We're Coffee Farmers Now!

Here's some exciting news . . . read on for a new (and really great) way you can be a part of our work here in Honduras!

God is leading us toward developing a more self-sustaining ministry model, and we are excited to share this with you today. In short, this is a chance for you to partner with us in a project which will multiply donated funds greatly, and continuously, for years to come! I've mentioned briefly, on Facebook, that we have been planting coffee plants on our property for the past few months. In this post, I'll be sharing details about this project - but I want to make it clear from the start that this is a matching funds offer, and a project which should add sustainability to the ministry, and a situation which will create jobs in our community! It's a win, win, WIN! 

In the department of Lempira, where we live, coffee is the main cash crop. There is even a strain of coffee plant named “Lempira,” which was developed specifically to be grown successfully and profitably in our area. We own approximately 65 acres of land, most of which is steep and rocky. While the uses for such land are limited, it can be used to grow coffee, and it is our goal to develop this land to help fund the ministry work we are doing here. Because we already live on this land, we can handle security and oversight of the project without significant extra cost, time, or effort.

This project will help the ministry work we do here – the feeding centers, church and school construction projects, bridges, pastor training school, Bible book store, etc. – to be funded and at least partially self-sustainable for years into the future. The coffee project will also create much needed jobs for local workers: preparing the land, planting the coffee plants, caring for them, and harvesting the coffee beans. It is our intention to sell the beans in bulk locally, as the drying, packaging, and selling of the beans is too time consuming for us to feel that it is a good use of our available time and energies. We absolutely want this project to benefit the ministry, not take us away from the work God has placed us here to do!

During his recent trip to the US, and since his return, Allen has been presenting the coffee project to potential donors. It has been our hope that people who desire to partner with us in ministry will consider donating toward this project. All of the profits from the sale of the coffee will directly fund the ministry, and Allen, with his degree in business and systems analysis, has run the numbers and found that we can expect each dollar spent on the coffee project to give an average return of sevenfold over the course of the next 12 years.

This means that a donation of, for instance, $100 would actually grow to $700 of available funds to be used in the continuation of the ministry, and a gift of $500 would grow to $3500 . . . but at the moment, several friends of the ministry have issued a matching funds challenge. This means that a donation of $100 can be expected to return $1400, and a $500 donation really means $7000 of funding for the ministry! At this time, up to $20,000 of donated funds will be matched!!! I’m sure you will agree with us that this is a huge opportunity!

These numbers have taken into consideration the certainty of having years of good crops and years when the plants produce less. The plan also includes a budget for replacing plants as they gradually die out . . . so that our production of coffee beans can continue out into the future indefinitely!

We’re excited about the possibilities here! Already we have installed a road down through our property, for better access to the coffee fields, and have planted 8.5 acres of coffee: 17,000 plants so far! Our goal is to eventually plant 30 acres of coffee! The estimated profit from this venture – after expenses are considered of course – is $50,000 per year, all of which will be used for ministry expenses!

What do you think? Do you have questions about this? Maybe you’d like to partner with our ministry in this way? Pray about it and let us know! We’re praying here, too! 

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As always, donations should be sent through The Foundation for Missions, and receipts will be issued. 

To Donate by Mail, send checks to:

The Foundation for Missions

PO Box 560233

Orlando, Florida 32856-0233

- Make check payable to "The Foundation" -

- Be sure to write "preferenced for Sowers Ministry, matching funds coffee project" 

on an enclosed paper -

To Donate Online:

     Click on THIS LINK to donate online using credit card, debit card, or automatic monthly donations from your bank account. Make sure that you choose "Missionary Support" from the drop down menu, and type in "Sowers Ministry, matching funds coffee project" 

in the box requesting "additional specifics on how to use the gift."

- If additional instructions or information are needed for donating, 

please don't hesitate to call The Foundation for Missions, at 407-730-3364.