Miles, Milestones, and a Mission That Keeps Moving

Every good blog post needs a theme. While it may not win any literary awards to announce it outright, today’s theme is unmistakable: Trish’s Travelogue.

And what a travelogue it has been. If you’ve been following along on social media, you already know Trish has been stateside since the end of January — and, as it turns out, four months can hold a whole lot of life.

Her journey began with a writing conference in January, an experience that delivered exactly what you’d hope for — fresh ideas, renewed motivation, and the kind of encouragement that makes you want to actually sit down and write the book you keep talking about. But the timing created a bit of a logistical puzzle. With church visits not scheduled to begin until March, Trish had a choice: fly back to Honduras and return again a month later, or settle in somewhere stateside and make the most of the in-between time.

Enter: Myrtle Beach in the surprisingly cheap off-season.

Opting for a quiet condo and a month of focused writing, Trish became, in her own way, a professional “hunker-downer.” With fewer distractions and plenty of solitude, she put those conference lessons into action and came away with far more than just good intentions — she left with actual pages completed. Not a bad trade for a beach town in its sleepy season.

When Allen arrived in March, the pace shifted from quiet writing retreat to full-on road trip. Together, they packed up the notecards and manuscripts and began visiting churches across the country. Since then, their travels have taken them through Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania — with the possibility of adding a few more stops before heading back to Honduras on June 10.

And the impact of those visits? It’s already showing.

With grateful hearts, Allen and Trish shared that the new Sowing Hope program is nearing 50% sponsorship for currently registered children. That’s not just a number—it’s a milestone. As Trish put it, “That 50% mark is a big goal for us.” It represents momentum, provision, and a growing network of people choosing to be part of what God is doing.

Each church visit has looked a little different. Sometimes it’s been a brief moment to share during a service. Other times, it has meant being surrounded by a congregation in prayer. There have been conversations with children’s ministries and even a full Sunday sermon led by Allen. But no matter the format, one message has remained consistent — and, for some, a bit surprising.

“Our ministry is, at its heart, not a child sponsorship ministry,” Trish explained. “That’s just one part of what we do. Our main goal is empowering pastors to spread the Gospel.” The sponsorship programs play a vital role, but they ultimately serve a larger purpose — equipping local pastors to lead, teach, and care for their communities in lasting ways.

Of course, not every mile of this journey has been work.

Recently, the Sowers family gathered in New Hampshire to celebrate a major milestone: Allen’s mom, Blanche, turning 90. The weekend brought together Russell and Iris and their three kids, Boo and Sam with their two little ones, and Gus and Audrey with their child. Kirstin even flew in from Honduras to join the celebration. Rachel and Brandy were unable to attend and were dearly missed.

The family gathered in a sprawling Airbnb — a historic home from the 1700s divided into multiple spaces, all of which were filled by the Sowers crew. Kids, cousins, laughter, and a whole lot of memories filled the weekend. And the guest of honor? She made quite the entrance — arriving at her party on a three-wheeled motorcycle. (Because apparently, adventure is genetic.)

Through all the miles, moments, and milestones, one thing has been especially clear: this season has been both meaningful and joyful for Allen and Trish. It’s a rhythm they hope to continue in the future — splitting time between Honduras and the U.S., staying connected to both the mission field and the people who support it.

As their trip begins to wind down, your prayers matter more than ever. Pray for safe travels, for continued health, and especially for relief for Allen’s back. And while it may not have been officially listed as a prayer request, there’s a quiet hope that Honduras will greet Trish with something slightly more forgiving than its current scorching heat.

After all, even seasoned travelers appreciate a gentle landing.

- posted by Christi

Even Missionaries Get Tired (And God Still Shows Up)

 Breaking news: missionaries get tired, too.

Brandy is sharing a bit more personally this week, pulling back the curtain on what life can really look like on the mission field. It’s easy to imagine something a little more…storybook. Maybe not full-on woodland creatures doing the dishes, but at least a steady soundtrack of joy and a nonstop stream of meaningful, mountaintop moments.

“It sounds nice,” Brandy said, “but sometimes we get tired.”

Over the past couple of weeks, Nathan, Michael, Levi, and Lottie have all been sick. Rachel has been sick. Brandy has been sick. That’s a full house of illness — with no magical helpers stepping in to cook meals or keep things running smoothly. And all of this has been happening right in the middle of team season, when energy, focus, and presence are needed the most.

