Thursday, January 19, 2017

Ministry Work and Everyday Life - Russell's Wednesday

Yesterday, January 18th. Russell Sowers, missionary. Location: Gracias Lempira, and Santa Rosa de Copan, and San Pedro Sula, Cortes . . . all in western Honduras.

Work scheduled for the day:

Santa Rosa de Copan
Photo Credit: Diaria La Prensa
The plan was for Russell to travel 45 minutes to Santa Rosa de Copan, to make a deposit into a bank account of another missionary (whose bank doesn't have a branch closer to our home), and purchase school shoes for Ben. After that he was coming back home to work on his taxes.

However, as usual, actual events only vaguely resembled the plan.

After banking, and while shopping for Ben's shoes, Russell found a pretty good deal on small backpacks for the younger children in the sponsorship program (we were running low on these), and he was also able to purchase some shoes we needed for the sponsorship program (we had run out of some sizes).

During this time of shopping, Russell was on the phone, helping our new missionary friends, the Agee family, with a problem they were encountering. Their entire family - three generations of Agees, consisting of seven people - had taken a trip to San Pedro Sula, and encountered engine trouble which left them stranded in the city! Russell's fluency in Spanish, and the fact that he has developed lots of contacts over the years, makes him an invaluable resource to us, and we're happy that he can use his knowledge to help other missionaries as they get started working here.

The night before, Russell had already helped line up a tow truck, a mechanic, safe overnight storage of the disabled vehicle, and reserved hotel rooms for the family. This involved about 30 phone calls back and forth in English and Spanish. But yesterday, it was determined that the repairs would not be completed as quickly as hoped, so Russell drove the 2 1/2 hours to San Pedro Sula to pick up the women, children, and infant of the family, and bring them back to Gracias. The Agee menfolk are staying on in the big city until the car repairs are completed, so that they can drive their vehicle back home.
City of San Pedro Sula
Photo Credit: Spirit Airlines


While he was in San Pedro with the Agees, Russell was also involved in the process of diagnosing the vehicle problems, and translating the information about repairs and costs back and forth.

Russell took advantage of the fact that the trip to San Pedro takes him right through La Entrada de Copan, and dropped off Ben's shoes and the paperwork for our upcoming container (to a lawyer who also works for the ministry that runs the school) - which saved us from sending a worker to drop those off for us.

Russell returned home to our property at about 7:30 in the evening, instead of noonish, as originally planned. Being young, after all of those hours of driving Russell was able to turn right around and take a load of coffee to the de-pulping machine. He was finally home and done at 8:30.

Today we are working on his taxes.

 - posted by Trish

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Another day in the life of the Sowers' ministry! You all are there at a moment's notice to help whoever, however and whenever possible. Thank you for living out your call from God💜

Agee Family said...

...And we are so very greatful for the servant's heart Russell and your family has. Trust me were so thankful that the connections he has kept us from being on the side of the road in San Pedro Sula after dark. Our thanks will never be enough, but we are none the less. Hugs to the Sower Family.