A Light in the Loneliness 🕯
by Nicole Yancy, Arts Community Volunteer
“So in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”- Romans 12:5
Not totally unlike the immigrants and refugees Mission Adelante serves, I came to Kansas City not knowing anyone. I remember being scared and lonely quite often in those first few months. I longed for a place to belong outside of my house and work.
While not everyone experiences dramatic life changes like immigrants and refugees, or even cross the country moves like me, we all as a society are more lonely than ever. A study by Cigna found that “more than three in five Americans are lonely, with more and more people reporting feeling like they are left out, poorly understood and lacking companionship." The study also showed a 13% increase in loneliness over the past 4 years. This is no surprise to me, because in the past several years we have all experienced a tumultuous political climate, an unstable economy, shifting work situations, health fears, and physical isolation during the pandemic.
In times like this, I feel so blessed to have found a consistent community in Mission Adelante. Ultimately, I believe what makes Mission Adelante such a strong community in this lonely world lacking community, is a shared love of Christ and desire to serve him.
Some of the moments that really drove home this point for me were:
Continuing to meet for a virtual bible study with Art’s Community volunteers and leaders during the height of lockdown.
Watching a roomful of children from different places, cultures, and abilities play with each other joyfully.
Helping kids who struggled at the start of a program grow into leaders and a few quiet kids blossom when given a chance to express themselves through art.
Watching program leaders and interns grow in confidence and leadership abilities.
The feeling of giving and getting something of value simply by showing up, regardless of any specific skill or ability.
Truly, we are stronger when we gather with the intention to love Christ. It’s been amazing to see how Mission Adelante has helped Kansas City. I can’t wait to see what is next for this amazing place.
