A new kind of hospitality...

Written by David Stetler, Associate Director

At some point early in the spring of 2010 I discovered a new meaning of the word hospitality.  I had just left my house and was walking to our neighborhood park. As I was going on my way I saw a Bhutanese man waving his hands in the distance. I realized he was waving at me and remembered that I had just recently met him at our English class the day before. At this point he was coming towards me and smiling with great enthusiasm. He took me by the hand and nearly dragged me into his home. Within a few minutes I found myself seated at the head of their table, surrounded by his family with an enormous plate of food in front of me. We ate together and laughed together. We drank tea and shared stories. It was one of the first times I had been invited into a Bhutanese home and it was an unforgettable moment.

As I was leaving I told him that it seemed like they had been waiting for me to come even though we had not planned this visit. He replied, “Oh...but we were waiting for you!”  These words and this experience began to reshape my understanding of hospitality. Someone I had just met invited me into their home, served me amazing food, and treated me like a close friend, without hesitation. This was unlike any hospitality I had ever experienced.

In the New Testament the word “hospitality” is actually two words crammed together - philo and xenos.  Philo means “love” in the sense of a deep friendship. Xenos means “stranger”. The idea of hospitality in the New Testament context had lost it’s meaning to me, but what I experienced from my Bhutanese friends was a new kind of hospitality. Hospitality isn’t just about having our friends over and serving them great food. Philoxenos literally means to love the stranger and to have a deep friendship with them.

At Mission Adelante biblical hospitality (philoxenos) is at the heart of what we want to do and who we want to be. We believe that God’s call to love our neighbor is at the center of all His commands and finds a special expression in the way we extend this hospitality and friendship to people from other places.

 

Important Dates:

  • Volunteer Orientation, May 21st: Learn more about great opportunities to serve a mission field in our own backyard!  Mission Adelante will hold an orientation for new volunteers on May 21, from 9:00am to 1:00pm.  For more information, email Rachel Pierce at rachelp@missionadelante.org.
  • Volunteer Huddle:  Monday May 23, 6:30-8:30 at Mission Adelante 22 S. 18th St. Kansas City, KS 66102.  This is a chance for our current and new volunteers to have dessert, worship together, hear about what God is doing at Mission Adelante, and meet together with their ministry program leaders to learn more about our upcoming summer trimester
  • Bhutanese Launch - Our Bhutanese Kids Club, Middle School Club, and Adult ESL classes begin on Tuesday May 31, 6:30-8:30 pm
  • Latino Launch - Our Latino Kids Adelante and Adult ESL classes begin on Thursday June 2, 6:30-8:30 pm

Creating the discipline of righteousness and peace in middle school students

Written by Drew Hammond, Bhutanese Ministry Apprentice/Middle School Coordinator

Our volunteers are critically important at Mission Adelante. While at times it can seem that adult mentors are the grumpy old people who tell middle school students to calm down, they are much more important than that.

Middle school is a pivotal time of growth and development for students. As young people enter adolescence, their minds and bodies begin developing at rates they haven’t experienced since infancy. This explosive growth comes with an opportunity for students to try many new things and learn quickly from what’s happening around them. At times, it can seem like students who are on the front end of this process are completely unhinged, and the best solution is to throw them into a padded room and let them burn off all their energy without adult interference. If we do that, we are not only missing out on an opportunity for spiritual growth and personal development through discipleship and mentoring, we are not fulfilling the call the Lord has set upon our hearts.

As we welcome our students into the loving arms of Jesus by leading them through Bible studies and helping them to memorize scripture; we are also teaching them an equally important part of discipleship, which is discipline. Hebrews 12: 11 states - “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it creates a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” My thoughts towards discipline rarely turn towards ‘creating a harvest of righteousness and peace.’

As a program coordinator, it is not possible for me to do all the training alone; I require partnership from other Christian adults to help in the raising up of these students. In this way, our volunteers fill an essential role. They are on the front line of the battle of disciplining these students. Sometimes there is tension in this process:  How can we be loving to our students, and at the same time be training them to be responsible young people?  We do this through lovingly correcting them.  It is in that way that our students experience both the grace and truth of Jesus Christ.

I want to end with a thank you. Volunteers, your commitment to our students goes far beyond what we see in a night of our weekly programming, we are setting them up for a lifelong discipline of righteousness and peace.


Important Dates:

  • Volunteer Orientation, May 21st: Learn more about great opportunities to serve a mission field in our own backyard!  Mission Adelante will hold an orientation for new volunteers on May 21, from 9:00am to 1:00pm.  For more information, email Rachel Pierce at rachelp@missionadelante.org.
  • Volunteer Huddle:  Monday May 23, 6:30-8:30 at Mission Adelante 22 S. 18th St. Kansas City, KS 66102.  This is a chance for our current and new volunteers to have dessert, worship together, hear about what God is doing at Mission Adelante, and meet together with their ministry program leaders to learn more about our upcoming summer trimester
  • Bhutanese Launch - Our Bhutanese Kids Club, Middle School Club, and Adult ESL classes begin on Tuesday May 31, 6:30-8:30 pm
  • Latino Launch - Our Latino Kids Adelante and Adult ESL classes begin on Thursday June 2, 6:30-8:30 pm

Adelante Thrift, One Year Celebration of Community Transformation

Written By Elena Mamadnazarova, Community Development Director

On Saturday April 30, Adelante Thrift celebrated its one year anniversary. In the past year Adelante Thrift has learned a lot, and made a few changes.  We have learned so much about business, and we are still learning about long-term sustainability.  Adelante Thrift has changed by increasing its number of part time employees, it has changed in its understanding of the importance of community partnership, and it has changed through the acceptance that we cannot make Adelante Thrift sustainable without the support of our volunteer groups and individuals.

At the Adelante Thrift one year anniversary celebration we were able to have many local area businesses and organizations come and share about themselves, and to help us celebrate what is happening in our community.  Thank you to Cup on a Hill, El Centro, Spay/Neuter of Kansas City, Big Grill & More, Cricket Wireless, and Chin Hills for providing refreshments, entertainment and information to those who came to help us celebrate.  

