A Day of the Child Palooza!

Día del Niño, or Day of the Child, is officially celebrated every year on September 10. But if you’re Sowers4Pastors and you’re celebrating 3,000 children, one day simply isn’t going to cut it. This year marks the fourth year that S4P has turned Day of the Child into an all-out celebration — and this year’s festivities will stretch across almost two full weeks.

If you’ve been around the blog for a while, you may remember Brandy explaining why S4P chooses to celebrate the children at school rather than attempting a big Christmas celebration. It’s worth repeating.

The children served by Sowers4Pastors live primarily in rural communities, where much of a family’s income comes from working in the fields. Many of the children help their families with harvesting from late October through February, just as the school year is winding down and then beginning again.

S4P tried celebrating Christmas with the children, but it turned out to be surprisingly difficult. By Christmas, many families have already left their communities to find agricultural work elsewhere. As Brandy put it, families will “often lock the house and go to other areas for work.” That makes it awfully hard to throw a party for children who aren't there.

Day of the Child, on the other hand, is a perfect fit.

Brandy fondly remembers celebrating Día del Niño when he was a child. Schools don’t hold classes that day, but the children still come to school for a day filled with games, candy, and the undisputed highlight of any childhood celebration: getting to whack a piñata until it surrenders its sugary treasure.

S4P has been preparing for this year’s festivities for weeks. Staff members have already spent about two weeks bagging candy for children in the 34 locations currently served by the ministry. Every child will receive a goody bag filled with small toys, candy, and cookies. And, naturally, there will be cake.

Lots of cake.

There will also be approximately 120 piñatas. Because when you’re celebrating 3,000 children, you have to maintain a reasonable piñata-to-child ratio. This is serious logistics, people.

Next week, the S4P staff will kick off the celebrations with help from a small vision team coming from the United States. The staff will divide and conquer, splitting into four groups so they can reach as many locations as possible.

The following week, a mission team from Tegucigalpa will arrive to help finish the celebrations. The team is coming from the mother church of Alejandro’s church plant, and they will also be bringing a medical brigade. The schedule has been carefully coordinated so they can see as many children as possible during their visit.

Brandy was chuckling when he said, “Pray for us.”

Even though he was laughing, it was no joke. Pray for the staff and everyone helping to pull off this enormous feat. 

There are a lot of moving parts involved in celebrating 3,000 children across 34 locations. There are teams to coordinate, roads to navigate, piñatas to transport, candy to distribute, cake to serve, and enough children to make keeping track of everyone feel like a full-time job.

But the celebration is about much more than candy and piñatas.

“This year will be extra special because it has been a difficult year for the people in the villages,” Brandy explained. The drought has left families worried about lost crops, food shortages, and what the coming months will bring. The children may not understand all of the details, but they certainly understand when their families are worried.

So this year, S4P wants to give the children something more than a fun day.

Each celebration will include a brief sermon — short enough to hold the attention of a room full of excited children — along with singing and prayer for the families and for the difficult circumstances facing the country. The children will be reminded that they are loved, that they matter, and that Jesus loves them.

“And God is with us,” Brandy said, “even in our difficult situations.”

That may be the most important part of this year’s Day of the Child celebration.

For a few hours, the children will get to put aside their worries and simply be kids. They’ll laugh, sing, eat cake, collect candy, play games, and take turns attacking piñatas with enthusiasm that only a child armed with a stick can truly achieve.

And, in the middle of all that fun, they’ll be reminded that they are seen and loved — not just by the people who planned the celebration, but by God.

“It’s a lot,” Brandy admitted. “But it’s also the call that we have. We want to serve and celebrate the children.”

If you’d like to help make this year’s Day of the Child celebration possible, donations can be made through the Sowers4Pastors website. Every contribution helps provide the candy, cake, toys, and other supplies needed to celebrate thousands of Honduran children.

