Love your neighbor

This is Our Time


This is Our Time

by Jarrett Meek, Founder/Pastor/Executive Director



Mission Adelante, like the rest of the world, is digesting the results of the U.S. presidential election.  Given our experiences during the previous Trump presidency and the rhetoric and policy statements that have been made regarding immigrants and refugees during the recent campaign, we are anticipating a challenging season for our community and a disruption in the government programs for refugee resettlement and support.  

Nevertheless, Mission Adelante is resolute in our commitment to serve the immigrant and refugee communities in Kansas City.  We have been swimming against the cultural current for 19 years and we have been forged in the fire of unfavorable political policies and harsh public rhetoric for much of our history as a ministry.  And yet, our passion for “loving people from all places” grows only stronger when those we are called to serve are marginalized.  The ears of our hearts become even more attentive when we hear Jesus say, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me”.  Mission Adelante exists, in part, to stand in the gap for vulnerable people whose worth others may not recognize.

We are not alone in our conviction and commitment to compassionate action.  We have seen churches, schools, businesses, organizations, and individuals throughout the metro area and the region rise to the occasion and join us in serving, sharing life, and sharing Jesus with our neighbors from all places.  When our resilient and courageous community of immigrants and refugees is joined by Americans who are serious about “loving our neighbor as ourselves”, a powerful “new we” emerges that challenges the “us vs. them” narrative. 

Friends, this is our time.  And when I say “our time”, I mean a collective “OUR” that includes YOU.  This is our collective time to shine and we need YOU to be part of the WE.  Over the coming weeks, we will be rolling out some new and timely ways for you to engage.  Please stay tuned!  Whether through praying, serving, or giving, we invite you to join us in loving people from all places.

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 – For more information visit: http://www.missionadelante.org/serve

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

Year 19: Crazy Growth!


Year 19: Crazy Growth!

by Jarrett Meek, Founder/Pastor/Executive Director



There have been many exciting seasons at Mission Adelante since our launch in 2005. The initial launch phase was a thrilling adventure, engaging new volunteers, connecting with neighbors, and developing brand new ministry programs.  Five years later, we were exploring a ministry to Bhutanese-Nepali refugees and expanding our impact.  In 2015, we launched Adelante Thrift, a major milestone in sustainable entrepreneurship. This year, 2024, is another year of unprecedented growth and new endeavors at Mission Adelante.

Refugee Resettlement: It’s safe to say, we didn’t really know what we were getting ourselves into when we said,”yes” to resettling refugees, but secretly, we had a hunch it would exceed our expectations.  Indeed, the refugee resettlement journey has been an exhilarating challenge that has doubled the size of our ministry impact!  As we approach the end of September, we will have received 103 individuals, orienting them, housing them, getting them medical care, enrolling the kids in schools, and caring for their critical needs during their first months in the the U.S.  Our Refugee Services staff has grown from 1.5 to seven team members, we’ve engaged over 50 new volunteers, and our overall budget has nearly doubled.  The real noteworthy part of this is that we’ve accomplished these impossible feats, building the team, creating the systems, and doing the work, in the first nine months of the year!

Core Ministry Programs: Our core Ministry Programs have seen more qualitative growth through 2024 than growth in numbers.  Leadership development through our kids and youth ministries has produced a crop of youth interns and an a couple of young adult apprentices who demonstrate the kind of gifts and character that we dream about seeing in our young people.

Transitions: A few weeks ago, our staff team got away for a day for a staff retreat.  As we were sitting around the room sharing about our Gallup Strengths Finder results, I was keenly aware that our team has many new faces.  In addition to adding a whole new refugee services team, another part of this year’s craziness has been transitions other in key roles.  From Michelle Simbaqueva and Rachel Yeargin joining our team in important operations roles, Yanelis López switching out of her Associate Director role to serve on our Refugee Team, and more recently, Luis Magaña’s transition, in a lot of ways, our team is being re-built for our exciting future. 

Construction: In January we acquired the commercial building adjacent our main property.  Early in the year we worked hard with architects and engineers to put together an awesome plan for our new refugee welcome center, which will house staff offices, classrooms, and storage space for our refugee services ministry.  After submitting our plans to the city, we’ve been in a long holding pattern as we’ve awaited the proper permits to begin our work.  In the meantime, we’ve hired Tate Williams’ CoBuild, Inc, as our General Contractor, and we’re preparing to launch another fundraising campaign to raise $550,000 for this project.    

In short, 2024 has been a year of exhilarating growth and all the challenges that come with big, new endeavors. As we look toward the last quarter of the year and forward to our 20th Anniversary next year, we invite you to pray with us for God’s favor, His energy, and His guidance to walk faithfully in the opportunities He is laying before us.

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.

Catch a Ride on the Whirlwind!


Catch a Ride on the Whirlwind

by Jarrett Meek, Founder/Pastor/Executive Director



The year 2024 has begun with a spinning, whirling, blizzard of blessings at Mission Adelante. “Spinning and whirling”, because it has been CRAZY. “Blizzard”, because it has been blinding (and because of the alliteration, which I happen to love). “Blessings”, because there’s no other way to describe the joyful new things the Lord is doing at Mission Adelante.

As 2023 came to a close, we were praying and working on raising $500,000 for the purchase of the adjacent commercial building and a residential house which would serve as our Refugee welcome center. It had all come together surprisingly quickly, as we learned about the opportunity to purchase those properties during the first week of October. It would be a Providential moment in our newest project- the launch of a Refugee Resettlement program at Mission Adelante. Donors from far and wide stepped forward- church partners, business partners, generous individuals- and we witnessed what seems like a miracle- our campaign total reached $500,995 by the end of January, allowing us to purchase the properties and begin work on plans for a complete renovation of the commercial space. In the meantime, we’ve done some cosmetic work to the “welcome house”, and it is set to begin being used to welcome newly arriving refugees in the next few weeks! I’m astounded at the provision of God and His perfect timing!

