Come Work with Sowers4Pastors in Honduras!

 

Not everyone has the opportunity to create a sort of Help Wanted ad for their own replacement. Trish is doing just that. It’s not that she’s going anywhere, but it is time for her to pass the torch when it comes to some of her duties. This is partly because she already has more duties than she can fit into her workdays.

Wanted: Someone a lot like Trish, but younger!

What sort of person would be the right fit? Well, let’s put it this way. As a child, Trish was very drawn to missions. She was drawn to the excitement and importance of serving with her whole life, in a foreign land. She considered it to be the most amazing thing a Christian could do! But when she read stories about bold people in dangerous situations, the bookish introvert didn’t exactly see a lot of parallels between herself and the people braving jungles on a regular basis. She considered herself to be a most unlikely candidate for the mission field. But there she is!

Trish said, “We are looking for someone with a heart for spreading the Gospel, building God's Kingdom, and serving the poor, who doesn’t necessarily have that physical, extrovert kind of skill set. We are needing someone happy to work behind the scenes. This is not someone who should expect to be in all of the pictures, receiving hugs from the kids in villages. It's not what you think of as the typical missionary job. When people come down for a week and fall so in love with the fun of playing with kids and visiting homes that they want to do an internship, it can be kind of disappointing for them to be asked to do data entry. We are looking for someone who can embrace the behind-the-scenes part of the job and recognize the importance of it. I am inside, away from the action almost 100% of the time - but the ministry work absolutely relies upon my efforts. The ideal candidate needs to be comfortable with that. If someone desires to also go out and do more direct ministry work part of the time that is an option, but office work would be their primary responsibility.”

The view from Trish's office window

Ideal Candidate Resume Bullet Points

• Strong math skills – That doesn’t mean that there’s a need for calculus and trigonometry. However, the candidate should be very comfortable working with numbers in a basic, accounting sort of way.

• Basic computer skills – The job requires doing things back and forth with Google Drive, Excel spreadsheets, and the like. If the person is comfortable with more advanced aspects of internet work - like updating information or making design changes on websites, etc - that would certainly be a plus.

• Flexibility – No, not the sort of flexibility required in yoga. Sowers4Pastors needs someone able to go with the flow when their schedule is interrupted. Which it will be. Regularly.

• Strong writing skills – This job requires being able to write grammatically correct emails and messages back and forth with donors and sponsors.

• Self-motivated – In the beginning, Trish will work with the new person to get them started. After a reasonable training period, the individual needs to make their own schedule and stay on top of their own responsibilities.

• Willingness to relocate – Even though most of the work could theoretically be done remotely, there are many reasons it is preferable to be in Honduras. Being on the scene allows for a sort of involvement you can’t achieve in a different location. It would also be difficult to raise support as a missionary while living in the States. This is not a salaried position and people are more likely to support a missionary in a different country. Plus, it is also significantly cheaper to live in Honduras.

• Habla español – The ideal candidate should know at least a smattering of Spanish. S4P will be looking for someone willing to take Spanish lessons either before or after arrival. Fluency would be fabulous but isn’t a requirement. Knowing no Spanish at this time would not rule a candidate out, however.

• Maintain confidentiality – Since this position does involve working behind the scenes, dealing with private information about donors and donations, it is imperative that the person in this role be trustworthy and discrete.

• Strong attention to detail – No one wants someone with a less than stellar accuracy rate working on data entry, accounting, and office communication. 

• Strong work ethic – There will not be a supervisor standing over the new person’s shoulder. S4P is very clear in their expectations. They put it all out there in regard to what needs to happen and when it needs to happen, and the Sowerses and their staff work until the work is done, when necessary. We also try to make sure there is reasonable rest and down-time. (Having another person on staff would definitely help with that!)

• Strong Christian looking to make a difference – S4P is looking for someone who wants to be a pivotal part in an international ministry. While it isn’t a flashy job, it is a vitally important one. References will be checked and S4P will be looking for someone with an active church involvement. 

• Someone looking for a long-term position – The ideal candidate should arrive with every intention of sticking around for a while, as this isn’t a temporary position. There isn’t an age requirement, but the right person for this job should have a combination of maturity and a willingness to grow. There's a lot to learn about the computer system the ministry uses, and the training time will only make sense if the worker is choosing this as a long-term position.

