"How's it Going, Now that You're Back in Honduras?" An update on Allen and Trish

Trish and Allen are home! Oh, sure, that’s not exactly news since they’ve been home for a couple of weeks now. But it feels like news because Trish was the one sharing today’s blog update. So let’s celebrate anyway by dropping some imaginary confetti. 

The most important thing Trish would like to share is that while they had to be away from Honduras for so long the ministry continued to thrive. Trish said, “As the founders of the ministry, we don’t want it to flounder in our absence. And it didn’t. Even though Rachel had a baby and Brandy had appendicitis during our time away, things still continued on very smoothly. That is really, really encouraging. We’ve had great reports from the visiting teams concerning how our staff is handling things. We’re so grateful that God brought these people to join Sowers4Pastors.” 

Allen and Malia at
Lighthouse Church

As for the actual trip back to Honduras… Allen and Trish left the home where they had been staying in Florida in early July. They visited with family and then flew to Maryland. While there, they were able to visit three sister churches. Trish drove to Ohio to visit Life Community church. While she was there, Allen visited Lighthouse Church in Maryland, and they both paid a visit to Fredericktowne Baptist Church. 

They were able to pick up the plumbing fixtures for Rachel and Brandy’s new home construction and pack them in their suitcases. They were prepared to pay import taxes upon arrival in Honduras, but when they went through the airport it was so late that customs was shut down and they were waved through. 

Allen and Trish spent the night at a hotel near the airport and Kirstin arrived the following morning to drive them home. The trip was extra long due to construction work on the main road. Trish said, “It wasn’t bad in terms of traffic or the roughness of the road, but the road was shut down to just one lane, multiple times. We probably sat for a total of two to three hours just waiting for the lane to open for the cars going in our direction. We did make the trip in one day, though. We knew the hardest part of the whole trip would be the drive from where the paved road ends to our house. It's a rough, unpaved road for about two miles. Because we're in the middle of the rainy season, the road is especially bad right now.” 

You might think that Allen spent the following day resting up from the trip, but you might think wrong! The next morning, Allen got up early and drove himself into Gracias to have breakfast with a visiting team. (Trish mentioned that it’s easier to be the driver than the passenger on rocky roads.) If he’s going out, he usually wants to do it early in the morning. But one day last week, he made a total of three drives out – one to meet a team for breakfast, one to go with Rachel to purchase supplies for the home construction, and one to join the team at the hot springs. 

Trish explained, “We weren’t sure how he was going to manage being back, but he's definitely not stuck at home. When we were driving in the US before his surgery, just the small bump experienced when changing from highway to bridge, then back to highway was very painful for him. He has made great strides! He still experiences sudden pangs of pain. He still has arthritis and bone spurs, plus he’s still healing - the surgery was only three months ago! But, at least for now, we are finding it do-able to live in Honduras, which is a huge praise!"

Charlotte and Michael!!!

They have enjoyed lots of time with their grandchildren living in Honduras, including the newest model! And Trish said it was lovely to come home and see projects that were completed in their absence. She’s especially delighted by the beautiful new fence/railing in her backyard. 

Please continue to pray for Allen’s recovery and for both Allen and Trish as they reacclimate to life at home.

 - posted by Christi

Allen's Progress Report

 In case you missed the blog posts that gave updates on how Allen was progressing after his back surgery in April, there’s a fairly good reason for that. It seems that we kinda sorta inadvertently neglected to write them. Oops! We thought we had. We meant to. Posts went out by email and were posted on Facebook. But, well, it seems that those “updates” that were just private conversations between Trish and I that were never written up and posted on the blog. Today we’re changing that. 

Heading home!!!

Allen did really well with his post surgical recovery. He was up and walking the following day. The actual healing of all of the work done on his lower spine is a much longer process. That’s what was going on during the months of May and June. 

