Allen and Trish Got Robbed!

Allen and Trish’s return to Honduras wasn’t exactly the homecoming celebration they might have envisioned — but it’s certainly one they won’t forget anytime soon.

Last week, Allen, and Trish made their way back from the States. Kirstin picked them up at the airport. Thanks to a flight delay, they didn’t arrive at their hotel in San Pedro Sula until after midnight. (And yes, after some debate, it was agreed that this detail matters — because exhaustion has a way of clouding even the best decision-making.)

The next morning, Trish suggested they take advantage of being in the city and knock out some much-needed shopping before making the four-hour drive to Gracias. On paper, it was a brilliant, time-saving move. In reality… things didn't turn out as expected.

Picture the scene: one pickup truck, three adults, and three large suitcases. If you’ve ever sat inside a pickup cab, you already know this equation doesn’t balance. So, one suitcase was temporarily promoted to riding in the truck bed while they drove.

When they arrived at a large, nicer-than-average store (think “upscale Target”), they moved that suitcase into the cab, locked the doors, and headed inside. They were aware of the risks — shopping with visible luggage isn’t ideal — but the store has security, with plenty of cameras and a busy parking lot.

                                            

Unfortunately, busy didn’t mean safe.

After finishing their shopping and making the long trek back to their parking space, they discovered the truck had been broken into. (Cue the dramatic music.)

They quickly went back inside to report the incident, only to learn that before anyone could review security footage, they needed to go file a denuncia — a formal police report.

Four hours later, they walked out of the police station with the paperwork completed and a couple of less-than-encouraging assurances, including, “Your items will not be found,” and “We’ll be in touch.”

Spoiler alert: they have not been in touch.

And the items? Still not found.

So what exactly was taken? Quite a lot. Allen and Trish’s U.S. cell phones disappeared, along with all their contacts. Their laptops were stolen, as well as a brand-new Apple computer intended for the ministry’s photographer, Scarleth. Parts needed to repair two solar power systems were taken, as well as most of the cash they were carrying.

Add to that all of Trish’s clothing, several months’ worth of prescription medications, over-the-counter cold medicine that’s not available locally, and her journaling Bible filled with five years of notes.

And, to add insult to injury… Trish’s curling iron. Is nothing sacred?

What makes the situation even more frustrating is how targeted the theft appeared to be. Allen and Trish are convinced this was the work of professionals. Items that could be tracked or easily tied back to the crime were left behind. Credit cards? Untouched. Passport? Moved, but not taken. Whoever did this knew exactly what they were doing.

Since then, countless hours have been spent trying to recover access to accounts and services — no small task when login information is stored on stolen devices and protected by two-factor authentication that requires… you guessed it… both a phone and a computer. Allen and Trish estimate they will lose “man weeks” of time just trying to untangle the mess.

And yet, their perspective remains grounded.

As Trish put it, “It’s just money, stuff, and time. As missionaries, we are putting ourselves at risk all the time. We don’t always think about it, but it’s true. It’s for a bigger purpose, though. Sometimes we put ourselves in vulnerable situations to advance the kingdom.”

That bigger picture has been evident, even in the midst of hardship. Allen spoke candidly about the spiritual opposition they’ve been experiencing. In the past year alone, their solar power systems have been struck by lightning twice. Delivering containers has been unusually difficult. Illness has affected staff and their families. And three ministry trucks were damaged after receiving the wrong oil from what was supposed to be a reputable service provider — ruining two engines and leaving the third questionable.

Now, this major loss can be added to the list.

Trish is currently recovering from a post-travel cold and would very much appreciate the return of her stolen DayQuil — if anyone happens to come across that.

The lightning damage to the solar systems means power on the property is barely hanging on. But this isn’t a “poor me” moment. As Trish pointed out, they’ve walked through far worse than the loss of money, belongings, and time. Most importantly, everyone is safe.

And through it all, they remain confident in one unchanging truth: God is faithful.

They’re already looking ahead with anticipation. A team arriving this weekend will bring practical help—replacement parts for one of the solar systems and, thankfully, some new clothes for Trish (who had packed for a five-month stay).

Because even after everything, life moves forward. And God is still good, all the time. The ministry is flourishing, and Allen and Trish are recognizing these setbacks as attempts by the enemy to slow the amazing advancement of the Gospel that the ministry is seeing. Thanks so much for your prayers - they're especially appreciated this week!

- 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

Making it Count

Allen, Trish, and Russell often hear the question, “How can we pray for you?” That’s good, because they will happily take all the prayers they can get! So, Trish posts stories to Facebook, on this blog, and in email to let all of you praying people know about their most pressing needs and concerns -- and about things like scorpions and vehicle difficulties and worse! At the same time Trish is posting these tales from the mission field, the Sowerses are praying their own prayers. They’re praying that the hearts of their friends and supporters will be touched and that people will be encouraged to send visiting teams to work with them - in spite of the difficulties they might encounter on their visits.

As Trish said, “Because of the kind of work that we do, and the size of it, we can’t do this ministry without help. Often, the people who get most excited about partnering with our ministry are those who have come down to see for themselves.”

People frequently comment on the sacrifices the family is making. Trish stressed, “We make sacrifices because this is what God told us to do. But, a lot of times, things other people consider sacrifices, we consider inconveniences.” She then explained that everyone makes sacrifices.

“Sometimes people make sacrifices to get a particular job. Maybe someone’s dream job is in a big city, but that person can’t afford to live in the city. The person might take the job anyway and decide to commute and sit in traffic every day, feeling that this sacrifice is worth the goal of having that job,” Trish said, continuing the thought.

There was laughter as Trish discussed that some of the things others see as huge sacrifices on the part of her family, aren’t so big to them. Now, asking them to sit in traffic five days a week would be a sacrifice! But, for Allen and Trish, monitoring water and electrical usage is an inconvenience.

Trish did acknowledge that some sacrifices are bigger. As a prime example, she said, “Our kids. When our kids became adults, those who wanted to attend college had to move back to the U.S. They each spent about a year getting acclimated to a new culture. They had to get driver's licenses and cars. They had to find their own way--get jobs and save money. We certainly didn’t have the funds to help with this, or to send them through college. That was a sacrifice. It's hard for our kids. And it's hard for us because we put them in that position.

“Over the  years, we’ve had people infer that we shouldn’t work so hard at our ministry. Some people think we’re trying to earn salvation, or deserve God’s favor. That isn’t the case. We just don’t want to make the sacrifices our family members are making, for no good reason. We want to make it count!”

As an example of making it count, we discussed the Mercedes sponsorship center, which now consists of five separate feeding locations. About ten years ago, it was one church, with between 30-40 kids in attendance. There were no sponsorships at that point, but Sowers4Pastors helped the local pastor feed the kids and provide them with Bible lessons, through the feeding center program. A couple of years ago, Mercedes became a sponsorship center. That church now has 360 children in their center - and many of their families have joined the church! The church doubled in size, then it doubled again, under the leadership of Pastor Germán.

Christians in Honduras use a term to describe the current situation in their country - "white fields" - which refers to John 4:35, talking about crops that turned white when it was time to harvest them. The churches in Honduras know this is a time when they can and should be reaping a great harvest. Trish concluded, “We’re honored to work where that’s the case. It’s a blessing to us. We’re just trying to do the best we can, with what we have, to help the pastors reap that harvest. The things that hold us back are money and time.”

If you’ve ever considered visiting Honduras with a short-term mission team, or providing more financial assistance, this is a good time to reflect on John 4:35: “Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!”

 - posted by Christi