The God at Work in the Lives of our Friends

Written by Holly Stetler

Most of us know the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, Daniel's friends who found themselves under the rule and authority of King Nebuchanezzer. The three men refused to bow down to an idol made by the king and were about to face their death in a fiery furnace because of it. They refused because they knew and worshiped the one true God that had recently helped them become some of the strongest and smartest men in the king's household. They served King Nebuchanezzer but they were not going to disobey their true king by abandoning the most important commandment. This was the story we shared with our friends at kids club this Tuesday and it was amazing to share what the power of the one true God helped these friends overcome: death!

Sometimes it is hard to get through to kids. Actually, let me rephrase that. It is ALWAYS hard to get through to kids. This story is about three friends who literally walked around in fire and did not even get burned! This story shows us the infinite power of God and how well he cares for those who follow him! However, most of the kids hearing the story didn't seem to be amazed! They recited the story back to me, and most said they probably would have tried to run away if this had happened to them, but it was just a story to them.

I felt discouraged in the moment, but I’m thankful that these aren’t just stories. I’m thankful that God is both powerful and loving. I’m thankful that every week I have a moment here and a moment there with my little friends to share about his unending love. I’m thankful that just like God's intervention on behalf of Daniel’s friends, he is the one who must, too, intervene in the lives of my little friends. I want them to know our Lord and Savior. I want them to feel his unending love and know the hope he brings even when things seem impossible.

I was humbled, and remembered that it is not me, but the Holy Spirit, who will pierce their hearts. I remembered that we are called to communicate the gospel with clarity and compassion through our words and our lives and let God do the rest. Will you pray with me that these children will know his truth? That one day they will hear this story and be in awe that the almighty God loves, cares for and protects his children? May He continue to break through to their hearts!

In other news:

• Megan and Iris, one of our summer interns, traveled to the CCDA (Christian Community Development Association) National Conference last week in North Carolina.   It was a great time of refreshment, networking, and growth.
• Bhutanese ESL students showed Tuesday night that they are mastering the citizenship material. We are thankful for the many volunteers who have invested in their learning and pray each student will eventually reach his or her goal of passing the citizenship exam interview.

Current needs:

• We are looking for an affordable and reliable snow-removal service to plow our parking lot this winter.  If you have any recommendations, please email Sarah at sarahw@missionadelante.org.
• The Bhutanese Leaders in Training program is looking for Thursday mentors!  We need 3 more people to help with homework and enrichment activities from 4:00-6:15pm on Thursdays!  To come check it out, contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org.
• A Bhutanese family from our community recently moved and their new house lacks a refrigerator. If you are able to provide a refrigerator, please contact Drew Hammond at drewh@missionadelante.org.

Important dates:

• Get-acquainted Days: Tuesdays, October 14 & 21 (Bhutanese)/Thursdays, October 16 & 23, 6:30-8:30  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 on up to 22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102.

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Turning the World Upside Down

By Hannah Hume, Bhutanese Teens Ministry Coordinator

At Mission Adelante we envision a growing multicultural community of disciples making disciples. This vision is the at the core of everything we do and how we do it. We believe that expanding God's kingdom through the transformation of individual lives is at the heart of God's call for us and is the only way to see lasting change in ourselves, our communities, our cities, and our world.

 As a Kansas City, Kansas resident I often get an front-row seat to the hard and broken aspects of the city. Drugs, domestic violence, bigotry, and unjust systems abound. It can be overwhelming at times. However, I know there is hope. I don't find this hope in government programs, or changing laws, or hungry bellies fed. Laws can always change again, and those who were hungry will be hungry again tomorrow. I find hope in stories of lives transformed, like Narbu.

A couple of weeks ago I sat with 19 year old Narbu in his living room while he shared his concern for many of the young men in our community, and his desire to see them know Jesus and have their lives transformed. Why is this young man so concerned about his peers? Because a few years ago, Narbu himself was in a gang. However, through a series of miraculous events, his Hindu family came to know Jesus. Narbu was exposed to the good news of Jesus as well, and responded with his own personal commitment of faith.  Narbu turned his back on gang life, and is now newly married and an avid participant in a house church and in our teens ministry here at Mission Adelante. He dreams of ministering to and seeing young men from similar backgrounds as his escape their current lives and embrace the full life Jesus offers.

Narbu's is just one of a number of stories like this. Jesus offers good news--not just eternal security, but an invitation to have full life today, and to participate in bringing full life to those around us. When we talk about making disciples, our aim is not to clean people up morally, or to teach a Bible class. Rather, it is to display a daily walk with Jesus that affects every area of our lives and calls others to walk with us, like Paul described in 1 Corinthians when he wrote, "Follow me, as I follow Christ."

I dream of the day when the Mission Adelante community is accused of "turning the world upside down" like Jesus' followers in Acts 17:6 (ESV).  Care to join us?

Prayer needs:

• Please pray for Mon Maya Rai, the matriarch of one of our Bhutanese house churches, as she continues to struggle with health problems, and for the community surrounding her.

Current needs:

• Bhutanese LIT is currently in need of 3 Thursday mentors to serve from 4:00-6:15 on Thursday afternoons.  If you are interested in joining our team, please contact Kristen Maxwell at Kristenm@missionadelante.org.

Important dates:

• Get-acquainted Days: Tuesdays, October 14 & 21 (Bhutanese)/Thursdays, October 16 & 23, 6:30-8:30  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 on up to 22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102.

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Becoming Found Together

By Drew Hammond, Bhutanese Ministry Logistics Coordinator

“They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their possessions and property and were sharing with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

Acts 2:42-47 is a great passage. It is one of the first accounts of people gathering together after Jesus was resurrected and ascended to be with the Father.  It’s passages like these that gives inspiration for our vision at Mission Adelante. “We envision a growing multicultural community of disciples making disciples, where immigrants and others are thriving and using our gifts together to transform our neighborhood and the world for the glory of Jesus Christ.” That statement can be played out in a number of ways, through our various programs. For the Bhutanese Teens Ministry, it looks like what happened last night with the launch of our new trimester.

We gathered in the home of one of our staff members with a team of volunteers and invited a group of 6 Bhutanese students to come and meet with us. These students all come from a Hindu or Buddhist background, and are people with whom we have been sharing life. They have all voiced interest in learning more about Jesus and how to follow Him as Lord. In response to their persistent interest, we gathered them together to mimic what we see in Acts 2:42-47, and to become a spiritual family, devoting ourselves to Jesus.

To start off, we spent some time getting to know each other and shedding tears brought on by the spicy Nepali snack we were enjoying. We moved into a time of worship, singing in both Nepali and English.  The teaching time was focused on two passages: Genesis 3:9 and Acts 2:42-47. The focus of Genesis 3:9 was to draw out what it means for us as individuals to be people who choose to be found by God, through the work of Jesus, as He calls for all of us. Then we brought it together by reading Acts as our statement of how we do that together, become a spiritual family. We ended by sharing prayer needs and praises and by praying for those things, some in Nepali and some in English.

