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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!)
The Most Action-Packed Update, Ever!
September 1, 2014
Dear Friends,
Brace yourselves — This is perhaps the most exciting prayer letter we’ve ever written! The past two months have been packed with God’s grace and blessings. Here is a quick rundown summary.
Church Launch
The Iglesia Bíblica Bautista El Faro had its first official services on July 13th with around 40 in attendance. Several acknowledged their need for salvation, repenting and believing on Jesus that day! There have been new visitors every week and many families and individuals are plugging in with personal discipleship, helping around the church and bringing their friends. Pray especially for a few young men who have shown interest in going further. Christ is building his church!!
Surprise Funeral
Just days before the inauguration of our church, a Colombian lady contacted me from the USA whose mother was back in her hometown of Bucaramanga visiting family, and suddenly passed away. Both the daughter and this woman had been recently saved and were attending a good church in Florida, and I was asked to perform her funeral. The wish of this woman was that her lost family members would hear the Gospel preached at her funeral. What God did was truly amazing. By our best counts, about 120 people showed up for the service at our church (which really only holds 80), and heard a clear presentation of Biblical salvation. Dozens of these decided to place their faith in Jesus alone for eternal life. It was amazing! What an honor to this lady who had just been saved one year before. God is good!
More Lives Changed
We have seen several receive Christ and become born again in the past month, including religious people, who realized that Jesus is the only way, He is enough and that works do not save; also Atheists, who understood that there is a God who created them, loves them and died for them; and even an ex-paramilitary hit-man, who found a new beginning and new life in Jesus. God’s power has no limits. He is mighty to save all who will believe.
A Productive Visit
Our pastor and several from our home church came to visit in July. They helped get out thousands of invites the weekend before the big church launch and were a tremendous help to get the building ready for all the people. God worked through them and in them. Please pray especially for two of the young men that desire to return here or another place as God leads to work as full-time missionaries. If you would like to bring a group to Colombia, please get in touch with us, or see our website with details about a trip for students and singles June 15-25, 2015. We would love to have you!
Prayer Requests
- Growth of the church numerically and spiritually
- Families and individuals who are in discipleship
- A new youth outreach starting this month in the poorest and most dangerous neighborhood of our city
- Additional monthly financial support. At this point we have many more plans but are only held back by lack of funds. Would you consider partnering with us, that fruit would abound to your account? No amount is too small!
- Aubrie and the new baby — they are healthy and in the 2nd trimester already!
We love you and pray that the abundant grace of Almighty God would fill you, bless you and enable you to continue laboring for his Worthy Name!
Aaron & Aubrie Vance and family
Click for a printable PDF of our prayer letter (with pictures!).
Thank you for all you do to make it possible for us to be here! How can we be praying for you?
Update – Funeral Service
Thank you all who prayed for the funeral this afternoon. Honestly, it was an incredible service and it was such and honor to speak God’s Word.
There were over 100 people inside our building and another dozen or two outside. I though we only had space in our church for 80. I guess I was wrong!It was packed.
We sung a few songs, shared a testimony of the deceased’s salvation and love for others, and I was able to share a Bible message of hope and salvation from John 14:1-6.
What God did next was amazing. A large number of those present decided to make a profession of faith in Jesus alone for salvation. Most had heard that Jesus died on the cross, and had some form of religion, but they admitted that having religion and trusting in our own works is simply not enough. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life! They repented and believed in Him.
We praise Jesus for the work he did today and pray that this fruit will remain. Many expressed their desire to continue with us and grow in their new life.
What an honor to this elderly saint (who herself accepted Christ just last May!) that new birth would take place at the service celebrating her death.
God was glorified. The family was comforted. God’s family grew by a bunch.
Thank you for praying! Please continue to pray for this family, both those that started new life today and others who are still grieving their loss.
I stand in wonder of His grace to allow us to be a part of something much greater than ourselves.
I snapped a few pics after I finished preaching before we dismissed. Enjoy…
PS – The visiting group from our church in the States made it in just fine. Pray for a productive and fruitful trip, and for the upcoming official inauguration this Sunday!
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!)
Prayer Letter for May & June 2013
Dear Pastors and Prayer Partners,
Deputation Update
Click To See Printable PDF (with pictures).
It has been whirlwind since our last letter. We’ve participated in youth camps & weeks of training, seen people saved and called into missions, and of course we’ve had a blast preaching and sharing our ministry in churches all around the Eastern US.
Colombia is getting closer each day! Our tickets are paid for and now set for November 13th. God constantly takes care of each need, and he has used many of you to do that. Thank you!
Our support is currently just over 80% and we hope to be fully supported before leaving. Will you pray that God will enable churches to join us as monthly partners? Also, we’ve been saving for our setup fund, and many have so generously given, but we still have some more needs in this area. Would you pray about making a special offering through your church or Sunday School class for this need? This will help us as we get started in reaching people in Colombia. Below are several items that we will need and others which have already been provided for. Gifts can be sent through our Mission Board or online through Paypal.
Set Up Fund Needs
Four Airline Tickets — $1,600Baggage Fees — $250Passports — $350Religious Visa — $500- Hotel upon arrival — $500
- Apartment deposit — $2,000
- Beds & Furniture — $1,500
- Refrigerator — $500
- Washer/Dryer — $1,000
- Oven/Range — $300
- Water Purification — $300
- Used Vehicle — $6,000
Family Update
As many may have heard, we recently lost our 3rd child which we were expecting to be born in January. Many others who have also gone through this have helped with words of encouragement. In addition, we discovered that Aubrie also has a painful disease called endometriosis. Her doctor wants to do surgery on August 1st {*UPDATE – July 25*} to relieve the pain. There is no real cure for this disease and many of those affected continue to have surgeries most of their lives. Aubrie is also looking into some alternative treatments, including drastic diet changes, to hopefully reduce the pain and need for additional surgeries. Thanks for your prayers with us in this matter. God is still good, and he knows each struggle we have. We couldn’t imagine going through this without Him!
From The Mouth Of Babes
During our family devotions, our 3-year-old Amira prayed, “Dear Jesus, please let my little brother come back from Heaven because I miss him!”
Colombian Culture Corner
672 Colombians died today… And yesterday… And the day before… According to Colombia’s death rate, 672 people will meet God each day! The saddest part is that most of those will not make it into heaven. They are trusting in their own works, their religion, their effort. And the Bible says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9). You see, it’s not what we do, it’s about believing in what Christ has DONE. Colombians need to hear this! Thanks for helping us take God’s good news to them. We love y’all!
In Christ & For His Glory,
Aaron Vance & Family
BeMagnified.org
The Vance Family 