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

2020 will be Hindsight

RJ, Nathan and Abby

2020 is about to be hindsight and it’s the perfect time for a little family update, Christmas letter style. This Christmas newsletter isn’t (slightly) belated. It’s just stretching the Christmas joy out for a little longer, in true Sowers’ fashion.


Grandchildren in Ascending Order:


Hannah

The youngest member of the family was born on December 14th and everyone is smitten. She bears a striking resemblance to RJ and Abby, much to the delight of RJ. The older siblings are taking their responsibilities very seriously and are quick to alert a grown-up whenever she makes the slightest noise in her crib. Her activities include eating, sleeping, and pooping. But she’s doing all three in the cutest possible way.

Ain't that a stinking cute bundle of joy?

Nathan

According to Allen, Nathan acts like an independent old man who wants to do things his own way. According to the rest of the family, Nathan is the grandchild most like Allen. You can draw your own conclusions because I’m not touching that one!


Abby

What can be said about Dear Abby? Well, for one thing, the girl is smart! Trish regularly plays a memory game with RJ--you know, the kind where you flip the cards over and try to find a pair. Until recently, Abby was a spectator, albeit not a silent one. When RJ or Trish couldn’t quite remember the location of a specific card, Abby was more than happy to blurt it out for them. At Trish’s suggestion, RJ and Abby are now a team. And Nana has likely won her last game of Memory. 


RJ

RJ is described as a lot of fun and an independent thinker. He values free time and likes to rush through his work so he can enjoy things like riding a bike without training wheels. He is thrilled to be on vacation from school.


Offspring in Descending Order:


Kirstin

Kirstin is finally in Honduras. She is settling into her living space and her work in the ministry. There has been some reorganization of tasks and Kirstin is now in charge of the blog. Blog topics don’t think of themselves!


Russell 

Russell and Iris have been busy with the ministry, coffee harvest, RJ’s online schooling, Abby the Memory queen, and… Oh, what was that other thing? Oh, yeah, having a new baby.


Rachel

Rachel, Brandy, and Nathan all had COVID-19, but in two different locations--Rachel and Nathan were in Florida; Brandy was in Honduras. None of them had significant symptoms and all is fine now. They have been busy growing their ministry. It has been a difficult year for the girls in Rachel’s program, due to Covid restrictions. Some of the girls tried to go home, but were unable to do their online classes because the internet wasn’t strong enough. So they moved back in with Rachel.


Christopher (Gus)

Christopher decided to end the year on a high note and he got engaged on Christmas Day! The story of Chris and Audrey meeting will be covered another day, but know that they have been dating long distance - as in, Sarasota, FL to Seattle, WA long distance. Chris has been flying out frequently to hang out with Audrey and her family, but it was still a big surprise when he showed up on her doorstep in Seattle on Christmas Day, with a ring. He was supposed to be thousands of miles away in Florida. All together now… Awwww!

Bethany (Boo)

Bethany and her husband, Sam, moved to Virginia this year. She has settled into her first nursing job, while also working on her bachelors in nursing. Her husband is busy with his job in retail. They are enjoying Virginia immensely, and the Virginia weather especially- we'll see how long they stay enamored of the snow, LOL.


Ben

When Plan A doesn’t pan out, always be ready with Plan B. Even though Ben was disappointed that he didn’t get into the highly competitive Air Force program, he’s not letting that get him down. He is examining his options and is considering enlisting in the Army or another military branch. Some of the groups work in the area around Gracias and he’s trying to find a place where he can be stationed relatively close to home.

The Ones Who Started It All, in No Particular Order:

Allen and Trish are enormously happy to be home. They are both healthy and busy. As mentioned earlier, they are reorganizing the ministry and some of the duties. But mostly, they are enjoying their grandkids.

An oldy but a goody

- posted by Christi

It's All Relative

Since childhood, I’ve been fascinated by larger families. Perhaps it has something to do with my love of shows like “The Waltons,” “The Brady Bunch,” and “Eight Is Enough”. At any rate, getting an update on each member of the Sowers clan sort of reminds me of catching up with John Boy, Mary Ellen, Jim Bob, and the rest. Here’s what’s happening with the Western Honduras version of the Walton family:

Allen

Allen is doing very well since his heart procedure of May 2017. He recently had blood work done, which came back pretty hunky-dory. (That’s my interpretation of Trish’s statement, “The doctor was pleased.”) Aside from trying to eat a healthier diet and taking lots of daily medicines, Allen is pretty much back to his normal routine. The family appreciates all of the prayers for Allen’s health and the people who contributed to paying for medical expenses.