We were also blessed to have two volunteer work groups with us that day.  They kept the merchandise flowing from the processing area to the floor so that our store was able to stay stocked throughout the day.  Thank you Kansas City Kansas Early Childhood Center and Emmanuel Baptist Middle School & High School for serving and celebrating at Adelante Thrift on our special day.  

We had a steady stream of customers during our one year anniversary celebration.  Some customers were regulars, and some were new faces.  Our customers enjoyed the savings, the prizes, and the refreshments.  We are excited to see what God has planned for Adelante Thrift in the coming year.  We hope that you will partner with us in our continued efforts to make our store a success in our community.

Important Dates:

  • Volunteer Orientation, May 21st: Learn more about great opportunities to serve a mission field in our own backyard!  Mission Adelante will hold an orientation for new volunteers on May 26th, from 9:00am to 1:00pm.  For more information, email Rachel Pierce at rachelp@missionadelante.org.
  • Volunteer Huddle:  Monday May 23, 6:30-8:30 at Mission Adelante 22 S. 18th St. Kansas City, KS 66102.  This is a chance for our current and new volunteers to have dessert, worship together, hear about what God is doing at Mission Adelante, and meet together with their ministry program leaders to learn more about our upcoming summer trimester
  • Bhutanese Launch - Our Bhutanese Kids Club, Middle School Club, and Adult ESL classes begin on Tuesday May 31, 6:30-8:30 pm
  • Latino Launch - Our Latino Kids Adelante and Adult ESL classes begin onThursday June 2, 6:30-8:30 pm

Behind the Scenes: A different kind of story about Mission Adelante volunteers

Written by Rachel Pierce, Administrative Assistant

At Mission Adelante we are blessed to have a building where we are able to meet the needs of hundreds of people a week; through ESL or citizenship classes, kids outreach programs, discipleship, house church, and other events.  While we are thankful for our building, we are also aware that our building is seasoned and has character...nice ways to say, “it’s an old building”. One of our core values at Mission Adelante is partnership.  In being good stewards of what God has given us; we rely heavily on the partnerships we have with area churches and individuals to help us maintain and update our building.

We truly value everyone who supports our ministry at Mission Adelante; from those who sustain us through donations and prayer, to those who faithfully serve in one of our programs on a weekly basis.  But today we recognize the behind-the-scenes volunteers who help keep our building up and running.  We recently received a donation of carpet squares from a business in Maryland that is owned by a family member of our Operations Director, Sarah Winston.  In order to place the new carpet in our large room that we use for kids’ programming and the large room that we use for ESL, worship services, and other events; we needed to have the old, worn carpet and padding pulled up. Each trimester, on a weekly basis around 200 children use a large room in our building designated for the kids programming. As you can imagine that room has seen a lot of life, a lot of fun, and a lot of wear-and-tear.  Since we were going to be updating the kids’ room with new carpet, we thought repaired and freshly painted walls would be a nice addition.   In March, a couple of people from our Latino ESL class worked on patching the holes in the walls of our kids room, then a group of Latino ESL volunteers and students painted the walls in our kids room.  In April, a volunteer group from the International House of Prayer came to Mission Adelante and pulled up the old carpet and padding in our two large rooms; that made it so that the carpet installer had less work to do when he came to put in the new carpet. 

These are just two recent stories of volunteer groups that have partnered with us to spruce up our building.  There are countless other stories about groups and individuals who have helped us maintain our building.  We are thankful for these behind-the-scenes volunteers who are able to support us with their time and talents to transform the building at Mission Adelante.

Current Needs:

  • Middle School Club is a high energy discipleship program focused on helping our Bhutanese refugee students grow in their relationship with Jesus, learning how to follow Him as their Lord. Middle School Club is seeking two adult men who are excited to lead a group of 6th to 9th grade boys on Tuesday nights from 6:30 to 8:30 pm for our 10 week program starting on May 31st. If you’d like more information on volunteering, please contact Drew Hammond, drewh@missionadelante.org.
  • The Bhutanese Kid's Club Program is in need of 6 volunteers (at least 1 male volunteer is needed for our group of older elementary boys), for our Tuesday night program beginning Tuesday May 31, 6:30-8:30 pm. At Bhutanese Kid's Club - "We play games, sing songs, have fun, and learn about Jesus." If you would like more information about volunteering, please email Dani Hammond, danih@missionadelante.org.
  • Our Bhutanese ESL program is a conversation based citizenship and ESL class that meets on Tuesday nights 6:30-8:30 pm, starting May 31st.  We are in need of  some volunteers for the summer. If you are interested in volunteering with this ministry please contact David Stetler, davids@missionadelante.org.
  • For many of our program participants, there is no one at home to help transport them to our programs on Tuesday night. If it weren't for our Transportation Team, they would not get to come learn about citizenship, socialize with their friends, and see Jesus in action through the love and service of our volunteers. Our Transportation Team is the stage crew that makes the show on Tuesday night happen. We are currently seeking two adult men to fill this essential volunteer role. If you are interested in more information about serving on our Transportation Team, please contact Drew Hammond, drewh@missionadelante.org.
  • Our Latino ESL program is a conversation based ESL class that meets on Thursday nights 6:30-8:30 pm, starting June 2.  We are in need of 4 volunteers for the summer. If you are interested in volunteering in this area please contact Paul Kienzle, paulk@missionadelante.org.

