500 dollars in a bank account somewhere (to prove you aren't broke and can't get back to the US), and a return flight ticket because they may also check for these documents.

The cost of living in Panama is very low compared to America. We are told that rent can range from 100 in some areas to 500 in American neighborhoods.
Update 5/15: This was true, we found a place for 150 and heard of houses in other areas cheaper than that.

Unless you meet certain requirements and go through a special process, you cannot work in Panama if you are not a citizen. This requires brothers and sisters to work online or have the money they need to live for whatever length of time when they come. However, if you are an entrepreneur that will work in Panama and create jobs, that is possible and there is a legal process to go through just like here.

 If your stay will exceed 6 months, you will have to renew your visa as mentioned earlier. This often entails brothers visiting Costa Rica and preaching in that territory for a couple of days and then returning through the border to renew that entrance stamp. If you drive, your passport acts as a temporary license, and Panamanian law states that this type of license will expire after your first 3 months: so if you drive, you will renew your visa every 3 months. 

As far as Safety, from what we have read and heard on both government websites and from those living there, is not nearly as bad as some Central American countries. The crimes are mostly theft related, with much more crime occurring in cities and neighborhood notorious for this type of activity. Common sense that you would use visiting any other country applies here as well. 

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We look forward to seeing all these things for ourselves, but even if we don't get to visit, it is very encouraging to know that Jehovah is making the good news and its effects grow and spread all over the earth to reach anyone with a rightly disposed heart. I hope this has been informative and maybe clear up some things you've wondered about while listening to Tyler or I speak about our plans. We love you all dearly!

Talk to you soon!

-Bri'Ana