Business Coaching

Business, Ministry, and a Burmese Grocery Store!


Written by Kristen Allen, Director of Community Development

One of the most exciting things about living in the community is seeing how God is using different people to accomplish His purpose. I love hearing stories from our Bhutanese and Latino ministries and also learning from my friends first hand what it means to follow God and trust in His provision.

I’ve been blessed by a friendship with a local Burmese shop owner. I originally connected with her when I visited the Falam Chin church down the street from my house where another friend serves as the pastor. Our friendship blossomed over the next few months as we shared about our lives and dreams.

My friend had lived in the United States for several years before following God’s call to move her family to Kansas City and open an Asian grocery store. She and her husband borrowed a few thousand dollars from a relative, opened their store in July of 2012, and prayed into the vision God had for them.

There is something special when you visit the store. If you are like me and don’t speak Burmese or Falam Chin, you would still perceive the high level of customer service. Everyone is greeted, everyone receives a smile, and everyone is valued when they are shopping in the store. My friend and her husband see their store as an opportunity to reach the community for Jesus and as business grew, they knew that God was calling them to further expand their ministry.

My friend prayed, she fasted, and she asked God for a store just down the street that had parking, retail space, and the ability to expand to include a children’s outreach program so she could hire teachers to help children in the community improve in school and retain their native language. And God said no to that space. Undeterred, she continued to believe and pray for the dream that God gave their family.

One day I received a text from my friend asking me to come to the store. “Please hurry” it said and I wondered what was going on. When I arrived, I learned she had received a lease for an even better space. We both celebrated and thanked God for moving in amazing ways to make the expansion  of their business possible.

At the end of January 2014, their community pitched in and helped move their grocery store to the new location God provided them. This is where their dreams continue. Later this year they will open a restaurant to serve delicious Burmese dishes. Profit from grocery store and restaurant will help fund outreach programs to children in their community. The journey of following God continues and I can’t wait to see where it will take them next.

In other news:
  • A group of teens, kids, and volunteers braved the cold last Friday to attend Winter Jam! We had a blast and an amazing time worshiping God together!
  • The Bhutanese teens are really stepping up their leadership and have planned an "American Idol" formatted teens club this trimester. It’s going to be very fun, but also a lot for them to pull off. It’s fun to see them learning as they go, and growing in their creativity and vision for their own community.

Prayer requests:

  • Please pray for Bhutanese teenagers as they navigate how to honor their Hindu families while discovering their own personal faith in Jesus.
  • Please continue to pray for stable employment for our refugee friends.

Current needs:
  • The LIT (Leaders in Training) kids come straight from school each day so we try to have a healthy snack for them. We are looking for a few individuals or a small group to purchase (in bulk) some granola bars, goldfish, nutri-grain bars, or any other healthy snacks to bless the kids.  Please contact Megan if interested:  meganm@missionadelante.org.
Important dates:
  • Child Protection Meeting--Saturday, February 22 at 9:00 a.m. All volunteers that serve the kids and youth of Mission Adelante should attend.

"Adelante Business Coaching" Prepares to Launch

by Kristen Allen, Director of Community Development

Exciting things continue to unfold in Mission Adelante’s Community Development Initiatives as our new "Adelante Business Coaching" ramps up for launch. Twenty years ago many were convinced that our community was dying, and studies predicted that by the year 2000 our neighborhood would be a ghost town.  Driving around Mission Adelante, it is evident that this prediction was false: the community is being revitalized by immigrant families and small businesses.

According to the 2007 U.S. Census Bureau’s Survey of Business Owners, Latino owned businesses brought in $1.3 billion in receipts in the state of Kansas. Mission Adelante is excited to add fuel to this fire as we ask God to use business to transform individual lives as well as our entire community.

Bhutanese refugees opened a grocery in KCK.

One of the core values for Adelante Business Coaching is the belief that work is a redemptive activity that God designed for man to enjoy from the beginning of creation. Work promotes dignity, contributes to the broader needs of our community, and improves an individual’s or a family’s financial situation. Our immigrant and refugee friends come with a diverse array of business ideas, skills, experiences, and a strong desire to succeed. Unfortunately, there are many obstacles for newcomers who want to open businesses, and instead, they are often stuck working unskilled, entry-level, low-paying positions that are far away and don’t provide a sense of dignity or purpose.

What if we prayed with our immigrant and refugee neighbors, helped break down cultural barriers, and instead of looking at their lack of US business experience, we equipped them to become business owners making an impact in the community and for the Kingdom? We believe we would start to see individual and community transformation.

We are excited for where we feel God is leading us. As we launch Adelante Business Coaching, we want to partner with others who feel God’s calling to use their business or their business expertise as an avenue for ministry. Next month we are bringing Rudy Carrasco from

Partners Worldwide

 to lead a workshop to help us and our partners further explore business as mission.

Save the date for Saturday, July 20

th

  from 8:30 a.m. -11:00 a.m. so you can j

oin us for a workshop on how fostering entrepreneurship can transform lives and communities in under-resourced areas.  Rudy Carrasco will lead us on the exploration of a philosophy for job creation that includes business as mission, collaboration, business training, business mentorship, and advocacy.  He will share working models for ending poverty through job creation in the United States and the potential for community transformation right here in Kansas City, Kansas.  

REGISTER HERE FOR THE IGNITE WORKSHOP!

"Ignite 2013" will be held at Mission Adelante, Inc.

22 South 18th Street

Kansas City, KS 66012

Please contact Kristen Allen for more information:

kristena@missionadelante.org

Other News

  • Our Mommy & Me English class has been a success so far! There are six refugee mothers and their tots singing, clapping, reading, and playing games together--all while practicing English skills. We have one more class next week.
  • We had the privilege to hear from some of the New Roots for Refugees farmers on Tuesday during our study of vegetables and the farmer’s market in the Bhutanese ESL classes.  It was a great listening exercise for our students and both students and conversation partners learned a lot!
  • The Kansas City Bhutanese Ekata Sports Team is traveling to Texas for a nationwide Bhutanese Soccer tournament this weekend.
  • Frank, a leader with Raices in Cuba, was given a visa to come visit Mission Adelante for two weeks in July.  He will learn more about business coaching strategies and will also share his own experiences with our staff.

Prayer Requests

  • Please pray for the formation of the Adelante Business Coaching leadership team. We meet next week for the first time and are excited where God is leading us.  
  • Pray for immigration reform that upholds our values of human dignity, family unity and respect for the rule of law and for our senators who will vote on this issue.

Current Needs

  • The resource center is in need of kitchen items, dishes, and summer kids clothes. If you are able to help, please give Molly Merrick a call to set up a drop of time at mollym@missionadelante.org.

Important Dates

Observation nights: July 16, 18, 23, & 25.

Have you wondered what all goes on around here on a typical evening of programming?  Here's your opportunity to come and see for yourself!  Come to 22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102 at 6:30 p.m.