The Refugee Resettlement Process

Written by Rachel Pierce, Administrative Assistant

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me:
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”

Emma Lazarus (from the poem, “The New Collossus”, found at Ellis island, New York).

For hundreds of years the United States has been the destination of foreigners looking for safe refuge from their unjust government. While the United States was founded by settlers immigrating from England seeking religious freedom, and countless others immigrated from around the world to the United States in the 1800’s looking for better opportunities. Despite the historical role the U.S. played in being a home for refugees, it wasn't until after the end of WWII that a formal refugee resettlement process was adopted.

“The U.S. admitted more than 250,000 displaced Europeans following World War II, after which the U.S. Congress enacted the Displaced Persons Act of 1948 allowing an additional 400,000 European refugees to resettle in the U.S.This legislation was followed by later laws admitting refugees from Communist countries such as China, Cuba, Hungary, Korea, Poland and Yugoslavia. The modern refugee resettlement program traces its roots to the 1975 admission of over 100,000 Southeast Asian refugees under an ad hoc resettlement program called the Refugee Task Force. In 1980, Congress formalized the refugee resettlement program in the Refugee Act of 1980, which included the UN criteria for refugee status and set the legal basis for the Refugee Admissions Program. Today this program is operated by the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) of the U.S. Department of State in conjunction with the Office of Refugee Resettlement in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and offices in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).”

(From BRYCS, Bridging Refugee Youth & Children’s Services)  http://www.brycs.org/aboutRefugees/refugee101.cfm

Many of us at Mission Adelante have met the refugee’s who have lived in the camps, or in neighboring countries; seeking refuge from their oppressive homeland.  Some of the children and youth that we serve in our Bhutanese ministry program have grown up in refugee camps; with limited resources, and trauma caused from being raised in the refugee camp environment.  

I have a friend who left his home country of Burma (Myanmar) because of religious oppression, he fled to Malaysia seeking refuge.  He didn’t have any documents proving his citizenship in Malaysia. When police came to the restaurant where he worked asking for proof of citizenship, he had to pay a bribe to the police so that he wouldn’t be arrested and sent back to Burma.  

One of our Bhutanese youth, who resettled in the United States a couple of years ago, tells stories of using plastic bags and other trash to make a soccer ball so that he and his friends in the refugee camp would have something to play with.   

Our staff and volunteers could tell so many more stories that we have heard from our refugee friends about living in the camps, villages, and neighboring countries.  Our refugee friends could tell you about the variety of emotions they have felt. From the happiness they felt leaving their oppressive homeland; but at the same time,  the deep sadness they had of leaving their home, family, and friends. The fear and apprehension of the unknown of living in a refugee camp, the anxiety concerning the process of being considered for resettlement in the United States.  The excitement of being chosen to go to the United States, but at the same time feeling regret for leaving family behind; unsure if they would ever see their loved ones again.  

“Today’s refugee will live in a camp for 17 years on average, in limbo until he or she can safely return home or find refuge in another country. Resettlement is a lifesaving and lasting solution for those with nowhere else to turn. It also benefits the countries that welcome them – and yet it is a chance afforded to a mere one percent of refugees worldwide.” (IRC, International Rescue Committee)

Another misconception in our society concerns the refugee resettlement process.  There has been a lot of talk in the media concerning this subject.  There have also been a lot of questions from local and federal government officials about the safety of the refugee screening process.  

At Mission Adelante we seek the facts from trusted sources at resettlement agencies who are on the front lines of the process. We want to share this information with our readers, so that you can have a better understanding of the process. Also, we know from our friends that have gone through the process, how stringent of a process it is.  

Misconception: The refugee screening process isn’t rigorous enough.

Fact: The hardest way to come to the U.S. is as a refugee.

“Refugees are vetted more intensively than any other group seeking to enter the U.S. All those seeking to come here must first be registered by the United Nations refugee agency, which identifies the families most in need. The U.S. then hand-selects every person who is admitted. Security screenings are intense and led by U.S. government authorities, including the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, and multiple security agencies. The process typically takes up to 18 months and is followed by further security checks after refugees arrive in the states.” (IRC, International Rescue Committee)”.

“There are many ways to come to the United States,” says David Miliband, president of the International Rescue Committee, which has resettled more than 160,000 refugees from 50 countries over the past 40 years. “Comparatively, the refugee resettlement program is the most difficult, short of swimming the Atlantic.”

Here is the process that a refugee must go through to be resettled in the United States.

Seeking Legal Refugee Status

"In order to receive official refugee status in a country of asylum, an individual has to have left his or her home country due to a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, social group affiliation, or political opinion.  The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is usually responsible for awarding legal refugee status.  In addition, UNHCR often offers refugees protection, assistance, and alternative legal and travel documents."

Seeking Resettlement

"UNHCR refers only about 1 percent of all refugees for resettlement in a third country.  Only when all efforts to either help refugees return home or settle permanently in the country of asylum have failed does third country resettlement become the option of last resort.  The following countries have resettlement programs: Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States.  Other countries accept individual refugees on an ad hoc basis.  Family ties, trade skills, professional abilities, language facility, and various other factors are considered by UNHCR when matching a refugee with a resettlement country."

Referral to the USRP

"Only refugees who have been referred by UNHCR or by the U.S. embassy in the country of asylum are eligible for the USRP.  Usually, a family is referred together as a single group.  The Department of State’s Bureau for Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) oversees this program.  The State Department develops application criteria, refugee admission ceilings, and presents eligible cases to a division of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), for  adjudication. The State Department’s Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) describes the process of application for admission to the United States as a refugee in 9 FAM Part IV Appendix O."

Adjudication

"Refugees who meet the criteria for application to the USRP are interviewed by a USCIS officer who travels to the country of asylum.  The U.S. Department of State contracts resettlement and/or nongovernmental organizations to assist refugees who may need help preparing their resettlement application forms.  The application typically consists of USCIS Form I-590, family tree, and biographical information.  The USCIS officer decides whether the applicant is a refugee as defined under U.S. law.  An individual’s designation as a refugee by UNHCR does not guarantee admission to the USRP."

Approval

"Refugees whose applications for U.S. resettlement receive USCIS approval are matched with an American resettlement organization that will facilitate their resettlement to the United States.  Most of these nonprofit organizations rely on professional and volunteer staff to assist refugees in the resettlement process.  If rejected, the applicant has thirty days to file a motion to reconsider the denial with the nearest USCIS district office.  Generally, a motion is considered only if it contains new information not available at the original interview."

Being Matched with an American Resettlement Organization

"Detailed information on all refugees approved for resettlement in the United States is sent to the Refugee Data Center (RDC) in New York.  RDC matches refugees with one of eleven voluntary agencies that provide reception and placement services for refugees coming to the United States."

