Mission Adelante Programs Cancelled on Tuesday, February 4

All Mission Adelante programs on Tuesday, February 4 have been cancelled due to the forecasted snowstorm. As a reminder, we abide by Kansas City Kansas Community College cancellations.
Stay warm and stay safe!

A Place to Belong

Written by Jenny Dunn, Bhutanese ESL Coordinator

Citizenship can mean much more than the right to vote or even travel internationally. To our students, citizenship is the chance to belong.  The Bhutanese refugees came from a place where they were neither wanted nor belonged.  Most of our students were born in Bhutan and were forced to leave and go back to their “homeland,” Nepal. However, since their ancestors lived in Bhutan for more than a hundred years, Nepal was no longer their home, either. They lived in refugee camps for nearly 20 years, but were never granted citizenship there. When the Bhutanese-Nepalis come to America, they hope for a brighter future, one in a place where they belong.

        

As our friends near the time when they can pursue citizenship (after 5 years of permanent residency), we have realized how hard it is for them to achieve. The exam requires them to know 100 civics facts and to read, write and speak English. The civics questions are about American history and government, and many natural-born U.S. citizens would not be able to answer them. In response to this need, we are excited to offer a citizenship class as part of our Bhutanese English program!  We focus on the reading, writing and interview portions, while our students practice the civics questions in another class offered through the Kansas Bhutanese Community. Please pray for our students as their exam dates approach. We eagerly anticipate the day when this community finally feels what it means to belong here as Americans!

Our Bhutanese ESL Citizenship class had a great turnout of interested students!

In other news:

• The Bhutanese teen ministry staff attended the Catalyst workshop last weekend at Heartland Church. They learned new things about making disciples, and enjoyed connecting with other people in ministry in Kansas City. We are grateful to our awesome partner churches for their support of our mission in KCK, as well as for their contribution to the Kingdom of God in their corners of the city.
• The Latino Outreach is excited to launch a kids' worship team. We will begin teaching the kids in our community interested in learning to play an instrument.
• Our Latino LIT (Leaders in Training) program launched our first Spanish class last Wednesday! It was a huge success and the kids loved it!  Although many of our kids have grown up speaking Spanish fluently, we are hoping to encourage improved Spanish literacy as well as the appreciation of their native culture.
• Immigrant entrepreneurs continue to be a catalyst in transforming our neighborhood and we celebrate that one of the local refugee owned businesses signed a lease for a new space to expand their grocery store and add a restaurant.

Prayer needs:

• Family relationships are often the context where our character flaws and sinfulness are most evident. Please pray for the marriages and families in KCK. Pray that Jesus would change and redeem hearts, and that His love would seep out into our most intimate relationships.
• Please pray for Alejandro, who is taking the lead role in one of our Latino house churches.  He is enthusiastic and willing!  Pray for God to give him the humility and courage to lead well and to remember to utilize the other leaders God has placed beside him.
• Pray for our national leaders who will be considering immigration reform this spring to have wisdom and courage with these important decisions.
• One of the Bhutanese families in our neighborhood requested prayer for work opportunities to make ends meet and healing from chronic pain for their mother. Please pray for this family to see Jesus working in their life.
• Please continue to pray for the Adelante Thrift Board as they consider two possible properties for the thrift store.

Current needs:

• Both Leaders in Training (our after-school tutoring program) and Kids Adelante (our Outreach Bible Study) are still looking for some dynamic volunteers to work with the kiddos. There are opportunities to volunteer Monday-Thursday.  Please contact Megan at meganm@missionadelante.org if you are interested.
• Foosball is one of the most popular games at our kids events any given week.  After multiple years of service our foosball tables have begun to show their age.  We are looking for a foosball table in good condition (all players and table legs in working order) to be used in our kids room every week.  If you have one you would be willing to donate please contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org.

Important Dates:

• Child Protection Meeting--Saturday, February 22 at 9:00 a.m. All volunteers that serve the kids and youth of Mission Adelante should attend.

Thankful for Jason and Megan Schoff

by Jarrett Meek, Pastor/Executive Director

After more than eight years of faithful service, first as a volunteer, and then as a staff member, Jason Schoff will be transitioning from his role as Director of Latino Outreach as of January 31st. The Schoffs began their journey with Mission Adelante as a part of our initial launch team in 2005 and have served faithfully from that time until now.  Many times over the past eight years Jason and I have leaned on one another for support and have celebrated personal and ministry victories together.  Jason has been involved in every stage of Mission Adelante’s development as a positive team player and a significant contributor to our mission and vision.  We have experienced the ups and downs of building a ministry together.  It is an understatement to say that I will miss Jason’s steady and reliable hand as a ministry partner.

Mission Adelante as a ministry will also miss Jason’s leadership in many ways.  The direction he provided for the Latino ESL program, his house church, and as a part of the staff leadership team are significant contributions that cannot be overlooked.  His role on our staff as “big brother” to newer staff members is an intangible value he added on a day-to-day basis.  The practical, in-the-trenches support he offered to so many members of our community as they walked through difficult situations has made a real impact in many, many lives. While we will miss Jason's staff-level ministry involvement, we are grateful that Megan and Jason will continue as a part of our community even after his employment with Mission Adelante comes to an end.  It can often be difficult to transition from leader to participant in a ministry context, so we are praying that as a community we will know how to give them the space they need to make this transition effectively and in a way that is healthy for their family.

We are thankful for the critical role Jason and Megan have played in our ministry over the years, and for those of you who supported their ministry with Mission Adelante.  Please join us in praying for, encouraging, and supporting the Schoffs as they take their next steps as a family, and as Jason moves into a new phase vocationally.

In other news:

• We're presently giving special attention to equipping and empowering emerging Bhutanese teen leaders for ministry. On Thursday we had the first Student Leadership Team meeting of the year. We worshiped and prayed together and began planning for this trimester’s teens club program. The teens had lots of ideas to contribute, and are growing in their leadership skills.
• A refugee owned business in our neighborhood is seeking a new location to expand operations. The couple feels a clear calling from God to use their business as a tool for ministry and it is exciting to listen to their dreams for their community. God continues to build friendships in our community that turn into partnerships for Him!

Prayer needs:

• Please pray that God will provide enough work for the Bhutanese families in our community.
• As we finalize Teen leadership program participants, please pray that God will prepare parents' hearts to be willing to allow their children's participation in the program--especially the internship portion--and to see the value in it.
• Adelante Thrift continues to negotiate a possible space for the thrift store. Please continue to pray for the Adelante Thrift board as they seek God's wisdom and guidance during this important step.

