celebration

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.

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.

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

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.

Loving People from All Places

by Jarrett Meek, Founder, Pastor/Executive Director

Anyone who's spent much time in a foreign country understands how challenging it can be to navigate the  language, culture, systems and relationships in a place that's not your home.  That was certainly our experience when we were in Costa Rica for language school in 2002 and 2003.  But, out of nowhere, we were surprised by the friendship of a Costa Rican family who took us under their wing and walked with us in the ups and downs of adjusting to a new culture and context.  This experience became foundational for us in understanding how God wants us to embrace and befriend people from other places.

Members of Mission Adelante celebrate together at the

National Christian Foundation's Passion Awards

For Israel, the experience of living as foreigners in Egypt marked their identity as a people.  The Egyptian experience was a mixture of blessings and sorrows for God's people. Joseph's slavery, imprisonment and rise to power as Pharaoh's right-hand man is one of the most amazing immigrant success stories in history.  The escape from famine and the subsequent slavery of the Israelites in Egypt gave God's chosen nation a unique lens through which to view God's call to love the foreigners who would one day live in their midst.

"When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong.  You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God."  Leviticus 19:33-34

One phrase from these verses jumps off the page as familiar and powerful; "You shall love him as yourself".  This is one of the only places where this "Great Commandment", "love your neighbor as yourself", is applied so directly to a specific group of people.   And if you recall, when Jesus was asked, "who's my neighbor?", he told the story of the Good Samaritan, making the foreigner and outsider to the Jews the hero of the story, the neighbor, and the intended recipient of loving actions by God's people.  Jesus emphasizes that the commandment to love God and neighbor is at the very heart of all His commands.  This mandate finds a special expression in the way we show hospitality, compassion, and friendship to people from other places.

Whether you're from

Bhutan, 

Burma, 

Cuba,

Guatemala,

Honduras, 

Mexico, Nepal, the United States, or any other place, Mission Adelante takes seriously this Great Commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves.  This love for neighbor is practical.  It invites, 

befriends,

listens, learns,

embraces,

 shares, serves, celebrates, and grieves.  It creates a new community and redefines the "we".  It makes outsiders insiders and tells heroic stories about Samaritans.  Though we still have a long way to go, our heart's desire is that the phrase, "Loving people from all places" would be what most defines the Mission Adelante community.

In other news:

  • Staff and immigrant leaders returned on Sunday energized by the Christian Community Development Association conference where our immigrant leaders had already begun dreaming of new ways to impact our community.
  • We have two new additions to our Latino house church this week as we have welcomed two new babies! Please pray for good health and rest for the families.

Prayer needs:

  • Please pray for a family in the Bhutanese community who just had their first child! Pray for sound sleep and community support for this new family.
  • Pray for the registration tomorrow evening for our Latino ESL program where we hope to see a strong retention of past students and a healthy group of new students.
  • School can be a struggle for many of our Bhutanese High School students who don’t have strong English, making learning difficult, and the temptation to drop out strong. Pray for our school district to have the resources and knowledge to teach ESL students well, and pray for our students to have endurance and a strong work ethic in their studies.

Other needs:

  • Want to hang out with some fun kids and share Jesús in a meaningful way? We are looking for 3 or 4 volunteers for our Outreach Bible Study on Thursdays from 6:30-9:00.  Please contact Megan if you are interested at meganm@missionadelante.org.
  • Our Bhutanese Kids Outreach is looking for a few new friends!  We are in need of 5 mentors to walk with kids at part of our Outreach Bible Study on Tuesday nights from 6:30-9:00pm.  If you are interested in learning more please contact Kristen at kristenm@missionadelante.org.
  • If you are out and about and notice swimsuits on clearance, would you think about picking some up for kids at Mission Adelante?  We go swimming many times a year, even in the winter, and sometimes we find out on the way to the pool that some of our friends don’t have swimsuits that fit.  We specifically need suits that fit Elementary and Middle School boys, and one-piece suits that fit later Elementary and Middle School girls.  If you have questions, or would like to help, contact Kristen Maxwell at Kristenm@missionadelante.org

Important dates:

  • Volunteer Orientation & Training: Saturday, September 21, 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 attend this informative training. 
  • All Volunteer Huddle & Dessert: Monday, September 23, 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 23