Even on our first time bringing this group of people together, we had a sense of awe. Will you pray with us? Pray that many signs and wonders would take place in our lives. Pray for vision and clarity around who needs to be added to this group of people. And especially pray that we would increasingly become of one mind as we worship Jesus as Lord, and learn what it means to follow Him together.

In other news:

• Both our Latino Leaders in Training (LIT) program and our Bhutanese Leaders in Training (LIT) program launched this week, with 12 and 18 students, respectively! They're energetic and ready for a new year of learning and growing together. We are super excited to spend this school year pouring into these kids and their families.
• The Bhutanese outreach had a great trimester launch on Tuesday night!  Many kids and English students were present, and it went smoothly. The Latino outreach launches tonight. Please pray for the ways God wants to work during this new trimester.
• Five community members shared their stories at our volunteer training on Saturday.  Our immigrant community has taken more ownership in training incoming volunteers in the last year.
• Gary Pauley has officially begun working part-time at Mission Adelante overseeing our Latino ESL program as he continues to raise funds to come on full time as our Latino Ministries Director.  We’re excited to have Gary on board!
• Some of our staff members, volunteers, and participants were able to enjoy interesting experiences last week! Twenty five students and volunteers from Bhutanese English class went to a Royals game together. It was a first for many of them, and a great way to connect relationally outside of class. Additionally, a group of 15 Bhutanese teens and volunteers went to see The Blue Man Group at Starlight Theater. They had a lot of fun dancing and laughing!

Prayer needs:

• Please pray for the recovery of several staff members who are ill with the respiratory virus that is going around.
• Please pray for new students and volunteers to make significant relational connections over the next few weeks.
• Please pray for the last steps in our lease negotiations for a site for Adelante Thrift.
• Please pray for our our High School students that are beginning their Senior year. Senior year is a crucial and busy time for students and many of them have expressed feeling overwhelmed already with homework and preparations for graduation and beyond.

Current needs:

• Bhutanese LIT still needs----- mentors to help with homework and enrichment activities on THURSDAY afternoons from 4:00-6:30.  Please contact Kristen Maxwell if you are interested in helping out at kristenm@missionadelante.org.

Important Dates:

• September 24: No Latino LIT

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Connecting to Culture

By Jenny Dunn, Bhutanese ESL Coordinator

A couple Saturdays ago, the Bhutanese volunteers and team had a chance to celebrate our students and the end of yet another trimester of classes. The summer parties are always a special time; they're our most low key parties but are always filled with lots of American culture with the picnic and lawn games as well as Bhutanese-Nepali culture with lots of singing and dancing.

This summer, we had an opportunity to have two outstanding Bhutanese interns, one of who is an excellent dancer. He teamed up with one of our volunteers and choreographed a Hindi dance for a group of us Americans to perform at the party.  We started practicing a month and a half in advance; we wanted the first American dance to be unforgettable. And it was!  It was fun and unforgettable for the dancers as well as for our friends in the audience.

Here are a couple pictures from the "historical party," as said by one of our Bhutanese friends.

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In other news:

• We’re negotiating the lease for Adelante Thrift and starting to pull together the team to help launch sustainable community development in our community. Interested in serving on our Adelante Thrift Action Team? Join us at the next Volunteer Orientation and Training on September 13 (see below for details) or email Matt at mattt@missionadelante.org.
• We are having an amazing time with our Cuban family! Five members of the RAICES ("Roots") ministry team are visiting for about two weeks. We have had a lot of great relational time as well as intentional ministry time.  The RAICES team will join the Latino community on our retreat this weekend, where we will be learning about praising God in a variety of contexts.

Prayer needs:

• Pray for our fall trimester planning process. Pray for volunteers, students and kids to be drawn to our programs. Pray that hearts are soft and ready to respond to God’s leading.

Current needs:

• Volunteers for our Fall Trimester, beginning the week of September 15:
  • Monday-Thursday afternoons: 20 volunteers to serve one afternoon a week at Leaders In Training, our after-school tutoring and character development program for a select group of 8-13 year old Bhutanese and Latino students.  Contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org or Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org.
  • Tuesday evenings: 8 volunteers to serve at Kids Club, our outreach Bible study for 1-13 year old Bhutanese kids.  Contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org.
  • Thursday evenings:
    • Volunteer conversation partners for our Adult ESL classes.  Contact Morgan Ham at morganh@missionadelante.org.
    • 5 volunteers to serve at Kids Adelante, our outreach Bible study for 5-12 year old Latino kids.  Contact Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org.

• We are making progress on the house rehab and Christ Community Church has been partnering with us every step of the way.  They are organizing work days this Saturday, August 30 and next Saturday, September 6th starting at 9:00.  We will be installing siding, caulking windows, repairing the porch, and painting.  Email Sarah at sarahw@missionadelante.org for more information or to sign up to help.
• LIT has been gifted tablets to use with LIT this school year.  We are in need of cases to protect the tablets.  If you would like to donate one, check out our Wishlist: LIT Wishlist.  If you have questions please contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org or Megan McDermott at meganm@Missionadelante.org.

Important dates:

• Volunteer Orientation & Training: Saturday, September 13, 9:00-12:30 All volunteers should attend this training once at the beginning of serving with Mission Adelante. It's also a great way for someone to become familiar with Mission Adelante's ministry. If you or someone you know is interested in finding out more about what we do, and about our volunteer opportunities, please plan to attend/encourage him or her to plan on attending this informative training, and to contact Morgan at morganh@missionadelante.org for all the details.
• All Volunteer Huddle & Dessert: Monday, September 15, 6:30 p.m. We encourage everyone that will be volunteering with us during our fall trimester to attend so we can prepare for a great launch. 
• Fall trimester programs launch: Week of September 15

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From Barbie Dolls to High Heels: A Coming-of-Age Celebration!

By Megan McDermott, Latino Children's Ministry Director

One of the best parts of sharing life with the community of Mission Adelante is that we are privileged to be invited into milestone celebrations. We love embracing the uniqueness of the different cultures that we serve and celebrating that culture right alongside our friends!  

Within the Latino culture, one of the most important days in the life of a young Latina woman is when she turns fifteen years old.  This milestone, also known as the Quinceanera, occurs when a young girl is presented to her community as a young woman. Before the eyes of friends and family, she receives her last doll, dances a special waltz with her father, and exchanges flat shoes for a "grown up" pair of high heels.  All of this symbolizes the transformation and celebration of  a little girl becoming a woman.  I was blessed to be invited to the quinceanera of a young woman that I have known for many years.

I met Gissel seven years ago when I began serving at Mission Adelante.  At the time she was eight years old and had this very sweet spark of innocence in her.  She has always had a very special place in my heart because of her inherent goodness, compassion for others, and her tenacious spirit.  As she has matured, she has grown up participating in our outreach Bible study, our after-school tutoring program, our teens program, and recently gained admittance to Bishop Ward, one of the best hig schools in Kansas City!  God has blessed us with the opportunity to walk with her and her entire family.  

We have seen the importance of planting the seeds of Christ early in the life of a child and how, when tended over the years, those seeds can grow into strong saplings.  Watching Gissel walk up to the altar with her parents on the day of the quinceanera was a strong reminder to me of God's goodness and faithfulness. Investing in the children of our community requires time, patience, and faith that God is in control.  As I looked at this beautiful young woman, remembering her when she was so young, I found myself praising God for how He has lovingly guided her over the years.  I am excited to see where He will lead her!

