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1Peter 5:3, “not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.”

  I thank God for the opportunity to share this report although I could not attend the Latin UBF Directors’ Conference. This gave me the opportunity to repent of my spiritual laziness in the last year. The year 2016 began with much difficulty for our family due to hardship we faced in serving God’s ministry and the economic situation. In 2015, we prepared our international conference in Venezuela. One sister shared her testimony at the conference and we cared for her like a sheep. However her heart became hardened and she did not want to attend our meetings or see us. Instead, she left to Brazil with her boyfriend. 

  Also, M. Juana’s company closed their business due to the economic situation. How can we and should we live in Colombia? We worried about our situation as the year 2016 began. So we began to pray according to God’s word in Joshua 14:12, “Now give me this hill country that the LORD promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the LORD helping me, I will drive them out just as he said." Through this word, I could have confidence that although there has not been a spiritual leader in 15 years, God will use us to establish a spiritual leader in Colombia.

  Through our prayer, God brought a sheep named Grace from Universidad Nacional (National University) to Bible study with M. Juana. We were much encouraged by her since we had been praying for a sheep from Universidad Nacional for 7 years. Also, sister Leidy returned to our Bible study meetings. 

  God granted us the opportunity to attend the Missionary Conference in Korea. Through this conference God gave me His word in Dt 6:5, 18, “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”…”Do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight, so that it may go well with you and you may go in and take over the good land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors.” This conference greatly encouraged us and we renewed our heart and received strength to keep preaching the Gospel. As a result we began to pray more fervently for our meetings and for new sheep.

  God granted me a sheep from Universidad Nacional named Favian. Although he has not participated in Bible study faithfully, through him I can have a relationship with students from UN. God also showed us how to live as missionaries through Dr. John Jun and M. Sunji Jun’s visit in October. God gave us good news at the end of the year as M. Juana found a new job. 

  We are truly thankful to God for all the blessings he has given us as well as the trainings he gave us in 2016 so that we may not forget that it is he who chose and willed to send us here. I repent for all the opportunities I missed due to my spiritual laziness. God gave me a new word for this new year from 1Pe 5:3, “not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.” I pray that we may be good ambassadors of Jesus in Colombia and that we may care for many sheep in order to establish spiritual leaders in this new year. 

      Our Prayer Topics are:

-   To have 10 weekly 1:1 Bible studies throughout 2017

-   To have 10 Sunday Worship Service participants in 2017

-  For M. Andres Park to be filled with the Holy Spirit in order to serve God’s ministry in    Colombia and deliver Sunday messages(M. Andres Park; trans. from Spanish into English by Shps. Socorro).