Current needs:

• Both Leaders in Training (our after-school tutoring program) and Kids Adelante (our Outreach Bible Study) are still looking for some dynamic volunteers to work with the kiddos.  There are opportunities to volunteer Monday-Thursday.  Please contact Megan at meganm@missionadelante.org if you are interested.
• Foosball is one of the most popular games at our kids events any given week.  After multiple years of service our foosball tables have begun to show their age.  We are looking for a foosball table in good condition (all players and table legs in working order) to be used in our kids room every week.  If you have one you would be willing to donate please contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org.
• Bhutanese Kids Club could still use a few more helping hands!  We are in need of 3 more volunteers for our spring trimester.  If you are interested in learning more please contact Kristen Maxwell at Kristenm@missionadelante.org.

Important Dates:

• Child Protection Meeting--Saturday, February 22 at 9:00 a.m. All volunteers that serve the kids and youth of Mission Adelante should attend.

The Making of a Leader

Written by Edgar Soriano, Latino Ministry Intern

When I was thirteen and I came to Mission Adelante for the first time, I didn't like it because there wasn’t anyone that I knew. As the days went by, I started to gain more comfort and trust in the volunteers. As I got older, I became involved with the teen’s group. I started growing more spiritually and figuring out talents about myself that I didn’t know I had. I grew closer to people and I found myself.

Last summer, I got involved in the Mission Adelante summer internship and it challenged me. It helped me grow in my relationship with God and my leadership role, which helped me help others. The internship gave me an opportunity to discover more of who Jesus had made me to be.  

Starting next week, Mission Adelante will be launching a new leadership training program for teens. This program is a year-long discipleship and training experience to help youth from our community reach their potential as disciples and leaders.  We will begin in January with 6-8 teen leaders and will build up to the summer with ongoing training, ministry together, and discipleship. We want to become a family who grows and does ministry together.  Those who do a good job during the spring will be invited to participate in the summer internship.  After the summer is over, the experience will continue with an emphasis on coaching the teen leaders toward discipling younger teens in our community.

I think this program is important because, like the internship did for me, it will give teens in our community an opportunity to find themselves and discover their identity and value in Christ. It will help them grow spiritually and learn new ways to help others.  It also will help the younger kids in our community to see teens that love Jesus and understand them because they have struggled with the same issues.

In other news:

• We're excited to offer Spanish classes to our Latino Leaders In Training for the first time this trimester to encourage literacy in their first language.
• The Bhutanese ministry is excited to offer a citizenship class this trimester. We will study civics and practice the English reading, writing and speaking skills required for refugees to pass the citizenship exam.

Prayer needs:

• Please pray for this trimester of programs, that the launch would be smooth, and that the Lord would continue to use these programs to bless our community.
• The Adelante Thrift building search has brought us to a potential location that holds many of the qualities we are looking for in our retail and operations site. Please pray for clear direction from God and wisdom for the Adelante Thrift Board during negotiations.
• Pray for the immigrant leaders in our house churches who are taking on new responsibilities to trust God and walk courageously.

Current needs:

• Bhutanese Kids Club could still use a few more helping hands!  We are in need of 3 more volunteers for our spring trimester.  If you are interested in learning more please contact Kristen Maxwell at Kristenm@missionadelante.org
• Both Leaders in Training (our after-school tutoring program) and Kids Adelante (our Outreach Bible Study) are still looking for some dynamic volunteers to love on the kiddos.  Please contact Megan at meganm@missionadelante.org if you are interested.  
• We are looking for a donated or low-cost projector with a protective cage to mount to the ceiling in the kids’ room.  If you are able to help, please contact Sarah Winston at sarahw@missionadelante.org
• We're looking for household furniture for a Bhutanese family that has recently moved to Kansas City, KS. The family needs the following items: 3 queen size mattresses or beds, 2 twin size mattresses or beds, a kitchen table and chairs, 3 dressers for clothes, 2 medium size couches, and a coffee table. If you would like to bless this family by donating any of these items, please contact Drew Hammond by email at drewh@missionadelante.org.
• Foosball is one of the most popular games at our kids events any given week.  After multiple years of service our foosball tables have begun to show their age.  We are looking for a foosball table in good condition (all players and table legs in working order) to be used in our kids room every week.  If you have one you would be willing to donate please contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org.
• The Bhutanese ministry is in need of a 55 cup percolator for transporting and serving chia (Nepali tea) at various events. Please contact Jenny at jennyd@missionadelante.org if you know of one that's available.

Important dates:

• Spring trimester programs launch--this week!
• Child Protection Meeting--Saturday, February 22 at 9:00 a.m. All volunteers that serve the kids and youth of Mission Adelante should attend.

Humility and Interdependence in Friendship

Written by Hannah Hume, Bhutanese Teens Coordinator

At Mission Adelante we believe that ministry is about relationships, and that relationships are meant to be two-way streets. Both parties should serve one another, teach one another, and grow together. Relationships that function like this require both participants to exercise humility.

I am often caught off guard by the humility that my refugee friends display. As a 23-year old white American female, I am quite naive about the suffering in this world. Sure, I'm fluent in English and I know how to navigate American structures surrounding things like obtaining a drivers license, for example. Really though, what right do I have to enter into the lives of my refugee friends, or to be a trusted counselor to many of my friends?

These men and women--my friends--are strong. They have raised families in refugee camps and have been forced to move around the world to a new country to start life over again. Many of them have been farmers, mothers, doctors, and school teachers, and now here they are, allowing a young, single woman--who only recently learned how to shovel snow out of her own driveway--into their world. It would be quite easy for them to take one look at me and write me off. I don’t understand the things they have been through, or are going through. I don’t really know that much about their culture, nor do I speak their language. Who am I to think that I have anything to offer them?

Nevertheless, they welcome me in,  and not just as an aid to understanding and navigating their new home here in America. They welcome me in as family. They humbly ask for help when they need it and patiently overlook my youth and cultural blunders. Often, I find myself the true beneficiary in the relationship. They teach me to see the world in new ways, offer me friendship and love, regularly feed me dinner, and care for my well being. In turn, I am blessed to offer the truth of Jesus and to serve as a cultural broker for them. However, over and over again, they prove to me that while I am trying to bless them, I am really the one that is receiving the blessing.

Many people equate refugees and immigrants to a drain on our society’s resources. However, we at Mission Adelante would be curious whether people who make that claim know any refugees or immigrants personally. The reason that we so deeply value interdependent relationships is that we have discovered that immigrants have something valuable to offer to us as individuals and as a nation. It is my prayer that we can learn from their experience and have enough humility to accept their contribution.

In other news:

• Our Latino Equipos (Teams) continue to grow and demonstrate new strength in our ministry.  These immigrant teams will play a big part in this week’s ESL registration, new volunteer orientation, and Monday’s all volunteer huddle, and we love watching them lead!