In other news:

• We relaunched one of our Latino House churches this weekend.  It was exciting to see some members reconnect who had been absent for a long time.
• We are excited to welcome our Cuban family, Raices ("Roots"), as they arrive in Kansas City for ten days.  We are looking forward to fellowship, laughter, fun, and the Lord to continue uniting our ministries to spread the Gospel.

Prayer needs:

• The RAICES team from Cuba will be in Kansas City for 2 weeks!  Please pray that their visit will be fruitful, that there would be mutual learning between our community and theirs.
• Please pray for Adelante Thrift while we work through the lease for our location.
• Continue to pray for members of our community looking for work. Pray for good pay and healthy work environments.
• Please pray for the health of one of our dear friends in the Bhutanese Community, Mon Maya, as she has been sick for several months.
• The family members of one of our Cuban community members just received visas to join him in Kansas City after a four year wait. Please pray for the Lord to guide them through all that immigration to the US entails, and to provide for their needs as they settle here.

Current needs:

• Volunteers for our Fall Trimester, beginning the week of September 15:
• Monday-Thursday afternoons: 20 volunteers to serve one afternoon a week at Leaders In Training, our after-school tutoring and character development program for a select group of 8-13 year old Bhutanese and Latino students.  Contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org or Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org.
• Tuesday evenings: 8 volunteers to serve at Kids Club, our outreach Bible study for 1-13 year old Bhutanese kids.  Contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org.
• Thursday evenings:
• Volunteer conversation partners for our Adult ESL classes.  Contact Morgan Ham at morganh@missionadelante.org.
• 5 volunteers to serve at Kids Adelante, our outreach Bible study for 5-12 year old Latino kids.  Contact Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org.
• LIT has been gifted tablets to use with LIT this school year.  We are in need of cases to protect the tablets.  If you would like to donate one, check out our Wishlist:  LIT Wishlist  If you have questions please contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org or Megan McDermott at meganm@Missionadelante.org
• The RG Asian store is expanding their store to include a restaurant. They are currently in need of a few small tables and chairs.  Please contact David Stetler at davids@missionadelante.org.  
• We are making steady progress on the house rehab, and will soon need appliances.  Please contact Sarah at sarahw@missionadelante.org if you are able to donate an electric range/oven, washer, electric dryer, or dishwasher.
• We want to re-open our resource center well-stocked with food baskets.  Check out this link  http://www.missionadelante.org/serviceprojects/  or contact Molly Merrick at mollym@missionadelante.org for more information about how to get involved.

Important dates:

• Volunteer Orientation & Training: Saturday, September 13, 9:00-12:30 All volunteers should attend this training once at the beginning of serving with Mission Adelante. It's also a great way for someone to become familiar with Mission Adelante's ministry. If you or someone you know is interested in finding out more about what we do, and about our volunteer opportunities, please plan to attend/encourage him or her to plan on attending this informative training, and to contact Morgan at morganh@missionadelante.org for all the details.
• All Volunteer Huddle & Dessert: Monday, September 15, 6:30 p.m. We encourage everyone that will be volunteering with us during our fall trimester to attend so we can prepare for a great launch. 
• Fall trimester programs launch: Week of September 15

Adelante Thrift Experiences Breakthrough

Written by Kristen Allen, Community Development Director

Our journey towards sustainable community development has been a long one. In December of 2012, the Adelante Thrift Board met for the first time to move forward with plans for a thrift store that provides jobs, job training, and generates revenue for future community development initiatives. We’ve prayed, we’ve planned, and we’ve practiced patience while we wait for God to move and show us a clear path or a clear no. It has been challenging, but has also helped to refine our thrift board and solidify our vision.

After walking a twenty month path, we felt that July 31, 2014, would be the final day for Adelante Thrift to secure a space or feel confident that God had said “not now” for this ministry. At the beginning of July we submitted a final offer for a space we had investigated and the entire board felt peace that we had surrendered this to God and we would move forward according to what was revealed during the final month.

We have a talented Adelante Thrift board who knows business and desires for this ministry to succeed. It might have been easy for us to try and force through the process and make something happen just to see something come of our efforts. We could have changed communities. We could have tried to take a space that didn’t meet our criteria. Instead, we did what may have been the hardest path and that was surrendering to God and staying true to what we believed was the best vision for this project and our community.

Seven days before our deadline, we experienced our first victory when the landlord responded favorably to our final offer. Five days later, we received our 501(c)3 designation from the IRS that we had been waiting for since May of 2013. We had previously been told that our application had been passed on for further review and would require additional development, so we feel these two items coming so close to our deadline could only be described as breakthrough.

We are currently negotiating our lease for the former Hollywood Video at 38th and State. Please continue to pray for us. Ideally we would have the lease signed by the end of this month and then would immediately start fundraising and construction. We look forward to sharing more news from Adelante Thrift and until then we are praising God for showing us His perfect timing.

If you are interested in helping to move Adelante Thrift forward, fill out an

interest form

to join the Adelante Thrift Action Team to help launch sustainable community development in our community.

Back to School Blessings

Written by Kristen Maxwell, 

Bhutanese Children's Ministry Director

Time flies when you are having fun, and this summer at Mission Adelante we had lots of fun!   It is hard to believe that we are looking at another school year. 

This past week we had the chance to outfit around 130 kids and 50 teens with backpacks and the supplies that they need to go back to school.

 Thank you to our partners at Christ Church Anglican and Heartland Community Church for supplying the backpacks and supplies!  They are a huge blessing to our community!

 As we outfit our kids, and send them on their way will you join us in praying for them?  Pray that they would have a good start to the school year.  Pray that they would make good friends, who help them to make good choices.  Pray that God would gift them with the knowledge they need to do well academically.  Pray that they would come to know more about Christ this school year, and remember the lessons they learned, and the fun they had this summer.  

In other news:

• Last week Galilee Learning Center, a collaborative ministry effort between several Chin (from Burma) churches, wrapped up their first summer program at Mission Adelante. Please pray for the teachers and leaders of GLC who have started planning for a school year program. It is exciting for Mission Adelante to continue partnering with GLC to dream of this next phase for their ministry.
• The first Internship Mission Adelante has ever done with Bhutanese and Latino interns together came to a close on a Sunday after a intern retreat where interns swam, played, worshipped and reflected on what God has done in and through them this Summer. Thank you to everyone who partnered with our Interns through prayer and financial support. It was a challenging and joy filled summer where everyone grew and learned a lot!
• Baptism!  Last Sunday night we baptized four members of our Latino community!  Those who were baptized included: Yuri and Natalhy, both from Cuba, along with Charlie and Lucy Meek.

Prayer needs:

• Please for the wife and children of one of our Latino community members.  They will be having an immigrant visa interview in Havana, Cuba later this month.  Pray that their visa would be approved.
• Please pray for our summer interns to find longer term roles in our community now that the internship is over.
• Please pray for depth of community and a passion for God’s word in our house churches.

