Packing, Unpacking . . . and Packing Again!

You’ve probably said it before: “I don’t know if I’m coming or going.” In Trish’s case, the phrase might need a slight adjustment— “I don’t know if I’m packing or unpacking!”

After returning from her January trip (and taking a little extra time to recover from being sick), Trish is finally getting her bags put away. But not for long! She and Allen will be pulling them back out soon, as they prepare to head to the U.S. on March 13th.

This trip will last until mid-May — conveniently timed to coincide with the hottest months in Honduras. If a trip was going to happen, what better time to be away from a home without air conditioning?

A Trip With Purpose

While in the States, Allen and Trish will visit churches that support the ministry. Their itinerary is still taking shape, but they plan to start in Florida and Mississippi before making their way to Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. They’re looking forward to reconnecting with churches that send teams to Honduras, as well as those they don’t get to see as often.

“We’re excited to catch up with people, share updates about the ministry, and generally build relationships,” Trish said.

Allen added that one of the most exciting developments is the growth of the Honduran ministry staff. In addition, Sowers4Pastors is in discussions with two groups about launching another training school for pastors.

“We’re always looking at what best meets the needs of the pastors in our area,” Allen explained. “Many have very little formal education, which means some curriculums just don’t work. We’re constantly tweaking and improving — especially with our young, energetic staff pushing us to think forward.” It's important for the supporting churches to know what they are supporting!

Expanding the Impact

The sponsorship programs continue to be a tremendous blessing, and the ministry is looking for more churches to partner with them. Allen has been talking to several U.S. churches that may be interested. There are so many children in villages whose lives could be changed through sponsorship!

The programs don't just benefit Honduran children and Honduran churches — it also strengthens the U.S. churches that participate. Through sponsorship, congregations build relationships, send teams, and see firsthand the impact of their support. And as Allen pointed out, it is still possible to share the Gospel in Honduran public schools. No one knows how long that will last, so the ministry is moving forward while the door remains open.

A Different Kind of Travel

This will be Allen’s first major trip since his back surgery, so he and Trish are planning with extra care. They may opt for more flights instead of long drives and will be building in time to rest between travel days. It’s easy to forget that Allen is still dealing with some physical limitations, but they’re making adjustments to ensure the trip is manageable.

How You Can Pray

Please pray for Allen and Trish as they embark on this journey:

• That their travel will be smooth and stress-free.

•  For meaningful fellowship and connections with the churches they visit.

• That the trip would be a benefit to the ministry

•  For continued wisdom as they expand the sponsorship program and pastoral training.

- posted by Christi

Ministry Metamorphosis: Growth, Change, and God's Guidance

Over the years, we’ve shared multiple blog posts about transitions and changes within Sowers4Pastors. But let’s be honest—the word "transition" sometimes makes people worry there’s a problem, as if the ministry is trying to pivot with all the grace of Chandler, Rachel, and Ross attempting to carry a sofa upstairs in that episode of Friends. Instead of transitions, let’s talk about a ministry metamorphosis today.

Like the caterpillar transforming into a butterfly, metamorphosis isn’t always fun or easy — but it’s definitely worth it in the end!

Mary Faith

The plan is for Mary Faith to arrive in Honduras (to stay!) at the end of the month. She previously spent time at a language school in another part of the country and will at some point return for more Spanish, but in the meantime, she can start settling into life in Gracias. During the holidays, Mary Faith has been in the States finishing up her support-raising efforts and finishing packing up. Leaving her close-knit family behind will undoubtedly be challenging, but she is ready to complete her metamorphosis into a full-time missionary.

Esdras

Esdras has embarked on a new chapter. He’s moved to Florida, gotten married, and is no longer on staff with Sowers4Pastors. As Trish aptly put it, “We won’t be able to replace Esdras because he is a special person. But we will need to find someone who can take on his workload!” His absence is deeply felt, but we’re excited for what’s ahead for him.

Kirstin

Kirstin, who has lived in Honduras for much of her life, recently spent a couple of months at the same language school Mary Faith attended. January is one of her busiest seasons as she works on closing the books for 2024, while helping out with the teams and keeping up on other administrative tasks. 

Rachel & Brandy

When Rachel and Brandy first joined Sowers4Pastors, they had one child in school and a baby. Today, they’re navigating life with one homeschooled child, a very active toddler, and two bonafide babies! Rachel recently made the decision to stop working in the ministry so she can focus on her family, and her responsibilities are being divvied up amongst the staff. Brandy has taken on specific roles, such as overseeing the coffee farm, and may step into additional duties. As always, the ministry aims to balance what’s best for the staff and the organization.

Allen

Allen’s metamorphosis involves adjusting to what he can physically do while acknowledging his limitations. This ongoing challenge requires grace and patience as he adapts to changes in his capabilities.

Trish

Trish’s metamorphosis is happening on multiple fronts. Her book project is moving forward, and she’s currently in the States for a whirlwind of events: attending a writer’s conference, meeting two new granddaughters (one in Virginia and one in Florida), and celebrating her father’s 90th birthday. She’s also discovered the joys of finding affordable beachfront Airbnbs in the off-season! While winter weather has thrown some curveballs into her travel plans, no snowstorm will stop her from meeting her newest granddaughter, who is aptly named Winter.

