Friendship Contributes to Language Learners' Success

How do you make learning English enjoyable for adults? We combine English with friendship. Mission Adelante's English classes are unique because we emphasize relationships. We believe that students are most successful when they have a friend and fluent English speaker teaching them. Although a staff member or veteran volunteer teaches the class, we alone are limited in our impact. Each of our weekly volunteers play a key role in connecting with students, helping them meet a real need, and giving us a platform for sharing about Christ. This is great in theory but seeing it work is very rewarding.

Monday night, volunteer Irene and her student, Yolanda, came to study together during open tutoring. Yolanda shared how she tells all of her coworkers about Irene. “My coworkers know you by name! I tell them how much you are helping me and how they, too, should come study English with Mission Adelante.” What a sweet story! Irene, like many others, has helped us build trust with our students. This opens the door to pray with students, invite them to our church activities, and share personally about Christ’s love. Thanks, Irene, and all who serve with English Adelante!

In other news:

• We're six weeks in to the first year of Leaders In Training. We've been pleased with the twelve students' consistent attendance and growth in attitude and character!
• Many thanks to Jenny Evans of Redemption Church for providing a complete meal for Leaders In Training students and volunteers each Wednesday afternoon.
• The fence is going up and grass is sprouting in the soccer field we're building on the Mission's property.

Prayer needs:

• Please pray for good attendance at the worship celebration this Sunday. Alberto, an emerging leader in our community of faith, will lead communion for the first time.
• Please pray for Michelle Holland, Kids Adelante and LIT volunteer, as she delivers her & Jacob's first baby this week, and recovers from the delivery.

Current needs:

We know that work opportunities for those in our community become more scarce during the winter. The Resource Center is dedicated to providing necessities for families in need. However, the shelves in our Resource Center for food items are becoming bare.

If you come to the Mission or the neighborhood routinely, we'd like to encourage you to pick up a couple of the following items the next time you're at the grocery store, bring them up with you, and drop them off!

• bagged beans, black or pinto
• rice
• vegetable oil
• sugar
• cereal

Important upcoming dates:

• November 1: Christmas family adoption begins. If you, your family, or your small group, etc., is interested in buying gifts for a needy family in our neighborhood this Christmas, e-mail Seth at seths@missionadelante.org!
• Monday, December 1 @ 6:30: All Volunteer Team Meeting @ The Mission.
• Saturday, December 13: Trimester-end Party

The Intersection of Two Worlds

Mission Adelante is not only a ministry to Hispanic immigrants; it is also a ministry for people who have a heart for cross-cultural ministry. From our inception, we have realized that there are many, many people in suburban churches in America who feel some sense of calling to invest in people from other cultures. Some have lived oversees. Others have been on short-term mission trips. Many feel a sense of unease about wrapping themselves in affluence without ever rubbing shoulders with people experiencing the brokenness of poverty or struggling to survive here in a foreign land. Mission Adelante stands as a bridge between these two worlds which are geographically so close but whose intersection with one another is so very limited.

Bethany Croasmun is a volunteer who recently joined the Mission Adelante team. Growing up in urban Chicago, Bethany learned to speak Spanish in school and with friends and has had a lot of cross-cultural experience for a woman her age. Mission trips to Ecuador, followed by a year of Bible college there were some of the building blocks of her desire to serve in a cross-cultural context. As a part of her International Relations program at Georgetown University, Bethany studied abroad in Mexico City. And, following her study abroad experience, was beginning a short-term stint working as a missionary there when a serious illness struck and she had to return home.

With a passion for Hispanic culture and ministry, Bethany doubted she would find an outlet for her calling here in Kansas City. But, in her words, “God took something that could have been really traumatic in my life and turned in into an opportunity to grow in cross-cultural ministry in a different context.” For Bethany, like most of us, it was surprising to find a mission field in her own backyard. For many of us who have lived in another country and been welcomed with open arms it is easy to imagine how lonely and isolating the experience would have been without the support and hospitality of people in our host country. Unfortunately, that is the experience of many immigrants in the U.S. However, when Christians show godly compassion and hospitality to “outsiders” in our country they are surprised and moved by it. Bethany notes, “The combination of physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual needs really puts people in a place where they are open to hearing about God’s love.”

It has been exciting to see how God has used Mission Adelante to connect people like Bethany to a cross-cultural ministry opportunity right here in our own city. Currently more than 70 ongoing volunteers serve on a regular basis at Mission Adelante in addition to many more who come as part of occasional work projects. Even with such a strong team of volunteers, the opportunity and need is much larger than we can address. As the Mission Adelante board and leadership look forward over the next five years, we anticipate the need for more staff and more volunteers to continue to meet the needs in our current neighborhood as well as other areas of the city where Hispanic immigrants make up a significant portion of the population. Please pray with us as we continue to make the effort to mobilize people who are called to serve in cross-cultural ministry to this mission field right here at home.

In other news:

• The Board of Overseers met Sunday and approved the Five-Year Plan, which details the development of Mission Adelante's ministry through 2013. Please pray for board and staff members to have wisdom to discern the initial steps to implement during 2009.
• The Resource Center Team including one Hispanic opened the Center on Saturday morning. A very thankful family received food and clothing items.
• Spanish classes to help equip volunteers have ramped up again this fall, with ten students.
• We're grateful for Karen Harvey and her team from Christ Community Church that provides a complete meal for Leaders In Training students and volunteers each Monday.

Prayer needs:

• Please pray for Seth Sears' family, as they're grieving the loss of Seth's grandfather this week. Also, keep Jason Schoff and his family in your prayers, as Jason's grandfather is in his last days.

Current needs:

To restock our resource center:

• baby items, especially diapers and wipes
• non-perishable food item
• winter clothes

To find a complete list of requested items to stock the Resource Center, click http://www.missionadelante.org/docs/ResourceCenterOngoingNeedsList.doc.

Important upcoming dates:

• Monday, December 1 @ 6:30: All Volunteer Team Meeting
• Saturday, December 13: Trimester-End Party

Apples in the Desert

When Mission Adelante launched three years ago, our hope was that one day we would see Latino immigrants who had received Christ through our ministry beginning to discover the blessing of serving others and doing ministry alongside us. This, in fact, is precisely what Jesus did this with His disciples. He called them to follow. He taught and modeled the Christian life. He demonstrated ministry and delegated responsibilities. He supervised and gave feedback. The ministry of Jesus, as much as it was to the multitudes, was even more focused on twelve “disciples” who he was equipping and mobilizing to one day bring to fruition the first phase of his plan to redeem people from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. Today, half way around the world, and in every corner of the earth, we are still carrying out this same mission.

This evangelizing-establishing-equipping-mobilizing process does not take place over night! It requires a long-term commitment and investment in the lives of people who are learning to seek God for the first time. For nearly a year the core team of staff and volunteers involved in our first Bible study poured themselves into one couple who had received Christ and many others who we were meeting through our English classes. In year two, many more began to join our group and grow in Christ. Now, at the close of year three, we are seeing many of these fledgling believers begin to find their wings in serving. For the first time we have two Latino couples co-leading Bible studies in homes. A young Hispanic woman leads our “service team” with several other Latino members who maintain our new facility. Another Hispanic woman coordinates hospitality for our worship services. And, as our small congregation continues to grow, members from our own community have begun to take responsibility for developing a children’s ministry on Sunday nights. God is producing fruit.

