The Underwood Family

Missionaries to Argentina

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Buenas y Grandes Noticias!

The day that we have been praying for, anticipating, and waiting for since March of 2020 has finally arrived!

We will arrive in Buenos Aires, Argentina on November 6, 2021!

News of Argentina opening its borders came to us yesterday morning, and were confirmed this morning by our friends on the field, Patrick and Leslie Henry. We immediately began planning and preparing for this much anticipated transition, making arrangements, and diligently working to finish book four of our language school here in Arequipa, Peru.

Our current plan is to fly back to the U.S. on Wednesday, September 29th, arriving on the 30th. We will immediately get the covid vaccine as it is required for entry into Argentina. We will also, for the third time, do our FBI background checks, have them apostilled, and repack and regroup for our November departure.

While we still lack book five to finish the language school course, this will give us an opportunity to spend a few days with the Henry’s on the field before they begin their furlough. We will finish book five with Argentine teachers, and continue working to grow in the language before stepping out to start our own church in the near future.

Please be praying with us about this exciting time as there is so much to get done before we leave Arequipa, and during our time in the U.S. I cannot thank the Peru team enough for the time and energy invested in teaching us Spanish, and giving us a place of refuge to grow and learn. We will greatly miss our friends at Iglesia Bautista Omega, and look forward to seeing God continue to use them and bless the ministry here.

With any short notice change of plans, also comes a cost; one in which I am certainly willing to pay. However, if you would like to be a help in this area, I know that it would be a tremendous blessing. The cost increase of our airfare is around $500 for the family. We also purchased our tickets to Argentina which cost just under $3000. Our paperwork will cost roughly $700 to have expedited and apostilled.

To give you an idea; we set up an apartment, in Arequipa, while paying rent on our house in Argentina that we signed a contract on in July 2020. We are not selling anything. We are giving everything away to our Peruvian friends to use and enjoy. We are giving our car to the pastor of Omega to use for his family and ministry. Our hearts’ desire is to be a blessing as we depart Arequipa and arrive on our field.

If you would like to help with these costs, please feel free to do so with the following link:
https://visionmissions.org/give/

or you can mail a check to:
Attn: Stephen Underwood
Vision Baptist Missions
P.O. Box 442
Alpharetta, GA 30009

Thank you for praying with us and for us!

Your Missionaries to Argentina,

Stephen, Ashlee, Peyton, Eli, and Neyland
The Underwood Family
Acts 20:24
argentinamissions.net

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August 2021 Prayer Letter

August 2021 Underwood Family Prayer Letter PDFDownload

Nineteen years ago, I was eighteen years old, had just graduated high school, and was beginning a six month internship in Arequipa, Peru under Missionary Austin Gardner. I remember God using that time, the experiences, and teachings to burden my heart to serve Him on a foreign mission field. I will always be grateful for those months in young adult life, as they helped form me into who I am today.

This past month, the Peru team hosted a group of interns, some for a month, and a few for six months. I’ve enjoyed seeing how God has worked in their lives, the way He worked in mine those many years ago. I pray that God will raise up laborers from among them and that they will use the gifts and abilities God has give them to reach the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Ashlee and I are continuing to progress through book 3 of 5 in Spanish Language School. Ashlee is doing amazing, has a great vocabulary, and is understanding more and more each week. I am able to converse, have shared the gospel on several occasions with a couple of guys, and am helping in a married couples Sunday school class along with Mitch McCormack and Joaquin Málaga. It has been extremely encouraging to be given opportunities to serve and work along side our friends!

Ashlee and I were also able to accompany the interns to Cuzco, and visit Machu Picchu as well! I had been during my internship in 2002, but it was so much better having my wife with me! It is really amazing to see God’s beautiful creation, learn some of the history of Peru, but also see in greater detail just how much of a need for the gospel remains here in the country of Peru, and in South America.

Please continue praying with us for:

  1. Language school. We are on pace to finish by December.
  2. Argentina to open their borders. We are still not sure when this will happen.
  3. For God to use us during this time of learning and waiting! There are so many opportunities to serve, may we not take them for granted!

Your Missionaries to Argentina,

Stephen, Ashlee, Peyton, Eli, and Neyland
The Underwood Family
Acts 20:24
argentinamissions.net

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July 2021 Prayer Letter

July 2021 Underwood Family Prayer Letter PDFDownload

Growing up in a home with a mom and dad in the medical field, (both LPN’s) I remember from a young age saying that I wanted to be a doctor. I remember never missing an episode of Dougie Houser, MD or MASH. It was just a part of my childhood. The first time I remember wanting to help others was one night as we were driving down Walnut Avenue, we came upon a wreck that had just occurred. My dad pulled the car over, turned on the emergency signals, and he and mom jumped into action in order help an injured lady.

Last month, the Peru Ministry team hosted a week long medical clinic ran by Medical Missions Outreach. It was a tremendous time of language practice as I was able to translate in the vision center. The clinic served nearly 1,000 people from the northern Arequipa area. I was blown away by their gratitude for such a small gesture as a pair of reading glasses! Truly, it is humbling to realize that something we can go buy without a second thought, is something of great value to them.

The greatest part of the medical clinic, however, was not the glasses given out, nor the medical exams, and vitamins distributed. It was however the 120 professions of faith in Jesus Christ! Our counselors spent hours sharing the gospel, answering questions, and weeping with the broken hearted folks that passed through the clinic.

Though I may not be a doctor helping sick and injured people physically, being a part of the spiritual healing that only comes through Jesus Christ is more rewarding than anything I have ever been a part of! We may have helped meet a few of the physical needs of some patients during the week of medical clinic, but the souls that were saved; well, that will change their lives for all eternity!

Please continue praying during the days and weeks of follow up!
Pray for our language learning to continue to improve!
And pray that God will continue to bless our efforts at getting the gospel to a lost and dying world!

Your Missionaries to Argentina,

Stephen, Ashlee, Peyton, Eli, and Neyland
The Underwood Family
Acts 20:24
argentinamissions.net