COLOMBIA

THE PARSONS IN

1.19.2012 Volume 3 Issue 1

GET IN TOUCH! Wes and Hope Parsons wes_parsons1@yahoo.com Skype wes.and.hope.parsons

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2011 Year-End Update

It was a long yet quick 2011! In summary, we moved from the USA to Costa Rica on January 4th. It is hard to believe that we have lived outside of the States for over a year! We studied Spanish for 8 months, preparing for the ministry we would be beginning in Colombia. We then moved to Colombia on September 10th and began the process of settling in and making new relationships. In December, we welcomed Lilyanna Joy (see below for an update on Lily) to our family and to her new world in Bogota, Colombia. 2011 has been a year that will forever be marked in our lives as a year of transitions. But we are excited because all of this transition has been in preparation for what God is currently doing and in the process of doing through our ministry here in Colombia! We were so blessed in 2011 to have such an amazing support team and ministry team in the States praying for us regularly, giving generously to make it possible for us to physically be serving here, and encouraging us in so many ways as we transitioned into our new ministry and life here! We are beyond ecstatic to see what God is ready to do in 2012 and to be a part of it!

January Update
January has been an exciting month as we have began the process of starting our new ministries - and boy is there a lot going on! We have begun the process of opening the new music school. We are talking with pastors about opportunities in their churches and Lord willing being able to possibly use one of their facilities to be the home for this new school! Please be praying that the Lord will open doors for this and that He will be making strait and clear the path for this new ministry! Wes also began this month with this first guitar lessons! We are in the process of trying to get instruments for the school. We are need of keyboards (we have teachers, just nothing to give lessons on!), an electric drum set (again, we have teachers and students, just no drums!), and some guitars and maybe even a bass guitar. Please be praying for the Lord to provide these quickly and see if you or your church could help build this school through donating instruments or money for us to buy instruments here! We are also beginning to host short term teams! We have our first team coming in March and Wes has taken lead on this week. The team will be here to look at partnering with one of our local church plants. During the week they will be talking to and sharing the gospel with students of Javariana University, as well as in a park next to a new site where we hope to plant a new church. They will also be doing two evangelistic concerts in association with the church plant and our music school as well as programs for kids and teens! We are really excited about this team coming down and are busy preparing for their time here! MTW Colombia (our team!) has also decided to become a new sites of language learning for MTW. The purpose of this new ministry is to give new missionaries not only the opportunity to learn Spanish (which Bogota is a good place to learn) but at the same time begin learning how to be a part of a church planting team and get hands on field experience before heading out to their field of calling! These are really exciting opportunities not just for the new missionaries, but for our team and church plants as it opens doors to more possibilities through the gifts and talents of these families!

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COLOMBIA
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THE PARSONS IN

Wes and Hope Parsons wes_parsons1@yahoo.com

Skype wes.and.hope.parsons

The families will serve with our team for at least a year before heading to their own field. Our first family is planning to arrive at the end of February and we have two more families planning on arriving in September! We have a lot to plan and do in preparation for this new ministry, but are excited about the doors God is opening and the ways we see His hand at work in Bogota! Wes has also begun serving as youth pastor at United Presbyterian Church. We had our first outing last week and had 20 kids come out! This week kicks off our regular meetings and we are excited to be able to serve and disciple this next generation of Hs church! This next month, through some of the outreach ministries we are doing on Javariana University, we hope to begin formulating a plan of how to begin doing university ministry here and how to best reach into this community with Gospel! Be praying for wisdom and direction as we talk as a team what the best method and direction will be!

Family Update
Lilyanna Joy
Our biggest news is that on December 10th, Lilyanna Joy was born by c-section and both Lily and Hope are doing great! I love seeing the different personalities between our children, even in one so young as Lily! Bella has become a second mother to Lily and it has been amazing to see her maternal instincts come out with her! Ben is learning to be a good big brother! My family is coming for a visit the end of this month and we are blessed to have my dad baptize Lily (with a translator!) at the Spanish church plant we are members at! It will be a very special occasion for both us and our new church family! Ben will start going to school half day (7:30-1) starting the beginning of February. Bella really wants to go as well, so pray for us as we have to make a decision soon whether we are going to put her in or not. But this will be a great opportunity to meet new families, as well as for Ben to make new friends and learn Spanish! Hope is adjusting to being a homemaker with three kids while I am working. This is a hard transition, but she is doing amazing! Its one thing to go from two kids to three in a home and community you are settled in and have a support group in. But when everything is new...literally everything...it can be very hard and at times lonely. Praise God we have a wonderful team here in Bogota and for all of you who pray for us and lift our spirits in so many ways!

Come Visit!
We are settled into our house and have plenty of room and beds for your family! We would love to see you take a week and serve alongside us for a week! Not only will it be a blessing to us, but to you and, if you have kids, your family as well. Not only will you get a better picture of our ministry here, but you will be actively helping us see His kingdom grow here! Talk and pray about it, and then let us know when you want to come!