The spiritual process of planting, watering, and harvesting is not without its heartaches. It seems that each victory is hard-fought in our context. The volatility of immigrants’ lives, the cultural obstacles to overcome, and the raw brokenness that comes from sin make for some pretty discouraging days. And so, I find myself writing this brief update, not only to fill you in on God’s work, but also to encourage myself to reflect on the ways God has produced fruit from some very dry and weary soil. Please pray with us for the immigrants in our community who are beginning to serve. Pray that they would serve with joyful hearts. Pray that they would become more and more consistent and diligent in their service. Pray that their faith and commitment to Christ will grow through their work for Him.

In other news:

• Thirty-five English Language Learners, 49 kids, and 33 American volunteers made for a great first night of our fall trimester last Thursday!
• Twenty-five adults attended small groups in neighborhood homes on Sunday evening and began studying Paul's letter to the Philippians.
• Marty Siler of Epic Landscaping volunteered his time to level the soccer field that is being built on the Mission's property and prepare it for seeding.

Prayer needs:

• Jose, who we told you returned to Mexico last week to care for his ill son, arrived there and called with an update: His son has come out of a coma and is no longer mortally ill, but faces several more months in the hospital. Please continue praying for his recovery.
• Please petition God to stabilize the financial situation of one of our community families.
• Pray for Rogelio, the 11-year-old son of a family in our community. He is displaying a lot of rebellion and becoming quite a challenge to his parents.
• Jacob and Michelle Holland, volunteers and faith-community members, are expecting the arrival of their baby girl this week. Please pray for a safe and pleasant delivery.

Current needs:

To restock our resource center for the new trimester:

• baby items (diapers, wipes, etc.)
  
• non-perishable food items

To find a complete list of requested items to stock the Resource Center, click http://www.missionadelante.org/docs/ResourceCenterOngoingNeedsList.doc.

Mobilizing Kids to Serve

Iris, the daughter of one of our ESL students joined Kids Adelante over a year ago. Now, having turned 13 years old, she has graduated from our Thursday night Kids Club and has joined our brand new Leaders-In-Training program (LIT), designed to mold the most responsive youth from Kids Adelante into leaders among their peers. Last night Iris stood in front of about 30 Mission Adelante volunteers, introducing herself and explaining that she was excited about becoming a volunteer in Kids Adelante “because the volunteers are such an inspiration to the kids.”

We believe that God can use a program like LIT to help at-risk kids navigate the minefield of their blighted neighborhood and come out the other end, not only having survived, but having thrived and having brought other kids along with them. Following The Hope Center’s example, Mission Adelante has selected 13 kids to participate in LIT, an intense after-school program that includes three-days-a-week of tutoring workshops in math, grammar, and spelling as well as character development and recreational components. In addition to these essentials, kids are given small responsibilities and opportunities for leadership growth within LIT as well as other areas of Kids Adelante.

All of us who have invested time in Iris over the last year or more were as proud of her as parents last night. Oh how far she has come! And oh, how much farther she can go! And now, as LIT finds its rhythm for the first time, I have no doubt that God will use the 14 new LIT volunteers to shape not only Iris, but also the 12 other young potential leaders that are a part of the program over the course of the next nine months.

Praise God for his work in these kids’ lives! And pray with us for them as they are called to a higher standard of character and leadership. Pray for support from their parents and pray for their faith to become solid and dynamic.

In other news:

• Fall ESL classes and Kids Adelante begin this Thursday. God has again supplied all the volunteers we need for the four English classes and the kids club and we're looking forward to getting off to a great start!
• Our worship community has finished a year-long study of Acts and will begin studying Philippians in small groups this Sunday.
• Mark Deras and David Schall of Heartland Community Church are helping Mission Adelante develop a worship team. They debuted on Sunday night.

Prayer needs:

• Please pray for our service teams, which are primarily made up of the Hispanic members of our worship community, to gain momentum and begin to thrive.
• Jose, a member of our community, is returning to Mexico this week to care for his seriously ill 13-year-old son. Please pray for his son's healing as well as Jose's journey there and continued spiritual growth.

Current needs:

To restock our resource center for the new trimester:

• baby items (diapers, wipes, etc.)
• non-perishable food items

To find a complete list of requested items to stock the Resource Center, click http://www.missionadelante.org/docs/ResourceCenterOngoingNeedsList.doc.

Upcoming dates:

• Thursday, September 18: Beginning of Fall Trimester

Ministry Apprenticeship Bears Fruit

Leaders for ministry are not made overnight. Nor are they produced through a mere transfer of knowledge. Effective ministry is learned through a combination of supervised experience and diligent study, combined with the grace of God at work in someone’s life. From its inception Mission Adelante has believed that reproducing leaders for cross-cultural ministry is an important component to our overall vision. “Internship” and “Apprenticeship” are two words that imply this combination of practical experience with intentional learning. As Mission Adelante has attempted to be faithful to the call to reproduce leaders, we have developed both a three-year apprenticeship, and a shorter summer internship program, each focused on equipping future missionaries.

After almost three years of service, Seth Sears is nearing completion of our Apprenticeship program and is preparing to be launched, together with his family, to the foreign mission field with Christ for the City International. Seth, Andrea, and their family have been involved with Mission Adelante since before it began. Following a call to cross-cultural ministry, they moved to the Mission Adelante neighborhood and Seth began his training, both hands-on and theological in nature. While Seth took core courses at Midwestern Baptist Theological seminary, Seth and Andrea both dedicated themselves to learning Spanish. Seth and Andrea have learned the art of cross-cultural ministry by doing it. They have led Bible studies, mobilized volunteers to serve, met physical needs, discipled new believers, and even spearheaded the initial phases of remodeling Mission Adelante’s new building. Now, they are ready for the next step in God’s call for their lives as missionaries.

We are proud of Seth and Andrea, and their obedience to God’s unfolding call in their lives. Of course, we are already beginning to imagine the void their absence will leave in the Mission Adelante community. But, there is no sweeter departure than to be “sent” as missionaries. I ask that you would join us in praying for the Sears family. Please pray that God would help them finish strong and find closure over the next few months in their roles with Mission Adelante. Please pray that He would give them and their new ministry leaders in Costa Rica clarity on their roles. And pray that God will provide the support they need to be able to have “lift-off” on schedule in January.

In other news:

• The new Leaders In Training program kicked-off last Thursday evening with an orientation and ice cream social for the kids that were invited, their parents, and the LIT volunteer team. All 13 kids that attended signed up to participate in the three-afternoon-a-week character development program, which begins a week from today on September 2.
• Seth Sears and Linda Witz opened the Resource Center on Saturday morning, and about a dozen people from the community stopped by and took home clothes, food, toys, and beds.