Pre-travel Activities

"In order to ensure that a refugee understands that everyone living in America is expected to be self-sufficient and that no refugee should be an undue burden to American society, he or she must complete several additional steps before traveling to the United States.  These activities are undertaken concurrently and can take from 2 months to 2 years to complete:"

Assurance process

"The American resettlement organization must “assure” the Department of State that it is prepared to receive each matched refugee.  This “assurance” is a written guarantee that various basic services will be provided to the refugee and any accompanying family members in the initial resettlement phase.  At this time, the resettlement organization determines where in the United States the refugee will be resettled based on the availability of housing, employment, needed services, readiness of host community, and a variety of other factors.  However, if a refugee has a relative in the United States, every effort is made to resettle the refugee near that relative.  Refugees do not have to have U.S. sponsors to be resettled in the United States."

• Medical clearance: Prior to coming to the United States, all refugees are medically screened by a healthcare professional working for the U.S. government.  The screening identifies medical conditions that require follow-up or constitute a public health concern.  A few serious conditions may render a refugee ineligible for entry into the United States; however, a waiver may be available.  After being “medically cleared,” a refugee must enter the United States within one year.
• Security clearance: All refugees must undergo a security clearance procedure prior to coming to the United States.  The level of clearance needed depends on the refugee’s country of origin.  In most cases, the refugee’s name is checked against the FBI’s database of known terrorists and undesirables, as well as the State Department’s database of people who have been denied visas to enter the United States in the past.
• Cultural orientation: All refugees receive some form of cultural orientation prior to coming to the United States.  Most programs emphasize the importance of self-sufficiency in American society, as well as what to expect in the initial resettlement phase.  Classes range in length from three hours to several days.

Travel to the United States

"The International Organization for Migration (IOM) arranges air travel for most U.S.-bound refugees.  Before a refugee leaves the country of asylum, he or she signs a promissory note and agrees to repay the U.S. government for travel costs. Upon receiving necessary travel details from IOM, the American resettlement organization makes arrangements for the refugee’s arrival."

United States Arrival and Reception

"After meeting, welcoming, and assisting the refugee at the airport, the resettlement organization begins the process of helping the refugee become settled in his or her new community."

(From the USCRI, United States Center for Refugees and Immigrants)

http://refugees.org/explore-the-issues/our-work-with-refugees/refugeeresettlementprocess

Most of us born in the United States have at least one ancestor that was born in another country.  Our ancestors were welcomed into the United States.  We need to remember our past and welcome the stranger just as our ancestors were welcomed.  As Christ followers we are reminded over and over again in the Bible of the commands from God to welcome the stranger.   In most places in the Bible when God commands us to love and help the orphan and the widow, He also commands us to love and help the foreigner among us.  In Leviticus 19:34 God reminds the Israelites, “The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.” This is a reminder we all should consider, our ancestors were outsiders at one time, and we should love, help, and welcome the outsider among us.

Important Dates:

• Have you ever wondered what goes on at Mission Adelante during a typical program night?  Latino Observation Nights - November 3 & 10; 6:30 - 8:30 pm.  Bhutanese Observation Night - November 8; 6:30 - 8:30 pm. 22 S 18th St Kansas City, Kansas 66102.

---

Refugee Resettlement in the United States

Written by Rachel Pierce, Administrative Assistant

The media has been shining a spotlight on the refugee situation in the United States this past year, a lot of confusion and mistrust of refugees and the resettlement process has come from many sides, both locally and on a national level.  The heart and mission of Mission Adelante is, "To make disciples by serving, sharing life, and sharing Jesus with people from other places."  Loving people from other places is in our DNA.  So when given an opportunity to share the truth about the refugee situation, Mission Adelante will do its best to advocate for our refugee friends.

Those of us who live and serve in the Kansas City, Kansas community have a unique opportunity to say hello, share a smile, and shop for groceries at the local market with a variety of people from displaced countries. Countries like Burma, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria; and many African countries like, Congo, Somalia, and Ethiopia.   We have the honor of sharing coffee or tea with them in their homes; learning about them, their customs and culture, to hear their stories, hold their babies,  and to learn how to make food from their homeland.  We are privileged to cry with them when they mourn, and to laugh with them when they rejoice.  We have a small glimpse of what life can be like for them. When we hear about the fear and apprehension that others have about our refugee friends, it saddens us.  We  want to support them, to stand with them, we want to help others understand them and the uniqueness they bring to our country and  to our community.
 

The next four weeks we would like to share some facts and experiences about refugees that are resettled in the United States.
The first misunderstanding about the refugee is this:  "They want to leave their home country."
The truth about the refugee is this:  "They are forced to leave their country because of war or persecution."

According to the International Rescue Committee (IRC),

"Refugees leave their country because they have no other choice. They fear for their lives and those of their families when their governments will not or cannot protect them from war, sectarian conflict and serious human-rights abuses. Often they must leave their homes without notice, must travel with few belongings or none at all, and face perilous journeys involving great hardship. They risk their lives to cross borders, knowing they will be unable to return home until conditions improve, which can take decades. In 2015, 134,044 refugees submitted applications to the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR). Of that number, 25 percent were survivors of torture and other types of violence, and another 34 percent were in desperate need of physical or legal protection."

Also from the International Rescue Committee (IRC):

"They are men, women and children fleeing war, persecution and political upheaval. They are uprooted with little warning, enduring great hardship during their flight. They become refugees when they cross borders and seek safety in another country. They are displaced when they are forced to flee their homes, but remain within the borders of their native country. The 1951 United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, as amended by its 1967 protocol defines a refugee as a person who "owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality, and is unable to or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country... The United States will not recognize persons who have participated in war crimes and violations of humanitarian and human rights law, including the crime of terrorism, as refugees. They are specifically excluded from the protection accorded to refugees."

Many of our staff and volunteers have heard stories from our refugee friends, they have seen the wounds; both physical and emotional.  We have shared life and served alongside them, we do not fear them; because we know that there is so much that we can learn from each other.  We want our readers and supporters to become aware and educated about refugees, to seek the truth and share it with others; it is a passion of ours at Mission Adelante to Welcome the Stranger.  More importantly Jesus commands us to welcome the stranger, "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,"  Matthew 25:35 (NIV) Together we can all stand with refugees for better understanding and representation.  

New beginnings, and dreaming about the future with our LIT students

Written by Megan McDermott, Latino Children's and Youth Director

The launch of a new school year always brings with it the beginning of a new year of our Leaders in Training (LIT) program at Mission Adelante.  Last week, as we launched our NINTH year of Latino LIT, we did a lot of team building activities to help the kids and volunteers get to know each other. Amidst fun games of trying to get an oreo cookie from their forehead to their mouth without using their hands and relay races that required them to lean on each other as a team, I had each of the the thirteen kids interview a partner.

