Thursday, June 30, 2016

Pastors’ Training School: The Body of Christ in Action


The average Honduran pastor in Pastors’ Training School makes around $7.00 per day (and since much of their work is seasonal, not year-around, they make about $800 per year). It’s not enough to keep some of us in Starbucks! Even by the typical Honduran standard of living, (which does not include a mocha-frappa-whatchamacallit-cino and a muffin the size of your head) that’s not enough income to pay for continuing education. That’s where we come in. We can partner with Sowers 4 Pastors to pay for the cost of training these hardworking men of God.


Allen is quick to point out he has a degree in business administration/systems, not a religious studies degree. That’s why, for the past ten years, Sowers 4 Pastors has handled the majority of the fundraising and business-y matters, such as being sure the school is staffed with a qualified teacher. Over the years, there have been multiple teachers--usually seminary trained Honduran pastors or visiting pastors from the US. Currently, fellow gringo, Clay Powell, is doing a great job of handling the education aspects in his first year with Pastor’s Training School. Hmm… That sounds a lot like the body of Christ in action!


Not Your Typical Seminary


While the study is intense, this isn’t quite like an American seminary. For starters, most of the pastors have an elementary school education. A few are illiterate and require volunteers to sit with them to read lessons and transcribe their notes, so they will be able to review them with someone at home.


The pastors do not all share the same denomination. This session nine denominations are represented, which makes for lively discussions. What they are learning is that the Bible is the final authority. They may have been taught nine different things about a particular topic, but we’re interested in what God has to say about it.


An Analogy Too Good to Pass Up


Most of the pastors are field workers in the agricultural sense--working grueling hours for the aforementioned $7 a day. They are also field workers in the “Sunday school answer” sort of way! As Luke 10:2 says:


He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.


These men are willing to spend time harvesting God’s fields of Western Honduras. You can help.


Better Than a Mocha-Frappa-Whatchamacallit-Cino


$250 covers the cost of training one pastor 3 days per month for a 9-month school year. Here’s where the money goes:

  • Lodging (for the time at school)
  • Rent for use of facilities
  • Food (for the time at school)
  • Curriculum
  • Support staff, such as cooks and housekeepers
  • Transportation to the training center
  • Study Bible
  • Bible Dictionary


If you ask me, that’s more exciting than a million muffins the size of your head!

- posted by Christi

If you're interested in more info on the Pastors' Training School, and would like more info on how to donate, follow this link.  Thanks so much for your help!

Monday, June 27, 2016

Missionary Kids Retreat - Hear Their Voices! (Part 3)

MK Retreat, Part 3


When Allen asked me to speak to several MK teenagers on the phone and ask them some questions, I thought they might not want to open up and share. I needn’t have worried! It was a privilege to spend an afternoon talking to some of the world’s most mature teens. While they are definitely unique individuals, there were a few recurring themes. I hope you enjoy reading about them as much as I enjoyed speaking to them.


Gunmen, Gringos, and a Plan for the Future
Elisa--Age 14


Elisa and her family moved to Honduras from their native Canada, three years ago. She attends a private school, and, unlike some of the other MKs, she has the opportunity to get together with other gringos her age because she attends an English church. She has only visited Canada once since going to Honduras, although she and her family will be going back for a wedding, this year.


When asked about her wildest experience as an MK, Elisa came through with a lulu! She explained that her family is friendly with some of the milder gangs because they offer protection against the more notorious gangs. She said, “One time, we were up in the mountains helping out and serving the kids. A friendly gang member came up and told us to, ‘GO!’ because a bad gang was coming our way.” Of course, they left immediately, but not without spotting five men approaching with guns. While Elisa and her family made it out safely, three other people were shot that day.


Elisa has big plans for the future. She would like to get a degree in missions and go to Republic of Congo to work with children.


She wants people to understand that MKs are not perfect Christians. They’re just people. They are, however, people who love getting together at MK Retreat! She spoke about the acceptance they feel there. She stated, “We don’t care what people look like or what they do. We feel like family… MK Retreat has changed my life. It’s amazing to see missionaries come together.”


Final Retreat. Next Stop, College.
Emma--Age 18


Emma has been in Honduras for ten years. She estimates that her family has served in seven different locations, within the country. Emma used an online homeschooling program and will be leaving for college in the states in August. While she’s excited about the future, she’s sad at the thought that her years at MK Retreat and MK Camp have come to an end. She’s not sure what she will do in the future, but she loves working with people.

