Listen to our 2025Q2 Ministry Update
(Written & Read by Anna Kim – Produced by Kyu) ~ Download Printer Friendly PDF ~
We are Kyu and Anna, Team Kim for Colombia! And now, we are excited to say we are also serving in a new role within Avant! Earlier this year, we were presented with an opportunity to take on the role of Ministry Directors for the Guatemala and Honduras fields. We continue to live and serve in Colombia as we have since 2019. So, what is this new role about, then? As MDs, we:
- Support our missionaries on the field through prayer, encouragement, and/or practical resources
- Facilitate communication from the home office
- Foster identity, direction, and teamwork as an organization
- …and more!
We officially started as MDs on April 1, and we were able to attend the 2025 Ministry Directors’ meetings in Kansas City at the end of April. That served as a sort of orientation to the role. We were greatly encouraged by our time with Avant leadership and other MDs, and also had a chance to ask questions. Thankfully, Anna’s parents had scheduled a visit to Colombia at that same time, so Grandma and Grandpa stayed with the girls while we traveled!
One question we have fielded frequently concerning this change is, “Do you get paid as Ministry Directors? Or do you need to raise more support since you’ll be traveling?” The short answer: It is NOT a salaried position. There is an expense budget available for MD-related expenses, but those are not related to our work and life in Colombia. However, this budget does not cover travel for the whole family. Ideally, we long to make field visits together as a couple and include our girls when it is appropriate. With that in mind, we do want to–and need to–raise support for when it is necessary for us to travel as a family. If you’d like to hear more or have other questions, please email or message us.
Discipling
Kyu got an out-of-the-blue email from an Avant colleague serving in another country. As it turns out, our colleague had been discipling his online Spanish teacher for some time, culminating in Pedro‘s recent profession of faith in Christ! Pedro happens to live in Medellín! In May, Kyu met him face-to-face, and later he came to his first ever church service with us. Through several meetings, Kyu has had the opportunity to disciple Pedro, encouraging him on issues of faith and holy living, and helping him find a church he can attend regularly. This young man’s testimony is so very God-honoring, and reminds us of 1 Corinthians 3, where Paul says, “6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor.
9 For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.” What a privilege to participate in the work God is doing! Name changed for privacy.
Other Quarter 2 Highlights
🔸 Kyu and Anna were asked to consider joining the Child Safety Response Team at Avant, which we accepted. If a child safety concern is raised related to Avant, we may be called upon to be part of the response team assigned to gather information. It is a weighty responsibility, but we value the wellbeing of children and so prepare with sober minds and pray we will never be called upon to respond to such a concern.
🔸 Anna has been working together with Rubiel, the worship team leader, to hold tryouts for new members. Two ladies and several youths tried out, and Anna has taken on part of the role of mentoring the new singers and the younger musicians. It is truly a fun project, since it includes both making disciples and enjoying music.
🔸 In June, we were blessed to stay 3 nights at a country house meant for ministry workers to rest. As a family, we decided to try to make it an “unplugged” vacation—we were 99% tech free! We rested, ate good food, sang around the campfire, dreamed, talked, played games, and read books. High points of our time were cooler weather, quiet, a neighborhood fruit truck with the most amazing mangoes, and comfortable beds.
🔸 In April, the Impulso Misionero (Missions Incubator) was launched by a group of Colombian church leaders to invite missionaries serving in Medellín to connect with local churches. We are thrilled with this initiative, and Kyu has begun to meet the coordinator once a month to coach him in practical steps to propel it forward. We praise the Lord to see local churches motivated and taking action to promote missions.
🔸 After meeting through the Padres que Oran (Praying Parents) weekly group, we have begun to periodically meet a young couple to disciple them around parenting themes. They are consistent in prayer and have invited friends to join our group. When we’ve shared a meal, it delights us to see our girls enjoy playing with their young son.
🔸 Kyu, along with a fellow Avant co-worker, had the privilege of representing Avant at CIMA-Colombia, a national youth missions conference. With over 300 participants, the June event provided an excellent opportunity for cross-cultural engagement and practical training. Kyu and our colleague led workshops, facilitated small groups, and represented Avant at the ministry fair, which generated strong interest. Participant feedback reflected a renewed understanding of missions and a desire to mobilize their churches. CIMA also included a parallel pastoral intensive, offering strategic space for church leader engagement. It was a great opportunity to get a pulse on missions for youth and share wisdom and coaching on how to get involved in missions.
Kim Kids Highlight
In early June, the girls participated in a children’s choir that recorded two songs in a professional studio. Lucia was even the soloist in one of them! The studio is diligently working on the audio mixing, and next month the choir will film videos to accompany the songs. Hopefully we will be able to share the result next quarter! During a 5-week very short summer break, the girls decided to participate together in a musical theater camp, which presented portions of Shrek, Jr. Lucia played Lord Farquaad (she walked around the stage on kneepads!) and Noelia played both Farquaad’s father and assorted chorus roles. The performance was enjoyable!
New & Next
🔸 We are traveling to Honduras and Guatemala in August—our first official visit as Ministry Directors! Our director will accompany us as we learn the ropes, and our girls get to travel with us, too. (Thanks to a gift from a supporting church!) We plan to visit our field missionaries, both active and retired, meet key leaders from partnering organizations, and spend some time with the Avant Español Guatemala office staff.
🔸 We are in the process of revamping the design of the Raíces Profundas (Deep Roots) family discipleship ministry. We hope to hold some kind of seminar, workshop or webinar to encourage Christian families who homeschool here in Colombia, perhaps in early September. We are praying for wisdom and guidance as we develop the content and its delivery. We are also asking the Lord to guide us in topics for future podcast episodes.
Prayer Requests
🔸 For our travel to Honduras & Guatemala: We ask the Lord for good opportunities to spend time with our missionaries, for schedules that work well, for travel safety, health, and smooth transportation in country. Pray that our girls’ faith would be strengthened by the stories they hear.
🔸 For our upcoming visa renewal: There continues to be increasing challenges for many foreigners seeking visas. We praise the Lord for His faithfulness in the provision of past visas, and ask for His favor as we gather documents, apply, and await the government’s response in September.
🔸 For our studies: The girls are now in 8th and 6th grade! Pray for their joy and discipline in studying. Pray with Kyu and Anna for wisdom to know if/when we should pursue further education related to our missions work.
🔸 For opportunities to share the gospel with neighbors: Our building recently organized some social groups, which we have decided to participate in. Kyu even volunteered to facilitate/lead a Bible study group, starting July 30. Pray for wisdom.
Thank You
3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. Philippians 1:3-5
We thank God for your financial gifts, prayers, and encouragement. We couldn’t do what we do without the support of our friends, families, and churches. You are part of Team Kim for Colombia, too! Thank you.
Did you know we pray for our ministry partners on Mondays? If you have specific prayer requests, we always love to hear from you!
Support
As our responsibilities grow and some supporters have needed to stop their monthly giving, we are in need of raising $2600/month. We are confident God will continue to provide. If you are new to missions, would you consider becoming a monthly partner? Or if you already invest in missions, we also humbly ask if you would consider increasing your monthly gift. CLICK HERE TO GIVE
Additionally, the longer we carry on in missions work abroad, our connections with new people start to decrease in the USA. You can help establish new connections and help us share what God is doing in Colombia by referring us to a friend or your church leaders who are interested in investing in missions work.
Team Kim for Colombia 