A Heartfelt "Thank You" to Teachers: Sowers4Pastors Honors Local Educators

When it comes to changing lives, teachers are at the front lines every day, guiding, encouraging, and inspiring their students. And on Saturday, October 19th, Sowers4Pastors took the opportunity to show these hard-working educators just how much they’re appreciated. Hosting a special teacher appreciation luncheon, Sowers4Pastors celebrated the local teachers from schools with sponsorship programs, recognizing the vital role they play in both education and community support.

Alejandro shared his deep admiration for these teachers, noting, “They are in charge of teaching science, math, and many other subjects. But they also need to be counselors, doctors, nurses, and sometimes even moms and dads to the children. The teachers are the ones who open the doors to help us with the Bible lessons. If the teachers didn’t agree to it, there would be no Bible lessons.” In a region where schools often serve as more than just educational facilities, these teachers have become invaluable allies, welcoming Bible lessons into the classroom, helping children correspond with their sponsors, and assisting in distributing backpacks.

Alejandro explained just how involved the teachers are, often stepping in when volunteers can’t make it, even advocating for kids to stay in school when families feel pressured to withdraw them. “The school-based programs don’t work without the help of the teachers,” Alejandro emphasized. “Without them, it’s impossible.”

Approximately seventy teachers gathered for the luncheon, where they enjoyed not only a meal but also heartfelt gifts, certificates of thanks, and some lighthearted games. Alejandro delivered a powerful reminder to the crowd about the impact of their work: they’re not just teaching students; they’re shaping the future of the country, one lesson at a time.

The teachers were visibly moved, touched by the recognition and the gratitude extended to them. “They felt happy, and they felt the love we have for them,” Alejandro said. “We are so thankful for the teachers.” The event wasn’t just a celebration; it was a moment for these dedicated educators to feel seen, valued, and encouraged.

Looking ahead, the teachers are once again ready to assist in the upcoming backpack season. Equipped with the dates that a Sowers4Pastors team will visit each school, the teachers are preparing to communicate with parents, encouraging them to support their children’s education by ensuring they attend school in 2025.

Sowers4Pastors believes deeply in the impact teachers have — and in the power of a simple thank you. With each kind word, every gesture of appreciation, and continued support, we pray these teachers will feel the love and encouragement they need to continue making a difference in their students’ lives every day.

 - posted by Christi

Mary Faith's Journey into Missionary Life and Learning

Mary Faith had been eagerly anticipating her move to Honduras to become a full-time missionary with the same excitement a child feels on their first day of kindergarten. And in a way, it’s an apt comparison, because Mary Faith’s journey began with her going back to school—Spanish school, to be exact.

On September 25, after a whirlwind week traveling with fellow missionaries Kirstin and Esdras on a backpack trip in the States, Mary Faith arrived at the Spanish Institute of Honduras in Siguatepeque. She was ready for a new chapter but also grateful for the time to rest and settle in before starting classes on October 7. Those first days gave her a moment to reflect on the incredible journey that had led her there.

As eager as she was to dive into learning the language, Mary Faith quickly realized the challenge ahead—especially as an adult student. “I knew it would be a challenge, and I was right!” she said with a laugh. While her vocabulary had grown over time and she could read Spanish fairly well, listening and speaking fluently was a completely different story. The first two weeks were difficult, full of moments where frustration bubbled up as she struggled to memorize even the basics.

But after that initial hurdle, Mary Faith began to find her rhythm. Taking on the mindset of “slow and steady wins the race,” she noticed gradual improvements. By the third week, the constant repetition was paying off, and she was stringing sentences together. “It’s fun to ask my teacher, ‘How do you say...?’ and keep building on what I know,” she shared.

Mary Faith has also come to appreciate the one-on-one lessons, which have been instrumental in her progress. Reflecting on her teacher’s patience, she couldn’t help but chuckle, noting that teaching a middle-aged student like her must be quite different from the 6-8-year-olds her teacher works with at a local public school. As a perfectionist, it hasn’t been easy for Mary Faith to accept the slow pace of language learning, especially with the challenge of memorizing exceptions to grammar rules when she doesn’t yet fully know the rules! But through it all, the immersion method has proven effective, and she is understanding more each week.

Part of the school’s program includes weekly outings, allowing students to practice their Spanish in the community. These outings have been a highlight for Mary Faith. Her first adventure took her to a cozy coffee shop where she enjoyed baleadas and great coffee. The next week, she ventured into the local market, practicing her Spanish while buying vegetables. Recently, she even tried her hand at pottery. These outings, paired with the school’s weekly Home Fellowship Group—a time for worship, Bible study, and fellowship in English—provide much-needed mental breaks and spiritual refreshment.

