House Sitting in Panama

House sitting in Panama, looking out at the sparkling Pacific Ocean, Ron and I wake up in the mornings to the sound of the waves kissing the soft sandy beach.  Panamanian coffee in hand, we sit out on the spacious deck and take in the fresh air and look out over the ocean where the billowy clouds are forming for, perhaps, an afternoon shower.  Tropical green palm, coconut, banana, and mango trees dot the property, and bright bougainvillea adds grace to the white stucco and red-tile roofed home.  It’s a photographic paradise and a nature lover’s dream. 

We could have made plans for our next adventure; however, we didn’t plan this one. This opportunity came to us.  You might even say it fell into our laps.  We had been in Panama for a couple of months at the first of the year but, due to the COVID lock-down, we decided it would be a good time for us to return to Albuquerque and spend some time getting our first-of-the-years items completed.

For example, we knew we were going to move out of our adorable apartment, but we didn’t know when countries would open their borders due to COVID, if we would go back to Arizona for a period of time, or if we would continue to live in Albuquerque.  Nonetheless, we gave the management company a move-out date and proceeded to complete miscellaneous projects.  We filed our tax returns, changed our phones and Medicare plans to international plans, got our COVID vaccinations, replaced our carry-on suitcases, and saw our doctors and dentist so that we would be ready to head out. 

However, a few weeks before moving out of the apartment, the opportunity arose for us to housesit on Playa El Rompio on the Azuero Peninsula of Panama.   Ron and I talked about how the timing would work out perfectly for us to complete our Panama residence visas – so we contacted the couple and let them know we would be available.

At the time, we didn’t know much about the location but we had been asking the Lord to direct us.  And, it couldn’t have turned out better.  The home is a stone’s throw away from a pristine beach and there’s hardly anyone on it except the neighborhood locals and a few fishermen.  The neighborhood is a friendly mix of Panamanians, Americans, and Canadians so we don’t feel like we’re “alone,” which is very helpful since we’ll be here for several months.  The next-door neighbors are expats who have lived in Panama for almost twenty years, so they are a wealth of information as well as being a lot of fun.   

Although it sounds like we “lucked-out,” the truth is that God blesses his children.  His Word tells us that we are His children and that he takes care of us.  We are grateful for taking care of our needs, and in this case, He provided us with a place to relax and enjoy His handiwork in such a majestic setting. 

Ron and I will be house sitting in Panama at this location until the middle of September, so we’ll get to know this part of Panama pretty well.  We’ll be posting to the blog occasionally and Ron, of course, will add some of his amazing pictures of this phenomenal area.