"All Nations Soccer Tournament" Celebrates Diversity and Creates Unity

Written by Hannah Hume, Bhutanese Teens Club Coordinator

Here in Kansas City we love sports! Men and boys will sit in freezing cold weather or under blistering hot sunshine to watch a game with religious dedication. Women will slave over Rotel dip and chili to serve to the huddled masses of friends gathered together to scream at the television set in their living rooms. Sports create a sense of community, purpose, and good old fashioned fun for fans.
Last Saturday, long time Mission Adelante church partner Shoal Creek hosted the first annual “All Nations Soccer Tournament” for local teams in Kansas City, and the event was great! Five teams participated in the tournament, representing the countries of Peru, Argentina, Italy, Mexico, and Bhutan, and they hope to have even more teams participate next year!
Several of our staff members and volunteers went to the tournament to cheer for Bhutanese team, "KC Best", as many of the players are part of Mission Adelante's weekly Teens Club. It was fun to see the cultural diversity of our city represented by the various teams, and yet to also see the unity and community that can be formed in the midst of such diversity around a common passion like soccer.
In a city that is becoming increasingly diverse it could be easy to feel like we may not have anything in common with our neighbors. However, at Mission Adelante we love to embrace the differences that other cultures offer, believing they can broaden our own perspectives and enrich our city. It’s also good to be reminded that, at the end of the day, even those who may seem different than us are probably a lot more like us than we may initially think. The Asian man fixing your car is a father and worries about being a good dad too. The international student on your campus is just as excited as you are about the Black Friday sale on that computer. Across cultures, everyone loves to gather together, laugh, compete, and cheer for sports.

Praise God that He has made us all so wonderfully different and yet, in so many ways, to share the same needs, have similar likes, and most importantly, to be loved magnificently by our awesome God!  

 In other news:

  • A core group of our Teens will take a leadership development trip to Chicago during Labor Day weekend.  We are excited to see how the Lord unifies them and continues to equip these leaders from within our own community!
  • Five immigrant leaders in the ministry of Mission Adelante have accepted an invitation to travel with four of our staff to the CCDA (Christian Community Development Association) National Conference in September. This will be a rich opportunity for their continued mobilization.

Prayer needs:
  • Pray for vision and direction as we set out planning the Fall trimester programs, and LIT for the 2013-2014 school year.
  • Pray for the Bhutanese ESL leadership team as we listen and plan what God has for the Fall trimester and following trimesters.  Pray for the conversations that we have with some of our students to bring direction and ownership of our classes among the Bhutanese community.
  • The Adelante Thrift team has started working with a new agent to find a location for the store. Please pray that God would show us where He wants this effort in our community.
  • Pray for members of our staff who will be meeting briefly with Congressman Yoder to share stories that illustrate why immigration reform is a necessary element for the transformation of our neighborhood.

Other needs:
  • We're in the process of setting up a brand new library for the Leaders in Training (LIT) students, and hoping to have it finished by the first week of September. Do you know of someone that would be interested in helping to paint some bookshelves or maybe even buy some bean bags or decorations to make it cozy?  Please contact Megan at meganm@missionadelante.org.
  • Volunteers are currently needed for both Bhutanese LIT which meets after-school, and Bhutanese Kids Club which meets on Tuesday nights.  If you are interested in learning more about partnering with us through volunteering contact Kristen Maxwell at Kristenm@missionadelante.org
  • Want to hang out with some fun kids and make a big impact? We are looking for volunteers for our Leadership development program and also for our Outreach Bible Study! Opportunities are available Monday-Thursday.  Please contact Megan if you are interested.  meganm@missionadelante.org.

The Faces of Immigration

Written by Lauren Timberlake

Photos by Molly Merrick

We have recently shared several posts inviting readers to investigate what the Bible says about immigrants and to examine attitudes in the light of those truths. That is hard work, and we thank God so many are taking the time to engage in something that we really care about at Mission Adelante. Today, we’d like to focus on one of the reasons why we care so much. Immigration is not just theology or politics to us-- it is individuals and families, grandmothers and little boys, friends and even co-laborers with us in our efforts towards sharing the message of Jesus. Here are some photos of the immigrants in our community, taken at last week’s trimester-end celebrations. As you scroll, please pray for these people and the community they represent, for their families and their futures, for health and stability, for life and hope.

Ratna, Julie, and Ran walk into the Bhutanese Family Fun Celebration together.

Beth loves on kids as they wait in line for food at the Latino End of Trimester Party.

The youngest group from Kids Adelante lines up together after receiving awards.

Brenda and Tika enjoy creating temporary henna “tattoos” together at the mehndi station.

The program awards are finished, and Krishna and Janelle help get the Nepali dance party started.

Michael earned the pinnacle award for learning all the verses and not missing a day of Kids Adelante this term.

Kids Club friends Sarah, Kabita and Pramoda spend time together as they wait for dinner.

