By Carla Garcia, Partner Engagement Director

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

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

by Elaine Reimers, Adult Ministry Director

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

by Erika Guedez, Community Resource Manager

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

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

by Patrique Harris, Ministry Director

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

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

by Kristina Flores, Children’s Ministry Manager

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

by Erick Flores, Ministry Apprentice

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

by Elaine Reimers, Adult Ministry Director

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

By Carla Garcia, Partner Engagement Director

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

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

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

by Erika Guedez, Community Resource Manager

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

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

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

by Patrique Harris, Ministry Director

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