Important Dates:

  • Come help us Celebrate the One Year Anniversary of Adelante Thrift. Saturday April 30, 10 am- 1pm. 3720 State Ave Kansas City, Kansas 66102.
  • Volunteer Training:  If you have never been through our New Volunteer Orientation we encourage you to attend our next training on Saturday May 21, 9-1 at Mission Adelante 22 S. 18th St. Kansas City, KS 66102. We will introduce you to all of our ministry programs, tour our neighborhood, and share a delicious meal from one of the local restaurants (a $5 donation is requested to help with the cost of the meal).
  • Volunteer Huddle:  We encourage all of our current and new volunteers to join us for our Volunteer Huddle, Monday May 23, 6:30-8:30 at Mission Adelante 22 S. 18th St. Kansas City, KS 66102.  We will have dessert, worship together, hear about what God is doing at Mission Adelante, and meet together with our ministry program leaders to learn more about our upcoming summer trimester.
  • Summer Trimester Program Launch: Bhutanese Launch Tuesday May 31, 6:30-8:30 for our ESL, Middle School & Kids Club Programs.  Latino Launch Thursday June 2, 6:30-8:30 for our ESL & Kid's Adelante Programs. 22 S 18th St Kansas City, Kansas 66102

 

 

The Lord has Done Great Things!

Written By Kristen Maxwell, Bhutanese Children and Youth Director

One of the things I am most grateful for is the rhythm built into the life of our community at Mission Adelante.  If you have been around Mission Adelante for any length of time, you know that we operate in 12 week trimesters with a break in between each trimester.  These breaks allow us to stop and reflect on what the Lord has done, and prepare for the coming trimester.  Our Spring 2016 trimester ended last week and over the past week we have had a chance to reflect on and celebrate what the Lord has done this trimester!  

As we look back I keep landing on this scripture:

"The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy."~Psalm 126:3

The Lord has done SO much, and I am excited to get to share it with you!

High School Ministries:  Our High School outreach program, Teens Club, shifted their meetings to Monday night this trimester!  They had a great trimester of sharing a meals, working on homework together, and learning about the life of Jesus.  Five students (and 1 little brother) were treated to lunch and a movie on Saturday celebrating their good attendance and participation!

Middle School Ministries:  Our Middle School programs celebrated the completion of their first school year and they are looking forward to an exciting summer! Our Middle School Leaders in Training program celebrated our first graduating student from our Bhutanese LIT program.  She was presented with a photo book of LIT memories at the Bhutanese End of Trimester Party.  Our Bhutanese Middle School LIT students celebrated a year of hard work with dinner out and a lock-in after the End-of-Trimester Party.  When asked what they learned as a part of LIT this year, one Middle School student replied:  “I learned more about how to be a leader, how to be respectful, and oh yeah, how to clean up after myself.”  

Kids Ministries:  Our kids ministries just keep growing!  Kids Club, our Outreach Bible Study has seen LOTS of new kids this trimester, most of them under the age of 5.  We are excited to see what the Lord will do with these kiddos that are literally growing up surrounded by the Gospel!  Our Elementary LIT students finished a great year with an overnight camping trip that provided them with lots of new experiences, including archery and horseback riding.  When asked what they loved about being in LIT this year they answered: “Learning about Jesus, going to Great Wolf Lodge, and serving others.”  

The Lord has done GREAT things this school year and we are excited and ready to see what He will do this summer!  Join us in praying for a safe and fun summer trimester, where kids learn more and more about the love God has for them!  Also, be in prayer for our 2016-2017 application process for LIT, kicking off this Saturday. Pray that the Lord would bring the right students to be in LIT next year.

What kind of soil are you planted in?

Written by Megan McDermott, Latino Children and Youth Director

What kind of soil are you planted in? Is it healthy and rich, nourished with community and faith?  Is it covered in thorns, due to the worries of this life? Maybe it is rocky because of the struggles you have endured?  We asked this question of the Latino Leaders in Training students when we went on our end of the year trip, in early April. 

We packed up thirteen children, eight adults, and way too many snacks. We then headed to Linwood Kansas for a two day retreat, focusing our time on the parable of the sower.  Taking the kids out in nature was the best possible environment for them to see this parable in action. As we dug into Matthew 13, I realized that just as we must examine the soil we are planted in, we also need to recognize that each of us are a very precious seed to the Lord.  God can use the seeds of faith that He has planted in the children of our community to affect tremendous changes in KCK. Nurturing those seeds and helping the children develop into the leaders that the Lord has called them to be is at the heart of what we do here at Mission Adelante.

As we closed the retreat together we decided to have each child choose seeds, plant them in good soil, and have a reminder to take home of how THEY can be good seeds of faith in their own community. God moved in mighty ways that weekend to help the children realize that putting God first in their lives and letting their roots grow deep into His love is a choice they must make for themselves.  We praise God that many of the kids did make that choice for the first time that weekend!

 

Other News:

  • Many of our teens LOVE to play Soccer. This weekend, our Kansas City Bhutanese girls soccer team beat their rival South Dakota team. Many of our Bhutanese Teens Club students play on this team. Congratulations Girls, we are proud of you!

Leadership skills are budding in our teen’s ministry programs at Mission Adelante.

Written by Edgar Soriano, Latino Ministry Apprentice (Latino Teen's Ministry Coordinator)

Our teens programs are progressing quite well as we end our trimester; we are continuing to focus and work on developing leaders.  A core value at Mission Adelante is Leadership Development, “We believe that developing individuals to reach their potential as disciples and leaders is how ministry bears fruit.  We emphasize equipping and empowering emerging leaders from our community.”  We have been able to see this, as some of our teens have taken part in our Leadership Development community that began this year. This group focuses on equipping people to become leaders and disciple makers in our neighborhood.  We are also seeing growth and budding leadership in our teens as they learn how to take responsibility and ownership of our weekly programs. They are showing this by bringing food to share with our group, coming up with games and art activities for the group; so that they can learn how to play and create together, some of the teens have even been leading our Bible study time.  These activities have helped us see the growth and potential of some of our teens as leaders in our programs and in our community.

We are continuing to grow not only in leadership skills but also in the number of teens that attend our programs faithfully.  As we spend more time with the teens, we go deeper into the lives of our teens.  As we grow closer to them, we realize how much they need someone in their lives to be there for them; to cheer them on when they have victories, to listen to them when they are upset, and to speak the truth in love to them when they need it. Through all of this we are starting to see a change in the teens and we are so excited to see what God has in store for them.

