Blog Archives
March 2015 Prayer Letter Update
March 11, 2015
Dear Praying Friends,
What a month it has been! Please rejoice with us in what the Jesus has been doing in Colombia, South America.
Young Lives Surrendered to God
Several weeks ago I was invited to preach a youth camp with over 100 teens from churches all over the country. Two of our own young men joined me on the trip across Colombia, and God did a mighty work in many lives. We thank Him for many who repented and believed on Him for salvation, as well as dozens who gave their lives to be used of God.
*Click to see printable pdf of this prayer letter (With pictures!)*
English as Evangelism
In January, we began free English classes as a community outreach. The response has been phenomenal! With help from other believers already attending our weekly English service, we’ve been able to offer a good class structure as well as cast a net for the Gospel’s sake. It’s been amazing seeing the steady flow of truth-seeking people into our church who in turn have discovered a family.
New Address
Praise God, we finally were able to rent a new apartment. It was a long process, but God’s timing and plans are better than our own. Here is our new mailing address:
Calle 91 #22-104 APTO 804 | Bucaramanga – Santander | COLOMBIA
She’s Here!
The newest Vance princess, Aris Lily, was born on February 24th. We praise the Lord for a smooth delivery and a healthy baby. We joked that she would look Colombian since she’d be born here, and were surprised to see her born with darker hair, skin and eyes than our other girls! Yes, this one takes after her mom. 🙂
Prayer Points
- Our growing church, Iglesia Bíblica Bautista El Faro
- Outreach ministries — Kids ministry, English classes, evangelism, discipleship, etc.
- Future plans for a church plant on the outskirts of town where we’ve been working with around 150 children and their families on Saturdays.
- Vehicle for family and ministry. Thank you to those who have given already!! If you would like to give toward this desperate need, you can send a check to: MWBM, Inc., PO Box 519, Braselton, GA 30517, marked “A. Vance – Vehicle” or give online here.
Again, we want to extend a warm thank you to each of you who have been so faithful in supporting us with your prayers and financial support. Your gifts become an investment in eternity, and God is already adding lasting fruit to your account!
For Christ the King,
Aaron & Aubrie Vance
(with Amira, Anabel & Aris!)
Click to see printable pdf of this prayer letter (With pictures!)
January 2015 Prayer Letter
January 2, 2015
Dear Praying Friends,
We trust that you all have had a wonderful Christmas and New Year! Life is more busy & blessed than ever here in Colombia. Up front, thanks to all who have supported us this year through your prayers and giving. We couldn’t do what we do without you allowing God to use you in this way!
Growing Church, Growing People!
In July we started our first church here, and in 6 months, God done things far beyond what we expected! New people visit nearly every week, many accepting Christ and getting into discipleship. There are also now 4 men who have expressed desire for ministry and are taking steps toward that end. Pray for Óscar, Eduardo, Sergio and Jhon and for me as I work in training them and others to do the work of the ministry. This is why we’re here!
Merry Christmas for Many Children!
In September we began an outreach ministry for children and adults in a poor neighborhood on the outskirts of our city. The response has been phenomenal! We are averaging around 150 each week, with over 250 attending our end of the year Christmas program. Gifts were given, as was the Gospel, and several accepted Christ as their Savior! Thank you to those who donated toward this need. If you’d like to give toward future projects, you can give online (www.bemagnified.org), or by sending a check to our mission board marked “A. Vance – Special Project.” Our plans are to start another church here within a year.
Big God, Big Plans!
We are looking forward to seeing God work in 2015. We have big plans and ask that you pray specifically for these things. Be praying for free English classes we will be starting Monday January 5th. Pray for a youth camp that I will be preaching this month with churches from around the country. Pray for our leaders, and me as I train them. Pray for open doors to start more churches here. Pray for more laborers for our city of Bucaramanga, and the dozens of others that are full of unreached people. Pray for a missions trip we have planned for U.S. students and singles June 15-25 (There’s still time to sign up — info at http://www.bemagnified.org).
