Beyond the Clinic: Where Every Visit Becomes Ministry

 After hearing about the recent dental team from Brandy’s perspective, Alejandro offered another view — one that stretches beyond procedures and into something much deeper.

What stood out to him wasn’t just the care provided, but the people involved. The dental students who made up part of the team originally came from all over the world — Vietnam, India, China, and the United States. For Alejandro, that diversity wasn’t just interesting; it was meaningful. “We had the opportunity to share the Gospel with them, too,” he said. “As a ministry, we aren’t just touching the people receiving dental care. We’re also impacting the lives of the students — and through them, their families.”

That ripple effect is something Sowers4Pastors never loses sight of. Every team that arrives is both serving and being served, both giving and receiving. The mission field doesn’t run in one direction.

Dental team

Now, the Sowers4Pastors staff is preparing for what comes next: a medical team arriving in just a couple of weeks. The logistics are already in place — locations scheduled, itineraries set — but Alejandro’s excitement isn’t rooted in organization. It’s rooted in opportunity.

“We get to talk about Jesus and who He is,” he said. “That’s how we bring hope to people’s hearts.”

That word — hope — is at the center of everything. Medical care, dental work, backpacks, meals… they all matter. But they are not the final goal. They are the open door. What walks through that door is the Gospel — the invitation for lives to be changed, not just improved.

Alejandro put it simply: “It’s not just about giving medical attention or a meal. It’s about giving hope.”

And that mission doesn’t pause when one team leaves. Right on the heels of the medical visit, the first VBS team of the season will arrive. These teams, often from churches in the United

States, bring a different kind of energy — games, songs, laughter — but the same purpose.

“The kids aren’t just excited to play,” Alejandro shared. “They’re excited to learn about the Kingdom of God.”

And they do more than just learn — they carry it home.

Time and again, families have shared how something as simple as a VBS song has encouraged them in difficult seasons. Alejandro laughed as he recalled one example: a repetitive, lighthearted song about being thankful. “It’s just a few words over and over,” he said, “but a woman in one village told me it helped her not give up. It reminded her to be grateful for what she has — even when life is hard.”

It’s a powerful reminder that God doesn’t always use what we would consider profound or complex. Sometimes, He uses the simplest things — a conversation, a song, a moment — to reach someone right where they are.

For the S4P staff, that’s part of the joy. Every team, every visit, every interaction carries the potential for something eternal. “The Holy Spirit will use whatever He wants to bless families,” Alejandro said. “People are learning how important they are to the Lord.”

And maybe that’s the invitation for all of us.

“Keep your heart open,” Alejandro encouraged. “When you do, the Lord will blow your mind. Every little thing is a miracle. Even just opening your eyes in the morning — that is God’s favor in your life.”

When we start to see life that way, we realize something: ministry isn’t confined to a clinic, a classroom, or a mission trip.

It’s happening everywhere — one open heart at a time.

 - posted by Christi

From Crafts to Connections: Edgewater Alliance Brings VBS Joy to Honduras

If you don’t recognize the name Tiffany Richardson, rest assured — she probably recognizes yours if you sponsor a child through Sowers4Pastors' EAC program. Tiffany is a behind-the-scenes powerhouse, managing much of the correspondence between sponsors and their kids. But she doesn’t stop there — she also leads about two Edgewater Alliance Church teams to Honduras each year.

Last week, Tiffany was on the ground in Gracias with her latest team, bringing vibrant Vacation Bible School (VBS) programming to five different schools. That may sound like a logistical marathon — and it was! — but the team pulled it off with smiles, laughter, and a whole lot of heart.

Delivering two full days of VBS to five schools in just four days meant serious planning. The team arrived in Honduras with lesson plans, games, crafts, and enough supplies to keep over 230 kids engaged. They adapted material from the VBS programs used at Edgewater Alliance, selecting the lessons and activities that best translated across languages and cultures. Tiffany said one of the most meaningful parts was being able to tell the children in Honduras, “These are the same lessons your sponsor families learned back in the U.S.”

Here’s how they made it happen: the team visited two schools on Monday and Tuesday, then hit the remaining three on Wednesday and Thursday. They sang songs, shared stories, played games, and got creative with crafts — all in spite of the rainy season. Gracias has been drenched with daily downpours lately, but incredibly, the team was only lightly sprinkled on one occasion. That may sound minor, but in rural Honduras, a heavy rain can shut down travel completely. This was an answered prayer — and a huge relief.

  

 

Tiffany is no stranger to this work. She’s been sponsoring children since 2017 and started traveling to Honduras in 2018. Over the years, she’s watched children grow up, graduate, and step into adulthood with confidence and purpose. One young man she first sponsored seven years ago has now finished school — and this past week, she met his niece at a VBS program. Another team member met the girl she sponsors, who is now in college training to become a police officer. Her sister is studying to become a doctor. For context: when Sowers4Pastors began serving this area, local education stopped at 6th grade.