One of the best parts of Mary Faith’s experience in Siguatepeque has been sharing a house with Kirstin, who is also taking a refresher course at the school. The house is just a few blocks from the institute, making their daily walk to class both easy and enjoyable. Having someone to share the journey with has made this chapter even more special for Mary Faith.

Looking ahead, Mary Faith plans to stay at the Spanish Institute until the end of November. After that, she’ll return to Arizona for the holidays before hopefully coming back to Honduras in January, possibly for more language school before the busy mission season kicks off in February.

This past Saturday, Mary Faith had the chance to get involved in the local community by helping sort and package medicines with a medical brigade organized by a doctor from the States who works in Siguatepeque. For four hours, the group worked together to prepare medicines for a medical outreach in the mountains, giving Mary Faith a tangible way to serve in the area.

As she continues working toward her goal of full-time mission work, Mary Faith has two main prayer requests. First, she asks for prayers that her brain will retain everything she’s learning—a task that has proven to be quite the challenge! Second, she is trusting God to provide monthly financial support, praying that her goal will be met by January so she can make a long-term move to Honduras and fully dedicate herself to the mission.

In this season of growth, challenges, and anticipation, Mary Faith remains steadfast in her faith and commitment to the calling God has placed on her heart. With each new word learned and each new experience, she moves one step closer to fulfilling that call.

 - posted by Christi

Digging Moats and Building Dreams: Brandy and Rachel's Unexpected Home Delay

 If you’ve ever built a home, you know the road to completion is often filled with bumps, delays, and unexpected surprises. But when Brandy and Rachel set out to build their new home, they probably didn’t anticipate one particular twist — the need to dig a moat! Yes, a moat — the kind that usually surrounds fairy tale castles. So, let’s start this story the way all good fairy tales begin. Once upon a time…

Early on, construction was moving along smoothly until a water leak was discovered in the basement. Now, as nice as an indoor swimming pool sounds, Brandy and Rachel weren’t quite ready to make that design leap. Initially, the water was blamed on the lack of a completed roof. But when the roof was done and the basement continued to fill, it became clear that something bigger was at play.

Enter the builder, who suggested they dig a trench. (But come on, let’s keep calling it a moat — it adds a little magic to the story!) This mighty moat ended up being about 8-10 feet deep in some spots and about two feet wide. But digging wasn’t easy. The house is being built on top of a limestone foundation covered with only a few inches of topsoil. And while limestone might not be as tough as granite, it’s certainly no walk in the park to dig through.

Thankfully, Sowers4Pastors has a jackhammer handy, normally reserved for bridge projects. For weeks, the jackhammer worked overtime, chipping away at the limestone. The water had been seeping through the stone, getting stuck in cracks, and pooling in the basement. After the moat was dug, French drains were installed, and work had to be paused to let the basement dry out.

Dry basement!

Now that the water’s been dealt with, construction is back on track. But there’s still work to be done. The house still needs electrical wiring, doors, windows, countertops in the kitchen, and finishing touches on the tilework. Most of the plumbing is complete, but they’re still working on connecting the house to the solar energy system that powers the other two homes on the property.

Update: a friend of the ministry from Maryland is coming the first week of December, to complete the electrical work! Thanks so much, Andrew! 

Rachel is optimistically hoping they can be in the new house by Christmas, but she’s realistic about potential delays. After all, they hadn’t factored in moat-digging! Still, they’re eager to move in before the next dry season hits, bringing with it the sweltering heat of Gracias. The new home promises to be much cooler than their current rental, which is feeling a little cramped now that their family has grown by 50% since moving in!

Of course, a bigger house means they’ll need more furnishings to make it feel like home. If you’re looking for a way to help, consider contributing to this cause. Everyone’s excited to be settled into the new space, even if the moat won’t be part of the final design. And let’s not forget Nana and Gampa, who are thrilled at the idea of having four grandchildren living on the property!

 - posted by Christi

Bodega Prep: Organizing for the Backpack Container

Organizing the bodega for the arrival of the backpack container is a lot like getting your pantry in order after a Costco haul. Imagine you’ve somehow ended up with 72 cans of creamed corn (don’t ask why!). You wouldn’t stack those in front of the 18 cans you already have, right? No, you’d push the older cans forward and tuck the new ones in behind them. It’s just good pantry sense. And while this metaphor doesn’t quite explain your creamed corn obsession, it’s the perfect analogy for what’s happening now at Sowers4Pastors.