Prayer needs:

• Pray for a successful launch next week for our Spring programs, and for the Lord to bring the right students for English class, teens for teens programs and kids for kids programs.
• Thank God with us for his great provision of volunteers in the past, and ask Him to fill key volunteer slots for all our programs this upcoming trimester.

Current needs:

• We are looking for a donated or low-cost ceiling-mountable projector with a protective cage for the Kids’ Room. If you can help with this, please email Sarah Winston at sarahw@missionadelante.org.
• We still need the following volunteers for our Spring trimester, which begins next week:
• Latino Leaders In Training (Tuesday afternoons): 1 volunteer. Please contact Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org to learn more.
• Bhutanese Kids Club (Tuesday evenings): 3 volunteers.  If you are interested in learning more contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org.
• Kids Adelante (Thursday evenings): 4 volunteers. Please contact Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org to learn more.

Important dates:

• Volunteer Orientation & Training--Saturday, January 11 @ 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 13 @ 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 13

Interview with an ESL Conversation Partner

Mission Adelante's Bhutanese Logistics Coordinator, Drew Hammond, recently interviewed his mother, Julie Hammond, about her experience serving as an ESL conversation partner with the Bhutanese Ministry.

How long have you been serving with Mission Adelante?

I have been serving as a conversation partner for the level two English Second Language (ESL) class in the Bhutanese Ministry for one year.

    

What are some things that you have taught your Bhutanese friends during your time of service?

During ESL class we have taught our Bhutanese friends many things. For example: the difference between “chop, dice, slice, and cube” when cutting vegetables, how to fill out citizenship applications, and to say “I need an interpreter for Nepali” when going to the hospital or doctor. My family and I have also invited our Bhutanese friends over to our house to teach them how to make pizza!

Those are all great ways that you have taught your friends! In what ways do you feel like you have learned from your relationships with your Bhutanese friends?

I have learned that we can love each other, even when we are just learning to speak each others language. They have also taught me how to make really yummy homemade chai tea.

Tell me more about how you express love to each other without speaking the same language.

Even without deep conversations, we build connections through serving one another and through smiles, hugs, and “namaste”. [“Namaste” is a word used to greet someone in Nepali culture.]

You mentioned that you build connections with your Bhutanese friends by serving one another. How have you been served by your Bhutanese friends?

   I’m fed very well every time I visit their homes, they have extended my family by adopting me (and my family) into theirs. They also teach me Nepali words during English Class and help me to understand their culture.

What is one thing that you have learned about Bhutanese culture?

How they celebrate. Their heart and soul is put into every detail of their celebrations. I really enjoyed learning one of their cultural festivals which is about celebrating the relationship between siblings. I wish that our culture had a celebration like that too.

Are there any moments where you feel like your friendships with Bhutanese were life-giving to you?

The moment that stands out the most is when I was dancing with everyone at the End of Trimester Party in the Spring. Earlier this year I was at a womens conference and some of the women laid their hands on me and prayed for healing of my Multiple Sclerosis (MS), which I had for 14 years. During those years I was unable to dance due to the side effects of MS, but while the women were praying for me, I felt like I was going to dance again. I had no idea the first time I would dance after 14 years of illness would be with my Bhutanese friends from the other side of the world.

That is a very moving story, thank you for sharing that. Is there any advice you would have for other people who may be interested in serving or who are already serving at Mission Adelante?

My Bhutanese friends are so jovial and easy to laugh with that they make it seem like we aren’t serving them. Instead it feels like I am spending time with my friends and having fun together. My advice would be to come and build relationships with our Bhutanese friends who will do anything for you that they can.

Important Dates:

• Wednesday, December 25-Wednesday, January 1: Mission Adelante office closed. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Hard Work Pays Off for the Leaders in Training

Our Leaders in Training enjoyed an overnight trip to Great Wolf Lodge last weekend as a reward for working so hard this semester!  Thank you to all of you that made it possible for the kids to experience the awesome rewards that hard work can yield!  Here are a few photos of the fun we had.

In other news:

• It's a fun time of year, as both the Latino and the Bhutanese ministries are preparing for Christmas parties and award events this weekend.

• Many of our immigrant friends are discovering the joys of American holiday traditions for the first time as they are welcomed to take part in family traditions by their American friends. It is really fun not only to learn about our immigrant friends' cultures, but also to share our own culture with them through things like turkeys and Christmas trees!
• Bhutanese ESL volunteers visited student homes during English class this week. We are thankful for the cross-cultural friendships that have formed this fall!

Prayer needs:

• Please continue to pray for health concerns in the Bhutanese community. There are many chronic conditions like diabetes and headaches as well as acute medical needs. Additionally, one of our students is recovering from bypass surgery this week.
• Pray for our kids to finish out the semester of school strong!
• Please pray for one of our Latino church members who is recovering from knee replacement surgery and will have challenging physical therapy.
• Ask God to open a door for immigration reform to be considered by Congress in January.

Current needs:

• The Resource center has an immediate need of 5 space heaters to help families in our community stay warm! If anyone can help please e-mail mollym@missionadelante.org
• Calling All Geeks:  We are looking to build our very own “Adelante Geek Squad.”  If you can de-bug a computer, install new hardware, or offer advice on technology upgrades, put your skills to work for the Kingdom and bask in our undying love and respect for your geekness. Contact Sarah at sarahw@missionadelante.org to join the squad.

Important dates:

• Latino Christmas Party: Saturday, December 14 at 5:30.  Bethany Community Center (1120 Central Avenue, Kansas City, KS 66102). Everyone is invited! Please invite anyone you know who is interested in learning more about Mission Adelante or possibly volunteering in the future!
• Bhutanese Christmas Party: Saturday, December 14 from 4:00-8:00. First Baptist Church (2900 Minnesota Avenue, Kansas City, KS 66102). Everyone is invited! Please invite anyone you know who is interested in learning more about Mission Adelante or possibly volunteering in the future!

A Major Milestone for Mission Adelante!

Dear Friends,

Mission Adelante is on the cusp of a major milestone that represents nothing less than the accomplishment of our dream and vision!  In the next year we intend to hire our first staff members from within our own community!  Can you imagine the impact this important step will make on our effectiveness in reaching people from other places?  We would like to invite you to be a part of this turning point in our ministry’s development.  In fact,

we need you to lock arms with us at this exciting moment to help make it happen!