This summer’s team included 10 members, with 4 teens or younger. One turned 17 while in Honduras and was treated to a surprise traditional Honduran birthday celebration. There was even a mother-son duo on the team. They didn’t sponsor a child when they arrived, but by the time they left, they were proudly sponsoring a little girl they met during a school visit.

Tiffany shared with a laugh, “It’s not unusual for team members to arrive not sponsoring a child. But probably 98% are sponsors by the time they leave.”

Thanks to a little timing overlap, Tiffany was also able to connect with members of the incoming medical team — including the well-known and well-loved Dr. Monica. On one day when her group went ziplining, Tiffany stayed back to help organize and ended up lending a hand with medical supply prep. She joked afterward, “I told my folks I’d switched teams for the day!”

A Note to Sponsors (and Future Sponsors)

Tiffany’s story is more than a trip report. It’s a reminder of how missions work isn't about grand gestures — it's about consistency, connection, and compassion. Whether it's sharing a lesson, handing out oatmeal, or giving a smile, every act plants a seed. Over time, those seeds grow into stories like a college-bound girl or a reunited sponsor and niece.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your letters, prayers, or gifts are making a difference — let Tiffany assure you: They are.

Please continue to pray for the children, families, and dedicated team members who pour so much love into this ministry. And who knows? Maybe you’ll be part of the next 98%.

 - posted by Christi

When Teams Collide: A Joyful Overlap of Service

 If you’re a “sports ball” kind of person, you may already be familiar with the term sports equinox — that rare day in the fall when the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL all have games scheduled at once. For those who aren’t fluent in ESPN, Google’s got your back.

Well, Sowers4Pastors is currently experiencing its own kind of team equinox. One Vacation Bible School team is still on the ground, and in just two days, Dr. Monica will arrive to prep for a weeklong medical mission. It's a beautiful (and busy!) overlap of two very different yet equally vital ministries.

Brandy shared that preparing for a medical team is no small feat. It takes a mountain of paperwork and plenty of advance planning to gain the necessary permissions to bring in medical equipment and supplies. Thankfully, all the approvals are in place, and the team has the green light to proceed with everything they need.

Here’s how the transition will go: The VBS team departs on Saturday, and while they’re saying their goodbyes, other members of the medical team will be landing in Honduras and heading into action. Talk about a seamless handoff.

This medical team will serve in four carefully chosen communities, each selected for its ability to host the largest number of children and community members. Among the places they’ll visit are:

• Naranjitos, a community served by Crosspoint Church, home to a large school
  
  

• Guacutao, where EAC has a sister church program
  
  

• A brand-new location affiliated with Lighthouse Church
  
  

These places are strategically close to other areas where kids can be picked up and transported in trucks.

What these locations have in common is limited access to healthcare. For most residents, visiting a doctor means traveling all the way to Gracias. As Brandy put it, “We chose communities where people really need this kind of help — where even basic healthcare isn’t close enough to access easily.”

The joy of this week isn’t just in the logistics — it’s in the heart behind it.

“We are called to serve others. This is just one way to do it,” Brandy said. “We’re excited because this team has a heart for service. They wouldn’t be coming if they didn’t. They want to do something that matters and share the love of Christ in this way.”

The medical team will include five professionals, but with translators and ministry staff added in, the group will be large, energetic, and ready to make a difference. S4P is already aware of several cases requiring urgent medical attention — and thanks to this team, help is on the way.

“It’s a blessing to help people out of difficult situations,” Brandy said. “We’re praying that everything we do this week is for Christ. We want to serve others the way He commands us to.”

As the VBS team finishes strong and the medical team gears up for a full schedule, please keep both groups in your prayers. Pray for endurance, safe travel, joyful hearts, and opportunities for both ministry and meaningful connection.

Oh — and Brandy recommends packing a rain jacket. Because in Honduras, even during a team equinox, the weather has a mind of its own. - posted by Christi

VBS Season Is Here: Joy, Jesus, and Jumping Back In!

 “After five weeks without teams, here we go again!” Brandy said with a smile. “We’ve got four weeks of Vacation Bible School coming up—and that’s exciting for so many reasons!”

As the team gears up, Brandy recently reflected on why this ministry means so much to him. In a conversation with Kirstin, he shared that one of his favorite things about the work of Sowers4Pastors is its variety. While the ministry does a lot of different things, every single effort supports one overarching mission: empowering pastors to share the Gospel.

“I love VBS because it brings our friends—our brothers and sisters in Christ—from the States,” Brandy said. “We love them. We miss them. And we get excited to see them every year.”

This is more than just a reunion. It’s a time of shared work, mutual encouragement, and spiritual growth—for everyone involved.

