tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80898688759158738192024-03-17T21:02:40.128-06:00Sowers4PastorsSowers4Pastors - Empowering Honduran Missionaries and PastorsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1520125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8089868875915873819.post-35205660560633631532024-03-13T11:03:00.006-06:002024-03-13T11:14:11.780-06:00So Many Babies!!<p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">P</span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">eople want to know how Rachel is doing in her current pregnancy. In order to share how she is doing today, we’re going to also talk about their other children and God’s obvious sense of humor.</span></span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-3d56926c-7fff-3e1a-2a47-3e4f5c78315c"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Once upon a time, in the faraway land of Honduras, a couple named Brandy and Rachel were dating. Even then, they spoke of serious things–distant things–like children. Brandy thought he might like to have two children, but certainly no more than three. Rachel, on the other hand, wanted four children, no fewer than three. Obviously, they felt like three kids would be a good number.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8JUGNrpsEEGFYH39mdT6rtSAN4hNA5mP2fuKDZDEnvQ9wYMLTj5i6uZWfX29WjAU6_OD5KmebFxKp9ud_oZZkm5ZvbqiK5m3_Kxmk1ov6NFOq-S2xBUDJxFpRVrfDN0-RkD_PqHJiiknAUDoqMsrpwugV6fkferAsKmfxSEA8ORAaHhaAoPLrOONbBzk/s817/385095639_6413244098784122_5691186250800802534_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="817" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8JUGNrpsEEGFYH39mdT6rtSAN4hNA5mP2fuKDZDEnvQ9wYMLTj5i6uZWfX29WjAU6_OD5KmebFxKp9ud_oZZkm5ZvbqiK5m3_Kxmk1ov6NFOq-S2xBUDJxFpRVrfDN0-RkD_PqHJiiknAUDoqMsrpwugV6fkferAsKmfxSEA8ORAaHhaAoPLrOONbBzk/w400-h305/385095639_6413244098784122_5691186250800802534_n.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">After Rachel and Brandy were married, they learned that sometimes it doesn’t matter what plans you make! Rachel seems to have a gift for getting pregnant at times that cause her due date to fall during inopportune times. When she was pregnant with Nathan, his due date fell within weeks of the MK camp she had already scheduled. She was at the camp while she was (to put it in biblical terms) “great with child.” Her pregnancy with Nathan was good but her experience at the hospital left a lot to be desired. Basically, as a first-time mom, she didn’t know what she needed to fight for. She was induced at 38 weeks for absolutely no reason. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEbMzVVHaZIkJ3zL6BnNeJ-BhoN-aG0EhWT6anOFq1u_WgCS84BYMEJS5ktYIJOcBxN0P2Ik-DyxCFhkGlLOHyF3HhHQzcPsQQanf3fCLD7U3_iPI95ueER8JUu4uPi7QaSTOd8YaHW7JFdLmew2sKSeErBc7-HHJVxO0BUvuKknRDbZ-s7t-aAZv1Hlc/s1553/362586452_6141550442620157_1078303460188253146_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1553" data-original-width="1143" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEbMzVVHaZIkJ3zL6BnNeJ-BhoN-aG0EhWT6anOFq1u_WgCS84BYMEJS5ktYIJOcBxN0P2Ik-DyxCFhkGlLOHyF3HhHQzcPsQQanf3fCLD7U3_iPI95ueER8JUu4uPi7QaSTOd8YaHW7JFdLmew2sKSeErBc7-HHJVxO0BUvuKknRDbZ-s7t-aAZv1Hlc/s320/362586452_6141550442620157_1078303460188253146_n.jpg" width="236" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Michael is a bit obsessed with his Papa</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A couple of years after Nathan was born, Brandy and Rachel were ready for a second child. However, the next pregnancy ended in a miscarriage. A month later, it was discovered that Rachel had a large ovarian cyst that required surgery. Fortunately, the cyst was benign, but it was a scary time.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The first two pregnancies had happened quickly. After the surgery, that changed. It took about a year to get pregnant for a third time. The waiting was difficult. During that time, Rachel spoke to a pastor who had gone to Honduras on a retreat for missionaries. The pastor prayed with her. He said that she would have a baby and that he would be as beautiful as Moses was, referring to two verses that speak about what a beautiful child Moses was. The story of Michael’s pregnancy is one of the most amazing stories to Rachel.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrGFIUlkhOGJP1pD59gMd-AKbW0w_e2Q4cAgJrvW1LRy6C38223kdM3D1BFp1s5cXN9AycJrGzsU43ailPbZ_mP_BSLBnF8qx8nh5ky2oZH2AFUMFWzbuQ09ZYqjW5NvYBiOmB4I9F74cK_m3ePec-WiB9TCM-bY8IJuP5clFFp-RyR5C5lHrOWZdLRWk/s986/428625760_6950399828401877_8979292561878219107_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="695" data-original-width="986" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrGFIUlkhOGJP1pD59gMd-AKbW0w_e2Q4cAgJrvW1LRy6C38223kdM3D1BFp1s5cXN9AycJrGzsU43ailPbZ_mP_BSLBnF8qx8nh5ky2oZH2AFUMFWzbuQ09ZYqjW5NvYBiOmB4I9F74cK_m3ePec-WiB9TCM-bY8IJuP5clFFp-RyR5C5lHrOWZdLRWk/w400-h283/428625760_6950399828401877_8979292561878219107_n.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Brandy and Rachel’s church was doing a Daniel fast. Rachel decided that all she wanted to pray for was for her to get pregnant. One Sunday, as the church was ending its fast, Rachel stayed home to watch the afternoon service online. While sitting there she felt a strong urge to go take a pregnancy test. Even though pregnancy tests are best taken first thing in the morning, her late afternoon test came back positive. Keep in mind this was all happening during the church service. Michael, who is truly a beautiful child with a beautiful personality, was named after the pastor of that church, who died of COVID a few months prior to baby Michael’s birth.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1MLaOB_ETiD-OXY48Ju1jEzmUzfHO1wunlLM0VDCedrXvUzebihiwYZ4Y1lG1zUsf8KNQtZaJHsf5JK7qpDgG3lU4nQ_w589Vmbo8Afy-PDFZ0EmXtgprZxDWUAVgnArS-fQztV8uyABZgdczB811Dk-KoZApXC2wgWuifBRGQmojxKzuR9advThRJ0/s1553/366373138_6227413330700534_2914820143948092487_n.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1553" data-original-width="924" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1MLaOB_ETiD-OXY48Ju1jEzmUzfHO1wunlLM0VDCedrXvUzebihiwYZ4Y1lG1zUsf8KNQtZaJHsf5JK7qpDgG3lU4nQ_w589Vmbo8Afy-PDFZ0EmXtgprZxDWUAVgnArS-fQztV8uyABZgdczB811Dk-KoZApXC2wgWuifBRGQmojxKzuR9advThRJ0/w381-h640/366373138_6227413330700534_2914820143948092487_n.jpg" width="381" /></a></span></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Brandy and Rachel thought that since it took so long to get pregnant with Michael that it might take a while before baby number three came along. Surprise! Michael was born in October and they found out they were expecting Levi the following July. Levi was a March baby and there were a lot of things going on toward the end of that pregnancy–including the coffee farm going up in flames, new staff that was still being trained, and bedrest for Rachel. None of that helped Rachel’s stress level. Plus, at an early sonogram appointment, the doctor had assured them that Levi was a girl. Obviously, he was not. Surprise, again!</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCFJHprezjCMFeyFWJAHg6ad8tiFpiMZczdZ7KV2COIV53NpjUkgqEYa-XvJbK-Da_59fdKns3deJYqhtrUZSD-mgIw5yj8WFQm4HKg8GwpoGkwplt6lODWUkvzfUyHYB4OyTq1jVWBaPWOJFLjpJArmeLxVwjJuJEL1BL844oGvp5EhpZUTwcsptw_UA/s1806/416284492_6759560734152455_6078130467342077595_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1806" data-original-width="1442" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCFJHprezjCMFeyFWJAHg6ad8tiFpiMZczdZ7KV2COIV53NpjUkgqEYa-XvJbK-Da_59fdKns3deJYqhtrUZSD-mgIw5yj8WFQm4HKg8GwpoGkwplt6lODWUkvzfUyHYB4OyTq1jVWBaPWOJFLjpJArmeLxVwjJuJEL1BL844oGvp5EhpZUTwcsptw_UA/w320-h400/416284492_6759560734152455_6078130467342077595_n.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Rachel often finds herself under a pile of small humans</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Brandy and Rachel decided that three was indeed a good number. They were done! Finished. No more babies. But Rachel likes saying God has a sense of humor. Surprise! Number four is now on the way, due early June. Three sonograms have confirmed that this baby is a girl. Rachel described their feelings as being “very excited, horrified, and scared at the same time. Well, maybe not horrified. But definitely scared! I was grieved that we weren’t going to have a girl, especially when we had been told that Levi was a girl and I'd been excited for it. But we were trusting that God knows best. Now, we are trusting that God knows best again!”</span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Please pray that this pregnancy does not require Rachel to go on bedrest - she had to go on bedrest with both Michael and Levi's pregnancies. It would be very challenging with so many little ones in the home. Currently, Levi is starting to walk and Michael is running around like a bumper car on the loose. And anyone who has met Nathan knows he is a bundle of energy that doesn't stop. Pray for Brandy’s sanity during this fun yet hectic time. He was never planning on having four children. That’s a lot of milk and diapers! Pray for God’s continued provision. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you would like to help Rachel acquire some pink things after having to buy many blue things (plus extra items she needs because they will have three under the age of three when the new one is born), she has a baby registry, link below. A family friend has generously offered to help bring the stuff down to Honduras. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/baby-reg/rachel-sowers-june-2024-oakhill/NFBBRE5OJ7RJ" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #ff00fe;">Rachel's Baby Registry</span></b></a><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">-posted by Christi</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi352mOvEn7aitLcOS1EO4z1eeFNuchM6CTjYE6BsDVCBfpCSbvlyNi1MSm1jLbWAKrEPsUfA3TlqaGwNhIvpPmrUZ7MwMUSWgh08Qx95eYYuiGC8nkRRBicV9nS2m_iT1saZ2WBy-nmVrAUCeQWSheRfldbeC28juVmwmqxC4uSoBlU4l8LH5lIWk0YQU/s990/428611339_6950407155067811_6019755988480174454_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="693" data-original-width="990" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi352mOvEn7aitLcOS1EO4z1eeFNuchM6CTjYE6BsDVCBfpCSbvlyNi1MSm1jLbWAKrEPsUfA3TlqaGwNhIvpPmrUZ7MwMUSWgh08Qx95eYYuiGC8nkRRBicV9nS2m_iT1saZ2WBy-nmVrAUCeQWSheRfldbeC28juVmwmqxC4uSoBlU4l8LH5lIWk0YQU/w640-h448/428611339_6950407155067811_6019755988480174454_n.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Levi living his best life. Dude knows how to chill.<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span><p></p><div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div></span>Kayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05700979417256003138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8089868875915873819.post-50264380533037529602024-03-06T19:50:00.004-06:002024-03-06T19:51:43.155-06:00Let's Talk Teachers<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">It’s time for some teacher talk. Teachers are more than a classroom background noise in a Charlie Brown special. </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">“Wah wah woh wah wah wah.”</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> So let’s hear it for the teachers! Today we’re recognizing the incredible commitment and passion it takes to be a schoolteacher in the communities within Lempira. </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapIWCDdjaxYRrtZmhCZdv9_1l2bsvy59GIyXJCGz_OoQjowM5kxXHym0r3qrtMnzq8Ih03FUGwfdQCJ6lLPxCo3vDKqzwk7Vk0UPQV8RPFfDDmCEqxyhG7tSBRX8WBbt_e3UymhwIfzbSPdyIhCMDNdAC_f3rOSQxGaLaL6wcw1uvIC57-hP8tWFraP8/s1600/431428108_812170430954660_5072540948531058024_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapIWCDdjaxYRrtZmhCZdv9_1l2bsvy59GIyXJCGz_OoQjowM5kxXHym0r3qrtMnzq8Ih03FUGwfdQCJ6lLPxCo3vDKqzwk7Vk0UPQV8RPFfDDmCEqxyhG7tSBRX8WBbt_e3UymhwIfzbSPdyIhCMDNdAC_f3rOSQxGaLaL6wcw1uvIC57-hP8tWFraP8/w400-h300/431428108_812170430954660_5072540948531058024_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-6c034566-7fff-703f-38ea-deff0b3cc7d8"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Last week, while collecting letters from sponsored children, staff members of Sowers4Pastors met a new teacher. She is currently traveling more than two hours each morning to get to her school. This isn’t like some lengthy but bearable commute in the U.S. She’s not cruising along listening to podcasts or audiobooks or catching up on some sleep while riding a commuter train. She is traveling two hours on bad roads. Her children currently attend school close to their home but she believes it will be necessary to have them attend the school where she is currently teaching. She is hoping to find an affordable rental house near the school since there are no apartments in the area. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Alejandro explained, “Being a teacher is not just a job people do for income in Honduras. It is a passion for the students. The schools don’t have many resources. Because of that, the teachers have to search for help with supplies and classroom resources. If they don’t find the help, they will never get the resources they need.”</span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Recently, S4P brought some classroom decorations for the schools. These included numbers and alphabet letters to go on the wall–the sort of things we might find at Dollar Tree, but that are highly valued commodities in rural Honduran classrooms. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The schools usually only have two or three teachers. However, there are some schools within the Lighthouse Church sponsorship area with only one teacher. That teacher is fully responsible for educating 1st-6th grade students. It’s like something straight out of a “Little House on the Prairie” episode. Understandably, it is not an easy task for the teachers. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaJwXoz94I3L-s6gTV68BU5yRG4Lgel4TbftfJrYlDD6Rv9YYLWPpIjChsJ4yOdr1gmJaMNKzFa9Wxpr66ubzFxkoNuYDxicwNjuaANZZs_u_FCpRaWVXZULg2PA_g4619yTUhscESwztdJFizbYJ2Uu2nQ7A7qWHFxyoO5hqsrBJgd5SpNwUIqQbZdZc/s1264/431432332_812170254288011_5308256424143992695_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1264" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaJwXoz94I3L-s6gTV68BU5yRG4Lgel4TbftfJrYlDD6Rv9YYLWPpIjChsJ4yOdr1gmJaMNKzFa9Wxpr66ubzFxkoNuYDxicwNjuaANZZs_u_FCpRaWVXZULg2PA_g4619yTUhscESwztdJFizbYJ2Uu2nQ7A7qWHFxyoO5hqsrBJgd5SpNwUIqQbZdZc/w400-h285/431432332_812170254288011_5308256424143992695_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">“We know they are not just in it for the money,” Alejandro said. “We pray every day that God will give them strength in their hearts and the wisdom to do their jobs in the schools. Each time we go to the schools to give backpacks, we take extra supplies for the schools. Each time, the teachers start crying. The government doesn’t help with supplies. The teachers are so grateful for everything they receive. Last year, Lighthouse Church also brought supplies for each school in their program. Sometimes the schools don’t have markers to use–or even paper. These gifts gave them the tools and supplies they needed for their classes. We pray for every teacher to have the strength to continue to teach their students.”</span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There was some sad news, as well. Last week, a teacher of more than fifteen years was a victim of a bus accident. This was a teacher the S4P staff knew well. She was always the one to open their doors to the ministry each time they visited. Last year, when a team from Lighthouse Church painted the school where she taught, she was in tears. She shared that it was an answered prayer. She will be missed by the ministry and certainly by the students whose lives she touched. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">On the day we spoke, Alejandro said they were getting ready to give out backpacks to kids from three different locations, in the FBC and Settle programs. They were going to set up at one location and the children would be rotated in and out of that area to receive their backpacks. They will give out backpacks to 250 kids, as well as some classroom supplies to help make the lives of the teachers a little easier. Several of the sister churches in the States chose to donate supplies to the schools this year, which is a huge blessing, and those get handed out when the S4P staff is on site delivering backpacks. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjzl_7uT-GTHvCwQodJ5bDFAJHB9wdW0Zdh_yJEfCNnSinFo0i4QTkOTdd5UL4FUeIc8RoiR2aC4iHkCbGrhO4sIGko7mvLMfuhv-JpD2IF0yHsq4x-9B9oV04Py-nQURW50wBDQknAQdOKH6K-FimkqN3Ca88O0PIxEDDFkAGMZj-5Fuo8gNKpSyrrVc/s1220/430890401_812170130954690_853553640301300292_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="942" data-original-width="1220" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjzl_7uT-GTHvCwQodJ5bDFAJHB9wdW0Zdh_yJEfCNnSinFo0i4QTkOTdd5UL4FUeIc8RoiR2aC4iHkCbGrhO4sIGko7mvLMfuhv-JpD2IF0yHsq4x-9B9oV04Py-nQURW50wBDQknAQdOKH6K-FimkqN3Ca88O0PIxEDDFkAGMZj-5Fuo8gNKpSyrrVc/w400-h309/430890401_812170130954690_853553640301300292_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Please pray for the teachers of the programs who sacrifice so much so the children of Honduras can get an education. And please pray for the S4P as they travel about to distribute the backpacks and supplies. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- posted by Christi</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikTZV_H40qFszu6A-xqpiPLJZmGpFNEAV4xEPJXNsJ_u5842RARSSRkmcWAZSFdWQPtmCyrT-eqlB_6REBCqYNpTmnMiuhkRz3NgqZS6fI0WQjlC32iMkBFwfywR1eKXiLak9zatDY1BF_VOfX3Ei-2KdnK-OWT3FSMKyRYvS5XoHoijdrc21b6XLPx8U/s1834/405821985_748505980654439_5721234602022917782_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="1834" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikTZV_H40qFszu6A-xqpiPLJZmGpFNEAV4xEPJXNsJ_u5842RARSSRkmcWAZSFdWQPtmCyrT-eqlB_6REBCqYNpTmnMiuhkRz3NgqZS6fI0WQjlC32iMkBFwfywR1eKXiLak9zatDY1BF_VOfX3Ei-2KdnK-OWT3FSMKyRYvS5XoHoijdrc21b6XLPx8U/w640-h186/405821985_748505980654439_5721234602022917782_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teachers and Sunday School teachers from the sponsorship programs at a training event</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div></span>Kayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05700979417256003138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8089868875915873819.post-72023506113511075772024-03-01T09:23:00.003-06:002024-03-01T20:10:32.397-06:00An Allen Update: Hurry Up and Wait<p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCBpZ0MADSBwbzxnoidMSqQFzFgyUde3oXpv2y_LUc9sfCQwyMJ08vcN6kWAJTlqTuK2z5GD79oMb5OJU8n6QhazAO3drDLmwahnNocsG2G8QuPQOJAcM3G1gDyPiT2DmOBQaSzmcQbj_ozi5lrR7oNEMErAiewmD9w0PQxgCbahmwph-cE65g-UrayvgW/s700/team2023.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCBpZ0MADSBwbzxnoidMSqQFzFgyUde3oXpv2y_LUc9sfCQwyMJ08vcN6kWAJTlqTuK2z5GD79oMb5OJU8n6QhazAO3drDLmwahnNocsG2G8QuPQOJAcM3G1gDyPiT2DmOBQaSzmcQbj_ozi5lrR7oNEMErAiewmD9w0PQxgCbahmwph-cE65g-UrayvgW/s320/team2023.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Allen and Trish are glad to have progressed <br />to the point where they are seeing actual<br />neurosurgeons! Yay!<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />It has been about a month since our last big <a href="https://sowers4pastors.blogspot.com/2024/01/battling-discouragement-and-sing-along.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Allen medical update</span></a>. At that time, he’d seen one neurosurgeon for a consultation and had an appointment to get a second opinion. A lot of progress can be made in a month. Sometimes. And sometimes a month can feel a little bit like being stuck on a hamster wheel. As far as Allen’s back goes, the past thirty-ish days were more like the hamster wheel variety. <p></p><p><br /></p><p>Allen and Trish did see a PA at the second neurosurgeon’s office. After consulting with the doctor, the PA shared their analysis of Allen’s condition. The PA and the doctor were in agreement that there is one area of Allen’s back where the nerves are so badly pinched that, if left untreated, he would possibly lose his ability to walk. That’s the sort of news that gets your attention and takes returning to Honduras without treatment completely off the table. </p><p><br /></p><p>The second neurosurgeon says that Allen should have the two surgeries previously discussed. The first surgery would be on the lower back, since that is the more pressing issue. Allen and Trish were told they could make an appointment to meet with the surgeon and then book the first surgery. That should have been about a six-week process. Except . . . </p><p><br /></p><p>Insurance isn’t going to approve surgery until Allen goes through rounds of treatment with a pain management specialist. The pain specialist disagreed with the second neurosurgeon’s opinion. The second neurosurgeon’s opinion had been different from that of the first neurosurgeon. Ultimately, none of that really matters at this point since it all comes down to what insurance is willing to do at this moment. </p><p><br /></p><p>So Allen went in for his first injection in his lower back. However, things didn’t go as planned because the pieces of bone were so tightly pinched that it was impossible to insert the needle at the chosen location. Instead injections were given between the vertebrae above and below that spot. The injections are being used as a diagnostic tool to see how the pain changes. Before injections, it is necessary for Allen to cut way back on his pain meds for two weeks. After the injections, it’s a two-week waiting period before seeing the pain specialist again. Then it’s another couple of weeks before getting more injections. </p><p><br /></p><p>Trish said, “This could drag on and on. You don’t even know what to hope for! I’m just hoping to get things going and stop spending so much time waiting!”</p><p><br /></p><p>A major concern is the fact that Allen’s back is continuing to worsen. While Allen does think the physical therapy may be helping him to decline less rapidly, the overall deterioration is still happening faster than they are getting help. If the delays continue, the concern is that they will affect the final outcome. </p><p><br /></p><p>As of this writing, a telehealth appointment is scheduled with the second neurosurgeon for today (February 28th). Allen and Trish have heard that it may be possible to ask the insurance agency to reconsider the previous request for surgery. All of this will be discussed with the surgeon. </p><p><br /></p><p>The surgeries suggested are both pretty major – involving a bunch of fusions. Allen and Trish are having to think about what all of this means for their future. Even if something changes and the first surgery is approved quickly, it will not be a speedy process. There will be a two or three month recovery time from the first surgery. Then Allen would likely need to undergo the pain management procedures again (in his neck this time) before insurance would give the go-ahead for the second surgery. Naturally, that would require more recovery time before thinking about going back to Honduras. It’s a lot to deal with. </p><p><br /></p><p>To end on a happier note, Allen and Trish are glad to be plugged into a local church. They are enjoying the services and are starting to get to know people. Also, they have spoken to the owner of the home where they are staying. He has assured them that they will be able to stay there through March and possibly through April. He promised to give them thirty days notice before they need to move. That’s a comfort! </p><p><br /></p><p>As always, your prayers are appreciated. </p><div><br /><br /></div><div> - posted by Christi</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8089868875915873819.post-56014663023510004422024-02-21T09:17:00.002-06:002024-02-21T12:58:31.337-06:00What's Cooking at the Feeding Centers?