When Jesus called his first disciples to follow Him, He promised that he would make them “fishers of men”.  The invitation to be with Jesus comes with a challenge to join Him in the work of making disciples.  From the time we started Mission Adelante we have been dreaming of the day when leaders from our own community would rise up to join us as workers in the Lord’s harvest field.  That dream is coming true!  As we look forward to 2014 we have as many as three leaders from our community who could be ready to join our staff in key ministry roles.  These “home-grown leaders” have been part of our ministry in various areas for several years, have been discipled intentionally, and are now leading with us.  They have become and are becoming “fishers of men.”

Amazing Matching Gift Opportunity for 50 Donors!

In order to make this next step possible, we are launching a new giving fund to create an avenue for donors to help us hire staff members from our own community.  We are calling this new fund the “Community Leaders Fund”.

To help get us started, a generous donor has offered to supplement EACH new recurring gift to the “Community Leaders Fund” (at least $25/month) with a $1000 one-time gift (up to a total of $50,000). In other words, your new recurring gift to the Community Leaders Fund gets a $1000 bonus added to it!

The heart of this “matching” opportunity is to encourage ongoing giving to the Community Leaders Fund to foster long-term sustainability.  We are praying that God would provide $2500/month in new recurring gifts and $30,000 in one-time contributions by year-end to help us launch our Community Leaders Fund.  

We would like to invite you to prayerfully consider partnering with us this year-end by contributing to the Community Leaders Fund, either with recurring contributions, or with a one-time gift.  You may send contributions to Mission Adelante Inc.,  22 South 18th Street, Kansas City, KS  66102, or give online at

www.missionadelante.org/give

.  Be sure designate your contribution to “Community Leaders Fund”.  Thank you for your support and partnership all these years!

In His Grace,

Jarrett Meek

Pastor/Executive Director

Multicultural Leaders Emerging!

Multicultural Leaders Emerging!

Eleven leaders from Mission Adelante attended the Christian Community Development.conference

by Jarrett Meek, Founder/Pastor/Executive Director

How do we know we if we are fulfilling our mission?  One of the most significant indicators is when we see our disciple-making efforts give rise to emerging leaders from within our community.  The development of immigrant leaders is not only a vital sign of missional life for our ministry, but is also critical to the ongoing health of our community.  We are seeing new fruit as multicultural leaders are rising up!  

In September eleven leaders from Mission Adelante, representing four different countries traveled together to New Orleans to join up with people from other urban ministries from across the U.S, at the Christian Community Development Association’s national conference.  A few Americans, a Cuban, two Nepalis, and two Mexicans were part of our multicultural group who grew together as friends and leaders during the trip.  These kinds of equipping events, where our leaders can go deeper with each other and with people from other places, provide a wider perspective on Christian ministry and disciple-making as it’s lived out in other contexts.  The CCDA conference was a huge encouragement for our team.

Our summer Internship experience took a new twist this year as well.  Instead of bringing in college students for an internship in cross-cultural ministry, we created a new internship experience for four Latino teens from our neighborhood.  For one of these young leaders, Edgar Soriano, the Summer Internship has turned into a one-year internship opportunity, as he pursues further training in ministry.  As our long-term investment in leaders from our neighborhood continues forward, we are praying that in 2014 we will be able to hire our first full-time immigrant staff members to serve with Mission Adelante.

A Unique Matching Gift Opportunity for 50 Donors!

We are launching a new giving fund to create an avenue for donors to help us hire new staff members from our community.  We are calling this new fund the “Community Leaders Fund”. To help get us started, a generous donor has offered to supplement EACH new monthly commitment to the “Community Leaders Fund” (at least $25/month) with a $1000 one-time gift (up to a total of $50,000). In other words, your new monthly commitment to the Community Leaders Fund gets a $1000 bonus added to it!  Now that’s high impact!  Hiring staff members from our own community will be a huge step forward for us in living out our mission!

Go to missionadelante.org/give and choose the "Community Leaders Fund"!

The Home: Where Love and Brokenness Meet

by Jarrett Meek, Pastor/Executive Director

This morning I called my 13 year-old daughter over to the couch for some "snuggle time" before she went off
to her science class.  I hugged her tight and remembered when she was 2 weeks old.  I told her how much I love her and that I'm glad she's my daughter.  Last Thursday the scene was a little different.  I was frustrated with my 10 year-old son.  He had spent an hour doing three math problems (easy ones) and I was tired of having to stay on him constantly to get him to stay focused.  I "raised my voice" at him.

Home is where the heart is.  There's something special about home.  It's where we feel most ourselves, where there's every human emotion, where we're surrounded by things that express who we really are, it's where we rest, where we don't wear any masks, where the good, the bad and the ugly exist together.  My home is no exception.

At Mission Adelante we do church in homes, right where love and brokenness meet.  Last week I spent some time reflecting on the day when Jesus visited Matthew's home.  Matthew, as the scriptures tell us, was a tax collector.  Tax collectors were no more popular in Jesus' day than they are today.  Jesus met Matthew when he was at work, collecting taxes at some sort of a toll booth.  But the relationship didn't stay there, it went straight to Matthew's home.  We're taken to a party at Matthew's house;  Jesus, and several of his followers, Matthew and his friends, food, maybe music, possibly wine, and a few uninvited guests (religious authorities).  Matthew and his friends were not the religious type.  In fact the religious people rejected them as "sinners".  But on this day, Jesus was there to spend time with them, not in the temple where religiosity could cover reality, not in the public square where appearances could be easily maintained, but right in Matthew's home, where no masks were worn, where Matthew was Matthew and his friends were themselves.  Picture the scene: Jesus teaching, everyone eating and talking, Matthew excited for his friends to get to hang out with Jesus, real people sharing life and having a personal encounter with the living God.  Church at Matthew's house! (Matthew 9:9-13)

When we gather for church in homes, many of these same elements are there; humble homes, sinners and real people without masks, people from many places, food, friends, and of course, Jesus.   In one of our Latino house churches you might expect to eat homemade tamales, sing songs in Spanish with a lot of clapping and even dancing.  In a Bhutanese house church you might be sitting on a rug on the floor with candles lit around the room, singing songs in Nepali.  Dancing might also be part of the equation.

Everyone has a role to play in this koinonia (participatory community); preparing food, leading worship, opening your home, teaching the kids, praying, leading or contributing to the discussion of scripture, etc.  Think of Acts 2:42.  "And the devoted themselves to the apostle's teaching and the fellowship, the breaking of bread and to prayer." This kind of community is not flashy.  In fact it often feels disorganized and inefficient.  On many occasions we're together for three hours.  But there's something beautiful about Jesus in a home with real people, laughing, crying, praying learning, eating, singing and sharing life.   Home; it's right where love meets our broken reality.  And it's one of the most common contexts Jesus chose in his disciple-making mission.