In other news:

  • Informational meetings were held on Sunday afternoon for students who are interested in beginning the application process for the Leaders in Training Program for the 2013-2014 school year.  Many students attended and have begun the application process!
  • More than 90 evangelical leaders from Kansas City gathered on Tuesday to hear from Noel Castellanos, CEO of Christian Community Development Association, about our call to confront injustice for the benefit of our neighbors, specifically, in this case, injustice in the form of out-dated immigration policy. See Fox 4's news coverage of the event.
  • We're always grateful for donations to our Resource Center.  Please help us out by not leaving donations outside of the Resource Center, or inside or outside of our facility!  The weather can make a mess out of them!  Please contact Molly at mollym@missionadelante.org to arrange a time to drop-off your donation.

Prayer needs:

  • As we reflect on the past trimester and consider the feedback we've received, pray for God to lead us to continue to shape our programs to best serve the needs of immigrants, and to most clearly demonstrate to them the love of Christ.
  • Jarrett & Kristen Meek and family's sabbatical is about to conclude, and although we find ourselves increasingly eager to welcome them back to Kansas City this Monday, we know it will be a taxing transition for them.  Please pray for the Lord to supply extra energy and patience for them in the coming weeks.

Important dates:

  • Bhutanese ESL Volunteer Snacks and Training: Saturday, May 4, 2:00,at Lauren Timberlake’s house. Please consider joining us for fun, prayer and some cultural training as we keep learning how to love the Bhutanese well. Please contact Jenny Dunn at jennyd@missionadelante.org for more details.
  • Volunteer Orientation & Training: Saturday, May 18, 9:00-12:30All 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 attend this informative training.
  • All Volunteer Huddle & Dessert: Monday, May 20, 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 27

First Times with Friends

Written by Hannah Hume, Bhutanese Teens Coordinator

My Freshman year of college I lived in India for 5 months. It was a great experience, and one where I got to try a lot of things for the first time. I had my first motorcycle ride there, I ate lots of new foods, took bucket baths, and learned how to barter in the marketplace.

Similarly, many of our Latino and Bhutanese friends get to try lots of things for the first time when they move to America. Some of them are really fun, and some of them are not as fun. Whether it’s using a soda fountain for the first time and marveling at the world of modern convenience, seeing snow for the first time and sledding in it, or doing something less fun like learning how to read utility bills, immigrants get to have lots of firsts.

On Sunday, the Bhutanese outreach got to be a part of an exciting first-time event with our friends: bowling! Mission Adelante ends each trimester with a big party for the community. This trimester some of our staff got creative with the party planning, and we held our party at nearby St. John’s Catholic Club and bowling alley! For most of our Bhutanese friends, this was their first time ever bowling, and they loved it!

Inversely, the American volunteers got to experience some things for the first time, too. There was henna for the ladies to paint their hands, and Nepali Carrom board games for kids and adults to play. And of course we finished the night off with a lot of dancing to Hindi music!  It was a great time to celebrate the end of another trimester of learning English, making new friends, deepening old friendships, and growing in our knowledge of God together!

In other news:

  • Forty-nine Bhutanese ESL students were honored at our party last Sunday night for their consistent attendance this trimester. We are so proud of the way they continue to press into language study!
  • We celebrated our Latino program graduates, both kids and adults, at a party this past Saturday at Bethany Community Center in KCK.  It was a huge success! All of the main courses for dinner were prepared by participants and their families and our Leaders In Training students led activities for all the kids during the adult portion of the program.

Prayer needs:

  • Pray for compassionate and family-friendly immigration reform.
  • Sunday afternoon we will have meetings for students and parents interested in participating in the Leaders In Training program during the 2013-2014 school year.  Pray that the Lord would bring the right kids and guide everyone through the application process.
  • Pray for the Meek family as they're preparing for their return from sabbatical to the States on April 29! (Keep reading below this post for Jarrett's recent "Sabbatical Reflections from Costa Rica!")

Current needs:

  • We're always grateful for donations to our Resource Center. Please help us out by not leaving donations outside of the Resource Center, or inside or outside of our facility! The weather can make a mess out of them! Please contact Molly at mollym@missionadelante.org to arrange a time to drop-off your donation.
  • A Bhutanese family is in need of a car seat for their 18-month-old daughter. If you could provide one, please contact Drew at drewh@missionadelante.org.

Important dates:

  • Saturday, May 4, 2:00: Bhutanese ESL Volunteer Snacks and Training,at Lauren Timberlake’s house. Please consider joining us for fun, prayer and some cultural training as we keep learning how to love the Bhutanese well. Please contact Jenny Dunn at jennyd@missionadelante.org for more details.

Celebrating New Life

Written by David Stetler, Bhutanese Outreach Director

 When the disciples realized that the very-much dead and buried Jesus had risen from the dead, they recognized that life as they knew it had just changed forever.  Jesus was alive again and new life was beginning to emerge.  Through the power of the Resurrection God broke into the narrative of human history, into our lives of brokenness, and He had started something NEW!