<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Over the past year, Esdras has had the pleasure of visiting many of the feeding centers sponsored by Sowers4Pastors. He was eager to share what’s going on with them.</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-499300df-7fff-39fb-3128-21822d473f55"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The S4P feeding centers are run by local pastors through Sunday school programs. The pastors drive to Gracias to pick up the food. Then they return back to their communities loaded down with rice, beans, and vegetables. Protein-packed meals are prepared each Sunday, providing physical food to go along with the spiritual food that is being served up to the children in attendance.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMpjae6W5XkNmlVVLuJ1QZ1YBB_gB7kbHys4j8BZI5GpTclEh0Qi0npFa91bbMXPwc0r_v1qnC5rjNEqHSsQi8_nRrdbOejJt0zjexGRkT7uT0w_GNsajiyaMNB1cJ_YJOQGYunGK4pOIsOkMdFgnHZsahD2JkQGqU7GLQoznhbGd-vRn3q05stJAF-Uo/s3008/5564f84e-fece-4bdb-9e7a-786b11313a21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2008" data-original-width="3008" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMpjae6W5XkNmlVVLuJ1QZ1YBB_gB7kbHys4j8BZI5GpTclEh0Qi0npFa91bbMXPwc0r_v1qnC5rjNEqHSsQi8_nRrdbOejJt0zjexGRkT7uT0w_GNsajiyaMNB1cJ_YJOQGYunGK4pOIsOkMdFgnHZsahD2JkQGqU7GLQoznhbGd-vRn3q05stJAF-Uo/w400-h268/5564f84e-fece-4bdb-9e7a-786b11313a21.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">This past Sunday, Esdras visited Pastor Henry’s church, which is about a three-hour drive from Gracias. That church has around three hundred kids in attendance each Sunday. The Sunday school program has grown to include things like a music school and a barber school. Yes, a barber school! Thinking I might have misunderstood him, I asked Esdras to clarify that last point. Here’s what he said:</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">“Some people in this area don’t have money to pay for a haircut. This ministry is on the street–working with people who may not have homes.” </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Yes, Pastor Henry is an innovative man who saw a need and found a way to fill it. This isn’t the only feeding center he oversees. Pastor Henry serves six different locations, serving a total of 1200 kids in his area. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcv9DWjH64Jzn3x0UEhzhed-TAxXj2ajIc7r8yfb4Ak19nvw6pPJELApMsByQYTfNNLE7Hw0q8VUpbacbIAguEU4GrWK-Y3eeNgRyemLy-TO2RZ3Ar9muzPaUbfOqpqX7YsEmo3Onfy8HN_sU4Nx0Jvh9Tyyvp3LvfyomhAnFYXnE9Q17Ay-6IWbSd_wk/s3008/ce1b56f7-edd8-4ad4-8458-377e2e90362c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2008" data-original-width="3008" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcv9DWjH64Jzn3x0UEhzhed-TAxXj2ajIc7r8yfb4Ak19nvw6pPJELApMsByQYTfNNLE7Hw0q8VUpbacbIAguEU4GrWK-Y3eeNgRyemLy-TO2RZ3Ar9muzPaUbfOqpqX7YsEmo3Onfy8HN_sU4Nx0Jvh9Tyyvp3LvfyomhAnFYXnE9Q17Ay-6IWbSd_wk/w400-h268/ce1b56f7-edd8-4ad4-8458-377e2e90362c.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">“It’s an awesome opportunity to see in person what the goal is when we are donating to the feeding centers. Sometimes when we give out the rice to the pastors, we can’t see the whole picture. But I saw kids involved in music and in serving with skills like barbering,” said Edras.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">In two weeks, Sowers4Pastors is hosting a meeting for the leaders of all the feeding centers, which will take place in Gracias. The idea behind this meeting is to make sure that each center is given quality Sunday school materials and how to use them.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Esdras shared, “The food centers are sharing stories from the Bible but many of them don’t have a system or age-appropriate materials.” </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht3SeY8bTB6ekBMXhdZl5ksLUsvzhZKnvPUtjOUMVvgVHlqrJtTKBMUb_DIj3gJKa0Jo8g3cx4zwKXHionVfFFO1ydoc3_ZpCWqfSU4AMMpTL__UUCicMV-dih_lA_1YYj21UFZWIPRtDsr2li5IgyVWMRAsBVYDiRA2bIMFnGXT1L-ZqEzd_8EBCFGac/s3008/6df1c82f-3125-46ea-a95d-7ceb48738db2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2008" data-original-width="3008" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht3SeY8bTB6ekBMXhdZl5ksLUsvzhZKnvPUtjOUMVvgVHlqrJtTKBMUb_DIj3gJKa0Jo8g3cx4zwKXHionVfFFO1ydoc3_ZpCWqfSU4AMMpTL__UUCicMV-dih_lA_1YYj21UFZWIPRtDsr2li5IgyVWMRAsBVYDiRA2bIMFnGXT1L-ZqEzd_8EBCFGac/w400-h268/6df1c82f-3125-46ea-a95d-7ceb48738db2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p>S4P wants to supply each center with good resources that cover topics such as grace and mercy. Esdras has been working with some other people on this and a curriculum has been found. While the kids are given nutritious food to assist in their physical growth, they will also be receiving food to help them grow in God. </span><p></p><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">If you’d like to make an extra donation to the feeding center program, head over to the </span><a href="https://sowers4pastors.reachapp.co/donations/new" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">ministry website</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. Your donation can make a huge impact. </span></span><div><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglQCCq6uS_ZMW7p_vFP4sQ557-rFoadB_ZVWP6-vIBKtllS96Igck7fLwyUv0G2EtU3LXkadT3XiNtyInPQ2hwUSfvjhLXZjn_7txVix7Ny9JbyTLjI3r980kTcgQW_9aWaiZCeJHThKuWXqgRjbfORWzL5Sxl3PwL8_DuI1TOYgj-bhT5BlXNJbi-vsQ/s3008/b32dd4c6-faf3-42b3-9c55-804e91270fc6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2008" data-original-width="3008" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglQCCq6uS_ZMW7p_vFP4sQ557-rFoadB_ZVWP6-vIBKtllS96Igck7fLwyUv0G2EtU3LXkadT3XiNtyInPQ2hwUSfvjhLXZjn_7txVix7Ny9JbyTLjI3r980kTcgQW_9aWaiZCeJHThKuWXqgRjbfORWzL5Sxl3PwL8_DuI1TOYgj-bhT5BlXNJbi-vsQ/w400-h268/b32dd4c6-faf3-42b3-9c55-804e91270fc6.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span> </span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></span><div><span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">- posted by Christi.</span></span></div></div><div><br /></div>Kayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05700979417256003138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8089868875915873819.post-57102649065168686792024-02-20T09:14:00.001-06:002024-02-20T09:19:20.335-06:00Meeting Mary Faith<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The announcement has been made and the word is out that Mary Faith Yoder will be joining Sowers4Pastors as a full-time staff member–serving in an administrative capacity. Today we get to actually “meet” Mary Faith. Without further ado… Everyone, this is Mary Faith!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuRXPtUfDPjEXdnRwSGpiF6z56NJvk9BrDwdUGKk5fAJzG1O9cbEVmASj1qS5wKZ_RxXoA-UWV5merfW-3aPeejcPhByy7AOpAbSwItDDxkwFox7owaoyMCP5QAMgxGFyMdU9pNVskCtmEzNmHReXB0ifPw5ehHvPMglGGwR6kbY1EnkXOpD4zd-I0E0g/s2048/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-01-25%20at%204.01.48%20PM.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1510" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuRXPtUfDPjEXdnRwSGpiF6z56NJvk9BrDwdUGKk5fAJzG1O9cbEVmASj1qS5wKZ_RxXoA-UWV5merfW-3aPeejcPhByy7AOpAbSwItDDxkwFox7owaoyMCP5QAMgxGFyMdU9pNVskCtmEzNmHReXB0ifPw5ehHvPMglGGwR6kbY1EnkXOpD4zd-I0E0g/s320/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-01-25%20at%204.01.48%20PM.jpeg" width="236" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Mary Faith is mom to three grown sons, and grew up in a family with many siblings. She first felt called into missions as a teenager. However, she married at the age of twenty-one and got busy starting a family. She thought she would have to give up her dream of becoming a missionary. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">She said, “My original dream was to be a missionary schoolteacher. That never happened. But I did teach school for two years before homeschooling my three boys. My oldest was in the 4th grade and my middle son was in 1st grade when I started. I continued until my youngest son, who is now twenty-one, was through high school. So that’s something like eighteen years of homeschooling.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Life doesn’t always work out as planned and Mary Faith didn’t plan on becoming a single mom when her sons were five, ten, and twelve years old. She and her sons share an incredibly close bond, and they are very supportive of her decision to move to Honduras. They probably aren’t completely surprised. She went on her first mission trip to Africa with her youngest son when he was just sixteen. It was a four-week trip! After that she went on multiple other mission trips, including another one to Africa. She talked to her boys about the possibility of moving to Honduras before making any serious decisions. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">How did she find out about the position? Mary Faith has been Facebook friends with Trish since shortly after the kidnapping. So back in April or May when Trish put out a request on Facebook for someone who would like to join S4P to primarily work in the office, Mary Faith felt the urge to reach out to her. She visited Honduras for three and a half weeks in August and got a feel for it. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Her entire family is behind her decision to go for it! Mary Faith and her sons moved from North Carolina to Phoenix seven years ago, primarily to be closer to her parents. Her father passed away from COVID in 2020 and she was a little concerned about moving away from her mom at this time. However, her mom is healthy, active, and retired. And Mary Faith’s younger sisters are close by. It was her mom who said, “Look, if you ever want to do something like this, now is the time to do it.” </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qbT1U-aj5DN87pX8RYx5AjDru1f9vw-DhaLNe02gxGFbiej7flb_Am1s9vUle7wZCNy9nfGpsXJX6xpi8UL4i_OdjpJInRml8j2qB063Vho04DIaO02N_YjF2Yy03yZPy0Y6NRiiwsbUThbYNLMlcJdmXQTiFdZ4lXjDPwJ3B6GR4AxgR1Ki4xLU-SU/s919/64829a7d-8491-4bcd-a50b-3583d40a1ebe.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="919" data-original-width="618" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qbT1U-aj5DN87pX8RYx5AjDru1f9vw-DhaLNe02gxGFbiej7flb_Am1s9vUle7wZCNy9nfGpsXJX6xpi8UL4i_OdjpJInRml8j2qB063Vho04DIaO02N_YjF2Yy03yZPy0Y6NRiiwsbUThbYNLMlcJdmXQTiFdZ4lXjDPwJ3B6GR4AxgR1Ki4xLU-SU/w269-h400/64829a7d-8491-4bcd-a50b-3583d40a1ebe.jpg" width="269" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mary Faith with her sons and daughter-in-law.<br />From left to right: Adrian, Shannon, Mary Faith, Travis, Karaline</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Travel to and from Honduras won’t take that much longer than when she lived in North Carolina. Mary Faith knows that the work is flexible enough that she will be able to go home for a visit when needed. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">When asked what she is most looking forward to, she said, “That’s a good question. I feel like it’s being able to make a difference. Especially since my boys are grown, it’s been my passion to do something and go somewhere I can make a difference. We all have different callings and I know there are people called to make a difference in America. But this has been a dream of mine for many years and I feel like it’s an opportunity.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In case you’re wondering, Mary Faith is currently trying to learn Spanish. She said, “From my teenage years, I wanted to go somewhere that spoke Spanish. I wish I could have learned when I was younger and it would have been easier. But I’m excited about learning. I’ve been doing Duolingo for quite a while. I think the plan is to send me to Spanish school for a month or so when I move there.”</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh1CZPgKcfWc-kMvM_-jcA5KcoPmp-wjAcaWVHozuE-tmJ8I9W6K9Jw4G0Uvia9INnYMVQyEYdtb3yhczuGQdHm-Dput0AnVIsQZlBpDO6EX8l60NqOEcPdOtD3XerpISBFzrRf5h68UQVjgw10tW-VLKbXQxFEixMg7FyieuSqh5wdwTjldJ7minx78I/s1219/20240131_1149351.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1086" data-original-width="1219" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh1CZPgKcfWc-kMvM_-jcA5KcoPmp-wjAcaWVHozuE-tmJ8I9W6K9Jw4G0Uvia9INnYMVQyEYdtb3yhczuGQdHm-Dput0AnVIsQZlBpDO6EX8l60NqOEcPdOtD3XerpISBFzrRf5h68UQVjgw10tW-VLKbXQxFEixMg7FyieuSqh5wdwTjldJ7minx78I/s320/20240131_1149351.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trish, ready for some reinforcements in the office</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Even though she is currently still raising support to be able to move to Honduras full-time, she is planning on going down in March for two weeks to help with updating the profiles of kids in the sponsorship program. Her plan is to get training and then bring a bunch of the work home to do it from there. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Please pray for Mary Faith as she gets things in order. The timeframe of her move is dependent upon how long it takes to raise financial support. Pray also for her sons. Yes, they are grown men now but she’s still a mom! She currently works in the business of one of her sons. Pray that he will find someone to replace her in her role, as well. And, of course, pray for her upcoming trip for training.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you want to help Mary Faith out with her fundraising, you can donate <a href="https://sowers4pastors.reachapp.co/donations/new" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">-posted by Christi.</span></p><p><br /></p>Kayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05700979417256003138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8089868875915873819.post-35680703300251260682024-02-15T09:30:00.007-06:002024-02-15T09:30:59.728-06:00Stories of Home Visits<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">During our most recent chat, Brandy was with a visiting team as they ate breakfast before heading out for a busy day. He graciously delayed his own breakfast long enough to talk about his love of going out with sponsors to visit the children they sponsor, and their families, in their homes. </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-35c6fba2-7fff-237c-ea26-d8f24aed1c12"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">He said, “Home visits are important and I love doing home visits with team members. It’s </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">big</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> for me. I just love people in general. I love spending time with people and I love that the people we visit have a lot to share that isn’t material. You get to know the people and how they live. And when you get to know them, they aren’t just numbers. Working in the Sowers4Pastors office, we see lists and there are numbers for the kids. But when we meet, they are not numbers. We meet their families and understand their struggles. These are people that live close to me but they have different needs. It’s a real blessing because you realize they are happy. You might see a kid playing with a piece of wood his father carved into the shape of a car. The families have good relationships. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_zjz0DnqxaA7xmGoYkYoB7vTce4dVPyMmhyphenhyphenph418LqICS-mP4kLVNTQW-Iehng6qFUPO-8rvzkbhNg9Mdu8lWDdl9djEyMKrf5j83tEq_gOlK9NYGQzR2CT0gIuLmjvmfsKUM0xHS_vL8Ya8I0EUjOwuOJ8OA40wE1NN5FNuxeHPDachbk4LmJ3zh0hg/s2048/428276701_799861888852181_6954573636976159729_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_zjz0DnqxaA7xmGoYkYoB7vTce4dVPyMmhyphenhyphenph418LqICS-mP4kLVNTQW-Iehng6qFUPO-8rvzkbhNg9Mdu8lWDdl9djEyMKrf5j83tEq_gOlK9NYGQzR2CT0gIuLmjvmfsKUM0xHS_vL8Ya8I0EUjOwuOJ8OA40wE1NN5FNuxeHPDachbk4LmJ3zh0hg/w400-h266/428276701_799861888852181_6954573636976159729_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">“They visit each other when someone is sick. If one family’s mango tree ripens early, they take mangoes to others. As a staff member, it reminds me of how important the ministry is. We are a channel of blessing and what we do has a big purpose. We share the love of Christ; we share the love that Jesus has for us. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">“The other thing I enjoy is that I can speak English, even though it’s not perfect. As I translate, I am able to connect two cultures. The sponsors and the families can share stories. They hug. They cry. They pray. It is amazing!”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Brandy admitted that he could have talked all morning on this topic but he limited things to stories involving three home visits.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioadfbHzMJGeP35ekS9R5OOHwwCw8iUNEEJRg5-tMldpb9MR4OW4dCT-w12THQdq2M4yq7BW75HJ5yg_YJKv51m_bTTPO_Uvo9eFIUTaReZtpEcbUUWBudbF0BQdpKfnqr6kCgnIBYXdORN0m0JioA026s7Yqsr2B3M8aBrVvpksyhzr6s31eh26c_di8/s2048/428407979_799862082185495_7816533397158489281_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioadfbHzMJGeP35ekS9R5OOHwwCw8iUNEEJRg5-tMldpb9MR4OW4dCT-w12THQdq2M4yq7BW75HJ5yg_YJKv51m_bTTPO_Uvo9eFIUTaReZtpEcbUUWBudbF0BQdpKfnqr6kCgnIBYXdORN0m0JioA026s7Yqsr2B3M8aBrVvpksyhzr6s31eh26c_di8/w400-h266/428407979_799862082185495_7816533397158489281_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Story 1</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Three weeks ago, team members from the Lighthouse program were doing home visits. One of those visits was to a family whose house had caught fire about six or seven months ago. While the fire could have been worse, the family lost clothing, beds, and other possessions. Since the fire happened during the day, neither the family nor their neighbors were home. However, the church was very close and the pastor was there working on a sermon. The pastor was able to help extinguish the fire and comfort the family in the aftermath. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Brandy pointed out that while it was sad because the family had lost possessions, there was a bright side in seeing the community step in to help them. The community joined together to give the family clothing for their children. Someone gave them a bed. As a result of the experience, the family began attending church. They are now strong Christians. The parents, who weren’t married before, got married. The oldest daughter joined the worship team and is now a Sunday school teacher. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">S4P is trying to help them replace part of their roof that is leaking, and repair electrical wiring that was damaged. The ministry is also planning to change out a sink and purchase two beds for the kids.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Story 2</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Two days ago, Brandy was with team members in Guacutao. One of the children in the program lost his father only a week earlier. While the child’s sponsor was there, she wasn’t sure it would be an appropriate time to pay the family a visit. When asked, the family agreed to a visit. They were able to share their pain. The sponsor was able to cry with them and pray with them. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The child’s father had been working in the States for a year. He was actively involved in a worship team, as he had been in Honduras. About five months ago, he was diagnosed with a type of blood cancer. He told his family that he was ready to die in the States and told them not to go to the expense of transporting his body back to Honduras. Somehow, he was able to travel back home just eight days before he died. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">While that is an incredibly sad situation, the sponsor and Brandy were able to hold a sacred space for the family in which they could share their grief.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Story 3 (which involved 3 houses)</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The final stories are happier than the last one. They involve visits with the Lighthouse team. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Brandy said, “When a sponsor comes, the neighbors, aunts, and cousins also come to visit. At the first house, there were people waiting for the sponsor. We played cards and watched the kids play soccer.”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">At the second house, they also played a card game the sponsor had brought along. It was a hit! In fact, it was such a hit that people at the next house heard the noise and started coming over one-by-one. Then the mother from the next house said that she had food for them. She gave the guests chicken soup, which Brandy declared to be the best he’s ever had. The homes were just a few feet away from each other so the maker of the fine chicken soup went back to playing the boisterous card game. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKNgBvJTU6yIhTtz3u1rlp7hFXR0FNqkNthDSQSvxKgFsJbSDZbuFz0VlSmxlofPN8Egf4L-TCTAnL9fWO83tP6BBo5Ze_VRGZIKmeSfbNS4WNZo3SP8zQmtUXzQcpsYNsQRQpv6F2rdMP_XxqAa3rbm4KAmciSOYRp2k1lxeUFknHAfoPtzb5y5hfq-U/s2048/422277068_787354890102881_6770844594788547147_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKNgBvJTU6yIhTtz3u1rlp7hFXR0FNqkNthDSQSvxKgFsJbSDZbuFz0VlSmxlofPN8Egf4L-TCTAnL9fWO83tP6BBo5Ze_VRGZIKmeSfbNS4WNZo3SP8zQmtUXzQcpsYNsQRQpv6F2rdMP_XxqAa3rbm4KAmciSOYRp2k1lxeUFknHAfoPtzb5y5hfq-U/w400-h266/422277068_787354890102881_6770844594788547147_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Final Thoughts from Brandy</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">“It’s difficult for a lot of people to come down and visit their child. I understand that.” Brandy laughed and said, “I don’t know how I would do it if three hundred people wanted to come. But I know it’s important and I enjoy doing the home visits. I feel very blessed.