Russell & Iris

Though Russell isn’t on staff with S4P, his family’s metamorphosis deserves mention. Iris and the kids have finally received visa approval to move to the States! Upon arrival, the children will become US citizens through Trish’s citizenship status, while Iris will begin the process of becoming a citizen. This transition also marks a major shift for Allen and Trish, who will now have more grandchildren living in the US than in Honduras.

Prayer Requests

Please join us in praying for all these metamorphoses and any others that may arise. While these changes are exciting and filled with God’s blessings, they’re not always easy. Pray for strength, guidance, and endurance as we navigate these seasons of growth.

Transformation may be challenging, but it brings us closer to what God intends for us — and that’s always worth it.

- posted by Christi

Allen's Progress Report

 In case you missed the blog posts that gave updates on how Allen was progressing after his back surgery in April, there’s a fairly good reason for that. It seems that we kinda sorta inadvertently neglected to write them. Oops! We thought we had. We meant to. Posts went out by email and were posted on Facebook. But, well, it seems that those “updates” that were just private conversations between Trish and I that were never written up and posted on the blog. Today we’re changing that. 

Heading home!!!

Allen did really well with his post surgical recovery. He was up and walking the following day. The actual healing of all of the work done on his lower spine is a much longer process. That’s what was going on during the months of May and June. 

The best thing to come from all of this is that Allen is in a lot less pain than he was before he had the surgery. He is learning how to move and sleep differently and that has caused his neck pain to move down the pain scale from “YOWZA, THAT HURTS!!!” to “Ouch, that is uncomfortable.” Or for people who use a more traditional pain scale, it has gone from intense to mild. The improvement was so dramatic that the decision was made to not go forward with the second surgery for repairs to his neck. On top of that, the surgery has helped resolve the issue of some of the nerves in his legs getting crushed. 

Even though the surgery was a success, Allen is facing the sorts of limitations that were to be expected. He doesn’t have the mobility that he used to have and he has to walk differently. The curve in his lower back doesn’t curve as much as it did prior to surgery and that causes him to kind of lean forward. When he focuses on standing straight, he is bending his knees and there is added pressure on his hips. His doctor has pointed out that the other parts of his body are going to be taking on additional stress and this could create other problems in the future. There’s a chance that a cane or walking stick may be in his future. 

Allen still deals with occasional flashes of intense pain. These are generally related to shifting movements, like getting into position in bed, or shifting in his chair while sitting in church, and they are sudden, surprising, and shout-out-loud painful! We'd appreciate your prayers about this, as we are hoping this is just a normal part of the healing process that will ease with time and additional healing, and not a problem that will grow and have to be addressed.

Allen is learning how to deal with his new normal. The bone spurs and arthritis that were the underlying issues behind his back pain were “cleaned up” in surgery. Of course, those things weren’t cured by the surgery. Few people come out of a back surgery feeling like everything has been healed. Allen is not one of those few people. 

Both Allen and Trish want to make it abundantly clear that they do view this as a success story. Trish said, “We did what we came to do. We are praising God that we were able to get through the crazy process with the healthcare system. We are thankful that we can move forward without Allen being in pain all the time.”

They are now packing to go home to Honduras in what they are thinking of as a test run. Trish asked and answered the question that is on many minds, “Can we live in Honduras? We’re going to go back and see how it goes. We’ll see if God has that in store for us or something else.”

Charlotte smiles just thinking about
meeting Nana and Grandpa!

Allen and Trish will be flying to Maryland this week. On July 14th, they will visit a supporting church there. Then on the following Sunday, they will visit a church in Ohio. Their flight to Honduras is on July 23rd. They are ready to go home and see some of their grandkids, including one they haven’t even officially met yet. 

While this has not been an easy process, there have been some good things to come from it. Having Allen and Trish in the States for so long was a good opportunity for others at Sowers4Pastors to successfully run everything. Trish shared, “In general, it’s a hard thing to hand off something you’ve built and watch others run it. We are going back as supporting players, as part of a team that has functioned well in our absence. That has been a goal for quite a few years.”

Allen and Trish want to thank everyone who has been praying for them and the ministry. Thank you to those who contributed to their unexpected expenses. They appreciate your ongoing prayers that they will be able to go back and work with the ministry on the ground. Please also continue to pray that Allen’s pain level and mobility will continue to improve. While they didn’t specifically mention this, pray for Trish as she packs up everything to move back to Honduras about eight months earlier than previously expected! 

 - posted by Christi

EXCITING NEWS Re: Allen's Back Surgery

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, blog readers of all ages… it’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for! (Or at least we have a date for the moment we’ve all been waiting for.) Allen officially has a date for surgery number one. It happens to be on April 1st, but this is no April Fool’s joke. Let the rejoicing commence! 

Allen's having to spend a lot of 
time in a recliner, but the occasional
visits from family help alleviate 
the boredom.

After a six month process to get insurance squared away, find a doctor, and jump through various unexpected hoops, Allen and Trish are abundantly grateful to God to finally see some real forward motion toward relieving Allen's pain. Insurance has approved the first surgery and things are feeling hopeful.

