Laxmi (top, second from right), volunteers, and youth pose for a group picture after Refugee Youth Club.
Written by Laxmi Gurung, Refugee Kids & Youth Coordinator
We began our second year of Refugee Youth Club last Tuesday. All the youth came back, and we had a good time sharing about what we did over the Christmas break, playing some fun games, and eating yummy pizza. It was really good to see them come back and to find out what they had been up to. I shared the schedule of activities for this trimester, and they were very excited! Each teen will have a different responsibility this trimester: leading games, distributing snacks, cleaning up, or handing out Bibles during lesson time.
The theme of this trimester is leadership. The youth will be leading kids activities, Adelante Thrift serve time, and community service. They began leading at Refugee Kids Club last trimester, organizing and leading the reward party for the kids. We decided to let them lead this event because we wanted the youth to see themselves as leaders and realize that they can lead no matter how big or small they are. We also wanted them to be an example for the younger kids who might become part of Refugee Youth Club in the near future. They did an awesome job planning stations to entertain the kids during the party! There was an ice cream station, game station, and a crafts station. The kids loved all the activities and had so much fun. The volunteers and I were really impressed by their leadership skills!
I love this theme of leadership because this is what I have been taught since I began working at Mission Adelante! I have learned to be a leader and understand how important it is to be there for the people in our community. I have grown up through Mission Adelante’s programs and now I get to do what people have done for me. When I was part of Bhutanese Teens, there were people who walked with me, accepted me, and loved me the way I was. I want to continue to do the same with the kids and youth I have now because I understand how important it is to be there for people and love them how God loves us. I am always thankful to God for giving me this awesome opportunity to be part of this community and Mission Adelante family!
Refugee Youth Club leading the reward party for the kids!
CURRENT NEEDS:
Arts Community is still looking for a few volunteers this trimester. Learn more about how we are using the arts to inspire creativity and share Jesus: www.missionadelante.org/serve
Looking to serve with your family or friends this new year? How about volunteering at Adelante Thrift? They are always looking for new volunteers to hang clothes, sort donations, and tag new items! You can either serve in a group or by yourself! Sign up to volunteer now: http://www.adelantethrift.com/volunteer