It was a spur of the moment activity with a mix of silly and serious questions, created to help them go a bit deeper with each other.  We always want them to feel like LIT is their second family, a place where they can be themselves with each other.   As I read back over their responses the next day, I was moved by some of the the things they shared.  Here are just a few of the fun responses that they wrote:

What do you think you will be doing ten years from now?

• Go to college to be a veterinarian
• Be a surgeon
• Be a professional soccer player
• Be finishing up cosmetology school

What advice would you give your parents?

• Be relaxed
• Travel more
• Don’t work so hard
• Listen more to us

One of the main dreams of LIT is to raise up generations of leaders that will transform the community.   We know that a bright future requires a strong focus on the present, and a deep foundation in Christ.  Please pray for all of the children and youth that we serve, that they would come to know God in a more real and intimate way this year.   

Current Needs:

• Our Leaders in Training (LIT) students are hungry when they arrive at Mission Adelante after school.  We go through about 80 individually wrapped snacks a week! Next time you are at Costco or Sams, think of us!  You can drop them off at Mission Adelante during regular business hours, Monday - Thursday 9:00 - 5:00.

---

Reflections on Doing Justly, Loving Mercy, and Walking Humbly

A Team from Mission Adelante was inspired to do justly, love mercy, and walk humble at the annual CCDA conference this month.

Written by Jarrett Meek, Executive Director

Recently, a passage from the Old Testament prophet Micah has been on my mind.  "With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the God on high?", asks the prophet.  "Shall I come with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?  Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil?  Shall I give my firstborn...?"  What does the Lord require of us?  As Micah ponders this questions out loud, his mind goes first to external religious practices.  He mentions sacrifices and wonders if the Lord will be pleased with his burnt offerings.  It seems clear he's setting this idea up to be torn down.  Then he goes a bit further, multiplying the sacrifices by really big numbers; "what if my sacrifices numbered in the thousands and tens of thousands?  Then would the Lord be pleased?"  And then he proposes the ultimate act of religious devotion; "What if my religious zeal was so great that I were to give my FIRSTBORN!"  The way he asks the questions communicate the answer: zeal for religious practice does NOT please the Lord.  

Today we might say something like, "What if I pray each morning?  What if I get up at 4:30 a.m. to pray each morning?  Then would the Lord be pleased?" Or, what if I read the Bible in a year?  What if I memorize a whole chapter from the Bible?  Then would the Lord be pleased?"  I believe the answer to these questions is like the answer Micah was implying; the Lord is not impressed by our religious activity.

Micah is not meaning to toss out spiritual disciplines or practices all together.  He just wants to put them in their place.  When he finally gets around to answering the question, he says, "He has shown you, oh man, what is good and what the Lord requires of you."  He reveals his answer in 3 parts:

1. To do justly
2. To love mercy
3. To walk humbly with your God.

Doing justly means, in part, seeking the good of our neighbor, especially our neighbor who is vulnerable to suffering injustice.  If we want to please God, Micah reminds us, we must care deeply about injustice and do something about it.  

When I think about loving mercy, the first thing that comes to my mind is the famous book/musical/movie, Les Miserables.  For those who have seen it, the image of a man, Javert, who loves judgement and the law contrasts in the most powerful way with a man who has received mercy and loves to give it, Jean Valjean.  The Lord is pleased with a person who loves mercy.

Walking humbly with our God has many expressions.  Humility should characterize our relationship with God and should permeate our relationship with our neighbor.  The apostle Paul said it well when he wrote, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others as more significant than yourselves."  (Philippians 2:3)

As Mission Adelante lives out it's mission, our heart's desire is to please the Lord.  We love to talk about the greatest commandments: to love God and to love our neighbor.  The passage in Micah 6 gives us another way to remember and apply what Jesus said was most important.

Current Needs:

• Our Leaders in Training (LIT) students are hungry when they arrive at Mission Adelante after school.  We go through about 80 individually wrapped snacks a week! Next time you are at Costco or Sams, think of us!  You can drop them off at Mission Adelante during regular business hours, Monday - Thursday 9:00 - 5:00.

---

Skating into Youth Group

Written by Drew Hammond, Bhutanese Apprentice/Bhutanese Youth Group Coordinator

Over the weekend, Youth Group was officially launched at a local skating rink. Why was renting a roller skating rink an essential activity for Youth Group and what does it have to do with the Gospel?

In Matthew 14 we find my favorite story of Jesus. Just before this story, Jesus has sent the disciples ahead of Him on a boat. Late at night He comes walking on the water to them and they become afraid. Jesus says to them, “Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid.” Then in verses 28-33 are where my favorite part happens: “Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are certainly God’s Son!”

Our students of Youth Group find themselves in a similar situation as Peter. They hear Jesus calling them to step out in faith, but when they do, the things around them cause their faith to falter in fear. Youth Group is a space where students can experience Jesus reaching out to them, inviting them into greater trust and worship; even when we are at a roller skating rink. While it is a bit of a stretch to compare falling down at a roller rink to walking on water, the vision is still there. Many of our students had only roller skated once, if at all. They were excited to learn something new and were overjoyed when they could watch their own progress, and the progress of their peers. This created a wonderful opportunity for the staff of Mission Adelante to not only help students back to their feet when they fell, but to teach them how to balance and eventually skate at full speed. If we had not rented the skating rink to have a private party for ourselves, there would have been far too many other people for our students to feel safe and comfortable falling down, getting back up, and growing in their skills. That is exactly what Youth Group is like.

Youth Group is a place where our students can be welcomed, loved, and accepted as who God has made them to be; and encouraged to become followers of Jesus. Surrounded by adult followers of Christ, who can walk with them through the challenges that come, all the while encouraging them to be courageous in their faith so they can joyfully worship God and experience spiritual family.  

To read more about Youth Group, see a previous Adelante Express written by Drew Hammond here: A Spiritual Family for Third Culture Students

Current Needs:

• Our Leaders in Training (LIT) students are hungry when they arrive at Mission Adelante after school.  We go through about 80 individually wrapped snacks a week! Next time you are at Costco or Sams, think of us and purchase some snacks for us.  You can drop them off at Mission Adelante during regular business hours, Monday - Thursday 9:00 - 5:00.

A celebration of culture

Written by Rachel Pierce, Administrative Assistant

In September,  Mission Adelante will achieve 11 years of ministry in Kansas City, Kansas. But we celebrated a little early, in August we threw a little party with 350-400 of our friends.  There were many beautiful things about that night, many wonderful moments, and great memories.  

