Finding Every Child: The Next Step in the Backpack Process

The last backpack team may have packed up and headed home, but if you think that means backpack season 2025 is officially in the books — think again! There’s still plenty of work to do.

This past Thursday, March 20th, the Honduran staff of Sowers4Pastors hit the road once again, circling back to each area to track down kids who missed their distribution day. And this year, that’s a longer list than usual. Why? Because the coffee harvest was later than normal, and when backpacks were being handed out, many children were busy working alongside their families, picking coffee. Now, the hope is that these kids are planning to return to school — and that staff can find each and every one of them.

This follow-up also provides a chance to register new students in the program. In the past, new kids were signed up during the main backpack distribution events. That may have been faster, but it had some challenges. Occasionally, children would show up to receive a backpack and shoes… but never actually attend school. Imagine the disappointment of a sponsor who chose a child’s profile, only to learn weeks later that the child wasn’t in class and thus was not available for sponsorship. Understandably, that was discouraging for everyone involved.

So, S4P has fine-tuned the process. Now, they wait for official government-issued enrollment papers from each school, detailing the number of students in every grade and their ages. These documents provide a much more accurate, up-to-date picture. And conveniently, they are available just as the second round of backpack distributions begins!

With Mary Faith now on board, the goal is to update and create student profiles almost in real time. Each day, as staff return from their trips, they hand off registration forms and child photos to Mary Faith. By the next day, she’ll have those profiles created or updated—just in time for the next batch to arrive. If all goes according to plan, this entire process will be wrapped up in two weeks, allowing sister churches in the States to hold their events for sponsoring new children without delay.

Please keep everyone in your prayers as staff members revisit communities and Mary Faith works on the profiles. Brandy specifically asked for “prayers for safety and that we will be the light of God in those communities.”

Let’s make it happen!

 - posted by Christi

Let's Talk Honduran Elections

If Google Translate is to be trusted, the Spanish translation of Schoolhouse Rock! is ¡Roca de la Escuela! “Why does that matter?” you ask. Well, children, today’s lesson is on the upcoming primary elections in Honduras—happening Sunday, March 9th. Don’t worry, no singing is required.

A Quick Civics Lesson

Honduras has eight political parties with representation in the National Congress, but three dominate the political landscape:

• The Liberal Party

• The National Party

• The Liberty and Refoundation (LIBRE) Party – currently in power

On election day, local schools double as polling sites. Why? Because schools are often the only government buildings spread throughout the country. Even in remote areas, there’s usually an elementary school within walking distance, making them the most accessible choice.

Brandy’s Election Experience

Brandy knows a thing or two about elections, thanks to his military background. In Honduras, the military oversees elections — but interestingly, service members are not allowed to vote. This rule stems from past corruption, ensuring the military remains neutral.

Before each election, the military spends a month preparing under the direction of election officials. They receive suitcases packed with all necessary election documents and transport them — by boat, plane, helicopter, horseback, or even on foot — to polling sites across the country.

Each school has an election custodian who safeguards the suitcase and its contents. On election day, the military stays on-site, ensuring security while remaining uninvolved in the actual voting process. They also receive anti-corruption training beforehand to reinforce their neutral role. Brandy also mentioned that there is a "Zero Alcohol" law for all elections. By law, all establishments that normally sell alcohol are prohibited from doing so the day before and the day of elections.

Now that Brandy has left the military, he’s allowed to vote in this election. However, his registered polling location is still in Tegucigalpa—not exactly convenient. And with teams on the ground, his schedule is already packed.

How the Election Impacts the Teams

Right now, a team from New Life is here, and this weekend, a team from Crosspoint will arrive — right in the middle of election preparations. While the election won’t disrupt everything, it does require some adjustments.

On Monday, Crosspoint will be distributing backpacks, but instead of using a school, they’ll set up at a local church. Why? Because election officials will still be packing up ballots, and votes will still be counted — by hand — at each polling site. Representatives from all parties must sign off on the final counts, making for a meticulous process.

By Tuesday, the election buzz will have died down, and Crosspoint will be able to use a school for VBS as originally planned.

How You Can Pray

•  Pray for a peaceful and orderly election. While it’s just the primaries, a smooth process is always a blessing.

•  Pray for safe travels and a fruitful time for both the departing and arriving teams.

•  Pray for Brandy—whether or not he manages to cast his vote this time around!

Thank you for your prayers and support as Honduras moves through this important step in the election process!