 This year has been filled with new life at Mission Adelante.  We have seen the living God come into the middle of pain, sorrow and life's many challenges and offer transformation.  The message of love and forgiveness flows out of the message of the Resurrection, and God says to us “This is the time” when all things began to be made new - beauty instead of ashes, gladness instead of mourning, and joy instead of despair.  When we leave it all behind to follow Jesus, we are promised new life in Him. With a divine sigh of relief, the God who created all things releases us from the past, and we step into new life with Him forever. What a promise!

 At Mission Adelante, sharing Jesus with people from other places is our passion because we believe that He can and He is making all things new.  We see His truth and love give hope, joy and new life.  Whether it's teaching English or investing in the lives of kids, sharing a meal with a family or tutoring a student, walking with a teenager through life or leading someone through the teachings of Jesus - we find Him making all things new. As we share life with these friends, in the joys and sorrows, we see His transforming love at work changing it all into beauty and gladness. He is truly making all things new.

 In Other News:

  • One of our church partners, Christ Community EFC, is hosting a conference this weekend called CG2013: Pursuing the Common Good of Our City.  Jason Schoff will have the opportunity to share during a break-out session about a biblical perspective on the immigrant living in our communities and Mission Adelante's ministry efforts.  Find out more about the conference by clicking here.
  • Last Tuesday the Bhutanese Teenagers celebrated a Nepali cultural festival called “holi” at teens club. During this festival people throw brightly-colored chalk powder at one another and celebrate good conquering evil. So, Mission Adelante decided to get in on the action and throw some chalk ourselves, while celebrating Jesus, the ultimate good, conquering the evils of death, sickness, and sin in our own lives. It was a fun evening of worshiping Jesus together in a traditional Nepali way.
  • The Latino Leaders in Training students have eagerly taken on running the children’s activities during our Spring trimester party, a week from Saturday.  We are so blessed to see our young leaders growing right before our eyes!
Prayer needs:
  • The pick-up route for the Bhutanese LIT students yesterday intersected with two locations where people were fatally shot over the weekend.  One victim was a 14 year-old boy who was in class with some of our 8th graders.  Pray for the Lord’s peace and protection to overwhelm our neighborhood, especially kids trying to make sense of senseless violence.
  • Please pray that the current trimester of outreach programs would conclude well next week, and pray that the Lord would provide fresh vision and clarity as we begin to plan for the upcoming summer trimester. We want our plans to be his plans, and his vision to be ours.
  • Pray for our Spring parties on April 13 and 14, that our students will feel really blessed by being honoring for their effort and achievement this trimester.
  • On April 21st we will have our informational meeting for next year’s Leaders in Training program.  At this meeting families will hear the vision of LIT and pick up an application packet.  Pray that the Lord would bring the right kids to be a part of next year’s program.
Current needs:
  • Pony beads with large holes (to thread on yarn) for Kids Club crafts.  Contact Kristen Maxwell for more information: kristenm@missionadelante.org.
  • Dance party lights that we could borrow for the Bhutanese Spring Party. Contact Jenny Dunn for more information: jennyd@missionadelante.org.
  • The Bhutanese Spring party on April 14th is a bowling party and we need new socks in kid, teen, and adult sizes by Thursday April 11th. Contact Jenny Dunn for more information: jennyd@missionadelante.org
Important dates:
Please note: The dates of the Latino and Bhutanese Spring Parties are reversed on the "2013 Key Dates" magnets. The dates listed here are correct.
  • Saturday, April 13, 5:00-8:00: Latino Spring Party, at Bethany Community Center.  Please come and help us celebrate the accomplishments of our ESL, Teens, Kids Adelante, and L.I.T. students this trimester and honor volunteers with sustained service. Bethany Community Center is located on Central Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas (66102) between 11th and 12th Streets, behind the fire station.
  • Sunday, April 14, 5:00-8:00: Bhutanese Spring Party, at St. John's Catholic Club and Community Center, 720 N. 4th Street, Kansas City, KS 66101.  Please come and help us celebrate the accomplishments of our ESL, Teens Club, Kids Club, and L.I.T. students this trimester and honor volunteers with sustained service.
  • Saturday, May 4, 2:00: Bhutanese ESL Volunteer Snacks and Training, at Lauren Timberlake’s house. Please contact Jenny Dunn at jennyd@missionadelante.org for more details.

The Story After the Story

Written by Jason Schoff, Latino Outreach Director
In the days leading up to our Christmas Eve service, I visited several community families in their homes to talk with them about their Christmas plans and to make sure they knew the details for our service.  I found out that one young Latino couple and another single man didn't have any plans for Christmas Eve following our service.  This seemed tragic, especially given that Latinos stay up past midnight on Christmas Eve celebrating with family and friends. What could I do?  I was leaving early the next morning to join my family.  I love to be involved in God's plan but sometimes He reminds me that I am not the main solution, others are.  