Please pray with us this summer as we continue to deepen our relationship with our teens and as we continue to help them develop leadership skills.   Also pray with us as we work on starting a Latino teen’s worship band, which will help our teens stay occupied, focused, and to give them the chance to be a part of something important.

Important Dates:

  • Bhutanese Spring Party: Saturday, April 9, 5:00-7:00 at La Fe En Jesus Christo Church, 1500 Central Ave Kansas City, KS 66102 (park in the back parking lot and enter through the back door). Please come and help us celebrate the accomplishments of our ESL, Teens, Kids Club, and L.I.T. students this trimester and honor our volunteers who have continued to serve with us.
  • Latino Spring Party: Sunday, April 10, 4:00 - 8:00 at Bethany Community Center, 1120 Central Ave Kansas City, KS 66102 (between 11th & 12th Street, behind the fire station). Please come and help us celebrate the accomplishments of our ESL, Teens, Kids Adelante, and L.I.T. students this trimester and honor our volunteers who have continued to serve with us.

Learning is a two-way street in Mission Adelante's ESL program

Written by Paul Kienzle, Latino ESL Director

Since joining the Mission Adelante Staff last fall as Latino ESL Director, I have experienced firsthand the volunteer culture that Mission Adelante is famous for. That culture is not only what keeps the ministries of Mission Adelante up and running, it is also part of one of Mission Adelante’s values, Interdependent Relationships: “We believe that effective ministry is relational at its core...”

As God’s creation relies on the sun and the rain to bring forth new spring growth, Mission Adelante relies on it’s precious volunteer force to be Jesus’  hands and feet in the implementation of our ministries. In our ESL classes, volunteers use their voices and their lives as they build relationships with the students.  At face value, they make a commitment of two hours a week for twelve weeks (one trimester). Classes are taught by a lead teacher; volunteers then work one on one with the students as the lead teacher directs them, there is no need to be fluent in another language. Many volunteers come anywhere from fifteen to thirty minutes away, and many come straight from work.  During the course of the trimester, the volunteers are encouraged to form a relational bond with their students and meet at least once outside of the classroom setting.

It is amazing to witness how our Latino volunteers connect with their students.  I will mention a few ways they have bonded.....

  •    Volunteers visiting students’ family members in the hospital or in their homes.
  •    Volunteers sending weekly encouraging texts to students.
  •    Volunteers gathering fun props that make learning Bible stories come alive by constructing a life-sized Goliath.
  •    Volunteers working alongside the students in service related projects.
  •    Volunteers inviting students over for dessert, Thanksgiving dinner, or game night.
  •    Volunteers answering life's questions about who God is, and how much He loves them.

Impact is not just one sided, it is reciprocal.  It is not just the student who is impacted by these acts of kindness, but the volunteers themselves are impacted as well. This is the other part of our value, Interdependent Relationships: “...When relationships are interdependent, learning is mutual, serving is reciprocal, and friendship is live-giving” Walking just a short way in these students shoes brings new understanding, appreciation, and love. Some volunteers comment that when they volunteer in ESL, it is the best day of their week.  

Hearing and witnessing what God is doing in the hearts of our volunteers is so satisfying to me.  I have learned so much personally as I witness others sacrificially loving people in practical ways.  If you are looking for a place to invest some of your time, please consider visiting us at, www.missionadelante.org/serve/, and check out the opportunities for impacting the lives of others.

Current Needs:

Our Bhutanese programs could not happen without our wonderful bus drivers!  We are in need of 2 additional drivers for our summer programs.  If you would like more information, contact Drew Hammond at drewh@missionadelante.org

Important Dates:

  • Bhutanese Spring Party: Saturday, April 9, 5:00-7:00 at La Fe En Jesus Christo Church, 1500 Central Ave Kansas City, KS 66102 (park in the back parking lot and enter through the back door). Please come and help us celebrate the accomplishments of our ESL, Teens, Kids Club, and L.I.T. students this trimester and honor our volunteers who have continued to serve with us.
  • Latino Spring Party: Sunday, April 10, 4:00 - 8:00 at Bethany Community Center, 1120 Central Ave Kansas City, KS 66102 (between 11th & 12th Street, behind the fire station). Please come and help us celebrate the accomplishments of our ESL, Teens, Kids Adelante, and L.I.T. students this trimester and honor our volunteers who have continued to serve with us.

 

 

 

 

 

Kingdom Conversations in Ordinary Spaces

Written by Dani Hammond, Bhutanese Kids Club Coordinator

One of my favorite things about being part of the Mission Adelante community is that our mission goes beyond our programs. We make an effort to spend a lot of time with kids and families outside of the building, in their homes and celebrating their culture. We truly live on mission here in KCK, it’s not always simple, but the Lord is good to us and He is faithful to create spaces for us to speak His truth.

During our spring break week I spent a lot of time with kids and families I know and love. I found that I could turn some simple, everyday activities into moments to serve, teach, and demonstrate the love of Jesus. While walking with one family to the neighborhood park, I was able to teach a first grader (and her three-year-old sister) not to run in the street. When she was resistant to my authority, I took the opportunity to tell her that the adults in her life discipline her because we love her.  I shared with her that we discipline her not because we are mad or disapprove of who she is, but because we want to take care of her and make sure she is safe, just the way Jesus longs to take care of us. I also reminded her that she should act with the same caring love for her younger sister. While I was teaching some young teenage girls how to bake cookies I also had the opportunity to talk to them about being confident in who God created them to be. It’s important to feel good about ourselves and God wants us to find confidence in the way we treat ourselves, with honor and respect.  I shared with them that this is how we should expect others to treat us also. My brother and I took a couple of our Nepali sisters to see a movie, when we asked them what they thought about the movie it opened the door for uplifting Gospel conversations and created moments for us to speak the name of Jesus to the kids that we love.

