In 2020, even with COVID and its related challenges, Avant appointed 27 missionaries from 7 different countries to serve on 5 different continents.

• 300 packages of food were distributed among six churches in Beirut near the explosion area. These packages were primarily given to poor families among their church members and through their contacts who were affected by the tragedy.
• Each food package includes, either audio Bible, a New Testament , or gospel of John.
• We prayed with each family and shared Christ. Many of them were crying, hurt, and crippled by fear of the unknown.
• We also filled about 200 prescription medicines for needy families. Most of them are elderly, widows, or families with no help around.

Amid the global pandemic, God opened opportunities for Avant missionaries to share the gospel with thousands of people this year in new ways. One church planting team in West Asia, who had their largest church attendance of 32 people before the crisis, reported that over 200 people attended their online service during the first week of quarantine, and over 1,700 people tuned in to hear the gospel the following week!

An Avant family in West Asia reports: “When the pandemic broke out, we decided to teach our believers a new worship song based on Psalm 52, "But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God." This became our theme song throughout a two-month lockdown, and we continued to sing it every week when we finally returned to our building. God has certainly answered our cry to stay "green." Since the beginning of the pandemic, three people have come to new faith in Christ. One of these new professions was during a Zoom Bible study with fifteen other people watching. One college student got baptized. Enthusiasm is up, and our church is more crowded now than ever before. We praise God that He has kept us "green" during such difficult days.

This year, 4,000 audio Bibles have been purchased to reach the Nyamwezi and Sukuma people of Tanzania. Many of these people cannot read, but with the audio Bibles, they are hearing the Word of God for the very fist time!

From Jonathan Baker, Puebla, Mexico:

In the spring of 2019, Barbara and I planned and organized a conference on grief. We had a great team working with us (Mexican leaders and Avant missionaries). In Mexico, when someone dies, they are buried within 24 hours. There is no time to grieve. People in Mexico, actually all over the world, don't know how to grieve. At this conference we had close to 300 people attend. Many, for the first time, were able to share their stories. People from other cities asked if we could do a conference. Late 2019, we met with our team and all were available to repeat the conference.

Then Coronavirus hit. We had to postpone our plans. As the virus continued to grow, we felt God leading to restart the conference plans, this time online. At the time we were in the US taking our son to college for the first time. We began online meetings (Zoom). We met, planned, and prayed.

On October 10 and 11 we carried out a Zoom conference. We covered 5 different themes (loss of dreams, loss of health, loss in general, loss of security and loss of loved ones). We had 5 different people, all with experiences with loss, share about their about their loss and how Christ helped them in the process. The gospel was presented clearly.

Over the 2 days (2 hour conference), around 250 participated (Mexico, US, Canada, Guatemala, Argentina and other countries). We uploaded the conference and videos online (YouTube). Those videos have been viewed over 500 times. We also compiled a list of resources for people that can be found on Obrerofiel.com.

Since our conference, we continue to receive emails and comments. Some people have asked for help with various needs. We look forward to see what God will continue to do through this ministry.

When COVID shut the doors to churches in Colombia, Kyu was faced with the reality that many kids, new in their faith, had no good way to receive help in their Christian walk. So Kyu and his family started a YouTube channel called "Descubriendo la Biblia KIDS" (Discoverying the Bible for Kids).

There are now over 30 episodes, providing weekly spiritual encouragement for the youngest generation in the Spanish speaking church around the world.

Niky is a young woman we met through conversational English classes and has been studying the Bible with us since April 2019. Since the very first meeting we’ve been reading and studying the good news of salvation through faith in Jesus. We’ve also had many conversations about Niky’s response to this faith.

In October 2020 it became clear that she has believed the good news and has chosen to put her faith in Jesus! Having already had five of her friends attend at least one Bible study session with us, in November a new invitee of Niky’s seems to be a new regular participant!

In October and November, Avant's Latin America office in Guatemala hosted 11 candidates for our first-ever candidate's school in Spanish. 11 candidates from 6 countries in Latin America are preparing to serve with Avant in Europe, Asia and the Middle East!

Avant donors and members alike shared in providing nearly $50,000 in distributed support for our field workers most adversely impacted during the early months of the COVID crisis.

A network was launched to help churches in Latin America become healthy and missional, capable of sending missionaries to the unreached, and engaged directly in fulfilling the Great Commission. More than 200 churches are connected so far, and more than 150 pastors have been trained in La Transformación de la Iglesia (Transformation of the Church). Additionally, more than 20 pastors are being trained as mentors and nearly 30 churches are being mentored in a 5-month missional health program.

In March, we launched a Red de Iglesias misionales (Missional church network) for pastors and church leaders in Latin America. God is calling people from the Global South to serve as missionaries. Churches are anxious to get involved. But many pastors lack the resources and training or do not understand how to make the necessary changes within their local churches in support of this movement. We are providing 12 weeks of training followed up by 5 months of mentoring to help pastors and church leaders make the changes necessary to live and serve missionally. Some 20 pastors are being trained as mentors.

So far, more than 200 churches are connected to the network, and more than 150 pastors have been trained a "Transformation of the Church" curriculum.  

Our online discipleship and leadership training courses for Spanish speakers has trained over 1,500 believers in the Global South this year alone. Many who desire to grow and be used by the Lord will never have the opportunity to go to bible school or Seminary. Our 4 programs prepare believers to serve others and participate in the mission of God around the world.

During COVID and its resulting limitations in travel & ministry, many missionaries have invested time in personal and professional development, further equipping themselves for new seasons of ministry to come.