Trish

Trish is enjoying being a grandma. She has also been able to travel to the States with Allen. That wasn’t a possibility when all of the children were home.

Kirstin


Kirstin is working as an R.N. in Florida. She has set up a sort of Sowers family extended home, with two of her younger siblings sharing an apartment with her.









Russell

Of course you hear about Russell on this blog all the time, as he is part of Sowers4Pastors. He’s a busy missionary, husband, and father. In exciting news, his wife, Iris, is getting her driver’s license this week.










Rachel

Rachel is a missionary, living in the capital of Honduras with her husband Brandy, and their baby boy, Nathan. She has started a new ministry with Brandy, which is helping young women from Western Honduras who want to move to the capital city to attend college. They are working to fund scholarships, and to set up a safe home, which will serve as a sort of boarding house for the impoverished young women who want to improve their lives.

Christopher (aka Gus) and Bethany (aka Boo)

It seems wrong not to give Christopher and Bethany their own paragraphs, but their updates are identical! They are both working in the same hospital where Kirstin works. They are both attending the same nursing school, and are even in the same classes. And they are both sharing an apartment with Kirsten, which they fondly refer to as “The Nursing Home”!

Ben working in the media center
 at his school

Ben


Ben has been at boarding school for almost two years! It has been working out beautifully. Even though Trish doesn’t like having him away from home so much, the school has been a real blessing and benefit to him. Ben has been playing on the basketball team, working on multimedia stuff, and has basically carved out a place for himself at school.




R.J., Abby, and Nathan

Trish jokingly said, “They don’t help with the ministry much yet.” Trish considers herself the most fortunate missionary grandma in the world. While so many missionary grandmas have grandchildren living in other countries, Trish is right next door to R.J. and Abby. And, even though she doesn’t get to see Nathan as often as she would like, he is in the same country!

 

Good night, John Boy.

 - posted by Christi

A New Family Portrait

A few weeks ago we had the whole family here at the same time! Kirstin and Gus, who live in Florida were here, and Rachel and her husband Brandy came for a visit from Tegucigalpa. Our friends Clay and Cynthia Powell helped with the photography, and so now we have several new pictures - of the entire family! Yay!

At the Fort of San Cristóbal, in Gracias Lempira

Back row: Kirstin, RJ, Iris, Russell, Allen, Trish, Brandy, Rachel
Front row: Ben, Gus, Boo

Looking back . . .

Since I posted a new family photo yesterday, and a link to the previous family photo, I thought I should dig a bit deeper, and pull out the one before that. As in the previous post, the picture looks fuzzy here, but if you click on it, you'll see a clearer version.

Those are the three family photos we've taken since arriving in Gracias in 2005. Just thought you might want to compare them. Time certainly does fly, and those kids keep on growing up.

I decided, for fun, to post the other portrait here, too, so you can just pull down from oldest to newest, and watch those kids grow!

Enjoy!

A NEW Family Portrait!

It's been two years since we took a photo of the whole family, so we snagged another one while Kirstin was here for a visit. I don't know why the photos look a bit blurry - when you click on them, the larger versions seem sharper.

I'm fond of the black-and-white version, but I don't know which we'll use on official stuff. What do you guys think?

If you're interested in comparing, our previous family portrait is here.

Taking a family portrait

We wanted to take a new family picture, including Kirstin, who isn't in Honduras very often, and with our new daugher, Iris. We had a hard time with the weather, which turned hazy and made it difficult to show the mountain of Celaque in the picture, as we'd desired.

Here's the photo which we've chosen as the potential winner:



In addition to dealing with the weather, it is always challenging to get one photo in which nine people all look pretty good at the same time. When one of those people is a slightly disgruntled 8 year old boy, the challenge becomes even greater. Some examples:





Of course, the very best picture of all is one in which the kids were intentionally goofing off . . .



Considering all of our challenges, I think we managed to do pretty well, although I'm still hoping to improve the color and brightness a bit!