- posted by Christi

Faith, Writing, and Every Bird Along the Way: An Update on Trish's Publishing Adventure

Trish is hard at work on her upcoming book, a journey she’s tackling, as author Anne Lamott would say, “bird by bird.” Lamott’s words trace back to her brother’s childhood struggle with a massive school project on birds. Overwhelmed, he found encouragement from their father, who offered simple but wise advice: “Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.” That’s precisely Trish’s approach to her own story — a step-by-step, story-by-story process with plenty of faith and perseverance along the way.

Under her publisher’s guidance, Trish is crafting more than just the notorious kidnapping story that’s captured the curiosity of many. “The publisher encouraged me to have a strong idea of the theme beyond ‘It’s a story about a kidnapping,’” Trish shared. After taking some time to fully embrace that advice, she’s now writing with a bigger message in mind. The book is intended to share with readers what it means to live out God’s will, even when that takes you places you never planned to go. For Trish, that meant facing the threat of kidnapping, but for others, it could mean any number of challenges. 

Trish estimates that she’s about a third of the way through the writing process, and there’s plenty to do beyond just putting words on the page. “Getting published isn’t the goal post,” she explains. “We want people to read the book, which means marketing and selling it.” To reach as many readers as possible, Trish is building an email list, a vital way to keep people in the loop with direct updates — especially since social media can be unreliable for communications. Signing up for this separate email list will give readers early access to updates, behind-the-scenes insights, and even the chance to help select the book’s cover!

Trish is also communicating on social media, and you can follow her author page on Facebook and her Instagram account. 

In today’s world, many books find their audience through podcasts, and Trish is ready to dive into that realm as a guest. Though she’s not a big podcast listener herself, she’s compiling a list of shows that would be a great fit for her story. “It’s not uncommon to find podcasts focused on bravery and boldness, though the Christian aspect of my story might not fit all of them,” she said. “But it’s not just about book sales; it’s about spreading the message.” If you know of any podcasts that might align with her story or have connections to suggest, she would love to hear from you!

On the advice of her publisher, Trish has written a 21-day devotional on the topic of embracing God's plan for your life. The devotional is available as a free download, and when you sign up to receive the devotional you will also be added to Trish's mailing list. 

The mailing list will give you a heads-up about her podcast appearances, progress updates, and specific ways to pray for her as the launch approaches. In the future, there will be the opportunity to join her launch team, which would give you early access to the book, so that you can help spread the word during those critical first few weeks after the book release. 

To receive the devotional and/or sign up for the mailing list, go to Trish's website, www.TrishSowers.com and scroll down to the button for requesting the devotional. Then fill out the form on the next page, and you'll be on the mailing list! You will receive an email with the devotional that you can download if you wish to do so. 

And as for the timeline? She hopes to launch the book within a year. There are still plenty of “birds” left to tackle, but with God’s guidance and your encouragement, she’s confident she’ll get there, bird by bird.

 - posted by Christi

Packing, Unpacking . . . and Packing Again!

You’ve probably said it before: “I don’t know if I’m coming or going.” In Trish’s case, the phrase might need a slight adjustment— “I don’t know if I’m packing or unpacking!”

After returning from her January trip (and taking a little extra time to recover from being sick), Trish is finally getting her bags put away. But not for long! She and Allen will be pulling them back out soon, as they prepare to head to the U.S. on March 13th.

This trip will last until mid-May — conveniently timed to coincide with the hottest months in Honduras. If a trip was going to happen, what better time to be away from a home without air conditioning?

A Trip With Purpose

While in the States, Allen and Trish will visit churches that support the ministry. Their itinerary is still taking shape, but they plan to start in Florida and Mississippi before making their way to Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. They’re looking forward to reconnecting with churches that send teams to Honduras, as well as those they don’t get to see as often.

“We’re excited to catch up with people, share updates about the ministry, and generally build relationships,” Trish said.

Allen added that one of the most exciting developments is the growth of the Honduran ministry staff. In addition, Sowers4Pastors is in discussions with two groups about launching another training school for pastors.

“We’re always looking at what best meets the needs of the pastors in our area,” Allen explained. “Many have very little formal education, which means some curriculums just don’t work. We’re constantly tweaking and improving — especially with our young, energetic staff pushing us to think forward.” It's important for the supporting churches to know what they are supporting!

Expanding the Impact

The sponsorship programs continue to be a tremendous blessing, and the ministry is looking for more churches to partner with them. Allen has been talking to several U.S. churches that may be interested. There are so many children in villages whose lives could be changed through sponsorship!

The programs don't just benefit Honduran children and Honduran churches — it also strengthens the U.S. churches that participate. Through sponsorship, congregations build relationships, send teams, and see firsthand the impact of their support. And as Allen pointed out, it is still possible to share the Gospel in Honduran public schools. No one knows how long that will last, so the ministry is moving forward while the door remains open.