The weather that evening was gorgeous, for those of you that have been to other Mission Adelante end of the summer trimester parties, it is usually hot, very hot.  Not this time; there had been rain showers off and on all day, but it cleared up for the party.  There was a nice cloud cover, and a cool breeze. The food was delicious; everybody brought food from their culture.  Rice, fried chicken, tortillas, curries, charro beans, noodles, pizza, pollo mole.  Plates were filled with a little bit of everything; food from Bhutan and Nepal, from Latin American countries, and the United States. On the hill were people from our Bhutanese and Latino ministries, along with our new and long time volunteers; sitting together sharing food, and laughter.  It was beautiful to see.  Long time volunteers were honored for their faithfulness to the ministry at Mission Adelante. Our current ESL students from our Latino and Bhutanese ministries were recognized for their hard work and determination.  

We watched our friends perform songs and dances from their culture, in their language.  The entire program was emceed in Spanish, Nepali, and English, a true celebration and tribute to our diverse community.  Our meal was even blessed by a prayer from our Community Development Director, Elena Mamadnazarova, in Russian.  It was truly a celebration of culture.   The kids from our Bhutanese Kids Club program and our Latino Kids Adelante program performed a song together.  We ended the night celebrating with our founding family and the friends who came alongside them to start Mission Adelante 11 years ago.

We thank God above all for this celebration of culture; for giving the Meek's this vision, dream, and passion for people from other places.  We are thankful for the mission team who stood alongside the Meek's from the very beginning. We give thanks for our staff (past and present), for our volunteers, donors, prayer warriors, and supporting churches who have championed the mission and work of Mission Adelante.  We are excited to see what God has planned next for Mission Adelante!  

Enjoy a slideshow of pictures from our 11 year celebration!

Current Needs:

• We are in need of volunteers for our Bhutanese and Latino Programs.  

1. Latino Leaders in Training (LIT) meets Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday afternoons.
2. Bhutanese Elementary LIT meets Monday & Wednesday afternoons
3. Bhutanese Middle School LIT meets Tuesday & Wednesday afternoons
4. Bhutanese Youth Group meets Monday evenings
5. Bhutanese ESL & Kids Club meets Tuesday evenings
6. Latino Teen’s meets Wednesday evenings
7. Latino ESL & Kids Adelante meets Thursday evenings

Visit our website for more information or to sign-up: www.missionadelante.org/serve

Important Dates:

• Volunteer Orientation: Saturday September 10, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm. Orientation is an introduction to our vision and ministry programs at Mission Adelante.  We will also tour the neighborhood and share a meal from a local restaurant.  A $5.00 donation is suggested to help with the cost of the meal.  If you are interested in serving at Mission Adelante visit: www.missionadelante.org/serve.
• Volunteer Huddle: Monday September 12, 6:30 - 8:00 pm.  Our volunteer huddle is a time for us to gather together with our current and new volunteers to give them a deeper look into our ministry programs.  We will also have dessert and fellowship time.
• Our Fall Trimester will begin soon, with our Bhutanese programs starting Tuesday September 13, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm and our Latino programs starting Thursday September 15, 6:30 - 8:30 pm.   

---

What makes your heart beat?

Written by Megan McDermott, Latino Youth and Kids Director

When I think about Christ, one of the things I always think of is the servants-heart that He displayed. He was always giving His time, wisdom, patience, and love to every person He encountered.   He made time to stop and befriend those that others simply walked past.   I think His heart beat was for true relationship, community, and ultimately healing for us.  Mark 10:45 reminds us that, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”   

As we go through our days, do we ever stop to ask ourselves what our heart beats for?    How are we being the hands and feet of Jesus in Kansas City and around the world? I wanted to share with you the words of a dear friend and long time volunteer at Mission Adelante, Brad Gregory, and his answer to this question.

‘About 10 years ago, I heard of a new serving opportunity in the heart of Kansas City, Kansas called Mission Adelante. I had been looking for a place to serve outside of my church and it sounded like a good place to start. I had no idea what I was getting involved in and no concept of what I could actually do to help. I literally stumbled upon helping with Kid's Adelante and the older kids. I had a fabulous teaching partner in Felipe Ham and we became fast friends. I quite literally learned to study the Bible each week by preparing for the classes. I now think that I was the one sent there to learn! The curriculum we use with the children is called Firm Foundations and I believe it gave me just that, a firm foundation in the Bible! Over the years, I have forged many long-term relationships and in recent years, even started meeting with several of the volunteers before classes to eat at one of the many superb taco eateries in KCK. We meet at the end of the evening to pray with and for each other. At the end of the day what we are building is a family. "We are building a family that is centered on being Christ to the neighborhood and showing this love to each other in a meaningful way!"

Current Needs:

• We are in need of volunteers for our Bhutanese and Latino Programs.  
  • Latino Leaders in Training (LIT) meets Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday afternoons.
  • Bhutanese Elementary LIT meets Monday & Wednesday afternoons
  • Bhutanese Middle School LIT meets Tuesday & Wednesday afternoons
  • Bhutanese Youth Group meets Monday evenings
  • Bhutanese ESL & Kids Club meets Tuesday evenings
  • Latino Teen’s meets Wednesday evenings
  • Latino ESL & Kids Adelante meets Thursday evenings

    Visit our website for more information or to sign-up: www.missionadelante.org/serve

• Latino Leaders in Training is in need of journals for their creative activities.  If you are interested in purchasing the journals that the kids will use for the year, please contact Megan McDermott at Meganm@missionadelante.org before Sept 6.
   

Important Dates:

• Volunteer Orientation: Saturday September 10, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm. Orientation is an introduction to our vision and ministry programs at Mission Adelante.  We will also tour the neighborhood and share a meal from a local restaurant.  A $5.00 donation is suggested to help with the cost of the meal.  If you are interested in serving at Mission Adelante visit: www.missionadelante.org/serve.
• Volunteer Huddle: Monday September 12, 6:30 - 8:00 pm.  Our volunteer huddle is a time for us to gather together with our current and new volunteers to give them a deeper look into our ministry programs.  We will also have dessert and fellowship time.
• Our Fall Trimester will begin soon, with our Bhutanese programs starting Tuesday September 13, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm and our Latino programs starting Thursday September 15, 6:30 - 8:30 pm.   

---

A Spiritual Family for Third Culture Students

Written by Drew Hammond, Bhutanese Youth Ministry Director

Our students from other places grow up in a difficult world. Their family has a deeply rooted sense of culture from their home country, and their classmates know and understand the culture here in our urban neighborhood. Our students are dropped in between those two places, into a third culture. Since they aren’t growing up in their home country, pieces of their culture are falling away; and since they aren’t from the United States they don’t always understand exactly how and where they fit in here. It is in this place that we meet our students.We believe that God’s image is reflected uniquely and beautifully in diverse human cultures. We help students to understand the cultures of their family, their neighborhood, and how to live in the third culture they are growing up in.