Emma shared a cool missionary story with me. She said, “We’ve had several people live with us. We had a girl who had never had a language because she was deaf and her parents were abusive. She was 16 and she had no way to communicate. Where we lived happened to be near one of the only Spanish sign language missionaries in Honduras. The girl learned sign language and gained a community. She would have ended up a beggar. Now, she works selling jewelry and sewing. It’s proof that God cares and He wants us to do something with our lives.”


Even though she lives near other missionaries, their schedules do not allow for them to get together frequently. That’s one reason MK Retreat and MK Camp have been so important to her. She said, “MKs are spread out. It can be really hard to find a Christian community. There’s something amazing that happens when a bunch of missionary kids come together. They know that they’re home, in a way. You’re with people who understand. The counselors are always right there. They love us. It feels like a family.”


She wants people to know MKs aren’t perfect. Hmmm… That sounds familiar! She continued the thought by saying, “A lot of people think we’re on a pedestal and that we’re closer to God. We may seem weird. We don’t fit anywhere. We don’t fit in the states. We don’t fit in Honduras. We’re somewhere in between. The only people who understand are missionary kids.”


¿Como Se Dice “Mushrooms” en EspaƱol?
Abby--Age 15



Abby was in the 6th grade when her family moved to Honduras. Prior to that, she attended public school in the states. Since moving, Abby has been homeschooled. She’s fortunate to be able to see gringos around her age on a regular basis.


She thinks the funniest part of being an MK is always messing up her Spanish. She’s not the only member of her family whose Spanish could use some help. Once her father ordered some delicious looking mushrooms for them in a restaurant. They were very surprised when their mushrooms turned out to be livers! ¡No es bueno! (And that concludes my personal mastery of the Spanish language!)


Abby gets to visit the U.S. every other year, for a two month period. After high school, she wants to spend a year in Africa, in order to experience other missions. Then, she plans to attend college in the states, where she will study to become a dentist. She doesn’t think she will become a missionary, but she’s open to God’s calling.


MK Retreat and MK Camp is a time for Abby to get away from family and do her own thing. She said, “As missionary kids, you don’t get a lot of time alone. You’re always with someone. This is a time that’s about you. It’s meant for you. Usually things are for the mission.”


She wants people to know… (Wait for it!) “We’re normal. We’re just kids. Normal kids with different experiences. We’re not super Christians or anything like that.”

To Be Continued… Again! Stay tuned for more MK Retreat insights. Go to Part 1 and Part 2 for more MK Retreat Interviews!

- posted by Christi

Saturday, June 25, 2016

Missionary Kids Retreat - Hear Their Voices! (Part 2)

If there’s one thing I learned about being a missionary kid from my recent phone interviews during MK Retreat, it’s, “Once an MK, always an MK.” It doesn’t matter how many years it has been since childhood, people who grew up on the mission field always have that special descriptor of MK.


If there’s another thing I learned about being a missionary kid (regardless of age), it’s that MK’s have a special sort of bond the rest of us will probably never grasp. They care deeply for each other and usually feel an instant camaraderie upon meeting.


Rachel: Retreat and Camp Director, at Your Service


Rachel was nine-years-old when she and her family moved to Honduras. Growing up, she never imagined she would stay in Honduras, though she always wanted to be a missionary.

From the time she landed on Honduran soil, until present, Rachel has attended every single MK Camp that has been offered. She first attended as a camper, then as a counselor, and, finally, as director. She knows what it is like to not have friendships outside of those made at camp and her appreciation for her weeks spent at camp is evident. When she got to the point of leadership, as a counselor, she felt deeply gratified. She loved being able to work with the kids. As she said, “It was working with kids like me. Being able to pour into them.” Who better to do the pouring than someone who was, herself, once poured into?


Even when Rachel was planning her wedding in 2013, she was concerned about missing MK Camp. That’s loyalty! As it turned out, that was the one year the camp wasn’t held. By the next year, Rachel had volunteered to step up and serve as director. What would possess her to take on such a level of responsibility? The answer is twofold: 1) She loves and believes in MK Camp, and 2) As much as she loved being a newlywed, with her husband busy with his position in the Air Force, she found herself looking for a worthwhile way to spend her time. In her own words, she “was bored.” What better cure for boredom than taking on a Herculean task that you truly believe in?