Living in community on mission is an ongoing learning experience for me. One of the most helpful things that I’ve learned so far is how to see opportunities like these that God places before us and bring fearless, Kingdom love into ordinary spaces. With the support of a strong community, I am encouraged to be faithful to where the Lord is calling me; not only with big life decisions, but also in the everyday, ordinary moments.

Other News:

  • Last week our Bhutanese Teens Club relocated to a student's house to celebrate his birthday with him and his family! It was a great time to set aside the structure of programs for one night and embrace Nepali culture in a fun and relational way together as a community.

Prayer Needs:

  • Pray for our Immigrant and Refugee friends to feel supported and loved here in their  homes in the United States.   Many have recently expressed feelings of fear and rejection in light of the current American political atmosphere.

Important Dates:

  • Please join us at Adelante Thrift, 3720 State Ave, Kansas City, Kansas 66102 this Saturday, March 26, 12:00 - 2:00 for  our Saturday Kids Fun Day/"Easter Extravaganza".  There will be an Easter egg hunt, crafts, games, a fashion show, and a visit from the Easter bunny.  Bring your friends and family for a fun day at Adelante Thrift ( and plan to do a little shopping too).
  • Bhutanese Spring Party: Saturday, April 9, 5:00-7:00 at La Fe En Jesus Christo Church, 1500 Central Ave Kansas City, KS 66102 (park in the back parking lot and enter through the back door). Please come and help us celebrate the accomplishments of our ESL, Teens, Kids Club, and L.I.T. students this trimester and honor our volunteers who have continued to serve with us.
  • Latino Spring Party: Sunday, April 10, 4:00 - 8:00 at Bethany Community Center, 1120 Central Ave Kansas City, KS 66102 (between 11th & 12th Street, behind the fire station). Please come and help us celebrate the accomplishments of our ESL, Teens, Kids Adelante, and L.I.T. students this trimester and honor our volunteers who have continued to serve with us.

Catch the vision of serving at Adelante Thrift

Written by Elena Mamadnazarova, Community Development Director

Most days at Adelante Thrift are pretty ordinary but something extraordinary happens when teams of people from diverse backgrounds come together with one desire, to serve and to help.  At Adelante Thrift we provide a unique opportunity for people from a variety of different cultures to serve together, for the common good of our city. There is so much exclusion and division in our society today, but Adelante Thrift is able to connect people from other places in a distinct way.   

Part of the vision at Mission Adelante is to build a multicultural community that thrives by using their gifts to transform our neighborhood.  We are seeing this community being built at Adelante Thrift.  A community that is giving generously, serving alongside each other, and shopping locally to help make Adelante Thrift a sustainable part of our neighborhood; while also collectively working to transform our city for the glory of Jesus Christ.  We were able to see this in action last Saturday morning as Adelante Thrift hosted volunteer work groups from four different churches in the Kansas City area. Groups from Church of the Resurrection, Christ Church Anglican, Westside Family Church, and Mission Adelante’s ESL program served side-by-side as they processed donations to put out in the store to sell.  These four groups were assigned to help with sorting, pricing, steaming, and putting the items out on the shelves and racks in the store.  For a long time the production area of the store was overflowing with donations that needed to be processed, but on Saturday the four volunteer work groups were able to completely clear the production area.

However, new donations have arrived this week at Adelante Thrift and the production area is starting to fill up again.  We would love to have you or your group volunteer at Adelante Thrift, www.adelantethrift.com/volunteer. Other ways that you can help with the sustainability of  Adelante Thrift:  Donate your gently used clothing, electronic, household, furniture, or athletic items, shop at Adelante Thrift, and share information about Adelante Thrift with your friends and family.  Thank you so much for serving along us.  Visit our website for more information: www.adelantethrift.com

Current Needs:

Important Dates:

    Spring Break: March 14-18, there will be no programs during. The Mission Adelante office will be closed March 16-18.

    Looking for something fun to do Easter weekend? Adelante Thrift and Crafty Girl Creations  will be hosting an Easter Extravaganza, on Saturday March 26th at Adelante Thrift, 3720 State Ave Kansas City, KS 66102. There will be an Easter Egg Hunt, Fashion Show, Crafts and Games.  Join us for a fun time and plan on doing some shopping too!  






    Readers become Leaders

    Written by Kristen Maxwell, Director of Bhutanese Kids and Youth Ministries

    “The most successful way to improve the reading achievement of low-income children is to increase their access to print…..”(“America’s Child Care Crisis: A Crime Prevention Tragedy”; Fight Crime; Invest in Kids, Sanford, Newman, et al, 2000) ”

    At Mission Adelante we are excited about books, and what it means to place them in the hands of kids!  This week we are launching a pilot initiative with one of our neighborhood elementary schools, the “Readers become Leaders Book Bins” are a service project of our Leaders in Training programs.  The book bins function similarly to “Free Little Libraries” in that students can take a book, or leave a book.  We hope to restock the bins on a weekly basis with picture books, chapter books and other reading material that is of interest to elementary school children.  We also hope to distribute a large number of books before the start of summer to help prevent the “summer slide” in reading ability that many kids experience.  

    To make this happen though, we need your help!  We are in need of children’s books in good condition to distribute in the schools. The highest area of need right now is early and mid level chapter books. If you would like more information on donating books and partnering with LIT as they spread the love of books, contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelatne.org.

    Other News:

    • This week, Mission Adelante hosted the staff teams from Urban Scholastic Center and Bethel Neighborhood Center for lunch, fellowship, worship and prayer.  We love our neighborhood partners!

    Prayer Needs:

    • Please pray for three new Cuban friends who have just come to the U.S. seeking political asylum.  They are resettling in Kansas City.

