Mary Faith, Español, and a Whole Lot of Suitcases

 ¿Cómo se dice, “Mary Faith is at language school,” en español? Oh, never mind — we’ll keep it in English before someone has to diagram a sentence. But yes, it’s true: Mary Faith is once again immersed in language school, bravely tackling the very grammar concepts most of us avoided by pretending our high school textbooks were decorative. This morning’s adventure? Choosing the correct pronouns for direct and indirect objects. Ay, caramba.

If that seems familiar, it’s because Mary Faith has been to this language school before. She’s committed to speaking clearly to the people she’s moved to Honduras to serve — not just nodding politely and hoping context clues will save her.

“I’m enjoying the school,” she said. “It’s a key part of helping me communicate better in Spanish. Plus, it has been a challenge to attend church and not understand what is being said.”

Next week, the students will head to a local school to sing songs and play games with the kids — a lively blend of ministry, vocabulary practice, and trying to remember the Spanish word for “tag.” The school also schedules regular outings, including trips to the vegetable market where the produce is fresh, and the opportunities to practice Spanish are even fresher.

But language school hasn’t been her only adventure. Mary Faith spent August in Phoenix, visiting family and helping her two younger sons pack up their rental house and move into campus housing. In September, she and Kirstin embarked on their cross-country odyssey — a backpack-collecting pilgrimage with mileage that would make a long-haul trucker proud. Because the route looped through North Carolina twice, Mary Faith got to see her oldest son and his wife two times… and that’s when she received joyful news: she’s going to be a grandmother this spring.

Two weeks after returning to Honduras, she packed up again for language school, where she’ll remain until December 19th. You may be thinking, “Surely she’ll have time to settle back into life in Gracias after that.” Oh, sweet optimism. She flies home to Phoenix on December 22nd to spend Christmas with her family. If suitcases earned frequent flyer miles, hers would have elite status by now.

And then — the surprise of the season. Last week, Mary Faith received her Honduran residency card.

“It was a total surprise,” she said. “I’d been told it could take a year or a year and a half. I sent in my paperwork in June and got an email a couple of weeks ago saying I could go to Tegucigalpa and show my passport. They said it would take five more days to get the card, but I walked out with it that same day.”

The residency card means she no longer has to leave Honduras every ninety days. While she has treasured those frequent visits with family, she certainly won’t miss the extra travel expenses (or the packing… and unpacking… and repacking).

While she’s in the States over the holidays, Mary Faith would love to connect with churches, small groups, or individuals interested in partnering with her ministry. And if you won’t be nearby? Not a problem. Thanks to the wonders of modern technology — and a reliable Wi-Fi signal — she’s happy to set up a Zoom call to share more about her work, her needs, and what God is doing through her in Honduras.

If you’d like to learn how you can support Mary Faith as she continues serving full-time on the mission field, feel free to reach out. She’d love to hear from you.

- Posted by Christi

"PR" time: Prayer Requests and Praise Reports

It’s time for a PR blog post! And no, this isn’t a public relations update — around here, PR stands for Prayer Requests and Praise Reports. There’s plenty of both to go around this week at Sowers4Pastors.

Trish & Allen

Trish and Allen will be heading to the States on Friday for a six-week visit, meeting with churches to introduce the brand-new S4P sponsorship program. Please pray for them to have a healthy, safe, and productive trip, full of meaningful conversations and open hearts.

Kirstin & Mary Faith

This one’s a two-for-one: a praise report and a prayer request.

After a month of collecting backpacks, logging miles in Penske trucks, and hauling countless boxes, Kirstin and Mary Faith are finally back in Honduras! They’re catching their breath this week before jumping back into action: Mary Faith with new Spanish classes and Kirstin back in the office.

Pray for rest, strength, and smooth transitions as they shift gears.

Kirstin's birthday was right after her return from the US trip.
There was a LOT of energy displayed at this birthday gathering! LOL

Containers (a.k.a. “Get Outta Here!")

Here’s a big praise: the food container that recently arrived has already been released from Customs! As Brandy said with a laugh, “This time the inspectors said, ‘Get outta here, container!’” We're so grateful that God answered prayers for an easy process.

Meanwhile, the container for shipping all of the boxes of backpacks has arrived at its loading site in Maryland. This week it will be loaded and shipped! Please pray for another smooth trip through Honduran Customs!

Once the container arrives in Gracias, the SP team will begin processing backpacks: checking, sorting, and prepping each one to make sure it’s ready for its “forever home.”

New Kids on the Block

Here's a sneak peek at some of the 
children in the new program!