That first year, she was surprised by how many kids enrolled. Fortunately, she had the support of her family. As she said, “Working with family can be challenging, but it’s nice because they’re all MKs. It’s gratifying. I have the support to not have to do it all by myself.”


Allen Sowers: Still a Big MK at Heart


Note from Trish: I chose this not-so-great photo of Allen,
 out of all of the pictures I saw from the retreat, because it's
 rare to get a photo of the real Allen. His posed photos tend
 to make him look very serious - almost angry.  I like this
 picture of him enjoying watching kids having fun!
Between the ages of 6 and 16, Allen lived the life of an MK, in the Philippines and Malaysia. For part of that time, his parents were teachers at a boarding school, so Allen knows what it is to be teacher’s pet. He appreciates the opportunities that went along with the sacrifices. In his family, life on the mission field meant taking advantage of opportunities to travel. Although his family didn’t have a lot of money, they traveled whenever they had the chance, resulting in Allen getting a lot of stamps in his passport. He has been to almost fifty countries!


Allen did have a group that cared for him as a kid, filling a void in him like the MK Camp and MK Youth Retreat fill a void in the lives of MKs in Honduras today. When asked why he feels this camp experience is so important for MKs, Allen said, “MKs are asked to make a lot of sacrifices. They didn’t ask to make those sacrifices. They don’t fully belong to either culture. Third culture kids are expected to step up to the plate and be more mature than they really are. Some rise to the challenge. Some rebel against the challenge… A lot of times their grandparents die while they are out of the country. They grow up missing time with cousins. They miss out on a lot of things other kids take for granted.”


He spoke about the unique position of MKs. Very often, families leave the mission field because of a child’s failure to adjust and thrive. Allen wants today’s MKs to know, “We’re at war and the devil is a cheater. One way to make an overseas ministry fail is for the children to be unable to adjust to life on the field. MKs and their families have to be clued in on that. Ministries geared to help MKs help all of the missionary families and their ministries."


Official 2016 MK Youth Retreat photo
San Buenaventura, Honduras



On the surface, MK Retreat and MK Camp don’t seem that different from any stateside church camp. After all, there are crafts, goofy games, some junk food, music, and a speaker. So, what’s different? Allen believes it’s the fellowship that sets it apart. The kids share a special bond, which only they can fully understand.

To Be Continued… Click here for MK Retreat, Part 3! If you missed Part 1, click here!

- posted by Christi

Thursday, June 23, 2016

Armed Robbery Attempt at our home in Honduras

I hope you've been enjoying the ministry posts from Christi! Today, it's Trish writing, relating the events of the armed robbery attempt at our home a few weeks ago. We always appreciate your prayers for our safety!

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

The dogs had interrupted our sleep multiple times with their barking that cloudy, moonless night. They're often upset by horses and cows wandering into the yard, and they'll bark at those harmless intruders for hours without ceasing. Since I hadn't seen any problems outside when the dogs barked during the earlier hours of the night, I was assuming they were barking at animals, and I was trying to ignore them and get back to sleep, while also wondering if I should just get up and do something, since I wasn't sleeping anyway.

Then I heard the gunshot. We hear a few shots most every night (frequently celebratory shots), the sounds ricocheting over a large area of the mountains and valleys around us - but this gunshot was clearly happening HERE. On our property! At our home!

Before I'd had a chance to think of what to do next, that one shot was followed by an alarming volley of additional firing! I froze . . .without a clue as to what I should do next, since I didn't know what was going on right outside my house!

I crept to the front windows of the bodega/house where I'd been sleeping and peeked out - but everything was just as dark as it had been the whole night, and I couldn't see a thing! We have three buildings on our property, and somewhere out there was my 14 year old son, Ben, and also Helder, one of our workers who had been sleeping at our place to help with security while Allen and Russell were away constructing a bridge in Haiti.

Certain that opening the door and going out to gather more information was a poor plan, I made the odd decision to call Russell, in Haiti. My Spanish is passable, but it would NOT have been sufficient for this situation, especially over the phone. Russell, however, is fluent. After I'd explained the situation to my son in English, he called Helder, to get the story directly from him in Spanish, and then Russell called me back and relayed the info to me.

What was known at that time was that two or three men were outside between our team house and the new home we are constructing. The new house does not yet have doors or windows (it has walls and a roof), and Helder was sleeping inside. The door and window openings were mostly blocked by heavy panels which we use to create forms when we build large things out of cement.