Prayer needs:

• Please pray that all of the logistical details will fall into place for the LIT launch next Tuesday, September 2. Also, pray that God will impress upon the 13 kids the high degree of commitment that is expected from them and the privilege of the invitation to participate in the program.
• As we wrap up our year-long study of the book of Acts during the next three Sunday evening worship celebrations, pray that those who attend will hear God's voice through the Word, and that their lives will be changed.
• Pray for Molly Merrick as she begins raising funds and transitions into full-time ministry with Mission Adelante.

Current needs:

The great response to the Resource Center has left us with a minimal inventory of items. We're thrilled to be able to distribute resources to people who need them, and we need to restock! Specifically, we would like to make available:

• baby items (diapers, wipes, etc.)
• non-perishable food items

To find a complete list of requested items to stock the Resource Center, click http://www.missionadelante.org/docs/ResourceCenterOngoingNeedsList.doc.

Upcoming dates:

• Tuesday, September 2 at The Mission: Leaders In Training launch
• Saturday, September 6 at The Mission: New Volunteer Training and Orientation

All volunteers are encouraged to attend this orientation once. If you would like to attend this time, please RSVP to Morgan Ham and indicate your area of interest, if you've chosen. If not, don't worry; you'll hear about the various areas in which you can serve at the orientation.

• Monday, September 15 at The Mission: All-Volunteer Meeting
• Thursday, September 18: Launch of fall trimester

Summer Party is Enjoyed by All!

• We had the biggest turnout ever at the Trimester-end Party on Sunday evening! We estimate that 175 Hispanics from the neighborhood and American volunteers gathered to celebrate the kids and adult ESL students that finished the summer term. The tables were decorated with world globes and flags from various Latin American countries. Jarrett's message was about God of the Nations, who will receive the eternal praise of all people.
• Guadalupe received the "Top Student Award" at the party. This summer she completed her fifth and final trimester of Mission Adelante ESL classes. As a reward, she received a $100 scholarship to continue studying English at a community college.
• Now that the summer term has concluded, we're looking forward to the fall trimester which begins with student registration on September 11. Classes and Kids Adelante commence September 18.
• Christ Community Church held a school supply drive to benefit the kids in Kids Adelante. Thanks in great part to their effort, we gave new backpacks filled with school supplies to 39 kids.

Prayer needs:

• A student that just finished ESL level 1 is going through a divorce and is at risk of domestic violence. Please pray for her safety and that she'll maintain her connection to the ministry.
• Pray for Molly Merrick as she begins raising funds and transitions into full-time ministry with Mission Adelante.

Current needs:

• There has been an overwhelming response to the opening of the Resource Center, and the majority of the items we had on hand have been taken! We're thrilled to be able to distribute resources to people who need them, and we need to restock! If you're interesting in organizing a resource drive at your church, small group, workplace, etc., please contact Seth at 913-568-9280 or seths@missionadelante.org.

To find a complete list of requested items to stock the Resource Center, click http://www.missionadelante.org/opportunity.html and look under the “Resource Center” section.

• English and Spanish children's books. We'll distribute as many of them as we can through the Resource Center, and donate any that remain to M.E. Pearson Elementary School.

Upcoming dates:

• Saturday, September 6 at The Mission: New Volunteer Training and Orientation
• Monday, September 15 at The Mission: All-Volunteer Meeting
• Thursday, September 18: Launch of fall trimester

Convivir—To Share Life

The Spanish word, “convivir” means “to share life”. It is one of the three words we use to describe our 3-fold purpose to our Hispanic participants; Servir, Convivir, and Animar. We want to “Serve”, because it’s a genuine and effective way to demonstrate the love of God. We want to “share life” because compassion is relational. And, we want to “Encourage” each other to pursue God with our whole hearts.

“Convivir’ takes many shapes in Mission Adelante’s context, but one of the most exciting and energizing of these takes place at the end of each trimester in the form of a super-duper, fun-filled, God-honoring PARTY! This Sunday evening, August 10th at 6:00 is one such event. If you’ve never been, I encourage you to show up and get a glimpse of the cross-cultural community that God is building in our neighborhood. Besides sharing a meal together, we honor our ESL students with a graduation ceremony, celebrate kids who’ve demonstrated special characteristics, and share a brief message from the Bible. So if you’re looking for a uniquely exciting cross-cultural experience or a glimpse into the community of Mission Adelante, you’re invited! The details are below!

Event: Mission Adelante’s Summer Party
Time: 6:00 P.M.
Place: Bethany Community Center
1120 Central Avenue
Kansas City, KS 66102

Directions:
I-35 North to Roe/18th Street Expressway Exit
North on 18th Street Expressway
Continue past I-70 to Central Avenue (big stoplight)
Right on Central to 12th Street
Bethany Park and Community Center are at 12th and Central Avenue

In other news:

• The Resource Center had its grand opening last Thursday evening! As ESL students finished class and parents came to pick up their children from Kids Adelante, almost everyone walked over to the detached garage that houses the Resource Center to check it out. Many of them benefited from the various household items, toys, clothing, and food that was available.
• All five of the pre-teen Latina girls that began the Purity Bible Study led by Megan will complete the study this Friday and receive a purity ring as a memento of what they´ve learned.
• This is the final week of Megan, Molly, and Sofie´s internships. They´ve accomplished a great deal in the time they´ve been here!

Prayer needs:

• Pray for Molly Merrick as she begins raising funds and transitions into full-time ministry with Mission Adelante.
• Thirteen kids have been invited to participate in the Leadership Training Program beginning this fall. Pray for the kids and their parents to respond enthusiastically to the invitation.
• Guadalupe has been a part of our community for more than a year and a half. She recently accepted a position of leadership over the Servant Community team. Pray for God to develop her leadership abilities.
• Two weeks ago we mentioned Jose and Trisha's family. They've been resistant to becoming associated with a church, but have begun to show interest in Mission Adelante worship services and Bible studies! Please continue to pray for them to have the courage to come and investigate our worship and fellowship opportunities.

Current needs:

• Consumable staples including:
  Rice, Bags of Beans (black and pinto), Vegetable Oil, Sugar, Corn Starch (Maizena brand), Flour, Table salt, Canned tomatoes, Canned Chiles, Pasta noodles, Macaroni noodles, Laundry Detergent, Toilet Paper, Toothpaste, Toothbrushes, Dental Floss

To find a complete list of requested items to stock the Resource Center, click http://www.missionadelante.org/opportunity.html and look under the “Resource Center” section.

• English and Spanish children's books. We'll distribute as many of them as we can through the Resource Center, and donate any that remain to M.E. Pearson Elementary School.

Upcoming dates:

• Sunday, August 10, at the Bethany Community Center: Trimester-end party and graduation 4:30 set-up begins; 6:00 party begins
• Saturday, September 6 at The Mission: New Volunteer Training and Orientation
• Monday, September 15 at The Mission: All-Volunteer Meeting
• Thursday, September 18: Launch of fall trimester

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen…?”

A couple of months ago, we shared a new volunteer opportunity with readers: Mission Adelante’s Resource Center. This ministry is an outreach program that provides resources for immigrant families by securing donations of new and lightly used items through a network of individuals and churches. The purpose of this ministry is to demonstrate the love of Christ through relationship and giving to meet specific physical and material needs of immigrants.