In the book of Acts, we find a community of people similar to our students. This community of people are  just learning what it means to live their lives according to the ways of Jesus in a political and social environment that had recently put Him to death. In Acts 2:42-47, we see how they dealt with this struggle. "They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved."

The community described in this passage sounds like a spiritual family; where they are caring for one another and being cared for, walking together through life, and experiencing daily transformation. This is this kind of spiritual family that we long to build with our students. In light of this goal; in the Fall of 2016, we will be launching Youth Group.

Youth Group is a place where our students can be welcomed, loved, and accepted as who God has made them to be; and encouraged to become followers of Jesus. Youth Group is different from our structured programs; it is a space where our students will learn how to take the stories of Jesus they have been learning in our structured programs for the last 7 years and apply them to their daily lives.  It is also a place where our students will be surrounded by people who can help build a spiritual family with them; sharing meals and resources, having lots of fun, hearing stories of Jesus, beginning to worship Him, and learning to serve Him as Lord. Our hope is that Youth Group is a  place where they can process and understand the new culture they live in, understand who their spiritual family is, and grow to learn who God is calling them to be.

Important Dates:

• Volunteer Orientation: Saturday September 10, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm. Orientation is an introduction to our vision and ministry programs at Mission Adelante.  We will also tour the neighborhood and share a meal from a local restaurant.  A $5.00 donation is suggested to help with the cost of the meal.  If you are interested in serving at Mission Adelante visit: www.missionadelante.org/serve.
• Volunteer Huddle: Monday September 12, 6:30 - 8:00 pm.  Our volunteer huddle is a time for us to gather together with our current and new volunteers to give them a deeper look into our ministry programs.  We will also have dessert and fellowship time.
• Our Fall Trimester will begin soon; with our Bhutanese programs starting Tuesday September 13, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm and our Latino programs starting Thursday September 15, 6:30 - 8:30 pm.   

---

Back-to-School: Pray for us next week

Written by Kristen Maxwell, Bhutanese Youth and Children's Director

It feels like summer has FLOWN by.  It seems like just yesterday we were getting ready for Kids Camp and beginning to look for backpack donations.

Thank you to everyone who partnered with us by donating a backpack.  With your support we were able to distribute over 270 backpacks in our neighborhood!  The love of Jesus was shared through a backpack! 

On Monday many of the kids in Kansas City, Kansas will head back to school.  As a former teacher, I can't help but be excited about the promises a new year brings; new kiddos, new friendships, and new adventures. As I was praying for the kids school year, I was convicted to pray for their schools by name.  Will you join me in that? Join me in praying for the 19 schools that we have kids going to. 

Pray for protection, pray for peace; pray for wisdom for the teachers, and learning for the students. 
Pray for the schools to be places where kids feel loved and welcomed.
Pray for good influences to surround our kids, and when they see things that don't seem right pray that they have the courage to ask questions.
Pray for a supernatural ability of language acquisition for our kids who don't speak much English. 
Pray for a familiar face, or a new friend for our kids who have never attended school in the US.
Pray that God would bless the students, teachers, administrators, and support staff with a wonderful year!

This year we have kiddos from Pre-K to 12th grade attending the following  schools:

Wyandotte High School
JC Harmon High School
Bishop Ward High School
Sumner Academy
Argentine Middle School
Northwest Middle School
Central Middle School
Frances Willard Elementary
Whittier Elementary
English Landing Elementary
ME Pearson Elementary
McKinley Elementary
Mark Twain Elementary
Douglass Elementary
New Chelsea Elementary
Holy Name School
Christ the King School
Kansas City Christian School
Kansas City Kansas Early Childhood Center

---

11 years of faithfulness

This Sunday will be the culmination of our summer trimester at Mission Adelante.  Our Latino, Bhutanese, and North American friends will join together to celebrate, not only the end of another trimester but also a celebration of what God has done at Mission Adelante over the past 11 years.  At the party, we will celebrate all of our core values; love for neighbor, developing leaders, interdependent relationships, prayer, celebrating culture, partnership, and innovation as we show appreciation to our students, volunteers, church and community partners, and, of course, God. (Learn more about our vision, mission, and core values at www.missionadelante.org/vision.

Here are a few highlights of our past 11 years at Mission Adelante.

• 2005 - Mission Adelante incorporates and launches its first ESL class and Kids Adelante with Latino immigrants.
• 2006 - Our first friends receive Christ, our first Bible study is launched, ESL expands, apprenticeship begins.
• 2007 - Expansion of ESL, Kids Adelante, Bible studies, Manos ministry, monthly worship services launch, moved to current location at 22 S 18th St
• 2008 - Leaders in Training program begins, our first ministry apprentice graduates and prepares to deploy to the mission field in Costa Rica, Paid off building mortgage - WE’RE DEBT FREE!
• 2009 - Hired full-time Latino kids ministry director, growth in kids’ ministry.
• 2010 - Launch of Bhutanese ministries (ESL & Kids Club), extension project to Cuba initiated, Latino teen’s ministry launched. Building renovation completed.
• 2011 - Bhutanese teen ministry launched, first Bhutanese house churches started, Staff/Volunteer trips to Cuba and Nepal.
• 2012 - 2013 - Launched Community Development ministry, internship for 4 Latino teens, significant shift toward mobilizing multicultural leadership, first staff intern hired from immigrant community, Bhutanese Leaders in Training program is launched.
• 2014 - Community Development leadership pursues plans to open a thrift store in the neighborhood and begins research and planning towards future community development initiatives.
• 2015 - Adelante Thrift opens to the public, Latino Ministry ministry is led by its first director from Latin America.  The Bhutanese Middle School Leaders in Training program is launched. English Ministry community is launched, Renovations on the Lighthouse completed
• 2016 - Launched Leadership Community, our first multi-cultural discipleship program that incorporates leaders from our Latino, Bhutanese, and English-Speaking ministries.

Come celebrate with us! The party will be Sunday August 7, 4 pm to 8 pm. at Wyandotte County Lake, Leavenworth Road & 91st St. Kansas City, Kansas 66109. Parking will be at the Marina Parking lot, with shuttle service to the party at Shelter #6.

• Invite friends and family
• Bring food and drinks to share and chairs or blankets to sit on
• Enjoy live cultural performances (Nepali, English and Spanish)
• Parking at Marina parking lot (follow signs 3 minutes past shelter 6 and ride bus back to party)

---

Going and Growing

Written by Kristen Maxwell, Bhutanese Youth and Kids Director

Think back to your first camp experience.  I hope it brings back good memories of friends, fun, and for many of us, spiritual growth.  Going away to camp can be a life changing experience.  For many kids, it is one of their first chances to be responsible for themselves and make their own choices, without much risk being involved.  It also gives students a chance to be surrounded by Jesus followers, to grow in their faith, and to wrestle with what the Lord may be calling them to.  Not to mention that camp is a whole lot of fun when it includes getting to experience swimming, bonfires, messy games, and sleeping in a cabin with a bunch of friends!  

