Cody (far right) and Joanna (yellow sweater) participate in a planning session for English Club.
Written by Jarrett Meek, Pastor/Executive Director, Founder
We’re excited to introduce you to Cody Schindel, our new Refugee ESL coordinator. Cody and his wife, Joanna, began serving with Mission Adelante in January 2016 in our Bhutanese youth ministry. Their passion and sense of calling became more evident as they moved into our Bhutanese ESL program and then transitioned to English Club in the summer of 2017. It has been a joy to get to know the Schindels over the past couple of years and to see the impact they have made in our community. Their passion for Jesus, their love for people from all places, and their desire to make disciples by serving, sharing life, and sharing Jesus make them a great fit for Mission Adelante’s ministry.
Cody has a unique set of gifts, skills, and experiences that make him an exceptional candidate for this position. His experience volunteering in our ESL program has given him important perspective and understanding of the value of this kind of ministry as well as important insight into the joys and struggles of the refugee community in our neighborhood. His experience in the Navigator’s Edge Corps program equipped him with practical tools and vision for disciple-making. But most of all, Cody’s humble character and love for Jesus exemplify the Spirit of the Lord and the qualities that are most important in serving in a cross-cultural setting. Both Cody and Joanna possess this quality to go along with their calling to embody the Gospel of Jesus among different cultures.
Cody, (second from left) enjoying a game of Jenga, with volunteers and students in English Club
Cody will be a part of our Ministry Community Team and will work closely with our Latino ESL Director to develop specific ESL programming for refugees. His work will include visiting students in their homes, connecting within the various refugee communities in KCK, relational disciple-making, and mobilizing volunteers to help teach English. Please pray for Cody and Joanna as they raise funds for Cody's role and look for a home in our neighborhood. We are so excited to have Cody on our staff team!
Joanna practicing English with Baw Meh