Apart from Allen’s surgery and recovery, the biggest concern is Allen and Trish’s temporary housing situation. They believe they will have their current house until the end of April. 

So far, they have been "loaned" the use of houses, and they hope that another such situation might be available for them, especially now that the folks who own homes in Florida that they only use during the winter might be returning north for the summer. Perhaps Allen and Trish can "house-sit" for someone.

Regarding other housing options (if a "loaned" house isn't available), Trish said, “We have talked about… well, it gets complicated. We don’t want to rent a place because we hope we don't need a home for a year, so we prefer not to sign a lease. We don’t own furniture in the US and don’t want the expense of buying furniture, and then needing to get rid of it later (assuming we return to Honduras). For now, aside from my harp, I can pretty much move all of our belongings in a car. We’d like to keep it that way. Of course, if God provides us with housing, we'll be thrilled. If not, we assume our next-best option will be to set up in an Airbnb. While that seems more expensive at first glance, since it includes furniture, utilities, trash, Wi-Fi, etc., it probably works out to be a better use of funds, for our situation."

Please pray that they will find housing that meets all of their needs. If you know of possible housing for them in the Orlando area, please let them know. Since Allen’s surgery will be in Orlando, they are thinking it is likely that his future surgeries will also be there. For obvious reasons, they would like to find a place near their medical hub. 

Allen and Trish are always quick to point out their current praises and how God has provided for them up to this point. They are trusting that they will continue to see God’s hand moving in all aspects of this unanticipated saga. 

Pray that Allen’s surgery will be a success. This is not a minimally invasive surgery. Allen stated, “The surgery will involve removing four discs, fusing together all five lumbar vertebrae. I’ve already been told that I could lose my ability to walk without this surgery. Please pray that the surgeon takes his time, and that the surgery will be successful.”

Don’t forget to pray for Trish during all of this. Allen’s care throughout the recovery period will all be on her. She will be trying to manage life and likely move them to a new home in the middle of his recovery. She'll continue her online work for the ministry, and is hoping to make progress with writing her book, while also practicing her harp. 

In the background, Allen piped up by sharing, “Plus, I’m just a downright difficult patient. I work so hard to not be grumpy, but I'm not a patient patient!” 

Other prayer requests not previously mentioned include:

• As a redhead, Allen is difficult to anesthetize. The doctor has assured him that he won’t wake up during the surgery. However, when he had his heart stents put in, they had difficulty putting him to sleep and keeping him asleep. Yeah. Pray that he’s out like a light for surgery!

• Finances are a concern. This first surgery is expected to cost Allen and Trish somewhere between five and ten thousand dollars. In the grand scheme of medical care, that’s not a fortune but it's certainly not something that they've budgeted for! There will be at least one more surgery to come, too. Please pray that the needed funds will be available! If you'd like to help with the expenses, you can donate through the Sowers4Pastors website donation page. (Use the donation category "Allen and Trish Sowers Support")

• Pray that recovery goes well. The tentative plan is to have a second surgery - on Allen's neck this time - about four months after the first.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support as Allen slowly morphs into the 6 Million Dollar Missionary with a bionic back!

 - posted by Christi

An Allen Update: Hurry Up and Wait

Allen and Trish are glad to have progressed 
to the point where they are seeing actual
neurosurgeons! Yay!

It has been about a month since our last big Allen medical update. At that time, he’d seen one neurosurgeon for a consultation and had an appointment to get a second opinion. A lot of progress can be made in a month. Sometimes. And sometimes a month can feel a little bit like being stuck on a hamster wheel. As far as Allen’s back goes, the past thirty-ish days were more like the hamster wheel variety. 

Allen and Trish did see a PA at the second neurosurgeon’s office. After consulting with the doctor, the PA shared their analysis of Allen’s condition. The PA and the doctor were in agreement that there is one area of Allen’s back where the nerves are so badly pinched that, if left untreated, he would possibly lose his ability to walk. That’s the sort of news that gets your attention and takes returning to Honduras without treatment completely off the table. 

The second neurosurgeon says that Allen should have the two surgeries previously discussed. The first surgery would be on the lower back, since that is the more pressing issue. Allen and Trish were told they could make an appointment to meet with the surgeon and then book the first surgery. That should have been about a six-week process. Except . . . 

Insurance isn’t going to approve surgery until Allen goes through rounds of treatment with a pain management specialist. The pain specialist disagreed with the second neurosurgeon’s opinion. The second neurosurgeon’s opinion had been different from that of the first neurosurgeon. Ultimately, none of that really matters at this point since it all comes down to what insurance is willing to do at this moment. 

So Allen went in for his first injection in his lower back. However, things didn’t go as planned because the pieces of bone were so tightly pinched that it was impossible to insert the needle at the chosen location. Instead injections were given between the vertebrae above and below that spot. The injections are being used as a diagnostic tool to see how the pain changes. Before injections, it is necessary for Allen to cut way back on his pain meds for two weeks. After the injections, it’s a two-week waiting period before seeing the pain specialist again. Then it’s another couple of weeks before getting more injections. 

Trish said, “This could drag on and on. You don’t even know what to hope for! I’m just hoping to get things going and stop spending so much time waiting!”