Earlier this July, six of the girls from our Bhutanese LIT (Leaders in Training) program, and one intern had the chance to go to camp for the first time.  We drove to North Georgia to join the community at the Northlake Church camp.  Northlake Church is much like Mission Adelante in that they work with people from a lot of different places; including many students who are refugees. So, they felt right at home!  

Camp was such an amazing experience for our girls, they matured during their week away. We saw tremendous emotional and spiritual growth, a new level of confidence and self-assurance. We saw some of our smallest friends explode out of their shyness and find their voices.  We saw gifts developed in meeting new friends, or discovering new talents.  We saw a new maturity in them, a realization of a strength they didn't know they had.

We also had fun, so much fun.  We made new friends who were like us, yet different from us. We realized that we had much more in common than we had different.  We played messy games, swam more than we ever have, and laughed a whole lot.

We learned a bunch of new things too.  We spent a lot of time dedicated to answering the question "What does the Lord require of you?"  from Micah 6:8.  We learned to seek justice in our lives, and the lives of those among us; we learned to love mercy in our everyday lives, and we learned about walking humbly with God.  We learned that in doing these things we would grow closer to God, and be bringing His Kingdom to earth.

If you want to see more of what we did, check out this great video of Camp Northlake: Camp Northlake 2016

Current Needs:

• Our after school leadership development and tutoring program, Leaders in Training is getting ready to launch for the fall trimester! We are in need of volunteers Monday-Thursday afternoons.  If you are interested in learning more contact Kristen Maxwell at Kristenm@missionadelante.org

Important Dates:

• Come and celebrate 11 years of ministry with Mission Adelante!  Mission Adelante's end of the summer party will be a huge celebration with the Bhutanese and Latino ministries together in one location. Mission Adelante is thanking their students, volunteers, partners, and God for 11 great years of ministry.  The celebration will be Sunday August 7, 4 pm to 8 pm. at Wyandotte County Lake, Leavenworth Road & 91st St. Kansas City, Kansas 66109. Parking & Shuttles to the party will be at the Marina Parking Lot. The party will be held at Shelter #6.

---

Backpacks: A practical way to set students up for a successful school year.

Written by Kristen Maxwell, Bhutanese Children and Youth Director

All families know that back-to-school season is one of the most expensive times of the year.  The fees, the supplies, the new shoes; it can be a little overwhelming.  Imagine coming to a new country with only the clothes on your back and few other resources; for the first couple of years it can be quite a struggle.  If you look at the back-to-school season through that lense; school supplies for your child are probably going to fall pretty low on your list of priorities, and your child will most likely go back to school with few, if any of their needed supplies.  That is not a fun way for students to start the new school year.

The Youth and Kids Ministries at Mission Adelante have the opportunity to disciple around 200 kids and teenagers on a weekly basis.  Ranging in age from 9 months to 19 years old; they all have a unique and wonderful story to tell, and it is a blessing to get to be a part of it.  We get to plant seeds, water them, and see the fruit of Jesus changing lives and families.  What a privilege!

The most practical way that we can show our students the love of Jesus is providing for their physical needs, in this case; school supplies.  In providing for their physical needs we are able to have conversations with our students about why people care about them; not just that we care about them, but more importantly that Jesus cares about them.  The Gospel can be communicated through the giving of a backpack. Not only that, but the student can go back-to-school with the confidence and dignity of having what they need to be successful in the year ahead.  

We are currently in need of about 50 elementary backpacks and 15 high school backpacks to meet the need for our yearly backpack distribution coming up on August 2nd and 4th.  Would you be able to help us share the love of Jesus by putting together a backpack for one of our students?  

Here are the supplies that we ask to be included in each backpack:

Elementary Backpacks:

• 1 backpack
• 1 standard sized school box
• 1 box of 24 crayons
• 48 #2 pencils
• 1 box of colored pencils
• 1 box of 8 to 10 markers
• 1 pair of 4 or 5 inch scissors
• 3 wide lined spiral notebooks
• 5 solid colored pocket folders
• 2 packages of wide-lined notebook paper
• 2 glue sticks
• 1 box of Kleenex or 1 package of anti-bacterial wipes

High-School Backpacks:

• 1 backpack with a laptop sleeve (our students are issued laptops at school and can not take them home without a backpack that has a laptop sleeve in it).
• 1-2 inch binder
• 1 package of dividers
• 2 packages of college ruled notebook paper
• 2 packages of #2 pencils
• 1 package of ink pens

Bags are due to Mission Adelante by August 1st.  

If you are planning to fill a bag, please fill out our form and let us know so we can count you in!   Backpacks at Mission Adelante

*Any backpacks collected over the needed number will be distributed through partner schools to students in need in our community, or saved for next year’s distribution*

Current Needs:

• We have several opportunities for handyman-type projects around the building.  Please contact Sarah at operations@missionadelante.org to find out more.

Important Dates:

• Observation Nights:  July 26 & 28.  Have you ever wondered what goes on at Mission Adelante during a typical program night?  Come see our ministry in action!   Bhutanese Observation Night, July 26 6:30 - 8:30 pm.  Latino Observation Night, July 28 6:30 - 8:30 pm.
• Come and celebrate 11 years of ministry with Mission Adelante!  Mission Adelante's end of the summer party will be a huge celebration with the Bhutanese and Latino ministries together in one location. Mission Adelante is thanking their students, volunteers, partners, and God for 11 great years of ministry.  The celebration will be Sunday August 7, 4 pm to 8 pm. at Wyandotte County Lake, Leavenworth Road & 91st St. Kansas City, Kansas 66109. Parking & Shuttles to the party will be at the Marina Parking Lot. The party will be held at Shelter #6.

---

Building reciprocal relationships with our ESL students

Written by Paul Kienzle, Latino ESL Director

I absolutely love that one of the Mission Adelante core values is interdependent relationships.  “We believe deeply that effective ministry is relational at its core”.  There is nothing that excites me more than being able to spend time with our ESL students outside of the classroom and have the opportunity to “rub shoulders” and get into their lives in a totally different context.  What excites me equally, is when our ESL students voluntarily take some of that time outside of class to serve; using their talents and skills.

