Category Archives: Praises
Prayer Letter for January-February 2014
Dear Prayer Partners,
Ministry Update
Hello again from beautiful Bucaramanga, Colombia! The Lord has opened many doors for us since our last letter. We have seen people trust Christ as well as new discipleship and home Bible studies started, including one in our own home. As we establish these contacts, we plan to officially open a church within the next couple months. It is exciting to be a part of God’s work. Consider coming to join us!
I returned this week from an evangelistic campaign on the other side of Colombia where I was able to preach several times in small villages in open-air meetings and from house to house. Many attended, with over 30 trusting in Christ for salvation, and we were also able to encourage new believers. These campaigns were in preparation for church plants by the Colombian national pastor who invited me. Though I spent dozens of hours in buses, taxis, motorcycles, riverboats and on foot, this trip was a tremendous blessing! The culture, accent, and the weather is much different on the Coast than here in the mountains where we live. Thankfully, the Gospel message works the same!
Family Happenings
February kicks off the school year here in Colombia, so our girls began attending a nearby preschool in the mornings. They are learning well and have fun playing with the other children. Meanwhile, Aubrie is meeting with a personal tutor at the same time to improve her Spanish. I’m proud of how they are all coming along in the language and culture! When explaining to Amira she would be wearing a uniform like all the other children, she exclaimed, “Oh Yeah! Everybody likes Unicorns!” She still gets excited about wearing her unicorn each day. Ha…
Colombian Culture Corner
Many everyday words in Colombia are very vulgar and offensive in other Spanish-speaking countries. Coming from pastoring the Spanish ministry in GA with people from many different countries, it has been an adjustment using these words. It’s all part of learning the culture. We just have to be careful for the words that work the other way around! 🙂
Prayer Requests
- New converts, discipleship groups & Bible studies
- Wisdom as we choose a location for the church
- Financial support — We could use several more partners as we launch the church
- That God would continue to glorify himself in us!
Love In Christ Jesus,
Aaron Vance & Family
“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” 1 Timothy 2:3-6
P.S. – Our new field address is: Carrera 51 #50-103 Bucaramanga, Santander Colombia You can also call us any time on a US number that rings on my cell here: 678-696-0082 or email us: aaronlvance@gmail.com
Click to see a printable PDF of our letter (with pictures!)
Feliz Cumpleaños, Aubrie!
Y’all don’t mind if I brag a little on Aubrie, do you?
Today, February 10th is a very special day… It’s the anniversary of my wife’s 22nd birthday!! ((I think that’s when we were supposed to stop counting… Lol))
Aubrie, you’re amazing and I love you with my all! You’re the best wife I could ever imagine, the best mother to our girls, the best looking, most compassionate, most loving person I’ve ever met. I couldn’t imagine my life without you.
Thank you for sticking with me, and not giving up, even through the hard trials we faced last year. Thank you for your heart. Thank you for being 100% supportive in the ministry The Lord has placed us in. Thank you for your excitement in reaching people with the Gospel. Thank you for your love for God and his Word. I thank Christ for you.
You’re my companion, my best friend, my sweetie. Happy birthday. I look forward to getting old, sore and wrinkly with you. Ok, maybe not so much the “sore” part, but you know what I mean.
Yours for life,
Aaron
November – December 2013 Prayer Letter
Dear Prayer Partners,
Hola From Colombia!
We have at last arrived on the field! It’s been quite a process, but now the easy part is done and the work has just begun.
The last month in the US was very hectic with 15 meetings in 5 states (what was I thinking??). We sincerely appreciate all that helped us prepare for our departure as well as those that gave monthly and one time gifts. God used you to get us here. You have advanced the cause of the Gospel and there will be eternal fruit to your account.
The Holidays
It was definitely a different experience spending Thanksgiving and Christmas in Colombia without the rest of our extended family, but God’s grace is always sufficient! Christmas is an exciting time here, as everything was completely decked out with lights and nativity scenes. On the surface it appears that Colombians celebrate the Christ of Christmas even more than in the States. However, it brings tears to my eyes that most Colombians don’t KNOW the Christ of Christmas. They know the religious traditions, holidays and rituals, but all without a sweet relationship with Jesus. There is a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof (2 Timothy 3:5). Please pray as we introduce Christ the Savior to those that know him only in tradition and religion.
Click to see a printable version of our letter.