A major concern is the fact that Allen’s back is continuing to worsen. While Allen does think the physical therapy may be helping him to decline less rapidly, the overall deterioration is still happening faster than they are getting help. If the delays continue, the concern is that they will affect the final outcome. 

As of this writing, a telehealth appointment is scheduled with the second neurosurgeon for today (February 28th). Allen and Trish have heard that it may be possible to ask the insurance agency to reconsider the previous request for surgery. All of this will be discussed with the surgeon. 

The surgeries suggested are both pretty major – involving a bunch of fusions.  Allen and Trish are having to think about what all of this means for their future. Even if something changes and the first surgery is approved quickly, it will not be a speedy process. There will be a two or three month recovery time from the first surgery. Then Allen would likely need to undergo the pain management procedures again (in his neck this time) before insurance would give the go-ahead for the second surgery. Naturally, that would require more recovery time before thinking about going back to Honduras. It’s a lot to deal with. 

To end on a happier note, Allen and Trish are glad to be plugged into a local church. They are enjoying the services and are starting to get to know people. Also, they have spoken to the owner of the home where they are staying. He has assured them that they will be able to stay there through March and possibly through April. He promised to give them thirty days notice before they need to move. That’s a comfort! 

As always, your prayers are appreciated. 

 - posted by Christi

The Latest News on Allen's Back Issues

Do you remember the old joke, “Aside from that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?” That’s sort of the same vibe as hearing Trish and Allen talk about their time in Georgia, thus far. “Aside from the whole pesky thing with Allen’s back…,” Trish started. And Allen finished with, “The place where we’re staying is wonderful.” 

It is time for an update on what has been accomplished to date regarding the “whole pesky thing with Allen’s back.” Trish was quick to point out that Allen already had the ball in motion by the time she arrived in the States. He had found a new, better health insurance, and was waiting for it to take effect. He was proactive in getting an appointment scheduled with a primary care physician, so his visit happened just days after the insurance kicked in. 

Trish shared, “We have a foot in the door. Three days after the insurance was in place, Allen saw the doctor, who completed a physical, ordered X-rays, an MRI, and bloodwork. He also gave Allen two prescriptions for pain. The X-rays and MRIs were scheduled for 10 days after the initial appointment.”

While Allen and Trish were in the car on the way to get the X-rays and MRIs, they got a call. (Insert ominous music.) It was the insurance company saying that they were contesting the MRIs. No explanation was given. Allen and Trish discussed the possibility of paying for the MRIs out of pocket. But there were actually going to be 4 separate MRIs–two of Allen’s neck area and two of the lower spine, and the cost was an issue. They chose to go ahead with the X-rays and blood panel, hoping the results from the X-rays would convince the insurance company of the need for MRIs. 

After a week of waiting patiently for the results, Allen contacted the hospital and learned the X-rays still hadn’t been read. They were read later that same day and, thanks to the marvel that is the internet, Trish and Allen could see the results. 

“You can see a scoliosis squiggle in the spine. We don’t have a lot of information beyond that. The X-rays show that quite a few discs are compressed and the doctor mentioned arthritis in the writeup. We didn’t know that scoliosis and arthritis were going to be a part of this,” Trish said.

They anticipated that their new orders for an MRI would be covered. They had previously scheduled a second one, which had been canceled by insurance because of the delay in reading the X-rays. It was at this juncture that the insurance folks declared they would not authorize an MRI until Allen had completed six weeks of physical therapy. 

However, when the results from the X-rays had been officially read and reports were written up, the insurance company agreed to authorize the MRI scans. Allen and Trish will be making a trip to Florida for those on Wednesday (Nov 29).

Allen and Trish are asking for prayers that the things that need to happen will actually happen. Please pray for wisdom for all concerned. The first pain med prescribed came with a side effect of brain fog. A different medicine was prescribed to replace it. Pray that it will be effective and that Allen will feel more like himself. Pray for the additional financial costs that Allen and Trish are facing. And pray about their housing situation.

As Allen already voiced, the place where they’re currently staying is wonderful. But it is a three hour drive to their medical facilities in Florida. Car rides are not Allen’s friends right now. He has been able to manage trips to the doctor thanks to his pain meds, lidocaine patches, and ibuprofen, but it isn’t feasible to make that trip multiple times a week for physical therapy. They need to find out how frequently Allen will have physical therapy and how much time there will be between appointments. At a minimum, it may be necessary to figure out a different housing situation for two or three days each week. And, assuming that Allen will eventually have surgery, it probably won’t be possible to make a trip back to Georgia immediately. They will need a place to stay during his recovery time. 

Someone asked Allen to discuss the difference between medical care in Honduras and in the US. Medical care in Honduras is a fraction of the cost. The blood panel Allen had done in Florida cost 20 times more than a more extensive panel he had done in Honduras last year. Overall, the care in Honduras is good for anyone with the ability to pay out of pocket, and the costs are much lower than in the US. There isn’t much of a wait to get in for treatment, either. Appointments can usually be scheduled on the same day, or within a few days.  But advanced care isn't readily available, and the quality is up and down.

The goal is for Allen and Trish to be able to return to Honduras, to work, to retire - probably to do some of each. They still feel God is calling them to be involved in the ministry, and the cost of living is less there. They own a home there. It certainly makes financial sense for them to live in Honduras. 