A Different Kind of Travel

This will be Allen’s first major trip since his back surgery, so he and Trish are planning with extra care. They may opt for more flights instead of long drives and will be building in time to rest between travel days. It’s easy to forget that Allen is still dealing with some physical limitations, but they’re making adjustments to ensure the trip is manageable.

How You Can Pray

Please pray for Allen and Trish as they embark on this journey:

• That their travel will be smooth and stress-free.

•  For meaningful fellowship and connections with the churches they visit.

• That the trip would be a benefit to the ministry

•  For continued wisdom as they expand the sponsorship program and pastoral training.

- posted by Christi

Welcome, Mary Faith!

 Please read the following in your best rap artist voice: Yo, yo, yo. Mary Faith is in the house! Okay, that was fun, right? Now that we’ve had our moment, let’s take this opportunity to officially welcome Mary Faith to Gracias and to Sowers4Pastors!

While it’s true that Mary Faith is currently in a house in Gracias, she’s not yet in her own house. She’s staying in Brandy and Rachel’s guest room while they work on finding her a home in a safe and suitable area. However, with S4P just wrapping up the second coffee harvest and just finished hosting a team from Edgewater Alliance Church (not to mention being in the thick of team season in general), house-hunting time has been limited.

Mary Faith with family

As you can imagine, moving to a new country comes with its fair share of challenges. Brandy put it this way: “She left her culture, her family, her language — everything — to serve the Lord. We are grateful for her and excited to work with her for as many years as she stays.”

Some of the challenges of moving internationally aren’t the ones you’d immediately think of — like figuring out where to buy nail clippers! Rachel explained, “That’s a simple thing, but if you don’t know the word, it’s hard to find them. In Gracias, I would probably go to the pharmacy rather than the grocery store. But in the U.S., it can be one and the same, with a pharmacy inside a grocery store.” It’s these little adjustments that make for a unique transition.

So far, Rachel and Brandy have only had one day to help Mary Faith house hunt, and even that was a learning experience. For example, she was surprised to find that in Honduras, it’s not uncommon for homes to lack kitchen cabinets. Rachel shared, “Half of the houses I’ve lived in didn’t have cabinets. A lot of homes just have a counter, and you put a curtain underneath it to store things.”

Rachel also pointed out that adjusting to a new culture is challenging enough for a young person who is used to relying on others. But for Mary Faith — an empty nester who is accustomed to having the answers — it’s a different kind of challenge.

Initially, S4P wanted to make sure Mary Faith had time to rest before jumping into work. But by day three of “resting,” she announced that she was bored and was quickly put to work! Since then, she’s been staying busy, going out with the EAC team, and helping with office tasks like updating children’s profiles in the system.

The days ahead will continue to be full of activity. In addition to finding a home, she’ll need to open a bank account and take care of all the logistical details that come with an international move. She is also continuing to raise funds, as she stepped out on faith and moved before reaching 100% of her financial support. (If you'd like to financially support Mary Faith as she works with Sowers4Pastors, click here, and chose "Mary Faith Yoder support" as the purpose of the donation.)

Please pray for Mary Faith as she adjusts to life in Honduras and her role in the ministry. Pray for the perfect house that will meet all of her needs. And stay tuned — Mary Faith will be sharing more about her experiences in the near future!

 - posted by Christi

Coffee, Trucks, and Mud: A Week in the Life of Sowers4Pastors

“I don’t know where to start,” Brandy admitted.

Yes, those were his first words after the greetings were out of the way during our call to discuss this week’s blog post. As every good cop show has taught us, the best place to start is the beginning. But in this case, the beginning is a bit muddy. And while we will get around to talking about actual mud, let’s start with something more universally appealing: coffee.

Coffee

At the end of 2024, Brandy was already thinking ahead, wondering how he would juggle coffee harvest season while hosting mission teams. The harvest has been good this year, which is obviously a major praise, but it still comes with its own set of challenges. In particular, the Lighthouse team—whose sponsorship program is the largest—was set to arrive, and there was some concern about whether the coffee would demand attention at the same time. Coffee is harvested in batches, collecting what is ripe and leaving what is not ready yet. The final harvest was likely to happen the same time as the team.

As it turns out, coffee operates on its own schedule.

“It wasn’t in our hands because it all depends on the coffee,” Brandy explained. “But the coffee allowed us to wait a week. It was ripe that week, but not so ripe that we couldn’t delay the harvest.”

That delay was a blessing, not just because of staffing logistics but because of one crucial resource: trucks.