Cynthia was the solution.  God used Cynthia and her love for people and hospitality to make the night complete.  When she found out these three friends would be going home without a party to attend, she extended an invitation.  Maybe there was no room in the inn for Jesus nor was there room at other parties for Martin, Sindi and Michael, but Cynthia allowed these fellow believers that opportunity to join her family for tamales, posole, and other traditional Mexican foods.  Cynthia is one of the bright spots in our ministry because she understands the importance of relationships to our discipleship efforts.  It will be exciting to see her take other steps to lead in the year ahead.  

Our Christmas Eve service was a wonderful end to our 2012 ministry season, but so much of what makes us excited happens outside of the big events when perhaps only God is watching.


 In other news:

  • The Mission Adelante staff enjoyed a restful and refreshing break spent with family and friends! Thank you for your prayers to that end.  Most of us returned to the office reinvigorated (there's some illness about), and we're looking forward to diving into a new trimester.
Prayer needs:
  • Please pray for our new volunteers as they come for orientation this Saturday. Pray that they would feel welcomed and encouraged by the opportunity to serve with us!
  • Please pray for the Bhutanese Leadership team meeting on Sunday.  Pray for ownership, direction, and vision for this team.
  • We would love prayers for all of our outreach activities as they ramp back up over the next week, that the Lord would guide us to be His hands and feet to the community that we love and serve. Pray particularly on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for smooth, stress free, and Spirit-filled days as our outreach programs launch for the spring trimester.

Other needs:
  • Volunteers to serve once per week for the duration of the spring trimester, beginning next week (the week of January 14) and concluding the week of April 8:
    • Two men and 1 woman who would be excited about forming discipling/mentoring relationships with Bhutanese teenagers through Bhutanese Teens Club on Tuesday evenings. Please contact Hannah Hume at hannahh@missionadelante.org.
    • Volunteers who love kids and love Jesus to mentor Bhutanese kids ages 5-12 on Tuesday evenings. Specifically, two more men are needed. Please contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org.
    • Volunteers to mentor Latino kids through either Leaders In Training on Monday or Tuesday afternoons, or Kids Adelante outreach Bible study on Thursday evenings. Please contact Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org.
    • Volunteers to help organize our Resource Center on Wednesday afternoons between 1 and 3 pm. The Resource Center provides food, clothing, and household items to immigrants in need of these items. Please contact Molly Merrick at mollym@missionadelante.org if you're available at that time.
  • A dining table and chairs. If you have one available please contact Drew Hammond at drewh@missionadelante.org.
  • Two twin beds, 1 queen bed, a sofa, and a kitchen table and chairs to seat 6 or 7 have been requested through our Resource Center. The Resource Center also needs inventory including new and gently used kitchen items, bedding, towels, and medium stuffed animals. Please contact Molly Merrick at mollym@missionadelante.org to set up a time to drop-off your donation. Please help us out by not leaving donations inside or outside our facility.  Thanks.           
  • Small toys and trinkets (valued at about $1 each--ie Target dollar bins, or dollar store) to be added to our Kids Club prize box, which contains reward for excellent behavior during our Tuesday night program for kids ages 5-12.  If you can help us out contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org.
  • The Bhutanese and Latino LIT programs need a small group (or groups) to purchase pre-packaged, healthy, after-school snacks for the kids.  We would be blessed to receive a couple months (@ 3 days/week) worth of snacks.  Please contact Megan at meganm@missionadelante.org.
  • Fifteen to twenty 8 GB flash drives for the Latino LIT students to use, preferably with a ring or another way to attach them to lanyards. Please contact Megan at meganm@missionadelante.org.
  • Bhutanese and Latino kids' programs are in search of a gently used lamination machine to keep our frequently used materials usable for longer. Please contact Megan at meganm@missionadelante.org.

Important dates:
  • Volunteer Orientation & Training--Saturday, January 12 @ 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.  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 attend this informative training.
  • All Volunteer Huddle & Dessert--Monday, January 14 @ 6:30 p.m.  We encourage everyone that will be volunteering with us during our spring trimester to attend so we can prepare for a great launch.
  • Spring trimester programs launch--Week of January 14

A Yeshu Concert Celebration

Written by David Stetler, Bhutanese Outreach Director

A week ago Saturday the cross-cultural, western-eastern fusion rock band Aradhna led by the sitar-playing Chris Hale came to visit Kansas City and played a special concert at our end-of-year party to help us finish the year with a huge celebration.  