The best thing to come from all of this is that Allen is in a lot less pain than he was before he had the surgery. He is learning how to move and sleep differently and that has caused his neck pain to move down the pain scale from “YOWZA, THAT HURTS!!!” to “Ouch, that is uncomfortable.” Or for people who use a more traditional pain scale, it has gone from intense to mild. The improvement was so dramatic that the decision was made to not go forward with the second surgery for repairs to his neck. On top of that, the surgery has helped resolve the issue of some of the nerves in his legs getting crushed. 

Even though the surgery was a success, Allen is facing the sorts of limitations that were to be expected. He doesn’t have the mobility that he used to have and he has to walk differently. The curve in his lower back doesn’t curve as much as it did prior to surgery and that causes him to kind of lean forward. When he focuses on standing straight, he is bending his knees and there is added pressure on his hips. His doctor has pointed out that the other parts of his body are going to be taking on additional stress and this could create other problems in the future. There’s a chance that a cane or walking stick may be in his future. 

Allen still deals with occasional flashes of intense pain. These are generally related to shifting movements, like getting into position in bed, or shifting in his chair while sitting in church, and they are sudden, surprising, and shout-out-loud painful! We'd appreciate your prayers about this, as we are hoping this is just a normal part of the healing process that will ease with time and additional healing, and not a problem that will grow and have to be addressed.

Allen is learning how to deal with his new normal. The bone spurs and arthritis that were the underlying issues behind his back pain were “cleaned up” in surgery. Of course, those things weren’t cured by the surgery. Few people come out of a back surgery feeling like everything has been healed. Allen is not one of those few people. 

Both Allen and Trish want to make it abundantly clear that they do view this as a success story. Trish said, “We did what we came to do. We are praising God that we were able to get through the crazy process with the healthcare system. We are thankful that we can move forward without Allen being in pain all the time.”

They are now packing to go home to Honduras in what they are thinking of as a test run. Trish asked and answered the question that is on many minds, “Can we live in Honduras? We’re going to go back and see how it goes. We’ll see if God has that in store for us or something else.”

Charlotte smiles just thinking about
meeting Nana and Grandpa!

Allen and Trish will be flying to Maryland this week. On July 14th, they will visit a supporting church there. Then on the following Sunday, they will visit a church in Ohio. Their flight to Honduras is on July 23rd. They are ready to go home and see some of their grandkids, including one they haven’t even officially met yet. 

While this has not been an easy process, there have been some good things to come from it. Having Allen and Trish in the States for so long was a good opportunity for others at Sowers4Pastors to successfully run everything. Trish shared, “In general, it’s a hard thing to hand off something you’ve built and watch others run it. We are going back as supporting players, as part of a team that has functioned well in our absence. That has been a goal for quite a few years.”

Allen and Trish want to thank everyone who has been praying for them and the ministry. Thank you to those who contributed to their unexpected expenses. They appreciate your ongoing prayers that they will be able to go back and work with the ministry on the ground. Please also continue to pray that Allen’s pain level and mobility will continue to improve. While they didn’t specifically mention this, pray for Trish as she packs up everything to move back to Honduras about eight months earlier than previously expected! 

 - posted by Christi

Reverse Culture Observations from Trish

 “Reverse culture shock” is an emotional or psychological reaction that people experience when they return home after living abroad for a long time. It all sounds very dramatic, doesn’t it? Reverse culture shock! It’s also sometimes referred to as “re-entry,” which sounds even more dramatic because it sounds like what astronauts go through when they return to earth. But Trish is not a dramatic person so her reverse culture shock is, quite frankly, a tad anticlimactic. Her version might as well be called, “Reverse culture observations”

She has had many reverse culture observations while helping Allen navigate the US healthcare system and picking up his prescriptions. Another reverse culture observation involves school buses. Yep. Big yellow school buses. You see, in Central America, it is a common practice for individuals to buy retired US school buses and then set up their own bus routes. In Guatemala, people buy the buses and repaint them with elaborate paint jobs. (While Trish didn’t mention what sort of elaborate paint jobs, it’s fun to imagine vehicles painted like The Partridge Family’s bus or the Mystery Machine from Scooby Doo driving along the roads of Guatemala.) Alas, the retired buses in Honduras don’t experience an Extreme Makeover, Bus Edition. They still look exactly like they did when they were carrying kids to and from school–yellow with the name of a school district written in black lettering. 