That is exactly what happened between trimesters, as we were getting the building ready for the new trimester to start.  I didn’t even have to ask twice; Jesus, Ricardo, and Oscar jumped on the opportunity to repair a huge hole in the ceiling in one of our classrooms. The pizza and soda flowed, and the lively banter went well into the evening.  I couldn’t keep up with these guys.  I learned a lot about how to “mud” drywall and the art of sanding and reapplying the “mud”.  The project took several days, as they all had day jobs. They came straight to Mission Adelante from work, but it didn’t matter to them.  “Pablo, (my Spanish name)” they said, “this room needs a paint job, not just this room but the room next to it.” “If there is time, we could do that one too”  “Have someone get the paint and we’ll do the rest, I have everything else we need”, said Jesus, a painter by trade.  “And anything else we can do”, chimed in Ricardo, “just let us know, we want to give back.”  Now, I felt both humbled and extremely proud of these guys.  Oscar,  a painter by trade too, jumped in on the second day to help after he found out through his friend’s Facebook post that his ESL “compas” (Spanish for “dudes”, “bros”) were at Mission Adelante. “Hey, you didn’t tell me?!”, replied Oscar, “I’ll be there.”

It was a great time those few days; being with these guys and witnessing first hand their servants hearts, and observing them using their skills and talents to repair a hole and paint a room that now looks absolutely fantastic.  The Mission Adelante core value mentioned earlier, goes on to say, “And when relationships are interdependent; learning is mutual, serving is reciprocal, and friendship is life-giving.”  This is certainly what this grateful individual experienced serving alongside these talented and grateful men.

Current Needs:

• We are still in need of churches, small groups and individuals to contribute backpacks for our back-to-school backpack distribution.  If you are interested in learning more contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org
• We have had a few groups come and finish some maintenance projects for us in the past several months and we are very thankful to them, but we still have more maintenance projects around the building that need attention.  Some would be great for an individual and others for small groups.  Contact Sarah at sarahw@missionadelante.org  if you are interested in checking out our project list.

Important Dates:

• Observation Nights:    Have you ever wondered what goes on at Mission Adelante during a typical program night?  Come see our ministry in action!   Bhutanese Observation Nights, July 19 or 26 6:30 - 8:30 pm.  Latino Observation Nights, July 21 or 28 6:30 - 8:30 pm.
• Come celebrate 11 years of ministry with Mission Adelante! Our end of the summer party will be a huge celebration with the Bhutanese and Latino ministries together in one location. Mission Adelante is thanking our students, volunteers, partners, and God for 11 great years of ministry.  The celebration will be August 7, 4 pm to 8 pm. at Wyandotte County Lake, Leavenworth Road & 91st St. Kansas City, Kansas 66109. Parking & Shuttles to the party will be at the Marina Parking Lot. The party will be held at Shelter #6.

---

When Kids Camp is about more than the kids

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

Kids Camp is one of our favorite parts of summer at Mission Adelante.  For three nights in June the Bhutanese and Latino kids ministries come together as one community to play, sing, and learn about Jesus on our soccer field. Kids make new friends, connect with friends they have made before, or reconnect with friends they know from school.  They discover new things about Jesus and who He made them to be.  They love it!  We get to see a beautiful picture of heaven running around on our soccer field.

My favorite part though is seeing students lead; seeing them step outside their comfort zones and serve selflessly.  We had a front row seat to see growth during Kids Camp in both our interns and the wonderful students from Christ Church Anglican who were hosting the camp.  Our interns are receiving a crash course in youth and kids ministry; during Kids Camp that meant leading “potty patrol”, helping with name tags, organizing small groups, and making sure kids got home safely when the night was over. The Christ Church students were Jesus’ hands and feet to our kids for three days.  They colored, sang, gave piggy-back rides, and high-fives galore, they loved and served without complaining. They had a chance to see Jesus in the faces of the kids in our neighborhood, and show Jesus to them.

Our biggest prayer for all of the students is that they would allow themselves to be changed by their leadership experiences; that they would allow the Lord to speak into their lives and imprint on their hearts more and more of what He is calling them to.  Lastly, that they would be developed into the young men and women God has made them to be. Pray with us that the lessons learned in serving this week won’t stay dormant, but will sprout and grow into the fruit the Lord plans to grow in them.

Current Needs:

• If you are interested in volunteering to do a few handy-man projects around our facilities, please contact Sarah at sarahw@missionadelante.org.  We are especially looking for someone comfortable working on a high ladder to switch out some exterior light fixtures as well as a few other ground-level projects.

Important Dates:

• Summer Break Week:  June 28 - July 4.   There will be no programs at Mission Adelante during this time, the office will be closed Monday, July 4th.  Have a safe and relaxing holiday weekend!
• Observation Nights:  July 19 and July 21.  Have you ever wondered what goes on at Mission Adelante during a typical program night?  Come see our ministry in action!   Bhutanese Observation Night, July 19 6:30 - 8:30 pm.  Latino Observation Night, July 21 6:30 - 8:30 pm.
• Observation Nights: July 26 and July 28.  Observe the Mission Adelante staff and volunteers in action as they show love, share life, and share Jesus with people from other places.  Bhutanese Observation Night, July 26 6:30 - 8:30 pm.  Latino Observation Night, July 28 6:30 - 8:30 pm.

---

Serving at Mission Adelante from a Volunteer's Perspective

Shared with permission from a Facebook post by Mary Weatherholt, Bhutanese Kids Ministry Volunteer

It was an absolute joy helping with the Bhutanese Elementary Leaders-in-Training program at Mission Adelante this past school year. They became some of my favorite people, and made my week brighter. From different religious backgrounds, different number of years in the U.S., different personalities, different grades, different talents... Each one unique and overflowing with potential.

I loved their smiles and laughs and hugs and stories and exuberant greetings of "Miss Mary!" They inspired me, from their desire to help others less fortunate at St. Paul's food pantry, to packaging sets of books to take back to their classrooms at their schools (and their excitement and scrutiny in each picking out a book of their own to keep), to their openness about their thoughts and feelings and fears and courage in the face of some of those very fears (choosing to go down the slide or get up on a horse even if still feeling afraid). I appreciated their joy found in the everyday things such as learning new things, and running, and playing, and cooking, and their overt excitement and anticipation for adventures and end-of-trimester trips.

I loved sharing my faith with them and all of their ensuing questions about Christianity. Their simple and heartfelt prayers for healing when I was sick and of thanks when I got better humbled me, and gave me a better understanding of Jesus' words "for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."