• Would be interested in a married couple – It would be wonderful to find a married couple who is interested in a life on the mission field. Realizing that different people have different skill sets, there are plenty of ways that a spouse could potentially fit into the ministry work.

What’s in it for the chosen candidate?

Gracias is located in a quiet, peaceful, and reasonably safe part of Honduras. The beautiful mountain region has a climate that is much cooler than what is generally expected in the tropics. It is a friendly, welcoming community, great for families with children. There is also a nice community of gringo teachers who arrive each year to teach in the local bi-lingual schools. And, of course, it is the opportunity to make a difference sharing God's love internationally, even if you don’t possess the kinds of traits found in books about typical missionaries. 

The Sowerses would love to talk to you about the possibilities and challenges (including fund raising) . . . and what they can do to help you move into an overseas position. Please reach out to Trish at trish @ sowers4pastors.com.

 - posted by Christi

Introducing the Newbies

Sowers4Pastors is pleased to introduce you to some new people who have come to help them out for this season. This is your formal introduction because you will undoubtedly see their names pop up in future blog posts. While each person is only committed to staying for a few months, there’s always the possibility that they will stick around for longer.

Picture of Michael and Marlena with their sponsored kids.
Can you spot the bonus RJ?

Husband and wife duo, Michael and Marlena, arrived from Kansas about a week ago. They are new empty-nesters who have decided to go off on their own adventures. Last year, when a team from The Well visited Honduras, Mike and Marlena extended their trip by arriving early and spending a few more weeks than the team. They planned to repeat that in 2022, but Sowers4Pastors contacted them to see if they would be interested in being part of the S4P staff for a short while. They’ve been helping out with driving and logistics. They’ve also been helping to organize the backpack shipment that arrived kind of late. They are staying with Rachel and it has been nice for her to have some help with the kids and unpacking the new house. The team from The Well is on the ground this week and next week, so Mike and Marlena are also hanging out with the people at the hotel right now. Their daughter in the States is expecting twins, so there’s a chance that they will receive a call to return home earlier than planned. In the meantime, they are making the most of every minute in Honduras.

On January 22, Caity, a new intern from Texas joined the staff. We recently talked about missionaries helping missionaries. Caity’s presence is an example of that. She originally applied to work with 61 Isaiah, but that organization had already filled their intern positions for the year. 61 Isaiah suggested that Sowers4Pastors contact her. Caity trained with YWAM and everyone at S4P is excited to utilize her experience and enthusiasm until she can join 61 Isaiah.

Caity also recommended someone else to serve as an intern with Sowers4Pastors. William, a young man from Texas, is scheduled to arrive on January 29. Caity and William will both be helping to do Bible lessons for some of the communities with sponsorship programs. Due to COVID disruptions, some of the programs have needed some more attention. Sending a gringo into communities to lead lessons gets a positive response. It also gives Sowers4Pastors more of a presence in the communities and they can make sure the lessons are done regularly. The interns will also be put to work in the office. Everyone is happy with the prospect of adding some youthful energy to mix.

I don't have photos of the new interns yet, so enjoy this photo
of a random macaw that was spotted on the coffee farm.

The initial COVID outbreaks created a time when everyone had to regroup and do things in a way that meant a lot less face-to-face contact. Now people are craving a return to normalcy. More hands on the ground will help Sowers4Pastors achieve that in their ministry.

- posted by Christi

An Urgent (or at Least Time-Sensitive) Prayer Request

Sowers4Pastors doesn’t toss the word “urgent” around willy-nilly. That’s why there was some discussion about whether or not it would be a suitable word to use in this blog post. After all, no one has been kidnapped! Still, Allen feels it is perfectly appropriate to say that Sowers4Pastors currently has an urgent prayer request. Trish, the former kidnappee, might have opted to use the term “time-sensitive”. Whichever terminology you prefer, Sowers4Pastors has an amazing opportunity and they haven’t come up with a solution that will make things work.  They are seeking God’s wisdom, and your prayers are requested in this urgent/time-sensitive matter.



As you may know, the Sister Church sponsorship programs are run through the local schools, in partnership with a local pastor. Schools in Honduras are required to have religious teaching and the school administrators are thrilled to have a local pastor come in and teach once a week. This is a blatantly Christian program. In fact, it’s a full-on, non-watered-down, Sunday school program that is being presented to children in public schools.

