Jarrett Meek
When a Young Leader Soars!

You know that moment when you see a loved one, donned in their cap and gown, walking with pride as they step across the graduation stage? They're filled with joy as they're recognized for years of hard work, while also looking ahead with excitement for what’s to come.

When a Young Leader Soars!
Jarrett Meek
Join Us in Congratulating Patrique Harris, Our ...

There’s no doubt that Jamaica produces amazing talent, so I’m sure you won’t be surprised when I tell you that our new Associate Director is also a Jamaican super-star!

Join Us in Congratulating Patrique Harris, Our New Associate Director
Mission Adelante
Return to the Fountain

by Erika Guedez, Community Resource Manager

Have you ever prayed and struggled to find the right words when talking to God? Have you ever felt disconnected from the source? Or maybe you feel like you repeat the same words over and over every single day?

That’s exactly how I had been feeling lately.

Yes, I prayed every morning. I would surrender my day to God, ask Him to protect my family, and to guide us safely wherever we went. During the day, I would pray again and give thanks. At night, before sleeping, I would finish my day with another prayer.

Return to the Fountain

Look What God Did

Look What God Did

As our annual Arts Camp approached, I'll admit that this year stretched my faith.

Planning an event is never simple, but this season brought unique challenges. Finding enough volunteers, reaching families, navigating people's fears about leaving their homes because of everything happening around us, and trying to think through every small detail so the week would run smoothly - all of it felt like a constant roller coaster (and I don't even like roller coasters).

There were moments when I wanted to have every answer, every plan finalized, and every problem solved before moving forward. I wanted to know that everything would work. I wanted to know that enough people would come, that we'd have enough volunteers, that the students would enjoy themselves, and that all the little pieces would somehow fit together.

Making Space for God

Making Space for God

When you hear the phrase "spending time with God," what comes to mind? For a while, for me, it meant sitting down with a Bible and journal each morning, but it doesn't look like that for everyone. For others, it's a prayer walk, listening to worship music, serving others, or finding a few quiet moments in the middle of a busy day. These practices may look different, but they all have something in common: they create space for us to connect with God.

Welcoming Our 2026 Summer Interns!

Welcoming Our 2026 Summer Interns!

by Erick Flores, Ministry Apprentice

It’s that time again, our Summer Interns have arrived! I am so excited to introduce you all to this year’s Summer Interns. In previous years, we’ve had smaller groups, but this year we’ve expanded to seven interns! That might not seem like a lot, but for us, it’s huge!

Our interns this summer are Elian, Julissa, Blake, Anjali, Unisha, Katalina, and Ramiro!

Return to the Fountain

Return to the Fountain

by Erika Guedez, Community Resource Manager

Have you ever prayed and struggled to find the right words when talking to God? Have you ever felt disconnected from the source? Or maybe you feel like you repeat the same words over and over every single day?

That’s exactly how I had been feeling lately.

Yes, I prayed every morning. I would surrender my day to God, ask Him to protect my family, and to guide us safely wherever we went. During the day, I would pray again and give thanks. At night, before sleeping, I would finish my day with another prayer.

Study Hall Check-In

Study Hall Check-In

by Patrique Harris, Ministry Community Director

Recently, our GYVOAT (Greatest Youth Volunteer Of All Time), Michael, hosted a small study hall for our Youth Club teens. We shared some Pollo Ranchero from a spot down the street, Pollos El Junior, and hit the books. Even Michael benefited from the study time. Sure, he helped tutor math, but he also had his atlas in tow to brush up on Caribbean geography for the dailyGloble game (try it!). Honestly, I benefited from the community study time too because it gave me the perfect inspiration for this article.

If you’re a friend of mine, you know I love a good check-in question. Listening is one of the best ways we can love and support the people around us, and sometimes all it takes is asking a simple but meaningful question. While the teens snacked and worked through homework, I asked a few of them two simple questions: What’s bringing you joy? And what’s been hard lately?

Wanting to Play the Drums

Wanting to Play the Drums

by Kristina Flores, Children’s Ministry Manager

As a kid, I always wanted to learn how to play an instrument. I learned the flute, the piano, and barely half of “Hot Cross Buns” on the recorder. In school, we had to play the recorder in music class, and I was terrible at it. I dreaded those classes. To this day, I don’t know why it was so hard for me, especially since I could already play the piano and the flute. I never earned a ribbon, and “Hot Cross Buns” still haunts me.

Adelante Thrift: Now Just A Click Away!

Adelante Thrift: Now Just A Click Away!

By Carla Garcia, Partner Engagement Director

There’s something about thrifting that has always felt like home to me.

Some of my earliest memories are of going to Minnesota Ave Thrift with my mom. The only local thrift store we knew, where we could find what we needed and sometimes what we didn’t even know we were looking for. I remember walking the aisles, not really knowing what I’d find, but always leaving with something that felt like a treasure.

All Praise and Worship to the Lord on High

All Praise and Worship to the Lord on High

by Elaine Reimers, Adult Ministry Director

II have always loved music. Since the days when I was wearing diapers and before I can even remember, music has had the power to move me. I grew up with parents and an extended family who had a wide range of musical tastes, so I was exposed to nearly every genre. I remember listening to mostly country and doo-wop R&B with my mom as she would pat her leg to the beat. When I was with my dad, I recall listening to mostly R&B and pop music. My Aunt Karen would fly down the road, flicking the ashes of her Marlboro Red out the window with my cousin Melissa and me in the back seat, blaring music by artists including Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, and Queen. I have fond memories of listening to "Eye of the Tiger" over the years with my Uncle Rick while we watched the "Rocky" movies. My Vietnam Veteran stepdad would even break out his classical music/symphony vinyls at times. My friends and I listened to hip-hop, rap, and alternative music, and even dabbled in heavy metal and goth music for a short time. My mother tells me, as she giggles and reminisces, that whenever Hank William Jr.´s Born to Boogie would come on the radio, I couldn't stand still and I´d boogie all over the room. She says ¨that song just turned on your boogie!¨ and that I would come close to boogieing right out of my diaper. Can you imagine?!