Current needs:

• We were blessed with 5 new tablets to use in our Leaders in Training program!  We have put together an Amazon wishlist of items to outfit our new tablets for use, and included a few more technology needs on it.  Check out the wish list here:  LIT Technology Wish List -  If you have questions contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org or Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org.

Important dates:

• Bhutanese Summer Party--Saturday, August 9 at 4:00 at Wyandotte County Lake Park, 91st and Leavenworth Road, Kansas City, KS 66109.  After entering the park you'll come to a fork in the road; go left and continue to Shelter #6.  Please bring a dish to share and stay for the awards and cultural presentation!
• Latino Summer Party--Sunday, August 10 at 5:00 at Wyandotte County Lake Park, 91st and Leavenworth Road, Kansas City, KS 66109.  After entering the park you'll come to a fork in the road; go left and continue to Shelters #8 &10.  Please note, these are different shelters than the large shelter where the party has been held in previous years.  Dress casually and bring a dish to share, lawn chairs and/or a picnic blanket.

The Joy of Belonging

When refugees come to America, they are country-less. Many do not have passports or citizenship to any nation. Others have fled persecution and danger from their homeland. They do not belong anywhere, and that is a very difficult place to be. Refugees can apply for permanent resident status (a green card) after living here 12 months, but they cannot apply to become citizens for five years. It is not an automatic process.

by Lauren Timberlake, Bhutanese ESL Coordinator

Some of the Bhutanese families in Kansas City have reached that 5-year mark now. I have heard a few proud stories of passing the exam and beaming smiles telling me they are glad to be officially American. Our friend Ram Rai was interviewed by KSHB41 at his naturalization ceremony a few months ago. You can

watch the video here

.

Ram Rai just after his naturalization ceremony in March.

The citizenship exam is not easy. Applicants must answer many detailed questions about themselves, read and write basic sentences in English, and be prepared to answer any of 100 possible questions about U.S. history and civics. Imagine how hard that would be if you had very little or no education or had never used English before moving here.

The Bhutanese community offers classes to practice these skills every Saturday and Sunday evening. People go both days and study at home during the week. Since January, Mission Adelante English classes have offered citizenship prep as well. Because we have so many volunteer conversation partners, we are uniquely situated to help students practice the reading, writing, and personal information sections of the exam. We incorporate these skills into all levels of classes, so students will be as prepared as possible to pass this incredibly important exam.

Last night, a former English student shared her recent citizenship experience with the Level 1 class. It gave them hope to achieve what often feels like an impossible task.

The joy of belonging--of having a homeland--is contagious. It’s hard to keep a straight face when you watch someone talk about their accomplishment. Citizenship gives refugees great dignity. Please pray for refugees who are working hard to pass their exam, and for the relationships created as students and conversation partners work together towards that goal.

Laxmi celebrated her recent citizenship with us at English class.

Other News

• A few staff members have been working on secret cultural performance (sshhh!) for the Bhutanese trimester party. They are led by two talented teachers: our intern Ram Gurung and volunteer Dani Hammond. Come celebrate with us and see the surprise at the party on August 9th!

Prayer Needs

• Please pray for the adults, kids, and teens that Mission Adelante staff and volunteers have been investing in this summer. Pray that God will bear much fruit from time spent together.

Current Needs

• We were blessed with 5 new tablets to use in our Leaders in Training program!  We have put together an Amazon wishlist of items to outfit our new tablets for use, and included a few more technology needs on it.  Check out the wish list here:  LIT Technology Wish List -  If you have questions contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org or Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelatne.org
• Looking for a fun way to make a big impact in the fall? Want to pour into the future leaders of our community? Our relational and fun after-school tutoring and character development program, Leaders in Training, is currently looking for volunteers.   Contact Megan at meganm@missionadelante.org if you are interested!
• We are exploring the idea of starting a First Lego League team with our Bhutanese Leaders in Training program.  If you have any experience with the First Lego League program, or starting a team, please contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org.

Important Dates

• Bhutanese Summer Party--Saturday, August 9 at 4:00 at Wyandotte County Lake Park, 91st and Leavenworth Road, Kansas City, KS 66109.  After entering the park you'll come to a fork in the road; go left and continue to Shelter #6.  Please bring a dish to share and stay for the awards and cultural presentation!
• Latino Summer Party--Sunday, August 10 at 5:00 at Wyandotte County Lake Park, 91st and Leavenworth Road, Kansas City, KS 66109.  After entering the park you'll come to a fork in the road; go left and continue to Shelters #8 &10.  Please note, these are different shelters than the large shelter where the party has been held in previous years.  Dress casually and bring a dish to share, lawn chairs and/or a picnic blanket.

Summer of Blessing

Often times near the end of leading an intense internship it is easy to look back and see only the challenges. It’s times like these that I try to do the harder task of looking back and thinking about the good things that have happened and the blessings I have received. This open letter is a reflection of the biggest blessing I have received over the course of leading this internship.

Ram and Prabin,

At the beginning of the summer, I knew that by the end we would have had many adventures together. Some of them would be really fun and exciting, and some of them would be really challenging. Varying from sharing meals and seeing movies together, to struggling through our seemingly never-ending Tuesdays.

What I didn’t know was the deep bond and brotherhood we would have together, the immense sense of pride I would feel for you in the growth of your heart, and the amount of honor I feel to be alongside two amazing young men who are the forerunners of their community.

You have amazed me and the rest of the Mission Adelante community with your passion and commitment. The ways I’ve seen you grow are far beyond what I hoped for and imagined when we dreamed of interns from the Bhutanese community.

I hope and pray that you don’t let the things that you have learned and experienced this summer sit stagnant, but that you keep moving forward towards the goal, running the race without shame or fear. Everything that you have done and learned is of much more importance than any of us understand yet, but I encourage you to keep strong and don’t stop moving. You would not have been accepted to do this internship if it weren’t known that you could strive for the best and accomplish it.

Mission Adelante's vision says,

“We believe effective ministry is relational at its core. And, when relationships are interdependent, learning is mutual, serving is reciprocal, and friendship is life-giving.”

I believe this to be true and I believe that at the end of the summer I will be able to look back and see all that we learned together; I will be able to see that you served me as much if not more, than I served you; I will see the sincere friendship and deep brotherhood.

I am blessed to be in the presence of such great leaders who are stepping out in front of their community to learn and serve.

With the deepest of brotherly love, and the highest sense of honor,

Drew Hammond

Current needs:

• Leaders in Training, our after-school leadership development and tutoring program, is getting excited about technology!  We are currently looking for tablets that are in new, or very good condition to be used for learning activities during the 2014-2015 school year. If you have one you would like to donate please contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org or Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org.
• Looking for a fun way to make a big impact in the fall? Want to pour into the future leaders of our community?   Our relational and fun after-school tutoring and character development program, Leaders in Training, is currently looking for volunteers.  Contact Megan at meganm@missionadelante.org if you are interested!