Trish shared, “When you go on the mission field, you know that you’re making sacrifices. And it’s not just about giving up amenities while you're overseas. If you make being on the mission field a lifetime decision, there will be lifetime consequences. We trust God with this as we’ve been trusting all along.” 

 - posted by Christi

Update from Trish: We will need to be leaving the cottage where we've been staying just before Christmas. The timing may seem awkward, but we are hoping that the medical visits will start being scheduled more frequently, and if that's the case, then we'd need to be closer to those locations anyway. Also, if we're at the point of choosing a spine specialist, we can choose the one we feel best fits the situation and then try to find housing near there. It seems to be God's timing that we move to another housing location, so please pray with us that an available housing option (free or low cost) comes to light in the right location when we need it. At this point, we believe we've narrowed down our care options to Orlando, Tampa, or Sarasota, so we're hoping to find housing in central Florida. Thanks for praying!

Having Allen's Back

"Don't worry. I've got your back!" That's something you might hear whenever someone is letting you know that they are there to support you. Right now, it's something that Allen needs to hear because his actual back is causing him grief! After dealing with back issues for most of his adult life, the pain has finally caught up with him.

Allen’s long history with back pain stems from a combination of weight lifting as a young man, construction work, a minor car accident that happened years ago, and his incessant need to help lift any heavy object in need of lifting. Over the years, the damage would get better. Then it would get worse. But, as Trish shared, “He always considered it to be manageable. Until it wasn’t.”

The proverbial “straw that broke the camel’s back” moment came while Allen was on the current backpack collection trip. He had just arrived in the US and the pain was different. Instead of only being in his back, the pain was radiating down his limbs. That might have been a good time to stop pushing. However, Allen is not a person who stops until a job is done. So, he pushed on.

He completed the first leg of the trip. And the pain was pretty bad. He completed the second leg of the trip. And the pain was still pretty bad. When it was time for the third leg of the trip…Holy moly! The pain was so bad that even Allen had to stop. 

Kirstin completed the trip by herself. In a giant Penske truck, she drove from Mississippi, where she picked up backpacks collected in Texas and Mississippi, through Alabama where she also picked up backpacks, and back to Florida. It all got done while Allen waited in Florida. 

Allen, Kirstin, and Esdras were scheduled to fly back to Honduras today (October 19th). That won’t be happening for Allen. Instead, Trish will be flying to Florida next week, to join him. The plan is to find out what can be done for Allen’s back, and get it taken care of! They anticipate there will be at least one surgery involved. The damage from the long-ago car accident is in his neck and the other damage is in the lower back, so… Who knows? 

Because they have been in Honduras for decades, Allen and Trish only had minimal health insurance in the US. That always worked out well since healthcare costs are so much lower in Honduras. The insurance was mainly to cover costs in case Allen got sick or was injured on a backpack collection trip. Options for spinal surgery in Honduras are not great, and if they were, there would still be the issue that Allen is not currently in Honduras. The insurance they already had wasn’t going to cut it, so Allen found a different health insurance. Due to their low income, they qualified for an Affordable Care Act plan that doesn’t exclude pre-existing conditions. That will kick in on November 1st. In November, Allen will see a doctor and, hopefully, get plans to ease the back pain, and start taking steps to resolve the causes of the pain.

The new insurance plan requires all medical treatment to be in Florida. That brings up the next issue… Allen and Trish needed a place to stay. Since this could drag on for months, they needed to not be guests in someone’s home. And, in order to keep expenses down, they needed a place where Trish could cook, do laundry, etc. 

View from the cottage where Allen and
Trish will be staying!

Trish said, “We have been blessed by the generosity of a supporter.” The supporter is someone Trish met in an online homeschooling forum, back in the day. “She and her husband have a home in coastal Georgia with a guest cottage. It’s a two-bedroom cottage with a full kitchen and all of the amenities. It’s off in the woods by itself. If you put it together like a dream, this is what you’d come up with. It’s about an hour from Florida. We’re hoping to get treatment set up in Jacksonville and to remain in Georgia for as long as we can. It may be necessary to move around a bit, if the locations of the needed care requires us to be farther south.”

What does this mean for the ministry? Trish will continue doing her ministry work online. Everything else is in the very capable hands of Brandy, Rachel, Kirstin, and the rest of the staff. They will get the containers, etc. Trish anticipates that they will likely pass out the backpacks before she and Allen return home. 

How can you have their backs? Obviously, both Allen and Trish can use your prayers. Trish is preparing now, to leave her house empty for an unknown period of time. Allen does not have a reputation for being a patient patient in the best of times. These are not the best of times. He’s in a lot of pain and he isn’t sleeping well. Since there's not much he can do, we can expect that he will be experiencing boredom, as well.

You can also help with the additional financial burdens by donating through the website and selecting Allen and Trish Sowers Support from the dropdown menu.  It has been suggested that Trish set up an Amazon wishlist, for people who would like to help them with some of their needs while they will be in the US. Others have suggested restaurant or grocery gift cards might be helpful. If you're interested in helping in any of these ways (or you have some other way you'd like to help), you can contact Trish at trish @ sowers4pastors.com.

