Brandy and Rachel Mark Themselves "safe" from Moving!

One good thing about social media is that, after any sort of cataclysmic event, people can hop online and mark themselves as “safe.” While moving doesn’t quite rank with hurricanes or earthquakes, consider this blog post Rachel and Brandy’s official announcement: they are marking themselves safe from moving into a new house with four kids in tow. That’s not to say it’s been easy, but they’re hanging in there!

We all know how long Rachel and Brandy have been looking forward to this move. Well—scratch that. They weren’t exactly looking forward to the move itself (who does?), but they were certainly eager to finally be in the new house. Boxes had been stacked for months while construction dragged on. Eventually, surrounded by cardboard towers and energetic kids, they looked at each other and declared, “Ready or not, here we come!”

Is the House Finished?

Mostly. There are still loose ends — such as the small detail of no kitchen cabinets. The cabinets that were supposed to be completed last December are still unfinished, so the family decided to go ahead and settle in, even if it means a cabinet-free kitchen for now.

How Was the Move?

Rachel summed it up: “The actual moving hasn’t been bad. The packing and unpacking have been difficult. Moving with kids? I don’t wish it on anybody! It’s not ideal.”

  

In the States, a move usually means renting a moving truck. In Honduras, it means a pickup truck at a time. Thankfully, the ministry has several pickups, which actually made things a bit easier. Instead of a one-and-done moving day, they’ve been able to move gradually, truckload by truckload. Only a few stray items — like Christmas decorations and a lone desk — remain at the old house. Now the real challenge is settling in and unpacking.

Why the Move Was Needed

The old house in Gracias had long since been outgrown. Two more kids have joined the family since they first moved in, and with Nathan homeschooling, the family of six simply needed more space. The new house is a better fit for their bustling household.

Biggest Adjustment: Bugs

Hands down, the biggest adjustment so far has been… bugs.

Rachel explained, “We’ve been working on their fear of bugs. Here, you coexist with them. The kids are learning which bugs to stay away from — and that it is possible to squish bugs.”

Some bugs are better received than others. Michael recently collected about 30 tiny beetles in a Tupperware container, only to release them back into the wild at the end of the day. In contrast, a surprise visit from a flying cockroach prompted a scream that made it sound like someone was mortally wounded. (Rest assured — everyone survived!)

Life Hacks & Solar Dryers

Progress is being made, one step at a time. The washing machine was moved over this week, and Brandy put his high school welding classes to good use by welding a clothesline. Rachel jokes that this isn’t the first time he’s made the family a “solar dryer” — but it’s one of the handiest skills he keeps pulling out of his toolbox.

Please Pray

Please keep praying for Rachel, Brandy, and their kids as they continue settling into their new home. Between unpacking and all the usual ministry activities, there’s plenty to keep them busy (not to mention the bug-fearing children).

Mark them “safe” from moving — but definitely still in need of prayer for energy, patience, and a good sense of humor!

 - posted by Christi

PS: Here's a photo of Charlotte (Lottie), helping with the move in the very best way she can. I didn't want her to be the only one left out of this post!

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

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

Rachel and Brandy's Crazy Season of Life

Humdrum. Routine. Unvaried. Mundane. Garden-variety. Drab. Commonplace. Vanilla. These are all words that don’t describe Brandy and Rachel’s life right now! While they’ve never even come close to describing Rachel's life, they’ve never been less accurate than in the past few months.

Michael knows his parents
can handle anything!

Rachel herself said, “I’m used to crazy, and this is a crazy season of my life. So that’s saying something.”

Let’s look at the crazy facts:

• Michael was born at the beginning of October. 

• Rachel and Brandy already knew they needed to find a new home for themselves and the young women their ministry serves. 

• They ended up moving into the new ministry house when Michael was a month old. 

• If there’s anything less humdrum than moving with a newborn, it’s moving with a newborn and an especially hyperactive 4-year-old. 

• By the time they moved, Rachel and Brandy already knew they would be moving to Gracias soon.

• Rather than unpack everything and settle in at the new ministry house, Rachel got to ask herself, “What do we really need in order to survive for the next month or so?” That question is extra complicated when dealing with a newborn and a preschooler.

• The family moved to Gracias in January. In case you’re wondering, Rachel does not recommend back-to-back moves.

• Three days after Rachel arrived, she left for a Sowers4Pastors retreat.

Nathan helping out

• Shortly after the retreat, Rachel was ill.