Important dates:

• Bhutanese Summer Party--Saturday, August 9 at 4:00 at Wyandotte County Lake Park, 91st and Leavenworth Road, Kansas City, KS 66109. After entering the park you'll come to a fork in the road; go left and continue to Shelter #6. Please bring a dish to share and stay for the awards and cultural presentation!
• Latino Summer Party--Sunday, August 10 at 5:00 at Wyandotte County Lake Park, 91st and Leavenworth Road, Kansas City, KS 66109. After entering the park you'll come to a fork in the road; go left and continue to Shelters #8 &10. Please note, these are different shelters than the large shelter where the party has been held in previous years. Dress casually and bring a dish to share, lawn chairs and/or a picnic blanket.

What Have the Summer Interns Been Up To?

By Edgar Soriano, Ministry Intern

This has been a great summer! Our second internship for teens from our own neighborhood has been an amazing experience for each of them. They have done so many things that have helped them grow closer to God. 

They've gotten the chance to see the other side of ministry and have loved and enjoyed doing it.

The first month of the internship was filled with kids camps, where they played with the kids and helped lead small groups.

They've also been focused on discipling other teens from our community by living life and sharing Jesus with them. They organize social activities for the teens like playing soccer, going to a movie, going bowling, and other fun things that help them share life. We are getting close to the end of the internship but the interns are better then ever.  

We are so proud of them for the great leaders they're becoming.

They have learned and grown so much this year, and we and hope to see all of them back next year.

Current Needs:

• Leaders in Training, our after-school leadership development and tutoring program, is getting excited about technology!  We are currently looking for tablets that are in new, or very good condition to be used for learning activities during the 2014-2015 school year. If you have one you would like to donate please contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org or Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org.
• Looking for a fun way to make a big impact in the fall? Want to pour into the future leaders of our community?   Our relational and fun after-school tutoring and character development program, Leaders in Training, is currently looking for volunteers.  Contact Megan at meganm@missionadelante.org if you are interested!
• We are rehabbing the house next door to our building, and are in need of residential appliances in good working order.  Please contact Sarah at sarahw@missionadelante.org if you would like to donate an electric range/oven, dishwasher, washer, or electric dryer.

Important Dates:

• Bhutanese Summer Party--Saturday, August 9 at 4:00 at Wyandotte County Lake Park, 91st and Leavenworth Road, Kansas City, KS 66109. After entering the park you'll come to a fork in the road; go left and continue to Shelter #6. Please bring a dish to share and stay for the awards and cultural presentation!
• Latino Summer Party--Sunday, August 10 at 5:00 at Wyandotte County Lake Park, 91st and Leavenworth Road, Kansas City, KS 66109. After entering the park you'll come to a fork in the road; go left and continue to Shelters #8 &10. Please note, these are different shelters than the large shelter where the party has been held in previous years. Dress casually and bring a dish to share, lawn chairs and/or a picnic blanket.

Our Resource Center: The Most Bang for your Book

By Sarah Winston, Operations Director

Are you familiar with Eric Carle’s beloved children’s book The Very Hungary Caterpillar?  Through simple text and eye-popping artwork, Carle tells the story of a caterpillar that eats its way through a smorgasbord of goodies, builds a cocoon, takes a nap, and emerges as a beautiful butterfly.  We are excited to announce that our Resource Center is going through a metamorphosis of its own.  Over the past few years your donations have helped meet a variety of diverse needs in the neighborhood, and we thank you for your generosity and support.  Through observing needs in the community and laying the groundwork to open a thrift store in the coming months, we realized it’s time for the Resource Center to narrow its focus to a few very specific needs, and will no longer accept donations of clothing or housewares.  During this summer of transformation, we will shut things down, clean things out, and emerge colorfully as the new, improved Resource Center.  We don’t want to spoil the surprise just yet—we will unveil the new vision for the Resource Center this fall.

One thing we can let you in on now, though, leads us back to our caterpillar friend—BOOKS!   Mission Adelante is launching a literacy program through our Resource Center.

A 20-year study through the University of Nevada found that children with large home libraries attain an average of 2 more years of education than kids without books at home.   Books in the home are as strong of a predictor of academic success as parents’ level of education and income level.  (See links below for further reading).   Do you want to help us get books into the hands of every kid in our community?  Here are some things you can do now, while were still in the “cocoon” phase of the Resource Center transition.

Help us organize the shelves:  The building blocks for a well-organized, easily-accessible system are uniform containers that stack well in our shelves to separate books by grade level.  Here’s a link to the containers we've chosen.  Would you consider purchasing one or two? http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?sku=57528&gclid=CJqKguOJtr8CFVFp7Aod_zAACg

2.   Collect Books:  Gather current and popular children’s titles from your family, friends, community group, or church; sort them by grade level (K-1, 2-3, 4-5 are preferred); and contact Molly at mollym@missionadelante.org  or 913-281-6274 x 5 to schedule a time to drop them off.  It’s that easy!  Please bear in mind that we only have the capacity right now to distribute books for elementary-aged kids, and books with minority characters are a bonus.  We are not able to accept reference books or adult books.

We hope that putting books in our kids’ hands will make them hungry for more.  Feeding their minds with great books will help them realize all of the beautiful, colorful potential God put in them!

For further reading about the effects of book ownership:

http://www.psmag.com/navigation/books-and-culture/books-home-strongly-linked-academic-achievement-82144/

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100520213116.htm

In Other News:

• We are excited to say that renovations to the house next door to our building are underway!  Mission Adelante purchased the home completely stripped to the studs, and Christ Community Church is partnering with us to rehab it into a flexible residential space.  More details are coming soon.

Current Needs:

• Leaders in Training, our after-school leadership development and tutoring program, is getting excited about technology!  We are currently looking for tablets that are in new, or very good condition to be used for learning activities during the 2014-2015 school year. If you have one you would like to donate please contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org or Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org.

• Looking for a fun way to make a big impact in the fall? Want to pour into the future leaders of our community?   Our relational and fun after-school and character development program, Leaders in Training, is currently looking for volunteers.   Contact Megan at meganm@missionadelante.org if you are interested!

• If many hands make light work, we could use more hands to help with the house rehab--no construction experience necessary!  There will be weekday and weekend opportunities for everything from swinging hammers to sweeping debris.  Please contact Sarah at sarahw@missionadelante.org if you want to join in.

• Additionally, we are in need of residential appliances that are in good working order for the house rehab.  Please contact Sarah at sarahw@missionadelante.org if you would like to donate an electric range/oven, dishwasher, refrigerator, washer, or electric dryer.

Important Dates:

• Get-acquainted Days: Thursdays, July 10 & 17 (Latino)/Tuesday, July 15 (Bhutanese) 6:30-8:30  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 on up to 22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102.

July 13th@5pm: A Concert to Benefit Mission Adelante and other Ministries!

Lenexa Baptist Church is hosting a benefit concert to raise awareness about several Kansas City area ministries! Enjoy an evening of family fun and music with "The Isaacs."   The Isaacs are an award winning family group based out of Hendersonville, TN, who began singing 35 years ago. Their musical style has been influenced by many  genres of music including bluegrass, rhythm and blues, folk, and country, contemporary, acoustic and southern gospel.

Buy your tickets here!