    Current Needs:

    • Missions Trip Opportunity: "Volunteer Jackie Doyel is leading a short-term medical mission trip to Honduras in Tegucigalpa from July 2nd through July 9th for all who are interested in participating. No medical experience is necessary. They will meet the physical and spiritual needs of about 2000 Hondurans and put in concrete floors during this life changing trip. They will partner with World Gospel Outreach: www.wgoreach.org.  If you are interested,  please contact Jackie Doyel at 913-638-8630 or jackiedoyel@gmail.com. "
    • Serve with Adelante Thrift: Are you looking for an easy way to serve as an individual, with your group, or with your family?  You can partner with Adelante Thrift and be a part of community transformation in Kansas City Kansas! Adelante Thrift has a wide variety of volunteer opportunities on daily basis for people of all ages, ranging from sorting, pricing and stocking donated merchandise to assisting customers and more. Work alongside our diverse staff including many who come from other countries and be part of our multicultural team!  Please watch this video AdelanteThriftImpactVideo and visit our website to sign up www.adelantethrift.com/volunteer  and we’ll contact you to discuss your interest and availability. 
    • A Practical Way to Help Adelante Thrift:  We are asking for donations of 1,000 pre-filled Easter eggs that are appropriate for children age 2-10 for Adelante Thrift to use for their Easter Egg Hunt Extravaganza on Saturday March 26th from 12 pm - 2 pm. If you are interested in donating pre-filled Easter eggs, please contact Molly Merrick at 913-961-2984 or at mollym@missionadelante.org, you may also drop the pre-filled Easter eggs at Adelante Thrift 3720 State Ave Kansas City, Kansas 66102.  We would love for you and your family to join us for the Easter Egg Hunt Extravaganza on Saturday March 26th, 12 pm - 2 pm.

    Important Dates:

    • Have you ever wondered what goes on around Mission Adelante on a typical evening of our outreach programs? Here's your chance to come up and find out! Everyone is invited to our Observation Nights: Tuesday, March 8 at 6:30 p.m. for our Bhutanese Outreach, and Thursday, March 19 at 6:30 p.m. for our Latino Outreach. Come to 22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102.
    • Spring Break: March 14-18, there will not be any programs during this time. The Mission Adelante office will be closed March 16-18.

     

     

     

    Bring a Friend/Observation Nights at Mission Adelante

    Have you ever wondered what goes on around Mission Adelante on a typical evening of our outreach programs? Here's your chance to come up and find out! Everyone is invited to our Observation Nights: Tuesday, March 1 at 6:30 p.m. for our Bhutanese Outreach, and Thursday, March 3 at 6:30 p.m. for our Latino Outreach. Come to 22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102.

    http://www.missionadelante.org/serve/
     

     

     


     

    From the mouths of our children...

    Written by Megan McDermott, Latino Children and Youth Director

    In a typical week at Mission Adelante, we have the privilege of walking with around 120 children.   Through our tutoring programs and outreach Bible studies we get to spend a great deal of time with these wonderful children.   It is a big responsibility and honor to teach the children of our community about the amazing love of Christ, the power of God’s Word, their value in the community, and how they can be impressive leaders.  I often wonder in the day in and day out of loving the kids in our community, how THEY feel about the time that they spend at Mission Adelante. I thought it might inspire you, as it did me, to see in their own words how their relationships with the Lord have blossomed over the years...

    "Mission Adelante has changed my life in the best way possible.  I’ve grown closer to God and have made new friends"!

    "Mission Adelante has taught me a lot.  It has especially taught me about God.  Leaders in Training has helped me be more like a leader and learn about new people".

    "Leaders in Training has helped me have more people skills.  Kids Adelante has helped me learn a lot about God".

    "LIT gives me the opportunity to become a leader and know more about Jesus.  I have learned that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. That’s a big deal because no one else in the world can do that"!

    "The verses I have learned at Kids Adelante have helped me in tough times".

    "Being a part of Mission Adelante has helped me learn a great amount about God. Mission Adelante also helped me academically because it helps me express my feelings.  Coming here has been like a second home to me because I can trust the people here".  

    Please pray with us during this season of invitation and growth as God allows us to share His heart with the children of the Mission Adelante community.  Our prayer and hope is that these young leaders will one day use all that God has blessed them with to be powerful leaders in their own community!

    Important Dates:

    • Observation Nights: Each trimester we invite potential volunteers to come observe our ministry programs to get a better idea of what serving in our context looks like.  Come on up to 22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102 at 6:30 on any of the following evenings:
    • Tuesdays, March 1 and 8: Bhutanese ministry observation nights (Adult ESL, Kids Club, Middle School Club)
    • Thursdays, March 3 and 10: Latino ministry observation nights (Adult ESL, Kids Club)





    Backpacks Aplenty!

    Written by Kristen Maxwell, Bhutanese Children and Youth Director

    Most people involved with our youth and kids ministry programs would agree that one of our favorite nights of the year is backpack night!  It seems that as soon as school's out for the summer, the kids start asking when it will be backpack night.  Some of them are so anxious to see what kind of bag they will get this year, and see what supplies will be in it!  

    Here is what some of our students had to say about backpack night:  

    “I like seeing what kind of backpack they picked out for me, next year I want a blue one!!!”  P, Kindergarten

    “My favorite part is seeing all of the new supplies, and knowing I am ready for school.” A, Grade 6

    “They are really helpful for families who are new to the United States, they don’t always understand what supplies to buy and getting backpacks takes care of that for them.” P, Grade 7

    “Everyone loves backpack night, but not everyone is lucky enough to have a backpack night.  We are thankful that we get new backpacks every year, they make us excited for school.” K, Grade 6

    I know you are thinking that it is way too early to be thinking about back-to-school, but this year Mission Adelante anticipates the need for 320 backpacks, our largest number yet! We are so grateful for our growing kids and youth ministries, and are excited for what the Lord is doing!  So, we are getting a bit of a head start on lining up donations.

    We need your help!   We are currently looking for churches, businesses, small groups and individuals to commit to providing backpacks for our distribution in August of 2016.   These filled backpacks are an amazing ministry not only to the kids in our programs, but their parents and their schools.  In meeting this practical need, we get to be Jesus to these kids and their families.  Backpacks are accepted year round, so it is never too early to fill one up! The deadline for our August 2016 distribution is July 31st.  

    If you are interested in learning more about providing backpacks, please contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org for more information.