“I remember thinking, I’m already tired, and now we’re starting a team week,” Brandy said.

He pushed through and went out with the team, but something felt off.

“I wasn’t feeling joy. All the circumstances in life were adding stress.”

Then came an unexpected gift.

“There was one of the older men on the team,” Brandy shared. “He was always happy — dancing around, full of joy. Every day I spent time with him, it felt like he was giving me some of his joy.”

By the end of the week, something had shifted.

“I felt like I had my joy back,” Brandy said. “I told him that, and I really believe God was speaking to me through him.”

The following week, when the Crosspoint team arrived, Brandy could no longer ignore the fact that he was sick, too. One day, instead of heading out with the team, he stayed in town and went to the doctor.

“I had a really sore throat. My sinuses weren’t handling the dust well. And I even had an issue with my eye from all the dust,” he said.

The diagnosis wasn’t surprising. The dry season — better described as the dusty season — had taken its toll.

Even so, Brandy continued going out with the team when he could. During one visit, he spoke with a local pastor serving in one of the poorest communities. The pastor has faithfully led his congregation for eight years, and now they are beginning construction on a sanctuary.

“The building is going to be huge,” Brandy said.

What the pastor shared next left an impression.

“We don’t have a budget to build,” he said, “but God is providing.”

He went on to explain that focusing too much on resources — or the lack of them — can derail what God is calling you to do.

“Focus on God and God’s vision,” the pastor told him. “If you focus on the money or the circumstances, you’ll stop. You’ll start trusting in your own strength instead of God’s.”

That perspective landed exactly where it needed to.

“When we are feeling tired, we need to remember to rest in God and trust in Him,” Brandy said. “He is always taking care of us — in every situation. When you’re sick, when you’re tired, when you’re trying to build something bigger than you… He’s there.”

That was the reminder Brandy wanted to share this week — not just about the hard moments, but about where to turn in the middle of them.

Thank you for continuing to pray for Sowers4Pastors. Those prayers matter more than you know. In a very real way, everyone who prays is part of the ministry — strengthening, encouraging, and helping carry the work forward.

Health Update

There is good news to report. Levi and Lottie have fully recovered, and Nathan and Michael are improving, though still a bit under the weather. Rachel has had the toughest stretch, making multiple trips to the doctor with a serious respiratory infection, but she is finally beginning to feel better.

As for Brandy, he isn’t quite back to 100%, but that hasn’t stopped him from heading out to deliver a second round of backpacks.

Please continue to keep the entire family in your prayers — for healing, for strength, and yes… even for a little extra joy along the way.

  - posted by Christi

When the Nitty Gritty Hits Close to Home

While it is always a treat to talk with Trish for a blog post call, today’s topic was anything but treat-worthy. So let’s skip the small talk and get right to the nitty gritty.

Some of you may know that Ben is currently living about three to four hours from Gracias. For those who like to picture things geographically, he’s in the city of Comayagua. Recently, Ben shared some difficult and alarming news with the Sowers family.

Ben shared that he was on his way home from work when he was mugged by someone wielding a machete. The young man many of us still think of as “Bucket Boy”— fondly remembered for his childhood talent of posing for photos while sitting in a five-gallon bucket — was left with serious injuries. The miraculous news is that God protected Ben from death, and his injuries are not life-threatening. He did sustain a deep slash to his neck, which a doctor confirmed missed a major artery by the tiniest margin.

At present, the most pressing medical concern is a fracture to Ben’s left elbow, which will require surgery — possibly as soon as today, Wednesday, January 21. At this point, the family doesn’t know exactly what the surgery will involve. Complicating matters further, they are unable to drop everything and make the long trip to Comayagua at this time.

While there are still many unknowns, here is what is known:

• Ben reports that his pain is manageable, thanks to medication, as long as he does not move his left arm.
  
  

• He is being treated in a public hospital, which theoretically means free medical care. Because the hospital is located in a larger city, it is likely reasonably well-equipped. That said, patients are often responsible for certain costs, including paying for a blood donation if no friend or family member is able to donate.
  