This benefit concert is sponsored by and designed to raise awareness for the following ministries:

Champions Special Ministries, Empower Sudan, Freedom Fire Urban Ministries, Hope's Heart Orphan Foundation, Hope Family Fellowship, HopeFaith Ministries, House of Hope KC, Hope Network of Raytown, Lenexa Baptist Church Adoption Ministry and Nicaragua Housing Ministry, Mercy and Truth Medical Missions, Mission Adelante, Mission of Hope Clinic, Pizzultelli Missionaries to China and Shalom Retreat Center.

A Small Gift with a Big Impact

By Lauren Timberlake, Bhutanese ESL Director

Devi is happy to have a pair of reading glasses. The refugee camps in Nepal don’t use the written word very much, but in the U.S., being unable to see clearly has kept her from learning to read. This makes shopping confusing, filling out forms at the doctor’s office very difficult, and passing a U.S. citizenship exam impossible.

A few weeks ago, we placed a request in this newsletter for donations of reading glasses. We quickly received nearly 20 pairs from several sources. Almost all of those have found new homes with English students. When students wear the new glasses, there is an immediate sense of relief. I have already noticed greater letter recognition, increased confidence, and less fatigue by the end of class. There is still a lot of hard work that goes into learning a new language, but being able to see well is a great start. The reading glasses are a small gift with a big impact for these students.

Thank you to those who donated glasses, and to anyone who has met a practical need at Mission Adelante. We believe that the opportunities and challenges in our community are God-sized, and that meeting them requires partnerships among believers. Members from 26 different churches come together to become conversation partners, after-school LIT mentors, Kid’s Camp leaders, employers, and more for members of our community. Even more families and individuals pray over our newsletters, run extra errands to donate a physical need, or share part of their paychecks each month to fund our programs and staff salaries.

It’s important to recognize the beauty of the body of Christ in our city working together in big ways and small ones to show hospitality to our newest residents. May our partnerships please Jesus and allow us to see Him at work around us.

In other news:

• We're so excited to have Emmanuel Baptist Church hosting our third--and final--week of Kid’s Camps this summer.  We kicked off  the week with a BBQ and viewing of the movie “Frozen” with our community, which was a hit!  We are very blessed to have such amazing church partners that engage the kids in our community in such fun activities, while helping us reach out to even more neighborhood kids!
• Both of our Bhutanese Interns have recently had grandparents arrive in the United States from Nepal. It's wonderful to share in their excitement about being reunited! In the coming months many people from our Bhutanese community will be welcoming family members who are resettling here. The resettlement process is a long and arduous journey for refugee families, and we are excited to welcome these families into the community as they make the United States their new home!

Current needs:

• Leaders in Training, our after-school leadership development and tutoring program, is getting excited about technology!  We are currently looking for tablets that are in new or very good condition to be used for learning activities during the 2014-2015 school year. If you have one you would like to donate please contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org or Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org.

Important dates:

• Summer break: July 1-5 No programs.
• Get-acquainted Days: Tuesdays, July 8 & 15 (Bhutanese)/Thursdays, July 10 & 17 (Latino) 6:30-8:30  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 on up to 22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102.

Community Driven Program Launched by Chin Refugee Leaders

By Kristen Allen, Community Development Director

Pastor Run Tho of Myanmar Christian Church

delivers a message on the first day

One of my greatest joys in working cross-culturally is seeing amazing leaders rise up to address needs within their community. As the Director of Community Development, it is my privilege to work alongside men and women who are dedicated to using their God given abilities to transform their communities. My focus in the Adelante Empowerment Network, one of our community development initiatives, is empowering leaders to achieve their vision. There are beautiful stories of how vision is becoming reality and the Galilee Learning Center is just one example of the incredible capacity of the men and women who have immigrated to KCK.

My friend Lal is an entrepreneur in every sense of the word. She is always praying into how God can use her and her family and I enjoy how we share our dreams, encourage each other, and build upon our ideas together. Last year, Lal shared how God was laying on her heart to do something for the youth in her community and she started planning for a children's program to launch the summer of 2014.

Teacher Mawi Te leads the kids in a song

The vision of a children's program that focused on the Bible and provided Burmese and Chin language instruction couldn't be fulfilled without additional men and women who saw the need within the Chin

community and were willing to be a part of making it a reality. Leaders stepped forward and became the teachers needed to make the program run. One man volunteered his skills in leading worship, another decided to move his Burmese language program to Galilee Learning Center so he could help additional kids, and several Sunday school teachers from various Chin churches volunteered to develop the program, curriculum, and schedule.

GLC participants enjoy lunch at the end of the program day

I wish you all could spend a morning at Galilee Learning Center and see the hope that comes from a community focused on developing their youth. The sound of children's voices and laughter fills the air. Our space is full of praise songs as the group comes together to worship Jesus. It is beautiful and just a small glimpse of the blessings that God pours out when we work together.

The vision for Christian community development in our KCK community is being realized through Galilee Learning Center. It is community born, developed, and driven. We pray for more leaders to rise up and can't wait to see what issue God calls His people to address next. 

In other news:

• The Bhutanese summer interns are reading with the Bhutanese LIT students every Thursday at the library. It's a fun way for the interns to invest in their community, practice leadership, and help make sure that the LIT kids don't lose any of the skills they worked so hard to gain during the school year.
• Many of our English students have enjoyed seeing more clearly with the reading glasses provided by donors last month. It’s amazing what a difference it makes when they are learning to read and write. Thank you!
• One of our English students passed the Citizenship test! We are excited to interview her in our class to give the other students hope of becoming a citizen one day in the near future!
• Our thanks go out to Bright Ideas Signs & More for providing our eye-catching new sign in front of our building.  www.brightideassigns.com

Current needs:

• Leaders In Training, our after-school leadership development and tutoring program, is getting excited about technology! We are looking for tablets that are new or in very good condition to use for learning activities during the 2014-2015 school year.  If you have one you would like to donate, please contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org or Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org.

Important dates:

• Summer break: July 1-5 No programs.
• Observation Days: Tuesdays, July 8 & 15 (Bhutanese)/Thursdays, July 10 & 17 (Latino) 6:30-8:30  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 on up to 22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102.

Summertime: New Friends and a Ton of FUN!

By Megan McDermott, Latino Children's Ministry Director
 At Mission Adelante, the summer is always an invitation and an exciting opportunity for our community to invest deeply in our children. This week, a group of about twenty volunteers from Shoal Creek Community Church came to invest in the Bhutanese, Latino, and Chin children's ministries. At Mission Adelante, our mission is to make disciples by serving, sharing life, and sharing Jesus with people from other places.  Because of this, we were excited to begin the summer with our first Kid’s Camp with such a diverse mix of kids! Between games, Bible study, and some awesome crafts, an incredible change began to happen.

Many of the kids attend the same local schools and know each other. However, cultural differences can sometimes hinder friendship. Many of our kids struggle to find their niche between their native cultures and the American culture. The first night of the camp, amongst seventy exuberant children, we noticed that the kids were shy around each other. They didn't know what to make of each other and were hesitant to interact.  As the camp proceeded, though, we noticed that through games, dance parties, charades, a fun skit about King Nebuchadnezzar (pictured right) and incredible teaching by the Shoal Creek group, the kids began to play and laugh together. The shyness evaporated as the kids began to see that they weren't so different from each other and that maybe, just maybe, this new friend that they had made might be able to understand them in a really deep way.