    UPCOMING DATES:

    • Observation Nights: Each trimester we invite potential volunteers to come observe our ministry programs to get a better idea of what serving in our context looks like.  Come on up to 22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102 at 6:30 on any of the following evenings:
    • Tuesdays, March 1 and 8: Bhutanese ministry observations nights (Adult ESL, Kids Club, Middle School Club)
    • Thursdays, March 3 and 10: Latino ministry observation nights (Adult ESL, Kids Club)

    The Powerful Intersection of Ministry and Business: A Video From Adelante Thrift

     At Mission Adelante, as we've labored to make disciples by serving, sharing life, and sharing Jesus with people from all places, together we've seen individual transformation begin to move toward community transformation.  Adelante Thrift, our first community development initiative is nearing its one-year anniversary, and the ministry fruit is exciting!  Though the store is not yet profitable, we are seeing God use a thrift store as a light in the neighborhood and a training ground for emerging leaders from our community to grow and realize their potential.  We invite you, your family, your business, your church, school, or neighborhood group, to lock arms with Adelante Thrift as we work together toward sustainability in 2016!  Sign up to volunteer at www.adelantethrift.com/volunteer.  And, enjoy this video about how God is using Adelante Thrift to empower and equip people from all places to reach their potential at the exciting intersection between business and ministry. 

    From Tajikistan to Mission Adelante: Introducing Elena Mamadnazarova

    It's common to hear "Buenos días" or "Namaste" at the Mission Adelante office in the mornings.  However, if you stop by now, you are likely to hear "Dobrea utra" as well.  That's Russian for "good morning," and it's been brought by our newest staff member who comes all the way from Tajikistan!  Elena Mamadnazarova joined the Mission Adelante team in January to lead our community development ministry and is already making an impact.

    "Lena" brings with her a Master's degree in International Development from Brandeis University, as well as over 10 years of international community development experience in Central Asia.  Her most recent role was managing the Central Asian office of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Kazakhstan.  Her educational background, along with her depth of experience and cross-cultural competency have raised the level of excellence on our leadership team almost overnight.

    Beyond her professional qualifications, Lena's faith journey is deep and inspiring.  She experienced being a refugee during Tajikistan's civil war, having to flee to Russia when her father's race and culture made their family the target of ethnic cleansing.  During this time she prayed fervently to a God she did not yet know for her father's safety.  God answered her prayers.  Later, when they returned to Tajikistan, Lena received Christ with a friend who invited her to attend a church that had been started by Korean missionaries in her town.  She grew and served and began to feel a calling to live out her faith in practical ways that would help communities.  

    Of course, a relationship brought Lena from the East coast to Kansas City.  Her husband, Ray Chan is a pediatrician with Children's Mercy and they have a daughter, Samila who is three.  Together they are members of Christ Community Church where they attend the Downtown campus.  Lena has served at Christ Community as a member of their Global Leadership Team.  

    Mission Adelante is delighted to have Lena on board and excited for her leadership as she helps our team turn individual transformation into community transformation!






    Igniting a Disciple-making Movement

    by Jarrett Meek, Founder, Pastor/Executive Director

    Few moments in Mission Adelante’s history have been more significant than the Leadership Community launch retreat we held last weekend.  It was, in many ways, the culmination of ten years of disciple-making and leadership development efforts, coming into bloom on a precious plant that has been often tossed and beaten by the wind and hail of the challenges that we face in our community on a daily basis.  

    Forty-eight emerging leaders from our Latino, Bhutanese, and English-speaking communities came together to begin a year-long, multicultural training experience focused on learning to make disciples as Jesus did.  Using stories from the gospels to demonstrate that Jesus’ work on earth focused on equipping disciples who make disciples, we observed and expounded eight principles of his disciple-making ministry (also expounded in the classic book, “Master Plan of Evangelism” by Robert Coleman).  Each principle was introduced by a member of our team (Yanelis, David and Jarrett) with a short teaching segment, and participants were able to listen simultaneously with headphones to a translated, pre-recorded version of the segment in their own language (Nepali, English, or Spanish).  The concise teaching segments were followed by longer small group discussion times that moved from observing Jesus’ disciple-making ministry to putting it into practice in our own neighborhood and context.  What made this time especially effective was the years of disciple-making culture and values that are embedded deep within our ministry’s DNA.  Many expressed that we were putting words to concepts we had been living out, giving a clearer vision of what we’re all working toward.

    While we covered a lot of content, the retreat was also full of fun and games.  The first night’s games of dominoes and Dutch Blitz were followed up by an afternoon of soccer, foosball, and ping-pong, and then dramatically eclipsed by a spontaneous two hours of karaoke in Spanish and English on the final night.  All I have to say is Mission Adelante’s got talent!!  

    Many of us shared in open mic format, on the final morning, that the greatest highlight of the weekend was worshiping Jesus in three languages at different times during the retreat.  This aspect of our retreat was indeed a unique and profound experience.  Nepali songs led by AB, Ram and the Nepali band expressed praise for our Lord with voices and dancing.  Our Latino musicians passionately led us as we lifted up the name of Jesus.  And, our English speaking group guided us to that intimate place where Jesus is the center of everything.  It was a taste of heaven indeed.

    As messy as multicultural endeavors can be, we are excited to continue experimenting, overcoming challenges, and experiencing the Lord together in the process.  And, as we press into making disciples like Jesus did, we are anxiously expecting and praying that the Lord will ignite a multiplying, multicultural movement in our neighborhood.  

    “We envision a growing multicultural community of disciples making disciples, where immigrants and others are thriving and using our gifts together to transform our neighborhood and the world for the glory of Jesus Christ.”

    I believe now that we are closer than ever to seeing what we’ve been envisioning for so long.  I invite you to pray that this vision will become reality at Mission Adelante.  

    In other news:

    • The Bhutanese Teens Club launch could not have gone better! Last week, 14 high school and college-age students joined us to eat, play games, do homework and learn about Jesus in small group bible studies.  We've switched from Tuesday nights to Monday nights this trimester.