Originally this ministry began functioning out of Seth & Andrea Sears' basement after they collected donated clothing and some furniture for families in need. However, fast-forward a couple of years and we’ve grown to fill a garage on the Mission Adelante property with donated goods that are being shared with immigrants on a weekly basis. In addition, several volunteers from three area churches have joined the effort this summer. Linda Witz and Andrea Foxworthy have helped Molly Merrick and I to organize, stock and distribute clothing, furniture, food and baby items. A men’s small group led by Bill Gasaway is volunteering on a regular basis to round up donations and deliver them to us.

Further momentum has developed as two churches have joined us in the effort. Heartland k10 recently held a donation drive that blessed our community with more than 500 food and baby items. And Christ Community Church of Leawood is currently conducting a school supply drive on behalf of the families and children in our Kids Adelante program.

We are continually amazed at the generous, willing hearts of people from area churches who are willing to give in the Lord’s name. Isaiah chapter 58 says that we demonstrate true fasting, true devotion, to the Lord when we help those in need.

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe him and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?” Isaiah 58:6-7

Thank you for joining us in this “true fasting” before the Lord, which we simply cannot accomplish on our own. If you are interested in volunteering with Mission Adelante’s Resource Center, please email Seth Sears at seths@missionadelante.org, or call at 913.568.9280. If you are interested in donating to the Center, please click http://www.missionadelante.org/opportunity.html and look under the “Resource Center” section to find a list of needed items.

Important upcoming dates:

• Monday, August 4, 6:30 p.m. @ The Mission: Volunteer Team Meeting. Please come help us prepare for the end-of-trimester party.
• Sunday, August 10 @ Bethany Community Center: Trimester-End Party. Set-up will begin at 4:30. The party will begin at 6:00.

This week's news

• A group of 16 youth from Emmanuel Baptist Church is here Sunday through Wednesday this week, assisting us in various ways. They hosted a movie showing in the Meeks' backyard on Sunday night, projecting "Enchanted" on a big screen. About 35 people attended, including two new neighborhood families. They're leading a V.B.S. Monday through Wednesday evening in a local park and doing work projects at the Mission, too. We're grateful for all their help!
• Molly Merrick, one of our summer interns, has accepted the Ministry Aide position on staff with Mission Adelante, which will begin in August, at the conclusion of her internship. We're thrilled that "Hot Ta-Molly" is going to remain here working with us! Please ask God to provide through people's response to her upcoming fundraising.

Prayer requests:

• Jose & Trisha and their three kids live near the Meeks. Kristen Meek has been getting to know Trisha around the neighborhood for about a year, and Jose has been a student in our ESL program since January. They've been resistant to becoming associated with a church, but have begun to show interest in Mission Adelante worship services and Bible studies! Please pray for continued interest, and for them to have the courage to come and investigate our worship and fellowship opportunities.
• Members of the new "Servant Community" are already bearing fruit as they engage in their roles and begin putting their hands to the plow! Please pray for their sustained commitment and initiative, and an experiential understanding of each person's place in Christ's body.
• We studied Paul & Silas' imprisonment and resultant ability to share the gospel with the jailer and his family in Acts 16: 16-34 in our home Bible studies on Sunday night. Please pray for Jose, Guadalupe, Hugo, and Leticia to have increased faith and persevere in the face of difficult circumstances for God's ultimate glory.

Current needs:

• Children's books: English and Spanish
• Bookshelves

Important upcoming dates:

• Monday, August 4, 6:30 p.m. at the Mission: New date for Volunteer Team Meeting
• Sunday, August 10, at the Bethany Community Center: Trimester-end party and graduation 4:30--set up begins; 6:00 party begins

Investing in Young Leaders: Volunteers Needed!

Kids Adelante began nearly three years ago with one volunteer and five little girls in our basement. It has obviously grown a lot since then. This trimester we are averaging just over 40 kids and 11 volunteers each Thursday night. The Thursday night “Outreach Bible Study” program has drawn in kids ages 4-12 and has exposed them to the message of the Bible in a variety of ways. However, once a week is not enough to overcome the challenges these kids face from peers and life as they approach middle school. A couple of weeks ago the principal from M.E. Pearson elementary school met with our staff for a “lunch and learn” session and shocked us all with the news that fifth graders in his school are routinely recruited by middle school gang members! Our time is short.

Plans are currently underway to launch a “Leaders-In-Training” program to mentor and tutor the kids in Kids Adelante who have demonstrated leadership characteristics. Our hope is that investing heavily in these kids will help them become positive leaders among their peers as they make their way through the minefield that lies ahead. We want to inspire a vision and hope for their lives that supersede the messages they receive from the urban culture in which they live. Currently our plan is to involve up to 10 students in a three-day-a-week after-school program that will include recreation and tutoring in math and language arts, as well as mentoring in character development.

**Here’s where YOU come in! If you have a passion for investing cross-culturally in kids, there are some pretty exciting and easy ways to connect! We still need volunteer tutors for Wednesday afternoons as well as teams to provide light afternoon meals for the kids each Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The meals could be a perfect project for small groups to share! If God is moving you in this direction, please call or email jarrettm@missionadelante.org to find out how you can be involved. The launch is scheduled for mid-September!

In other news:

• The upcoming Volunteer Team Meeting has been rescheduled for Monday, August 4, which is one week later than it was previously scheduled. This means we will have less than a week to prepare for the summer “graduation” party. Please mark your calendars now for the team meeting on August 4th at 6:30 pm and the Summer “graduation” party on SUNDAY, August 10th in the late afternoon!
• Eight Hispanic and six American volunteers met together on Sunday afternoon and formed the new "Servant Community." They showed excitement for the vision and eagerness to participate. They'll have monthly meetings from now on to maintain momentum.
• Fifteen volunteers came to Mission Adelante to serve during Heartland Community Church's "YES! Day" last Saturday. Despite heavy rain most of the day, they worked outside for half the day and maintained good attitudes!

Prayer needs:

• Pray for the group of 20 youth from Emmanuel Baptist Church as they prepare to come next week to lead V.B.S. in the neighborhood and do work projects around the facility.
• Continue to pray for the kids with whom Megan McDermott has been pursuing friendships. The kids have come to Kids Adelante with friends in the past, and want to come back, but the parents have stopped allowing them to come, and have also started resisting Megan's effort to spend time with them. Please pray for Megan and Mission Adelante to find favor with the parents.
• The father of some siblings that participate in Kids Adelante is in prison. Please pray for the family to depend on God and to find comfort and peace in spite of their difficult situation.

Current needs:

In order to stock our resource center and provide for families in need, we're requesting:

• grocery store gift cards
• household supplies including laundry detergent, dish soap, and cleaning supplies.

Important upcoming dates:

• Monday, August 4, 6:30 p.m. at the Mission: New date for Volunteer Team Meeting
• Sunday, August 10, late afternoon at the Bethany Community Center: Trimester-end party and graduation

Community of Servants

It has not been easy to mobilize immigrants to serve, but God has brought enough fruit to keep us from giving up. The volatility of peoples' lives and their everyday challenges make it difficult for them to be consistent with anything. However, we know that being a follower of Christ is not just about saying you believe and attending a church. It also includes laying down your life for others. Jesus told us that finding your life means losing it and that being his disciple means following him in carrying your own cross. That is why our mission includes the idea of mobilizing immigrants to serve, beyond serving them.