Examples of Guatemalan painted buses

If you’ve ever driven behind a school bus, you know they aren’t exactly known for their speed. The same is true of retired school buses carrying passengers in Honduras. The difference is that, in Honduras, if you’re behind a bus and it pulls over to pick up or drop off passengers, that is your moment to easily pass it. It’s expected. If you fail to pass a bus when this opportunity presents itself, the vehicles behind you are not pleased! With decades of that sort of bus protocol programming, Trish finds herself having to fight the urge to put the pedal to the medal and whizz around a school bus that stops in front of her . . . even when she is in the US. If she actually did it, that might be shocking, but since she has, so far, been able to stop herself, it’s merely a reverse culture observation.

Even though she does have to stop behind school buses, Trish is enjoying her time in the US very much. Well, aside from Allen’s back saga, she is enjoying her time. The truth is that both Allen and Trish have been overdue for some time off – especially over the past three years or so. Even though Trish is still working for the ministry, working remotely is different than being there 24/7. She’s still working on updating children's profiles and Allen is still called in on some ministry matters even while he’s recuperating from surgery. But they do have more time to focus on other things, as well.

For Trish, focusing on other things means that she is able to devote more time to working on her book about the kidnapping. She is working with a hybrid publisher, which comes with some major upsides. One of the biggest upsides is that Trish doesn’t have to worry about fitting her worlds into the publisher’s mindset. She has also been given a lot of flexibility in regard to timing. Trish’s publisher has been willing to work with her through her unexpected international move and Allen’s surgery. One thing about working with a hybrid publisher, however, is that Trish will be responsible for marketing the book. She’s learning how to do some things that are outside of her skillset – like setting up an author website and creating a dedicated Instagram account. She is squeezing all of this in when she can. 

Trish wants everyone to know that we can expect her to start posting things as an upcoming author very soon. So much of book marketing is done online, so having those who have followed her as a missionary following and sharing her social media posts will make a major impact on how much reach the book achieves.

She is keeping busy with work and some fun things, too. Trish has made some new friends. She and Allen have been enjoying the church they’ve been attending. They are currently attending online but are thinking they may be able to return to in-person services soon. Trish is also delighted to be playing her harp regularly again! She has played the harp since she was ten, but the humidity of Honduras and the lack of someone to do regular maintenance on the instrument there meant that it was necessary to leave it in the States - just one of the sacrifices made to follow their calling!

Trish’s mostly unflappable nature means that she enjoys the things she gets to enjoy and doesn’t pine about the stuff she doesn’t. So, while she would surely love to hold her newest granddaughter, she is contenting herself with lots of photos of baby Charlotte and her other grandchildren. 

As always, please continue to pray for Trish and Allen as they deal with all of the things!

- posted by Christi

Newsletter update: Allen's surgery postponed

 If you don't receive the newsletter, here is a link to the most recent one with an update on Allen's surgery:

Allen's surgery postponed!!

EXCITING NEWS Re: Allen's Back Surgery

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, blog readers of all ages… it’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for! (Or at least we have a date for the moment we’ve all been waiting for.) Allen officially has a date for surgery number one. It happens to be on April 1st, but this is no April Fool’s joke. Let the rejoicing commence! 

Allen's having to spend a lot of 
time in a recliner, but the occasional
visits from family help alleviate 
the boredom.

After a six month process to get insurance squared away, find a doctor, and jump through various unexpected hoops, Allen and Trish are abundantly grateful to God to finally see some real forward motion toward relieving Allen's pain. Insurance has approved the first surgery and things are feeling hopeful.

Apart from Allen’s surgery and recovery, the biggest concern is Allen and Trish’s temporary housing situation. They believe they will have their current house until the end of April. 