  

• While Trish is unsure what the surgery will ultimately require, she believes it will not involve pins or other hardware. In the past, when such supplies were needed for a child in the sponsorship program, Sowers4Pastors has often been asked to purchase and deliver them to the hospital — something that has not happened yet in this case.
  
  

• Ben is currently on antibiotics, which is very reassuring given the nature of his injuries.
  
  

• Honduran hospitals rely heavily on patients’ families and friends to provide everyday necessities we might normally take for granted—items like socks, pillows, or even sheets. Ben’s girlfriend has been faithfully caring for him, including bringing him a phone so he can communicate with Allen and Trish.
  
  

• The family has also been in contact with a pastor friend in Comayagua, with the hope that he will be able to act as a go-between for them, in meeting Ben's needs. As of yesterday, however, the pastor had not been granted access to visit Ben, because he's not family.

Meanwhile, life and ministry continue at a full sprint. Trish is scheduled to leave on Friday for an extended visit to the States. The ministry is currently hosting the first of three back-to-back teams. Secia — who would normally handle many of the organizational details for these visits — is still recovering from gall bladder surgery. Add in ongoing vehicle repairs, and it’s clear this is a particularly full and demanding season.

Please pray for all of these moving pieces — but most especially, pray for Ben. Pray for a successful surgery, complete healing, peace, and protection. And pray that God would be glorified through this entire ordeal, even in the midst of circumstances no one would have chosen. - posted by Christi

After much prayer, Rachel has made the difficult decision to take time off from working in ministry to focus on being a full-time mommy. With the rapid addition of Levi and Charlotte in 2023 and 2024, Rachel and Brandy’s family went from having two kids to having four. This has made it difficult for Rachel to work full time. Perhaps when the children are older God will call Rachel back, but for now her primary focus will be the four beautiful blessings God has given their family.

Brandy and Kay will be taking on the majority of Rachel's responsibilities with some responsibilities being assigned to other staff members, such as Mary Faith, who will be joining us on the ground in Gracias on February 1. Please pray for us as we adjust to our new normal. While the sudden addition of Charlotte has presented some challenges to our family, she has already brought us so much joy and blessing!!

A Chat with Brandy: From Feeling Weird to Feeling Blessed

 After spending sixteen years in the military system, Brandy is still adjusting to some aspects of ministry life. One of the biggest changes? Learning how to label what he’s feeling. What used to register as “feeling weird” is now recognized for what it truly is: “feeling blessed!”

When asked to submit a photo for this blog about being blessed, 
this is what Brandy provided!

“You learn to trust in God when working in the ministry,” Brandy shared. “I feel blessed because I have been learning to trust in God to take care of me and my family and to provide the things we need.”

A perfect example of this trust came to mind for Brandy. The Sowers4Pastors staff had been quietly wishing for a fresh coat of paint on their office building, which had seen better days. Not long after, a visiting team arrived with plans to paint a school. They completed the school project in half a day and generously offered to use the rest of their time to spruce up the staff office. The same team even helped Brandy start installing electricity in the family’s new home — simply because they felt led to do so.

The blessings didn’t stop there. Just last week, a certified electrician friend-of-the-ministry traveled from the States to complete the job. Since Brandy’s home relies on solar power (an essential in their remote location), it was a challenging job. The electrician ensured everything was running smoothly.

Brandy said, “He kept asking, ‘How would you like this?’ and ‘How would you like that?’ I felt well taken care of by God. It was kind of weird because I’m not used to those things. But, really, what I was feeling was blessed. I understand that God is taking care of all of our needs.”

Gratitude overflowed as Brandy reflected on the kindness of those who pray for and support their family. “They bless our family through their prayers. I know it is God taking care of us through the people,” he said. “This has been a time when I am learning that God takes care of us.”

Closing thought:

It’s easy to miss God’s fingerprints in the little moments of life. Whether it’s a team offering unexpected help or an electrician asking how best to meet your needs, these instances remind us of God’s faithfulness. May we all take a moment to reframe those “weird” feelings and recognize them for what they often are — evidence of God’s blessings at work.

 - posted by Christi

Balancing Acts and Big Plans: A Glimpse into Life with Sowers4Pastors

When Rachel and Brandy first decided to move to Gracias, the plan was simple: Rachel would work part-time in the ministry while juggling the demands of motherhood. At the time, Michael was still a baby, and Nathan was a lively four-year-old, so it seemed like a reasonable plan. But, as often happens, God had other plans. Brandy’s move took longer than expected and there were unexpected staff changes in the ministry, so by the time Brandy arrived to start working at S4P, Rachel had already transitioned to working full-time with Sowers4Pastors.

