Category Archives: Family
December 2012 Prayer Letter & Christmas Update
Merry Christmas from our family to yours! Aubrie and I pray that you have a wonderful, Christ-filled year, and that God would do even greater things through you than ever before.
Deputation & Family Update
This year, we have travelled over 40,000 miles, been in 156 churches, and seen our support grow to nearly 60% (almost all of which has come in since January!). We welcomed Anabel into our family back in May, and have welcomed many into our spiritual family that have been saved along the way. Praise Jesus!
It is always humbling to me as we travel that anybody would let me preach and share our ministry to Colombia. Then to think that many give so sacrificially so that we can go, it is amazing. Thank you, to all of you that have given, prayed, kept in touch and helped us along our way. You have blessed this family! I think of Paul’s words to the church at Philippi in the Bible:
“Ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account…But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:16-19
Amira and Anabel are both healthy and growing. Anabel just had her dosage reduced to twice a day for the tumor they started treating back in August. It has all but vanished, and her doctors are impressed at her progress. Just a few months of treatments left. Thanks to those that have prayed for her.
From The Mouth Of Babes
Speaking of Anabel, she is babbling a lot, and occasionally says “mama” but so far has refused to say “dada.” I’d be dishonest to say I’m not at least a little jealous. 🙂
Colombian Culture Corner
In Spanish, to wish somebody a Merry Christmas, say “Feliz Navidad” (fell-EECE nah-bee-DAHD). If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, you could add “y prospero año nuevo” (EE pro-SPEHR-o AHN-yo nu-EH-bo) — “and have a prosperous new year.”
Think On These Things
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:16, 36).
Have you believed on Jesus? Have you been saved? That is the whole reason we celebrate Christmas. Please contact us if you have questions about salvation. It’s the most important decision you can ever make. Please don’t put it off!
I’ve included our Christmas card. Once again, thank you for staying up to date with us, for the prayers and faithful support. God bless!
Serving The King of Kings,
Aaron, Aubrie, Amira & Anabel Vance
Click Here to see the print version of our prayer letter.
Vance Family Footnotes
- It’s been another blessed & busy week.
- We were able to be with Pastor Steve Powers and Oconee Baptist Church in Bishop, GA last Wednesday to present our ministry.
- He started the church that Chris Webb, a good friend of mine and former assistant pastor at our home church now pastors.
- Sunday Morning through Wednesday we were part of our mission board’s annual conference at Crossroads Baptist Church in Lawrenceville, GA.
- Morning and Evening services were such a blessing and encouragement to me!
- Thanks Crossroads Baptist Church and pastor Kuykendall for all you did for us. We were blown away by your hospitality!
- Monday morning Anabel had her follow-up appointment with the Pediatric Dermatologist who oversaw her care last month in beginning her treatment.
- She upped the dosage of Anabel’s medication according to her weight and will see her every month for now to keep monitoring her.
- Amira has been sick all week and was kind enough to share it with me.
- Two more churches let us know they took us on for monthly support this week!
- We praise the Lord for His provision and care of us.
Vance Family Footnotes
I’ll be starting a regular posting of where we’ve been and what’s going on with us as we raise support to go to Colombia. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this type of update.
∙ We enjoyed being fairly close to our home this past week after being on the road for quite a while
∙ I attended a conference Tuesday and Wednesday in Atlanta in Spanish geared toward evangelism. It encouraged me to see hundreds of Hispanic pastors and their members excited about reaching others for God’s glory.
∙ Last Wednesday I presented our ministry at Good News Baptist Church in Candler, NC with Pastor Steve Smith. Great meeting and great church!
∙ Sunday Morning I got to preach twice while at Trinity Baptist Church in Atlanta, GA for their missions month. What a fun time we had with these dear people (and they gave us several pints of strawberries… Amira’s favorite!). The last time I was at this church was on my 11th birthday when my parents were part of their missions conference. My, how time flies.
∙ Sunday evening we had the rare privilege to be at our home Spanish church (where I had pastored) and to interpret for my Dad as he ministered there through an evangelistic Chalk art presentation.
∙ Anabel had a follow-up appointment with her eye specialist who was the one to recommend the treatment for her tumor. She was very impressed on how Anabel has improved! We won’t go back there for another 6 months. Next week we’ll see the Pediatric Dermatologist that oversaw her treatment at Egleston Children’s Hospital.