 The songs that Chris and the band performed for us were all sung in Nepali or Hindi which are both languages that our Bhutanese friends understand very well.  Nepali is their first language and Hindi is usually their second.  Aradhna has a four man band playing the sitar, the bass, the guitar and a really cool hand drum called the tabla.  They sing songs called Yeshu Bhajans which are Jesus worship songs and are all about Jesus, who he is, and what he has done for us.

We gave out awards to our program participants and our faithful volunteers during dinner and celebrated the year together.  We also had a wonderful time singing and dancing to the Yeshu Bhajans celebrating Prameshwar Yeshu, Jesus as Lord, and all that he brings us.  It's amazing how much the joy of music brings when we can sing about Jesus and the peace and joy that he brings us.  

During the Aradhna concert intermission my good friend Janga played a few songs in Nepali about Yeshu (Jesus) that he has recently written.  The first song was about why Jesus came to the earth and the other was a beautiful song to the tune of The Benediction. Janga has been leading worship for our Teens Club, Leaders in Training and our house church for several months.  We love watching him grow as a leader and as a musician and it was great to be present while he shared some of his new songs with the broader Bhutanese community.  

All in all, it was a great night of incredible music, wonderful food and amazing friends as we reflected on a remarkable year.  And at the same time, just down the street, our Latino friends were having a huge party celebrating too.  We are looking forward to celebrating together the birth of Jesus on Christmas Eve!

In other news:

  • Jason Schoff taught an adult ESL class at a local public school this fall that included one Bhurmese student.  She was the only Bhurmese amidst Latinos.  We were excited to have this opportunity with a new immigrant group.

Prayer needs:

  • Praise God with us! The first of the teens in our community brought to the States as a child that applied for the right to work through the federal Deferred Action program introduced last summer has received his documents, and the chance for a better future.
  • Please pray for the continuing development of the leaders of our house churches--Bhutanese and Latino--as we continue to spend time intentionally discipling them.
  • Please pray that the Mission Adelante staff would enjoy a restful break and return in January ready to jump back into ministry.
  • Pray for our tri-cultural (Bhutanese, Latino, and North American) Christmas Eve service to minister to all present.

Current needs:

  • Volunteers to join us in all our outreach programs for our next trimester, mid-January to mid-April.  Check out www.missionadelante.org/volunteerto see all our volunteer opportunities!
  • GPS units for our Transportation Team. If you are able to provide one, please contact Drew Hammond at drewh@missionadelante.org
  • Mattresses for newly arrived Bhutanese refugee families. If you are able to provide one please contact Drew Hammond at drewh@missionadelante.org.
  • Volunteers to help sort clothes the resource center. If you are interested in helping, please contact Molly Merrick at mollym@missionadelante.org to arrange a time to come up.
  • A Conference Table: 6’ long, dark brown, and in good condition. Please contact Morgan Ham at morganh@missionadelante.orgif you can point us towards one.
  • The Bhutanese and Latino LIT programs need a small group (or groups) to purchase pre-packaged, healthy, after-school snacks for the kids.  We would be blessed to receive a couple months worth of snacks.  Please contact Megan at meganm@missionadelante.org.
  • Fifteen to twenty 8 GB flash drives for the Latino LIT students to use, preferably with a ring or another way to attach them to lanyards. Please contact Megan at meganm@missionadelante.org.

Important dates:

  • Christmas Eve Service: Monday, December 24 @ 6:00 at Mission Adelante. This will be our first combined worship service with both our Latino and Bhutanese communities!  Multi-ethnic refreshments will follow.
  • The Mission Adelante office will be closed for Christmas December 25-January 1.

Mission Adelante Year-End Giving Opportunities: A Record Year!

A Record Year and New Opportunities!

Three cultures, one community, a big celebration!

It's been a record year at Mission Adelante and the timing couldn't be any better!  As we bring 2012 to a close, we're both praising God for His beautiful work among us, as well as praying for the strongest year-end we've ever had financially.  Will you be a part of it with us?  

The fruit of seven years of serving in our neighborhood has translated into some exciting opportunities for 2013 that we're praying will impact our community in new ways for years to come.  We invite every one of you to partner with us in whatever way you can as we press into these new challenges and opportunities!  Give online and then share our 

online giving page

with your friends.  It's easy!

Coming soon in 2013...

  • Adelante Thrift: A neighborhood-based Thrift store that will provide jobs and a produce sustainable income to help fund other Community Development initiatives.
  • Summer Internship:  A ministry internship for emerging leaders among Latino Teens from our neighborhood.
  • Foundations for a Medical Clinic: In 2013 we will be conducting focus groups in our community and forming a Board of Directors and a business plan for a Family Practice clinic in our neighborhood, which we hope to open in 2014.
  • Multi-cultural Worship: On Christmas eve we will hold our first ever multi-cultural worship service in Spanish, English and Nepali.   In 2013 we plan to experiment with more ideas to foster multi-cultural interactions and worship.
  • Disciple-Making: The core of our mission and purpose will always be reproducing disciples of Jesus who can also make disciples.