Nathan and Michael hanging out
when it was just the two of them

Since then, their family has grown, with Levi and baby Charlotte now part of the mix. Thankfully, Rachel loves her work. While she sometimes wishes she could be present for every moment with her little ones, she knows she’d also miss the ministry if she stepped back. So, she carefully crafts each day to maximize her time as Mommy while also homeschooling Nathan—a role that demands its own significant time commitment.

Rachel and Brandy's yahoos (August 2024), from left to right:
Charlotte, Levi, Michael, Nathan

Nathan takes his schooling seriously
(at least in this photo)

Currently, Sowers4Pastors is navigating another round of staff changes. Esdras recently made the decision to leave S4P for a different ministry opportunity, and while Allen and Trish are still integral to the ministry, they’re moving toward retirement. Mary Faith is working on transitioning to Honduras, but she will be attending language school before she starts working with the ministry full time. S4P is hoping to hire one or two additional team members by the end of the year.

One of Rachel and Brandy's many challenges:
Levi loves heights and has no fear!

Charlotte doing the best she can to help 
with office work

As Rachel explains, S4P is a medium-sized ministry, which means no one wears just one hat. Each team member needs to be versatile, ready to fill multiple roles. S4P is on the lookout for someone who can handle tasks like writing emails, managing social media, and also working directly in the communities they serve. It’s a tall order, but it’s what the ministry needs.

Then there’s the question of whether to bring on a Honduran or a North American. Each option comes with its own set of pros and cons. Honduran staff members bring a deep understanding of the culture and language, while a North American missionary might need time to learn the ropes, from mastering the language to handling basic tasks like shopping and going to the bank. On the flip side, North American staff often find it easier to deal with Stateside paperwork and to communicate effectively with supporters in the States. Both are invaluable!

Michael is one cool dude

So, how can you help? Glad you asked! First and foremost, please pray that all staffing needs will be met. Next, consider donating to Mary Faith’s support fund. The sooner she can move to Honduras, the sooner the administrative staff will have someone to help lighten their very full load. Please pray that God will soon send the next staff member he has planned for the ministry, whoever that might be. And finally, think about your own call to missions. Whether it’s with Sowers4Pastors or another ministry, if you feel that nudge, don’t let it go to voicemail—answer it!

'"So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.'" (Matthew 9:38, NLT)

Rachel and Brandy and all their yahoos!
Photo taken August 2024

- posted by Christi

Handling the Unexpected

Brandy and Rachel’s Saturday started off like any other Saturday in a household with four young children. Everything was busy but fine, except Brandy was having a lot of nausea and pain. It's not uncommon in Honduras to catch a stomach bug, so they didn't think much of it at first - except it kept getting worse and eventually it became apparent that Brandy didn't have just a stomach bug.

They arrived at the clinic where Rachel recently delivered Charlotte and waited around for Brandy to be examined. When the doctor saw Brandy at about 12:30, he did some poking and prodding. The doctor had Brandy lie down as he applied pressure to his side. That seemed fine until the doctor removed the pressure and Brandy let out an, “Owww!” At that moment, Rachel thought to herself, “Yep. It’s his appendix.”

The surgeon was there lickety-split. In fact, everyone required for an appendectomy was already prepared for a surgery. There had been a surgery scheduled for that morning in the clinic. The operating room was prepared. The anesthesiologist was on hand. The OR nurses were there. Everyone has shown up except the patient. How providential that Brandy happened to show up just when they were all ready to operate! By 1:30, Brandy was in the operating room having his appendix removed.

As Rachel put it, “They saw Brandy and were like, ‘Oh, look! A patient!’”

Appendectomies are somewhat more common in Honduras than they are in the States. In the US, a doctor might try antibiotics first and take a wait and see approach if the appendix isn't too inflamed. In Honduras, healthcare is more limited and the dangers associated with a ruptured appendix are too great. So it’s standard practice to remove the appendix at the first sign of appendicitis. Though, generally speaking, there is not a crew on standby!