On Tuesday, the staff went out to register children for the new sponsorship program, adding 110 new kids! Their profiles are being processed now, so Trish and Allen can introduce them to potential sponsors during their U.S. visit.

That’s both a praise report and a prayer request, and a beautiful reminder of why the work continues.

Coffee Harvest(s)

The harvest is coming! The harvest is coming!

 (Please read that with all the excitement of Paul Revere galloping across the countryside.)

Brandy reports that this should be a big harvest year. The first small harvest triggers the rest of the coffee berries to ripen, so while the first picking requires only a few workers, the next rounds will need many skilled hands. Please pray for enough qualified and willing pickers — and for strength and endurance as the harvest will overlap with the arrival of the Maryland backpack container.

Double the work, double the prayers!

A Little Teaser

Without spoiling next week’s surprise, we’re thrilled to announce that a new staff member is joining the S4P team!

Alexandra, a Honduran native, will soon be moving from Tegucigalpa to Gracias to begin her new role. She’ll get her own blog post soon (trust us, she deserves it!), but for now, please pray for her transition to be smooth and joyful.

As Brandy reminded us, S4P has been praying for God to send people with a heart to serve — and this is one very tangible answer to that prayer.

In Closing

From new faces and full hearts to coffee cherries and customs clearances, God’s fingerprints are everywhere in the details. Thank you for standing alongside Sowers4Pastors!  Your prayers and encouragement keep this ministry moving forward, one praise report at a time.

 - posted by Christi

Prayer Requests and Praises: What's Happening Behind the Scenes

 At Sowers4Pastors, it’s always a good time for prayer — but consider this post your “all-in-one guide” to what’s happening behind the scenes and how you can specifically lift up the ministry right now.

Celebrations First! 

The Day of the Child celebrations were a huge success! Every one of the 2,600+ children across 27 locations was celebrated with food, fun, and reminders of God’s love. With the biggest wave of team season wrapped up, staff members are now turning their attention to the less flashy (but absolutely vital) tasks: catching up on paperwork, keeping records up to date, and a bit of ministry “housekeeping.”

The Warehouse Shuffle

Remember the prayer request from a couple of months ago about a shipping container full of food? Great news: it’s expected to arrive within the week! Staff are working to prep the warehouse — think of it as a super-sized pantry that needs to be perfectly organized. Items already inside are moved to the front so they’re used first, and the new supplies are stacked toward the back. Once backpacks and boxes start rolling in, everything must be sorted so that each child receives the correct items. To put it simply: it’s a big honkin’ deal!

The Office Shuffle

Maybe you also remember a mention in a previous post, that once Rachel and Brandy moved to their new house, the Sowers4Pastors office would be moving into that rented house in Gracias. Well, that move is almost completed, so the office staff and all the office equipment should be moving in the next couple of weeks! The new office location will make it much easier for pastors and others to visit the book store, collect food, and visit the staff for any reasons they might have!

Gifts for Pastors

Meanwhile, preparations are underway for the annual pastor appreciation gifts. This year, there are 388 requests for gifts for pastors and their families. Please pray for smooth logistics as these gifts are gathered and distributed — and for each pastor to feel deeply encouraged by this expression of support.

Updates from the Home Front

Rachel and Brandy are still settling into their new home. A few stragglers from the old house remain to be moved, the kitchen cabinets are about 80% finished, and soon, Brandy hopes to build a fence around the yard. There are still boxes waiting to be unpacked — so please keep praying for endurance and order in the midst of a busy season.

Coffee on the Horizon 

The coffee harvest is coming soon! The farm crew has been hard at work fertilizing and applying fungicide, and Brandy reports this could be an especially good year. Please pray not only for the crop itself, but also for the right number of workers to come when harvest time arrives.

Backpacks on the Move 

Stateside, Kirstin and Mary Faith are in the thick of this year’s backpack collection trip. They’re logging long hours on the road in a big box truck, visiting churches, connecting with supporters, and gathering backpacks. It’s an exhausting journey, but such an important one. Pray for safety as they travel, strength for the long days, and smooth paperwork processing. (Two shipping containers of backpacks are planned, but one crucial government document is still pending. Please pray for its timely approval.)

Wrapping It All Up

So there you have it — praises for what God has already done, and prayer requests for what’s still unfolding. From pizza parties to paperwork, from farm fields to overflowing warehouses, the work of Sowers4Pastors touches countless lives every single day. Thank you for standing with the ministry in prayer. Your prayers are not just words lifted up — they are fuel for the work being done in Honduras and beyond.

 - posted by Christi