Home Happenings
By our next prayer letter we’ll be able to introduce you to our new little baby girl, due February 23. Aubrie is doing well with the pregnancy, and our girls are thrilled about being big sisters. We’re required to leave the home we’ve been renting, so please pray as we find another house. It’s been over a 2 month process of complicated ups and downs, but we hope to finalize something this week. Contact us for our new mailing address. Also pray for a vehicle for our family and ministry. We have not have the funds for this, but we know that God can provide in his timing. If you’d like to give toward this need, you can give online or by sending a check to Macedonia (address below) and mark it “A. Vance — Vehicle.”
Once again, thank you! Thank you for holding the ropes for us! God is good. He is worthy. He is working. Are we willing to take steps forward this year for his glory?
Serving King Jesus,
Aaron Vance & Family
Click to see a printable PDF of this prayer letter (with pictures!)
November 2014 Prayer Letter
**Editor’s Note** Somehow our November prayer letter was never sent out. We apologize for keeping you all in the dark for a couple extra months about the phenomenal things God has done in Colombia. Don’t miss this update!
November 1, 2014
Dear Praying Friends,
This month marks 1 year since our family moved to Colombia and nearly 4 months since we started our first church, and the Lord Jesus is building his work! We have seen growth in our people as many are beginning personal discipleship. There was so much of an interest in serving and growing that we also began a leadership training time on Saturdays. This is a precursor to a Bible Institute and then a Bible College.
Children Intercepted from the Devil
In September we began an outreach in a poor community on the edge of our city called Café Madrid. The neighborhood president is a member of our church and has opened the doors for us to go and make an impact in children and their families. A group of 10-15 from our church goes to sing songs, teach the Bible, do a craft and give something to eat to children who would normally not be able to do any of these things. Around 100 show up every time! We also just began a separate study for adults. The boys in this community are usually hooked on drugs and join gangs by the time they are 14. The girls have a mindset that if they don’t have a “husband” by the time they’re 12, that they’ll never get one. Most of their parents and older siblings are dead or in jail. It is sad. Satan has had a grip long enough. The Gospel is already changing lives!! We’ve seen children and adults accept Christ, and the light is coming to this dark community. Next month we plan to do a special Christmas gift for each of these needy children that attend our program. The cost will be about $5 per child. If you would like to send a gift for this, you can give online at www.bemagnified.org or by sending a check to our mission agency (PO BOX 519 Braselton, GA 30517) marked “Aaron Vance – Special Project.”
Family Happenings
Our next little one is officially another princess (and I continue to be the king of our home). Pray for Aubrie and this little one, due February 23. Hopefully we settle on a name by then! Also, we are looking to move to another home to save money and be closer to our church. Contact us for the new mailing address. We want to thank those who send letters and packages. It sure brightens our day!
Light>Darkness
“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 8:12
These beautiful words are on the walls of our church here in Bucaramanga, Colombia, and the truth that they contain is taking place before our eyes each week. The power of darkness is losing its grip as people become followers of Christ, and receive the light of life! Your investment in our ministry is adding much fruit to your account. Thank you for praying for us and supporting us so faithfully. We couldn’t do it without you.
Pray and Participate:
- Church growth and leadership development
- Need: Christmas gift donations for Café Madrid children
- Need: Vehicle for family & ministry
- Need: Additional monthly support as we grow
Love in Christ,
Aaron Vance & Family
Click to see a printable PDF of this prayer letter (with pictures!).
Another fantastic and crazy week in Colombia!
Week in Review – September 30, 2014
Hello, and welcome to another week in review. We thank the Lord for the time he gives us to serve him in Bucaramanga, Colombia, and for you who pray for us and support us financially!
Ministry News
- We had quite the scare in our church on Sunday between our English and Spanish service. As people were arriving, one of our young man, Jhon desired to speak to me about something for a few minutes. This is one who just told me a week ago that God has given him a desire & calling for ministry. Well, during our conversation, he began to have massive seizures. Our people from church came in and were working with him, and contacting doctor friends and his family. We took him to a hospital and got his seizures under control. He spent the night there, but seems to be recovered now, and back on the right medications.
