ESL

From Volunteers to Friends

From Volunteers to Friends

by Jill McDonald- Burger , Refugee ESL volunteer


My husband and I have volunteered with the Refugee ESL program at Mission Adelante for a couple of years now.  We began this journey in support of our daughter, Veronica Garcia, who was following her passions and accepted her dream job as ESL Education Director here.  What began as our passion to support her, became our own passion to connect and share life with new friends from many places.  These new friends are very near and dear to our heart!  Our desire to be a local support system to these new friends has blessed us more than we could ever imagine.  We have often welcomed them in our home, shared meals, helped with car problems, and prayed for each other continually. 

We have watched the students grow in knowledge, confidence, and strength.  We have laughed together so many times, I tear up just thinking about the joy they have brought to my life!  We have also hugged and cried together for a variety of reasons. It is good to have a shoulder to lean on and some words of encouragement when the challenges of life get heavy.

The skills we have acquired by loving people from all places, learning to listen to their stories, and understand their culture, have already been an asset to us in connecting with other people and making new friends. Understanding and respecting our differences is what makes us unique and interesting. This experience will bless us and others for years to come.  Thank you, Mission Adelante, for giving us a place to discover these joyful and wonderful connections!

Help Our Refugee Families

Your impact is huge for our refugee families! Currently, we are in need of:

  • Toys that are clean and in good shape for kids under the age of 3

  • Hygiene kits

  • Vacuums

You can also volunteer to help with administrative tasks like creating client files and notebooks and other resources.

For more information on how to be a part of this effort, contact our Reception and Placement Director, Amy Herman, at randpdirector@missionadelante.org.

Be part of our programs!

 We are so excited for everything that is happening in our programs and we are grateful for all our volunteers who make everything possible. Would you consider partnering with us next trimester?

How can you help?

  • Pray for our program participants would create an impact in our community and grow with their walk with the Lord.

  • Volunteer – Come to our volunteer Orientation. For more information visit: http://www.missionadelante.org/serve

  • Donate to join us in building a multicultural community of disciples making disciples.

A Journey of Understanding and the Power of ESL Education

A Journey of Understanding and the Power of ESL Education




Written by Dan Taylor, Partner Engagement Volunteer.



The Bible is full of verses that we study to help us get closer to God. We use them to remind ourselves of who God wants us to be, how to treat each other, and how to live in the world God has provided for us.

One of the ones you’ve probably heard a lot is Matthew 7:1. It says, “Do not judge, so that you will not be judged.” You might have memorized it in the King James version, “Judge not, that you be not judged.”

If you try to “live” this verse, it can look like this- you meet a new person; at work, in your neighborhood, wherever, and you try not to look at their clothes or their car or any of the outside things we can see and judge easily.

And we hope that people will do the same to us. Ideally, we don’t want to be judged at all, but if we are going to be judged, we want it to be the best possible version of us. We want our hair to look right, our clothes to look nice, and we check to make sure there’s no spinach stuck in our teeth.

Those are little things, things that don’t really matter. But one of the ways we judge others quickly and severely is if they sound like they’re, “not from around here.” When someone has an accent, we immediately decide, “foreigner” and all kinds of judgements follow. It’s not fair, it’s not what God said to do in Matthew 7, but it’s really easy and it’s really common.

Sounding different distinguishes a stranger quickly and most of us are not graceful enough to not make some judgments. That’s why learning the local language is so important. Being able to get along, to succeed and even thrive in a new place is why ESL is so important.

My wife and I have worked in various ESL classes over the years and it’s one of the most rewarding things we’ve ever done. To see the “light go on” when someone gets an insight into how to communicate is a wonderful thing to witness. To explain why, “I went to the store” is better than, “I go to the store” is something all of us can do easily, but it means a lot to someone who is diligently trying to make this home.

We’ve made friends through ESL classes, and we’ve seen time and time again that the old saying is true, there’s so much more that unites us than separates us.

People are coming to Adelante literally from all over the world. By doing what God has already told us to do, not judging them, and helping them to be a little less judged, we bless them and receive a blessing as well.

