We were commissioned to the Lord’s work in August 2013 in Venezuela. During that year and the next, we traveled to Colombia for three months at a time and then returned, since we didn’t yet have Colombian papers. The Lord was guiding us to settle in Cali, the capital of the Valle del Cauca department, in the southeast of the country, where I have several relatives. At first, we went out to evangelize in the afternoons, preaching at an uncle’s house, and we saw souls saved.
In 2015, the Lord provided us with a house. We preached there every night, and several unbelievers came, mostly family members. On Sundays, we held a devotional meeting, and although we invited everyone, no one attended; only the five of us met in the living room. Later, others were added to the group by the Lord’s grace.
Before the pandemic, the meeting room had already become too small, and the Lord provided a rented space nearby, where the Assembly meets today. The Lord allowed us to see the Assembly formed on October 17, 2021, with approximately 30 brothers and sisters in fellowship.
Currently, in addition to the work in Cali, there is a small ministry where the gospel is preached in a place called Santa Ana, about an hour and a half from Cali. There, a small Bible class is held. Throughout the year, we try to support them with teaching. We are also supporting a ministry in Popayán, about three hours from Cali. A family of brothers and sisters meets in their home and holds preaching and devotional services. We visited them four months ago and preached there for two weeks. We are praying to the Lord to return. There is a plan to begin preaching activities, and we are praying in the Assembly for the Lord’s guidance in this.
Jose Luis and Elizabeth Batioja