I loved helping them with their homework and encouraging them to read. I loved sharing with them about the discovery of gravitational waves (they were more interested than those in my physics class). I loved helping them learn how to tie shoes and how the buffet line at Cici's pizza works (also how some choices necessitate trade-offs, like ordering wings off the menu meant I couldn't have dessert from the buffet... They were then very happy with their buffet option). It was an honor to see them grow and learn, and not only did I see them learn, but I learned so much too. And now I have a new found gratitude... Gratitude for all those at Mission Adelante who pour into these kids on a daily basis, for elementary schoolteachers (whatever we pay them- it's not enough), for rocket math (a glorious minute of silence), and for those who have paved a path for refugees into the US and Kansas City. If these kids are any indication of the future of our country... That makes me pretty excited.

Important Dates:

• Summer Break: We will have a  short, summer break from programs at Mission Adelante.  June 29 through July 4, there will be not be any programs at Mission Adelante during this time and our office will be closed Monday July 4.  Have a fun and safe break!

Current Needs:

• We are beginning to look for volunteers who would be willing to spend an afternoon or two, mentoring students in our Latino or Bhutanese LIT program.  Our Latino LIT program serves 3rd - 8th grade students, two to three afternoons a week.  Our Bhutanese Elementary LIT program serves 3rd - 5th grade students and our Bhutanese Middle School LIT program serves 6th - 8th grade students, two to three afternoons a week.  For more information on any of the LIT programs please contact Kristen Maxwell, kristenm@missionadelante.org.  

---

Our summer interns are learning deep truths...

Written by Dani Hammond, Bhutanese Kids Club Coordinator

On the last day of May, we kicked off our summer internship with four new interns. We spent the first week getting to know them and scratching the surface of what the summer will hold. This past weekend, four staff members took the new interns on a retreat to really get  to know each other better and to get a jump start on the internship. This is the first summer that I have been involved in the summer internship and up until this weekend, I didn’t quite know what to expect; but whatever my expectations were, they were exceeded by far.

All four interns blew my mind. I was so proud to see them open up to us and to each other in sharing their stories, and processing through what we were learning in our devotional times. They participated one hundred percent in everything we did and didn’t hesitate to take the lead; in the fun stuff, the deep stuff, the awkward stuff, all of it. I loved getting to know each of them in their uniqueness, what God has done has done in their lives so far, and their excitement to continue listening to his voice and seeing him work in their lives even more.

Throughout our devotional times, we discussed the parable of the house built on the rock foundation, the tree planted by the water in Psalm 1, and the vine in the branches from John 15. Each intern learned something that was personal to them, and they explained their thoughts and feelings with elegant, descriptive images and wisdom and clarity that is rare in such young people. As we talked about different kinds of plants, water being the source of life, and bearing fruit, a tomato plant was brought up as an example. We described how tomatoes grow by soaking up water from the plant, fall from the vine, and their fallen seeds grow a whole new plant. We all laughed together when one of the interns had a profound thought and said, “We are all tomatoes!” While it is a rather comedic phrase, it also has a deep, significant meaning. Our coined phrase for 2016 summer internship will help us remember the great things we have already learned, and what we’ll continue to study throughout the summer.

By the end of the retreat, the interns laughed together even more and said they felt as if they’ve known each other for a long time and that they are family. I feel the same way about each of them and I’m excited to spend the summer with such delightful, inspirational youth who are so thirsty for the Lord. Pray with us for our (amazing!) interns that the Lord would continue to open their hearts, and bless them with wisdom, understanding of who Jesus is as their Lord, and deeper roots in their identity as children of a Good, Loving Father.

Moving from customer service to friendship...

Written by Elena Mamadnazarova, Community Development Director

Adelante Thrift is more than just a retail store, it is a ministry.  We believe that God's call to love our neighbor is at the heart of all of His commands and finds a special expression in the way that we extend hospitality, compassion, and friendship.  When we opened Adelante Thrift we wanted it to be more than just a place to shop, we wanted Adelante Thrift to be a place where the customer is treated like a friend.  

Mary is an Adelante Thrift customer who became our friend.  Mary had been coming to Adelante Thrift regularly as a customer to find bargains.  Last August Mary came to the store to shop and one of our Adelante Thrift staff members Molly asked “How are you doing today?” Mary responded “I am not doing that well.”  Molly took the time to stop what she was doing and talk with Mary about her response.  She learned that Mary had come straight from the doctor’s office where she was receiving treatment for cancer. After listening to her story, Molly asked Mary if she could pray with her. That connected Mary and Molly in such a deep way.  After that time, Mary would come to the store and share updates about her health with Molly. Molly shared Mary's story with the rest of the staff at Adelante Thrift and with a few close friends in the community, so that others could join in praying for Mary. In December, after multiple treatments and visits to the doctors, Mary came to the store to share the news that her cancer was in remission.  It was a great moment of celebrating Mary’s life. Thank you Mary for allowing us to be your friend, trusting God, and sharing your life with us.

Mary’s story is just one of the many stories that Adelante Thrift staff encounter daily. People come to the store to shop but sometimes they are looking for someone to talk to you, someone to listen to them, someone to be their friend. Through these interactions our staff at Adelante Thrift can make a difference in the life of the customer, sometimes they can make a new friend. 

Current Needs:

• Summer Serve with Thrift: Summer is a perfect time to serve with your group.  Adelante Thrift would love to get you and your group engaged.  It's a great opportunity for volunteers of all ages.  Sign up at www.adelantethrift.com/volunteer.
• Host A Garage Sale Donation Drive:  It's neighborhood garage sale season!  Gather the "garage sale leftovers" from your neighborhood and donate them to Adelante Thrift. 3720 State Ave. Kansas City, KS 66102. Donations accepted Monday - Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm.

---

Developing Leaders through our Summer Internship

Written by Hannah Johnson, Bhutanese High School Ministry Coordinator

This Summer we are excited to invest in the lives of three young leaders in a unique way. Three teenagers from our Mission Adelante community will be participating in our summer internship. We look forward to getting to invest in the lives of Annie, Laxmi, and Oscar in a more intentional way this summer.  These three young people are already leaders in many ways here in our community, and we cannot wait to see how God will use their talents and leadership skills to help them develop into better leaders as we learn and serve together.

Throughout the Summer, interns will develop a habit of personal devotion and hearing from the Lord through the Bible.  They will plan and run activities for children in our neighborhood, volunteer in weekly programs at Mission Adelante, visit various churches to learn about worship in various cultural contexts. At times it will be challenging for them, but we pray that it will be a very valuable summer for them as well.  We want the primary fruit of our ministry at Mission Adelante to be individuals reaching their potential as disciple makers and leaders in our community. The internship has been a great tool in the past to help us develop that fruit. We have loved watching the program grow and challenge young men and women in past summers, and look forward to how God will use it this Summer as well.

Will you pray for us and for these interns as the internship approaches? Pray that we would steward this summer well, and that these young people would experience Jesus in some new and amazing ways...as we serve, share life and share Jesus together.

Important Dates:

• 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

---

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

---