Helder had heard the dogs barking, and then heard the noises the men were making, so he went to investigate, taking along the pistol that he keeps by him at night while he's doing guard duty. Helder looked out the window, saw the men moving toward him, and shot a warning shot into the ground outside the building. The men returned fire, shooting directly at Helder, and Helder shot back at them. The men started to run and our very brave Helder chased them off, away from our buildings and down through the coffee fields - barefoot!

There was no additional excitement that night . . . and there was not much additional sleep, either! Once the light of morning arrived, Ben, Helder and I took some time to look around and collect any clues which could give us additional details as to what had happened.

Here's what we could piece together:

Two or three men came to our property, ready for a confrontational armed robbery - they had a weapon (possibly two, based on the spent and unspent bullets left behind), and apparently were wearing bandannas over their faces (one bandanna was on the ground, after the robbers ran off in the dark). They first tried to break into the small building nearest the driveway. No one was sleeping in that building, and they attempted to force open a door very quietly with a pry bar, and also tried to dislodge the metal bars from in front of a window. When they were unable to gain entry to that building, they removed the mirrors from the motorcycle which was parked in front of that building.

After that, they were heading to the unsecured construction site . . . when they encountered (and were chased off by) Helder. While running away from our valiant watchman, they dropped a flashlight, a bandanna, and one of the motorcycle mirrors, as well as an unspent bullet from a revolver. We saw no indication that anyone was actually injured by the gunfire.

Obviously, after a successful robbery in April and this attempted robbery in May, we are beefing up security even more than previously. It may seem odd, to those of you in the US, that none of us considered calling in the police. Our experience with Honduran police, over the course of our fifteen years in Honduras, hasn't led us to think of them as a source of help in our times of trouble. We've always known that we would be handling these kinds of situations on our own.

Once again, God has protected us from harm, allowing us to continue to live and work another day, sharing His love in the mountains of Western Honduras!

- posted by Trish

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Missionary Kids Retreat - Hear Their Voices! (Part 1)

Thanks to Alexander Graham Bell and a whole bunch of pre-paid minutes Allen Sowers added to a cell phone, I had the opportunity to spend several hours talking to people at the 2016 MK Retreat. Prior to that call, I thought I could imagine how important MK Retreat, which is held in June, and MK Camp, which is held in August, would be to a bunch of missionary kids living in Honduras. About fifteen minutes into the marathon call, I realized I didn’t have a clue! I spoke to current MKs, former MKs, and parents of MKs about what life is like for missionary kids and what the MK Retreat means to them.


There was so much information, we’re going to spread this out over several blog posts, lest this turn into the blog equivalent of War and Peace (meaning it would be long, not that it would originally be published in Russian or have anything to do with war). Stick around. This series promises to be more readable that Tolstoy. (No offense, Leo!)


Speak, Mr. Retreat Speaker


Former MK, and father of two current MK Retreat participants, Wes served as speaker at this year’s event. Wes and his family have served in Honduras for twelve years.


Wes grew up in Malaysia and Singapore--leaving the states as a 6-month-old, and not returning to live until he was seventeen-years-old and ready for college. When he arrived in the U.S., he, understandably, did not think of it as home. After about a year and half, he had the opportunity to travel to Singapore with a group from his college. He was so excited, believing he was going home. Yet, when he got there, he discovered things had changed. Bus routes had changed. Other mass transit had changed. He didn’t even know how much a can of Coke cost, and he knew he would get ripped off. That’s when it hit him: Singapore would never be home again. He felt there was no place on earth where he fit in and could call home.


Growing up, he had nothing like MK Retreat or MK Camp. As a father, he has seen how beneficial those programs have been for his kids, as well as other missionary kids. Wes spoke of the challenges facing MKs. Statistics suggest that 50% of MKs will leave the church. 50% will divorce at some point in their lives. Programs like MK Retreat help kids face challenges and pain and help change those statistics.


Just for grins, I asked Wes if he ever considered moving to the states and getting a job selling insurance. The answer was a resounding, “No way! I love what we’re doing. I love that our kids have had the experiences they’ve had. It’s a testimony to God’s healing and grace, after what I experienced.”


Talking Points


Wes graciously gave me a list of topics covered, along with a brief overview.  


Day 1: Where is Home? -- Third culture kids come from a home country, yet spend significant time in another place--identifying with two countries, yet not fully fitting in either place. There are unique challenges with that, for sure.


