Category Archives: Family

Have You Considered Adoption?

Posted by Aaron

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My wife and I have been interested in adoption since before we even met. If the Lord sees fit, we would love to be able to adopt sometime down the road, either domestically or internationally. What a wonderful depiction of the Love of God. Just think of how many Bible verses describe His relationship with us in adoption terms:

“A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation. God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains:” Psalm 68:5-6
“Thou art the helper of the fatherless. LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear: To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.” Psalm 10:14,17-18
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:” Romans 8:14-16
“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” James 1:27

Here’s an article from the popular Colombian newspaper EL TIEMPO that relates the need for adoption in Colombia. There are more and more children being abandoned by their families in not just this country but around the world! They need a family. Will you be their family?

In the last 10 years, children placed for adoption from Boyacá has increased by 60%. In 2000, only 53 children from the department were placed for adoption. In 2009, there were 85, the majority of whom were placed with adoptive parents in or from Colombia.

According to Gloria Esperanza Medina Alba, Defensora de Familia (Family Advocate) for ICBF in Boyacá, the increase in the necessity for adoption has caused a great deal of worry for officials at ICBF. She stated, “The majority of children that have entered ICBF custody have done so on repeated occasions because of intrafamilial violence. Others enter the process because their parents are arrested, die, or simply cannot offer what is required for the children to grow in an adequate environment, which often occurs in the case of sex workers. ”

She continued, “We work with the parents who mistreat their children so that they can changes their ways, but often they return to their old ways, which is why the ICBF will make the decision to remove the children and declare them in a situation of adoptability.”

To date this year, 49 children (22 female, 25 male) have been placed for adoption — 28 to Colombian families and 19 to foreign families.

Medina also mentioned, “Right now, we have 25 children who already have an adoptive family assigned, but they are awaiting for the official placement or the official acceptance of the potential adoptive parents.” Additionally, Ms. Medina stated that at the moment there are 25 more healthy children that will be entering the Adoption phase of the process shortly.

In Boyacá, the statistics show that more adoptive families request girls, as well as children younger than age 7. In addition, the predominant age range of adoptive parents is 43-51 years of age.

From 1960-2000, 80% of adoptive parents were from foreign countries. In 2005, the law changed and now Colombian families receive priority. Now, it is more like 70% are Colombian and 30% foreign.

Most adoptive children in Boyacá come from the cities of Tunja, Sogamoso, Duitama and Chiquinquirá, with foreign adoptive families most frequently coming from Spain, Italy, France, the United States, Norway and Germany.

http://www.eltiempo.com/colombia/boyaca/ARTICULO-WEB-NEW_NOTA_INTERIOR-8281940.html

Posted in Adoption, Colombia, Family, Random Thoughts

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Tags: Adoption, bible, Boyacá, Colombia, Colombian Adoption, Family, God

Bird Behind Bars In Colombia!

Oct 1

Posted by Aaron

Now, this is an odd story.

Strange, but true, police in Colombia have arrested a parrot for telling suspected drug dealers when people are approaching. The parrot is likely to spend life behind bars.

My wife will like this (we have parrots).

🙂

Posted in Colombia, Family, News

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Tags: Animals, Aubrie, Colombia, News

The Vance Girls

Sep 14

Posted by Aaron

My Beautiful Ladies! God sure has been good to me! 🙂

Posted in Family

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Tags: Amira, Aubrie, Family

THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

Sep 13

Posted by Aaron

Many have tried to guess what our “Big Announcement” would be. Are we having another baby? Are we starting deputation? Did we win the lottery? lol… Most have probably figured it out already by hearing it through the grapevine, picking up on hints, or just being super smart. Well, wait no longer to be sure. Here’s our big news:

September 2010

Dear Friends and Family,

Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ! We hope this letter finds you blessed by God, and living daily for His Kingdom. Aubrie and I have some exciting news to share. We are thrilled to announce that we will be taking our survey trip to Colombia in February of 2011!! This is something that we have been anticipating for years as God has burdened us for this place that so desperately needs Christ.

Colombia is commonly reported as the least evangelized of all Latin American countries, yet in recent years its doors are opening wide to the Gospel. Its reputation as a violent and dangerous country is also changing as leftist rebel groups and drug lords are loosing ground. On our trip, we plan to spend 2 weeks visiting missionaries and national pastors that are there doing the work, as well as scan out the land to see exactly where God would have us eventually live and serve. This is a vital step for us.

God has been working on my heart for missions since I was 11 years old. I have been able to go on several mission trips around the globe, including a 6-month internship in Peru, South America. I graduated in 2007 from the Baptist College for World Evangelism. In 2006 God allowed me to begin and pastor a Spanish ministry out of my home church, Lighthouse Baptist Church in Dawsonville, GA under Pastor Charles Blackstock. We have seen God do some amazing things during the past 4 years! People have been saved and baptized, lives have been changed, and we’ve seen many rise up in leadership. We have learned so much that will be put to use on the mission field. Although we love serving in the Spanish ministry, our heart is continually burdened for Colombia. We see that God is now opening the door to move on to the next stage of our lives. This survey trip is the next step for us before deputation.

As much as we anticipate our upcoming trip to Colombia, we desperately need your help in order to get there. We need people that will partner with us prayerfully and financially. This trip will cost around $3,500. We know that God will provide every penny, but we also know that he uses people to carry out his work. Will you be one of these people? Will you be a yokefellow together with us? If so, you can make a check out to Lighthouse Baptist Church and mark it “Vance Colombia Trip,” then mail it to 329 Harmony Church Rd. Dawsonville, GA 30534. This gift is tax deductable. If you would like to follow our life and ministry, feel free to check out our website at: www.BeMagnified.com. Thank you, and may God continue to bless you and your family.

May Christ Be Magnified,

Aaron, Aubrie & Amira Vance

Philippians 1:20-21