This Sunday we will hold the first monthly meeting of “Comunidad de Siervos” or “Community of Servants” before our worship service. Of the immigrants who have received Christ through Mission Adelante, there is a small core that has demonstrated a sense of ownership and commitment to the ministry and a growing faith in Christ. We have invited and challenged this group to step up and become “servant leaders” in our community. Some of them have already begun serving, and others have had good intentions, but we are praying that God would call them all to a new level of obedience and faith. Please pray with us for God to deepen their love for him and give them a passion to serve others in his name!

In other news:

• The upcoming Volunteer Team Meeting has been rescheduled for Monday, August 4, which is one week later than it was previously scheduled. This means we will have less than a week to prepare for the summer “graduation” party. Please mark your calendars now for the team meeting on August 4th at 6:30 pm and the Summer “graduation” party on SUNDAY, August 10th in the late afternoon!
• Two leaders and 7 middle-school age kids from the First Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, Kansas arrived this morning, and will be here until Friday afternoon. They'll be doing work projects each morning and spending the afternoons with neighborhood kids.
• A group of 15 people from Heartland Community Church, including their LTP summer interns, will be here all day Saturday for YES! Day. They are part of a larger group that has collected pledges to raise funds for the 2009 Leadership Training Program at Heartland and will serve together at various locations.

Prayer needs:

• Guadalupe and Alberto, two immigrants who have demonstrated commitment to our community of faith, have agreed to take on leadership roles in the new "Community of Servants." Ask the Lord to foster their commitment to this new opportunity, that they would be recognized and accepted by the rest of the community as leaders, and that they will become role-models that encourage others to serve with them.
• Megan McDermott has been pursuing friendships with kids in a particular family. The kids have come to Kids Adelante with friends in the past, and want to come back, but the parents have stopped allowing them to come, and have also started resisting Megan's effort to spend time with them. Please pray for Megan and Mission Adelante to find favor with the parents.
• Megan McDermott and Molly Merrick are working on reconnecting with the kids that became acquainted with Kids Adelante for the first time at the outreach soccer event a couple weeks ago. Please pray that the outreach left a lasting impression on them and that Megan and Molly would find them enthusiastic to become involved.

Current needs:

In order to stock our resource center and provide for families in need, we're requesting:

• baby formula
• school supplies and backpacks; please contact Seth Sears at (913) 568-9280 for specific school supply lists.

Important upcoming dates:

• Monday, August 4, 6:30 p.m. at the Mission: New date for Volunteer Team Meeting
• Sunday, August 10, late afternoon at the Bethany Community Center: Trimester-end party and graduation

Soccer and Salvation

Soccer is, of course, the favorite pass-time of most Latino kids. When you mix a soccer clinic led by a former professional player with willing volunteers, a free ball for every kid, a pick up game for the whole family, and a clear presentation of the gospel, you get a winning combination! Last Saturday about 50 kids and many adults converged on Kennsington park for Mission Adelante’s 2nd Annual Soccer Clinic. The event was a joint effort between Mission Adelante, Victory Soccer Camp Sports Ministry, Cabot Westside Health Center, and a group of volunteers from Overland Trail Elementary School.

The highlight of the event came when eight-year old Andrea Flores expressed her desire to receive Christ as her savior after the gospel presentation. Andrea has been involved in Kids Adelante now for more than a year. Slowly but surely God has used the scriptures and His love shown by various volunteers to draw Andrea to Himself. Because of her ongoing involvement in Kids Adelante I have no doubt that she understood quite clearly the step of faith she was taking, and that God will see to it that she receives the continuing encouragement and nurture that she needs to grow in Christ. Please praise God with us for what He has done in Andrea’s life and pray for her faith to grow deep roots!

In other news:

• The upcoming Volunteer Team Meeting has been rescheduled for Monday, August 4, which is one week later than it was previously scheduled.
  
• This is the second trimester that English tutoring has been available on Monday evenings for the adults in our ESL classes. There was little interest during the spring, but we've seen the number of those who come growing during the past few weeks. We're grateful for key volunteer Beth Brown's dedication!
  
• Thiago, a multi-trimester volunteer with Kids Adelante, is coming to KCK each Wednesday evening this summer to play soccer with 7 - 11 year old neighborhood boys and be a Christian male role model for them.
  
• Jarrett had a meeting with a group of potential Leaders In Training volunteers. A team of at least 5 people is in place to launch the program in September, which will provide tutoring, mentoring, and character development to a select group of kids that have been involved in Kids Adelante.
  
• An 11 year old girl in the purity Bible study that intern Megan McDermott is leading shared with the group some personal struggles. We praise God that the girls consider the Bible study a safe place, and that they have developed trust in one another.

Prayer needs:

• Pray for us as we challenge believers in our community to rise to a higher level of commitment. We hope that many of these conversations will take place this week.
  
• We're thankful that ESL level 1 attendance has remained remarkably high 4 weeks into the trimester. Pray for Adult English students and Kids Adelante participants not to lose momentum during break week this week, but that all of them would be back next week.
  
• Praise God for the provision of 2 gas grills and a weed eater!
  
• Ask God for protection and endurance for the Heartland Community Church LTP (summer internship) group, which includes the 3 interns based at Mission Adelante. Many are facing spiritual warfare.

Important upcoming dates:

• July 3: No ESL classes or Kids Adelante (trimester break)
• August 4: New date for Volunteer Team Meeting

Battling for Purity

According to El Centro’s youth survey from 2006, one in five pre-teen and teenage Latino immigrants report being sexually active. The oldest group in Kids Adelante has arrived at this threshold and we are praying that God will protect their innocence. Last Friday night, Megan McDermott and Molly Merrick, two of our summer interns, initiated a special Bible-study group with seven of these girls that will focus on issues related to purity and relationships.

The kick-off to the pre-teen girls Bible study was a slumber party complete with all the things girls do, including nail painting, baking cookies, watching “chick flicks”, dancing, and only a couple hours of sleep. In this context our interns saw another side of the girls and found that they were more than willing to open up to them about their personal struggles.

Through the rest of the summer, Megan will lead the girls through an eight-week study of a book called, Every Young Woman’s Battle. Discussion will include topics like, “body image”, “dressing to impress”, and “healthy boundaries with the opposite sex.” These topics and others will all tie together with an emphasis on developing intimacy and a sense of self worth in a relationship with God.

This is a ground-breaking step in the development of Kids Adelante. So, please pray with us for this group. Pray for Megan as she leads it. And pray for the girls who are involved. Join us in asking God to draw these girls into the kind of relationship with Him that gives them the confidence to have healthy relationships with the young men that are already beginning to pursue them.

In other news:

• Eighty-five adults and kids were directed to the basement at Mission Adelante Headquarters last Thursday evening when the severe weather sirens sounded. Fortunately, a heavy thunderstorm was as severe as the weather got, and everyone was able to go home safely. Gregg Frost obtained a weather radio for the building so we'll be well-informed of threatening weather in the future.
• Sofie Strohmeier arrived on Sunday after finishing her school year to join the other interns. We're excited to welcome her to the neighborhood for the next two months!

