Home, At Last (And Staying Put… For Now)

Mary Faith is home.

That may not sound like headline material unless you know that in 2025 there was a six-month stretch when she was only in her home in Gracias for two and a half weeks. Two and a half. Weeks.

So yes — this announcement comes with a bit of fanfare… and a very long, very satisfied exhale.

She’s back from language school, back from the backpack trip, back from visiting family in the States. The packed suitcase has been unpacked. The comings and goings have (temporarily) ceased. And Mary Faith is genuinely happy about that.

That’s not to say she didn’t love all the experiences. She absolutely did. But sometimes it’s nice when “all the things” are spread out a little more evenly across the calendar instead of stacked like carry-on luggage in an overhead bin.

One of the sweetest parts of her time away was Christmas in Arizona. Her brother and his family traveled from Missouri. Her sister and her family came from Indiana, and another sister came from New Mexico. Her oldest son and his wife traveled from North Carolina. In other words, it wasn’t just a gathering — it was a full-fledged family reunion.

And yes, this is the son and daughter-in-law who are expecting a baby boy in May - Mary Faith's first grandbaby! Cue the confetti!

For now, Mary Faith is settling into a steadier rhythm. She’s continuing language classes online twice a week through the school she previously attended in person. When recent teams were in town, she was able to join them for a day or two each week and even host some of their evening gatherings at her home. For the next few months, she’s sharing her space with Hannah, who is serving as an intern. And when teams are in Gracias, a female interpreter/videographer from Tegucigalpa named Scarleth also stays with her.

It’s a full house — and a full life.

During recent team visits, Mary Faith had a bit more flexibility because updated child profile information wasn’t yet available. But now? The updated photos and information have arrived.

It’s officially "Go Time."

For the next couple of months, she’ll be diligently entering new information and photos into the system so sponsors can stay connected and up to date. The timing is actually perfect. She hopes to complete the bulk of that work before heading to North Carolina in May to welcome that sweet grandson into the world.

Later in the year, Mary Faith will spend a couple of months in the States again. Let’s go ahead and call it the “Mary Faith Taking Care of Business Tour.” The itinerary includes thrilling tasks like renewing her passport and driver’s license — because missionary life is not always glamorous. While she’s stateside, she’ll also be traveling and fundraising. If you’d like her to speak to your group or church, she would love the opportunity!

As you pray for Mary Faith and her family, there are a couple of specific needs on the horizon. Last year, language school was a major fundraising focus — and thanks to faithful support, she was able to complete that season. This year, her focus is building consistent monthly support and purchasing a reliable vehicle.

S4P has graciously allowed her to use a ministry vehicle when teams are not in town. It has been a generous and practical solution. But Mary Faith knows it isn’t a long-term one. A dependable vehicle would allow her to serve more freely and sustainably in the years ahead.

For now, though, she’s home. Home to her house. Home to her calling. Home to the steady, faithful work in front of her.

After a season of suitcases, that feels like a gift.

Please continue to pray for provision, for rest, and for all the good things still to come. The unpacked suitcase may be tucked away for the moment — but the work God is doing certainly isn’t.

-posted by Christi.

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

Mary Faith's Journey into Missionary Life and Learning

Mary Faith had been eagerly anticipating her move to Honduras to become a full-time missionary with the same excitement a child feels on their first day of kindergarten. And in a way, it’s an apt comparison, because Mary Faith’s journey began with her going back to school—Spanish school, to be exact.

On September 25, after a whirlwind week traveling with fellow missionaries Kirstin and Esdras on a backpack trip in the States, Mary Faith arrived at the Spanish Institute of Honduras in Siguatepeque. She was ready for a new chapter but also grateful for the time to rest and settle in before starting classes on October 7. Those first days gave her a moment to reflect on the incredible journey that had led her there.

As eager as she was to dive into learning the language, Mary Faith quickly realized the challenge ahead—especially as an adult student. “I knew it would be a challenge, and I was right!” she said with a laugh. While her vocabulary had grown over time and she could read Spanish fairly well, listening and speaking fluently was a completely different story. The first two weeks were difficult, full of moments where frustration bubbled up as she struggled to memorize even the basics.