English Class at the Pharmacy

Written by Lauren Timberlake, Bhutanese ESL Director

Healthcare is right at the top of the list of immigrant needs. Imagine arriving here with no language skills and lots of medical issues. We want to help meet those needs at Mission Adelante. Bhutanese English classes emphasize practical topics like healthcare because basic English skills are essential to everyday life for refugee families.

Volunteers Joe and Judy Lemaster are skilled healthcare workers who love Nepali people enough to move to Kansas City to serve them better. Joe is a KU Med Center doctor who specializes in refugee health care. He is the primary care physician for a large number of the Bhutanese refugees in Kansas City. Judy is a nurse, and has spent many hours helping refugees make, keep and understand their medical appointments. Both the Lemasters speak fluent Nepali (the language of the Bhutanese refugees) from years spent as missionaries in Nepal.

The Lemasters are constantly helping refugees, but last month Judy taught a special unit on health care to our middle level English class. She covered basic first aid, doctor appointments, and over the counter medicine. To finish the unit, the class visited a local pharmacy.

Students and conversation partners scoured the aisles together, looking for healthcare and hygiene items. They read signs, discussed prices, and reviewed how to use various over the counter medications.

Field trips are an excellent way for us to help bridge the gap from classroom learning to real life applications. When students can practice looking for medicines with a conversation partner, they’re more likely to have the confidence to visit a pharmacy on their own. This helps each immigrant family, and it helps our community by avoiding emergency room visits. 

Our English students are blessed to have so many talented and committed volunteers giving their time to help them navigate life in Kansas City.

In other news:

• Thanks so much for your prayers for our Hindu friends during this festival season. The biggest festival of the year is now past, and the Lord used it in many ways. Please continue to pray that our friendships with the Bhutanese community would continue to deepen and that the truth of Jesus would shine through them.
• Ten Bhutanese ESL conversation partners met together this week to brainstorm ways to help students improve literacy skills. We are so thankful to have such talented and committed volunteers.
• Our Leaders in Training are learning about WWI this year. We shared a very sweet time of prayer on Veteran’s Day, honoring those that have sacrificed for the freedoms we enjoy.

Prayer needs:

• We have engaged a new Realtor to help us with our building search for Adelante Thrift. Please pray that this new partnership would lead us to the perfect space.

Current needs:

• Our LIT students earn "Mission Adelante Money" for exemplary behavior and doing extra academic work, which they can spend at a Reward Store once each trimester. We're in need of items to stock that store! Ideas include sports equipment, craft supplies, room decorations, or any small item that would appeal to 8-14 year old students. If you would like to contribute, please contact Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org or Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org.
• The highlight of the year for each LIT student is our overnight trip to Great Wolf Lodge in December! How would you like to bless all of their hard work in a very practical way? We are looking for a small group or an individual to purchase pizza for our lunch (for 30 kids and 20 adults) on Saturday, December 7 and deliver/have it delivered to Great Wolf.  If you are interested, please email Megan at meganm@missionadellante.org.

Important dates:

• Final Observation Day: Thursday, November 7 (Latino) 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!
• Kansas Bhutanese Concert: Saturday, November 16th from 4pm-10pm at Wyandotte High School (2501 Minnesota Ave, Kansas City, KS 66102)Everyone is invited to come and celebrate Nepali Culture at this exciting event sponsored by Mission Adelante and coordinated by our dear friend Ram Rai. It will feature comedians, cultural dances, and ethnic food. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the RG Asian Store (101 S 18th St, Kansas City, KS66102), or at the door of the event. Don’t miss this chance to learn about and celebrate the rich culture of the Bhutanese Refugee community!
• Fall Break: No Programs Tuesday, November 26-Saturday, November 30.
• Latino Christmas Party: Saturday, December 14 at 5:30.  Bethany Community Center (1120 Central Avenue, Kansas City, KS 66102). Everyone is invited! Please invite anyone you know who is interested in learning more about Mission Adelante or possibly volunteering in the future!
• Bhutanese Christmas Party: Saturday, December 14 from 4:00-8:00. First Baptist Church (2900 Minnesota Avenue, Kansas City, KS 66102). Everyone is invited! Please invite anyone you know who is interested in learning more about Mission Adelante or possibly volunteering in the future!

Egg-cellent Innovation

Written by Kristen Maxwell, Bhutanese Kids Outreach Director

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines

innovation

as "a new idea, device or method."  At Mission Adelante

innovation

 is even one of our core values:

Innovation: 

We believe that urban, multicultural ministry requires fresh ideas and new approaches.  We will promote a culture of innovation that encourages 

creative

 solutions for unique circumstances.

It is only natural that we would encourage the kids we work with to innovate!  This past month the students who are a part of the Bhutanese Leaders in Training program have been studying physics.  We have been learning about how aerodynamics, wind-resistance and weight affect moving objects.  We wrapped up our study by building “egg-ships” designed to help a raw egg survive a drop from a truck boom raised to 30 feet! 

The students were very innovative in their designs, we had everything from parachutes, to cotton ball cushioning, to helium balloons!  Of the 16 eggs dropped, all but 4 survived! 

We pray that teaching kids to think critically and to devise creative solutions in academics will spill over in to the rest of their lives

,

 and they will become better equipped to think creatively about the challenges that come their way as they grow! 

Special thanks to Adam Maxwell and his Time Warner Cable bucket truck for coming out to drop the “egg-ships”

.

In other news:

• One of the Bhutanese English classes took a field trip to CVS last week. It was a great learning experience and a fun way for conversation partners to connect outside the classroom.

• Jason Schoff and a group of evangelical pastors from Kansas traveled to Washington, DC last week to join business, agricultural and technology leaders in advocating for immigration reform and they met with six different Congressional leaders.  You can read more here.

Prayer needs:

• Pray for Alberto, a member of our Latino church, who may need to have knee replacement surgery and is concerned about the implications.
• As we dream about the upcoming year, we're setting goals and reviewing budgets. Please join us in praying that God would meet our financial needs and make way for breakthrough in KCK and the lives of our friends.

Current needs:

• Our LIT students earn "Mission Adelante Money" for exemplary behavior and doing extra academic work, which they can spend at a Reward Store once each trimester. We're in need of items to stock that store! Ideas include sports equipment, craft supplies, room decorations, or any small item that would appeal to 8-14 year old students. If you would like to contribute, please contact Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org or Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org.
• With the recent weather change, we are starting to collect men's,women's and children's winter coats. If you have coats to contribute, please contact Molly Merrick at mollym@missionadelante.org.