Prayer needs:

• Pray for God's blessing as Jarrett forms a team of volunteers for the Leaders In Training and tutoring program slated to begin this fall. This will be an opportunity for intensively relational mentorship for a select group of kids.
• Pray for Molly's effort to learn Spanish to be successful this summer.
• Please continue to pray for the Hispanic couple in our community that has faced ongoing trouble in their marriage. They've been back for the past two Sunday evenings! Ask God to bring them to a new level of consistency in their faith and marriage relationship.

Current needs:

• rectangular folding tables, 8-foot preferred
• gas grills
• gas powered weed eater

Important upcoming dates:

• June 28: Soccer clinic for Kids Adelante kids and families
• July 3: No ESL classes or Kids Adelante (trimester break)

What if the Church Served Together?

A lot happened around Mission Adelante this past week, but the most noteworthy highlight occurred on Saturday. Hoards of volunteers, from professionals to kids, with tools ranging from mops to a 125-foot lift machine, converged on Mission Adelante's property for a work day. There were so many volunteers doing so many projects that I couldn't even count them. My best guess is 200 +. Needless to say the impact was nothing less than a breath-taking aesthetic transformation of our property.

This workday was neither thought up nor led by Mission Adelante staff. Instead it was an inspired experiment of three suburban churches that have recently begun to discuss the disappointing divisions and territorialism they see among American churches today. As the three pastors of these churches began talking and praying with one another, an idea was born. One thing led to another and the Lord led them to develop a three-part series called, "What if the Church...believed together, prayed together, served together?". To drive the message home, each part of the teaching was acted upon in a tangible way. First came the "pastor swap" as they talked about "what if the church believed together?", then a joint worship and prayer service at Shawnee Mission Park, and finally a serve day in which all three churches mustered all the physical resources and volunteers they could to serve at several urban sites in the city. The response was overwhelming, and the name of Jesus was lifted high above the name of any one church or organization.

For Mission Adelante, the physical impact to our property was quite significant. But, beyond that, there were several layers of impact that aren't seen by the casual observer. The immigrant members of our small congregation continue to be awed by love and generosity shown by American Christians toward them. It is something that they don't expect and certainly don't feel entitled to receive. Secondly, the servant-hearted example set by these churches motivates and casts vision to our developing community regarding what it looks like to use out gifts and talents for the kingdom of God. And thirdly, our rag-tag church feels the blessing of knowing that we are not in this alone. We are part of a bigger movement of God in our city, something that is so important for us as we struggle to become established and vibrant.

So, thank you to those who served, to those who prayed, and to those who planned. And thank you to all who have ever served, planned, and prayed for Mission Adelante. We feel the blessings of our partnership with you!

In other news:

• The launch of our summer trimester last Thursday was was another huge success. ESL Level 1 is being held in the building for the first time, which allowed us to admit the largest group of students we've ever had! Furthermore, 45 kids came to Kids Adelante!
• A family for whom we've asked for prayer in recent weeks returned to our Sunday Worship Celebration after a six-week absence. Their volatile lives are a continuous struggle for them, but we rejoiced to see them again!

Prayer needs:

• Three pre-teen Latina girls have joined Megan's summer Bible-study on the topic of purity, while Megan is continuing to recruit more. Please pray for more girls to be interested in the study and receptive to the counter-cultural message.
• Pray for Molly's effort to learn Spanish to be successful this summer.
• Sofie Strohmeier, our third summer intern, will move to the neighborhood this Sunday, June 15. Ask the Lord to allow her a smooth integration into the intern team.
• Pray for God's blessing as Jarrett forms a team of volunteers for the Leaders In Training and tutoring program slated to begin this fall. This will be an opportunity for intensively relational mentorship for a select group of kids.
• A group of at least five volunteers from Warrensburg, MO are coming this Thursday through Saturday to hold an English Camp. Please pray that it runs smoothly and that our English students take advantage of the opportunity.

Current needs:

• Gas-powered weed eater
• Gas grills

Important upcoming dates:

• June 28: Kids Adelante soccer clinic outreach

The Interns are Here!

“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” Jesus spoke those words in reference to the fact that the opportunities for ministry will always exceed the called, equipped and dedicated people available to fulfill those needs.

We recognize that those words are true in Mission Adelante’s context. With this in mind we have launched our pilot summer internship this week. Two interns, Molly Merrick and Megan McDermott have joined us already and Sofie Strohmeier will jump in on June 15th after she finishes her semester at DePaul University. As God continues to give us opportunities to expand our reach within our community we take seriously the responsibility He has given us to be diligent about growing new workers for His harvest.

Indeed, our internship is not only an opportunity to have a little extra help around here this summer, but is really more focused on equipping emerging leaders for cross-cultural ministry. It is a learning experience meant to orient interns to the reality of cross-cultural ministry and help them sort out the nudges they’ve been feeling in their heart towards pursuing this as a calling and vocation.

A very important part of the internship includes living in our neighborhood and being available to build relationship with immigrants on a daily basis. Mercy and Truth Medical Missions has provided housing for them in their dorm facility on the property that was formerly the Central Baptist Seminary; a perfect scenario that ensures safety, flexibility, and a very reasonable price. After a couple days of orientation, training, and community building with our staff families, Megan and Molly are already out spending time with kids in the neighborhood.

Heartland Community Church is providing another key component to the internship through their Leadership Training Project. Three mornings a week our interns will participate with Heartland’s interns in devotions and ministry related seminars. What a blessing our partnership with Heartland continues to be!

As you pray for Mission Adelante this summer, please pray that God would raise us workers for his harvest. Pray for a productive summer of learning for Molly, Megan and Sofie. And pray that God would use their service this summer to have a deep impact on the adults and kids in our community.

In other news:

• Registration for summer ESL classes and Kids Adelante was last Thursday evening at 6:30. People began coming at 6:00, and the Level 1 ESL class was full by 6:35, with a waiting list resulting! We no longer promote our ESL program in the community; all the interest is cultivated through word of mouth.
• We'll launch summer ESL classes and Kids Adelante this Thursday evening.
• Bill Campbell, an audiologist who has volunteered in our ESL classes for over a year, offered his help to the father of one of his students last night. The man suffers from job-related hearing loss. Bill conducted a hearing test for him, and will provide him with a pair of hearing aids.
• All 15 L.T.P. interns from Heartland Community Church visited the Mission Adelante Facility this morning to learn about our work in this neighborhood. We enjoyed their visit.
• We're highly anticipating the "What if the Church Served Together?" event this Saturday. The event is a partnership between Heartland Community Church, Westside Family Church, and Cedar Ridge Christian Church, and we're anticipating receiving the help of a large number of volunteers that day, who will undertake various projects at our facility. For more information, check out http://whatifthechurch.shawncm217.com/.

Prayer needs:

• The current economic downturn has lessened the demand in the industries in which many of our Hispanic friends work, creating desperation for jobs. Please pray for God's provision of their material needs, and their recognition that the provision has come from God.
• Megan McDermott is planning a summer Bible study for pre-teen Latinas in our community on the topic of purity. Please pray for God's leading as she plans and conducts the study.
• Pray for God to clarify Molly Merrick's calling and direction as she explores different avenues of serving this summer.