    • The Latino Leaders in Training are learning about the life of Jesus and the kind of leader He was as recorded by Matthew!  It is encouraging to see the kids growing in their pursuit of the Lord.

    • Last Thursday was "Superhero Night" at Kid’s Adelante.  It was a blast to see the well-known and made upcharacters the kids chose for their costumes!

    Prayer requests:

    • Please pray that the Lord would draw closer to His heart the young mothers in our neighborhood that may feel isolated and that need love, support, and hope.  Pray that they'll find encouragement through community.

    Upcoming dates:

    Observation Nights: Each trimester we invite potential volunteers to come observe our ministry programs to get a better idea of what serving in our context looks like.  Come on up to 22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102 at 6:30 on any of the following evenings:

    • Tuesdays, March 1 and 8: Bhutanese ministry observations nights (Adult ESL, Kids Club, Middle School Club)
    • Thursdays, March 3 and 10: Latino ministry observation nights (Adult ESL, Kids Club)

    Making our Bhutanese Programs "GO".

    Written by Kristen Maxwell, Bhutanese Children and Youth Director

    On any given Tuesday night at Mission Adelante, you will find a lot of volunteers. You will find volunteers hanging out with the smallest kids, watching Veggie Tales videos and eating goldfish crackers while their moms’ learn English. You will find some volunteers singing songs and playing crazy games with elementary school aged kids and sharing with them in small groups about the love of Jesus. You will find volunteers learning new games and building relationships as they hang out with our middle school aged kids. You will find volunteers going through flashcards, locating things on the United States maps, and discussing how government in America works while building Jesus centered relationships with ESL students.  You will even find a small group of students and volunteers upstairs, working hard and having fun while learning American sign language. There are a lot of volunteers that help out on Tuesday night, and there is NO way the Bhutanese outreach could function without them.  

    We have one group of volunteers that is always moving, and they get to see all of the kids and adults and they know where LOTS of people live.  They do their job effectively and are very faithful to their position, these dedicated men are our bus drivers. For many of our program participants, there is no one at home to help transport them to English Class, Kids Club or Middle School Club on Tuesday night. If it weren't for our transportation team, they would not get to come learn about citizenship, socialize with their friends, and see Jesus in action through the love and service of our volunteers. Our transportation team is the stage crew that makes the show on Tuesday night happen. They are the behind the scenes, essential piece, that makes the game go; and we are so very grateful for their help.

    When you drive a bus for the Bhutanese ministry, you get to see Tuesday night from a very unique perspective. You get to see our kids jump on the bus, so very excited to see you and see the bus pull up. You get greeted by grandmas who offer you tea, sodas and other treats. You get to hear stories, see families, and watch kids grow in a very special way. Each week, our bus drivers meet perhaps, the most practical need that Mission Adelante has.  

    So, to our bus drivers, we thank you.  Thank you for loving and serving our community so well.  Thank you for literally making things “go” around here. We appreciate you. Also, if serving in this way seems interesting to you, contact Drew Hammond at drewh@missionadelante.org for more information.

    Current Needs:

    • Are you looking for a fun and practical way to support the Kid’s Adelante Outreach? We are in need of some fun little prizes for girls and boys ages 5-12 to serve as rewards. Please contact Megan at meganm@missionadelante.org, if you are interested.  

    Important Dates:

    • Saturday, February 20th  2-4 pm: We will be having a mandatory Child Protection Meeting for all volunteers that work with children and youth through Mission Adelante programs. Our children's and youth ministry leaders will be contacting you with further information.


    Training Teens to be Leaders in our Community

    Written by Edgar Soriano, Latino Ministry Apprentice

    A new trimester launched last week at Mission Adelante and our Latino teens group is off to a great start with 30 people in attendance our first night. It was a high-energy night, with a lot of fun and a lot of learning.

    This trimester we are starting to focus on building relationships through fellowship and walking alongside our teens.  We want to start discipling our youth; doing this allows us to enter the teens lives, and also allows the leaders and teens to build a relationship.  Our dreams and desires for the teens are that they will grow up and give back to the community.  Our vision is that they will one day disciple kids the way that their leaders are doing with them now. We would like the teens  to get involved with Kids Adelante and serve with the younger kids, we hope that the younger kids will see the teens as role models.  We hope that they grow up in Mission Adelante Latino programs and that one day they will disciple kids at Kids Adelante.    

    Would you come alongside us and pray for our teens? This is a tough time in their lives with school, jobs, families and friends.  They are also under a lot of pressures from society, the community they live in, friends and family. Please pray for them and for the leaders that journey with the teens.  

    Current Needs:

    • We are looking for someone to donate 10 gift cards of $5 or $10 for our Latino teens youth group. We are doing fun activities with them this trimester and we would like to reward them will something small. Please contact Edgar Soriano at edgars@missionadelate.org

    How do you impact a community?

    Written by Megan McDermott, Latino Children and Youth Director

    When you think of the word community; what words come to your mind? Is it neighborhood, friendship, fellowship?  One of the most lasting fingerprints that Jesus left on our world today was the importance of community.  Jesus planted and nurtured strong followers that became the first church of believers.  When we reflect on the early church of Acts, we are reminded that the earliest Jesus followers, “...shared their lives together; they ate and prayed together. And everyone was amazed at what God was doing.” (Acts 2:42-43)

    One of the core values at Mission Adelante is recognizing that the challenges in our community are God-sized and that meeting them requires partnerships that begin with relationships. How does this same idea of community show itself throughout the streets and neighborhoods of Kansas City, Kansas? Relationships! Relationships lead to community, and community is what impacts this city for God.  

    This past Monday many of our volunteers from all of our different ministry outreaches at Mission Adelante gathered for our Volunteer Huddle. We worshiped, we prayed, we ate desserts, and we shared life.  We also met to “..stand amazed at what God is doing.”  We recognize that the partnerships that God has formed between Mission Adelante and the many churches of our city is an opportunity to share the heart of Jesus in Kansas City.