Important dates:

• Observation Days: Tuesday, November 12 (Bhutanese)/Thursdays, November 7 & 14 (Latino) 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!
• Kansas Bhutanese Concert: Saturday, November 16th from 4pm-10pm at Wyandotte High School (2501 Minnesota Ave, Kansas City, KS 66102)Everyone is invited to come and celebrate Nepali Culture at this exciting event sponsored by Mission Adelante and coordinated by our dear friend Ram Rai. It will feature comedians, cultural dances, and ethnic food. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the RG Asian Store (101 S 18th St, Kansas City, KS66102). Don’t miss this chance to learn about and celebrate the rich culture of the Bhutanese Refugee community!
• Fall Break: No Programs Tuesday, November 26-Saturday, November 30.

Where Do I Belong?

Written by Megan McDermott, Latino Children's Ministry Director

When you travel the streets of Kansas City, KS, the diversity of cultures that you encounter is pretty remarkable.  Over the years, as we have grown stronger in our relationships with the families of our community, we have received the precious gift of being let into the struggles that our friends face. The children, in particular,  are often caught between the many cultures that surround them, always trying to fit in but never quite feeling like they belong anywhere.  As one teen expressed to me,

"The only place I feel like I can really be myself is around other kids that understand the 

feeling of not fitting in anywhere."

Over the past two years, as the Latino and Bhutanese Leaders in Training  (LIT) programs have blossomed, we have placed a strong emphasis on encouraging the children from the two cultural backgrounds to become friends and to simply have fun together.  We feel so strongly about it because we recognize that all of our children are constantly struggling to find a place where they can fit in.  We desire to offer them not just a place, but a community where they can truly feel accepted and affirmed for who they are in Christ.  

Last Friday, we got to live this out in a very dynamic and fun way! We took all thirty of our LIT kids and fifteen volunteers on a field trip to Science City and Zonkers as a reward for all of their hard work.  It was encouraging to observe all of the children learning together, playing together, and laughing together. Discipling and loving the future leaders of our community takes time, diligence, and compassion. We believe that the Lord has specifically chosen each and every one of these unique children to effect change in their community. 

What a privilege it is to be part of God's amazing plan for this community through the children we pray will

 one day lead it!    

Prayer needs:

• Pray for the Bhutanese ESL volunteers and teachers as we meet next Tuesday and talk over literacy ideas in an attempt to bridge the literacy gap in the community.
• Please continue to pray for the Adelante Thrift site search process. We are interviewing two new realtors in the next week and pray that the right person partners with us to move forward with the search and selection.

Important dates:

• Observation Days: Tuesdays, November 5 & 12 (Bhutanese)/Thursdays, November 7 & 14 (Latino) 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!
• Kansas Bhutanese Concert: Saturday, November 16th from 4pm-10pm at Wyandotte High School (2501 Minnesota Ave, Kansas City, KS 66102)Everyone is invited to come and celebrate Nepali Culture at this exciting event sponsored by Mission Adelante and coordinated by our dear friend Ram Rai. It will feature comedians, cultural dances, and ethnic food. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the RG Asian Store (101 S 18th St, Kansas City, KS66102). Don’t miss this chance to learn about and celebrate the rich culture of the Bhutanese Refugee community!

Learning from Jesus in Cross-Cultural Ministry

Written by David Stetler, Bhutanese Outreach Director

Cultural and language barriers come together upon those engaged in cross-cultural ministry. Whether you have been in it for years or you are just a beginner, cross-cultural ministry can be challenging, overwhelming and sometimes even disorienting. With these challenges comes an opportunity to look to the One who provides us with all the things we need. The life and teachings of Jesus reveal to us a way to minister cross-culturally that are quite literally already transforming the world. 

First we see that Jesus came to serve. In Philippians 2 we see the humility of Christ "making himself nothing by taking on the very nature of a servant". As we engage in cross-cultural ministry our posture must mimic that of Christ, in taking on the very nature of a servant, to come as one who serves.

Second, Jesus teaches us through the life of Paul.  In 1 Thessalonians 2:8, Paul expresses his desire for relationship with those to whom he is ministering. "We loved you so much that we shared not only the gospel, but our very lives as well." Paul shows us that relationship is vital in embodying the gospel as we share life with those to whom we seek to minister. 

Lastly, we see by Christ's example in John 1 that "...the Word became human and made his home among us." Jesus became a man and entered a new culture as a humble baby who grew up in the Jewish culture. He became one of us. And just as Christ came and lived among the people in his own time and culture, we to have an opportunity to go and live among people at this time and in their culture. Jesus was not just the message of good news, He embodied the message.  As He went into the Jewish culture of that time He embodied the good news and transmitted it through servanthood and loving relationships that would eventually transform the world.

May we follow Jesus in embodying this life-transforming message and learn to serve, share life and share Jesus with people from all places through Christ-centered, loving relationships.

In other news:

• We are excited to reward our Bhutanese and Latino LIT (Leaders in Training) students with a group field trip to this Friday! We will spend the day at Science City and Zonkers!

Prayer needs:

• Last week we shared the important need for prayer as we move forward with Adelante Thrift. Please continue to include this community development initiative in your prayers.

Current needs:

• Our LIT students earn “Mission Adelante Money” for exemplary behaviour and doing extra academic work, which they can spend at a reward store once each trimester.  We are in need of items to stock that store!  Ideas include sports equipment, craft supplies, room decorations, or any small items that might appeal to 8-14 year old students.  If you would like to contribute please contact Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org or Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org.

Important dates:

• Observation Days: Tuesdays, November 5 & 12 (Bhutanese)/Thursdays, November 7 & 14 (Latino) 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!
• Kansas Bhutanese Concert: Saturday, November 16th from 4pm-10pm at Wyandotte High School (2501 Minnesota Ave, Kansas City, KS 66102) Everyone is invited to come and celebrate Nepali Culture at this exciting event sponsored by Mission Adelante and coordinated by our dear friend Ram Rai. It will feature comedians, cultural dances, and ethnic food. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the RG Asian Store (101 S 18th St, Kansas City, KS 66102). Don’t miss this chance to learn about and celebrate the rich culture of the Bhutanese Refugee community!

Partner in Prayer for Adelante Thrift

Written by Kristen Allen, Director of Community Development

Mission Adelante’s Community Development Initiatives are about partnerships. We’ve shared little pieces of the big picture for community development over the past few months and now we invite you into a supporting role for Adelante Thrift and ask for you to partner with us and pray for this new ministry.

Prayer is a core value at Mission Adelante. We believe that prayer is the most important work in ministry and that our mission depends upon the power and work of the Holy Spirit in individual lives, in our community, and in all of our circumstances. For several months we have investigated multiple spaces in our target area as we search for the ideal location that meets the needs for Adelante Thrift. We seek a space large enough to contain retail, job training, and processing operations in a location convenient to our friends and neighbors that allows a shopping experience full of hospitality and exceptional service. As they saying goes, “location is everything”, but we have yet to find the ideal space. The right location for Adelante Thrift is the crucial first step for moving forward with the thrift store and all other community development initiatives.