∙ My trusty Macbook computer has officially died after 6 years of hard use. I thought it was just the hard drive, but I took it to a repair place and they said it is the logic board/magsafe board. Anyways, repairs will cost hundreds more than it is worth. Time to save up for another. Pray God provides for this need.
∙ I was able to witness to two young Mormon missionaries yesterday after helping them jump off their car battery. Matthew 5:43-48 and Proverbs 25:21-22 come to mind. Pray that these men will trust Christ as their Savior.
∙ We’ve had 3 new financial partners just added to our team. Praise the Lord!!
Thank you for all for keeping up to date with our family. It means so much to us and we are very grateful.
How can we pray for you? Let us know in a message or comment.
Update On Anabel’s Tumor
First of all, let me thank you all for keeping up to date with us and the situation with little Anabel. We appreciate all the thoughtful notes, emails, calls, texts and visits.
For those that missed it, here’s the post I wrote about her Strawberry hemangioma. This is a type of benign infant tumor, and basically, hers was growing fast around her eye and was starting to threaten her vision. Doctors recommended we start treatment.
Now for the update…
Here are a few pictures from our stay at Egleston’s Children’s Hospital in Atlanta for Anabel’s hemangioma treatment.
Tuesday we went to see yet another specialist in Atlanta, this one a pediatric dermatologist. She recommended, as others had, that we begin treatment immediately with a medication called Propranolol. What’s crazy is that this type of treatment is so new for infantile tumors like Anabel’s, that if it had been our other daughter Amira just 2 years ago they would have gone a whole different route. Yet, nearly all studies and patients have shown amazing results.
We spent two nights at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Egleston hospital in Atlanta as they began the medication. They performed an EKG to test Anabel’s heart before starting, then gave her 3 treatments a day. They monitored her blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen levels, and pulse as well as pricked her finger to check blood sugar after each treatment. The whole reason being in the hospital was to make sure none of these levels were to go down (since Propranolol is actually a heart medication, after all).
Anabel responded fantastically.
We were told that if it were to make a difference in her tumor, we’d be likely to see a change before leaving the hospital. And sure enough, a change can be seen!
We’ll be on this treatment for about a year, at which time the doctors hope for a full recovery.
Thank you for your prayers. I know we serve a great God. He takes care of us, and does all things for our good and His glory.
I have to be honest, we really enjoyed sleeping in our own bed again last night. But alas, we can’t stay put long… We’re about to leave in a few hours to drive all night to Ohio where we have a few meetings there & in Alabama before coming home. Pray that God continues to protect and provide as we serve Him and head toward Colombia as missionaries.
Our Daughter Has a Tumor
About a week after our beautiful baby Anabel was born, we noticed a small dot on her left hand. Shortly afterwards, another, smaller dot appeared above her left eye. Both of these began to grow at a fairly rapid pace.
We asked her doctor about these and we were told not to worry. These “dots” are known as Strawberry Hemangiomas. We were told that though the markings will worsen before improving, they disappear without treatment on nearly all children that have them after around 5-10 years.
These hemangiomas, we found, are the most common of tumors in infants. They are benign and, as the doctor said, usually resolve themselves. But, what the doctors did become concerned about, particularly at Anabel’s 2 month checkup, is that the tumor above her left eye has grown so much it has hindered her from opening her eye all the way.
We were sent to an eye-specialist in Atlanta, who just followed up on her today. Since the growth is weighing on her eye and is swelling (mostly under the skin), it could cause her to lose vision in that eye. She may have to have corrective eyewear soon in life, but we will start treatment this week to try to reduce or remove the hemangioma. This should save her eye.
Treatment used to consist of injecting steroids directly into the affected area or laser surgery. Amazingly, there has been a new development with treatment that was found accidentally. The blood-pressure medication Propranolol was found to be extremely effective when given to infants early on in the development of the hemangioma tumor. Anabel will have to be monitored (since the medication can slow down the heart), may spend 48 hours in the hospital, and she will need to be on this for a year before they wean her off of it.
We pray that this treatment will work, but more than anything, we pray that God will be supremely glorified through whatever happens.
Thank you for your prayers. We know that the Lord is good.
The Vance Family 