The bodega is being prepped for the upcoming shipment of backpacks that will arrive in a couple of months, and it’s a dusty place (because, well, Honduras). Over the course of several days, a team of 8-10 people will be busy moving things around, taking inventory, and making sure everything is ready for those backpack boxes. And yes, the dust will be a challenge, but nothing a few brooms and dust rags can’t handle!

But here’s where things get tricky. In previous years, the ministry would bring down boxes of shoes from the States, and it’s not as simple as hitting up Amazon for exactly the right sizes. It's more like ordering for a whole shoe store. You get a range of sizes in each set, but S4P tends to need a whole lot of size 4 shoes for girls and size 6 for boys. That leaves them with extra-large and extra-small sizes that aren’t in high demand.

So, instead of repeating this cycle and ending up with stacks of shoes in sizes no one needs, S4P has teamed up with a local cobbler to custom make the sizes they’re short on. The cobbler recently visited the bodega to check out the current shoe inventory. His shoes are top quality, and while they cost a little more per pair, it’s more cost-effective than being stuck with a bunch of shoes that don’t fit anyone.

And just like with the shoes, the older stock gets pushed to the front while the new shoes coming in will be organized in the back.

It’s not just shoes, either. The bodega also has some supply of clothing, baby dolls, soccer balls, and other toys that need to be organized. So, there’s plenty of heavy lifting and strategic arranging ahead for the team. They’re working hard to make room for all the new boxes and still keep everything accessible for distribution.

On top of all that, the bodega is also home to the solar energy system that powers Kirstin’s house and the office. Allen is planning to rework the system to connect to Brandy and Rachel’s new home, which is still under construction. When a friend from the States comes next month to help with the electrical work, the team will need to have a clear space for him to get to work.

In the meantime, please pray for the safe and timely arrival of the container and for the paperwork to go through smoothly. Pray that there are no delays caused by dock worker strikes or hurricanes! S4P is hoping to get the container with backpacks shipped before the holidays, with a food container scheduled for the beginning of the year.

 - posted by Christi

Backpacks, Backpacks ! And a Smooth Collection Trip

It's time to talk about this year’s backpack collection trip!

This year’s trip was completed thanks to the efforts of Sowers4Pastors staff members Kirstin, Esdras, and Mary Faith, with a helping hand from J.R., a pastor from Life Community Church in Ohio (one of the sister churches). J.R. traveled from Ohio to Maryland to lend a hand and just flew back home last night. Esdras and Mary Faith were part of the collection journey from Mississippi to Florida to Maryland, while Kirstin is still in the States, gearing up for one last speaking engagement at an AWANA program tonight.

Now, this is usually the part where we share the dramatic side of the trip — outrunning hurricanes, or a Penske rental truck getting a flat tire. But this year? Well, let’s just say, the most "dramatic" moment came when a rental truck got a little lost for a bit. According to Kirstin, “Nothing bad happened!” — we’re calling that a win!

Though we don't have official backpack collection numbers yet, we’ll be sure to let you know once every last backpack has been counted.

In the meantime, there are a few prayer requests we’d love your help with as we prepare for the next phase:

The port workers strike along the East Coast of the U.S. is affecting shipments. Although the strike has been delayed, it can still affect future shipments.

Pray for no problems with getting the duty-free shipping from the Honduran government.

Pray for safe shipment, arrival, and release of the containers, which can sometimes face challenges at customs in Honduras.

Last year, you may recall, one of our containers was unpacked by officials, leading to some personal items going missing. We’re praying this year goes smoothly and that everything arrives safe, sound, and on time.

From Rachel: "The first backpack distribution team is scheduled to come to Honduras to help pass out backpacks at the end of January. Ideally, we like to ship the container at the end of October, which gets the containers to Honduras by early December, giving us enough time to prepare for distribution. If they arrive by early January, we’ll be fine. Even mid-January should work. But after that, we might run into a situation where our team shows up, and…no backpacks!"

So, let’s get to praying, all you backpack enthusiasts! The kids are counting on these backpacks!

 - posted by Christi

A Clearer Future: How 25 Children are Seeing the World Anew

Thanks to a visiting medical team, the follow-up work of Sowers4Pastors and the generosity of a dedicated eye doctor, 25 children from remote communities will soon be seeing the world in a whole new light — literally!

It all began in June when Monica Lederman’s medical team offered eye exams to local children. During their assessments, they discovered that some kids needed more specialized exams than they could provide at the time. Fast forward to mid-September, and S4P staff stepped in, taking those children and their parents to Gracias for follow-up appointments with a local eye doctor, Dr. Misael.