Day 2: Did God Just Throw Me Under the Bus? -- Most MKs deal with loss and transition at a young age. And they do it over and over again. It can be common for them to wonder, “God, why are you doing this to me?"


Day 3: God is Infinitely Amazing and Really Does Have All of This Under Control -- The day with the long title was spent looking at sciency stuff--even delving into string theory. In case, like me, you would feel more comfortable talking about Silly String than string theory, this one may require additional explanation. Wes talked about how God is completely outside of time and space. What feels overwhelming to us does not surprise God. We can trust Him, even when we can’t see how things are going to work out.


Day 4: Being Faithful In the Little Things -- Very often, we don’t care about certain things because we think they’re little. But something as seemingly simple as honoring parents isn’t a little thing to God. We’re to be faithful in little things.


Day 5: Nobody Asked Me If I Wanted This Life -- Missionary kids can struggle with thoughts of resentment. Growing up on the field, himself, Wes remembers never feeling like he fit in. This message included a friendly reminder that we are not the center of the universe. God is.


6: Did my Parents Serve God At My Expense? -- On this day, Wes opened up about his personal failures as a father and reminded the kids that parents are just as human as they are. The gist of the lesson was: Give your parents a break. Show them grace, and don’t hold them to a higher standard. People will fail you, but God never fails.


7: But Do I Really Matter? -- This was a day to reinforce what they talked about all week. They matter so much to God and to this world. The world needs people who are not ashamed of the Gospel. The church needs them. The MKs were encouraged to discover their gifts and use them. They were also reminded to work on being mature, responsible Christians


Music to Their Ears


While Wes has spent a lifetime in missions, the woman who led praise and worship for MK Retreat is a brand new missionary. Coming from Canada, Breanne has only been in Honduras for a few weeks. She hit the ground running! Besides being at MK Retreat, she has spent time doing evangelism and working with kids.


About her time at MK Retreat, Breanne stated, “I’ve learned just how important this camp really is. Camp has been a lot of fun. I’ve loved leading worship. But it has been wonderful to hear their (the MKs’) hearts, so I can have that insight into the lives of MKs. I wasn’t an MK, so I can’t claim to know what they’ve gone through. This will help me better relate to MKs in the future.”


She was particularly touched by what she described as the MKs “pouring out their hearts,” and hearing about what it is like to go back and forth between two cultures. She spoke of the responsibility the kids feel knowing their parents’ careers can depend upon their actions. Now that’s a burden to which few typical American teenagers can relate! MK Retreat gives them an opportunity to lean on other people. Breanne was most impressed with how they seek after God in a deeper way.


Stay tuned for Part 2 (edited to add: Part 2 is now available here) in the continuing saga of MK Retreat! You really won’t want to miss hearing from Rachel, who serves as director, Allen, who spins many plates, numerous campers, and a couple of MK moms.

- posted by Christi

Friday, June 17, 2016

Let's Talk Empowerment!

Empowering People

While I’m still quite new at this Sowers 4 Pastors blogging stuff, I have already learned a very important lesson. Are you ready for it? I’ve learned a phone call with Allen Sowers is like a phone call with a professional motivational speaker. It leaves you wanting to get off your duff and put your money where his mouth is! You leave the conversation feeling empowered. No, that’s not quite right. You leave the conversation feeling EMPOWERED in an all caps, shout-it-from-the-mountaintops sort of way. (I can say that. I’m not a relative.) In fact, Allen has quite a bit to say about empowering people. And he says it really fast!


Empowering Pastors


We’ve all heard the platitude about offering people a hand up instead of a handout. That pretty much sums up Sowers 4 Pastors ministry philosophy. The Sowers are often asked if they are involved in planting a new church. To that, Allen responds, “Why would we plant one church when we could be helping indigenous pastors plant fifty churches?” This is the thought behind Pastors Training School. The pastors are putting forth the time and effort to become better equipped to operate a church and spread the Gospel.


What giving a hand up means is that much of the Sowers’ time is spent getting U.S. donations into the hands of indigenous pastors where it will do the most good. They seek to support the “go-getter” pastors--the ones who are already out there doing the work. Those are the pastors the ministry empowers by providing motorcycles or horses, making it possible for them to reach even more people in more remote areas. In a country where only 5% of the population owns a vehicle, a motorcycle or horse can expand a pastor’s reach exponentially.


Those go-getters are also the pastors the ministry supports by assisting with such practical things as getting a new roof on a church building and starting a feeding center ministry out of their churches. Again, it’s not about someone going in and doing all of the work for the pastors. It’s about empowering them to, in turn, empower their congregations!