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCUrTnfYDlVvWjcURe3XXKsD1mD1CqbSmeTKBkdT8xgaeaCQ1GoReVbStTyX2o65HFDoIRrEKj2ovqtFYI_0uRJC3FkI7zp3CBDTv447HsimgBFcVcgcI_OS203fVaYoj5xvqj8oTBeeyz8jVXjuUQ3kJOnQXeKHT4dMYKF8Skx5tTmjcURBCgoBRaB0Q/s2048/422288273_787354626769574_1064447386880683664_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCUrTnfYDlVvWjcURe3XXKsD1mD1CqbSmeTKBkdT8xgaeaCQ1GoReVbStTyX2o65HFDoIRrEKj2ovqtFYI_0uRJC3FkI7zp3CBDTv447HsimgBFcVcgcI_OS203fVaYoj5xvqj8oTBeeyz8jVXjuUQ3kJOnQXeKHT4dMYKF8Skx5tTmjcURBCgoBRaB0Q/w320-h213/422288273_787354626769574_1064447386880683664_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhljHYdrx3nSojbm4gMGDKwemkOq0GEFdFgkQ6E7cd0J3zJ8tRHysCjuCT0qf_oAPfoJgiWIdE5KhkTu_VNhnZmDKBAFOhLUAy2boI9Z0yg8xVDa98eb3WGD7L6ZOJD4iKv5qfoiUpQLRRuhclS9FV6MC3_MRSUg3aSYPthSl1a2d4MmBVUI-kgBNyRKYQ/s2048/422252735_787355020102868_7063713841131879815_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhljHYdrx3nSojbm4gMGDKwemkOq0GEFdFgkQ6E7cd0J3zJ8tRHysCjuCT0qf_oAPfoJgiWIdE5KhkTu_VNhnZmDKBAFOhLUAy2boI9Z0yg8xVDa98eb3WGD7L6ZOJD4iKv5qfoiUpQLRRuhclS9FV6MC3_MRSUg3aSYPthSl1a2d4MmBVUI-kgBNyRKYQ/w320-h213/422252735_787355020102868_7063713841131879815_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-posted by Christi. </span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div></span>Kayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05700979417256003138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8089868875915873819.post-5343253624356558612024-01-31T11:27:00.003-06:002024-01-31T11:32:07.632-06:00Help is On the Way!!!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkCZdKbk8GX14HXXHvHoghJ4oDNbjGj7UdHtn_Htuo_2jnGBasU7A1-0AN2P3r6qmvHnemQVrRSpgSg0oaH1iZ0dLjHSPDTmm7Z9zXx3CtBbUen5kfHNLphub8KotZn0S_PVMb3LMFwg0VToH1bjognz8_Qnd0yb03nGQKbMqf0jcah7gDf0vBBCeIH1wN/s6120/scott-graham-OQMZwNd3ThU-unsplash1.jpg" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2711" data-original-width="6120" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkCZdKbk8GX14HXXHvHoghJ4oDNbjGj7UdHtn_Htuo_2jnGBasU7A1-0AN2P3r6qmvHnemQVrRSpgSg0oaH1iZ0dLjHSPDTmm7Z9zXx3CtBbUen5kfHNLphub8KotZn0S_PVMb3LMFwg0VToH1bjognz8_Qnd0yb03nGQKbMqf0jcah7gDf0vBBCeIH1wN/w640-h284/scott-graham-OQMZwNd3ThU-unsplash1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Office work!!!!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Grab a handful of confetti and toss it in the air because help is on the way! A new North <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXf06WQp-Zru0YQ5LhnuUGD0tn6v6oNv-nBxRT8540lnsRAaXujNSBjJItrapAARUcfzMTN7Mc3XugE8QHkimZBzwXWxKJBTSposXWZYz57s57MeKV40JRFwHmaJeWBgarcNIf6bPpOuPM9H83zbJPSDkVk_FB8TwT4Xei8HSyJStOOVh0zB0fMHz9X7uE/s2048/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-01-25%20at%204.01.48%20PM.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1510" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXf06WQp-Zru0YQ5LhnuUGD0tn6v6oNv-nBxRT8540lnsRAaXujNSBjJItrapAARUcfzMTN7Mc3XugE8QHkimZBzwXWxKJBTSposXWZYz57s57MeKV40JRFwHmaJeWBgarcNIf6bPpOuPM9H83zbJPSDkVk_FB8TwT4Xei8HSyJStOOVh0zB0fMHz9X7uE/s320/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-01-25%20at%204.01.48%20PM.jpeg" width="236" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mary Faith</td></tr></tbody></table>American missionary, Mary Faith Yoder, is going to be moving to Honduras to join the Sowers4Pastors team. S4P could not be happier about it. This is particularly good news for Trish.<br /><span id="docs-internal-guid-a4a3a495-7fff-4801-8404-23706ef32e91"><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Throughout the early years of the ministry, Trish was focused on running a household and being a homeschooling mom. Her plate was full but she also did things like writing the newsletters and teaching Sunday school lessons. She describes herself as a minor player in the ministry during that time. The fact that so many of her children are now involved in full-time mission work would indicate she wasn’t really a minor player at all, but you get her point. She wasn’t involved in much of the day-to-day operations of Sowers4Pastors back then. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Just at the point when she wasn’t homeschooling a whole passel of kids, the sponsorship program came into being. When it first started, Trish really, really didn’t want to be the person in charge of maintaining all of the record-keeping. She had hoped to move into a more creative aspect of the ministry. Alas, Trish ended up being the person to step into the role of chief runner of the website. It was not her dream job but she has done it faithfully since 2018. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Trish pointed out that during these years she has learned “how to do a lot of things that you only learn through trial and error.” She became an expert at contacting customer support for the website. She learned how to do surprisingly tricky mundane tasks such as changing a donor’s email address on the website. (There are more steps to this than you might imagine!) She can manipulate the site to make it run specific reports - also surprisingly tricky! She became the go-to person on staff for that sort of thing. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmmJruzmUHt9VHp8C3XPsy4EIwHg11LAeYlHGcu5m2GFwkEYFzawTqaBNuE5uvm47jokBGrnFJitghZ0UKsZlgl2dO6rBtp7V5HyzcjLGYo6rbMjYz7xFKs9pJQat1noJ8zyU4LETP4lfmu7fuJDq8SESrzckOPfOYjl5Cu9dBqUpXki52JNTFUIuBwbZh/s4877/20240131_1149351.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4345" data-original-width="4877" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmmJruzmUHt9VHp8C3XPsy4EIwHg11LAeYlHGcu5m2GFwkEYFzawTqaBNuE5uvm47jokBGrnFJitghZ0UKsZlgl2dO6rBtp7V5HyzcjLGYo6rbMjYz7xFKs9pJQat1noJ8zyU4LETP4lfmu7fuJDq8SESrzckOPfOYjl5Cu9dBqUpXki52JNTFUIuBwbZh/s320/20240131_1149351.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trish's not-ready-for-Instagram<br />workspace in Florida</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Trish said, “People come to you because you’re the person who has already spent the time figuring out how to do things. That’s fine, since it saves time for everyone. But what happens if someday I can’t do it anymore? It’s not that I’m retiring. I’m not out of the picture! But we want to know that if something should happen to me there will be someone else who knows how to complete all of those tasks. Mary Faith is the person coming in to learn how to do this.”</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Finding people who are dedicated to being behind-the-scenes support staff isn’t an easy task. As Trish said, “Office work doesn’t make for great selfies on Instagram.”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Mary Faith came down to Honduras last year for a month to see if this was something she felt called to pursue. During that time, she learned a lot about using the system. Everyone believes she will get up to speed quickly. She’s coming for another short-term visit soon - and at a perfect time, as it’s the season when all of the sponsorship kids’ profiles are updated. This is the time of year when it becomes impossible for Trish to keep up with all of the updates and her regular work. There are tight deadlines for the profile updates because churches in the States set up sponsorship Sundays to encourage new sponsors to sign up, and all of that church's children need to be updated by that set date. It’s a big load of work on a tight schedule. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96ZlhGNq6PESQGQJdXCJeOshW8tcGftFttZdFekSglcRMBZrGT-3VZ8e-P3KcWSY6VGXOqbAD5FH8m_JA0I720erXYevT8CLAkWAZaiFG5h2llCSDaJyntBBTd6sA_uKYERYkxwxE1GsaTcvEIjqKFWETXJm1miN1-kM4HzPKUyY6AnF9AaYbamfQOME7/s1102/Screenshot%202024-01-31%20113258.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="888" data-original-width="1102" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96ZlhGNq6PESQGQJdXCJeOshW8tcGftFttZdFekSglcRMBZrGT-3VZ8e-P3KcWSY6VGXOqbAD5FH8m_JA0I720erXYevT8CLAkWAZaiFG5h2llCSDaJyntBBTd6sA_uKYERYkxwxE1GsaTcvEIjqKFWETXJm1miN1-kM4HzPKUyY6AnF9AaYbamfQOME7/s320/Screenshot%202024-01-31%20113258.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sowers4Pastors website donation page<br />(click photo for better viewing)</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Unlike the Honduran staff who work on salary, the goal is for North American missionaries to raise their own support. (If you're curious about why we handle things this way, <a href="https://sowers4pastors.blogspot.com/2023/08/supporting-honduran-missionaries-heres.html" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: #fcff01; color: #0b5394;">click here for a blog post about that!</span></a>) Raising support is what Mary Faith is working on now, so that she can move to Honduras and work with Sowers4Pastors full time! Please consider helping her, through prayers and financial support. In the past some of the potential North American staff members didn’t work out. Sometimes people would visit with a team and expect that daily tasks during non-team times would still involve fun things like playing games with small children all the time. Mary Faith is well aware that the bulk of her responsibilities will be more like customer service tasks with a smattering of accounting thrown in for good measure. She is up for the job! Helping to support Mary Faith through prayers and donations is one very tangible way to support the ongoing work of Sowers4Pastors. (Mary Faith has been added to the list of donation categories on the website, to make it easy to<span style="color: #0b5394;"> <a href="https://sowers4pastors.reachapp.co/donations/new" style="background-color: #fcff01;" target="_blank">donate toward her support</a></span>).</span><p></p><div><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> - posted by Christi</span></div></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8089868875915873819.post-13954720418518040452024-01-25T12:03:00.001-06:002024-01-25T12:34:19.010-06:00Battling Discouragement (and a sing-along)<p> It’s time for a sing-along in honor of Allen and Trish!</p><p><br /></p><p></p><blockquote><p>“Oh give me a home, where the buffalo roam </p></blockquote><blockquote><p>Where the deer and the antelope play,</p></blockquote><blockquote><p>Where seldom is heard, a discouraging word</p><p>And the skies are not cloudy all day.”</p></blockquote><p></p><p><br /></p><p>That is a lovely thought. It’s not a completely accurate representation of life for Allen and Trish at the moment–though the internet does confirm that the state of Florida is home to both deer and antelope. The weather is pretty good, too. It’s that part about seldom hearing a discouraging word that doesn’t ring true. They have had to hear far too many discouraging words while trying to stay positive themselves. In case you don’t always keep up with their news via Facebook, let’s get you up to speed. </p><p><br /></p><p>In the last major blog update on their situation, Allen and Trish knew they were going to need to leave their cozy donated cottage in Georgia but they didn’t know where they would land. In early December they put out the word that they were in search of new housing. They were hoping the new place would be both budget-friendly and near Allen’s medical facilities. As it turned out, a friend of theirs, who also happens to be a Sowers4Pastors boardmember, lives in Orlando and knew of someone in the area with a house they weren’t using. It’s an older house set on a lake in a beautiful neighborhood. Because the house doesn’t fit in with the neighborhood and was neglected for some years, the new owners purchased it with the intention of razing it and building a new home. But that hasn't happened yet.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU131bTSdPO3tHcpvGPWPbKFvCOyLhaJdC3lpPfNeOjHwCi_gT3GYQIPVEKnRI2lbjBtm5mGsMwmXZA10moETOW4LsOICjCBqSyYEvWQJvyRlRehKZGS-dO_8i9lfNel295u1isWostCTHtDO5yiNmrt94lBlGmaDB44exGFaVRjT6IHe5Us-76d46IGO2/s1650/lake%20maitland.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1101" data-original-width="1650" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU131bTSdPO3tHcpvGPWPbKFvCOyLhaJdC3lpPfNeOjHwCi_gT3GYQIPVEKnRI2lbjBtm5mGsMwmXZA10moETOW4LsOICjCBqSyYEvWQJvyRlRehKZGS-dO_8i9lfNel295u1isWostCTHtDO5yiNmrt94lBlGmaDB44exGFaVRjT6IHe5Us-76d46IGO2/w640-h428/lake%20maitland.webp" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gorgeous Lake Maitland - Allen and Trish feel so spoiled having this view!</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>In the meantime, the house was just sitting there, so the owners have chosen to make it available to individuals with temporary housing needs. Trish wants to be clear that they are not living in some ramshackle abode. It more than meets their current needs. It’s a large one-story house with gigantic windows and views of the water. Trish said, “Don’t think that we are making-do here. We are feeling very blessed.”</p><p><br /></p><p>However, it is a temporary solution since the house will eventually be torn down. Trish and Allen do not know the timeframe but they believe that they will be able to stay there until at least the end of February. Please be praying about their housing situation for the future. </p><p><br /></p><p>And Allen’s health? That’s where the discouraging words come in. Allen and Trish have been in Honduras for long enough that the US healthcare system is causing them to have a bit of culture shock. They have been amazed at how long it takes to get an appointment, receive test results, etc. </p><p><br /></p><p>Allen did finally get in to see a spine specialist this past week. It wasn’t what could be called a positive experience. Apparently the doctor was having a bad day because he was preoccupied when he walked into the exam room, and hadn’t even looked at Allen’s MRI results before the appointment. Overall, nothing the doctor said made Allen feel confident that he was in the right hands. What they do know is that Allen’s back pain - and thus any solution to the problem - is complicated by the fact that the damage is in multiple places, and the pain may be caused by a variety of different problems. </p><p><br /></p><p>The good news is that Allen was able to get an appointment for a second opinion this coming Friday, with a doctor located only ten minutes from the house where they are staying. Allen and Trish are hoping and praying this will be a better experience. They are REALLY hoping for an answer that can allow them to make some plans and move forward in a positive direction.</p><p><br /></p><p>Trish said, “I’m not going to say that we are discouraged, but we are fighting it all the time. This is obviously not a situation we would have chosen and it is out of our control. This is very much a prayer request. Pray that we can keep our focus on whatever God brings us. We are aware that sometimes what He’s trying to do isn’t quite what we were hoping for! Be praying for a solution that will allow Allen to get back into life again. Right now he is feeling sidelined. We’re hoping that God will give us a solution that can change that. If not, we pray that we will figure out what our lives will look like. If we will be staying in the US, we need to figure out finances. If we go back to Honduras, where we own a home, it would be better for us financially, but Allen might have to just deal with ongoing pain and disability. There are a lot of things to figure out.”</p><p><br /></p><p>People are curious about their financial situation. Currently, they are managing to make it work because of the donated housing. However, they are going through money they wish they weren’t, in order to pay for the medical care and other expenses up to this point. Since the housing situation will be changing and they could be facing one or more big surgeries, finances are an ongoing major prayer concern.</p><p><br /></p><p>Trish shared about the recent scare of their car making a horrible noise as she was backing out of the driveway. Fortunately, a “free” brake inspection that cost them $11 helped put their minds at ease (apparently the car just makes a noise when the weather has been very wet). But, as Trish said, “Anything can pop up and we are not in a situation, financially, to deal with anything popping up!”</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhThEpBOjtZIcZcd8OXY5Lza1Udx8l4sLoo3yjrwsLaVaXPwyfPMG4uDpXN0WHjo1_6Jmg1vS45wlbwG6duRH4dWNloK9P5-MHcC-Mv8xCUJtbKiRi6gG66r7ow2zIj8MrEIGlxav1v_mntBbO6TRjzGbQOqdRxjs7ORC63BYfrhLVHTpZTgiOclksWCqbU/s1401/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-01-25%20at%2012.53.18%20PM.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1007" data-original-width="1401" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhThEpBOjtZIcZcd8OXY5Lza1Udx8l4sLoo3yjrwsLaVaXPwyfPMG4uDpXN0WHjo1_6Jmg1vS45wlbwG6duRH4dWNloK9P5-MHcC-Mv8xCUJtbKiRi6gG66r7ow2zIj8MrEIGlxav1v_mntBbO6TRjzGbQOqdRxjs7ORC63BYfrhLVHTpZTgiOclksWCqbU/w640-h460/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-01-25%20at%2012.53.18%20PM.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>To leave things on an encouraging positive note, Trish and Allen were able to have a very fun mini family reunion when Christopher and his wife, Audrey came from Sarasota for a visit, at the same time that Bethany (Boo) came down from Virginia with her one year old son, Steven. </p><p><br /></p><p>Thank you in advance for continuing to support Allen & Trish and the ministry through your prayers. If you feel led to help Allen and Trish with their up-in-the-air financial situation, donations can be made through <a href="https://sowers4pastors.reachapp.co/donations/new" target="_blank">the donation page on the Sowers4Pastors website</a>. Thanks so much!</p><p><br /></p><p> - posted by Christi</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8089868875915873819.post-67065969552855322642024-01-17T10:55:00.007-06:002024-01-18T13:33:32.952-06:00Please Pray for the 2024 Projects!<p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">“You put the emPHAsis on the wrong sylLABle,” is listed as one of the most commonly quoted movie quotes. In fact, there’s a good chance you’ve heard it even if you’ve never seen the 2003 movie, </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">View from the Top</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. Today, we’re talking about a word that can be either a noun or a verb depending on which sylLABle gets the emPHAsis. The word is “project.” (PROject for a noun. ProJECT for a verb.) Brandy shared about how Sowers4Pastors proJECTS how many PROjects they will tackle in 2024!</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-2e7e83dc-7fff-b878-7f36-8d38361385b6"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The backpack project is such a huge undertaking that it can be easy for supporters to forget about some of the other worthwhile projects S4P does each year. Backpack distribution will begin next week and things will be a blur until it’s finished. But for today, let’s put some emPHAsis on roofs for churches, motorcycles for pastors, and gift boxes for pastors and their families. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfmqCvn0Mqw181YAQMd6gITA3yPfpEFb-YajpXHIbc1jAvFM7faqqt57F7jf8EuwATbeDKu8Ava7zn9dKTUsclEpQByYwzPn213uEsO2LBKPmu5J4EQEtogSTQe_F-FZdBoueBd-JRqoNiX4Yoxy3OPYLek1G_tBiuNhnJzyKl62RYLp0Or-n8talB0A/s1280/366740444_686200010218370_1731721794944468047_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfmqCvn0Mqw181YAQMd6gITA3yPfpEFb-YajpXHIbc1jAvFM7faqqt57F7jf8EuwATbeDKu8Ava7zn9dKTUsclEpQByYwzPn213uEsO2LBKPmu5J4EQEtogSTQe_F-FZdBoueBd-JRqoNiX4Yoxy3OPYLek1G_tBiuNhnJzyKl62RYLp0Or-n8talB0A/w400-h300/366740444_686200010218370_1731721794944468047_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Requests for church roof PROjects are proJECTed to be at an all-time high. There were so many requests for church roofs during 2023 that S4P was unable to tackle all of them. That means there are ten requests waiting from last year. That’s not even taking into consideration that some pastors knew that a cutoff had been reached last year and have held onto their requests with plans to submit them this year. Brandy has already received one call from a pastor this week to ask about help with a church roof. The pastor’s church is almost finished building the walls and will be ready for a roof soon. Brandy requested that the pastor do two things: 1) provide photos of the church, and 2) pray about the funding. That’s the thing with church roof projects; S4P takes on as many as the funds will allow. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHTVtLtU8v_bQ2VvXy0sxUF5vPyfpnjsCz3ye8FeekIxTexWm3QvL0owZF0ag4rl-5Z6yGtn1n38Tzqq8hnkwrXmDr-cbFAl8sxHLnyqGU90gKXMt1UE6Ju_ZdcpDhr1Asn8VN-ZXcaWmv6BQmThDKA7mXwr9x_VxX7mq-ZQTkUesH_B2kZ5BwPNNpE2E/s2048/285738627_5455381771159319_3173642536462387172_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1367" data-original-width="2048" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHTVtLtU8v_bQ2VvXy0sxUF5vPyfpnjsCz3ye8FeekIxTexWm3QvL0owZF0ag4rl-5Z6yGtn1n38Tzqq8hnkwrXmDr-cbFAl8sxHLnyqGU90gKXMt1UE6Ju_ZdcpDhr1Asn8VN-ZXcaWmv6BQmThDKA7mXwr9x_VxX7mq-ZQTkUesH_B2kZ5BwPNNpE2E/s320/285738627_5455381771159319_3173642536462387172_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">With the coffee harvesters finishing up the final pick, many churches have more money to tackle building the church walls right now. Plus, Honduras is entering the dry season, so it’s the prime time to work with adobe. S4P knows there will be an influx of requests for new roofs. While he didn’t have the exact number on hand, Brandy feels certain that the ministry completed at least twenty-five church roofs last year. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Applications for motorcycles are accepted in February. In March, the ministry purchases the motorcycles. And they are presented in April. This is another project where the demand is high and the ministry must make decisions based on the available funds. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The gift boxes for pastors and their families are given out after backpack season. There are already a lot of people asking for them. Like the church roofs and motorcycles, the pastor gifts are a tremendous blessing to the recipients. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">If you feel led to contribute to one of these projects, you can make a donation through the </span><a href="https://sowers4pastors.reachapp.co/donations/new" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Sowers4Pastors website</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. Please keep all of the ministry projects in your prayers! </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQsZnnZuIYYOb2LrmEY_kb293oOg8ovl7XUegF3IaR361NcYwonPKhZJHb0ZYbmI_D963mSV9M9J5pxKNtelJ9HTjQeZw28J74_MCWQXS-A66TjWgdyTzYC7OKrpDMCNsKwox7zTVznIYmVKLWTk6F52sxgZ3WR70RnM2tvo7LJQ0z32G6FS3vtfc_CgM/s593/399086077_736969341808103_2221611649245073451_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="395" data-original-width="593" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQsZnnZuIYYOb2LrmEY_kb293oOg8ovl7XUegF3IaR361NcYwonPKhZJHb0ZYbmI_D963mSV9M9J5pxKNtelJ9HTjQeZw28J74_MCWQXS-A66TjWgdyTzYC7OKrpDMCNsKwox7zTVznIYmVKLWTk6F52sxgZ3WR70RnM2tvo7LJQ0z32G6FS3vtfc_CgM/w400-h266/399086077_736969341808103_2221611649245073451_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">- posted by Christi.