And if you’re looking for something specific to pray about, Brandy already gave us our assignment: Pray for the teams, the travel, the logistics, the children, and their families. Pray for safety. Pray for good weather. And pray that, in the middle of all the laughter and celebration, every child will hear exactly what they need to hear: Jesus loves them, God is with them, and they are never forgotten.

Small Gifts, Big Impact: Standing with Pastors in the Mountains

 A couple of weeks ago, Brandy mentioned that Sowers4Pastors was gearing up for one of the most meaningful efforts of the year — preparing gifts for pastors and their families. It’s the kind of project that deserves more than a passing mention, so today, Allen and Trish are pulling back the curtain on why these gifts matter so much… and how you can be part of it.

“The thing people ought to know,” Trish shared, “is that the pastors we work with — these are men and women we’re trying to empower — are incredibly under-resourced. Like most families in the mountain communities, they’re working hard just to survive. And on top of that, they’re planting churches and serving their villages. Their lives are marked by sacrifice.”

Allen added, “The people they’re ministering to are just like them. That’s part of why their ministry is so effective — they truly understand the struggles. Most families in these communities live on about $1,400 to $1,600 a year. Some have learned trades like welding or masonry, which can help, but then there’s less time for farming. It’s always a balancing act.”

In other words, when someone in the community is struggling to put food on the table, their pastor isn’t standing at a distance offering advice—they’re walking through that same reality.

“This isn’t exaggerated,” Allen said. “A chicken dinner would be
considered a feast. Really, any meal with meat is a big deal.

”Trish painted an even clearer picture. “Many of these pastors are living in homes with adobe walls and dirt floors. Electricity may or may not be available. When people in the U.S. think about poverty, this is often a very different level. And these are pastors who are faithfully, sacrificially sharing the Gospel. We want to come alongside them and help.”

That’s where pastor gifts come in.

These aren’t extravagant packages. In fact, they’re filled with things most of us wouldn’t think twice about tossing into a shopping cart — items you might grab during a quick run to Dollar Tree or CVS. Toothpaste. Soap. Shampoo. Everyday essentials.

But in these communities, those “small” items are anything but small.

“Even something like owning a pair of scissors is a big deal,” Trish said.

Household items are also incredibly helpful, as long as they don’t require electricity (which isn’t guaranteed) or batteries (which are expensive and hard to replace). Practical items like dishtowels are simple, useful, and deeply appreciated.

Each family also receives backpacks filled with school supplies — an investment not just in the present, but in the future. Many of the pastors S4P partners with are second-generation leaders, and it’s not unlikely that some of their children will follow in their footsteps. Education opens doors, whether those doors lead to ministry or other opportunities.

And then there’s one item Allen makes sure never gets left out.

“We always include a $6 soccer ball,” he said. “It gives pastors a way to connect with teenage boys in their communities — one of the hardest groups to reach. Whether they’re playing or just organizing the game, it creates an opportunity for relationship and evangelism.”

It’s a simple idea with a powerful ripple effect.

At its heart, this entire effort is about something deeper than supplies.

“The whole idea,” Trish said, “is that we’re saying, ‘We see you. We appreciate you.’ It reminds them that someone cares — that they’re not alone.”

But here’s the challenge: in recent years, donations specifically for pastor gifts have dropped off.

As backpack collection season approaches, this is a perfect time to step in and make a difference. If you live near one of the stops on Kirstin and Mary Faith’s collection route, you can drop off items in person (just reach out to Kirstin for details). If not, you can still participate by ordering items online and having them shipped directly to:

Sowers4Pastors
c/o Denise Cofer
7047 Blue Mountain Rd
Thurmont, MD 21788

A couple of quick reminders:

• Please don’t send medications (even over-the-counter items like Tylenol or Advil), as they require special documentation.

• Toothpaste must be packed separately due to shipping regulations.

• Avoid breakable items to help simplify packing and transport.

Beyond the physical needs, there’s also a bigger story unfolding.