But after that initial hurdle, Mary Faith began to find her rhythm. Taking on the mindset of “slow and steady wins the race,” she noticed gradual improvements. By the third week, the constant repetition was paying off, and she was stringing sentences together. “It’s fun to ask my teacher, ‘How do you say...?’ and keep building on what I know,” she shared.

Mary Faith has also come to appreciate the one-on-one lessons, which have been instrumental in her progress. Reflecting on her teacher’s patience, she couldn’t help but chuckle, noting that teaching a middle-aged student like her must be quite different from the 6-8-year-olds her teacher works with at a local public school. As a perfectionist, it hasn’t been easy for Mary Faith to accept the slow pace of language learning, especially with the challenge of memorizing exceptions to grammar rules when she doesn’t yet fully know the rules! But through it all, the immersion method has proven effective, and she is understanding more each week.

Part of the school’s program includes weekly outings, allowing students to practice their Spanish in the community. These outings have been a highlight for Mary Faith. Her first adventure took her to a cozy coffee shop where she enjoyed baleadas and great coffee. The next week, she ventured into the local market, practicing her Spanish while buying vegetables. Recently, she even tried her hand at pottery. These outings, paired with the school’s weekly Home Fellowship Group—a time for worship, Bible study, and fellowship in English—provide much-needed mental breaks and spiritual refreshment.

One of the best parts of Mary Faith’s experience in Siguatepeque has been sharing a house with Kirstin, who is also taking a refresher course at the school. The house is just a few blocks from the institute, making their daily walk to class both easy and enjoyable. Having someone to share the journey with has made this chapter even more special for Mary Faith.

Looking ahead, Mary Faith plans to stay at the Spanish Institute until the end of November. After that, she’ll return to Arizona for the holidays before hopefully coming back to Honduras in January, possibly for more language school before the busy mission season kicks off in February.

This past Saturday, Mary Faith had the chance to get involved in the local community by helping sort and package medicines with a medical brigade organized by a doctor from the States who works in Siguatepeque. For four hours, the group worked together to prepare medicines for a medical outreach in the mountains, giving Mary Faith a tangible way to serve in the area.

As she continues working toward her goal of full-time mission work, Mary Faith has two main prayer requests. First, she asks for prayers that her brain will retain everything she’s learning—a task that has proven to be quite the challenge! Second, she is trusting God to provide monthly financial support, praying that her goal will be met by January so she can make a long-term move to Honduras and fully dedicate herself to the mission.

In this season of growth, challenges, and anticipation, Mary Faith remains steadfast in her faith and commitment to the calling God has placed on her heart. With each new word learned and each new experience, she moves one step closer to fulfilling that call.

 - posted by Christi

Mary Faith update

It is hard to believe it has already been 16 months since Trish sent out the request and need for additional staff members for their team at Sowers4pastors and I (Mary Faith) felt the urge to reach out and request more information! After my month long visit last August, and after many prayers and seeking advice, the decision was made to move forward with the goal of joining the team. We knew it wouldn’t be a fast process. Despite that we were, and still are, committed to God’s plan and timing. 

I was able to spend another two weeks at the mission in March. It confirmed my love for Honduras, the mission, and the people there.
I have a number of things that still need to be worked out here in Arizona, but it is very clear that doors are beginning to open. One of the biggest concerns was my responsibilities at work with my son. It is amazing how God has been working with that situation and, as far as work is concerned, I will be free as early as the beginning of September!
With all of that falling into place, the need for monthly support has risen to the top of the list. In other words, as soon as I have raised enough support, I will be free to go.

The first thing on the list is language school. The ideal plan is a minimum of 3 months attending school in person at the Spanish Institute of Honduras. Since Honduras allows a three-month visa, the idea is to be able to go to school sometime in September and stay until the end of November. The plan would be to return to the states for the holiday season with the goal to make the more permanent move to the mission sometime in January. If funding allows for it, ideally, I will do 3 more months of language school online.

I will need funds for the initial move to Honduras. That will include renting a house and setting up housekeeping. I will be able to take a few things with me, but it will make the most sense to purchase the majority of what I will need after I am there. The greatest need will be monthly support. I have copied a part of what was written in a prior blog post that explains the need.