Year-End Giving

This is a very exciting time to invest in what God is doing through Mission Adelante.  As we prepare for these new opportunities and pray for our strongest financial year-end ever, we want to invite you to give, and give generously to be a part of changing individual lives and an entire community.  Our year-end giving goal is $65,000.  This goal includes $21,000 we need to raise to receive a "last in" grant to hire a Community Development Director!  Here are a two ideas to help us get there!

  • Give Stock (click here to learn more):  When you give appreciated assets, your giving capacity goes further and your tax advantage could be greater.  Mission Adelante partners closely with the National Christian Foundation to help donors establish "donor advised funds", an effective and tax-efficient vehicle for giving.  With a donor advised fund you can give appreciated assets, such as stock, avoiding capital gains taxes.  While no one knows how congress will resolve the "fiscal cliff", there has been talk of placing new limits on itemized deductions, which would impact deductions for charitable giving in future years.  The president of the National Christian Foundation, Aimee Minnich, has given me permission to distribute her mobile phone number, (816) 853-4469,for anyone who would like to discuss giving stock or other assets through a donor advised fund.

A Grand, Heaven-like Celebration!

By Jarrett Meek, Founder, Executive Director

On Monday night the National Christian Foundation honored Mission Adelante with an award at their annual Passion Awards banquet.  Ninety people affiliated with our ministry, many of them Bhutanese and Hispanic participants who have become owners with us in our mission, celebrated together at the event what the Lord has done among us.  

As we led up to the event, I was drawn to 

1 Corinthians 12:26...

The body is ONE, 

"If one part suffers, every part suffers with it.  If one part is honored, every part rejoices with it"  

As we invited members of our community to join us receiving this honor at the event, one thought kept going through my mind: "This is OUR award. So often our community suffers together, and this week we will rejoice together!!"

Indeed we did rejoice, and as we passed around the trophy I was deeply moved by the way God was using this extravagant event to exalt humble people from many different places to the status of honored guests at the banqueting table.

I considered the cost to the ministry of having brought so many people to this event, and I remembered the story of the woman who broke her bottle of perfume and poured it over Jesus' head. When some questioned this seeming waste, Jesus said, "she has done a beautiful thing for me."

Mark 14:6

. and "Whatever you did for the least of these...you did for me."

Matthew 25:40

As we enjoyed this generous gesture of affirmation from the Christian community in Kansas City, I dreamed of what God might do in our neighborhood with this growing group of disciples and emerging leaders, and contemplated what is becoming a new motto for us: “doing with vs. doing for”.  It wasn’t hard to imagine God using this new group of “Kingdom insiders” to transform our urban community!

And then there was the coming together of our ENTIRE community; people from Bhutan, Nepal, Latino America, and North America, celebrating as ONE community and I couldn't help but think about the party we'll have in heaven together!! 

"

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language,

 standing before the throne

 and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes

 and were holding palm branches in their hands.

10 

And they cried out in a loud voice:  '

Salvation belongs to our God 

who sits on the throne, 

and to the Lamb.'”

Revelation 7:9-10

To top it off, I was blessed to have my parents and some of my very best friends there to enjoy it with me.

So, please forgive me if my joy continues to overflow for a while.  It's not really about receiving an award or a nice grant for the ministry.  It's about what God did through the whole event in the lives of people I love a lot!

In other news:

  • Our Latino house churches met together for a celebration service last Sunday and person after person came forward to share testimony of how God had been working in their lives.  There’s nothing more encouraging than to see the hand of God at work in those around you!  
  • Jarrett and Kristen Meek and their family are preparing for a sabbatical next year after seven years of service with Mission Adelante!  Please pray for them and for our staff as we make preparations for their absence and they make preparations for a time of learning, growth, and renewal.
  • We want to give a big "thank you" to Maria Morris and her team for providing awesome shirts for all of our LIT kids!
  • With the help of volunteers, two Latino teenagers are starting a purity Bible study this week for all the girls coming to Teens Adelante. They’re excited to get creative and minister to their peers.

Prayer needs

:

  • The Bhutanese Teens Club volunteer team is currently studying the book “Master Plan of Evangelism” by Robert Coleman together. Please pray for us as we delve deep into discovering what discipleship is, and explore the next step for each of us as we try to obediently follow Jesus.
  • Please pray for the Spirit’s leading through the two teen girls launching this new purity Bible study, as well as for all the girls that will come.
  • Pray for our volunteers and students to experience meaningful relational interaction outside of class together. This is a busy time of year, but full of great opportunities to spend time together, and for our immigrant friends to learn about American culture.