Trish said, “We’re just taking this day by day. God has brought us through difficult times in the past, and we know that He has this in hand, too.” - posted by Christi

Prayer Requests to Kick Off 2023!

Sowers4Pastors is serious about “making the main thing, the main thing" . . . which is to say, they don't want the spiritual aspects of the ministry to be overlooked in the midst of school supply distributions and feeding malnourished children. They can’t do it without the prayers and donations of supporters. As they are moving into 2023, they want to offer a huge “Thank you” to each and every person who helps them do what they do. 

Here’s your first official S4P prayer request list of the new year:

• Please pray for harvesters! There is an ongoing shortage of coffee harvesters and the Sowers4Pastors coffee farm is in competition with every other coffee farm in the region. Just a month ago, there were 120 pickers helping out on the farm. They were harvesting faster than the equipment and farm crew could process it all! Fast forward a month. This coffee harvest started out with 8 pickers. A day later, that number had increased to 25 outside pickers plus the farm crew.

• Pray for the ministry vehicles. There’s going to be an overlap between the coffee harvest and the arrival of teams. The first team to arrive will be from Lighthouse Church. Their Lighthouse for Lempira sister church program is a hard 1 hour and 20 minute drive each way. The vehicles are also needed to drive coffee harvesters to and fro each day, as well as for moving the actual coffee around on the farm. Obviously, working vehicles are not really optional in this scenario - every vehicle needs to keep going during this busy time!

• From the ongoing prep work and organization to the upcoming distribution, backpack work and backpack recipients are always good additions to a prayer list.

• Please pray for the building of the new house on the property–specifically that there will be gaps in the day-to-day responsibilities to work on it and that Allen and Trish’s personal funds will stretch to meet the rising costs. With Allen’s travels back to the States for backpack trips, everyone will feel better with increased security. It is likely that Kirstin will join Allen on future trips. For Trish’s safety and the safety of the property, everyone wants to have Brandy and Rachel close at hand. The sooner the new house is built, the sooner Brandy and Rachel will be able to move in. 

 

• Pray for the progress Alejandro and Cesia are making, as they work on the partnerships with the sister church locations. This Saturday, they will be meeting with the supervisors who oversee the pastors. Alejandro and Cesia are relying on the supervisors for their recommendations to maintain accountability and good stewardship in everything. 

• Please pray for the next container of food to arrive with no issues. Container issues seem to be more frequent than in the past, and the food supply on the ground right now is starting to run low.

• Pray for continued safe travels for Trish. She’s having a great time snuggling baby Steven. Pray for a safe trip home.

• Please pray for Rachel’s 3rd trimester of pregnancy. Since this coincides with team season, pray that she will not feel overloaded with stress and that she will find plenty of time to rest and nest! Prayers for a healthy third child for Rachel and Brandy and seventh grandchild for Trish and Allen.

• 
  Pray for the matching funds drive. Allen never wants to miss out on a single penny that could be used to feed a hungry child. With a matching funds drive in play, there are a lot of potential pennies! This comes at a time when a supply of food is especially needed. Also pray for the children who will receive the food. 

• Prayers for this time of transition, as people are learning new jobs and positions within S4P, are appreciated. As the Gospel is being spread throughout each of the ministry’s programs, pray that the pastors and staff will all be focused on making eternal things the priority. Pray that each person involved will deny themself, pick up their cross, and follow Jesus.

 - posted by Christi

Thank You in Any Language

Do you remember the old song by Sandi Patty, “Love in Any Language”? It’s time for a “Thank You in Any Language” blog post. The end of a year is always a good opportunity to say, “Gracias for your support!” Or as Allen said, “Thank you for all of the ways you help us do what we do.”

Thanks to everyone who prays for Sowers4Pastors. And, in case any of you speak Norwegian, “Takk skal du ha!” Your continued prayers are a blessing and a comfort. 2022 was a hard but good year for S4P. They made a conscious decision to be sure they were “making the main thing the main thing.” That meant examining and reexamining every aspect of the ministry. 

Here are just a few of the ministry highlights for the year:

• S4P brought on four indigenous staff members to help meet the needs of the communities they serve.
• A new sister church has joined in with Sowers4Pastors, and another new sister church is getting ready to start soon!
• Pastor Training School started back up again (after being closed for Covid).
• Pastors in more communities are coming in to ask for food.

Because of a growing need for food in communities that were previously more food secure, S4P believes there will be more feeding centers on the horizon. This is the perfect time to say “Toda,” (Thank you in Hebrew) to everyone supporting the ministry financially. With a $23K matching fund in place for Allen’s birthday to raise money earmarked for shipping food containers, your generous support can stretch further than usual. At the time of this writing, more than $5K has already been matched. That’s a great response since those gifts were given during the busy week before Christmas! The fundraiser will continue at least through Allen’s birthday on January 12th, so you still have time to get involved. (You can give through the FB donation page, or on the S4P website. THANK YOU!) 

Another organization is expressing interest in helping the ministry obtain food. Allen is hoping they can iron out the details soon. Due to shipping restrictions in Honduras, the group will have to package the food slightly differently than the way they currently package it for other countries. Please pray for this potential new food source, to supplement the food supply coming in from the original organization.

