Listen to our 2026Q1 Ministry Update
(Written & Read by Anna Kim – Produced by Kyu) ~ Download Printer Friendly PDF ~
James 1:2-4 says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect [mature] and complete, lacking in nothing.” (ESV) Verse 5 reminds us to ask God for wisdom when we need it.
This is one of the passages that has echoed through our lives several times since December 21, as we continue to walk through the aftermath of our apartment fire. There was a piece of soot-covered art by Ruth Chou Simons featuring the phrase “count it all joy.” That same verse was shared by Anna’s friend/mentor during a monthly zoom meeting and later repeated in a letter from a retired missionary friend in Honduras. And so, we remind ourselves in the difficult moments that God strengthens our faith and will give us wisdom as we continue to walk the path set before us.
Current State of Life
The official fire report was published mid-January and determined the cause of the fire was electrical. It was also declared accidental. Our rental agreement was officially ended and the cultural equivalent of a deposit was turned over to us. We cried and prayed as a family on our last visit to the apartment, January 19.
We had packed the majority of our belongings into industrial waste bags to be hauled away, and carried out items we hoped to clean and save in black garbage bags. Kyu turned in the keys for the apartment the following day. While staying in an Airbnb in the same neighborhood, we now continue to work through cleaning the personal items we salvaged. It is dirty, exhausting, and emotionally taxing work.
Before traveling to the US, there are still banking logistics to resolve, a desire to receive a letter of good standing from the apartment owner, and the task of selling the car (which requires more banking and legal paperwork). We purchased tickets to return to the US (Ohio, specifically) in early March, where we plan to be until January of 2027.
A Big Announcement
In early December (before the fire), we received an invitation to move to Honduras to serve as teachers at SEBCAH as Avant missionaries. SEBCAH is an acronym for Seminario Bíblico Centroamericano de Honduras—the Central American Bible Seminary of Honduras.
We have seen how God has prepared us to be open and excited about this opportunity, and has moved us along a path that seems to point us toward a new chapter in ministry. During our time in the US, both Kyu and I will pursue further theological studies to prepare for our future roles at SEBCAH.
With this big change, we find ourselves currently in a season of goodbyes. We will not be returning to live in Colombia, so while we process the grief and shock of our apartment fire, we also say goodbye to the people and places we have come to know and love in Colombia. It is truly a weighty and difficult season for us as missionaries and as a family. Yet we continue to experience and rejoice in God’s provision and encouragement.
Gratitude
We are truly so grateful for the prayers, words of encouragement, and gifts we have received from many of you. Without your kindness and support, this season would be doubly difficult. We appreciate every way you are walking through it with us—in prayer, support, and provision. Thank you!
Ministry Updates
We are also grateful to share with you some ministry updates that have taken place through the last couple of months—even in the midst of all the craziness! In December, we concluded our direct involvement with the youth group, holding a final breakfast where we gave the students an opportunity to share what they had learned or reflect on where they had seen God work in 2025. It was exciting to hear some of our lessons (especially one on the Holy Spirit) had piqued their interest to know more, and learn how to recognize the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives as believers. We also sat down with the new youth ministry team to mentor and encourage them as they take over the work. The first youth meeting with the new leaders will be this weekend!
In January, Kyu was invited to Honduras as a conference speaker for the general assembly of the Central American Churches of Honduras (a network of churches planted by missionaries of the Central American Mission–later, Camino Global, now Avant). Kyu spoke on the topic of parenting—both as parents, and as pastors guiding parents within their churches. Time spent doing research and working in family discipleship with our Deep Roots (Raíces Profundas) ministry in Colombia has helped equip us to train the church and future leaders in generational ministry. How cool to see God weave threads from past experiences into our present and future ministry opportunities!
Pray with Us
- For joy, hope, resilience, and wisdom as we end our time in Colombia
- For physical strength and stamina as we clean sooty items salvaged from the apartment fire
- For rest—sleep has been very inconsistent
- For good endings—saying goodbyes, final opportunities for ministry or mentorship
- For favorable outcomes in legal and administrative processes
- For safe travel and the smooth movement of luggage/shipped items
- For our future communities and friendships—both in the US and in Honduras
Thank you so much for reading our newsletter, and please don’t hesitate to reach our with questions or to share a word of encouragement! We hope to be able to share more about our plans for travels and opportunities to meet up with many of you while we are in the US soon.
If you’d like to give, here are some options:
Most direct and immediate for us to access: PayPal @kyu4232 or Zelle (kyu4232@gmail.com)
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
teamKIM for Latin America 