We continue to go before God and ask for His guidance and ask you to join us in prayer. Please pray for the Adelante Thrift board and for God to open up the right opportunity before us. Partner with us in prayer as we look to build a strong starting point for Adelante Thrift in the location that God has ordained. We look forward to the day when He answers our prayers and we give thanks as He continues to transform our community.

In other news:

• This week, Mission Adelante Teens Club mentors will be visiting students in their homes to get to know them and their families in a more personal way. We are excited to watch the friendships between Bhutanese teens and adult mentors grow in the coming months!
• The community survey effort for the new medical clinic is winding down. We are thankful that many community partners opened up their churches and organizations in a spirit of collaboration and allowed us to ask their participants about their healthcare needs. This information will help us build a health center that is sensitive to the needs of our multicultural community.
• We will host a wedding at Mission Adelante this Saturday! We are excited to celebrate with our friends, Alejandro and Elena, as they take this exciting step!
• Blue Valley Baptist Church will host a critical issues forum on October 24th from 7-9pm.  The topic will be the Christians response to the Immigration problems in America and Jason Schoff will be one of the panelists.  Please consider attending this event. 8925 W. 151st St, Overland Park, KS. E-mail rshanahan02@everestkc.net with childcare needs no later than October 20.

Prayer needs:

• The Hindu holiday season is upon us. Please pray for our Hindu friends in Kansas City to experience Jesus’ love and grace in special ways during this season.
• Pray4Reform--join us in praying for immigration reform. There are two corporate gatherings this week hosted by our partners.   Click on the tab to learn where we will be praying tonight and tomorrow morning.

Current needs:

• If you're 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.
• Our Leaders in Training after-school tutoring program is looking for a small group or a few individuals to purchase healthy, pre-packaged snacks for the kids.  If you are interested, please contact Megan at meganm@missionadelante.org.

Important dates:

• Observation Days: Tuesdays, November 5 & 12 (Bhutanese)/Thursdays, November 7 & 14 (Latino) 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!

Imago Dei--"Image Bearer of God"

Written by Jason Schoff, Latino Outreach Director

"Imago Dei"; "Image bearer of God".  This past year I have heard these phrases over and over in our churches, at conferences, and in books.  We use these terms to assert that human beings have inherent value, given to them by the Almighty Creator, despite what they do.  I wholeheartedly agree with this truth!  However, I am still learning, and sometimes fail to treat others in ways that recognize this dignity.

Duane Elmer shares an anecdote in his book, Cross-Cultural Servanthood, that left a lasting impression on me.  Elmer shared about a walk he took with a ministry partner in the city: "Walking with Mark one night, I noticed a lady at the corner ahead.  She was scantily clad.  I turned to him and asked in a voice the lady would not hear, 'Is she a prostitute?'  He paused; I remember thinking, Why the pause?  It's obvious.  Then he said firmly, 'No!  That's not a prostitute.  That's a person...in prostitution.' ...When I saw this woman, I saw a prostitute.  When Mark saw her, he saw a human being."

Mark saw the woman for who she is, not what she does with her life.  Who did Jesus visit and speak to as he walked through the villages, towns, and cities of his time?  He visited both those who were accepted and those who were rejected by society.  Sometimes it was scandalous.  Jesus modeled how to see the image of God in people and he treated them as valued individuals just as he treats each of us.  As Christians, God entrusts us with the opportunity to see people the way he sees them, too.

At the heart of all of this is God's message that a right perspective will allow us to lead with love instead of judgement.  When I encounter another person, do I first notice an image bearer of God, or a thief, an alcoholic, a jerk who cut me off, an illegal immigrant, a liar?

The Mission Adelante staff is constantly plumbing the depth of messages like this one and we find ourselves challenged for the better.  Will you join us in asking God how to live as citizens of His Kingdom here in our world?

In other news:

• The Bhutanese LIT students have been studying physics, and will conclude our study with an egg drop on October 17th!  The kids are excited about applying all they have learned.
• We are excited to see the teens participating in and leading Teens Club in new ways this trimester. Each week, we have had tons of Nepali cultural dances and songs performed and led by students for their peers and mentors to watch. It has been lots of fun celebrating Nepali teen culture together!
• Christ Community Church (Downtown) will be hosting a Pray4Reform gathering on October 17th from 7-8am.  Please join our staff there to pray.  1708 Baltimore Ave, KCMO.

Prayer needs:

• Pray for students in our upper level Latino ESL classes that have not come to class yet this trimester.  We hope to see them return soon!
• Pray for Congressional Leaders who will likely take up immigration reform at the end of this month.  Ask God to lead them toward what is noble, pure, right, and excellent.

Current needs:

• 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.
• Our Leaders in Training after-school tutoring program is looking for a small group or a few individuals to purchase healthy, pre-packaged snacks for the kids.  If you are interested, please contact Megan at meganm@missionadelante.org.

Important dates:

• Observation Days: Tuesdays, November 5 & 12 (Bhutanese)/Thursdays, November 7 & 14 (Latino) 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!

Building Interdependent Relationships

by Jarrett Meek

"What would make cross-cultural missionaries more effective at ministering the gospel of Christ?"  That's the question author and long-time missionary Duane Elmer asked believers from many different countries before writing his book,

Cross-Cultural Servanthood

.  The answer, which was repeated over and over again in different forms and sometimes in these exact words, might surprise you:

"Missionaries could more effectively minister the gospel of Christ if they did not think they were so superior to us."  

As I have processed through this book with the staff of Mission Adelante, obvious questions have arisen.

 "What is it that causes people from other cultures to perceive our efforts at serving in this way?"  "Do we indeed have an underlying or unconscious attitude of superiority that comes across when we relate with others?"  "How can we reflect the humility of Christ when we serve and share life?"  Elmer's book is one of the best I've read at addressing these questions.

At Mission Adelante we are becoming a new community, a multicultural community, a community where immigrants and others thrive and use our gifts together to transform our neighborhood.  In the process we are all learning a lot and God is causing us all to grow!

"Relationships" have always been a core value of our ministry.  We believe that ministry is a relational endeavor... not programs, not services, but relationships!  They are the context for making disciples, for loving our neighbor, for equipping leaders, for serving, for sharing Jesus.  Relationships rule!  But, it's not just any kind of relationship we're talking about.  When ministry is done in a relational way, many wrongs are made right, and we see much greater effectiveness.  But, it's also possible to form relationships in a way that's not helpful.  So the kind of relationships we're especially talking about are "interdependent relationships."  That's how it's written in our values document.