• Then Rachel and Kirstin went to a missionary conference.

• Brandy is still working on the process of leaving the Honduran military. This process is taking longer than expected and it has gone something like this: “Okay, Brandy. You’re free to go. Go live with your family in Gracias and work with Sowers4Pastors. Wait! We miss you! Come back to the military. Did we say you were free to go? We meant, ‘Stay here until we say you’re free to go.’ Yeah, it’s super easy to get those things confused!” 

• Brandy and Rachel are currently working with a lawyer to be sure Brandy’s exit from the military is handled as efficiently as possible.

• They are also working with a lawyer concerning Brandy’s application for U.S. citizenship.

• And with all these other things going on, Brandy and Rachel are trying to start their new job in the ministry, and figuring out how things work and how they fit in. S4P doesn't have a very comprehensive orientation - it's definitely more of a "learn as you go" type environment.

Brandy also got a promotion
end of last year!

Not everything about Brandy and Rachel’s life is completely bonkers. Even in the midst of the craziness, she is able to look around and see God working and providing for her family’s needs. She loves her house. It has space for her family and pets, with extra apartment areas to host interns. Aside from the fact that the kitchen cabinets seem to have been made for giants and Rachel is vertically challenged, things are good. They are settling in well. Nathan is particularly happy to be near his kindred spirit, Grandpa Allen. He’s also enjoying time with his cousins and the rest of the family. 

Rachel admits that the unpacking process isn’t completely finished. But that’s okay. Mostly, things are crazy in a good way.

-posted by Christi

We Can't Stress This Enough!

There’s a good chance that you’ve taken a questionnaire to measure the Holmes and Strahe Stress Scale, even if you didn’t know what it was called. It’s that test that measures stressful life events, such as death of a spouse, injury, etc… You add up all of the events you’ve experienced in the past year and are told how likely you are to become ill. Trish took the questionnaire with a counselor following the kidnapping. She learned that her “ordinary” life - before factoring in kidnappings and such - is enough to put her in the danger zone. Currently, there are enough out of the ordinary things going on to make Trish realize this is a GREAT time for a prayer request blog post!

Here are a few of the ways you can be praying for the Sowers family:

• Please pray for the safety of everyone involved in the backpack trip. This includes the people who are on the road and those who are back home in Honduras. There are a lot of people in different places doing different things. When Russell is traveling, Iris is left with all of the parenting duties. When Kelsea is gone, Trish is left to handle extra website tasks. Normally, Trish has help from Katie Henry, who works in the office in Florida, but recently Katie has been dealing with the threat of Hurricane Dorian. 

• Allen and Trish's daughter, Rachel, miscarried about six weeks ago. When she went for her six-week post-miscarriage checkup, the doctor found a mass on one of her ovaries. She is looking at surgery, but there is no way of knowing how complex it will be until she on the operating table. The possibility of cancer has been mentioned. 

•  Bethany (Boo) is getting married in less than a month, with all the stress and preparations involved in this. Rachel is the matron of honor. Please pray for the details, as well as for Rachel’s health and recovery, so that she can be part of this special day. (Rachel's surgery is now scheduled for tomorrow, 9/10.)

• Please pray for Ben. It’s not easy being a teenager and Ben’s normal teen issues are compounded by a history of trauma. Things have been a bit rocky recently.

• Trish is having some anxiety centered around the kidnapping. Trish wants to stress that she knows this is an emotional response rather than a sign of an increased danger. Still, she is feeling vulnerable and can use your prayers.

• While everything else is going on, Trish is also busily packing everything she and Allen own, in preparation for their upcoming move. They’ve lived in the warehouse for ten years. During that time, Trish intentionally purchased things she wanted for her big, new house. Since she will not be moving into a big, new house, that’s forcing her to make a lot of decisions as she packs.

Downsizing is stressful in and of itself. Packing is stressful. Packing with a looming deadline is extra stressful. Trish has to have everything packed before she leaves for Bethany’s wedding. She’s trying to plan ahead so that she'll be able to find things (like sheets and coffee essentials) when she and Allen return home in December.

Because just downsizing and packing isn’t enough to deal with, Trish is also having to make all of the purchases of things that will need to be on the annual shipping container--like curtains and rods for the new house. She’s also making a list of the food and family Christmas presents that will need to be ordered and purchased.

For the time being, it’s probably best for Trish to not complete the stress scale questionnaire. There will be time for that when life returns to “ordinary”. Oh, wait…

 - posted by Christi