The new properties are not the biggest thing happening at Mission Adelante right now. Indeed, the refugee resettlement program itself lifted off the last week of January, as we received our first family, a couple from Nicaragua. The “good neighbor team” that we assigned to this very first family was from Mission Adelante’s own Spanish-speaking church community. With tremendous generosity and love, our own community of “people from all places” set the standard for hospitality, welcoming this new Refugee family to the United States and also into our church! Then, in a chain reaction of hospitality, this first refugee couple helped us welcome another new arrival, who, in turn, helped yet another family with their first steps in the U.S.!  This is what happens when agency, community, and church collide in one organization!  To date, we’ve received 12 families from different countries and continents. We’re building new systems, figuring things out as we go, and leaning on the support of partners in our community and city. God is so good!

As if this weren’t enough, in late January, we received news from the Kansas State Office for Refugees that we would be awarded additional grant funding to expand our programming. The kinds of expansion opportunities they had in mind went far beyond what we had imagined. It has allowed us to supercharge the development of our Refugee Resettlement team, which has gone from Kristen Maxwell, as the lone team member back in the fall, to include five full-time staff members by early March. Needless to say, the addition of these programs, which target employment services, medical navigation, public benefit navigation, expanded English classes, and more, will allow us to serve our new friends in a much more comprehensive way. Of course, this kind of rapid expansion of programming and staffing requires new systems and more operation support, which have stretched our team and infrastructure — a blinding blizzard of blessings!

Friends, this is an exciting time of expansion at Mission Adelante. The Lord is expanding our reach and our capacity as a ministry, and we’re so very thankful for this whirlwind of new things. Even as we lean into these new opportunities, we continue to see and celebrate fruit in our legacy programs and enjoy the fun and encouraging team environment among our staff and volunteers. We don’t stop giving thanks for those who serve as volunteers, give as donors, pray as partners, and love our community with us. Let’s do this! Let’s spread our wings and catch a ride on the whirlwind!

Our Refugee Resettlement staff: Kristen, Caleb, Marian, Veronica, Amy and Yanelis

LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES?
JOIN US FOR VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION - may 18TH

Join our team of volunteers for the summer trimester and be part of "loving people from all places." Attend our volunteer orientation on May 18th, 2024 and find your place serving kids, youth, or adults in the immigrant community in KCK

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

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.

Reflections on Doing Justly, Loving Mercy, and Walking Humbly

A Team from Mission Adelante was inspired to do justly, love mercy, and walk humble at the annual CCDA conference this month.

A Team from Mission Adelante was inspired to do justly, love mercy, and walk humble at the annual CCDA conference this month.

Written by Jarrett Meek, Executive Director

Recently, a passage from the Old Testament prophet Micah has been on my mind.  "With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the God on high?", asks the prophet.  "Shall I come with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?  Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil?  Shall I give my firstborn...?"  What does the Lord require of us?  As Micah ponders this questions out loud, his mind goes first to external religious practices.  He mentions sacrifices and wonders if the Lord will be pleased with his burnt offerings.  It seems clear he's setting this idea up to be torn down.  Then he goes a bit further, multiplying the sacrifices by really big numbers; "what if my sacrifices numbered in the thousands and tens of thousands?  Then would the Lord be pleased?"  And then he proposes the ultimate act of religious devotion; "What if my religious zeal was so great that I were to give my FIRSTBORN!"  The way he asks the questions communicate the answer: zeal for religious practice does NOT please the Lord.  

Today we might say something like, "What if I pray each morning?  What if I get up at 4:30 a.m. to pray each morning?  Then would the Lord be pleased?" Or, what if I read the Bible in a year?  What if I memorize a whole chapter from the Bible?  Then would the Lord be pleased?"  I believe the answer to these questions is like the answer Micah was implying; the Lord is not impressed by our religious activity.

Micah is not meaning to toss out spiritual disciplines or practices all together.  He just wants to put them in their place.  When he finally gets around to answering the question, he says, "He has shown you, oh man, what is good and what the Lord requires of you."  He reveals his answer in 3 parts:

  1. To do justly
  2. To love mercy
  3. To walk humbly with your God.

Doing justly means, in part, seeking the good of our neighbor, especially our neighbor who is vulnerable to suffering injustice.  If we want to please God, Micah reminds us, we must care deeply about injustice and do something about it.  

When I think about loving mercy, the first thing that comes to my mind is the famous book/musical/movie, Les Miserables.  For those who have seen it, the image of a man, Javert, who loves judgement and the law contrasts in the most powerful way with a man who has received mercy and loves to give it, Jean Valjean.  The Lord is pleased with a person who loves mercy.

Walking humbly with our God has many expressions.  Humility should characterize our relationship with God and should permeate our relationship with our neighbor.  The apostle Paul said it well when he wrote, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others as more significant than yourselves."  (Philippians 2:3)

As Mission Adelante lives out it's mission, our heart's desire is to please the Lord.  We love to talk about the greatest commandments: to love God and to love our neighbor.  The passage in Micah 6 gives us another way to remember and apply what Jesus said was most important.

Current Needs:

  • Our Leaders in Training (LIT) students are hungry when they arrive at Mission Adelante after school.  We go through about 80 individually wrapped snacks a week! Next time you are at Costco or Sams, think of us!  You can drop them off at Mission Adelante during regular business hours, Monday - Thursday 9:00 - 5:00.