The Sister Church program also feeds children through their schools. It constitutes a 2-day per week school lunch program. Every child in the local communities where these programs operate is enrolled. And amazing things are happening.

There has been a 40-80% increase in the number of years these children are attending school. Prior to the program, many of them were fortunate to attend school for a total of 3-4 years. Now, most are going to school from K-6th grade.

In Guacutao, the sister church of Edgewater Alliance, things have taken a particularly impressive turn. When the Sowerses first moved to Gracias, Allen referred to Guacutao as the dark side of the moon. It was very isolated and the final seven miles of the trip took an hour to drive, due to the incredibly rough road. When Edgewater became involved, more children started staying in school. Edgewater Alliance began making plans, as they desired to make it possible for the children they sponsor to stay in school beyond elementary school. Middle schools are uncommon. They were looking at setting up a service to transport the children in the back of a pickup to the closest middle school - a drive of about 45 minutes. Amazingly, the government took notice of the number of children in Guacutao who were completing the 6th grade, and a middle school went up on the dark side of the moon!

Other communities are sitting up and taking notice. Sowers4Pastors is getting requests from communities neighboring the areas where they are currently working. The county school boards are asking them to please bring their pastor-led, blatantly Christian teaching into public schools into their counties. (Though they probably aren’t putting it exactly like that!)

That’s pretty spectacular. Right? So what’s the problem? The problem is that Sowers4Pastors simply doesn’t have the manpower to add this to their already packed schedules. Without divine intervention, Allen, Trish, and Russell don’t see how they can pick this up. At the same time, they don’t see how they can say no! The logistics are pretty significant and they don’t take on a new program lightly. They want to be sure that any new program would have the impact the current programs are having.

Forces are at work that will likely take Christian education out of the public school systems at some point in the future. Plus, if Sowers4Pastors waits five years, that means five years worth of kids would never have the opportunity to hear the Gospel presented by a pastor in their school. They would also miss out on the benefits of the feeding program and the all-important years of education. This is a big honkin’ deal!

If Sowers4Pastors was to put out a job advertisement, it would read something like this, “Wanted: One Russell Sowers clone. Must be willing to work 70 hours per week for no salary. The ideal candidate will be a motivated individual with strong logistics skills.  Excellent Spanish, cultural understanding, and a strong desire to serve God required.”

RJ is only five, so he isn’t quite up for the job yet. I asked. So, your prayers are needed.

 - posted by Christi

Help Wanted

Do you remember the days when people used to post “Help Wanted” notices in store windows and on community bulletin boards? Since we wouldn’t be able to see the notices if Allen, Trish, Russell, and Kelsea posted them in their windows, think of this blog post as a very far-reaching bulletin board.

Help Wanted: One dynamic intern to work in Honduras with Sowers4Pastors from February-April 2020. See the specific requirements below, along with enough filler to make it seem more blog post-y.

During those months in 2019, Kelsea was inundated with work, with the combination of  backpack distribution and computer work. Sowers4Pastors is praying diligently for the right person to help lighten her load next year.

Qualified applicants must:

• Have basic computer skills, including the stamina to accomplish a lot of data entry.
• Possess a good work ethic and an ability to self-start.
• Have a desire to partner with the ministry.
• Be mature. If under 21, you must have a maturity beyond your years.
• Be willing and able to raise their own support, to cover living and travel expenses.

What to expect:

February and March will require the intern to help host teams, distribute backpacks, and do scattered computer work. This will involve working alongside Russell, Allen, and Kelsea.

April will primarily involve working on the computer, in a data entry capacity. This means assisting Kelsea by updating the registration for children at feeding centers and sponsorship centers, updating profiles and profile pictures, and making new profiles of the new children for potential sponsors to see.

This is not an extension of any short-term mission trips potential applicants may have been on. It is a step beyond that. There is more work involved and the new intern will need to do more personal time management.

This is a great opportunity for someone:

• Interested in missions.
• With a desire to serve.
• With a desire to improve his/her Spanish.

If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about the application process, please contact Kelsea at kelsea@sowers4pastors.com .

 - posted by Christi