</span></p><div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div></span>Kayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05700979417256003138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8089868875915873819.post-43240418622181292562024-01-10T11:46:00.009-06:002024-01-11T08:51:32.288-06:00Answered Prayers: Sunday School Teachers!<p><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sometimes things that are doable are not ideal and things that are ideal are not doable. You might really want to purchase vegetables from a local farmers market, but if there’s no one operating a farmers market, you don’t stop eating vegetables! (Hopefully not, at least. Vegetables are good for you!) And when a permanent Bible teacher wasn’t available for the Seattle SEA and FBC sponsorship program, Sowers4Pastors didn’t stop providing Bible lessons to the children of that program. They came up with a temporary solution to make sure all of those kids were getting fed spiritually–even though it meant sending someone to teach the Bible lessons each week. </span></span></p><p><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyyOA-hzoSOSgEJ_cEgFwFvDXBl0fKpboSU61cMN1TWaRdPtOHYuWdIFWxVBbBtMEYx0kOos_-g2yEbZ7Ew76DWzlxmYuHfIs1ffMguuSdCPzBg39KSqZQ5X8-o5MiLR4-LMzL5ZepFO2ayE0KohzfejGv1oNsTTGWbXmhiVe0Tk_yDpqbE1LZv6oJys/s2048/416316098_776220771216293_3549579370527193513_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyyOA-hzoSOSgEJ_cEgFwFvDXBl0fKpboSU61cMN1TWaRdPtOHYuWdIFWxVBbBtMEYx0kOos_-g2yEbZ7Ew76DWzlxmYuHfIs1ffMguuSdCPzBg39KSqZQ5X8-o5MiLR4-LMzL5ZepFO2ayE0KohzfejGv1oNsTTGWbXmhiVe0Tk_yDpqbE1LZv6oJys/w400-h300/416316098_776220771216293_3549579370527193513_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-610cb2fb-7fff-5cae-2f3d-ff59bdd3ae88"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Once a week S4P has sent a staff member out to lead Bible lessons for the children of the Seattle sponsorship program. That responsibility has fallen on Esdras and René, who have faithfully made the forty-minute drive to the schools, taught the lessons, and made the forty-minute drive back to Gracias. It has been doable but not ideal! “Ideal” has always been the Bible lesson equivalent of a local farmer’s market. That’s because the goal of Sowers4Pastors isn’t to run each aspect of the ministry themselves. Their goal is to help others step up to minister to their local communities. S4P’s vision is to “pour into” indigenous pastors in the area.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">However, the area with the two schools in the Seattle sponsorship program does not have an evangelical church. It has always been a difficult area in which to minister. Esdras has faithfully searched and prayed for someone in that area to be able to take over the Bible lessons. That isn’t because Esdras and René don't enjoy working with the children. It isn’t even because they would prefer to not have to travel so far each week to provide lessons. It’s because being taught by someone from the spiritual version of the local farmer’s market is better for the children. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Even though Esdras and René are Honduran, they didn’t grow up in that community. Esdras is from the capital city, Tegucigalpa. He’s a scholar, able to communicate on many topics. But, unlike most of the pastors in the area, he is not also a farmer who works alongside the parents of the children. He is not the uncle or cousin of a single student at those schools. The children cannot relate to him in the same way they might relate to a neighbor. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Understanding this issue, Edras spoke to several church leaders running a Sunday school program in a neighboring community. They are from a small church with about twenty children in total. As it turns out, these leaders have been looking for a way to expand their ministry. Esdras met with them last year to discuss the issue. The leaders declined because the timing wasn’t right. This year, however, contact was made again and they have agreed to take on the role of providing Bible lessons to the children in the Seattle sponsorship program. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAwd44sJDEzxFf54fnEpPRJGuXJhIe3EAYa0At-YVMb60MrIeopZ8ltKgdxw7AOpo13a09qPfKt6zwmMiMd2HtHoJtU5ukupoXkrtDcaWy-TW0Gg4YeL74Kejtf5w6AvWEgKShQHipRpC9B1PCXXNFPYmm7LOw5HcejfgaD_fJFe-MkbBtYtY8ZmjkFVs/s2048/416346889_776220737882963_6840444766074237211_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAwd44sJDEzxFf54fnEpPRJGuXJhIe3EAYa0At-YVMb60MrIeopZ8ltKgdxw7AOpo13a09qPfKt6zwmMiMd2HtHoJtU5ukupoXkrtDcaWy-TW0Gg4YeL74Kejtf5w6AvWEgKShQHipRpC9B1PCXXNFPYmm7LOw5HcejfgaD_fJFe-MkbBtYtY8ZmjkFVs/w300-h400/416346889_776220737882963_6840444766074237211_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div></span><p></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Please pray for these church leaders as they begin their new role–that they will not get discouraged and that their presence will be a blessing for them and the children. Pray also for another school in need of a Bible teacher. Alejandro and Secia have been doing those weekly lessons. It is in another area without a thriving evangelical church. While you’re at it, go ahead and pray for the upcoming backpack distribution season. The first team arrives one week from Saturday. Rachel said, “We are neck deep in backpacks right now. Literally! Neck deep!” It is the desire of Sowers4Pastors to bless the children in both physical and spiritual ways. So, while backpacks are important, they never want to overlook the spiritual side of things.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: verdana; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Matthew 9:37-38 NIV
Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">- posted by Christi. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></p>Kayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05700979417256003138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8089868875915873819.post-43949813411247173492024-01-04T09:51:00.003-06:002024-01-04T09:51:30.790-06:00S4P Coffee Farm - still a blessing to the community!<p>Everyone has a unique story to tell if you take the time to listen. Fortunately for us, Brandy is a listener. Lately, he’s been listening to coffee harvesters. That makes sense since it’s coffee harvest time. <br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzjtVtTC4eHZldcxZTULzgeb7YPuc4IqTkp5HaJl9Z9e6gMwwEC1bZdzxLKp8w4-LksPN4gaT-yMrC1JA5THOkuvyQZrVypK67Aef5ESOmsGISaGBBFIVdip7H9KXivG1mQjWYxoEaFrVZupeaHdoFFTe9R7sP1ovowQ1N6WX_i5I5A-LWKrrrhLuS8F9G/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-01-04%20at%2010.16.14%20AM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzjtVtTC4eHZldcxZTULzgeb7YPuc4IqTkp5HaJl9Z9e6gMwwEC1bZdzxLKp8w4-LksPN4gaT-yMrC1JA5THOkuvyQZrVypK67Aef5ESOmsGISaGBBFIVdip7H9KXivG1mQjWYxoEaFrVZupeaHdoFFTe9R7sP1ovowQ1N6WX_i5I5A-LWKrrrhLuS8F9G/w640-h428/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-01-04%20at%2010.16.14%20AM.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>The harvesters that have been showing up are the kind of hard-core people willing to brave the challenges of muddy roads and chilly weather. While they may be few in number, they are strong in moxie. (By the way, “moxie” is an underused word that is defined as “courageous spirit and determination; perseverance.”) While the pickers are harvesting coffee, Brandy has been following alongside, collecting their stories. Here are a few of them:</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdF6zQWDvPJie2AGsloqQAtv9reokHjHxZh4lMiBhyngHbLj3PJvBeoH2nO0FgnbPfNO6z9-_C3eIKKycI5WcIruS8AO1kaVl-R3uEIjcvV_heVFrw7MNVE7PDxnZHb2yMgJSBk5S_TyDuVGUD0j-JFguBnWf_jbVNBeu0LFPkwPmFuCdJxzXkZ1yqRywG/s985/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-01-04%20at%2010.16.15%20AM1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="985" data-original-width="892" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdF6zQWDvPJie2AGsloqQAtv9reokHjHxZh4lMiBhyngHbLj3PJvBeoH2nO0FgnbPfNO6z9-_C3eIKKycI5WcIruS8AO1kaVl-R3uEIjcvV_heVFrw7MNVE7PDxnZHb2yMgJSBk5S_TyDuVGUD0j-JFguBnWf_jbVNBeu0LFPkwPmFuCdJxzXkZ1yqRywG/s320/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-01-04%20at%2010.16.15%20AM1.jpeg" width="290" /></a></div>Brandy discovered that one coffee harvester is a woman around the age of 50, with five children. She’s not new to harvesting. She’s been doing it for years in order to send her children to school. She picked coffee for Sowers4Pastors last year for about three weeks. In doing so she earned enough money to see two of her kids graduate from middle school. <p></p><p><br /></p><p>Then there is a group of women who live three or four miles from the farm. They are single moms who each have two or three kids. They show up each day with their children. Coffee harvest is the most important season of the year for these women because it is how they earn the money needed to provide for their families. Families often harvest coffee together–combining what they’ve picked at the end of the day. Since they are paid for the amount they pick rather than by the hour, the coffee is measured by the gallon and the money earned is paid to a parent. Children rarely get to have their own earnings. That is not the case for this particular group.</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkRMfntZSB-c9zoWWO84-m2YzvwUVzRZyeDispZ8pBCc5Tfdq8ednaXLgR6MEPMvlQyYd9CNdgV5tEWRSTj6ghGy04O0gZFeHGTRLEiYrsgn2sLFEzTffxxbiM_YeXyJN1n3wWaGig153Di_ZgLF2i_n_4lKylr6skdUYsXbHTgMqxonLa24ZIBfcdZvLN/s1339/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-01-03%20at%206.14.59%20PM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1339" data-original-width="977" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkRMfntZSB-c9zoWWO84-m2YzvwUVzRZyeDispZ8pBCc5Tfdq8ednaXLgR6MEPMvlQyYd9CNdgV5tEWRSTj6ghGy04O0gZFeHGTRLEiYrsgn2sLFEzTffxxbiM_YeXyJN1n3wWaGig153Di_ZgLF2i_n_4lKylr6skdUYsXbHTgMqxonLa24ZIBfcdZvLN/s320/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-01-03%20at%206.14.59%20PM.jpeg" width="233" /></a></div>These single moms let their children have their coffee measured separately. Shortly before Christmas, Brandy asked the children what they were going to do with their money. $20 must have seemed like a fortune to them. It turned out that they were incredibly excited because they were going to buy their new clothes for Christmas and some snacks for the holiday. <p></p><p><br /></p><p>Shortly before Christmas, the group of women ran out of wood for cooking and weren’t going to be able to pick coffee. They live in a rural area but do not have any land. Collecting wood requires them to walk two hours up the mountain. Brandy was able to tell them that if they came to work, he would give them some wood. Many trees have been cut down or have fallen and there is plenty of firewood on the property. The single moms were so happy and thankful. They had a day of work and wood to cook for Christmas!</p><p><br /></p><p>These conversations have been a blessing to Brandy and the others at S4P. Brandy said, “I’ve been feeling good. The farm, more than anything, is here to create jobs for people and help the community. I’ve been able to see how it has been a blessing for people.”</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh1vHfIJkAV9uzGcnjfA7wbIJ4xrn5H4mrkuS745pfribnOKFIsPSi78Cc5zWIQSi4u_Fc-NkLHwf2x_3owkGiXPmb8erg38bf4emJTGaQwrAGlgoAc64ap4twgwEKa6_w-hgiF_Rs6PDpIdmidJ6TINuVtuQ8CAPMaKSzN7Ay6daxCDU1VvXHXSCAUUgK/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-01-04%20at%2010.14.29%20AM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh1vHfIJkAV9uzGcnjfA7wbIJ4xrn5H4mrkuS745pfribnOKFIsPSi78Cc5zWIQSi4u_Fc-NkLHwf2x_3owkGiXPmb8erg38bf4emJTGaQwrAGlgoAc64ap4twgwEKa6_w-hgiF_Rs6PDpIdmidJ6TINuVtuQ8CAPMaKSzN7Ay6daxCDU1VvXHXSCAUUgK/w640-h428/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-01-04%20at%2010.14.29%20AM.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p> - posted by Christi<br /> - photos by Quito and Brandy</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8089868875915873819.post-76829812231042387812023-12-28T12:33:00.002-06:002023-12-28T14:15:29.017-06:00Praying in the New Year!<span id="docs-internal-guid-e4c5f883-7fff-8640-e333-729beb0fcdc5"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnx96F1I12wuaeMrP8WjMA2-FNf0DkeObFSfUG1Kj_h2gDQvify03sgProvQvmQRp9-g0ymCPO-54vNOyPKIsL6tiQVWU6ReImnsEBQi8rVrLfhCOwYrFmSDLUh6h4WVBgk2q3NmXNNBjhqVicunj-INTAvqyy1zt5BQtqXQlclLrYTtvHDZHzqUZqacxk/s3089/regos-kornyei-uxUGxjPq350-unsplash.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3089" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnx96F1I12wuaeMrP8WjMA2-FNf0DkeObFSfUG1Kj_h2gDQvify03sgProvQvmQRp9-g0ymCPO-54vNOyPKIsL6tiQVWU6ReImnsEBQi8rVrLfhCOwYrFmSDLUh6h4WVBgk2q3NmXNNBjhqVicunj-INTAvqyy1zt5BQtqXQlclLrYTtvHDZHzqUZqacxk/s320/regos-kornyei-uxUGxjPq350-unsplash.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>Ringing in the New Year is a phrase that dates back to at least the mid-1800s. The entire phrase is “Ring out the old, ring in the new,” and it refers to the old tradition of ringing the church bells at midnight to usher in the new year. Long before Dick Clark taught us how to have a “Rockin’ New Year’s Eve,” churches hosted watch parties where congregants would show up at church, wait for the bells to chime, and greet the New Year with a prayer. Cool, huh? Sowers4Pastors is asking you to help them welcome the New Year in prayer. </span></div></span><p></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-e4c5f883-7fff-8640-e333-729beb0fcdc5" style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">
2023 was a time when many members of the S4P staff were new and learning on the job. If they had a theme for the year, it would have been “Learn Everything!” 2024 is expected to be a time of looking forward and discovering what all God wants the ministry to accomplish. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Part of the to-do list for 2024 involves one of the sister church programs opening another school location. It’s exciting to see the growth, and the location must be chosen with care. It needs to have a certain number of kids, be in an accessible location, and have a local pastor willing to put in the time and effort to provide the students with Bible lessons, etc.</span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">On the US side of things, Allen and Trish are thankful that they have been blessed with a new place to live while Allen receives treatment. The new location is in Orlando, which will mean less drive time to medical care. It is also closer to Trish’s dad, so they can occasionally visit.<br /><br /><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLt-WQH-rmpZCCZjdFI0o-dRUJhc7Iqq5XDYmopnD15VKNfppsXSr0Cw9URUThJ2EoeRmVq7orTPm1zeAg5ltwk4d-CJXkMuzfnvNrAMLqQaqp7k8WzWDc5YEurah8t2azl1l9kzQmqn5mgIm9dQttfwaASBZnLvTTJahfBzPyacx7hLx-rkx1XO2stbM/s1536/2e277e42f90cb23fd4dff3aac3a68f53-uncropped_scaled_within_1536_1152.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1536" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLt-WQH-rmpZCCZjdFI0o-dRUJhc7Iqq5XDYmopnD15VKNfppsXSr0Cw9URUThJ2EoeRmVq7orTPm1zeAg5ltwk4d-CJXkMuzfnvNrAMLqQaqp7k8WzWDc5YEurah8t2azl1l9kzQmqn5mgIm9dQttfwaASBZnLvTTJahfBzPyacx7hLx-rkx1XO2stbM/w640-h426/2e277e42f90cb23fd4dff3aac3a68f53-uncropped_scaled_within_1536_1152.webp" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">God blessed Allen and Trish with ANOTHER temporary home with gorgeous water views! </td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br />Allen will be moving forward with physical therapy while they wait for the upcoming appointment with a neurosurgeon. Please keep Allen and Trish in your prayers. God is faithful and He has been providing for them in all ways. Prayers for Allen’s treatment, the added expenses that come with living in the States, Trish and Allen’s peace of mind, and that God will continue to direct their paths in all things.</span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Staff members on the ground in Honduras expect to begin the New Year by preparing for backpack distribution. S4P staff has decided to collectively use some of its vacation days by taking off during the time between Christmas and New Year’s Day. This will allow them to spend time evaluating the goals they feel God wants them to meet in the coming year and beyond. Or, as Rachel shared, “What are the things we can accomplish without killing ourselves? Where does God want us to go? And at what speed does He want us to get there? Sometimes we ask God what we should do and we are shown, but we don’t know that it might be ten years down the road!” </span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Please don’t forget to prepare for a prayerful New Year! </span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> - posted by Christi</span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8089868875915873819.post-79349343630271915512023-12-21T09:29:00.005-06:002023-12-21T10:01:17.308-06:00Celebrating Honduran - and Gringo - Christmas in Honduras!<p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Christmas celebrations are a little different in Honduras. Hondurans celebrate on the 24th with a big evening meal. The dinner is typically roasted chicken or pork leg, mashed potatoes or rice, and, of course, tamales. Oh, and there should be a Coke to wash it all down. </span></p><p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeN0xV-7j2vO7vkOjuRvmjIP49vMA3MOfiHq5WeMWMJqQeopc2oI95A9wre4VMePH5cKC7nKuryJKZdfB0O0a2gsuoSXVkL3cd8WEXLGIPloH8b1Jl_HZhaFrI9buxTO0nzmheJ6eQSidN314W7_yvnyrbmZyY7wwoHvJEbW902PuSIPMnDy7a3amj3d_E/s500/tamales.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeN0xV-7j2vO7vkOjuRvmjIP49vMA3MOfiHq5WeMWMJqQeopc2oI95A9wre4VMePH5cKC7nKuryJKZdfB0O0a2gsuoSXVkL3cd8WEXLGIPloH8b1Jl_HZhaFrI9buxTO0nzmheJ6eQSidN314W7_yvnyrbmZyY7wwoHvJEbW902PuSIPMnDy7a3amj3d_E/w400-h300/tamales.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Honduran tamales - wrapped in banana leaves</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span id="docs-internal-guid-36795235-7fff-f41a-7b83-012c77669d9c"><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Following the meal, it’s time for presents. Maybe. There are presents if you can afford them and no presents if you can’t. There’s no shame or stigma associated with not giving or receiving presents. If there are presents, they will be new clothes to wear immediately. Traditionally, Hondurans wear new clothes for Christmas. Unless the budget didn’t allow for the purchase of a new shirt or a new pair of pants. That’s okay, too. Brandy and Rachel explained that the joke is that Hondurans leave the tags on the clothes so people know a piece is new. But, really, it’s because people are rushing to put on the articles of clothing immediately. It’s not unusual for someone to overlook a sticker or tag. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">There are firecrackers popping throughout the evening. Kids are running around, which isn’t great from a safety perspective, but it’s tradition! By 11:55 pm, the explosion of firecrackers ramps up. If you happen to have more affluent neighbors who can afford to purchase larger fireworks, the sight at midnight will be even more festive. Rachel shared a bit of trivia by saying that for missionary kids raised in Honduras, “the smell of gunpowder is recognized as a Christmas smell!” </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoONZolNg9AYyktXsLVExpi6nLt_20gjhPsonMPOiPZORTDew42aioOjgK_Uwu89tSR7yKnUrW3d8Ido2YDk4FMRS54aoAUe9wVPQyMLHpLI8OWOKOuh-6EYWyeB0uiGBdukIFRrTdbOckVCxYrVpSpGWugH-edSeoIPHQ22r_gniSouS1VFUN2gOJCoy0/s768/fireworks.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="768" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoONZolNg9AYyktXsLVExpi6nLt_20gjhPsonMPOiPZORTDew42aioOjgK_Uwu89tSR7yKnUrW3d8Ido2YDk4FMRS54aoAUe9wVPQyMLHpLI8OWOKOuh-6EYWyeB0uiGBdukIFRrTdbOckVCxYrVpSpGWugH-edSeoIPHQ22r_gniSouS1VFUN2gOJCoy0/w400-h225/fireworks.webp" width="400" /></a></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">After the popping and cracking has wound down, everyone goes inside to exchange hugs and wish each other a Merry Christmas. Since everyone is going to bed late, it’s normal to sleep until noon on Christmas Day. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Brandy explained that Christmas traditions are changing a little due to the technology that allows people in Honduras to see how other cultures are celebrating. Wealthier families might do a little extra where food, decorations, and presents are concerned. However, a typical family would never expect to have a decked out Christmas tree and things like bikes and toys for the kids. Christmas in Honduras isn’t seen as a particularly child-focused day. That’s why Sowers4Pastors decided to make Children’s Day the holiday they celebrate with the children in the sponsorship programs.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Christmas also falls during coffee season. People in the small mountain villages are often harvesting coffee throughout December. A lot of the kids are picking coffee during this time, too. This is an immensely important time because, for many families, it’s when they earn the money they will need to meet their needs for the year. It’s how they get enough money to send their kids to school in February. It wouldn’t make sense to blow the budget on elaborate Christmas gifts, a tree, and more food than they could possibly consume. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyM3bwyq-R_Of56Hd9qjEmD3rJ7wpVmlM55qpPOIwyxs6YSUNzZNeWuJav_gTU8dxJR9hzWlQCXeU1Sx4cM8UNmOkheIoEs0WPoOXQLrFnYTEqdTr8FlWYgSDbU-8OXSJXaum4f8rjINZT98kDpF1wfAB1q1ohiD8FG1Oa6rS0TZ9zLjomfSltA5q2O09z/s1343/399944303_6528845553890642_3416114450824069205_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1343" data-original-width="909" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyM3bwyq-R_Of56Hd9qjEmD3rJ7wpVmlM55qpPOIwyxs6YSUNzZNeWuJav_gTU8dxJR9hzWlQCXeU1Sx4cM8UNmOkheIoEs0WPoOXQLrFnYTEqdTr8FlWYgSDbU-8OXSJXaum4f8rjINZT98kDpF1wfAB1q1ohiD8FG1Oa6rS0TZ9zLjomfSltA5q2O09z/s320/399944303_6528845553890642_3416114450824069205_n.jpg" width="217" /></a></span></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Brandy and Rachel also talked about how they incorporate Honduran traditions and American traditions in their family. For the most part, it works great. Christmas Eve is always spent with Brandy’s side of the family and Christmas day with Rachel’s. The most challenging thing is that they are getting to bed late after Christmas Eve celebrations only to get up early for their boys to open presents under the tree on Christmas morning. </span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Besides sleep deprivation, the Christmas struggle Brandy and Rachel had to face involved money. Rachel leaned toward the American version: a big meal, presents, and decorations. When she mentioned the big meal, Brandy was in the background good-naturedly shouting, “Too much food!”’ Rachel reigns in the spending, considering Brandy before dropping dough on Christmas decorations. Though she does still like to put up a Christmas tree quite early. And she says that, as the kids have gotten older, Brandy is also excited to see them enjoying the North American Christmas traditions. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A Honduran tradition that didn’t get mentioned before involves paying visits to neighbors on Christmas Eve. Rachel said, “Brandy has always been good friends with elderly people. Come Christmas, that’s a helpful thing. You visit the neighbors, starting at about 5:00 or 6:00 and they will feed you. Brandy made that work for him as a teenager. He would go to four different houses and eat at each house.” When Rachel and Brandy started dating and she would accompany him, they had to figure out a way to discreetly sneak some of the food off of her plate and onto Brandy’s. It’s not that she doesn’t enjoy tamales, but consuming four meals prior to the family meal is a whole lot of eating!</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">However you celebrate the holiday, Feliz Navidad!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">