“Lempira was one of the last areas of Honduras to be evangelized,” Trish explained. “After Hurricane Mitch in the late ’90s, evangelism spread rapidly across the country — but not here. There wasn’t even a reliable road into these mountains back then. We were the first full-time North American missionaries to live here. In many ways, this region is still 10 to 15 years behind the rest of the country.”

That means there are still entire areas with little to no Gospel presence — and pastors faithfully stepping into that gap.

And finally, there’s one more urgent need.

Sowers4Pastors is still waiting on approval for their dispensas — the government paperwork that allows them to ship supplies duty-free into Honduras. Everything has been submitted, but the process is delayed.

The ministry is moving forward in faith. But without those approvals, there won’t be shipping containers filled with backpacks and pastor gifts.

So here’s the invitation:

Pray for provision.
Pray for favor with the government.
Pray for the pastors who are faithfully serving in difficult places.

And if you’re able — give, send, or gather supplies.

Because sometimes, the most powerful way to encourage a pastor… is with a bar of soap, a pair of scissors, and the reminder that someone, somewhere, sees them and cares.

- posted by Christi

Everyone Complains About the Weather. Believers PRAY!

There’s an old saying that is often wrongly attributed to Mark Twain: “Everyone complains about the weather, but nobody does anything about it.” Today, Sowers4Pastors is asking you to do something about the weather. Pray! Pray for the drought in Honduras and for the devastating effects it is having on families throughout the country.

Forecasters have been warning about a serious El Niño climate pattern for some time. Brandy remembers hearing that this would be a particularly dry season and that it was expected to be difficult. But it’s one thing to hear a dire weather forecast and quite another to live through it.

“They said it would be tough, but we never thought it would be this tough,” Brandy said. S4P is located near the Celaque mountains, whose name literally translates to “box of water.” Under normal circumstances, the staff can see a waterfall from their property. Now, everything is dry. Rivers have dwindled to a trickle, creeks are going dry, and Honduras is experiencing a rainy season without much rain at all.

And that is a serious problem for the people living in the mountain communities.

“The people in the villages produce food for themselves, but they also produce food to be sold,” Brandy explained. “People are very worried.”

The Honduran government has issued red and yellow alerts for different departments throughout the country. Lempira is currently under a red alert, which is especially concerning in a department where so many families depend on agriculture for both food and income.

During recent visits to different communities with VBS teams, Brandy saw firsthand how badly the crops are being affected.

“We saw people sowing their crops of corn and beans,” he said. “But the crops haven’t grown as they should. Corn stalks should grow to heights of 7–9 feet. August is the time of harvest. This year, the corn stalks only grew to 2–3 feet. Some places have reported a loss of 100% of their crops.”

There is a little rain in the forecast for the coming weeks, and the government hopes that farmers will be able to plant another crop. As part of its contingency plan, the government is providing fertilizer to farmers at no cost. But, of course, fertilizer doesn’t do much good without rain.

“We need to trust in God and we need to be praying to God,” Brandy reminds us. “We are His kids, and as His kids, we ask the Father to supply our needs.”

That’s a good time to hold tightly to the promise found in Philippians 4:6–7: Do not worry about anything. Pray about everything. Give your needs to God with thanks. God’s peace will guard your heart.

Of course, “don’t worry” is easier said than done when you can see people struggling. Many families in Lempira already face food insecurity during a normal year. Brandy estimates that the current drought could double the number of families affected.

Even Sowers4Pastors is feeling the effects. Last Friday, Brandy and several others went to check on the ministry’s water supply. The river that supplies their water is dry. For now, they are relying on whatever water remains in their storage tank.

The drought is also creating an increasingly urgent need for food.

You may remember that S4P has been struggling to get food containers into Honduras. The last food shipment arrived in 2025. There is still some food remaining, but it is earmarked primarily for the children in the sponsorship programs, leaving very little available to help others who may be struggling with food insecurity.