Important dates:

  • Saturday, November 17, 3-6:30 p.m.: Mission Adelante Staff House Parties
    • Jarrett & Kristen Meek, Molly Merrick: 251 N. 15th Street
    • Jason & Megan Schoff, Megan McDermott: 410 N. 15th Street
    • David & Brooke Coon: 245 N. 17th Street
    • David & Holly Stetler, Drew Hammond: 438 N. 17th Street
    • Drew & Lauren Timberlake, Kristen Maxwell: 706 N. 17th Street
    • Garett & Jenny Dunn, Hannah Hume: 335 N. 15th Street
      All homes are in Kansas City, KS 66102.  RSVP is not necessary.
          • Wednesday, November 21-Saturday, November 24: Fall Break Mission Adelante office closed.  No programs Tuesday, November 20-Saturday, November 24.
          • Latino Christmas Party: Saturday, December 8 @ 5:00  Bethany Community Center, 1120 Central Avenue, Kansas City, KS 66102
          • Bhutanese Christmas Party: Saturday, December 8 @ 5:00  First Baptist Church of Kansas City, 2900 Minnesota Avenue, Kansas City, KS 66102

        2012 Passion Awards: A Special Affirmation of God's Work through Mission Adelante!

        We invite you to join the Mission Adelante community in celebrating what God has done through several outstanding ministries in the city and the region!  As a worker in urban ministry it can sometimes seem like there are more disappointments than victories, and one of the most important lessons I've learned over the years is that success in ministry should be measured primarily by faithfulness.  Urban and cross-cultural ministry teaches this lesson the hard way sometimes. Yet there are special moments when beautiful fruit is revealed, a life is changed, or a word of affirmation is passed along.  These are special gifts from God that remind us of His grace and the pleasure He takes in calling us His children.  For the Mission Adelante community, God has recently passed along one of these special words of affirmation through the National Christian Foundation.  We have been selected from among many ministries to receive an award for ministry excellence at their annual Passion Awards ceremony on Monday, November 12!

        If you've never attended the Passion Awards, I would highly recommend it!  It is an inspiring event that highlights God's work through several outstanding ministries in the city and the region.  If you would like to join the Mission Adelante community in celebrating what God has done in our ministry and others, we would love to invite you to attend this exciting event that will be held in the Kansas City Convention Center!  

        Register now to reserve your spot at the 2012 Passion Awards!

                                                                             --Jarrett Meek, Executive Director

        In other news:

        • The Bhutanese Level 4 English class is doing a unit on government and the coming election.  Teacher Jenny Dunn was astounded when one of our students knew the names of the mayor, the governor, the president and the vice president!
        • Our Latino LIT kids will soon begin a monthly service project at a local nursing home.  As we work to raise up the next generation of young leaders in our community, our goals are that our students would form friendships with the residents and that our kids would see that their servant hearts can make a big impact!

        Prayer needs:

        • Please pray for a family in our community in which the parents are separating as a result of marital strife.  Please pray for peace, discernment, and wisdom in the choices that are being made.

        Other needs:

        • Kids Club, our Bhutanese kids' outreach, is growing in number and growing up.  Many of our kids have outgrown the games in our game cabinet.  We are in need of board games suitable for 4th-6th graders!  Some ideas include Blokus, Battleship, Simon, Perfection, and Jenga.  Please contact Kristen at kristenm@missionadelante.org.
        • The Bhutanese and Latino LIT program needs a small group (or groups) to purchase pre-packaged, healthy, after-school snacks for the kids.  We would be blessed to receive a couple months worth of snacks.  Please contact Megan at meganm@missionadelante.org.
        • Colder weather is coming and we need help keeping families in our community warm. The Resource Center is in need of hats, gloves, and scarves. Please contact Molly Merrick at mollym@missionadelante.org to set up a time to drop-off your donation.  Please help us out by not leaving donations inside or outside our facility.  Thanks!

        Important dates:

        • Saturday, November 17, 3-6:30 p.m.: Mission Adelante Staff House Parties
          • Jarrett & Kristen Meek, Molly Merrick: 251 N. 15th Street
          • Jason & Megan Schoff, Megan McDermott: 410 N. 15th Street
          • David & Brooke Coon: 245 N. 17th Street
          • David & Holly Stetler, Drew Hammond: 438 N. 17th Street
          • Drew & Lauren Timberlake, Kristen Maxwell: 706 N. 17th Street
          • Garett & Jenny Dunn, Hannah Hume: 335 N. 15th Street
            All homes are in Kansas City, KS 66102.  RSVP is not necessary.
              • Wednesday, November 21-Saturday, November 24: Fall Break Mission Adelante office closed.  No programs Tuesday, November 20-Saturday, November 24.