"We believe that ministry is relational at its core.  And when relationships are interdependent, learning is mutual, serving is reciprocal, and friendships are life-giving." 

Interdependence means both parties give and receive.  Interdependence means that I learn as much from the other person as he learns from me.  Interdependence means that we need each other.  The times when I've experienced relationships like this, God has moved powerfully in my life, in my friends' lives, and through our ministry together.

As the Mission Adelante community presses into what it looks like to build interdependent relationships and minister the gospel of Christ effectively in a multicultural context, we are aware that if the things that seem like strengths in our own respective cultures make it difficult to relate to others humbly, those very strengths can become our biggest weaknesses in ministry.  The Lord said to the apostle Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness".

2 Corinthians 12:9a

Prayer needs

• Praise God for a recent opportunity Jason Schoff had to engage pastors and church leaders as part of a four person immigration panel at the Sentralized conference.  Pray for all our pastors who are stepping out to call for new immigration policy.

Current needs

• We need books!!! Do you have some at home that you might be willing to part with, or do you frequent yard sales or thrift stores? We are in need of easy to read, high interest books to add to our LIT library! Contact Kristen or Megan for more information: Kristenm@missionadelante.org or Meganm@missionadelante.org.
• We are in need of volunteers to join the Bhutanese Transportation Team! No CDL drivers license required! The greatest need is for drivers on Tuesday evenings. if you or someone you know is interested, please contact Drew Hammond at drew@missionadelante.org.

Building Community at Christian Community Development Association Conference

Written by Drew Hammond, Bhutanese Ministry Intern

Two weeks ago, a team of 12 from Mission Adelante traveled to New Orleans to attend the 2013 Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) National Conference. There were 5 staff members, 2 members from our Bhutanese community, 2 from our Latino community, and 3 volunteers. The trip was an incredible time for us to build friendships, worship together, and come together to collaborate on how we can transform  Kansas City, Kansas together.

Ram Rai is a friend of mine who traveled to the CCDA conference with us. Ram is a Bhutanese refugee who has resettled in Kansas City and now owns RG Asian Store, a neighborhood grocery store that caters to the needs of Asians.  The following is an interview with about his experience at the conference.

Question: What was your favorite New Orleans experience?

Answer: The city of New Orleans itself was very interesting to me, I had never been there before so experiencing that culture was really great. Also, the French Quarter reminded me of cities in Nepal, we even met some people from Nepal which made me feel very welcome in New Orleans.

Question: What is best thing you learned from CCDA Conference?

Answer: The best thing I learned from the CCDA Conference was being on mission together. Specifically to incarnate the love of Jesus so our neighbors can come to follow Him with us.

Question: What was the most meaningful part of the trip to CCDA?

Answer: Being a brother in a large community of Jesus followers. Also, learning how to encourage and train children and students in the ways of Jesus.

Question: Is there anything from the conference that you are excited to implement in Kansas City, KS?

Answer: I received a lot of knowledge and training on how to give a workshop about the negative effects of drugs, alcohol, and negative thinking. As a matter of fact, I am planning a workshop right now.

Question: Do you have any prayer requests for our readers?

Answer: My biggest prayer request after CCDA is that I will continue to be encouraged and blessed as I reach out to my neighbors.

In other news:

• The Latino Leaders in Training (LIT) program launched last Wednesday with 14 kids! We are excited to begin growing together as a family in our pursuit of Christ!
• All of the volunteers who will be serving in our programs this fall met together at Mission Adelante on Monday night for fellowship and to plan for the trimester. One of the highlights of the evening was the level of ownership our community took is sponsoring the night. There was a multicultural worship band, and desserts were provided by lots of our community members. It was great to welcome our volunteers together as a community.
• The Bhutanese Outreach had a great fall trimester launch on Tuesday. We're eager for the fall launch of the Latino Outreach tomorrow. We are excited for a new season with new friends at Mission Adelante.

Current needs:

• A refrigerator. Please contact Jason at jasons@missionadelante.org if you have one to give.

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

A "Year of Breakthrough"

Written by Kristen Maxwell, Bhutanese Children's Ministry Director

A few weeks ago, I had a chance to go on a prayer and planning retreat.  It gave me a chance to slow down and take time to listen to the Lord.  During my time away I heard from the Lord that this year would be a "Year of Breakthrough" for our after school leadership and character development program, Leaders in Training.  As I returned from the retreat and began to dive deeper in to what the Lord was saying, I felt challenged by a verse in the book of Isaiah.  

“But forget all that—

    it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.

For I am about to do something new.

    See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?

I will make a pathway through the wilderness.

    I will create rivers in the dry wasteland."

Isaiah 43:18-19 (NLT)

Will you join me in praying this verse over our 30 Latino and Bhutanese Leaders in Training for the 2013-2014 school year?  Will you pray with us that the Lord would help them to see the new things He is doing, and point them in the right direction?  Pray that the Lord would give them growth and confidence in their academic life, and speak to them about their walk with Him.  

Will you pray for the volunteers and staff that have the joy of loving on these kids every day?  Would you pray that we would not stick to old ways, but would eagerly follow the new ways that the Lord is leading us?  Would you pray for renewal in the lives of the LIT staff, mentors and kids?

We are currently looking for some more mentors to lock arms with us and lead the leaders that the Lord is raising up in our community.  If you are interested in learning more about how to help, contact Megan McDermott (Latino LIT) at

meganm@missionadelante.org

or Kristen Maxwell (Bhutanese LIT) at 

Kristenm@missionadelante.

org

.

In other news:

• Congratulations to Jenny & Garett Dunn on the birth of their first child, Rowen Matthew, on Saturday, August 31!  He was healthy, weighing 8 pounds, 9 ounces and measuring 20 inches long.  Mom and baby are doing great!
• Four of our staff members, six immigrant leaders, and one volunteer will be in New Orleans until Sunday for the CCDA conference.  It’s a tremendous opportunity to learn about, and network with others immersed in, Christian community development.  Pray for this team to grow together and bring home new vision.

Prayer needs:

• Pray for our Congress as they return from legislative break to sort through important issues like Syria and immigration reform.
• Pray for our LIT program as we kick off over the next week and a half.

Current needs:

• Want to hang out with some fun kids and share Jesús in a meaningful way? We are looking for 3-4 volunteers for our Outreach Bible Study on Thursdays from 6:30-9.  Please contact Megan if you are interested atmeganm@missionadelante.org.
• Our Bhutanese Kids Outreach is looking for a few new friends!  We are in need of 6-7 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.
• We need some Rubbermaid-type storage tubs to store clothing in our Resource Center. Please contact Molly at mollym@missionadelante.org if you’d like to help.

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