So far, they have been "loaned" the use of houses, and they hope that another such situation might be available for them, especially now that the folks who own homes in Florida that they only use during the winter might be returning north for the summer. Perhaps Allen and Trish can "house-sit" for someone.

Regarding other housing options (if a "loaned" house isn't available), Trish said, “We have talked about… well, it gets complicated. We don’t want to rent a place because we hope we don't need a home for a year, so we prefer not to sign a lease. We don’t own furniture in the US and don’t want the expense of buying furniture, and then needing to get rid of it later (assuming we return to Honduras). For now, aside from my harp, I can pretty much move all of our belongings in a car. We’d like to keep it that way. Of course, if God provides us with housing, we'll be thrilled. If not, we assume our next-best option will be to set up in an Airbnb. While that seems more expensive at first glance, since it includes furniture, utilities, trash, Wi-Fi, etc., it probably works out to be a better use of funds, for our situation."

Please pray that they will find housing that meets all of their needs. If you know of possible housing for them in the Orlando area, please let them know. Since Allen’s surgery will be in Orlando, they are thinking it is likely that his future surgeries will also be there. For obvious reasons, they would like to find a place near their medical hub. 

Allen and Trish are always quick to point out their current praises and how God has provided for them up to this point. They are trusting that they will continue to see God’s hand moving in all aspects of this unanticipated saga. 

Pray that Allen’s surgery will be a success. This is not a minimally invasive surgery. Allen stated, “The surgery will involve removing four discs, fusing together all five lumbar vertebrae. I’ve already been told that I could lose my ability to walk without this surgery. Please pray that the surgeon takes his time, and that the surgery will be successful.”

Don’t forget to pray for Trish during all of this. Allen’s care throughout the recovery period will all be on her. She will be trying to manage life and likely move them to a new home in the middle of his recovery. She'll continue her online work for the ministry, and is hoping to make progress with writing her book, while also practicing her harp. 

In the background, Allen piped up by sharing, “Plus, I’m just a downright difficult patient. I work so hard to not be grumpy, but I'm not a patient patient!” 

Other prayer requests not previously mentioned include:

• As a redhead, Allen is difficult to anesthetize. The doctor has assured him that he won’t wake up during the surgery. However, when he had his heart stents put in, they had difficulty putting him to sleep and keeping him asleep. Yeah. Pray that he’s out like a light for surgery!

• Finances are a concern. This first surgery is expected to cost Allen and Trish somewhere between five and ten thousand dollars. In the grand scheme of medical care, that’s not a fortune but it's certainly not something that they've budgeted for! There will be at least one more surgery to come, too. Please pray that the needed funds will be available! If you'd like to help with the expenses, you can donate through the Sowers4Pastors website donation page. (Use the donation category "Allen and Trish Sowers Support")

• Pray that recovery goes well. The tentative plan is to have a second surgery - on Allen's neck this time - about four months after the first.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support as Allen slowly morphs into the 6 Million Dollar Missionary with a bionic back!

 - posted by Christi

An Allen Update: Hurry Up and Wait

Allen and Trish are glad to have progressed 
to the point where they are seeing actual
neurosurgeons! Yay!

It has been about a month since our last big Allen medical update. 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. 

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. 

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 . . . 

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. 

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. 

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!”

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. 

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. 

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. 

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! 

As always, your prayers are appreciated. 

 - posted by Christi

Battling Discouragement (and a sing-along)

 It’s time for a sing-along in honor of Allen and Trish!

“Oh give me a home, where the buffalo roam 

Where the deer and the antelope play,

Where seldom is heard, a discouraging word

And the skies are not cloudy all day.”

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. 

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.

Gorgeous Lake Maitland - Allen and Trish feel so spoiled having this view!

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.”

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.

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.”

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.

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!”

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. 

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 the donation page on the Sowers4Pastors website. Thanks so much!

 - posted by Christi

The Latest News on Allen's Back Issues

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.” 

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. 

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.”

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. 

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. 

“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.

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. 

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).

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.

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. 

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.

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. 

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.” 

 - posted by Christi

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!