Trucks

Speaking of which… not everything the last couple of weeks has run as smoothly as a well-brewed cup of Honduran coffee. A couple of trucks are currently out of commission, and on the Thursday of Lighthouse’s visit, one of the largest trucks decided to take an unscheduled break. It ran fine all day, was parked for the nightly devotional, and then promptly refused to start afterward.

Thankfully, the Lighthouse team was able to finish their work without any transportation hiccups. A mechanic has already revived one of the trucks, but the other two are still awaiting repairs.

Mud

And now, we’ve arrived at the mud.

The weather in and around Gracias has been unpredictable the last couple of weeks. The mornings have been drizzly, but by 10:00 AM, the sun is back in full force. As you might guess, drizzle plus dirt roads equals mud. And muddy roads mean slippery, slow travel.

On Sunday of the Life Community Church team's trip, it took Brandy and Rachel an extra 45 minutes to get to church due to the road conditions. Thankfully, the afternoon sun has helped dry things out—at least until the next round of rain.

When asked if the mud made it easier to install a playground during LCC's visit, Brandy just laughed.

“No,” he said. “But we’re went to play in the mud anyway!”

Prayer Requests

As always, we appreciate your prayers. Please pray for:

• Continued safety for the teams and staff.
• Quick repairs for all vehicles.
• Safe travels despite the mud.
• A smooth coffee harvest.

Thank you for being part of this journey with us—whether through prayer, sponsorship, or simply following along. Your support means more than you know!

- posted by Christi.

The Ripple Effect of Giving

Whenever a staff member at Sowers4Pastors hands off a phone to someone from a visiting team for blog post fodder, it’s a delightful surprise! It feels a bit like when a heralding trumpet player steps forward to play a dramatic “Do-do-do-dooooo!” before a royal proclamation — or in a 1980s Imperial margarine commercial. So, without further ado… Hear ye! Hear ye! We had an interview with Corbin from the Lighthouse team of last week. Do-do-do-dooooo!

The sixteen-member Lighthouse team arrived in Gracias late on a Saturday night, eager to spend a week distributing backpacks. Corbin and his wife, Emily, are no strangers to the backpack program. When their friends, the Johnsons, announced they were moving to South Carolina, they left behind an opportunity that Corbin and Emily had been praying about — a way to increase their ministry involvement by stepping into the Johnsons’ former role leading the Lighthouse for Lempira program.

Since taking on this role, Corbin and Emily have led Lighthouse’s team trips to Gracias under the guidance of the church’s outreach coordinator, Marjorie Dean. This marks their fourth trip, and the thrill of the experience hasn’t faded. Corbin shared, “We are more confident than ever before that we are doing more than just delivering backpacks and shoes to the kids. We are truly providing the opportunity for the kids to meet God.”

On Tuesday of their week distributing backpacks, Corbin was blessed to witness about fifteen children sitting down to read the Bibles they had just received. Moments like these, as well as seeing parents pray for the team during school visits, have moved the group deeply.

“This program is so much bigger than backpacks. It’s so much bigger than what any one team could give,” Corbin reflected. “We are praying that whenever we give out a backpack and a pair of shoes, we are really giving a piece of Jesus.” He likens the experience to the miracle of the loaves and fishes. “God just wants our five loaves, and He will multiply what we give.”

When asked to share the most memorable moments of this trip, Corbin struggled to pick just one but narrowed it down to two:

Moment #1
The first unforgettable moment happened during a home visit on Tuesday. As the team was preparing to leave, the demeanor of Corbin and Emily’s sponsored child shifted from joy to tears. The girl ran briefly out of the room and returned holding a small Christmas tree craft she had made. She handed it to Corbin and Emily as a gift. Corbin realized then that these trips aren’t only about blessing the kids and their parents. “God wants to pour out blessings to the team from the kids and parents. They blessed me far more during our time than we did them,” he said.

Moment #2
The second memorable moment occurred at the team’s last location. Lighthouse recently added a new school to their program. The church purchased white boards and a bookshelf for the new school and, as they presented the items to the school, the teachers and students audibly gasped. “It was clear that these gifts were so much more than physical gifts, but they had an opportunity to display Jesus’ love and care for this community. We were so grateful to witness that,” Corbin said.

When asked what he most wants people to know, Corbin said, “This is something I think is important in life in general, not just in the context of missions. People end up living where they’re comfortable. I encourage people to prioritize being uncomfortable. That’s where you rely on God and where God will do more. In the context of mission trips, pray and see if this is something God would have you do. You will see His Kingdom’s work in a way that we don’t really get to see in our comfort zones."

- posted by Christi