<br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjltVA1JSj6WOEV-dx_bicProxhyQN6xvdbP2SufsaxEg91J8X4HD78xin7-98D6ChrOojDovxjzech89b4Zi4RJoB60HRlKLrlcqFdDCdkys7Q-b8DyWRLDg6GkLQHOr-nAfQhLrqkM9d-IYfm23zNZfeo2bX-xF_4Gvr9hJl-nH8P7KrncdfMeyCqx7Ga/s6000/walter-chavez-TEFSPAaoKlA-unsplash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjltVA1JSj6WOEV-dx_bicProxhyQN6xvdbP2SufsaxEg91J8X4HD78xin7-98D6ChrOojDovxjzech89b4Zi4RJoB60HRlKLrlcqFdDCdkys7Q-b8DyWRLDg6GkLQHOr-nAfQhLrqkM9d-IYfm23zNZfeo2bX-xF_4Gvr9hJl-nH8P7KrncdfMeyCqx7Ga/w400-h266/walter-chavez-TEFSPAaoKlA-unsplash.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">And from the whole crew at Sowers4Pastors, we wish you a Blessed Christmas celebrating Christ's birth! </span></p><br /></span><div><span>- posted by Christi</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8089868875915873819.post-73529512594251697992023-11-30T13:49:00.004-06:002023-11-30T13:49:50.148-06:00Training for Church Leaders AND Honduran French Toast! <p>“Empowering pastors” is at the core of everything Sowers4Pastors does and it is not a once-and-done thing. There’s not some list with checkmarks beside the names of pastors to indicate, “Okay, we’ve empowered that person. Next!” It’s sort of the way we don’t get to exercise and eat right just once and call it good! Empowering pastors is an ongoing process and it’s why the recent Sunday School training was so vital. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMR7GpJhh2qcbWBkkZF_WkZtLi709C6zh7pSlJtgPI0mVvpRStFvNw-iPVtHjvzXgStAmofJ3MImf2EchiAnVKsGYFyStb5HyS4Gnm3RhXLkhuLHbecGXcC5tHkjCN6qMxmtan2_i-SwEvZwkiFp02FLq0Yzr7PcLrdmgvCBkj4vvWWddoZUGSKgrSrlM/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-11-29%20at%205.12.39%20PM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMR7GpJhh2qcbWBkkZF_WkZtLi709C6zh7pSlJtgPI0mVvpRStFvNw-iPVtHjvzXgStAmofJ3MImf2EchiAnVKsGYFyStb5HyS4Gnm3RhXLkhuLHbecGXcC5tHkjCN6qMxmtan2_i-SwEvZwkiFp02FLq0Yzr7PcLrdmgvCBkj4vvWWddoZUGSKgrSrlM/w640-h428/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-11-29%20at%205.12.39%20PM.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Last Saturday was the 3rd and final training in a series of three. Pastors and church leaders from the twenty-three different communities involved with S4P gathered together for what was, in fact, an empowering time. The first two sessions had focused on how to structure Sunday school classes and taught some techniques to get the most out of the new Sunday school materials provided by S4P. The third session was all about giving a word of encouragement to the church leaders.</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNy0Xm1dq24-tQ6pAFBW1wbjc8C6v8ZcmHnl-wZJuFnZUB9sb9muM3S1C0fRGGdsFprptZ6MyDt9VILmn4uLwYLLkD7ri0dMr1VjjLh1lZf1CGfslLhY-oEwvesqGJpY1gTKUDJKrDqVeihjNjJtJHqq5XUQt30519FIZeQdIyXO5JIX6tgC-J6sVXzj9O/s1068/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-11-29%20at%205.12.39%20PM%20(1).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNy0Xm1dq24-tQ6pAFBW1wbjc8C6v8ZcmHnl-wZJuFnZUB9sb9muM3S1C0fRGGdsFprptZ6MyDt9VILmn4uLwYLLkD7ri0dMr1VjjLh1lZf1CGfslLhY-oEwvesqGJpY1gTKUDJKrDqVeihjNjJtJHqq5XUQt30519FIZeQdIyXO5JIX6tgC-J6sVXzj9O/s320/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-11-29%20at%205.12.39%20PM%20(1).jpeg" width="270" /></a></div>Alejandro shared why offering encouragement was such a powerful way to wrap up this Sunday school training. He said, “We know that when you take the responsibility to be a church leader or a pastor, it isn’t easy. They face struggles in their lives every day. We thought we needed to offer something different.”<p></p><p><br /></p><p>The session started out with the attendees connecting through worship. Then it moved into a powerful time of preaching. Alexandro feels that the sermon was exactly what the Lord intended people to hear. Initially, a different local pastor had been invited to offer a sermon to the group. That pastor had to decline because of a previous obligation. So a different local pastor was contacted. He didn’t give word that he would be there until two days before the session. He asked Alejandro what sort of message they were needing. Alejandro suggested that he preach about staying strong or something similar.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbwgivsqutgKu_6PBoL57a4dENqPZnQjEsluAuVNjP5lxk3dmqCijRb1jf2HwQFNBA_StPbo33mAw-quWknevvVGDFlN5C6CtoCv-TjurvzsXMN_nta_Yw3HaF2cyjdr4JwNjmbiE3BDmS4Dwb6SgcOd-PSrtf7NzzxH9BDA7apTM7XBmqgagVQwLMeALq/s1398/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-11-29%20at%205.12.50%20PM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1398" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbwgivsqutgKu_6PBoL57a4dENqPZnQjEsluAuVNjP5lxk3dmqCijRb1jf2HwQFNBA_StPbo33mAw-quWknevvVGDFlN5C6CtoCv-TjurvzsXMN_nta_Yw3HaF2cyjdr4JwNjmbiE3BDmS4Dwb6SgcOd-PSrtf7NzzxH9BDA7apTM7XBmqgagVQwLMeALq/w400-h305/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-11-29%20at%205.12.50%20PM.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFQ7W-F_lcvzSTN0SQTw866whK7qq5DtQU1CWprM8rncKSt2jQU_N5vVfyuVP5lAwMXr-hEWxSn4Mx6Y9aggBNReL4uPmgyXQV7OTFrxBz_8FzCRKoGgx4GD2m6RNb0Dt9wL4F6bF7epLUDSTCEh3fapqKeHkh1Yk8jKA-3sfNapOTumNvrGP2szJ6DfFe/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-11-29%20at%205.12.46%20PM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFQ7W-F_lcvzSTN0SQTw866whK7qq5DtQU1CWprM8rncKSt2jQU_N5vVfyuVP5lAwMXr-hEWxSn4Mx6Y9aggBNReL4uPmgyXQV7OTFrxBz_8FzCRKoGgx4GD2m6RNb0Dt9wL4F6bF7epLUDSTCEh3fapqKeHkh1Yk8jKA-3sfNapOTumNvrGP2szJ6DfFe/w400-h268/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-11-29%20at%205.12.46%20PM.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjICi03FyyE0FfQFwzk9ghFakntkdRs0LZKzcJTnhyphenhyphenk6YdNC8QYOOEx5r-6KU_ZTHUKrvTkV50sP-Xk4K4LX_U0JJfD6aLgzBNO_0WSFwrv4rFySdSjub43PdvvPmwB_gVUwyKyxUtQgmPnDJUNfKqUI6ZHevtI3YARrFiyk26Ry6KDzdWTKJGf-SrLb0x1/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-11-29%20at%205.12.48%20PM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjICi03FyyE0FfQFwzk9ghFakntkdRs0LZKzcJTnhyphenhyphenk6YdNC8QYOOEx5r-6KU_ZTHUKrvTkV50sP-Xk4K4LX_U0JJfD6aLgzBNO_0WSFwrv4rFySdSjub43PdvvPmwB_gVUwyKyxUtQgmPnDJUNfKqUI6ZHevtI3YARrFiyk26Ry6KDzdWTKJGf-SrLb0x1/w400-h268/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-11-29%20at%205.12.48%20PM.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>The pastor preached about all of the struggles people in the ministry face. Alejandra said, “It was amazing. In the preaching, the Holy Spirit gave new encouragement to continue the work. People were crying [because they were so moved] and all of the people in attendance felt very happy. By the end of the meeting, people felt free about things in their lives.”</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6cHMosd87dGFrpy-SqTb7nIXE-HjjhFBOTTnVfC4tQNCWWFyt16aHU5jO0xcpjQEOppVS9KLmeZm0DJwgHfe0RxbCMwHBHwjYh_SrEUlkemf-QLQJihrFFQZ-4dLmBm763iCJrY371R7s2RX9UmJ4HFaCRzZEcVndXcG5wNLPeIea3_HY5dN0hGWs7BI/s1068/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-11-29%20at%205.12.42%20PM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="821" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6cHMosd87dGFrpy-SqTb7nIXE-HjjhFBOTTnVfC4tQNCWWFyt16aHU5jO0xcpjQEOppVS9KLmeZm0DJwgHfe0RxbCMwHBHwjYh_SrEUlkemf-QLQJihrFFQZ-4dLmBm763iCJrY371R7s2RX9UmJ4HFaCRzZEcVndXcG5wNLPeIea3_HY5dN0hGWs7BI/s320/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-11-29%20at%205.12.42%20PM.jpeg" width="246" /></a></div><div>Lunch was provided and Alejandro was particularly complimentary about the dessert of torreja. In case you’ve never heard of torreja, either, it looks an awful lot like what we might call French toast! Admit it, French toast would make a fabulous dessert!</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZnB9iW5UwxM3M9oePvKjgzTqe87TgYPsCIhbF5kuWTkbRQn4QXRGuf_y8jgERyw6xGACELzukSApkopEHGzNeQ1LD3bP3nvuRPXMVxNdNJH4NdHK5rfryPWa1rvD8NcdG1f1nEODoqV6sStpG8swHSl6ZQxV-VHihce-niB5TqtdGiLwIkMhjon-Uq_ac/s943/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-11-30%20at%202.30.02%20PM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="943" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZnB9iW5UwxM3M9oePvKjgzTqe87TgYPsCIhbF5kuWTkbRQn4QXRGuf_y8jgERyw6xGACELzukSApkopEHGzNeQ1LD3bP3nvuRPXMVxNdNJH4NdHK5rfryPWa1rvD8NcdG1f1nEODoqV6sStpG8swHSl6ZQxV-VHihce-niB5TqtdGiLwIkMhjon-Uq_ac/w200-h191/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-11-30%20at%202.30.02%20PM.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Torrejas!</td></tr></tbody></table><div> </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>This entire training was made possible by the love of every church in the States sponsoring Sowers4Pastors and the work they do. Alejandro said, “We want to take this opportunity to thank the churches sponsoring us for helping us spread the Gospel. Thank you for helping us encourage all of the pastors. Because of you, they have new techniques for leading Sunday school and a new strength in the Lord.”</p><p> - posted by Christi</p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8089868875915873819.post-10591849771364796302023-11-29T07:51:00.004-06:002023-11-29T07:51:56.648-06:00The Latest News on Allen's Back Issues<p>Do you remember the old joke, “Aside from that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?” That’s sort of the same vibe as hearing Trish and Allen talk about their time in Georgia, thus far. “Aside from the whole pesky thing with Allen’s back…,” Trish started. And Allen finished with, “The place where we’re staying is wonderful.” </p><p><br /></p><p>It is time for an update on what has been accomplished to date regarding the “whole pesky thing with Allen’s back.” Trish was quick to point out that Allen already had the ball in motion by the time she arrived in the States. He had found a new, better health insurance, and was waiting for it to take effect. He was proactive in getting an appointment scheduled with a primary care physician, so his visit happened just days after the insurance kicked in. </p><p><br /></p><p>Trish shared, “We have a foot in the door. Three days after the insurance was in place, Allen saw the doctor, who completed a physical, ordered X-rays, an MRI, and bloodwork. He also gave Allen two prescriptions for pain. The X-rays and MRIs were scheduled for 10 days after the initial appointment.”</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNzc_P-BLSxapKpPQE__k7o9DckhHk42xFJSxW_hubAqW2NFFH4NZzQ8foNtwNe-MayP2BFTPd1-3bNOYASW0aWpPsAZGb11xZaSO6RNcI__6ufwteMzqoofgWvW6mPiwKUxK9nP3hJ1Q5R3oDwfcngeZflxVUOluzUCCn1gPmKhZL2x0jRe_M1qZOPpra/s761/Screenshot%202023-11-22%20134956.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="761" data-original-width="322" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNzc_P-BLSxapKpPQE__k7o9DckhHk42xFJSxW_hubAqW2NFFH4NZzQ8foNtwNe-MayP2BFTPd1-3bNOYASW0aWpPsAZGb11xZaSO6RNcI__6ufwteMzqoofgWvW6mPiwKUxK9nP3hJ1Q5R3oDwfcngeZflxVUOluzUCCn1gPmKhZL2x0jRe_M1qZOPpra/w270-h640/Screenshot%202023-11-22%20134956.jpg" width="270" /></a></div>While Allen and Trish were in the car on the way to get the X-rays and MRIs, they got a call. (Insert ominous music.) It was the insurance company saying that they were contesting the MRIs. No explanation was given. Allen and Trish discussed the possibility of paying for the MRIs out of pocket. But there were actually going to be 4 separate MRIs–two of Allen’s neck area and two of the lower spine, and the cost was an issue. They chose to go ahead with the X-rays and blood panel, hoping the results from the X-rays would convince the insurance company of the need for MRIs. <p></p><p><br /></p><p>After a week of waiting patiently for the results, Allen contacted the hospital and learned the X-rays still hadn’t been read. They were read later that same day and, thanks to the marvel that is the internet, Trish and Allen could see the results. </p><p><br /></p><p>“You can see a scoliosis squiggle in the spine. We don’t have a lot of information beyond that. The X-rays show that quite a few discs are compressed and the doctor mentioned arthritis in the writeup. We didn’t know that scoliosis and arthritis were going to be a part of this,” Trish said.</p><p><br /></p><p>They anticipated that their new orders for an MRI would be covered. They had previously scheduled a second one, which had been canceled by insurance because of the delay in reading the X-rays. It was at this juncture that the insurance folks declared they would not authorize an MRI until Allen had completed six weeks of physical therapy. <br /><br /></p><p><br />However, when the results from the X-rays had been officially read and reports were written up, the insurance company agreed to authorize the MRI scans. Allen and Trish will be making a trip to Florida for those on Wednesday (Nov 29).</p><p><br /></p><p>Allen and Trish are asking for prayers that the things that need to happen will actually happen. Please pray for wisdom for all concerned. The first pain med prescribed came with a side effect of brain fog. A different medicine was prescribed to replace it. Pray that it will be effective and that Allen will feel more like himself. Pray for the additional financial costs that Allen and Trish are facing. And pray about their housing situation.</p><p><br /></p><p>As Allen already voiced, the place where they’re currently staying is wonderful. But it is a three hour drive to their medical facilities in Florida. Car rides are not Allen’s friends right now. He has been able to manage trips to the doctor thanks to his pain meds, lidocaine patches, and ibuprofen, but it isn’t feasible to make that trip multiple times a week for physical therapy. They need to find out how frequently Allen will have physical therapy and how much time there will be between appointments. At a minimum, it may be necessary to figure out a different housing situation for two or three days each week. And, assuming that Allen will eventually have surgery, it probably won’t be possible to make a trip back to Georgia immediately. They will need a place to stay during his recovery time. </p><p><br /></p><p>Someone asked Allen to discuss the difference between medical care in Honduras and in the US. Medical care in Honduras is a fraction of the cost. The blood panel Allen had done in Florida cost 20 times more than a more extensive panel he had done in Honduras last year. Overall, the care in Honduras is good for anyone with the ability to pay out of pocket, and the costs are much lower than in the US. There isn’t much of a wait to get in for treatment, either. Appointments can usually be scheduled on the same day, or within a few days. But advanced care isn't readily available, and the quality is up and down.</p><p><br /></p><p>The goal is for Allen and Trish to be able to return to Honduras, to work, to retire - probably to do some of each. They still feel God is calling them to be involved in the ministry, and the cost of living is less there. They own a home there. It certainly makes financial sense for them to live in Honduras. </p><p><br /></p><p>Trish shared, “When you go on the mission field, you know that you’re making sacrifices. And it’s not just about giving up amenities while you're overseas. If you make being on the mission field a lifetime decision, there will be lifetime consequences. We trust God with this as we’ve been trusting all along.” <br /><br /> - posted by Christi</p><p><br /></p><p>Update from Trish: We will need to be leaving the cottage where we've been staying just before Christmas. The timing may seem awkward, but we are hoping that the medical visits will start being scheduled more frequently, and if that's the case, then we'd need to be closer to those locations anyway. Also, if we're at the point of choosing a spine specialist, we can choose the one we feel best fits the situation and then try to find housing near there. It seems to be God's timing that we move to another housing location, so please pray with us that an available housing option (free or low cost) comes to light in the right location when we need it. At this point, we believe we've narrowed down our care options to Orlando, Tampa, or Sarasota, so we're hoping to find housing in central Florida. Thanks for praying!</p><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8089868875915873819.post-58340448900080306822023-11-16T12:16:00.000-06:002023-11-16T12:16:09.113-06:00How to Pray for Sowers4Pastors during the "Off Season"<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBA718OAygRwpkaZ9hjWYf5YQ42AfSS_F5PbQkPG4yFyGbkN3qfKHlMvqjxdKGPC06lYJqTqCyh8B3C0aIUtSq-2bUuZYwa7SGY1-8IEeeFN-Q_PTkfdi7BDCA1n8gOBPmkYdlwOKh2DBaVa3N04VGn5q44sj-QFU2O1PfE59Xfdbqoz5AEIHFxdnt7vAZ/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-11-16%20at%2012.32.07%20PM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBA718OAygRwpkaZ9hjWYf5YQ42AfSS_F5PbQkPG4yFyGbkN3qfKHlMvqjxdKGPC06lYJqTqCyh8B3C0aIUtSq-2bUuZYwa7SGY1-8IEeeFN-Q_PTkfdi7BDCA1n8gOBPmkYdlwOKh2DBaVa3N04VGn5q44sj-QFU2O1PfE59Xfdbqoz5AEIHFxdnt7vAZ/s320/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-11-16%20at%2012.32.07%20PM.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>Just for kicks, today seemed like a good day to see what would happen if AI was used to write a Sowers4Pastors blog post. Rachel had already shared what’s going on with the ministry during this off season, so the instructions for AI were to “write a blog post about the off season.” The results weren’t nearly as bad as this <i>writer</i> might have hoped! (<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">gulp… gasp… sputter...</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">) The first suggested sentence was:</span><p></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-2f3075e6-7fff-4671-1b82-fc1844ffd074"><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">“The off season is a great time to relax and recharge, but </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">it can also be a great time to get ahead on your work.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">” </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">(emphasis, mine)</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">So, yeah. That pretty much brings us to the point of this post, which is to talk about how the people with S4P are using this off season to get ahead on the work for seasons to come. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Well played, AI. Well played. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">What AI doesn’t seem to understand is that the off season for Sowers4Ministry isn’t the same as a vacation where one might <i>choose</i> to do something productive or not. It pretty much just means that there aren’t teams on the ground and that the containers filled with backpacks haven’t arrived yet. But that will all change soon enough. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The containers are on their way! One of the two containers is already at the port in Honduras and heading toward customs. If all goes well, it should arrive on the property in about a week. That means that the bodega needs to be ready to receive the shipment. Over the last two years, the bodega that stores all of the backpacks and other supplies has received a lot of deep cleaning and organizing. Rachel explained that the scene is similar to what it looks like when a church in the States hosts a major backpack filling event. There are a lot of extra boxes of supplies (crayons, pencils, pencil sharpeners, etc.) to complete any backpacks that aren’t totally filled with the needed items. The office workers have been getting a jump on things. There were some extra generic backpacks in the bodega that have already been filled and are ready to hand out to children that don't receive a designated backpack from a sponsor.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Christmas letters from the children to their sponsors are also being completed. The ministry is checking to make sure that each of the kids in the program is still attending school, by checking whether or not they receive a letter from each child. They are getting the letters translated and packed, as well as working out how these boxes of letters will be shipped to the States. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCFgAmMx4i5qIS6hOr3feAR71gklfZSSPfZBuPpAvwL8Hd1fllvO-Cy1D9CnBXOX1nmHJNaVv_4d8fGwjFo_DxFcqbmAlJX0aN15WloMviLe6jUP4yBiR1Dos9afk6-r02RNBONQh4bHdBZhZ9UcEPgz5drv9kgfn0swr-gytZaD30t6gAxM9kf8MR0Qwc/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-11-16%20at%2012.31.44%20PM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCFgAmMx4i5qIS6hOr3feAR71gklfZSSPfZBuPpAvwL8Hd1fllvO-Cy1D9CnBXOX1nmHJNaVv_4d8fGwjFo_DxFcqbmAlJX0aN15WloMviLe6jUP4yBiR1Dos9afk6-r02RNBONQh4bHdBZhZ9UcEPgz5drv9kgfn0swr-gytZaD30t6gAxM9kf8MR0Qwc/s320/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-11-16%20at%2012.31.44%20PM.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">There are some meetings coming up, too. One will be a teacher training with a small, Christmas-themed dinner to thank the Sunday school teachers involved in the program. A separate meeting will be for the directors of the schools–addressing how the ministry is making sure that the children in the program are attending school.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Team visits for the coming year are being coordinated. As the teams begin prepping on their end, S4P begins prepping, too. There are dates to figure out, hotels to book, and scheduling of any extra activities that teams want to do. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The first team will arrive in January to register children and hand out backpacks, so S4P is already thinking about registration forms for the children and making child profiles. Secia will be getting the registration forms printed soon. They are also preparing the forms for letters that will be handed out in March. It takes a long time to print that many forms, but Secia is on it!</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The first coffee harvest is happening now. Even a smaller coffee harvest requires people to pick the coffee. That means that the guys on the staff are driving back and forth an hour each way to pick up the coffee pickers in their pickup trucks. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZ_32Rn4WlQvmAkcMzjl20CGMpkQXEEG0AvvGoRZ2Be0Av8yeCsd6bx0dlgrBr9-SsAIpSxqiXhtdNo7a886foZCCG0s3d2dbxIrHIjGBF757OO1YyWL8K4lHp3ktQHC4J6JjsdBArLoyZsjn33XT35B_8oWY54WfWFYZhkc86NrNz-B1Etm1LURaKamV/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-11-16%20at%2012.38.07%20PM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZ_32Rn4WlQvmAkcMzjl20CGMpkQXEEG0AvvGoRZ2Be0Av8yeCsd6bx0dlgrBr9-SsAIpSxqiXhtdNo7a886foZCCG0s3d2dbxIrHIjGBF757OO1YyWL8K4lHp3ktQHC4J6JjsdBArLoyZsjn33XT35B_8oWY54WfWFYZhkc86NrNz-B1Etm1LURaKamV/w640-h480/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-11-16%20at%2012.38.07%20PM.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Speaking of trucks… The vehicles are receiving extra maintenance to be sure they are ready for team visits. It’s important to have each vehicle operational so that there’s always a backup plan for transporting teams hither and yon.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Oh, and plans are in the works for the end-of-year staff Christmas dinner, too. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">If you’re thinking that the off season sounds just as active as every other season, you are not alone. Rachel put it in perspective by saying, “When you have a team visiting, that takes precedence over other work. Everything else gives way to that. Some of the work that can't bet done during team season can be done now.”</span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> - posted by Christi</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8089868875915873819.post-73155757584734724842023-11-09T14:06:00.003-06:002023-11-09T14:06:37.327-06:00Moving Forward with the Coffee Farm<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ00-wNJWfkfN4Pna8ShQG9KeHSfenfhxB8aM1HuLuZ21-SiJ7ES9IjbO4-N_UeDk8wxmUdrvjHqhssNUR0ACVaIC07DEDXXrYfuggWptPLA6KG23YXIa2c-G-w852_Zi9Gk6JavJtbNx6fJqahOcks_o6dunQuPPPRx3iULFNQDXdQnX16v9Gd0rQebJJ/s1599/Untitled%20design%20(10).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="1599" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ00-wNJWfkfN4Pna8ShQG9KeHSfenfhxB8aM1HuLuZ21-SiJ7ES9IjbO4-N_UeDk8wxmUdrvjHqhssNUR0ACVaIC07DEDXXrYfuggWptPLA6KG23YXIa2c-G-w852_Zi9Gk6JavJtbNx6fJqahOcks_o6dunQuPPPRx3iULFNQDXdQnX16v9Gd0rQebJJ/w640-h370/Untitled%20design%20(10).png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coffee trees almost ready for the harvest!</td></tr></tbody></table><br />When Brandy joined Sowers4Pastors, in addition to working in ministry he also returned to the work which has been in his family for generations - agriculture! Although he got his bachelor's degree in Aeronautical Science (at the Air Force Academy) and was trained as a pilot, Brandy is now overseeing the Sowers4Pastors coffee farm. He arrived when S4P was smack in the middle of a coffee harvest. He learned about picking coffee. And pulping coffee. And drying coffee. Then things took an unexpected dark turn. He learned about coffee blight when the farm was hit with the same blight that was devastating coffee farms all over Honduras. Then there was a wildfire that burned more than 2000 coffee trees on the 50-acre farm. It was a depressing time.</p><p><br /></p><p>Because Brandy’s personal knowledge of farming is somewhat limited, he had the good sense to look for help. He brought in agriculture engineers who were experts in the field. He consulted with these experts and learned from them. And he prayed. Everyone in S4P prayed. </p><p><br /></p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieW8zEONKZfIi2LHfRAEj5-ciTZUxGX1JRMSTxPPioPtE6hZ0u86xsDx-pU3XA3fR8ZLffkKiWk54k2FKChQ587finVei7S8m2__dRzYOkeG9uLFu35qTtjFObdgyNz5lJR2ivQzVAv2IIgbzQlhPZ1T51oMJXvbehxq5tBP7S99dPye2mUVA2w7qNLRDp/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-11-09%20at%202.30.38%20PM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieW8zEONKZfIi2LHfRAEj5-ciTZUxGX1JRMSTxPPioPtE6hZ0u86xsDx-pU3XA3fR8ZLffkKiWk54k2FKChQ587finVei7S8m2__dRzYOkeG9uLFu35qTtjFObdgyNz5lJR2ivQzVAv2IIgbzQlhPZ1T51oMJXvbehxq5tBP7S99dPye2mUVA2w7qNLRDp/s320/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-11-09%20at%202.30.38%20PM.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a current tree, bearing fruit<br />to be harvested very soon!</td></tr></tbody></table>In the beginning, one of the reasons the coffee farm was started was to create jobs and help the community. But, in recent years, there has been a shortage of coffee harvesters. Even the number of regular S4P farm workers dwindled following the blight and the fire. Ten to fourteen farm workers became two to four workers as many of the men moved on to other opportunities. </p><p><br /></p><p>After all of that, Brandy and the rest of S4P felt they should continue working with the farm. Instead of actively farming 50 acres, the area is (for the time being) reduced to 17 acres. The land is still there and the entire area is recuperable at some point in the future. But for now… 17 acres. Due to the blight, some of the trees were pruned back severely, limiting how much coffee will be harvested for the next few years. Brandy expects coffee production to be very low for the next two years and hopes to have a more substantial harvest in three years. </p><p><br /></p><p>Keeping the farm going means that it will still create some jobs. The coffee farm has helped Sowers4Pastors become closer to the community–forging good relationships. And, Brandy, whose grandparents worked on coffee farms, has discovered that he has more relatives in the area than he can count. Basically, he seems to be related to about half of the residents in the nearby community of Catulaca. Just last week, he was talking to a local man, and they discovered they are something like 2nd cousins! </p><p><br /></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj02V7TWn-S_WWaDfdEW8ahfIBQkE7QiTemyYXIBJO5hEPZA5W3T2Sv-SfmhmUB5AHIhOeWcw_n-tiBVa5u_a44NmX8nt4SHh6c6_CgTeCc6xIcFWR6so00NNOv8vDQJVcEOAEzOfFxeE97EUAJ0xjBk7Y5cpxmV_atjVAtGU4Li-imdKAdorEQvgY3VgX/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-11-09%20at%202.30.35%20PM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj02V7TWn-S_WWaDfdEW8ahfIBQkE7QiTemyYXIBJO5hEPZA5W3T2Sv-SfmhmUB5AHIhOeWcw_n-tiBVa5u_a44NmX8nt4SHh6c6_CgTeCc6xIcFWR6so00NNOv8vDQJVcEOAEzOfFxeE97EUAJ0xjBk7Y5cpxmV_atjVAtGU4Li-imdKAdorEQvgY3VgX/s320/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-11-09%20at%202.30.35%20PM.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The coffee trees that were pruned <br />back to short, thin stumps <br />are being carefully tended. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"> S4P also wants to continue to be able to give good coffee to the gringo teams that visit and to take coffee to the churches they visit in the States. </div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"> Brandy described the trees as beautiful and full of coffee when they first joined S4P. He said, “Seeing the coffee dying on the trees was hard. It was a big loss. But it’s doing okay. It took some engineers to help figure out a plan to work on it. They suggested what fertilizer to use to help the trees recover faster. It has been a nice experience, learning about coffee. All of the newer staff members are from the city. Alexandro said he had never seen a coffee tree before coming to Sowers4Pastors. He thought that after the harvest, you had to cut the trees. The trees are coming back. It has been a big challenge but we’re trusting in God and we’re feeling better.”</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Recently, Brandy attended a men's conference. While there, he spent time praying for different things and he heard God’s voice while praying about whether or not they should continue with the farm. That voice said, “Keep doing it. Keep having fun!” </p><p> - posted by Christi</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8089868875915873819.post-1810964699436466722023-11-04T01:49:00.001-06:002023-11-04T12:00:01.932-06:00Storytime with Esdras: Traveling to the US with Sowers4Pastors!<p>Everyone has a story to tell and this time it’s Esdras’ turn to tell his story about being the first Honduran to ever go on a backpack collection trip for Sowers4Pastors.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Prologue</b></span></p><p><br /></p><p>The first step involved obtaining a U.S. visa, which S4P helped him obtain. When Esdras was asked about that, he said, “God was in the middle of the process.” </p><p><br /></p><p>He pointed out that many people in Honduras think that obtaining a visa involves having a lot of money and going through extensive questioning. Esdras’ experience was quite different, consisting of three questions and answers:</p><p><br /></p><p>Q: Why do you want to go to the USA?</p><p>A: I’m working with a mission organization. </p><p>Q: Why can’t the people just send their money here instead of someone going to pick it up?</p><p>A: The people are sending backpacks filled with school supplies for Honduran children!</p><p>Q: Who is paying for you to go?</p><p>A: I am not a rich man. The ministry is paying for me to go.</p><p><br /></p><p>Esdras is now in possession of a 10-year US visa! </p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Once Upon a Time</b></span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3fj_8BswCibvbAAxgL-jJ6AnjK9amV4Gsctrg6xmKdMgF3crMtO6Y28uWL-jlJDZmxoe-H5ZtauDVDABB2IvfdTCG_kvLlBNmu2iOch4GyJVMDY5YX_hY9CaTYKla5SCkoHSqAO9ktJ93Ar1MmdSo1cNVvPNXkjuDDSurw9W7IxmwLShxclKIekhDkkIq/s1559/391566992_352498900503059_6421668059751813762_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1559" data-original-width="767" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3fj_8BswCibvbAAxgL-jJ6AnjK9amV4Gsctrg6xmKdMgF3crMtO6Y28uWL-jlJDZmxoe-H5ZtauDVDABB2IvfdTCG_kvLlBNmu2iOch4GyJVMDY5YX_hY9CaTYKla5SCkoHSqAO9ktJ93Ar1MmdSo1cNVvPNXkjuDDSurw9W7IxmwLShxclKIekhDkkIq/s320/391566992_352498900503059_6421668059751813762_n.jpg" width="157" /></a></div>Esdras went into the trip only knowing half of the backpack story. He knew what it was like to be on the receiving end of the containers. When he thought about backpacks, he thought about unloading the boxes from the containers, sorting through the contents, and, ultimately, distributing backpacks to the children. But he had never given much thought to the collection process. It was like he had read the final chapters of a book without reading the “Once upon a time” part.<p></p><p><br /></p><p>This made the trip that much more meaningful to Esdras. Even as he spent hours putting notebooks and glue sticks into the backpacks at Edgewater Alliance Church in Florida, he was thinking about the future. He said, “I was picturing a kid getting that backpack. The work is hard. You have to put everything into the backpacks. Then you check each backpack and put them into boxes. It’s nine hours of working every day. But that is not too much when you can think that each backpack is for one kid in Honduras. I could do that every single day. I was thinking in my heart that each backpack is going to help share the Gospel and help a kid in Honduras. And I was thinking what a big heart every sponsor has. They helped me with the work, but they would not see the kids in Honduras. They didn’t know every situation and school in Honduras. They couldn’t see it all but they were giving in love. It’s amazing what love they have for the kids. I’m grateful for all of their help to share the Gospel with the kids. I’m grateful to God for each sponsor.” </p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Different Translations, Same Story</b></span></p><p><br /></p><p>“When I visited EAC in Florida, the first service on Sunday had a communion time,” Esdras shared. “It was a great experience. It was in another language (not Spanish) with different people (not Honduran). It’s beautiful that we can have communion together in one language with one God, one faith, one church…”</p><p><br /></p><p>“My English is conversational. I can talk about little things. In Honduras, my practice was limited to two or three hours at a time. In the US, my practice was twenty hours a day for three weeks. That was a good experience and I think my English is better after my trip. Some days it was hard. It was hard for my brain. Sometimes I was tired and didn’t want to talk in English. But it was good because I was glad to try to share and talk about the Gospel with each person. One day, I was trying to place an order for a coffee and the person told me about his life. That was a good opportunity to share the Gospel!”</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Footnotes</b></span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDCr1Nyg50bjk8_swojGvhBT1gUlO4pD8ERnKy-VdUQYLiNm0m_dQJPWUsYX2RJJDL-qdfILV1HDcvOx6cO2trAeOTq5T5SYLd7uyTKLg-Jq44ruMMbTLBQyOrlbqidsWEl97wfvFz-g0kDKrSSpAoPLeM7jf0kQ5LpnWvfY7asiX8QdJ19ePLqLTU43RE/s2048/385884127_10159203988651396_1743495205774204066_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDCr1Nyg50bjk8_swojGvhBT1gUlO4pD8ERnKy-VdUQYLiNm0m_dQJPWUsYX2RJJDL-qdfILV1HDcvOx6cO2trAeOTq5T5SYLd7uyTKLg-Jq44ruMMbTLBQyOrlbqidsWEl97wfvFz-g0kDKrSSpAoPLeM7jf0kQ5LpnWvfY7asiX8QdJ19ePLqLTU43RE/w640-h480/385884127_10159203988651396_1743495205774204066_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />When asked if there was more to this story, Esdras shared, “Everything in the USA is different. There are different roads. The beach is different. The cars. The food. It’s all different.” He said, “Now I know one thing–that the USA is a beautiful country. Honduras is beautiful, too, but it’s different. The people were so kind. The people adopted me to be part of their families. I’m grateful to God for those people and how they received me with love. I’m grateful for each experience there. I have a long, long story about each moment. Mr. Allen and Kirstin were there with me. I didn’t have any idea what the process was. Now I can understand. I had the new experience of driving a tractor to put the boxes on the containers. I had never driven a tractor before. When I finished the backpack work, some people showed me different theme parks. And it was my first time to eat steak! That was a delicious choice!” Esdras laughed while remembering, “I really enjoyed the food. I love the food in the USA. So delicious!”<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wuHx2uHYa9u4Nv8rJcuBDex_gkgOzvCVdIJkyzR-dXb1Rv260DsSIKGh4ER78DBXWeP7c0IQ-Xq46KLsSWfvD7VBWKAYfaLJSh-4_3XzAyEU1Vw1AVE1dqdyyTWb9w7VsIbbFC7z6lSecTQ0PIUKiKwGUvjTQyclV9wAAZqprGSExkkvuXD7Ok21vIr3/s1440/392932600_18392079319053259_3000763737683082421_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wuHx2uHYa9u4Nv8rJcuBDex_gkgOzvCVdIJkyzR-dXb1Rv260DsSIKGh4ER78DBXWeP7c0IQ-Xq46KLsSWfvD7VBWKAYfaLJSh-4_3XzAyEU1Vw1AVE1dqdyyTWb9w7VsIbbFC7z6lSecTQ0PIUKiKwGUvjTQyclV9wAAZqprGSExkkvuXD7Ok21vIr3/w640-h480/392932600_18392079319053259_3000763737683082421_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>(Not) The End</b></span></p><p><br /></p><p>Esdras' first backpack collection trip may be over, but he is eagerly awaiting the arrival of the backpacks in Honduras, so he can pick up the story where he left off. </p><div>- posted by Christi</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8089868875915873819.post-55082612666199119432023-10-19T13:55:00.004-06:002023-10-19T13:55:58.168-06:00Having Allen's Back<p><br /></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-e2f36513-7fff-8ced-1fc4-bd46cde5c9fb"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">"Don't worry. I've got your back!" That's something you might hear whenever someone is letting you know that they are there to support you. Right now, it's something that Allen <i>needs to hear</i> because his actual back is causing him grief! After dealing with back issues for most of his adult life, the pain has finally caught up with him. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDyDY2Sflbx8xADyKghhPJr9K1aqFtl2tEoyiGqZ56kfq4P2hAMMfQbJKvt2uSTRJsGe0_reGPY2Vk_3VsjLjKOr17RJN0m3vYXbaN2Web13N4__xlW8LHsj3IMDlZt3DXTMwwhwRnwDNg31H8-EwWl3cGN70vmtec1MzdfSEvJjhplyEXzbeoehlCpZ3w/s1213/307184645_10159585222872098_7950415681355715891_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="1213" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDyDY2Sflbx8xADyKghhPJr9K1aqFtl2tEoyiGqZ56kfq4P2hAMMfQbJKvt2uSTRJsGe0_reGPY2Vk_3VsjLjKOr17RJN0m3vYXbaN2Web13N4__xlW8LHsj3IMDlZt3DXTMwwhwRnwDNg31H8-EwWl3cGN70vmtec1MzdfSEvJjhplyEXzbeoehlCpZ3w/w640-h380/307184645_10159585222872098_7950415681355715891_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Allen’s long history with back pain stems from a combination of weight lifting as a young man, construction work, a minor car accident that happened years ago, and his incessant need to help lift any heavy object in need of lifting. Over the years, the damage would get better. Then it would get worse. But, as Trish shared, “He always considered it to be manageable. Until it wasn’t.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The proverbial “straw that broke the camel’s back” moment came while Allen was on the current backpack collection trip. He had just arrived in the US and the pain was different. Instead of only being in his back, the pain was radiating down his limbs. That might have been a good time to stop pushing. However, Allen is not a person who stops until a job is done. So, he pushed on.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">He completed the first leg of the trip. And the pain was pretty bad. He completed the second leg of the trip. And the pain was still pretty bad. When it was time for the third leg of the trip…Holy moly! The pain was so bad that even Allen had to stop. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Kirstin completed the trip by herself. In a giant Penske truck, she drove from Mississippi, where she picked up backpacks collected in Texas and Mississippi, through Alabama where she also picked up backpacks, and back to Florida. It all got done while Allen waited in Florida. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Allen, Kirstin, and Esdras were scheduled to fly back to Honduras today (October 19th). That won’t be happening for Allen. Instead, Trish will be flying to Florida next week, to join him. The plan is to find out what can be done for Allen’s back, and get it taken care of! They anticipate there will be at least one surgery involved. The damage from the long-ago car accident is in his neck and the other damage is in the lower back, so… Who knows? </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Because they have been in Honduras for decades, Allen and Trish only had minimal health insurance in the US. That always worked out well since healthcare costs are so much lower in Honduras. The insurance was mainly to cover costs in case Allen got sick or was injured on a backpack collection trip. Options for spinal surgery in Honduras are not great, and if they were, there would still be the issue that Allen is not currently in Honduras. The insurance they already had wasn’t going to cut it, so Allen found a different health insurance. Due to their low income, they qualified for an Affordable Care Act plan that doesn’t exclude pre-existing conditions. That will kick in on November 1st. In November, Allen will see a doctor and, hopefully, get plans to ease the back pain, and start taking steps to resolve the causes of the pain.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The new insurance plan requires all medical treatment to be in Florida. That brings up the next issue… Allen and Trish needed a place to stay. Since this could drag on for months, they needed to not be guests in someone’s home. And, in order to keep expenses down, they needed a place where Trish could cook, do laundry, etc. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj61M2HyHqJ3LawJcmQ4Utfoezi7b1A_EHyJF_4dlVBTA6bqptbcvgMYsBnABaUU3IQoJNat9fH7fz77qliRpByQNJISM2rvkMKCEDltQMUKXtBTRNVbAylz2sVUtqTvx14hU3tI1GP73Gq1EwVKOmKHMGc8jl8OIVFGIe9OR1biTTqjXi0rkcN_O_8z3Kt/s1920/387473086_857011162456902_8329936483942268126_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="961" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj61M2HyHqJ3LawJcmQ4Utfoezi7b1A_EHyJF_4dlVBTA6bqptbcvgMYsBnABaUU3IQoJNat9fH7fz77qliRpByQNJISM2rvkMKCEDltQMUKXtBTRNVbAylz2sVUtqTvx14hU3tI1GP73Gq1EwVKOmKHMGc8jl8OIVFGIe9OR1biTTqjXi0rkcN_O_8z3Kt/w320-h640/387473086_857011162456902_8329936483942268126_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the cottage where Allen and<br />Trish will be staying!</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Trish said, “We have been blessed by the generosity of a supporter.” The supporter is someone Trish met in an online homeschooling forum, back in the day. “She and her husband have a home in coastal Georgia with a guest cottage. It’s a two-bedroom cottage with a full kitchen and all of the amenities. It’s off in the woods by itself. If you put it together like a dream, this is what you’d come up with. It’s about an hour from Florida. We’re hoping to get treatment set up in Jacksonville and to remain in Georgia for as long as we can. It may be necessary to move around a bit, if the locations of the needed care requires us to be farther south.”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">What does this mean for the ministry? Trish will continue doing her ministry work online. Everything else is in the very capable hands of Brandy, Rachel, Kirstin, and the rest of the staff. They will get the containers, etc. Trish anticipates that they will likely pass out the backpacks before she and Allen return home. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">How can you have their backs? Obviously, both Allen and Trish can use your prayers. Trish is preparing now, to leave her house empty for an unknown period of time. Allen does not have a reputation for being a patient patient in the best of times. These are not the best of times. He’s in a lot of pain and he isn’t sleeping well. Since there's not much he can do, we can expect that he will be experiencing boredom, as well.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">You can also help with the additional financial burdens by donating through the </span><a href="https://sowers4pastors.reachapp.co/donations/new" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">website</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> and selecting Allen and Trish Sowers Support from the dropdown menu.
It has been suggested that Trish set up an Amazon wishlist, for people who would like to help them with some of their needs while they will be in the US. Others have suggested restaurant or grocery gift cards might be helpful. If you're interested in helping in any of these ways (or you have some other way you'd like to help), you can contact Trish at trish @ sowers4pastors.com. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Trish said, “We’re just taking this day by day. God has brought us through difficult times in the past, and we know that He has this in hand, too.”
