By Laxmi Gurung, Ministry Apprentice (Refugee Kids Ministries)
This year was my third time attending the annual National Conference put on by the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA). Mission Adelante has belonged to this network of Christians committed to seeing people and communities restored for the past decade. National Conference is our chance to be with like-minded people from around the country. I have learned many things and had different experiences every year. This year was a little different because we invited some people from the community to go with us. I was really excited that two of my close friends that have been volunteering in Refugee Kid’s Club since the beginning came along. They are very close to me and I’m thankful to God for their friendship in my life because they were the first friends that introduced me to Jesus. I love their serving hearts and each of them is very inspiring and wonderful in their own way. They love Jesus with all their heart and serve in their church all the time. I asked them to share a little about their experience at CCDA.
Anjana: I really like the theme of CCDA 2018, “ROOTED”. Believing and trusting in God is like we are trees planted by the water. We are not driven by fear or overcome by despair, but we stay rooted in Christ so we may produce the lasting fruits of love, equity, and peace. I learned that we are the body of Christ, and each and every one is included; it doesn’t matter if we are white, black, brown etc. In order to bring everyone together, we need to develop ourselves, family, and most importantly our community. I had a great time with awesome friends of Mission Adelante with lots of good learning experiences.
Phul Maya: I had an Amazing time at CCDA. It was my first time so it was a little overwhelming but I took it one thing at a time. I really like the multicultural worship which I was missing for a long time. I also got motivated by all the speakers because they were really positive and encouraging. It gave me the sense that there are still people who care about the poor and lower class. I enjoy all the group sessions, especially the one where they talked about refugees. In that session, I related to the topic because I myself am a Nepali speaking Bhutanese refugee. Overall, I had one of the most beautiful times of my life.
CURRENT NEEDS:
Do you want to make a difference in a kid's life? Mission Adelante's Leaders In Training (LIT) program needs volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering, please visit our website at www.missionadelante.org/kids.