Sunday the 21st, our apartment caught fire. We were not home at the time, all our neighbors and their pets were evacuated safely, and the Envigado firefighters arrived quickly to extinguish the flames. Looking at all these facts, we are so grateful.
Yet because of heat, smoke and soot, our apartment and all its contents have been declared “una destrucción completa”—a total loss.
For the past 72 hours, we have been dealing with immediate needs and decisions. We’ve communicated with a few people but now take the opportunity to share more widely what has transpired, what we anticipate, and how you can walk along with us in this process. We are currently in a hotel, will begin living in our friends’ home while they travel starting Christmas Day, and have enough clothes for 4-5 days.
Please pray with us as we process, mourn and take steps to regroup.
FAQs:
What happened?
The fire started in the pantry/utility room with its contents being completely consumed by the fire. While the fire was limited initially to that room, once the pantry door was destroyed, the heat and smoke rendered the rest of the apartment unusable and unfit for residency.
There is no structural damage to the building itself (a 12-story concrete apartment tower), which means that thankfully none of our neighbors have been displaced. The fire investigation has been completed, but we will need to wait 2-3 weeks to receive a formal report. We are not currently permitted to clean up the apartment, though we were allowed to gather personal items (tech gear, a few items of the “cleanest” clothing to salvage.)
What’s next?
Once there is an official report of the fire investigation, there will be consultations between the building administration, apartment owner, disaster cleaning companies, and us to determine how we can proceed. We intend to rent a furnished apartment through AirBnB for the unknown amount of time that the whole process takes.
Team Kim was due to spend some time in the US in 2026. While we originally planned to exit Colombia in early July, we think it makes more sense to move up that timeline due to these events. We are in the final stages of “handing over” various ministries, and feel comfortable that we can transition out of our ministry roles over the next couple of months. Once in the US, we are looking at spending 6-12 months there for home ministry, seminary studies, and rest before resuming ministry abroad.
What do we need?
Prayer. We are praising the Lord for His peace, provision, and wisdom/discernment to make decisions. Yet we are also processing grief, physical exhaustion, and the reality that cleanup will be costly—emotionally, mentally, physically, and financially. Pray for our faith to be strengthened and for the provision we need.
Funds / Resources. We will need to replace wardrobes and shoes, personal items, some tech gear, homeschool supplies, books, instruments, and household furnishings and appliances (though this last category will be sometime in the future). The easiest way for us to receive help currently is through financial gifts. (If you would like to give, please see options below.) When we have more brain power, we may be able to set up an Amazon wish list, as well.
Kindness / Encouragement. We love and appreciate receiving your kind words, reminders that you are praying, or an encouraging verse. We may not be able to respond to every message quickly, but we most certainly appreciate it!
How can you give?
Most direct and immediate for us to access: PayPal @kyu4232
Through our account at Avant Ministries: LINK (Missionary Account # 84815)
Send a check (addressed to Anna Kim or Kyubum Kim) to Anna’s parents, who can deposit it in our bank account. For checks, please email us for further details.
Questions? Email us at kkim@avmi.org
Team Kim for Colombia 