Current needs:

• Gas powered weed eater

Important upcoming dates:

• June 5: Summer ESL classes and Kids Adelante begin
• June 7: "What if the Church Served Together?"

"...Mobilizing them to Serve"

Alberto and his wife Graciela are students in Mission Adelante's ESL program. We've written about them before because God has used volunteers to have a significant impact in their lives. A few months ago, when Alberto was looking for a job, his ESL class was praying for him. Another volunteer made the connections that helped him land a job at a local grocery store, and he was off and running. Ever since that time Alberto and Graciela have been coming to our Sunday night Bible studies and worship services.

More than any other immigrant who has joined our group, Alberto and Graciela have displayed almost perfect consistency. Their growing hunger for God is clear, though their past experience in pursuing Him is very limited. Last Sunday night Alberto stood in front of the group, gave the announcements and led our growing community in prayer. He was clearly nervous, but he did a wonderful job. Alberto is the first male immigrant we've connected with who seems to be showing the characteristics of a future leader. Could he be our first Hispanic teaching pastor? God only knows the plans he has for Alberto, but we are thrilled to have a role in his journey. And we are so thankful for the volunteers who have been involved in his life along the way. We are always encouraged when God fulfills our mission of "serving Hispanic immigrants to Christ and mobilizing them to serve" in the life of even one person. Please pray with us for Alberto as we continue to invest in his growth and give him more opportunities to serve and lead.

In other news:

• Sam Posladek, an ESL volunteer and A.B. May employee, has really taken care of Mission Adelante’s heating and cooling needs these past few months. In addition to replacing broken equipment, Sam has secured a deep discount for us, further assisting in our building renovation. Thanks so much Sam!
• Bill Gordon of Signature Landscaping donated a ride-behind mower. It will make short work of mowing the lawn at the facility. Thanks Bill!
• We are preparing for the "What if the Church Served Together?" event on Saturday, June 7. The event is a partnership between Heartland Community Church, Westside Family Church, and Cedar Ridge Christian Church, and we're anticipating receiving the help of a large number of volunteers that day, who will undertake various projects at our facility. For more information, check out http://whatifthechurch.shawncm217.com/.

Prayer needs:

• Various immigrant families in our community are experiencing crisis in different forms. Please petition God to care for their needs, strengthen the relationships in their families, and protect their kids from ill effects of their situations.

Current needs:

• gas powered weed eater
• round tables
• gas grills

Important upcoming dates:

• Saturday, May 24 @ 9:00 a.m.: Volunteer Orientation and Training

If your interested in volunteering with us in the future, or if you're a current volunteer who's never had the opportunity to come to the Orientation and Training, please plan to attend! You'll get an overview of Mission Adelante's various ministries, as well as information specific to the area that is of most interest to you.

• Monday, June 2 @ 6:30 p.m.: Volunteer Team Meeting

We ask that all current volunteers attend as we prepare for the beginning of the summer trimester.

• June 5: Summer ESL classes and Kids Adelante begin

A Closing Window of Opportunity for Kids Adelante

Those of us who are parents know how quickly kids grow up. This week I am lamenting how fast our opportunity to reach many immigrant children seems to evaporate. The window of time in which they are receptive is painfully short, and we are still working to establish key elements of our Kids Adelante program.

Children in our neighborhood lose innocence so quickly. In a confusing reversal of roles, the children learn English more easily than their parents, who then become dependent on their children as culture and language brokers. Culture, language, poverty, family volatility, and other factors combine to widen the natural gap that occurs between kids and parents during adolescence. The result is that by the age of 12, peers become the primary influences in the life of a child in an inner city context where gangs, teen pregnancy, and all other forms of human brokenness often prevail.

Nayeli started coming to Kids Adelante last fall. She is already eleven years old and she is changing fast. Her first trimester with us she led the way in memorizing scripture, influencing the others in her group to do the same. She is now about to enter the turning point age where most kids begin to distance themselves from their parents and from adult influence. Have we had enough time with her to make a lasting impact? Does she know God in an authentic and personal way yet? The window is closing with her and others and it seems we are just getting started.

As I think about Kids Adelante I am deeply moved by the opportunity we have to shape these kids forever. But the window is indeed brief. We have done what we can with limited staff resources, but much more is needed. This fall we hope to launch a pilot version of "Leaders in Training" that will include much more interaction with some of the kids in a mentoring/tutoring context. Please pray with me for direction for this new ministry component. Pray for God to raise up new staff for Kids Adelante. Pray for a passionate and committed group of volunteers who will pour themselves out for these kids. And pray for the kids; especially those who are nearing that critical age of adolescence.


In other news:

• Mother's Day is always celebrated on May 10 in Mexico. This year, it fell on Saturday, followed by Mother's Day in the U.S. on Sunday. We honored all the mothers in attendance at the worship celebration on Sunday evening with roses, cake and punch.
• Five volunteers from Jacob's Well Church worked on demolition at the facility on Saturday. All of them had volunteered previously at Mission Adelante, and chose to come back from among other options.
• Thirteen volunteers from Five Star Speakers are at the facility today to spend this afternoon working on demolition. We're grateful for every person that works on the building renovation!

Prayer needs:

• Please pray for immigrant children to be strengthened, in light of the challenges that they face. Pray for God to attract them at a young age and preserve their innocence and enthusiasm, especially as they approach adolescence.
• Pray for Mission Adelante leaders to receive God's direction for future Kids Adelante elements that we envision, such as mentoring and tutoring.

Current needs:

• 8-foot folding tables
• round tables
• gas grills

Important upcoming dates:

• Saturday, May 24 @ 9:00 a.m.: Volunteer Orientation and Training

If you're interested in volunteering with us in the future, or if you're a current volunteer who's never had the opportunity to come to the Orientation & Training, please plan to attend! You'll get an overview of Mission Adelante's various ministries, as well as information specific to the area that is of most interest to you.

• Monday, June 2 @ 6:30 p.m.: Volunteer Team Meeting

We ask that all current volunteers attend as we prepare for the beginning of the summer trimester

• June5: Summer ESL classes and Kids Adelante begin

Outreach Opportunity with Mission Adelante

The Mission Adelante Resource Center is an outreach program, which provides resources for immigrant families by securing donations of new and lightly used items through a network of individuals and churches. The purpose of this ministry is to demonstrate the love of Christ through relationship and giving to meet specific physical and material needs of immigrants.

About one and a half years ago, one of our English students came to us with a specific need. Two of her daughters had just arrived here from Mexico. They literally had the clothes on their backs and nothing else. We rallied support from area donors and were able to take care of their physical needs. Besides the need for clothing, we were also able to help them avoid a financial crisis through our benevolence fund.

By meeting this family's physical needs and developing a friendship, they accepted our invitation to join our Sunday night Bible study. The week of Christmas 2006, they decided to follow Jesus. Their lives have not been easy since then and we've been able to walk through new challenges with them. However, the work Christ has begun in their hearts continues and the opportunity for outreach in our neighborhood through sharing resources continues, as well.