- posted by Christi</span></p><div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8089868875915873819.post-70746601708937448712023-10-17T15:36:00.002-06:002024-01-17T13:57:31.855-06:00Bible Lessons are Making a Difference!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Whoa!” Did anyone else sing John 1:1 when you read that? No? Then it is pretty obvious that you never spent months with a kids’ Bible verse cd stuck in your minivan’s player! What can I say? The verses set to tunes flow out of my consciousness at unusual times. And, sitting down to write a post about the importance of Bible lessons in schools and churches in the sister church program, John 1:1 with a very jazzy “Whoa!” at the end of it bubbled up. </span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ9NT8LNL7qGCjWqFQBAIIQAwqt6zd3PVvPWLApglkpB1V-jqQDkisWYjbiF0RCUk1yGQL7qIexT2cVkfIL8UvsaXjFbtbh-JaVVeg1zipHe8te5hRmhe2Gh0m3gQOis0uCIyFRvrk6VKk-Ia4E_U3CbnSrmyCtSilP26btMNuzWNuhQ0thjFm9s1058mQ/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-10-17%20at%203.10.17%20PM.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ9NT8LNL7qGCjWqFQBAIIQAwqt6zd3PVvPWLApglkpB1V-jqQDkisWYjbiF0RCUk1yGQL7qIexT2cVkfIL8UvsaXjFbtbh-JaVVeg1zipHe8te5hRmhe2Gh0m3gQOis0uCIyFRvrk6VKk-Ia4E_U3CbnSrmyCtSilP26btMNuzWNuhQ0thjFm9s1058mQ/w640-h480/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-10-17%20at%203.10.17%20PM.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><br /></p><p>We talk quite a bit about backpacks filled with school supplies, hygiene items, and toys and the impact they have on kids. We know that the free pair of shoes the kids receive can be a game changer. And no one questions the importance of nutrient-dense meals to stave off malnutrition. But maybe we don’t talk about Bible lessons as much as we should. That’s not to suggest that Sowers4Pastors isn't fully aware of the importance of the Bible lessons! </p><br /><br /><p></p><p>When Alejandro and Secia joined Sowers4Pastors they immediately understood the importance of finding the right materials to use for the Bible lessons. This was made more challenging by the fact that the children come from a variety of denominations. Some of the parents were adamant that the lessons should not teach a specific doctrine. Secia found materials that teach values according to the Word of God. In that way, the lessons teach about scripture. Sing it if you know the tune! “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Whoa!" </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN-5OBWkweZHK0EF90z_-lvVgX1s0wULhDPMkozSEgBAddWC444JH6Gf-_b2qZ0Ayb25Pgh5pJtE1KEXtKIOIp0Z9RvGkebLzyjsdO6g6KUU4Y7Fhp7-BRwA2NgaaEOx4_SQY_eT91maI-2f-KWZKrdMdRI0q1kY7pE9ldY_qC7NQIYAPmFE4e9VWR6MEb/s1280/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-10-17%20at%203.10.07%20PM.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN-5OBWkweZHK0EF90z_-lvVgX1s0wULhDPMkozSEgBAddWC444JH6Gf-_b2qZ0Ayb25Pgh5pJtE1KEXtKIOIp0Z9RvGkebLzyjsdO6g6KUU4Y7Fhp7-BRwA2NgaaEOx4_SQY_eT91maI-2f-KWZKrdMdRI0q1kY7pE9ldY_qC7NQIYAPmFE4e9VWR6MEb/w640-h480/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-10-17%20at%203.10.07%20PM.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjsr6t5N0QGNjj66zFcgmLiH8BpsQGj7Mzc-xCow-3dlwpeRNGdS2vpVsMUuIQSWJcNLnPfE_OgJ5DUt_7OLjAAQ4H_kGGaakCDbGDhnnxN6Y5QY9M2XFr6IVo7tsafTqDHkCYWohhprPQW3dkoKRMPe1N2IW3BB6AcCJUy1qIFK5v5Ew3KGFNf2HR48hn/s1599/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-10-17%20at%203.16.38%20PM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1599" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjsr6t5N0QGNjj66zFcgmLiH8BpsQGj7Mzc-xCow-3dlwpeRNGdS2vpVsMUuIQSWJcNLnPfE_OgJ5DUt_7OLjAAQ4H_kGGaakCDbGDhnnxN6Y5QY9M2XFr6IVo7tsafTqDHkCYWohhprPQW3dkoKRMPe1N2IW3BB6AcCJUy1qIFK5v5Ew3KGFNf2HR48hn/s320/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-10-17%20at%203.16.38%20PM.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>Kids don’t just listen to the lessons. Each child in the program is now given their own book of lessons. This has led to some wonderful testimonials from the teachers.<p></p><p><br /></p><p>A teacher in Guacutao (Edgewater Alliance Church’s sponsored sister church) shared that the material isn’t only teaching values. It is also helping them with reading and writing! When the teacher presents the Bible lessons, he also asks questions of the kids–reinforcing what they have read and heard.</p><p><br /></p><p>In Crucitas (a location in the Lighthouse Church program), a teacher shared that the children now have better behavior and have learned a better way to to speak to others based on the weekly Bible lessons. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3VztzWxDirc1LyoH2tEkbpUiu-Ookbb_3V9eJ4ZqSzddUQRlNQtTPLwit_wDGnJuTdXxah-N8k12zSs4efBRlsu0jRv_w-v5VjOLnoh8jrL-lO_PTiQe6dn95YvuqfiYgFp5vbriGBhu3NVSu6-KyCgJF0dsDK2oZ2gylHUXOBDGSXTedM8NdKV8jdhA5/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-10-17%20at%203.10.18%20PM.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3VztzWxDirc1LyoH2tEkbpUiu-Ookbb_3V9eJ4ZqSzddUQRlNQtTPLwit_wDGnJuTdXxah-N8k12zSs4efBRlsu0jRv_w-v5VjOLnoh8jrL-lO_PTiQe6dn95YvuqfiYgFp5vbriGBhu3NVSu6-KyCgJF0dsDK2oZ2gylHUXOBDGSXTedM8NdKV8jdhA5/w640-h480/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-10-17%20at%203.10.18%20PM.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Alejandro said, “Backpacks, food, and shoes… We know those things are a huge blessing to the communities. But the Word of God is the most precious thing we can give them. The backpacks work for a year. If we can put the Word of God in their hearts, that is the biggest thing ever! We are already thinking ahead for next year. We’ve already found the materials. We are expecting next year to be even better!”</p><p><br /></p><p> - posted by Christi</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8089868875915873819.post-59006229244557977602023-10-05T12:30:00.004-06:002023-10-05T12:30:34.871-06:00Revving up for Motorcycles<p>Vroom, vroom! It’s time to rev up to talk about motorcycles. Helping pastors get motorcycles is nothing new for Sowers4Pastors but Brandy provided some new insight about this branch of the ministry. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinMzhwcaeWZSThto5dPVjJbdacmgl_VXdY4GGEe_HAyWAuNSDjYnX39el38kZ-S0gE3T8d5LGIYdQ5md0ynBsEUev6AERqCmlfROphJhwoyjLnlKFOErE2FGZ5seh8tkApOnXRpBuss3Z3jKjd70AT6GO1eXfcj-jAQM08H7LWuMsme6ZeeD3o8r4-GAno/s2016/DSC_77681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="822" data-original-width="2016" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinMzhwcaeWZSThto5dPVjJbdacmgl_VXdY4GGEe_HAyWAuNSDjYnX39el38kZ-S0gE3T8d5LGIYdQ5md0ynBsEUev6AERqCmlfROphJhwoyjLnlKFOErE2FGZ5seh8tkApOnXRpBuss3Z3jKjd70AT6GO1eXfcj-jAQM08H7LWuMsme6ZeeD3o8r4-GAno/w640-h260/DSC_77681.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><b>Why are Motorcycles So Important?</b></p><p><br /></p><p>“I’ve been in different places that are difficult to get to. You can get there by motorcycle or by horse. And not a pretty horse because the horse could easily break an ankle,” Brandy shared with a laugh. </p><p><br /></p><p>With a motorcycle, a pastor can travel to different places to preach, reach brothers and sisters in Christ, and help the community. Less travel time means they can visit their church plants more often, plant more churches in more remote areas, and preach more.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>What is the Application Process Like?</b></p><p><br /></p><p>The applications are pretty straight forward. Brandy explained that applicants “ share about their call to the ministry. They talk about their vision for their ministry.” </p><p><br /></p><p>The pastors also record how often they need to spend the night away from home when visiting their church plants. Brandy said, “Some pastors have to spend a week away from home when planting churches. The locations are in the mountains and there are no buses or taxis to those areas. Getting there by walking takes a lot of time. We consider all of those factors when selecting the pastors who have the greatest need.”</p><p><br /></p><p><b>How Many Applications Has S4P Received this Go Around?</b></p><p><br /></p><p>Right now there are about 20 applications. Next week, S4P will begin the process of reading all of the documents and selecting the pastors with the most need. </p><p><br /></p><p>“We would love to give motorcycles to them all but there isn’t enough money for that. We want to give around 15, this time.”</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Describe the Motorcycles</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbqPfoplthS5DIzyaiWRRlM-qNOCpoLU-RVy1q3MztbSlZnxU071RKOMdE-EwH3yQumT2bhWI4EM1wAakxmz6Ha0iOlTJDhx7lHpa7Zak6br3pfGYt0jOf6vo-wlP0AtPNkSesLxLbBn2Cd1Ib_87YcqOrJ_yoDr96af-YdSk77VfkxzcV33IZV_pJGT2p/s1002/DSC_77321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1002" data-original-width="797" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbqPfoplthS5DIzyaiWRRlM-qNOCpoLU-RVy1q3MztbSlZnxU071RKOMdE-EwH3yQumT2bhWI4EM1wAakxmz6Ha0iOlTJDhx7lHpa7Zak6br3pfGYt0jOf6vo-wlP0AtPNkSesLxLbBn2Cd1Ib_87YcqOrJ_yoDr96af-YdSk77VfkxzcV33IZV_pJGT2p/s320/DSC_77321.JPG" width="255" /></a></div>“We help provide two different sizes of motorcycles. One has a 125cc engine. The other has a 150cc engine. Pastors who live and work in easier terrain can get by with a 125 engine while people in difficult areas need a 150 engine.<p></p><p><br /></p><p>“One pastor currently has a 125 engine and his church has moved him to a more difficult area. It’s hard for that motorcycle to go up the mountain carrying his wife and their two children. He must ride in 1st gear the whole way. He has asked if he can apply to upgrade. When that happens, we ask the pastor if he can find another pastor to give or sell his current motorcycle to. If he can’t find someone, we will take the motorcycle and sell it to another pastor cheaply. This pastor has said he’s planning to give it to another pastor when he can save the money to apply for the 150 engine,” Brandy said.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Wait! Say What? The Motorcycle is Carrying a Whole Family?</b></p><p><br /></p><p>Yes, motorcycles in Honduras are frequently used in the same way we might use a family vehicle. Rachel shared, “We’ve been thinking about making a BINGO card for our teams to fill in as they travel around. Spotting an entire family on a motorcycle is one of the things we’d put on the card! I once spotted a mother nursing a baby while riding on a motorcycle. I don’t recommend that, but there she was!”</p><p><br /></p><p>Brandy has seen a father, mother, and their four children all riding on a single motorcycle!</p><p><br /></p><p><b>What Percentage of Motorcycle Cost is Provided by Sowers4Pastors?</b></p><p><br /></p><p>As Allen has shared many times in the past, pastors are expected to provide a percentage of the cost before receiving a motorcycle. S4P provides 50% of the cost for a 125 engine and 35% for the 150 engine.</p><p>“The pastors earn little money so it is difficult for them to save enough money. Pastors work other jobs where they might earn about $8 a day. With that $8, they must support their families, send their kids to school, and cover other expenses. It isn’t easy for them to get their portion. We know the need so we try to help them. For them, it’s the equivalent of buying a new truck or car,” Brandy said.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>How Can You Help?</b></p><p><br /></p><p>Donations can be made through the Sowers4Pastors website. On the Donate page, there is a dropdown menu that allows you to select where you would like the money to go. Click on the down arrow under Purpose and you will find the listing for Motorcycles and Horses for Pastors. </p><p> - posted by Christi</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8089868875915873819.post-7180050183135376062023-10-03T14:20:00.003-06:002023-10-03T14:24:43.940-06:00What's Involved in Sending and Receiving Sponsorship Letters?<p>It’s time for a sing-along! Today’s song is “Please, Mr. Postman,” which was performed by such greats as The Marvelettes, The Beatles, and The Carpenters. You can either sing the main part or the backup singer part. Me? I sing both parts! Ready? A one, a two, a one, two three, four…</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOfYWpZvmYAO1AdbvOcwGeEIbaRIIJIXQO2_rcBbvZjHclQS7D3xGZkn97DcRBPE9xU2Qhmz5dPLCAa9Z2_Qyr4LXrysmuI5nCLJZi8DxgRG4PRDitG48w6axc3aBOaUCGITdnYL0k-fFIkWSmkPTnEiE8DPjFrWzO28MoxCqntR56EoN1tFvXnWIPCX-Q/s1225/352924130_642262671278771_6791332244922504543_n%20(1)1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1224" data-original-width="1225" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOfYWpZvmYAO1AdbvOcwGeEIbaRIIJIXQO2_rcBbvZjHclQS7D3xGZkn97DcRBPE9xU2Qhmz5dPLCAa9Z2_Qyr4LXrysmuI5nCLJZi8DxgRG4PRDitG48w6axc3aBOaUCGITdnYL0k-fFIkWSmkPTnEiE8DPjFrWzO28MoxCqntR56EoN1tFvXnWIPCX-Q/s320/352924130_642262671278771_6791332244922504543_n%20(1)1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Woah, yes, wait a minute, Mr. Postman.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">(Wait) Wait, Mr. Postman.</p><p style="text-align: center;">(Please, Mr. Postman, look and see)</p><p style="text-align: center;">Oh, yeah (if there’s a letter in your bag for me)</p><p style="text-align: center;">Please, please, Mr. Postman (Why’s it takin’ such a long time)...</p><p><br /></p><p>Okay, that’s enough of a lead-in for today’s blog topic. We’re talking about sending letters to and receiving letters from sponsored children. And, let’s just say that if The Marvelettes, The Beatles, and The Carpenters had understood the 2-fold process, they would have understood why it was "takin’ such a long time"!</p><p><b><br />Letters Going to Children from Sponsors</b></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR4ta4eM6mcFElCtjaKl8dz-k52LsUFVgxMigwJ-luAbIT2Gh4Kexg_ibywYI14QYc8a1UaMZiXOAVfjY7XlfeUYtqKIMrldZrFIQEK-VJVcP4FwiJzFhhPuD_6NIz51Qg2SBTb9T1q0FO0MwRYyQuGLOQ6VaZJbvNgRFYI3PYbdjfp5bEikMTAcsLid67/s519/16422861_734823350024887_8975735485981348352_o.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="519" data-original-width="277" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR4ta4eM6mcFElCtjaKl8dz-k52LsUFVgxMigwJ-luAbIT2Gh4Kexg_ibywYI14QYc8a1UaMZiXOAVfjY7XlfeUYtqKIMrldZrFIQEK-VJVcP4FwiJzFhhPuD_6NIz51Qg2SBTb9T1q0FO0MwRYyQuGLOQ6VaZJbvNgRFYI3PYbdjfp5bEikMTAcsLid67/w214-h400/16422861_734823350024887_8975735485981348352_o.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>Alejandro stressed how much the kids love to receive letters. It helps them feel connected with their sponsor and makes them feel special and loved. <p></p><p><br /></p><p>Each sponsorship church handles their letters a bit differently. Some try to do more letters than others, but in general the ministry receives 1-2 batches of letters from each church every year. The letters from the sponsors to the children are generally brought down by a team and handed over to S4P staff in country, although occasionally they are shipped down on the containers.</p><p><br /></p><p>Once letters have arrived in Honduras they are then given to translators. Finding enough local people with strong written English skills is not a small task, by the way. When the translators have finished, each of the translated letters is printed and stapled to the originals. Each letter must contain the child’s name, sponsor number, etc. The letters are sorted into packages to be delivered to the twenty schools and three churches in the programs. </p><p><br /></p><p>Approximate time needed once letters arrive in Honduras: Two and a half months.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Letters From Children to Sponsors</b></p><p><br /></p><p>Surprisingly, the kids also love writing letters to their sponsors. </p><p><br /></p><p>Rachel and Secia get the process started by creating a letter-writing assignment based on the season. This year, the three themes are: 1) Backpack Thank You Letter, 2) Mid year greetings and update and 3) Christmas. Rachel and Secia have written specific questions for each child to answer. Secia then prints up 2,200 copies of the letter-writing prompts. The child’s name, sponsorship number, and sponsor’s name are computer generated, by Secia, before printing and the blank letters are then delivered to one of the twenty-three locations. </p><p><br /></p><p>It takes about two weeks just to distribute the letters. The teachers help the smaller children fill in their answers. Then, the letters have to be picked up from all 23 locations and from there go to the translators. The 2,000+ translations are printed and stapled to the original letters. Secia prints envelopes with the sponsor’s name and the child’s name. Each letter is stuffed into the correct envelope and packages are created to be delivered to each participating church in the States.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRFrWntb3-YZ61OR_9Y99FVGdfNi-YaoRu6R1JmLIcpCXMeGBbFg-FbGug6FrTjYEmXOe1mcviWNqfsKWEcmr0DvppdcQbSDL4iBa46thgJadNkHNk1w6PFF1HVrSLDlH_Mn5XiSueEgpy6FaumclVuCRByX5jyHn97aVGCRkNxW_ByCzuOukwx71SHi2N/s2048/352982054_642262694612102_3176970349470514415_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1367" data-original-width="2048" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRFrWntb3-YZ61OR_9Y99FVGdfNi-YaoRu6R1JmLIcpCXMeGBbFg-FbGug6FrTjYEmXOe1mcviWNqfsKWEcmr0DvppdcQbSDL4iBa46thgJadNkHNk1w6PFF1HVrSLDlH_Mn5XiSueEgpy6FaumclVuCRByX5jyHn97aVGCRkNxW_ByCzuOukwx71SHi2N/w640-h428/352982054_642262694612102_3176970349470514415_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>The packages are carried to the States by visiting teams throughout the year, or by a Sowers4Pastors staff member during the backpack collection trip. The packages are sent out to the various churches, which then distribute the letters to the sponsors in that program.</p><p><br /></p><p>Approximate time needed from the start of this process until the letters are ready to be shipped to the US: Three and a half months.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUamotC29U90A2q5kl8pJfrdOwH6oO-Vk8NW2vvJakk8ZIrEDOlL5oiknFy4Oo487IIyJ9GvL7rFN_y6ElnWew7l83jEcsdbF6ddA2FErRIByNCfMUMMraoE2hZob26yNiLAeCan_SRaHOdaUmlOQfkv4dY1Gjpw4q12zCMcsJqntMP4HWiULaMOE5-Op/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-10-03%20at%2011.53.53%20AM.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUamotC29U90A2q5kl8pJfrdOwH6oO-Vk8NW2vvJakk8ZIrEDOlL5oiknFy4Oo487IIyJ9GvL7rFN_y6ElnWew7l83jEcsdbF6ddA2FErRIByNCfMUMMraoE2hZob26yNiLAeCan_SRaHOdaUmlOQfkv4dY1Gjpw4q12zCMcsJqntMP4HWiULaMOE5-Op/w640-h480/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-10-03%20at%2011.53.53%20AM.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>As you’ve probably figured out, the lofty goal of having kids send three letters per year means that this is a continuous cycle. The Sowers4Pastors staff and the children in the programs are currently working on the Christmas letters. Keep this in mind if you’ve ever heard yourself singing “Deliver a letter. The sooner the better,” like a mournful Karen Carpenter!<br /><br /> - posted by Christi</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8089868875915873819.post-27984361943378810542023-09-28T12:51:00.000-06:002023-09-28T12:51:37.275-06:00Retreat!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTGVZCuNZBCBdtoP1rnKCBdKbbgbihnT3lKaCgYiO7YkWu7mlm-vxcoBnHXk7tk4O62h0Gzce62EhKaIwdcxKDmc6hXul_4Ovhd7ITKaDwG_X9FmRsj4fNJOA2DNS_nFiJ7SjUXBwZ7rTKsraAmnkFwNnos-RbqFJXqF4QIaq2fGAONcfIdWJyuwGunypz/s900/beaches-in-honduras.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="803" data-original-width="900" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTGVZCuNZBCBdtoP1rnKCBdKbbgbihnT3lKaCgYiO7YkWu7mlm-vxcoBnHXk7tk4O62h0Gzce62EhKaIwdcxKDmc6hXul_4Ovhd7ITKaDwG_X9FmRsj4fNJOA2DNS_nFiJ7SjUXBwZ7rTKsraAmnkFwNnos-RbqFJXqF4QIaq2fGAONcfIdWJyuwGunypz/s320/beaches-in-honduras.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Close your eyes and picture a beachside retreat.