As you pray for the ministry, please remember to say a special prayer for Trish and her upcoming travels. She is scheduled to fly to the States on December 30th. This is the happiest of occasions because she will finally get to meet her newest grandson, Stephen. Stephen was born more than four months ago, but he probably still has that new baby smell! Trish will be flying into Miami, where she will have a connecting flight into Tampa. Then she will be driving to Boo’s house in Virginia. From there, Trish, Boo, and Stephen will drive to Maryland for a visit. Trish doesn’t like to complain, but she hasn’t been feeling great for more than a month. She is dealing with the same respiratory gunk that often hits her hard. Please pray for her health and endurance. Also, she knows that there’s a chance of flight schedule disruptions, as well as slippery roads, due to the whole winter weather mess the US has been facing. 

For all you’ve done to support Sowers4Pastors in the past, and for all you will do in the future… Merci! Grazie! Danke! Salamat! Asante sana! Thank you in every language, including those with characters that would require too much effort to include in this post! 

 

 - posted by Christi

Backpack Trip 2022 is a Wrap!

 By the time this is posted, Allen will be back in Honduras, having successfully completed the 2022 backpack trip. At the risk of sounding like something from a PBS pledge drive, it couldn’t have happened without supporters like you! And it couldn’t have happened without God being in the details. 

Back in 2020, Allen and Trish thought the backpack trip might not happen. And they certainly thought that if it did happen, there was a chance it wouldn’t be successful. It happened and it was successful. People found creative ways to fill backpacks and left their boxes at the ends of driveways for contact-free collection. 

In 2021, there were some fairly big supply chain issues. People struggled to find the materials needed to fill backpacks. People joined forces to find the necessary supplies. 

This year, there’s inflation to deal with. People are having to make hard choices when it comes to spending. While Trish didn’t have the final numbers from this year’s collection trip, she did have this to say, “I’ve been amazed at how often I’m hearing about groups and individuals who’ve filled more backpacks than last year! Summit Christian Academy in Virginia packed more than ever before. Many churches did more. Many individuals did more. It’s exciting to see people’s commitment to the project.”

Trish continued that thought by saying, “We need that kind of commitment. In the current economy, many Hondurans are going to find it much harder to send their kids to school. Many parents will ask themselves, ‘Do I need my child to work, instead of going to school?’ That’s a question a lot of families already have to ask on a yearly basis.”

It’s a little counterintuitive to consider that this isn’t necessarily an issue that hits the poorest families the hardest. The very poor in the areas surrounding Gracias are already living off the land. Yes, it will be harder for them to purchase things like medicine and other items from stores. But the lower middle class families may actually be feeling greater effects. They aren’t living off the land. They have been working in towns and living with already tight budgets. Their budgets have no wiggle room for price increases of necessities like food and fuel. Trish wonders if Sowers4Pastors will receive more requests for help from communities that previously didn’t need assistance. It is likely to happen. Sowers4Pastors is committed to stepping up and doing its best to help those in need.

While Allen was away, the new staff members were being trained. This will be their first year to help organize and deliver backpacks. That’s a good reminder to ask you to please pray about the timing of the arrival of shipping containers. It is an annual concern that the backpacks won’t come by the time the first backpack distribution team arrives. This year, Sowers4Pastors pushed the process to start earlier than usual since the shipping process is generally taking a bit longer than in the past. Some of this has to do with the 2021 presidential election in Honduras. Whenever the country changes parties, some of the rules change. Sowers4Pastors is dealing with a lot of things beyond its control. Join everyone at S4P in praying that the timing will come together and that everyone involved will remain flexible if the timing shifts a bit. 

 - posted by Christi

Special News Report: Hurricane Ian

 Everyone with Sowers4Pastors was watching the path of Ian even before it was posing an imminent threat to Florida. At that time, it was a tropical storm heading west, right on the latitude of Honduras. That is a common hurricane pathway when they’re first beginning. The storm was predicted to turn north, and it did.

The concern for the people in Western Honduras was that the area is already waterlogged. Or, as Trish so aptly put it, “We’re completely flooded and up to our gills right now!” 

Trish explained the situation further by saying, “Any interaction with the hurricane would have dumped more water on us. Fortunately, we were spared. It turned north, as it was projected to do. We caught tiny pieces of the edges of the hurricane. Essentially, we’re in the same, somewhat dangerous position as before - but at least we're no worse off.”

As you undoubtedly know, the northern turn means that Hurricane Ian is headed toward Florida. Trish’s father is in Sarasota where Ian has approached with sustained winds of 155mph. As of this morning, Trish believes her father’s home has lost power. Christopher and Audrey also live in Sarasota, but they left town to attend a wedding. Then they weren’t able to return home due to airport closures. That means they aren’t there to check on Trish’s dad. Ian is nearing Category 5. The official word is that it is time to “hunker down.” Trish’s sister and niece live on the east side of Florida. That area is facing tornadoes and heavy rain. 

Many people have asked how this is affecting backpack collections. The backpacks that have been mailed are on the east coast of Florida. They are vulnerable due to an elevated risk of tornadoes and flooding. There are still a few individuals on the west side of Florida who are in possession of backpacks to donate. Some boxes of backpacks are in a truck moving from Maryland to Florida. The truck is currently in Virginia. There is the possibility that Allen will be driving south as the storm moves north. The Maryland backpacks (including those collected on the first leg of the trip) are safely stored ther.