The Resource Center currently contains donated clothing, toys, baby items, furniture and appliances. In addition to these goods, immigrants in our community regularly need other staples on an ongoing basis, such as food and consumables for babies, including formula and diapers.

Toward the aim of broadening the impact of Mission Adelante's Resource Center, we need to fill some ongoing volunteer positions, including:

Pickup and delivery: Volunteers who would be willing to answer occasional calls to pick up donations in the metro area and deliver them to our facility.

Sorting and collecting: Volunteers who would help us receive, organize and store donated goods.

Staffing the resource center: Volunteers who would be able to "staff" the resource center while it's open for drop-ins and appointments with immigrants who want to see what we have available.

If you, or someone you know, is interested in volunteering with Mission Adelante's Resource Center, please contact Seth Sears at 913.568.9280 or at seths@missionadelante.org. Also, a volunteer training event is coming up Saturday, May 24 from 9 am to noon. It would be a great opportunity for interested potential volunteers to learn more about Mission Adelante and our outreach programs. Please respond to Morgan Ham to RSVP or get more information.

In other news:

• Sofie Strohmeier will spend this summer as a Mission Adelante intern with an ESL focus. We're very pleased that she'll join Megan McDermott and Molly Merrick in the neighborhood!
• Jarrett and Kristen Meek hosted all three Bible study groups in their home Sunday evening for a cook-out. We enjoyed a good turnout of friends, nice weather, and fellowship.

Prayer needs:

• Please persist in interceding for M & V, who continue to experience crisis in their marriage and family. After a year and a half in the Mission Adelante community, their personal struggles are causing them to isolate themselves. Ask that the Lord's peace would saturate their home and that they would choose to persevere in their faith.
• Pray for Megan, Molly and Sofie as well as Mission Adelante staff members Jarrett and Jason as they prepare for this summer's internship program, which begins May 31.

Current needs:

• 8-foot folding tables
• round tables
• gas grills

Important upcoming dates:

• Saturday, May 24 @ 9:00 a.m.: Volunteer Orientation & Training
  If you're interested in volunteering with us in the future, or if you're a current volunteer who's never had the opportunity to come to the Orientation & Training, please plan to attend! You'll get an overview of the various ministries of Mission Adelante, as well as information specific to the area that is of most interest to you.
• June 5: Summer ESL classes and Kids Adelante begin

Calling All Volunteers!

Throughout the history of the church, movements of people from one city to another or from one country to another have been used by God to spread the gospel to nearly every corner of the earth. Early in the history of the church, as recorded in the book of Acts, a great persecution against believers ocurred in Jerusalem following the stoning of Stephen. The result was that the believers were scattered to other regions...along with the message of Christ. Sometimes the gospel has spread through persecution, other times because the church has sent missionaries, and in other situations whole groups of believers have migrated from one country to another. Today, in many ways, the Latin American mission field is coming to us! For those who have a passion to share life with the poor and minister cross-culturally, the opportunity is ripe to do it in your own city.

Mission Adelante invites you to consider serving as a volunteer in our ministry. Whether your passion is kids, adults, or meeting physical needs, we have a place for you to connect. You are invited to come to our Volunteer Orientation and Training Seminar on Saturday, May 24th at 9:00 a.m. to learn more about how you can be involved in cross-cultural missions in our own city. Please respond to Morgan Ham to RSVP or get more information. Or, visit our website to check out our volunteer opportunities.

In other news:

• Twenty volunteers from Christ Community Church spent six hours working on our facility on Saturday. We're grateful for their help!
• Jason Schoff preached his first message to the Mission Adelante community at the worship celebration on Sunday evening. He spoke on the topic of fasting.
• Molly Merrick is the second individual to jump on board for the summer internship. She and Megan McDermott will live here in the neighborhood and work with us from May 31 to August 10. Please pray for God's provision of necessary funds, as Molly is sending her fundraising letters this week.

Prayer needs:

• Please intercede for M & V, who have been a part of the Mission Adelante community for a year and a half. Crisis in their marriage is causing them to isolate themselves from the community, as well as causing them great personal distress.

Current needs:

• Room dividers or cubicle walls
• Portable soccer goals
• Tutors for an after-school program to begin this fall. If you're interested, contact Jarrett

Important upcoming dates:

• Saturday, May 24 @ 9:00 a.m.: Volunteer Orientation & Training

If you're interested in volunteering with us in the future, or if you're a current volunteer who's never had the opportunity to come to the Orientation & Training, please plan to attend! You'll get an overview of the various ministries of Mission Adelante, as well as information specific to the area that is of most interest to you.

• June 5: Summer ESL classes and Kids Adelante begin

Reflections of a Volunteer

(The following email to the Kids Adelante team is included in The Adelante Express with permission by Thiago, a volunteer from Brazil)

"I wish I had done this a lot sooner (volunteering and teaching). You are all like angels in my life at Mission Adelante. When Megan invited me to join, I had no idea of what would happen to me or if I would be really capable of doing this. But the more I see and live it the more I want to be a part of it and be an influence in our children's lives.

"How nice it is to be able to tell the little ones about the good news of Jesus Christ! It is so humbling to look at a child's eyes and see that they love God and that they are thankful that He sent his only Son to die for our sins. I take Annie and Lorenzo as an example: Only God knows how much they were able to influence me and touch my heart with their eagerness to be a part of that class tonight. They were not the only ones. But I can assuredly tell you that through those kids I was touched by the Holy Spirit. We were the body of Christ at that moment.

"I thank God for allowing me to be here in America (even with all the trials and persecutions that I've been personally experiencing) at this moment and being a part of such a beautiful community. This is probably the biggest email I've written in a long time (that at least has an important meaning to me) so I apologize for making it too lengthy."

*Note: Thiago, from Brazil, just finished his first trimester of volunteering in the Kids Adelante Program with Mission Adelante.

In other news:

• Jarrett taught about the messages of the cross at our Sunday evening worship service. After hearing the message, Sara, who has been a part of our Bible study and worship services for a year, prayed to receive Christ as her savior!
• Elaine is the third member of our community to complete the discipleship course in recent weeks. She and her partner, Kristen Meek, crossed the finish line this week.
• We enjoyed beautiful weather and a great turnout for our trimester-end party on Saturday, with 220 people attending!
• Casey Kapple and a group from Emmanuel Baptist Church conducted activities for the kids during the party on Saturday and during the worship service on Sunday. We're grateful for their help.

Prayer needs:

• The strengthening of marriages within our community
• The continuation of relationships that volunteers have developed with adult English learners and kids during the break between trimesters
• Refreshment and renewal for staff and volunteers during the break
• For Jarrett, Mission Adelante's Director, to have clarity during his prayer and planning retreat tomorrow through Saturday

Current needs:

• Room dividers or cubicle walls
• Portable soccer goals
• Tutors for an after-school program to begin this fall. If you're interested, contact Jarrett!

Important upcoming dates:

• Saturday, May 24 @ 9:00 a.m.: Volunteer Orientation and Training
• June 5: Summer trimester ESL classes and Kids Adelante begin