While Brandy was having surgery, Esdras was at the airport picking up a medical team. Rachel and Brandy are very grateful for the staff that has stepped up to the plate to handle three weeks of back-to-back teams. Though Rachel doesn’t normally go out with the teams, she does handle the logistics. Now, with a new baby and a recuperating husband, her plate is already quite full. 

This is the first time the other staff members have been in charge of the logistics for a medical team. There is extra protocol involved with bringing the medicines and other supplies into the country. The staff is doing all of the registration and coordinating the appointments for the team to see the sponsorship kids that have been identified as having medical concerns. It’s a lot!

And just because there wasn’t enough for Rachel to concern herself with, Michael has decided to use this time to potty train. In the long run, that is excellent news because it will be nice to only have two in diapers versus three. For now, though, it does present some new challenges. Brandy is unable to lift a child right now and with potty training, time is of the essence. Rachel may find herself nursing Charlotte and rushing Michael to the potty simultaneously. 

Charlotte says, "Thank you for praying
 for my Mommy and Daddy!"

Brandy is doing well, overall. The doctor will see him when he is three weeks post-op. For now, he is able to walk around in the house. They’ve been told that he should be able to resume some office work in a couple of weeks. Since the office is a 20-minute drive on a bumpy road, it might be better to work from home, though. They are not sure when he will be able to visit some of the sponsorship locations again. 

In positive news, Allen and Trish have been given the all-clear to return to Honduras. While they don’t have a travel date yet, they are planning for some time in July. 

Thank you for keeping everyone at Sowers4Pastors in your prayers. There hasn’t been a dull moment lately, but God is good. All the time.

- posted by Christi

Things on the Back Burners

If you’ve ever tried to prepare a big holiday meal, you understand the importance of back burners. That’s where you can put things that, while still being important to the meal, don’t require immediate attention. And obviously, they make a great analogy for how life can be sometimes when things get hectic, and some things are simmering in the background. Rachel took some time to share things that are happening in the background for her family.

Brandy is working toward getting US citizenship. And it is a long, drawn-out process requiring mountains of paperwork. Before he can get citizenship, he needs an immigrant visa. To quote Rachel, “We’re always in the process of waiting for something concerning that. The embassy in Honduras has a very long wait for visas. The current wait for tourist visas is more than 800 days out! We don’t know yet what the wait is for the type of visa Brandy needs, but prayers are appreciated.”

Speaking of citizenship… It has been about five years since Nathan gained dual citizenship. Even though Rachel is a US citizen, the process was complicated because she hasn’t lived in the States as an adult. Nathan was able to get citizenship based on Trish’s and Allen’s citizenship. When Michael was born, Rachel started working on the citizenship process for him. But she soon discovered she was pregnant with Levi, so it seemed prudent to wait until the baby was born and make both applications at the same time. When Levi was born, the same thing happened, and she found she was pregnant with Charlotte. Well, now she is very hopeful that she will be able to apply for citizenship for Michael, Levi, and Charlotte at the same time! The process involves a lot of time, money, and extra stress but it is important to make sure that each of the children has dual citizenship.

With so much else going on, you may have forgotten about Rachel and Brandy’s construction of a new house on the ministry’s property. Having a home on the property is a matter of practicality. The office is there, and Rachel is a full-time working mother of four. Even with a nanny helping with the little ones, she needs to be able to see them throughout the day. 

When Rachel and Brandy first moved to Gracias, they knew their finances would change with Brandy leaving the military. They didn’t anticipate how much their needs would increase, though! Fundraising has been sitting on the back burner even as their family grew and grew. The cost for their diapers and milk alone is sizable! Rachel estimates that they are currently going through five giant boxes of diapers a month.

The added financial needs have been a big concern to Brandy, in particular. When they found out they were expecting sweet baby Charlotte, they kept it under wraps for a few months. They hadn’t even shared the big news with family when Kirstin told Rachel that Brandy looked more stressed out than usual! After praying about it, Brandy came to the realization that if God was going to send them four kids that He was going to have to provide for them.

Please pray that all these simmering things on the back burners will continue towards their completion. We trust in God, both in the big things and the little things. We will consider all the different stressors an exercise in "casting cares." If you feel led to be an instrument of God's provision, and committing to partnering with the Sowers Reyes family, you can click on this link. Thank you for your support!

- 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