Be part of our programs!

We are so excited for everything that is happening in our programs and we are grateful for all our volunteers who make everything possible. Would you consider partnering with us next trimester?

How can you help?

  • Pray for our program participants would create an impact in our community and grow with their walk with the Lord.

  • Volunteer – Come to our Observation Nights. For more information visit: http://www.missionadelante.org/serve

  • Donate to join us in building a multicultural community of disciples making disciples.

Youth Power

Youth Power: Transforming the Community Through ESL Teaching

by David Stutz, ESL volunteer.



I first heard about Mission Adelante through my friend Joe. He had recently heard of this opportunity to help non-native speakers learn English, and we both loved the idea of contributing to the community in such a way, so we joined the volunteer team in May.

Over the summer trimester, I had a lot of fun teaching English while also sharpening my Spanish speaking. However, I was out of town for about 5 weeks so I didn’t feel as if I was fully experiencing the progress of the students. On the other hand, in the fall and spring trimesters I have been able to come every week and interact more with my student, Ulises and Gilberto. ESL at Mission Adelante has me now looking forward to Thursday evenings despite the half hour drive from home!

It has been rewarding to be one of the youngest teachers because of the positivity surrounding the students and teachers at ESL. I’ve received several compliments from both volunteers and students about how important it is to start helping the community from a young age.

One thing I specifically appreciate about the students is how they always come prepared. This both means that they come with the right materials and their homework done, but also with the right attitude. I’ve taken notice of how the students are always encouraging others to speak up, taking corrections well, and keeping the atmosphere lighthearted.

I would strongly recommend volunteering for ESL at Mission Adelante for people both young and old. There is a lot to learn when helping the lives of others, but the biggest takeaway for me is how fun it can be!

Be part of our programs!

We are so excited for everything that is happening this year and we are grateful for all our volunteers who make everything possible. Would you consider partnering with us this trimester?

How can you help?

  • Pray for our program participants would create an impact in our community and grow with their walk with the Lord.

  • Volunteer – Come to our volunteer Orientation. For more information visit: https://www.missionadelante.org/serve

  • Donate to join us in building a multicultural community of disciples making disciples.

From Dream to Reality

Reflecting After My Transformative Year with Mission Adelante

by Veronica Garcia, ESL Manager


God had led me to Mission Adelante 2.5 years ago to explore teaching ESL and learn more about the KCK community. My undergraduate degree was Teaching English as a Second Language, so I was passionate about gaining experience from volunteering to teach English. I was new to the workforce, trying to find something that can support me as an aspiring ESL teacher. Where I landed for the next year was a great learning experience, but not fulfilling. My heart desired to work doing ESL at a ministry. My soul was craving a deeper connection with God, who had originally placed the dream of teaching English on my heart in high school.

God, like He does, is always working for good and knows the desires of my heart. Gissell asked me in June 2022 if I was interested in a position in the ESL department. My brain immediately thought, “this is what you’ve been praying for!!”

I really didn’t know what to expect. What I agreed to sign on to do was going to be challenging- and it was. I’ve never led a group of volunteers before. I’ve never created an ESL curriculum. I’ve never had any experience with adult refugees. I’ve never really had to apply my Spanish outside of the classroom. I should’ve realized the word “never” doesn’t stop God! The immense support from my coworkers, family, friends, and depending on God truly got me through that first trimester at Mission Adelante. I was learning as I was going. I was learning what it meant to step into action and become a leader.

A year later, I am here. I am LOVING what I do. I had never envisioned myself as a leader, but God did. He knew who I would become and how it would come to be. I am so glad I trusted Him through the confusing moments and struggle in my early college years. I am still learning as I go, but I am much more confident in who I am and what I am capable of. 

I want to encourage you if you are going through moments of confusion in your life. I pray that supernatural clarity comes to you soon. God is faithful and I believe He is lining everything up for you. Stand on the truth that God is faithful, God is love, and God works everything for good.

I am so thankful for this past year at Mission Adelante and I am excited to see what the next year holds!

LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES?

VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION

Join our team of volunteers for the fall trimester and be part of "loving people from all places." Attend our volunteer orientation on Saturday, September 9th and find your place serving kids, youth, or adults in the immigrant community in KCK

For more information about volunteer opportunities visit www.missionadelante.org/orientation

Be part of our programs!

 We are so excited to start our fall programs and we are grateful for all our volunteers who make everything possible. Would you consider partnering with us this trimester?

How can you help?

  • Pray for our program participants would create an impact in our community and grow with their walk with the Lord.

  • Volunteer – Come to our volunteer Orientation. For more information visit: http://www.missionadelante.org/serve

  • Donate to join us in building a multicultural community of disciples making disciples.

When the Students Became the Teachers

When the Students Became the Teachers


Written by Yulia Wijata & David Tjiptogarson, ESL Volunteers


As another trimester teaching ESL at Mission Adelante came to an end,  I could not help but reflect and be thankful for the opportunity, the friendship, and the joy that David and I experienced in the past year and a half. 

It was late in 2020, at the end of a seemingly long and isolating pandemic year, that we were yearning for more community. The invitation to the volunteer orientation at Mission Adelante posted on our church’s Facebook page caught my eye. I had heard about the organization and its ministry working with the refugee and immigrant community in Kansas City, Kansas, years before but never took steps to find out more or made the commitment to serve. When we finally went to the orientation and learned about the different serving opportunities, we immediately felt the calling to get involved in the ESL program.

To be honest, in the beginning, I was a bit apprehensive at the thought of teaching English. My husband and I are immigrants ourselves, and English is not our native language. We had to learn English and American culture when we came to the United States over 30 years ago. While I was not confident in my ability to teach English and my lack of Spanish, I always felt a kinship with the immigrant community and thought that we had a unique perspective to offer since we had gone through the experience of learning a new language and adjusting to life in a new country.

We started in ESL Level 1, where we worked one-on-one with the students, helping them with simple tense and pronunciation of common words and phrases. In Level 2, we began to help the lead teacher with some sessions. We gained more confidence as we moved up to each level with our students, like Nancy and Manuel, who started the program in Level 1 with us. A few weeks ago, David and I just completed teaching Level 4 on our own!  We had a lot of fun because it was so much more than just teaching and learning English. David always started the class serving tea and cookies as we caught up on everybody’s week. We also played games, celebrated birthdays and the birth of a grandson, prayed for each other, and learned about different cultures. 

I’m not exaggerating when I say Thursday night is the highlight of our week.  We love teaching ESL and seeing our students progress and learn new things. We love hearing their stories and building relationships with each one of them. It’s inspiring to see the hard work they put in and the energy they bring to class each week because I know some of them come after a long day at work, but they always try their best to make it to class. 

Volunteering at Mission Adelante was one of the best serving experiences we ever did. It is a rewarding experience that taught us a lot about others and about ourselves. We found an amazing community and so much more.

Be part of our programs!

We are so excited to start the summer trimester and we are grateful for all our volunteers who make everything possible. Would you consider partnering with us this trimester?

How can you help?

  • Pray for our program participants would create an impact in our community and grow with their walk with the Lord.

  • Volunteer – Come to one of our obseveration nights the second week of July. For more information visit: https://www.missionadelante.org/observe

  • Donate to join us in building a multicultural community of disciples making disciples.

You Can’t Spell “Essential” Without ESL

You Can’t Spell “Essential” Without ESL


Written by Dan Taylor, Partner Engagement Volunteer.


My wife and I moved to Kansas almost 40 years ago. We came from Illinois, and we immediately noticed some things…

1.   People call it “69 Highway” and not “Highway 69.”

2.   69 Highway is one of the ways you can get to a town called “Olathe,” which is pronounced, “Oh-lay-thuh.”

3.   While you’re there, you can get an entrée or a sandwich called, “Burnt Ends” which doesn’t mean something bad happened to the ends, it means you’re about to have something delicious!

It’s a lot easier to live in Olathe if you know these things. In a short time, we sounded like natives, not people who had moved from two states over. And once our kids were born here, it was like we’d been here forever.