“It’s an opportunity to strengthen our relationships with the churches in the States,” Brandy explained. “We share experiences. We serve side-by-side. We encourage one another. That’s such an important part of Christian life — building healthy, joyful relationships in Christ.”

One of Brandy’s favorite aspects of the VBS weeks is visiting the communities served by these partner churches.

“We serve together as a team,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what culture we’re from or what language we speak — we’re united by one purpose.”

And that purpose is rooted in Scripture. Brandy quoted Colossians 3:23:

“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.”

That’s the VBS heart in action: serving joyfully and intentionally, for the Lord.

“We’re sharing the Gospel while having a really good time,” Brandy said. “The kids are learning, laughing, and playing. And through all of it — they’re growing in their understanding of who God is.”

Brandy also appreciates how VBS gives the team opportunities to meet with local families and teachers.

“We can get to know them and understand their reality — everything they go through,” he said. “When we know the people we’re serving, we serve better.”

He wrapped up his thoughts with a powerful reminder of the heart behind it all:

“We are training our faith by doing this. We are living the Gospel. We are preaching. We are serving. We are learning to love the people and teaching God’s children. We’re so excited to start VBS with the teams!”

The first group arrives this weekend, and we’re asking for your prayers as the work begins. Brandy noted that it’s been raining every day — please pray for clear skies, safe travel, and fruitful ministry.

Let the joy (and the Jesus-filled fun) begin!

 - posted by Christi

What Goes Into a GREAT VBS Program - in Honduras!

When Lighthouse Church in Maryland shows up in Honduras with a team, they come prepared. Malia Johnston, who has headed up Lighthouse’s sister church VBS programs since 2017 (minus 2020, for obvious reasons), was gracious enough to share how they do the things they do.

Lighthouse sponsors 900 children at ten separate locations. But the VBS is open to children who will not be attending school, too. This summer, the VBS-palooza served about 1000 kids. Malia laughed when she shared that moms with one and two-year-olds brought their little ones to participate in crafts. The team prepares enough crafts for 1100 children and donates the extras to Sowers4Pastors to use at other feeding centers as Sunday school activities.

It’s sort of a tag-team mission trip. Those who are able to stay for two weeks, do so. Those who can’t carve out that much time, fly home at the end of the first week or fly to Honduras for the second week. With so many locations to visit, it’s a complicated endeavor, as Rachel touched on in a recent post.

The kids at each VBS break up into groups–older kids and younger ones. Then those groups split again into older kids doing games, younger kids doing crafts, older kids doing crafts, younger kids doing games. And switch! Of course, there are also devotionals, a Bible story, music, and skits. Everything builds on the same theme, which was “Jesus Is” this year.

As an educator, Malia understands that different people learn differently. She said, “Some kids are going to remember the lesson because of the game. Some are going to remember it from the craft. Others are auditory learners and they are going to remember the lesson from the story or skit.”

The “Jesus Is” theme taught children about the synoptic Gospels and Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John focus on different qualities of Jesus. By the end of VBS week, someone on stage could say, “Jesus is…” and the children would shout out in unison in the following manner:

VBS worker: “Jesus is…”

Kids: “King!”

VBS worker: “Jesus is…”

Kids: “Servant!”

VBS worker: “Jesus is…”

Kids: “Son of Man!”

VBS worker: “Jesus is…”

Kids: “Son of God!”

Malia laughed and said, “I will tell you that when we hear about VBS in the States, we think it’s a kids’ ministry. In Honduras, it’s not just the kids who are listening. You have teenagers listening. Everybody comes out to hear the gringos!”

The team walks the fine line between “hurrying up to honor people’s time” and “being in the moment.” They make sure to take time to pray each morning before going out and to do an evening devotional as a group. Malia said, “We try to get our hearts right. It’s a balance. We need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and ask, ‘When do I not need to care about time and go 10 minutes over? And when do I need to hurry?”

With so many different locations to visit, each session lasts between 1.5 to 2 hours. Lighthouse aims to make the actual VBS last 1.5 hours to allow for a half hour of free time to play with the kids. Even the free time is structured. One person may set up a station to paint fingernails. Another person may have a jump rope station. In order to maximize the amount of time spent with the children, the team hosts prep parties in the States to cut out some of the pieces that will be used in crafts. This year, they had two prep parties with twenty people cutting out “a bajillion tissue paper circles for flowers.”

“Every year, for one of the crafts, we want to empower the kids to serve others,” Malia explained. “The kids will make two of the same craft, but they have to give one away. This year, it was flowers made with pipe cleaners and tissue paper. Because they had been learning that Jesus is a man…He laughed and cried. He was tempted but he never sinned. We talked about Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane when He prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me.’ He was sad. Everyone else was sleeping and He was all alone. But when He was tempted, He prayed. When we are tempted, we should pray. The kids were instructed to give flowers to people in their community who might feel alone–to encourage others in their communities.”

