Blog Archives
August 2012 Prayer Letter
Dear Praying Friends,
Deputation & Family Update
It has been quite a busy couple months since our last paper prayer letter! God has blessed in incredible ways and we’ve seen our support climb to 43% as of the first of August. We praise the Lord and trust him for the rest to come in soon so we can get to Colombia. Thank you so much for your faithful prayers and financial gifts. We couldn’t serve the way we do without you holding the ropes for us.
Our newest daughter, Anabel, was diagnosed with a Strawberry Hemangioma (a type of infant tumor) on her hand and eye brow. The one above her eye was growing and forcing her eye to close, so at the end of August we spent a couple of nights in the children’s hospital in Atlanta to start treatment. It has improved and they are hoping for a full recovery after a year of medication! I have posted more details and pictures on our website: http://www.bemagnified.org.
From The Mouth Of Babes
Recently while at a church in Madison, GA, we met with the pastor before the service. Our 2 ½ year old Amira heard a crinkle sound when he put his hands in his pocket. Without missing a beat she asked him, “You have candy for meeee?” He then took her to a basket full of sweets and made a new friend. 🙂
Colombian Culture Corner
In Colombia, using your two fingers to indicate length of something is an obscene gesture. Instead, extend your right arm and use your left hand to mark off distance.
My wife is from northern Ohio and she experienced a bit of southern culture shock while in our Georgia home the other day… a live scorpion by the baby bed! Yikes! (We’re just getting prepped up for Colombia, of course.)
An Event To Consider
HELL’S GATES is an outdoor end-times drama put on by our home church during October. Last year was a huge success. Over 400 people made salvation decisions and many others were challenged. If you live anywhere near Georgia, bring your church group or lost friends! For more info, and group or individual tickets, visit http://www.hellsgates.com or call 1-888-295-0099.
Prayer Points
1. Travels while on deputation
2. Salvation of lost friends/family
3. Financial support (now over 43%)
4. 46 million Colombians still need the Gospel!
We have just printed new, updated prayer cards. Please let me know if you would like any of these sent to you.
Serving The King of Kings,
Aaron, Aubrie, Amira & Anabel Vance
Click to see or print the entire letter (with pictures).
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.
June 2012 Prayer Letter
June 2012
Dear Praying Friends and Family,
Deputation and Family update…
She’s here! Anabel May Vance was born on May 26th, was 7 lb 8 oz and 20 ½ inches long. Healthy and beautiful, both her and her mommy are doing wonderful. Amira loves having a baby sister and has responded extremely well to having the new little one around. (You can see more details and pictures on our website: www.bemagnified.org or www.facebook.com/aaronlvance)
I am constantly amazed at how good God is to us. We gained 7 new monthly financial partners in May and 4 in April. This puts us at 33% of our needed support. Praise the Lord!! Would you pray that we would reach 100% support by our goal of the middle of next year? Perhaps God would have you to join our team of partners. We’d love to help you extend your ministry to Colombia.
Out of the Mouth of Babes…
Our 2-year-old Amira is learning and growing every day it seems. Recently, when we ask her to do something (like pick up her toys) she often says, “Sorry Mommy & Daddy, I’m too busy!”. And sometimes when she asks us for something (like candy) and we say no, she says, “What I got to do?!” … Where does she pick up this stuff? 🙂
Colombian Culture Corner
In Colombia, once a friendship has developed, greetings become warmer and a lot more hands on. Men will embrace and pat each other on the shoulder (known as an “abrazo”) and women kiss once on the right cheek.
There are over 200 cities in Colombia that still don’t have a Baptist church. Would you pray that God would send more laborers? Maybe he would send you. Let us know if we can pray with you about this.
Thank you so much for your prayers and support. We couldn’t do what we do without you. We love you and thank God for you. Stay even connected with us through our website: www.bemagnified.org or give us a call: 678-696-0082. God bless!
Prayer Points
1. Baby Anabel and Aubrie as they recover
2. Travels while on deputation
3. Salvation of lost friends/family
4. Financial support (now over 33%)
5. Colombia, 46 million people still need the Gospel!
Welcome To The Family, Anabel!
Well it has been a crazy day!
Last night (Friday 5-25-12) Aubrie started having contractions that were slightly harder than she’d been having for the past month. For those that have been following our story, you know we’ve been expecting our second daughter and were already overdue by a couple days. In fact, a month ago we spent the night in the hospital in which they tried to stop pre-term labor. They did a pretty good job! We spent another night in the hospital 3 weeks ago and they were sure we’d be leaving with our child in our arms then. Nope. It wasn’t time…
And, for 3 weeks she had regular contractions and was walking around at about 5 cm dilated.
Well, last night turned into early morning, and the contractions were getting so painful that we decided to go to the hospital as soon as we could.
We got there just after 2 AM and by 2:54 AM we heard the first cries of baby Anabel May Vance! Aubrie went so fast into hard labor that the doctor on call couldn’t get there in time for the delivery! In fact, though Aubrie was in extreme pain, they didn’t have time to get her meds or an epidural to relieve the pain. she went from 6 cm dilated to 10 in a matter of 3 or 4 minutes and only pushed for 2 minutes before Anabel made her grand entry. This baby was ready to be seen!
She weighed in at 7 lb 8 oz, measured 20 1/4 inches long and has been extremely healthy so far.
We decided to name her Anabel, which means Beautiful Grace of God. Her middle name is May, which was my grandmother’s name and is a part of my wife’s grandmothers name.
Amira came in later this afternoon and was thrilled to see her baby sister. She was all smiles. I think they’re going to make a good pair!
We appreciate your prayers. God has been so good to us and has been with us through it all.
Enjoy some pictures from the day….
1094 Days Of Wow!
“And do you, Aubrie, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
“I do.”
And she did!
Thank you Aubrie for being my amazing bride now for 3 years. I know it hasn’t always been easy putting up with me, but I can’t imagine life now without you by my side. You’ve been a constant companion, an encouraging helpmeet, and my best friend. You always have enabled me to step up and lead like Jesus, and I love that about you. When I am preaching and happen to glance over by your side, that smile melts me every time. Those lovely brown eyes pierce my soul, and I know, I know… I’m the most blessed guy in the world. How could God see fit to put you into my life? Must be grace!
You work so hard to keep up with things as we travel now on the road, and you do such a good job of teaching and guiding Amira into being a godly and wonderful young lady like her mother. And now with our second child almost here, she will also have the joy of knowing the most amazing woman who has ever lived. What lucky girls to have you as their Mommy! 🙂
I thank God for you, and I commit to strive to be a better husband each day, leading our family in the path that Jesus has set before us, and laying down my own life to lift you up. May the Lord Jesus be preeminent in our house, our love and our lives. For it is Him that will keep us.
Happy anniversary my treasure.
Te Amo.
The Vance Family 