Those are just three quick examples of challenges you might face if you haven’t been here forever. If you’ve been here 3 weeks and you came from a place where almost every single thing was different, you can imagine how intimidating that could be.

 Now imagine your child is sick and you want to take them to a doctor. How do you find one? Will you be able to communicate?  And if you want to imagine even more, what about insurance?

 It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to see that a working knowledge of English is the key that unlocks just about every good thing about living in America.

This is just one of the ways that a place like Mission Adelante provides a vital link to immigrants. ESL classes help make the experience of living in a new place a little less overwhelming, a little less intimidating, and, frankly, a little less scary.

 You don’t have to know the students’ native language to be a volunteer, and you don’t have to be an English major. I was anxious about this at first, but then I learned that the students are there to learn English, and if you only speak to them in English, that’s ideal!

You’ll be provided with materials and instructions that make it easy to help someone feel more at home here. You volunteer your time, and Mission Adelante does the rest.

My wife and I felt like this was home shortly after we arrived. The opportunity to help others overcome hurdles much larger than figuring out a BBQ menu and begin to think of this as their home too is as much a blessing for the volunteer as it is for the student.

 Drop by soon and see for yourself!

Be part of our programs!

We are so excited to start the summer trimester and we are grateful for all our volunteers who make everything possible. Would you consider partnering with us this trimester?

How can you help?

  • Pray for our program participants would create an impact in our community and grow with their walk with the Lord.

  • Volunteer – Come to one of our obseveration nights the second week of July. For more information visit: https://www.missionadelante.org/observe

  • Donate to join us in building a multicultural community of disciples making disciples.

"Crossing Language Barriers"

Crossing Language Barriers:

A High Schooler's Inspiring Experience at Mission Adelante"

Written by Joe Thummel, ESL Volunteer. 

As a junior in high school and Spanish student, I was looking for an opportunity to put my Spanish skills to use for a good cause. With fortuitous timing, I was informed about Mission Adelante by a family friend. Immediately interested, I signed up to teach ESL Level One for the summer trimester.

Serving as an ESL teacher at Mission Adelante has been super fun and engaging. I look forward to each and every Thursday when I get to meet and engage with students who are just as passionate about learning English as I am about learning Spanish. Hearing the stories of all the students and making connections through the language barrier has widened my view of both my community and the world.

I have enjoyed and learned from each and every student I have helped teach. Whether it is Michael, Sandy, Ligni, or Karla, each and every one of them has brightened up my Thursday with their positive attitudes and strong determination to learn English. When they choose to complete language worksheets rather than take a 15 minute break or insist on speaking only English when communicating with me, I admire their grit and resilience.

And while they’ve learned some English from me, I’ve also learned lots of Spanish from them. Michael taught me slang words from Honduras, and Sandy helps me distinguish between Spanish words that don’t translate to English perfectly, words like arriba and encima which both mean “above” in English but have slightly different meanings in Spanish.

I love being one of the youngest ESL teachers at Mission Adelante. Because I’m young I think both younger and older students feel more relaxed around me, and I also use my energetic personality to make newer students feel more comfortable in class.

I am not exaggerating when I say that ESL class is tons of fun and that Thursday nights are the highlight of my week. I would encourage young people with any interest in Spanish to join up with Mission Adelante. The mutual impacts that you and your student will exert on each other is so meaningful, and you will both get to enhance your language skills as a bonus.

LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES?

VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION

Join our team of volunteers for the summer trimester and be part of "loving people from all places." Attend our volunteer orientation on May 20th and find your place serving kids, youth, or adults in the immigrant community in KCK

For more information about volunteer opportunities visit www.missionadelante.org/serve

Be part of our programs!

We are so excited to start our second trimester of this year and we are grateful for all our volunteers who make everything possible. Would you consider partnering with us this summer trimester?

How can you help?

  • Pray for our program participants would create an impact in our community and grow with their walk with the Lord.

  • Volunteer – Come to volunteer orientation on May 20th. For more information visit: https://www.missionadelante.org/serve

  • Donate to join us in building a multicultural community of disciples making disciples.