This is around the fourth time a hurricane has affected a backpack collection trip. 

Because flooding and Ian weren’t enough to deal with, two earthquakes occurred in Western Honduras on Sunday. The epicenter was near San Pedro Sula, a three-hour drive from Gracias. Each quake was about a 5 on the Richter scale. Trish felt them in Gracias. However, her children who were in a warehouse store in San Pedro Sula didn’t feel a thing! The earthquakes are being blamed for three houses collapsing in Lempira. The collapses were likely the result of the combined effects of earthquakes and saturated soil. 

Please continue to pray for the safety of everyone affected by Hurricane Ian. Add to that, prayers for the backpacks. And, while Honduras was spared the brunt of the storm, please pray that rains will subside and the ground will have a chance to dry out. It is interesting to note that tropical storms are a greater threat than hurricanes in Honduras since most damage from the area occurs from rain, not wind. 

 - posted by Christi

Trish's Travel Blog: An Addendum

 Just when we thought Trish’s Imaginary Travel Blog was at an end, she showed us that it ain’t over ‘til it’s over. When we last read about her travels, she had one final flight to catch. It seemed like there wouldn’t be anything else to say. In the theatre when an actor really milks a scene for all it’s worth, people call it “chewing the scenery.” Now, no one could ever accuse Trish of chewing the scenery, but she has definitely added a well-earned post to her imaginary travel blog. 

In the last post (which turned out to not be the final post), Trish was about to catch a shuttle bus from the hotel to the airport. Surely nothing exciting could happen doing that. (Cue a Dallas thunderstorm!) She got on the shuttle and it drove through some fairly heavy storms to get to the airport. Those storms caused departure and arrival delays at DFW airport. 

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

Since Trish was using the wheelchair service, she wouldn’t have to worry her pretty little head over the logistics. Right? When she was enroute to her gate, the guy pushing her chair got a notification that her gate had changed. He changed course and delivered her to the new gate. The new gate information wasn’t even showing on the big arrival and departure boards yet. Oh, how great to be in the know! As the guy pushing the chair was leaving, Trish asked, “What happens if they change my gate again? Will someone come for me?” She was assured that she didn’t need to worry about that. 

There were other people waiting at the gate. There were even some airline employees doing a survey specifically for people on Trish’s flight. She was in the right place. So, she sat back and relaxed, secure in the knowledge that she didn’t have to worry her pretty little head over gate changes. 

However, as the departure time ticked closer, the new gate information still wasn’t showing on the arrival and departure boards. Also, there were no flight attendants or pilots showing up with their little wheeled bags. Hmm… Things were getting curious. Trish pulled out her phone and got on Google. She saw that the flight information had changed. There had been no announcement. It’s a really good thing that Trish’s head isn’t just decorative. She flagged down one of the driven carts used to transport people. 

The driver pulled up and assured Trish that she was in the right place. When she explained that Google begged to differ, he checked the info on another source. Cart driving guy said her gate had been changed and told her to hop on. Did you know that those carts can’t go on elevators? Did you further know that those little carts no longer beep to let people know that a little cart would like to pass? It’s true. If you don’t believe me, I suggest you ask Google! 

Every time the little cart came to an elevator, Trish had to get off, ride the elevator to the appropriate floor, and then wait for another little cart or a wheelchair pusher to take her to the next place. She had to do this four times! On one of the stops, she met up with two older women from Mexico who were very confused by this entire process. She broke out her Spanish and assured them that all was well. Plus, she learned that they had two hours before their flight. Then they picked up a gentleman who was visually impaired. Trish broke out her English and gave him the same spiel, but with more fluency. She learned that he had three hours before his flight. They were all set. They had everything except a little beepless cart and a driver! 

When the chariot finally arrived, Trish was able to tell the driver how much time each passenger had before departure. Let’s see… That was two hours for the women, three hours for the gentleman, and ten minutes for Trish. What? Ten minutes? Yes. Ten minutes! The driver got her to the gate with five minutes to spare before the boarding gate closed! By this point, the adrenaline had kicked in and Trish didn’t need to wait for a wheelchair to take her down the jetway.

She got on the plane and sat down to immediately hear an announcement that the flight was being delayed. It seems there were passengers who never boarded, but their luggage was on the plane. Um, of course they hadn't boarded - they were still waiting at the other gate! The flight attendant said that it usually takes an hour to get all of the bags off the plane and remove the appropriate bags. To save time, they sent someone to the previous gate and collected all the people who were still there, waiting patiently for the flight! 

The flight made it to Honduras with no issues, and a couple of guys from the Sowers4Pastors’ crew drove Trish home. Naturally, the drive home was extra-long due to road repairs. They had to drive long distances with one way traffic, because of the construction work,  but she got home at about 8:00 that evening. That’s twelve hours after the blog post to tell you there was nothing else to say about her travels was written. Oh, and Trish did develop pneumonia somewhere along the way, but she is now on the mend. 

This is probably the last installment of Trish’s Imaginary Travel Blog, but let’s face it. We can’t really say that for sure! 

 - posted by Christi