Spring

Spring

by Erika Guedez, Community Resource Manager

Aaaah!.. Spring…. Wonderful, Radiant, Achooohh! Allergic Spring!

One of the new things I have learned during my year and a half in the United States is to experience life in stages, with its well-defined seasons and shifting weather patterns. Broadly speaking, where I come from, there are only two periods: the dry period (drought), which lasts approximately from December to April, and is characterized by a lack of rainfall and high temperatures; and the rainy period (heavy rains), which extends approximately from May to November, and during which precipitation is constant. A transitional period serves as a bridge between these two climatic phases. Due to its geography, Venezuela maintains a tropical climate year-round; consequently, the only things that really change in one's wardrobe are whether or not one carries an umbrella and wears rain boots.

Growing as a Leader at Mission Adelante

Growing as a Leader at Mission Adelante

by Patrique Harris, Ministry Director

Over the years, I’ve shared a lot about leadership development at Mission Adelante. I’ve seen so many kids, teens, and young adults thrive through our leadership development programs and pipeline. What I haven’t shared as much is how pivotal Mission Adelante has been in my own growth as a ministry leader.

As many of you know, I joined the Mission Adelante team in 2021, nearly five years ago, as Youth Ministry Director. With a somewhat unconventional background for the role, I had a lot to learn. Still, I was met with an incredible amount of support, from encouraging teammates, committed volunteers, wise supervisors, and, of course, God’s grace. With this, I felt a deep and divine confidence in my calling. I felt free to dream, build, and lead youth programming that has really flourished.

What Prayer Really Does (Even When Nothing Changes)

What Prayer Really Does (Even When Nothing Changes)

by Kristina Flores, Children’s Ministry Manager

I’m sure most of you have prayed about something and then waited… and waited… and nothing seemed to change? Maybe you prayed for a situation to work out, for an answer to a problem, or even just for your day to go smoothly. And instead of a miracle, you got… the exact same situation you started with.  I think sometimes we treat prayer a little bit like a customer service request. We submit the request and then expect a quick response time. Preferably same-day delivery. But prayer isn’t Amazon Prime for life problems. 

God’s Goodness

God’s Goodness

by Erick Flores, Ministry Apprentice

Migrating to a new country without knowing any English, adjusting to a completely different environment and culture — that is a huge change that can easily discourage someone. But it can definitely surprise you how comfortable and confident you can become in the United States in just one year. Today, I will be talking about Elian Heredia and the huge impact he has made at Mission Adelante.

Adult Ministry Update: Erika Guedez

Adult Ministry Update: Erika Guedez

by Elaine Reimers, Adult Ministry Director

It has been a busy last few months in the Adult Ministry department at Mission Adelante. For those of you who are a bit newer to Mission Adelante, the Adult Ministry department consists of three weekly programs and church on Sunday evenings. The three programs are Latino ESL on Thursdays, Citizenship on Tuesdays, and Refugee ESL on Mondays. Between the three weekly programs, we have 58 amazing and dedicated volunteers and 102 determined students! Thank you, God, for all of them, because it is an honor and a pleasure to serve alongside our beloved volunteers in a place where our immigrant community has the opportunity to learn what they need to know to improve their lives educationally, mentally, and spiritually.

Un Lugar en la Mesa

Un Lugar en la Mesa

By Carla Garcia, Partner Engagement Director

In Mexico, you don’t just say “thank you.”
You invite someone to your table.

You make space. You warm tortillas. You stir the pot a little longer. You serve the best portion to your guest before serving yourself. In my culture, sharing a meal is one of the most sacred ways we express gratitude. It says: I’m thankful for you.

Some of my most meaningful memories are around a table: laughter echoing off kitchen walls, hands passing plates, stories flowing as freely as the salsa. Food isn’t just food in Mexico. It carries history. It carries sacrifice. It carries love. Recipes are not simply instructions, they are inheritance.

The Road to Citizenship

The Road to Citizenship

by Erika Guedez, Community Resource Manager

It all starts on a Tuesday at 6:00am.

I wake up and organize my day with my husband. I prepare lunch, get my daughter ready, and take her to daycare. Then I head to work. Tuesdays are the longest days for me. I arrive at Mission Adelante at 8:30am, update information, answer emails, messages, and calls, and prepare the attendance list to organize the citizenship class groups.

I know, I admit it: sometimes I'm a little intense about making sure none of the students miss class. For me, every day counts, especially because Tuesdays also exist thanks to people with hearts willing to serve. Volunteers, men and women who, like the students, come from demanding jobs, family responsibilities, and long days. However, they decide to give their time because they believe in this purpose.

History of Hope

History of Hope

by Patrique Harris, Ministry Director

Growing up in Jamaica, I have always been fascinated with the history of the Caribbean and Jamaica in particular. From the Indigenous peoples who first inhabited the land, to Europeans who arrived, killed, and colonized, and the brutal transatlantic slave trade that fueled sugar plantations, and fattened the purses of imperial “powers”, our past is marked by immense pain, violence, and exploitation. Yet, the story of our people is not defined by cruelty alone. It is also a story of vision, resolve, defiance, and authenticity.