Empowering Communities


When Russell and Allen recently spent time in Haiti, it wasn’t because they wanted a change of scenery. It was because they knew that assisting a community in a bridge building project would empower a Haitian community for years to come. It wasn’t about swooping in to build a bridge for a community; it was about building a bridge with a community.  Of course there are plenty of other examples of empowering communities, but we’ll save those for another day.


Empowering MKs


Rachel is the director of the MK Youth Retreat and MK Camp and does an excellent job at planning, organizing, and connecting with the kids, but Russell and Allen are hard at work, too. Is it nepotism if
you’re putting someone to work? Probably not! But Rachel definitely knows how to utilize her brother and dad. Russell heads up games, chaperones in the boys dorm, loads and unloads vehicles full of supplies, hooks up shower heads, and generally serves where needed. Allen takes on such glamorous tasks as helping with the logistics, helping to raise funds, making phone calls concerning speakers, and doing shopping. When last we spoke, he was about to run out for butter. A very noble task, indeed!


We've heard that around 50% of kids who grow up in missions work in ministry as adults, and this time spent connecting with other MKs is more empowering than we can imagine. We’ll be sharing more about the MK Youth Retreat and MK Camp soon, so stay tuned!

- posted by Christi

Monday, June 13, 2016

Ministry: The Explosion That’s Better Than Fireworks

It’s almost difficult to believe there was a time in our lives when summer meant vacation from school, bike riding, sleeping late, ice cream trucks, swimming, and 4th of July fireworks. Oh, we’re not complaining, but those days are long over! Something is exploding around us and it’s not fireworks! Sowers 4 Pastors is seeing an explosion of new growth in its ongoing ministry opportunities.
While the programs aren’t new, they are definitely experiencing a growth spurt. Here’s a smattering of what’s happening in the mountains of Honduras:

Summer School for Pastors
School is not out for summer, as there are currently 50 pastors in training school! Think about it. That means there will soon be 100 more feet roaming the remote villages to spread the gospel. The pastors attend training school free of charge. Interested parties can sponsor a student for $250 per school year--providing food and housing for a student to attend school 3 days per month for 9 months. It’s truly the gift that keeps on giving and giving and giving.  

Hitting the Roads

While we’re not tearing up the roads on our bikes, and would be hard-pressed to tell you the last time we rode on the handlebars, bikes are very much a part of our ministry. Okay. The bikes are actually motorcycles, but, hey, we’re making a point here.  Eighteen indigenous missionaries and pastors have put in requests for motorcycles to help them visit multiple churches each week.

The Early Bird Builds the Church
There’s no sleeping in for anyone involved in the church construction projects, which are underway. With help in planning, congregations are building their own new churches, providing them with a sense of accomplishment, as well as brand new structures. There are currently 24 requests for new churches and Sowers 4 Pastors will fill as many of those as funds allow.

Better Than a Fudgsicle
Feeding Centers:

Far more exciting than ice cream trucks, there are 22 new feeding centers, bringing the total number up to 132. That means more than 13,000 children are each being fed two nutritious meals every week. Sowers 4 Pastors provides the food, while local pastors run their individual feeding centers.  

Manna 4 Lempira:

The Manna 4 Lempira program allows individuals to sponsor a child for $15 per month. Sponsored children are provided with two nutritious meals a week through feeding centers at local churches. In addition, they receive things such as school shoes, school supplies, discipleship, and other benefits throughout the year.

We’ll take that over Fudgsicles any day, and believe you me, we love Fudgsicles.

The Ministry Boom
Over the years, Allen has had a 100% hands-on role in every aspect of our ministry—splitting his time between construction projects, pastor training school, opening feeding centers, distribution of gifts, communicating with supporters, and fundraising. Fortunately, he also spent years training up Russell, who is following in his footsteps. Now Russell is taking on many of the responsibilities involved in the day-to-day administration of ministries and projects, which allows Allen to spend more time focusing on other details without running the risk of fizzling out like a dud firecracker. We are so grateful for God’s provision as we continue to strive to meet both the practical and spiritual needs of the people of Western Honduras.
- posted by Christi Christi Blevins Pelt is a special friend and a talented writer. She's done professional ghost writing work for others in the past, but for us she's doing real-live-person writing, to help us keep the communications flowing from our ministry to you. Welcome to the ministry and to the blog, Christi!