<p></p><p><br />Wait! On second thought, don’t close your eyes because you’re supposed to be reading this. So keep your eyes open and picture a beachside retreat. Are you imagining a tranquil scene? </p><p><br /></p><p>Last weekend, Rachel and Brandy attended a retreat at the beach. Was it tranquil? Perhaps, if your tranquility bar is set very low. Maybe tranquil is the wrong word, but it was spiritually uplifting. </p><p><br /></p><p>The Honduran Fellowship of Missionaries and Ministries generally puts on two retreats per year and Brandy and Rachel try to attend at least one of those. This year, that meant loading up Nathan, Michael, and Levi into their vehicle and driving 4-5 hours to San Pedro Sula one day, in order to break up the travel time. The family checked into an Airbnb for a night. </p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhthY4ZYOI7_oq4-nbu7L9BB8eG6Zslq6RXVytYmfkJzai4L32BBNjP7FXe-SK00i9jECDyIK5s4HnCZtwxqQwNs9FGlHIGTEHQsk_WJ1wGVvzkyc5QdWTxLK__fLuvo3Eof-p_wBGzttpHMWigRum4Zebh59iav5PkXUk3ScR2Qg6L4a7rE7VdMDS0i6TK/s2048/383079248_6368259659949233_6623782548377499124_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhthY4ZYOI7_oq4-nbu7L9BB8eG6Zslq6RXVytYmfkJzai4L32BBNjP7FXe-SK00i9jECDyIK5s4HnCZtwxqQwNs9FGlHIGTEHQsk_WJ1wGVvzkyc5QdWTxLK__fLuvo3Eof-p_wBGzttpHMWigRum4Zebh59iav5PkXUk3ScR2Qg6L4a7rE7VdMDS0i6TK/s320/383079248_6368259659949233_6623782548377499124_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Unfortunately, the evening of relaxation didn’t go exactly as planned. Nathan had an accidental encounter with the glass shower door and it broke on top of him. Startled and scared by the sight of broken glass, he ran through all of the broken pieces! A trip to the hospital was in order. Thankfully, the family is on Brandy’s military health insurance. After Google Maps pointed them in the right direction, they arrived at the nearest military hospital. Nathan’s injury was clean and the deep cut on top of his foot only required a single stitch! His run across the broken glass hadn’t sliced the soles of his feet. The worst part of this as far as Nathan was concerned was that he wasn’t able to go into the swimming pool or into the water at the beach. Rachel says he was a trooper, though!<p></p><p><br /></p><p>The following day, the family piled back into their vehicle and drove another 4-5 hours to the beach. More than 100 adult missionaries were in attendance and around 60 missionary kids. Rachel and Brandy are very appreciative of the volunteers that traveled to lead worship, speak at workshops, and… drumroll, please!... provide childcare so the parents could enjoy participating in worship, workshops and sessions!</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_cZUedsxktZxXKStWluzFhh3x23mhVwjSMY4afzM4VYhdOEMKy2WDImKrHSVNPAuZcrA_94Hqt1t6dey6HIOPYWVzdnbw5reBEclVCSve0fNUkXmQaQ8PAh9NVpMAfwnnMNoLq1UNo_5-TBWRyPACB8FlX20CnJ5gnIQgxLFa9RLnVEeDlhMsU7I90Y-F/s2048/381442878_6368258196616046_6018394252599185902_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_cZUedsxktZxXKStWluzFhh3x23mhVwjSMY4afzM4VYhdOEMKy2WDImKrHSVNPAuZcrA_94Hqt1t6dey6HIOPYWVzdnbw5reBEclVCSve0fNUkXmQaQ8PAh9NVpMAfwnnMNoLq1UNo_5-TBWRyPACB8FlX20CnJ5gnIQgxLFa9RLnVEeDlhMsU7I90Y-F/s320/381442878_6368258196616046_6018394252599185902_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuV0LDvqjEtFTMUXzvC6JfbPWRUCKX-4YtPK536NEIENIIufPyaHJOUs0GXW-cOWclpTyJFhRYlBJrjuOy88jkeX_1y0HVvqjD_Orq2YHnqtSE7-X5uY9rB4ZjhXBPZphIjKXOQ1_Po5-V2XkEY5wJ_FwA7sw4Gz8oCOqHqUbE2Z7ufhCexZJlN04piNrr/s976/383341742_6368258229949376_4114624004436757199_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="976" data-original-width="635" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuV0LDvqjEtFTMUXzvC6JfbPWRUCKX-4YtPK536NEIENIIufPyaHJOUs0GXW-cOWclpTyJFhRYlBJrjuOy88jkeX_1y0HVvqjD_Orq2YHnqtSE7-X5uY9rB4ZjhXBPZphIjKXOQ1_Po5-V2XkEY5wJ_FwA7sw4Gz8oCOqHqUbE2Z7ufhCexZJlN04piNrr/s320/383341742_6368258229949376_4114624004436757199_n.jpg" width="208" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaficAyv8j052pnY1NsuR3uZYRLCxJ8vlVon8_RpBCE_GgqSmXfqwljrs7dMx_Jn1gWIGRTOP85g-qsq4A5oSePU4i2930VVUV2QG3FVKiNbMCREJJ8193NoEjKBd_y0wIm6YMB4hCmkz5z6i2KgN2abYoPIGYd8WvYeV3KvUWkEIPG5KIArp4PvVAt1WJ/s1873/382323333_6368260606615805_899093788827687462_n1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1873" data-original-width="1155" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaficAyv8j052pnY1NsuR3uZYRLCxJ8vlVon8_RpBCE_GgqSmXfqwljrs7dMx_Jn1gWIGRTOP85g-qsq4A5oSePU4i2930VVUV2QG3FVKiNbMCREJJ8193NoEjKBd_y0wIm6YMB4hCmkz5z6i2KgN2abYoPIGYd8WvYeV3KvUWkEIPG5KIArp4PvVAt1WJ/s320/382323333_6368260606615805_899093788827687462_n1.jpg" width="197" /></a></div>As usual, there were a lot of new faces in attendance. If your main exposure to missionaries is the Sowers family, you may not realize that most missionaries don’t stay on the mission field for decades! While it’s difficult to know the exact number, it is estimated that 50% of missionaries leave by the end of their first two years. Most people make a commitment to stay for two years, but some don’t make it that long. There were also a lot of “old timers” in attendance–people who have been there for 10, 15, or 20 years. <p></p><p><br /></p><p>For Rachel, Brandy, and the other missionaries in attendance, the retreat was a time to get away, disconnect, and focus on spiritual health. Rachel and Brandy made the long drive home in a single day. When asked if she came back feeling refreshed or exhausted, Rachel’s response was, “Yes! Let’s just say that I came back feeling physically exhausted but spiritually uplifted.”</p><p><br /></p><p> - posted by Christi</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQHjB6ah92s1obYOWz4yGqnpwC19A1kgGHMH_f93hnH9XeggHira2xk967frMFAUAlpGjMjiEbXm_wpPo71rVdBLtf6r_kfrnUp3TYwu7Q2Ta0yn7ia4_u5aHymQxUCk5xoG9iiO8NpMa4hoJEB20VCzpTtitWiGe6a_ofue35hnXCAfZOIbRyHQYiOSi_/s1536/358061627_6091735090935026_2708167558491148700_n1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="1536" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQHjB6ah92s1obYOWz4yGqnpwC19A1kgGHMH_f93hnH9XeggHira2xk967frMFAUAlpGjMjiEbXm_wpPo71rVdBLtf6r_kfrnUp3TYwu7Q2Ta0yn7ia4_u5aHymQxUCk5xoG9iiO8NpMa4hoJEB20VCzpTtitWiGe6a_ofue35hnXCAfZOIbRyHQYiOSi_/w640-h282/358061627_6091735090935026_2708167558491148700_n1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8089868875915873819.post-43841759016813573542023-09-26T14:22:00.001-06:002023-09-26T14:31:09.485-06:00Alejandro Talks Backpacks<p><br /></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-a247138d-7fff-73bc-dd31-d85a6db25223"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwSKN4KwajUEOmmKCqzh0RkUddutdcl9lsjamj_COufFa11gqdIDwMAPCwI1o05Ax2xnhAZdX5avdd1OwlrMd4-SG1CEHL9zeJpgzBw4o5wZW_IqbUK4gJRe8BFX75SqXc7Me4VlnxolpUc_U3hZM65r_Oi-hjfxM5KD9xpUqMSYfyv9K_Qki_ik3ieZ3P/s1367/332704818_587968876282171_8524133623088567461_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1367" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwSKN4KwajUEOmmKCqzh0RkUddutdcl9lsjamj_COufFa11gqdIDwMAPCwI1o05Ax2xnhAZdX5avdd1OwlrMd4-SG1CEHL9zeJpgzBw4o5wZW_IqbUK4gJRe8BFX75SqXc7Me4VlnxolpUc_U3hZM65r_Oi-hjfxM5KD9xpUqMSYfyv9K_Qki_ik3ieZ3P/s320/332704818_587968876282171_8524133623088567461_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">When Alejandro and Sesia moved to Gracias to work with Sowers4Pastors in August 2022, they weren’t sure what to expect in regard to backpack distribution. They had heard things–things about how difficult it was to lug huge boxes of backpacks and shoes from one school to the other. The warnings were enough to cause Alejandro a little concern.</span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Alejandro said, “At our last job, my wife and I worked in an office. It was a big deal just to change the paper in the printer. So when the guys told me about the big boxes and heavy, hard work, I thought, ‘</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I’m not in the condition to do that sort of work!’</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The physical challenges proved to be worthwhile, though. Alejandro quickly discovered how much the backpacks mean–not just to the children, but to their families. He said, “Handing out the backpacks was amazing to us, but we had never thought about how amazing it was for the families. With the backpacks, they can send the kids to school. Each backpack that is filled with school supplies the families wouldn’t be able to afford to purchase helps a child, a family, and a community.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisnGuQk1k509Q7jYJF1Uj7C1VO8in3_gX5uW4OdTeMBrFLPPM3sccQXJov9YYilqfXwJv44oNqpA0kzK7IRFPH8vk45m8Qkltz9xaulc95sRTap4t7AYp9vvFGiV9VoMCXbpItZxcXk27_gMmNr1cuL8scE3azDBD0CPIJmj3KU-bDOE1rPtymIFeuA6FQ/s2048/332576274_497840112546198_2792333779103015348_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1367" data-original-width="2048" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisnGuQk1k509Q7jYJF1Uj7C1VO8in3_gX5uW4OdTeMBrFLPPM3sccQXJov9YYilqfXwJv44oNqpA0kzK7IRFPH8vk45m8Qkltz9xaulc95sRTap4t7AYp9vvFGiV9VoMCXbpItZxcXk27_gMmNr1cuL8scE3azDBD0CPIJmj3KU-bDOE1rPtymIFeuA6FQ/w640-h428/332576274_497840112546198_2792333779103015348_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Besides a good workout, there was another side benefit Alejandro hadn’t expected to receive. Working with the visiting teams made Alejandro and Secia feel that they now have new families within each of the churches. He spoke of his new families at Edgewater Alliance, Life Community Church, Lighthouse Church, and more. Alejandro said, “We were expecting to work with the teams but now we have families.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFiWq5uyx7N5Hinu1D_b7Zc9pW-mE8nhn2Gh594ZVA2k3I19uHB_hwmuzDKycmmHiDIdNtTWHbdRJIAmfRppsqiEuaRKZzfNvw3fb2hbNAP1f3aGZL0659DLgkuc3gHGsfmk3HSCTRavjMspyE8oVuQLxQf1loB-IRYTFVv7dWY2UZX0v1Fg1lpY0k2ZvZ/s1600/326091116_899709664564118_5496079050805487630_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFiWq5uyx7N5Hinu1D_b7Zc9pW-mE8nhn2Gh594ZVA2k3I19uHB_hwmuzDKycmmHiDIdNtTWHbdRJIAmfRppsqiEuaRKZzfNvw3fb2hbNAP1f3aGZL0659DLgkuc3gHGsfmk3HSCTRavjMspyE8oVuQLxQf1loB-IRYTFVv7dWY2UZX0v1Fg1lpY0k2ZvZ/w640-h480/326091116_899709664564118_5496079050805487630_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>He shared, “Something we discovered was the big hearts the people in the States who come here have. We have amazing people in Honduras, too. But the teams come from the States to work and work and work. They come to help the kids. People in their seventies have come to work side by side with us. If they are told to do this or that, they never say they are too tired. They say, ‘Let’s go!’ They are here loving the kids. It’s amazing the hearts they have.”</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Now that Alejandro knows better the good that will come out of the next backpack collection, he said, “I thank the Lord for giving me the opportunity to work and serve in this ministry. No matter what is in each backpack–whether it is full of extras or if it holds the basics– every item is a big blessing to the families.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD5Sq0o_Mi4ftVvc2oKer79kJa8PzdeKf1kOW2zXguriVYcWlf2KQz1yusKhouShwsvBZChlbfUMg0sVMPxaF5UZAyXpk4GbokhDV5bHh16P9gwytMS-bpJxB2eg9GVMPuWdQjUy1LtW6RK7mLgkmaz9lJiinzPHsACfSsPwtUtJJRdX8Z3VAnvX-Uaofw/s2048/329180640_1410861139713381_3455307808956498869_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1367" data-original-width="2048" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD5Sq0o_Mi4ftVvc2oKer79kJa8PzdeKf1kOW2zXguriVYcWlf2KQz1yusKhouShwsvBZChlbfUMg0sVMPxaF5UZAyXpk4GbokhDV5bHh16P9gwytMS-bpJxB2eg9GVMPuWdQjUy1LtW6RK7mLgkmaz9lJiinzPHsACfSsPwtUtJJRdX8Z3VAnvX-Uaofw/w640-h428/329180640_1410861139713381_3455307808956498869_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br />
- posted by Christi</span><p></p><div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8089868875915873819.post-66682447240372772682023-09-14T11:34:00.002-06:002024-01-17T13:58:24.243-06:00Time to Play Catch-Up . . . and Build a House!<p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Team season is over and it is now what the good folks at Sowers4Pastors refer to as "catch up season." (Note: If you read the preceding sentence out loud, your brain might hear </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">ketchup</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> season.) Catch up (or ketchup) season is the perfect time to think about construction on the property. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjd1PXd3t7m9NiPlG99QfwN2yAW6EjI7ak_Hu1CED24SU6OPLY5aOUdTjsUf20pdtiVSeoe0uWCJlOWp7kneDnC0qzILLtmVIsfwT9O1d4BuuWUDc4Pf7GeoDF3UfNaRqxzSeTZmp69GEMSxjQWzMK3XtRWxViBmfY1QpVNujW_hX4quDGhihxXJHq6MpW/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-09-14%20at%2010.47.36%20AM.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjd1PXd3t7m9NiPlG99QfwN2yAW6EjI7ak_Hu1CED24SU6OPLY5aOUdTjsUf20pdtiVSeoe0uWCJlOWp7kneDnC0qzILLtmVIsfwT9O1d4BuuWUDc4Pf7GeoDF3UfNaRqxzSeTZmp69GEMSxjQWzMK3XtRWxViBmfY1QpVNujW_hX4quDGhihxXJHq6MpW/w640-h480/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-09-14%20at%2010.47.36%20AM.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">
<span style="font-family: georgia;">As you may remember, the Sowerses are currently building a third house on the ministry property. Now, building a house is, admittedly, some pretty impressive catching up. The house was originally intended to be Allen and Trish’s new abode but it looks like it will be housing Rachel, Brandy, and their kids, instead. The previous houses on the property were built during snippets of time. A week here. Two weeks there. That drawn out process was the reason it took seven or eight years to complete the house where Allen and Trish are currently living.
</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPmtI-KhhDhPFiK0UJOBfXZ4NWIjWk5sF63WUo5KFFdxZNE37A_wi8DmywDHyeA4LaRgPvRTCfmJ2RVairRRSjTfhRxgcfPzy4zOkeEnps2neEphpDhpmcyQE6YM7KVKSNJluYiP2j98cwTSqQKZ7YQu1rA7K7GJ3TyILo57HArb4ZQX9fjCElUHkSBxXK/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-09-14%20at%2010.47.36%20AM%20(2).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPmtI-KhhDhPFiK0UJOBfXZ4NWIjWk5sF63WUo5KFFdxZNE37A_wi8DmywDHyeA4LaRgPvRTCfmJ2RVairRRSjTfhRxgcfPzy4zOkeEnps2neEphpDhpmcyQE6YM7KVKSNJluYiP2j98cwTSqQKZ7YQu1rA7K7GJ3TyILo57HArb4ZQX9fjCElUHkSBxXK/w640-h480/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-09-14%20at%2010.47.36%20AM%20(2).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-54f27bab-7fff-da1b-30ea-058db97e78bf"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Rachel and Brandy have many skills, but construction isn’t one of them. Allen is a skilled builder, but completing a house is a mighty undertaking and it isn’t the sort of thing that Allen can easily squeeze into an already full schedule. That’s why the family is looking to bring in a contractor to finish the project. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmENRS13IPrPCBgT8j2sLOHa6S86mZV0hr6sltbNiVihqsIa2_Cb41oMOvDbtOG3Ut9aspnLcxylBPsQY9ow4MTrmtNE6IvKrEYmeYngupRuEKv6j6mCXf8LFvfW8cp4ZZyBiXMw-5m8Uaw3qr_UC8MxsBXmDvmhVBc2JgbIvhjlcKqXFv0nDwqPa7YJTd/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-09-14%20at%2010.47.41%20AM.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmENRS13IPrPCBgT8j2sLOHa6S86mZV0hr6sltbNiVihqsIa2_Cb41oMOvDbtOG3Ut9aspnLcxylBPsQY9ow4MTrmtNE6IvKrEYmeYngupRuEKv6j6mCXf8LFvfW8cp4ZZyBiXMw-5m8Uaw3qr_UC8MxsBXmDvmhVBc2JgbIvhjlcKqXFv0nDwqPa7YJTd/w640-h480/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-09-14%20at%2010.47.41%20AM.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><p></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Here are just a few of the reasons hiring outside help makes sense:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The sooner Casa #3 is completed, the sooner Rachel and Brandy can move onto the property. Having more people living there is better from a security perspective. It will also give Allen and Trish more freedom to travel to the States. They will be able to take extended trips to see the rest of the family and visit churches.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Rachel and Brandy are currently paying rent in Gracias. Without hiring outside help, it is realistic to assume that it would take, at minimum, an additional two years for the house to be move-in ready. The amount of saved rent will offset the cost of hiring a contractor. <br /></span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">It will simply be nice to have the family all together. Nathan, Michael, and Levi will have lots of space to run and will be able to spend extra time with their doting grandparents and Aunt Kirstin. <br /></span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The setting will allow Rachel to enjoy her love of gardening and the temperatures are cooler than living in a house with a flat cement roof in Gracias. Rachel said their current house has some oven-like tendencies.</span></li></ol><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span><p></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwrt0r658LnH31S-ZAPRBUfUNcATBxUQJ8ldmiSm6m6pnFPM6fCjUQc9iTiPoIWJ2tcxtYkfFIrKGk89okmgl_n71UTBuEPu-qk5DsE2u-xTAmNdedxGVkQKh50OMKhRVnj4-6e3svFjw8cbtQYz2elcJvu0ic0zhBOHcp3FL8EDttjyQv3oTPek8iyVUx/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-09-14%20at%2010.47.21%20AM.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwrt0r658LnH31S-ZAPRBUfUNcATBxUQJ8ldmiSm6m6pnFPM6fCjUQc9iTiPoIWJ2tcxtYkfFIrKGk89okmgl_n71UTBuEPu-qk5DsE2u-xTAmNdedxGVkQKh50OMKhRVnj4-6e3svFjw8cbtQYz2elcJvu0ic0zhBOHcp3FL8EDttjyQv3oTPek8iyVUx/s320/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-09-14%20at%2010.47.21%20AM.jpeg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwEYUdCO2szHSEU4ZPxfladBXhFEi2Uw9-hrDPhrKI4QKaNnGioPWX8-c01gnCeObKjY529-J4TfcuYVJLWELm7x-48CtKDjwMor37zRSKZwFONkwMwEq1zrihmYM4SXCb9K43S0ABaZUmVDYYHHEkzUHLW-2HO-qMy3KqM035wBVQaw4Ud5o143W-MyU-/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-09-14%20at%2010.47.36%20AM%20(1).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwEYUdCO2szHSEU4ZPxfladBXhFEi2Uw9-hrDPhrKI4QKaNnGioPWX8-c01gnCeObKjY529-J4TfcuYVJLWELm7x-48CtKDjwMor37zRSKZwFONkwMwEq1zrihmYM4SXCb9K43S0ABaZUmVDYYHHEkzUHLW-2HO-qMy3KqM035wBVQaw4Ud5o143W-MyU-/s320/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-09-14%20at%2010.47.36%20AM%20(1).jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Allen has already made a lot of progress on the house, so a contractor will not be starting from scratch. The construction is almost to the point of putting in the skilled-labor intensive finishing touches, like putting in tile, doors and windows, plumbing fixtures, etc.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvmAWCE6whleSvMQLAu26mCn6OpZoeUfwcsak51uKj5y0It0dTVvBsdyF90XWJSdHq5RZ47scnrrLEfVg35kfgM5RXGGVjAkVacFG8CNdD0-lyYg0MQgbkybN4Dy8wEjreJ28T1aVqH3bUr4S1FlUBftielx_bRiEcYxtBd8BH5UusjrzH4RIf-dt9_wa_/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-09-14%20at%2010.47.31%20AM.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvmAWCE6whleSvMQLAu26mCn6OpZoeUfwcsak51uKj5y0It0dTVvBsdyF90XWJSdHq5RZ47scnrrLEfVg35kfgM5RXGGVjAkVacFG8CNdD0-lyYg0MQgbkybN4Dy8wEjreJ28T1aVqH3bUr4S1FlUBftielx_bRiEcYxtBd8BH5UusjrzH4RIf-dt9_wa_/w640-h480/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-09-14%20at%2010.47.31%20AM.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><p></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The layout of the new house should work well for Rachel and Brandy’s family. It will have three bedrooms and two baths, with one of the baths being in the basement. From a practicality standpoint, Rachel likes the fact that it is on two levels with each level being tighter and easier to hear the boys at play. Like many moms of boys, she would like to be able to head off disaster, daredevil schemes, and potential for bloodshed. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilgjRKY6bDn2_9v2xKC9IwAxYGuysTQl6yleRTnxSVFb3secq65LmFcn92lNrpThRhASpUBgQjs_E3MDK75BPAJooUoUnkGcBFRQxaR0KB9E8gYKXWrD0W68ajIw9gTgvXUWhPmhmZOA0X1wN9vCuC-ih2GwKSQmDY0EDSQJoM9RZ47KYf8eYy60NnVVVS/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-09-14%20at%2010.47.39%20AM.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilgjRKY6bDn2_9v2xKC9IwAxYGuysTQl6yleRTnxSVFb3secq65LmFcn92lNrpThRhASpUBgQjs_E3MDK75BPAJooUoUnkGcBFRQxaR0KB9E8gYKXWrD0W68ajIw9gTgvXUWhPmhmZOA0X1wN9vCuC-ih2GwKSQmDY0EDSQJoM9RZ47KYf8eYy60NnVVVS/s320/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-09-14%20at%2010.47.39%20AM.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p>Please pray that they will find the right person for the job. They are looking for someone who will complete the house with the same high standards with which it was started, but at a price that won't bust their budget. Also, the funds being used to build the house are (as always) funds designated for personal use, not funds donated for ministry use. If anyone would like to help turn this construction site into a home in the near future, you can <a href="https://sowers4pastors.reachapp.co/donations/new" target="_blank">give through the website as support for Brandy and Rachel</a>, with a message in the note section that the gift is specifically for this project. </span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">
- posted by Christi</span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><br /></span><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0