The ministry’s next food container still has not been approved, despite S4P doing everything required on its end. The paperwork was recently resubmitted in hopes of finally receiving permission to bring in a shipment containing fortified rice-and-bean, rice-and-soy, and oatmeal meals. These foods are specifically formulated to provide essential vitamins and nutrients and help prevent malnutrition. And the drought isn’t only affecting food crops.

Brandy has been checking the S4P coffee farm twice a week, watching closely as the lack of rain affects the crop. Each coffee tree flowers four times, with each flower eventually becoming a coffee bean.

“The first flowers appeared normal,” Brandy explained. “The third flowers were really small. And the fourth flowers did not make it. Because it is dry, the coffee has already ripened, but the beans are small. And we can’t fertilize with no rain.”

That is a challenge facing coffee farms throughout the region — and the people who depend on those farms for their income.

There is a lot here that Sowers4Pastors cannot control. They cannot make the rivers flow, force the clouds to open, or make a crop grow without rain. But they can pray. And they can ask others to pray with them.

So that is the request today: Please pray for rain. Pray for enough rain to nourish the parched land, restore the rivers and streams, and give farmers another opportunity to grow food. Pray for the families already facing food insecurity and for everyone whose livelihood depends on agriculture.

Please also pray that S4P’s food container will receive government approval quickly and that the shipment will make it safely into Honduras. And pray for wisdom and provision as the ministry continues responding to the needs around them.

Even when circumstances look hopeless, we know that hopelessness is not the final word.

Everyone complains about the weather.

Believers pray.

 - posted by Christi

A Month of Identity

 People in the U.S. are no strangers to patriotic celebrations for the Fourth of July. We fire up the grills, slice into watermelons, and then spend the rest of the month wondering when our neighbors will finally run out of fireworks. (Seriously, where are they storing all of those?)

But in Honduras, July isn’t just a single day of celebration. It’s an entire season.

Known as Mes de la Identidad Nacional — the Month of National Identity — July is filled with events, traditions, and moments designed to celebrate what it means to be Honduran. And today, we get to be armchair travelers as Brandy gives us a glimpse into what that looks like in Gracias.

The festivities kicked off with an event called Gracias is Calling, a weeklong celebration featuring both national and international artists and authors. Paintings, poetry, books — it was all there. And because this is Honduras, coffee also took center stage, with competitions to see who could brew the very best cup.

(If you’re going to compete in something, coffee feels like a solid choice.)

The biggest day of the month came on July 20th — Lempira Day.

And no, Lempira isn’t just the name of the currency or a region on the map. He was a real person — a warrior and chieftain who united indigenous groups to resist Spanish invasion in the 1500s. Though he ultimately died in battle, his legacy lives on, especially in the lessons taught to Honduran schoolchildren.

Lempira Day begins with one of the most memorable traditions: a parade of kindergarteners dressed in historical costumes. And that’s just the beginning—parades and celebrations continue throughout the month.

For Brandy and Rachel, these moments are about more than just fun outings.
They’re intentional opportunities.

“Since we have a cross-cultural marriage, our kids are cross-cultural kids,” Brandy explained. “It’s important to us that we teach them about both cultures. Rachel takes the lead on U.S. traditions, and I help them experience the ones here.”

Even when attention spans are short, as they tend to be with young kids, the effort matters.

“As a child, it can be hard to stand still watching people in costumes parade down the street,” Brandy said. “But we go, even if it’s just for a few minutes. We want them to see the costumes, the horses, the floats. This year, there were even floats with old grass-roof houses to remind us how our ancestors lived.”

Of course, if you ask the kids, the real highlight comes after the parade.

Anything involving animals is an instant win, and the Association of Farmers in Gracias delivers with livestock shows and competitions. There are milking contests (because apparently, some cows are overachievers), dog costume contests, and even dressage horses.