What happened next was a beautiful act of kindness. Dr. Misael didn’t just perform the exams — he did it for free! His reasoning? If Sowers4Pastors was serving these families at no cost, then he wanted to do the same. And he didn’t stop there. Dr. Misael is now working to find the best prices for high-quality eyeglasses, ensuring these kids get the clear vision they need without placing a financial burden.

The children are dealing with various vision issues, ranging from severe nearsightedness and farsightedness to color blindness. Many have also been struggling with painful symptoms like migraines, burning eyes, and irritation. For some, this has even made reading a challenge. Now, they finally know why!

For the parents, this was a revelation. Vision problems often go unnoticed in the remote villages Sowers4Pastors serves, and Alejandro shared that a few of the kids had "big, big, big problems!" Their struggles in school weren’t a lack of ability — they simply couldn’t see what was being taught.

Alejandro expressed his excitement, saying, “This treatment is going to transform these kids’ lives. With these issues resolved, they’ll have so many more opportunities. It’s been a great week! You can already see the relief on their faces, and all of this is possible because the medical team recognized their need.”

 

Thanks to the combined efforts of the visiting medical team, Dr. Misael, and the staff at Sowers4Pastors, these 25 children are on the path to clearer vision and brighter futures.

 - posted by Christi

Sadly Saying "Farewell" to Esdras

This blog post should probably come with a warning. So, please go ahead and prepare yourself to be moved. Today, we’re hearing from Esdras. He did a beautiful job sharing his thoughts during a phone call. As it turns out, he had already written out his thoughts to be sure to get through everything without crying. 

Esdras sent over his written statement after our talk. Rather than rewrite what he said, let’s hear from the man himself: 

It has been almost 3 years since God's fidelity has dazzled like a beacon of light in the middle of a garden.

 

How did you get there? 

Something amazing about God's fidelity is knowing how I got to the Sowers4Pastors ministry, having no immediate connection, despite having lived in the same city with many of the staff members. However, God was already prepared to meet Him (there) later. Two years before arriving at Sowers4Pastors, I served as a pastor in a city near Gracias Lempira called La Esperanza, I worked by establishing the youth group, a children's program with sequential lessons for a whole year, forming the worship team, etc. But after two years the work in this church was self-sustainable. It was there that my prayer to God was: “What do you want me to do, Lord? Give me a chance to serve you even more.” And it was after a prayer that I received the call. Yes, Rachel Sowers was on the phone calling and looking for someone to serve with them. That was an answered prayer.

What did you do for the ministry?

Sowers4pastors has been a wonderful experience, and I am sure that I have learned much more than I have been able to teach – serving the children, taking the Gospel to the most remote mountains around Gracias Lempira. I learned to develop different programs– motorcycles and how to take this valuable resource to the hands of a needy shepherd. Also developing feeding centers for all children, celebrating children's days, and bringing happiness to all the children of our programs with the backpack season and Vacation Bible School weeks. It has been a time of a lot of learning.

What are you taking (with you)?

It is never easy to say goodbye, but this is the right time for me. I carry with me all the beautiful experiences lived in this ministry, the sincere and pure love of the staff and all those friendships that I have made here through each missionary team. To all the sister churches, I can only say thank you for making all this possible, God bless you even more.

Why are you leaving?

 

God has been faithful, and allowed me to meet a wonderful girl, who shows the character of Christ in her life. I met her two years ago during a missionary trip of the EAC church in Florida. We met, we continued talking, and I fell deeply in love. And as a result of that love, we have decided to get married.

At the beginning of our relationship, the decision was clear, one of us would have to give in. We prayed a lot to know our destiny. I will be moving to the United States to start this new stage. Are you scared? Maybe a little. It's a big change, a different culture. But in God is our trust he has been faithful, his word says that he will continue to do it. 

What's next?

Everyone asks me, “Will you never go back to Honduras again?” I don't see it that way. This step is one more step to be able to follow God's call to my life and I hope and trust that one day I will return with my wife and our family.

Once again, God has been faithful. We will move to continue working on God's work as much as possible, in the city of Jacksonville to grow and serve in the local church. I pray for all your prayers, for me and my future wife.

To all those with whom I shared in this ministry, I want to tell you that I love you in the Lord, thank you for always bringing joy to all children. You have a place kept in my heart and in my prayers for you. Thank you Sowers4pastor and thank you sister churches.

Note from Christi: Her name is Audrey. Esdras will be leaving on November 19th, shortly before Thanksgiving. He chose that time to allow him to spend Thanksgiving with Audrey and her family. The wedding is scheduled for December 6th. Please hold Esdras and Audrey in your prayers. We know this is not goodbye. 

 - posted by Christi

P.S. - (Can a blog post actually have a P.S.?) Is anyone else hearing Michael W. Smith singing “Friends” in their head?