As the summer goes on and the kids continue to engage in various activities, we are excited to see how God moves. His heart for these children is amplified when they are in a mixed context because, though these kids seem to be so different, they are all children of our Most High God.  What a blessing to see the many faces of our Father reflected in the sweetness of these precious kids! 

In other news:

• We were privileged to host the wedding last Saturday of a young Bhutanese couple that we became acquainted with through our Teens ministry. It was a wonderful ceremony! We celebrated aspects of Nepali culture, Narbu Tamang and Anjana (Monger) Tamang’s love for one another, and the Lord Jesus’ love for all of us! Please pray for this young couple as they begin the exciting and difficult journey of married life.

• Celebrating culture is one of our core values and a local community partner, Catholic Charities, is hosting World Refugee Day on Saturday, June 14 from 2:00pm-6:00pm. This is a great way to celebrate the cultures, histories, and community contributions of our Bhutanese friends and other refugee groups in KCK. Join the fun at 2220 Central Avenue, Kansas City, KS 66102.

• One of our men’s discipling groups is moving beyond just studying together and we’re beginning to serve together too, by visiting community members in their homes.

Prayer needs:

• The buildout of Chin Hills Restaurant continues. Please pray that construction can stay on time and our friends from the Chin community can soon realize their dream of using their grocery store and restaurant to fund programs for the youth in their community.

• Please pray for unity and spiritual hunger for our interns.

• Please pray for some special members of our Latino community who are moving to Texas in the next couple of weeks.  We will miss them!

• Continue to pray for our kid’s camp during the month of June! It is a great opportunity to reach out and share Jesús with kids in our own backyard.

Current needs:

• Leaders in Training, our after-school leadership development and tutoring program, is getting excited about technology!  We are currently looking for tablets that are in new, or very good condition to be used for learning activities during the 2014-2015 school year. If you have one you would like to donate please contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org or Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org.

Important dates:

• Summer break: July 1-5 No programs.

New Look--Same Vision

We envision a growing multicultural community of disciples making disciples, where immigrants and others are thriving and using our gifts together to transform our neighborhood and the world for the glory of Jesus Christ. New Look -- Same Vision loving people from all places We're pleased to introduce you to our new website!  It has been designed to reflect the ways Mission Adelante has matured and developed over the years and it looks toward the future we believe God is calling us to embrace.  In our first nine years, we've learned a lot about "loving people from all places". Our mission remains focused on making disciples by serving, sharing life and sharing Jesus with people from other places, but we've grown in the scope and reach of our ministry.  We're excited to have a new tool that will more effectively communicate who we are and what we're dreaming with our community! We invite you to take a few minutes and learn more.   www.missionadelante.org In His Grace, Jarrett Meek   Copyright © 2014 Mission Adelante, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you have shown interest in hearing more about Mission Adelante and have chosen to receive email updates. Our mailing address is: Mission Adelante 22 S. 18th Street Kansas City, KS 66102

Sunset and Washing Dirty Feet with Interns

by Jarrett Meek, Pastor/Executive Director

As the sun went down on the second day of our internship launch retreat, we were all finally starting to feel
comfortable with one another.  After all, our group included an unlikely mix of white, Latino, and Bhutanese-Nepali youth from our neighborhood.  We were all a bit worn out from our marathon afternoon of playing four different sports in the hot Kansas sun.  We started with volleyball, which was the most comfortable of the activities we did, and then moved on to baseball, American football, and soccer.  The interns went swimming after all that, but I opted for a nap.  Now we were all relaxed (and exhausted), as we settled in on the back deck of the Barn Bed and Breakfast Inn, a secluded place located somewhere off the beaten path in rural Kansas.  It was a peaceful environment to study one of Jesus' most important lessons on servant leadership.

We talked through John 13 that evening, reflecting on what it means to be a leader.  A leader is a servant, according to Jesus' definition.  The God of the universe humbled himself and became a man, taking on the role of a slave, and he washed the feet of his disciples.  He taught them that they also ought to wash one another's feet.  So, we did.  We washed, we worshiped God, and we prayed for one another.

The young man who washed my feet and prayed for me has grown up in and around Mission Adelante.  If you knew him six years ago you wouldn't recognize him now.  He has overcome some extremely difficult circumstances to get to the point he where he is today.  When he put his hand on my shoulder and began praying I felt like I was seeing into a heart that has been broken, shaped and re-made through the trials of life; trials that most people can't even imagine.  His prayer was one of the most sincere and beautiful prayers I've ever heard in my life.  Courageous, faithful, intelligent, wise, genuine, hungry, and determined are the words I'd use to describe him.  The work of Jesus in his life is unmistakable.  Maybe someday he'll tell his own story for all to hear.

In other news:

• In preparation for the launch of our thrift store, the vision of the Resource Center is changing. We are no longer accepting donations of clothing, furniture, or housewares.  Look for information on the revised vision of the resource center in upcoming issues of the Adelante Express.

Prayer needs:

• Each summer, the Youth Ministries of several of our partner churches lead three or four-day Kids Camps on our soccer field. They're a great time for all students involved, and they kick-off next week. Please be in prayer for good weather, safety and fun!

Important date

• Summer Break: July 1-5 No programs will meet.

A Family Commitment to Community

Written by Kristen Allen, Community Development Director

Recently I’ve heard some awesome stories from our volunteers that highlight how God is moving in the Mission Adelante community to draw individuals deeper into relationship with Him and people from other places. A few weeks ago a Bhutanese ESL volunteer shared with me how a stop to buy Gatorade for her sick mother led to meeting new people and an opportunity to learn Nepali from someone in her Olathe neighborhood all because she made the effort to greet a stranger with a simple “Namaste”. God wants us to be in relationship with others and when we start to follow His call, the doors start to open.

My friends and neighbors, Rachel and Jeremiah Pierce, are examples of how following God’s calling for their family has led to incredible opportunity to partner with people from other places. Four years ago the Pierces were part of Westside Family Church's JOSEPH Campaign and learned about openings to serve here in Kansas City and around the globe. Rachel’s heart was drawn to children’s issues and anti-trafficking efforts, but she clearly remembers not marking the box for refugees because she wasn’t interested. Around the same time Westside was hosting a short-term missions trip to Thailand to visit their ministry partners and the Pierces decided to go for their 10th wedding anniversary. There Rachel and Jeremiah met Karen refugees from Burma and by the time they returned to KC, God had put a love for refugees deep in Rachel’s heart and the family decided to get involved with mentoring a family from Burma.

As the Pierces started to get to know the newly arrived refugee family they were matched with, they started to learn more about themselves and how their lives might be used through cross cultural friendships. They prayed and moved to Kansas City, Kansas, they started volunteering at Mission Adelante, and they kept listening to God and loving people from other places.

Over the past year, their lives have intersected with more refugees and led to helping people prepare for the citizenship test, teaching about home maintenance, assisting with doctors appointments, befriending refugee mothers at McKinley PTA meetings, and working with the Kansas Chin Christian Church to prepare a home for a newly arrived refugee family. And that is really just a snapshot of their lives; Rachel and Jeremiah have too many stories to share of the opportunities God has given them to partner with others because they kept following His heart.