Unlike the Honduran staff who work on salary, the goal is for North American missionaries to raise their own support. (If you're curious about why we handle things this way, click here for a blog post about that!) Raising support is what Mary Faith is working on now, so that she can move to Honduras and work with Sowers4Pastors full time! Please consider helping her, through prayers and financial support. In the past some of the potential North American staff members didn’t work out. Sometimes people would visit with a team and expect that daily tasks during non-team times would still involve fun things like playing games with small children all the time. Mary Faith is well aware that the bulk of her responsibilities will be more like customer service tasks with a smattering of accounting thrown in for good measure. She is up for the job! Helping to support Mary Faith through prayers and donations is one very tangible way to support the ongoing work of Sowers4Pastors. (Mary Faith has been added to the list of donation categories on the website, to make it easy to donate toward her support).

I will be needing a minimum of $1500 monthly support to be able to live there. The initial moving cost will be around $5,000. Please prayerfully consider supporting me monthly or giving a one-time donation for my move to Honduras.

Please continue to pray as I work to finish my obligations here at home. Pray that the financial part of it all will work out. There are parts of it that still look rather daunting and have more questions than answers. Pray that I can rest in God’s perfect timing!

- posted by Mary Faith

Telling Time in Honduras

I learned something new today! I was working through our Rosetta Stone Spanish (a computer program for language learning), doing a section which deals with telling time. I came across the phrase "Son las cinco pasadas." I knew this meant something like "It's a little past five o'clock," but I wanted a bit more information, so I bounced this phrase off Russell, our walking, talking (and eating) dictionary of local idioms.

He had never heard this particular phrase before. So I asked him, "How would someone around here say that the time is a little past five?"

He replied that they would likely just say it was five o'clock. Then he went on to tell me that, here in Lempira, when he asks people what time it is, they will generally only tell him the hour. (Rachel suggests that this may be related to the fact that, in Spanish, when you ask the time, you literally say, "What hour is it?")

So, if it is, say 4:45, the answer will be "It's four."

Then Russell will have to ask, "Four and how many?" And they will tell him that it is 45 minutes past 4.

This may explain a lot about how frequently people arrive late for events around here!

Have I mentioned standing in line at the bank, recently?

Oh joy - I went to the bank today! I needed to pay the electric and phone bills, and pull out some cash. Of course, I didn't accomplish either of those. If I had, it wouldn't have made a very interesting blog post, right?

Actually, this trip to the bank is a bit of a success story for me. I did stand in line for about an hour, but most of that was outside of the bank, on the sidewalk. Almost as soon as I entered the bank, I began to overhear, in the conversations of other customers, the dreaded phrase, "No hay sistema" which, sadly, means that the bank's computers are down, and many bank transactions will not be possible. In the past, with my level of Spanish, I would have stood in line all the way to the front of the bank, and then I wouldn't have known why they weren't willing to help me, I would have just gone home, without the cash and with my bills unpaid.

I still went home without cash, and my bills are still unpaid, but hey . . . I found out before I got to the front of the line! ;-D

Spanish "Embarazadas"

After living on Guanaja for five years - where they speak ENGLISH - we are now working our way into the Spanish language with a vengeance. I've started a fun collection of misappropriate and embarrassing Spanish usages, and I thought I'd share some of those today. None of these are my personal experiences, but they are funny!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The Spanish word for sin is extremely similar to the Spanish word for fish. Therefore this conversation:

Sweet little Mennonite missionary gal comes into a new village, and asks, "Where do the men go to sin?"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The Spanish word for comb is extremely similar to the Spanish word for the specific masculine appendage. Therefore:

Nice female Christian team member, to Honduran Pastor who has been riding in the back of an open pickup truck, "Oh, my, you need to get yourself a __________(she meant to say comb)."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The Spanish verb meaning "to ordain" (for ministry) is extremely similar to the Spanish verb meaning "to milk" (a cow or other animal).

American missionary speaking Spanish, in Honduras, during a church ordination ceremony, "We are here today for this very solemn occasion, to milk Pastor So-and-So. Pastor So-and-so has worked hard, and prepared himself so that he can be fully prepared to be milked." Etc.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The word "embarazada" actually means "pregnant," although most English speakers assume it means embarrased. So, with remarkable frequency, Americans make some foolish mistake while speaking Spanish, and then apologize by saying, "Oh, I'm so pregnant!"