Last year, Nathan jumped into the greased pig-catching competition—an ambitious move for one of the younger participants. He was ready to try again this year, but sadly, no slippery pig made an appearance. Still, he managed to walk away with a prize from another event, so the day was far from a loss.

And then there was the rodeo.

Brandy took Nathan (8), Michael (4), and Levi (3), and while the younger ones may not have followed every detail, there was no confusion when it came to the main event.

“The little ones don’t always understand everything,” Brandy said, “but when they see a guy riding a bull, they understand.”

There was cheering. There was shouting. There were urgent requests for Brandy to record videos to show Rachel later. In other words, it was a success.

Moments like these may seem simple, but they matter more than we might realize. They shape identity. They connect generations. They remind families where they come from and what they value.

And in a place like Gracias, where ministry and daily life are so closely intertwined, those cultural moments also become opportunities for connection, understanding, and relationship-building.

Because before you can truly reach a community, you have to know it.

You have to celebrate what they celebrate.
You have to understand what they honor.
You have to step into their story.

And sometimes, that starts with something as simple as showing up for a parade… or cheering for a cow that gives a little more milk than the rest.

Not a bad place to begin.

 - posted by Christi

Consider This Your Invitation to Pray!

 Sowers4Pastors is currently recruiting prayer warriors.

So… congratulations. If you’re reading this, you’ve officially been drafted.

But before you start wondering what exactly you’ve signed up for, here’s the heart behind it.

“As Christians, we rely on God for everything,” Brandy shared. “The Bible says that we need to trust Him. He’s our Father, and we need to trust Him for everything. We have a lot going on, and I know that in our own strength, we would not survive. We can’t rely on our own intelligence, strength, or wisdom — but we can rely on God’s.”

That’s where you come in. There’s a lot happening right now, and each piece carries its own set of challenges and opportunities. So here’s a look at some of the most pressing ways you can be praying.

First up: shipping containers.

Last year, S4P was only able to bring one container of backpacks into Honduras. All the proper paperwork had been submitted for a second container—but the approval never came. Everything was done correctly. Every donation was listed. Every form was filled out.

And still… nothing.

(Proof that sometimes “doing everything right” and “everything working out” are not the same thing.)

Because of that, Allen made the call to prioritize the backpacks designated for sponsored children. Staff sorted through what they had stored in the bodega to make sure other children were still provided for — and it worked. It really did.

But now, that supply is running low.

This year, paperwork has already been submitted for two backpack containers and one food container. The hope is to receive approval soon — but until then, there’s some uncertainty.

“As is natural, we’re a little bit worried,” Brandy said. “But we want to trust in God. We are focusing on God, rather than the situation.”

Next: a different kind of paperwork.

For nearly two years, S4P has been working to become its own nonprofit organization rather than operating under another umbrella. The process, which should have taken far less time, has stretched on due to government turnover and ever-changing requirements.

Some of the requested documents don’t even exist in the United States—which makes things… interesting.

Still, there’s a small silver lining. As their attorney pointed out, continued requests mean the application is still active.

Please pray for favor, clarity, and—maybe most of all—an end to the delays.

And then there’s the heart of the ministry: the people.

Please be praying for all of the staff, both American and Honduran. Mary Faith is still in the U.S., spending time with family and raising support so she can continue serving. Kirstin will soon head to the States to begin the 2026 backpack collection trip. Each role is different, but each one depends on God’s provision.

“We are here because God wants us here,” Brandy said. “And we want to be here, empowering local pastors and leaders to spread the Gospel.”

That mission is already bearing fruit — especially through the Sunday school training program. With multiple VBS teams on the ground recently, there have been many opportunities to connect with pastors about the training. The response has been overwhelmingly positive.

Brandy shared that some of the students are genuinely surprised by how much they’re learning. They’re gaining confidence, developing new skills, and discovering how to teach in ways they never have before.

And that’s exactly the goal. Because when leaders are equipped, entire communities are impacted.

Looking ahead, there are also some very tangible needs.