Ministry Opportunities
We have been able to survey different areas of this growing city and have it narrowed down to a couple of neighborhoods for our first church plant, hopefully by Spring. The need here is incredible. We have seen some people saved and are currently working on making contacts and conducting home bible study groups in preparation for the church launch.
During our time getting established we have also been able to attend and help out another Baptist church started by a missionary brother from Panama on the other side of the city from us. I’m currently preaching here each Wednesday. Please pray for Pastor José Morales and this dear church.
Prayer Requests
Again, thank you for your support in prayers and financial gifts. For those that have been holding out, we remain at about 95% of our needed funds and could definitely use a few more monthly partners as we launch our ministry. Please prayerfully consider if God would have you support the work of church planting in Colombia. Souls are in the balance.
Also pray for wisdom in all that goes into starting a church, for open doors to present the Gospel, for men & women as well as young people that we could not only see saved but also trained and discipled.
Lastly, pray for the family as we adjust. The girls are doing great learning some Spanish and Aubrie is gaining fluency. It’s a big change to all but we’re excited to be here for the glory of our great God.
All for Jesus,
Aaron, Aubrie, Amira & Anabel Vance
Philippians 1:20-21
P.S. – Here is our new field address:
Carrera 51 #50-103
Bucaramanga, Santander
Colombia
You can also call us any time on an US number that rings on my cell here: 678-696-0082 or email us: aaronlvance@gmail.com
Merry Christmas Video from Colombia
Hey y’all! We hope you all are enjoying time with family, opening presents, eating more than ya ought to, and most of all, celebrating Jesus! Christmas really is a wonderful time. This being our first Christmas in Colombia, things are a bit different for us, but we are so excited that God has allowed us to come this far and we trust he does some great things for his Glory!
Here is a little video we put together tonight, just for you!
Just to give you an idea of Christmas in Colombia, here are a few observations we’ve made…
~ Christmas (both the “Jesus” and the “Santa” side) seems to be an even bigger deal here than in the States
~ This city, Bucaramanga, is known as the City Of Parks, and nearly all of the hundreds of parks are completely decked out with pretty lights and nativity scenes
~ Nativity scenes are seen all over: in Buisness places, homes, government, etc. in fact, people pride themselves on how nice their nativity is set up.
~ Although you start seeing nativity sets in November, Jesus isn’t placed in the scene until the 24th
~ Almost as big as Christmas, a couple weeks ago they had a national holiday celebrating the Immaculate Conception (the party starts the night before and goes all day!)
~ Big fireworks aren’t legal here, but somehow people all around the city have lots of them and love to set them off until the wee hours of the morning. They don’t go down quietly, that’s for sure!
– In the first week of January they celebrate the Day of the Magi (“wise men”) and will also give gifts, mostly to extended family and friends
~ All the celebrations, though religious in nature, are big family get-togethers in which everybody practically marinates in beer, and loud music. A very “festive” time for sure.
I say all this to bring attention to something that beings me to tears… Colombia is so close to knowing Jesus–They even throw huge parties around him; BUT, their trust isn’t in Jesus for salvation, it is in their works, their church, their goodness, their family, their tradition… And if one does not abandon all else and trust on Jesus alone, they will not make it to God! (John 14:6). In other words, many don’t know the very one they celebrate. Do you? Will you pray with me that we can introduce Jesus to these precious folks who are so close?
We love y’all and would love to hear from you. How can we be praying for you? May God bless greatly as you magnify Jesus. Don’t forget– it’s all about Him!
* PS – we’ve been given a cat and a bunny. Please pray for us. Lol…
Happy Thanksgiving from Colombia!
Aubrie and I, along with our girls Amira & Anabel, want to wish you a very happy Thanksgiving! Thank you for your friendship, your support, your prayers, and your heart for seeing God receive maximum glory!
Today is just another day in Colombia, but Thanksgiving is special to us for a few reasons. For one, we got engaged on Thanksgiving! I asked, she said yes, and it’s been a blur since then. Lol
But I give thanks most of all to our Savior, Jesus Christ. He gave his all, so that we might have life. We do not deserve his grace & mercy, but oh, what a wonder it is. Thank you, Jesus!
Do you know him today? Do you know where your eternal home will be? If not, there’s no better day than the present to know that you know, without a shadow of a doubt, that you’re saved! Click here to read more about this or contact us and we can share God’s Good News with you!
The Vance Family 