- Needless to say, we missed our 2nd service. However, we didn’t miss an opportunity to serve! During our hours-long wait in the hospital, I was able to spend that time with 4 of our men, discussing our great God and his Word and purpose for our lives. My wife stayed back at the church with most of the ladies. I think this event has strengthened our people.
- Please pray with me for both Jhon and his family. They are not believers, but we are praying that even through this situation that they will see the love we have one for another and surrender their lives also to Jesus.
- We thank the Lord for the growth we’ve seen in the church lately with new visitors in our services as well as new people plugging in to discipleship and serving. It’s amazing to be a part of God’s work!
Family News
- I was able to feel our little girl kick for the first time this week! Aubrie is just over 19 weeks along… Almost halfway there!
- We’re in the process of name picking. Since we happened to end up with all A names, we don’t want this one to be left out. Any ideas?
- We are hoping to purchase a vehicle this month, Lord willing. We are at a point now where it is needful, both for family and for ministry. Instead of a small car, we would like something that could carry 7 or more passengers for use in the church. Used vehicles are not cheap here, but we know that our God is able. Will you pray with us about this need? If you would like to give toward this cause, we would appreciate it greatly! Anything helps!
An event to consider
- This week I want to highlight a special ministry of our sending church, Lighthouse Baptist Church in Dawsonville, GA. For the past 3 years, they have done a special End Times walk-through drama called Hell’s Gates. It has been a huge evangelistic success. Tens of thousands of locals as well as church groups have come through and seen a clear biblical depiction of the end times and the plan of salvation. If you are within a few hours of Atlanta, I’d encourage you to check out their website to buy tickets or to get more info!
Think On These Things
- We’ve been walking through and studying the book of John as a church. It’s amazing to see how each message has been meeting the needs of our people. Here is a passage we dug into this week. Maybe it will challenge you as it did us…
- 45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. … 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. [John 6:45-51]
- Jesus gave his flesh for the life of the world, but they must hear! All it takes to receive eternal life is to believe on Jesus, but how will they ever believe unless they’ve never heard?! As Romans 10:17 clearly states in the context of this thought, “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” As we lift up the Word, God does the work of drawing men unto him and saving. Are you actively concerned about helping others individuals, people groups, and cultures hear?
Week In Review – September 22
- Thank God for new salvations! One of these was a lady named Rosalba who repented and believed on Christ on Monday! Pray for her as she grows in this new life.
- Saturday was the second time we’ve gone as a church to a community outreach on the outskirts of our city. We had 115 children, several adults and 10 from our church! I taught on the fall of mankind and our sinful nature, showing that though we all have sinned, Christ loved us and died for us while we were yet sinners. Pray as we lay a foundation for the Gospel in this needy community! Our hope is to start another church here eventually.
- Sunday services are always a joy as people come, worship the Lord passionately and listen attentively to the preaching of God’s message. It is an exciting thing feeding the spiritually hungry and seeing Christ and his Word satisfy their hunger.
- We began a weekly email for our church. If you’d like to receive this (it is in Spanish, by the way), you can sign up here: eepurl.com/3ycWr
- One of the most thrilling things for me this week was that a young single man and another middle aged married man came to me and expressed their desire to be in the ministry. God had been dealing with them. Pray for Jhon & Óscar, among a couple others that I believe the Lord is working on!
- We went Thursday to find out the gender of our next child and we discovered how rebellious (or modest) it was! No cooperation at all… So we went back Friday and without a doubt it is a… well, check out this short video we put together to find out: youtu.be/7GFXx9kxNNE
- This week, with the city’s fair going on, we’ve been in many situations where thousands and thousands of people surrounded us. I couldn’t help but to think of the Lord Jesus’ words in John 4:34-35:
“Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.”
- I challenge you to lift up your eyes around this world and realize that the need is great, the time is now, and the responsibility is ours! Let us commit to doing the will of the one who has sent us, and to finish his work!
The Vance Family 