A second round of motorcycles will be distributed in November, helping pastors reach remote villages more easily. Please pray for provision so more pastors can receive this vital resource.

At the same time, Pastor Appreciation gifts are being prepared. These thoughtful packages — filled with donated household items, clothing, and school supplies — are a way to bless pastors and their families in a very practical way.

It’s a lot. A lot of moving pieces. A lot of unknowns. A lot of opportunities to either worry… or trust.

So this is your official invitation.

Pray for provision. Pray for protection. Pray for wisdom. Pray for endurance.And through it all, pray that God would continue to do what only He can do.

Because He already is.

- posted by Christi

Saying "Yes": Micah's Summer of Obedience

Sowers4Pastors always loves it when an intern comes their way. But it’s even more special when that intern is someone who already knows the dirt roads, the mountain views, and the heartbeat of the ministry.

Micah is one of those people.

As she wraps up her six-week summer internship, it almost feels like a continuation of a story that started years ago. She first came to Gracias on a short-term mission trip with her home church, Crosspoint—and then came back. And then came back again. Three trips later, Honduras wasn’t just a place she visited. It was a place that stayed with her.

After her very first trip, she went home and told her mom that once she graduated, she’d be back. That may not have been what her mom expected to hear at the time — but Micah never really let go of that plan.

“I have always had a heart for missions,” she said. “When Crosspoint started taking mission teams, Honduras spoke to me.”

She’s also served on a mission trip to Thailand, but even with that experience, Honduras kept calling her back.

This summer, Micah arrived on June 3rd and will head home this weekend. In between those dates, though, something deeper than just a busy schedule has taken place.

It’s been a summer of growth. A summer of stretching. A summer of learning what it really means to listen.

Even in the middle of it all, there were hard moments. While she was in Honduras, Micah’s mom was hospitalized for four days — an experience that would shake anyone, especially from a distance. But even with that weight, Micah stayed, leaned in, and continued to grow.

“I learned a lot about the ministry and a lot in my personal life,” she said. “Coming here was the first time I really listened to God in a very long time. I’ve been learning the act of obedience.”

That theme of obedience seemed to follow her all summer long. She heard it in sermons. She felt it in quiet moments. And then, without even knowing her story, someone spoke directly into it.

When a team from New Life Christian Ministries visited, Matt struck up a conversation with Micah about her purpose. He had no idea she had already been wrestling with what it means to follow God’s leading  — but the timing couldn’t have been clearer. He asked about her plans for the future.

Right now, those plans include heading to college in the fall to pursue an associate’s degree in nursing, with the goal of eventually specializing in cardiovascular sonography. It’s a path that mirrors much of her family’s background in the medical field.

But somewhere along the way this summer, something shifted.

Micah has already texted her mom to say she’s not so sure that path is where she’s meant to stay — and that she feels drawn toward ministry instead. The only problem? She’s not entirely sure what that looks like yet.

Her mom’s response was simple and wise: start with prayer

For those wondering what an internship like this actually looks like, Micah got to experience a side of ministry that most short-term teams never see.

“It was beautiful to see all the different parts that go into planning a weeklong visit,” she said. “The paperwork, the preparation — that kind of thing.”

She spent time in the office helping pack letters from sponsored children to send to their sponsors. She helped with behind-the-scenes tasks that keep everything moving. She even had the chance to drive in the mountains a bit — something not typically handed over to short-term visitors.

And, of course, she got to go out into the communities as well, including delivering nutrient-enriched rice to families in the mountains.

It’s the kind of experience that doesn’t just show you what ministry looks like—it shows you what it takes.

Now, as Micah prepares to head home, there’s a sense that this isn’t really an ending. It’s a next step. A continuation of learning what it means to say “yes,” even when the details aren’t fully clear yet.

Please pray for Micah as she travels home and as she continues to walk in obedience to wherever God leads her next.

Because if this summer has shown anything, it’s that saying yes is often where the real story begins.

- posted by Christi