We celebrate all of our volunteers who step out in faith to follow God’s command to welcome the stranger and how those initial meetings turn into meaningful, interdependent relationships. Next week a new trimester starts and so do new stories of volunteers experiencing challenge and growth. Please pray for the life change that happens as children, ESL students, and volunteers come together to build community.

In other news:

• There were 14 high school graduates from the Bhutanese community this week. These kids arrived in the US as teenagers and have overcome great obstacles to finish high school in America. We are proud to celebrate with them!

Current needs:

• We’ve received lots of board books for our Mommy & Me ESL class--Thank you! If you still have books to donate, please contact Lauren at laurent@missionadelante.org. We can use them year round. 

• Recent storms have prompted us to want to make our outdoor activities a little safer.  So, we are putting together an outdoor safety kit.  Please contact Sarah at sarahw@missionadelante.org if you or your community group would like to donate a lightning meter, a portable weather radio, a first aid kit, or crank-powered flashlights.  

• We are in need of a high-quality vacuum that can keep up with our heavy foot traffic.  Please contact Molly at mollym@missionadelante.org if you can help.

Important dates:

• Summer trimester programs launch: Week of May 26

A Camping We Will Go

Written by Kristen Maxwell, Bhutanese Children's Ministry Director

When looking back on childhood summers many of us have fond memories of time spent at summer camp.  Making art projects, exploring the wilderness, playing games, and growing closer to friends were always highlights.  

Last Friday through Sunday, 16 Bhutanese Leaders in Training students (and eight adult mentors) got to take part in the tradition of summer camp at Camp New Hope, about 45 minutes north of Kansas City.  We learned about God’s creation, played games, used a compass for the first time, tie-dyed, took a ride on a wagon, and got to pie mentors in the face for learning the two memory verses of the weekend!

Experiences like these are so very important to the education of our kids.  They not only get to have fun and learn life skills, but they also have their world view expanded.  Enjoy some pictures of our fun time this past weekend!

 

 

In other news:

• The Latino Equipos (Spanish for "Teams")  group met on Monday to discuss how our community can welcome our new volunteers this summer through food, friendship, and worship.  We are really excited and blessed to have such an awesome team of leaders with hearts to serve!

Prayer needs:

• Leaders in Training is our tutoring and character development program during the school year for a select group of kids, and is by invitation, only. We're wrapping up our application process for the 2014-2015 school year.   Please pray for discernment and wisdom for those involved in the decision of which students to invite.

Current needs:

• We're still looking for volunteers to serve in the following programs for our summer trimester:
• Bhutanese Kids Club (Tuesday evenings): 5 volunteers.  Contact Kristen at kristenm@missionadelante.org.
• Latino Kids Adelante (Thursday evenings): 2 volunteers.  Contact Megan at meganm@missionadelante.org.
• Latino ESL for adults (Thursday evenings): 8 volunteers.  Contact Morgan at morganh@missionadelante.org.
• Shuttle drivers (various times): No CDL Required!  Contact Drew at drewh@missionadelante.org.

• Recent storms have prompted us to want to make our outdoor activities a little safer.  So, we are putting together an outdoor safety kit.  Please contact Sarah at sarahw@missionadelante.org if you or your community group would like to donate a lightning meter, a portable weather radio, a first aid kit, or crank-powered flashlights.

• We are in need of a high-quality vacuum that can keep up with our heavy foot traffic.  Please contact Molly at mollym@missionadelante.org if you can help.

• The Bhutanese ESL program could use reading glasses of all strengths. We also need more toddler/preschool board books (gently used) to give away during our Mommy & Me class in June. Please contact laurent@missionadelante.org if you can donate any of these items.

Important dates:

• Volunteer Orientation & Training: Saturday, May 17, 9:00-12:30 All volunteers should attend this training once at the beginning of serving with Mission Adelante. It's also a great way for someone to become familiar with Mission Adelante's ministry. If you or someone you know is interested in finding out more about what we do, and about our volunteer opportunities, please plan to attend/encourage him or her to plan on attending this informative training, and to contact Morgan at morganh@missionadelante.org for all the details.
• All Volunteer Huddle & Dessert: Monday, May 19, 6:30 p.m. We encourage everyone that will be volunteering with us during our summer trimester to attend so we can prepare for a great launch. 
• Summer trimester programs launch: Week of May 26

Come and Serve on the Mission Field in Your Own Backyard!

Written by Jarrett Meek, Pastor/Executive Director

Throughout both the Old and New Testaments, God's heart for the lost and broken is evident. His love for all people is beyond imagination, but His heart of mercy for "the least of these" is displayed time and time again in unique and special ways.

In Matthew 25 Jesus says these words;

37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

At Mission Adelante, we have found ourselves in the middle of a mission field right here in our own backyard. And in this mission field we are surrounded by the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the sick, and families of people in prison. Who would have thought that the cross-cultural mission field would come to us, and that we would have the opportunity to demonstrate the kind of compassion that Jesus exhorted us toward right here in our own city!?

We invite you to join us in this mission by serving in practical ways and connecting relationally with people from another culture. Instead of viewing missions as something only a few "super-Christians" can do, why not make it a normal part of your life?

Whether your heart is for adult immigrants or kids, Latinos or refugees from Bhutan, there is a place for you to make an impact with Mission Adelante.  We specifically need volunteers in the following areas for the summer:

• Six mentors for Bhutanese Kids Club each Tuesday evening. Contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@Missionadelante.org.
• A shuttle driver for various times (No CDL required). Contact Drew Hammond at drewh@missionadelante.org.
• Conversation Partners for Latino English Class each Thursday evening. Contact Morgan Ham at morganh@missionadelante.org.

Please click here for all the info related to volunteering with Mission Adelante! And now, if you have a couple of minutes, watch a quick video to get a better feel for what it looks like to be involved in our ministries!

Mission Adelante's Volunteer Opportunities from Mission Adelante on Vimeo.

In other news:

• Jarrett, Megan, Brian, and Sandy arrived back safely from Q-ba on Tuesday.  They all taught at a three-day purity retreat for more than 85 youth and young adults in the church. God protected the team and allowed them to go deep with the youth.

Prayer needs:

• Please pray for the health of two of our Bhutanese grandmothers. They are both struggling to recover from some previous health challenges.  Pray for healing, renewed strength and a sense of the presence of Lord Jesus.

Important dates:

• Volunteer Orientation & Training: Saturday, May 17, 9:00-12:30 All volunteers should attend this training once at the beginning of serving with Mission Adelante. It's also a great way for someone to become familiar with Mission Adelante's ministry. If you or someone you know is interested in finding out more about what we do, and about our volunteer opportunities, please plan to attend/encourage him or her to plan on attending this informative training, and to contact Morgan at morganh@missionadelante.org for all the details.
• All Volunteer Huddle & Dessert: Monday, May 19, 6:30 p.m. We encourage everyone that will be volunteering with us during our summer trimester to attend so we can prepare for a great launch. 
• Summer trimester programs launch: Week of May 26