The kids love the crafts! Malia stressed, “If you go to their houses, you can see that they have crafts from years ago. Even the 11 and 12-year-old boys love them. When it is announced that they have two more minutes of craft time and the older boys aren’t finished, they will choose to come back and finish their crafts instead of playing soccer during the free time. It is worth all of the time and energy because we get to see that the kids are so appreciative. It’s not just the crafts. They love the games, too. Nothing is seen as lame. They want to participate. They want to pay attention!”

“If I could encourage other churches, I would say that it’s a lot of work but it’s worth it! In the States, I have to create motivation in the classroom. But I don’t have to create motivation there. There’s no creating buy-in; it’s just there!”

Unofficial Prep Tips for Other Sister Churches

Malia was very clear that she’s not trying to tell other churches what they should do. But some of her tips are so good that we’re passing them on!

For starters, every year, Malia creates an Amazon wishlist for the supplies they will need for crafts and games. Every year, the items get purchased. She posts the link on her social media pages and people step up to support the cause. The majority of the people don’t even attend Lighthouse and some aren’t believers. 

Next, in order to make things easier and more sustainable, the Lighthouse teams decided to “recycle” 4 different VBS programs. The program they did this year was the same one they did back in 2017. The large group lessons are the same but the crafts and games are different. This was decided because it will make the program sustainable when Malia is no longer the “VBS person.” It also means that Malia doesn’t have to write a new curriculum each year, but can focus on making improvements.

Finally, even though Malia is the leader of the VBS, when she writes the curriculum, she always enlists the help of others. This is a particularly good fit for her friends who work with elementary school kids. They’re pros at coming up with games and crafts for the different age groups. 

Sowers4Pastors LOVES giving the children the opportunity to enjoy the fun and learning of a VBS program . . . and the children love this, as well! We're so grateful to the sister churches, for the time and effort they put in to making this possible!

 - posted by Christi

Start Spreadsheeting the News

Rachel, the queen of the Excel spreadsheet schedules, has proven why that title is well deserved. The last scheduled team of the year will be arriving this coming weekend and the logistics involved in a team visit from Lighthouse Church in Maryland are about as complex as trying to figure out the NYC subway system map. This spreadsheet may just be Rachel’s Excel version of a magnum opus! 

Lighthouse sponsors children in ten different locations. The sheer number of children they sponsor is twice as many as any other sister church. The upcoming team visit will focus on VBS programs for each of the ten locations over the course of two weeks. During the first week, the Lighthousers (Lighthousonians?) will themselves be divided into two different teams–Team A and Team B. Each team will need a group of drivers and translators.

Monday-Thursday of that first week, Team A and Team B will each travel to 3 different locations. If you’ve ever worked at a VBS, you know it is exhausting. But unless you’ve also worked for a traveling carnival–loading and unloading supplies–it’s difficult to grasp the magnitude of this undertaking. 

Each team leader needs to have the opportunity to spend time with staff and pastors in each location. Each team needs the opportunity to work with Alejandro and Secia. To complicate matters, next week is a government holiday in Honduras and the schools are closed. Sowers4Pastors needed to get permission from the teachers at each location to use the school facilities. At some of the locations, the teachers will show up on their days off to open and close the schools. At others, the teachers are giving a key to someone else, a parent or church leader. Even though the children are out of school, it is expected that they will arrive with great excitement for the opportunity to be a part of the annual VBS with the gringos! 

The teams will begin each day at the far locations. The farthest one is an hour and fifteen minutes away from Gracias. They will spend two hours at each location, moving closer to Gracias throughout the day. 

The following week, there will be ten Lighthouse team members, instead of the original fourteen. That simplifies the logistics a bit because they will work as one team. Lighthouse teams have a reputation for going all out for VBS programs. They are well organized and intentional about selecting songs and crafts. Rachel chuckled a little when she pointed out that’s not an easy thing to do when you’re in the middle of nowhere and working in another language!

Rachel’s spreadsheet magic extends beyond getting teams to the appropriate VBS sites. She is also concerned with the S4P staff. She tries to make sure that each person has a day off and that no one person is meeting with teams each evening to allow for family time. Rachel looks over each entry on her spreadsheets to make sure that things like transporting teams to and from airports doesn’t fall on the same people each time. She wants to use the fewest drivers possible, while still allowing for a comfortable ride for the team and all their stuff. 

 

Even booking hotel rooms can be a little complicated. In Gracias, hotel rooms are booked as single, double, or triple occupancy. In San Pedro Sula, where teams fly in and out, hotel rooms are only booked as singles or doubles. 

Organizing things in a way to optimize resources and productivity is a skill that is often overlooked. But it is one of Rachel’s great talents. She said, “I can’t build buildings, but I can build spreadsheets!” 

 - posted by Christi