A Beautiful Day in the Ozarks

Heavy rains and lightning storms don't make for comfortable camping and canoeing, but they sure do provide the context for God to build character and a sense of community for those along for the ride. Last weekend seven volunteers, 10 kids, and three Latino parents braved the elements and participated in the first annual float trip for our Leaders-in-Training program. Most of the kids and adults who were on the trip had never been camping before, not to mention canoeing.

Our group went to the Northfork River in southern Missouri for the Friday through Sunday event. The parents who attended with their children found the experience not only personally exhilarating, but also a unique opportunity to invest and bond with their children. The numbers worked out so that each kid was paired with an adult for the canoeing, which lasted all day Saturday. Conversations about life, Jesus and anything fun abounded in the canoes, the campsites, and the cars. Relationships went deeper than before between kids and adults.

With novice canoe-ers, there were plenty of tips and splashes and near disasters (in the best sense of the word). The challenges we faced together as a group in this unfamiliar territory made for a fitting end to our pilot year of Leaders-In-Training, a program where character development is emphasized as critical to becoming an effective leader. On Sunday morning at about 2:30 a.m. the storm hit and didn't let up until about 6:30. Our beleaguered group finally came alive about 7:30 and reluctantly emerged from their tents to the tackle the inevitable and unenviable task of tearing down a wet campsite in the rain; all part of God's character-building plan for our group. It was a beautiful day in the Ozarks!

In other news:
  • We're excited to announce that Megan McDermott has joined our staff as the full-time director of Kids Adelante!  A generous donor is matching a portion of contributions made to support her ministry through the first 12 months at a ratio of 3:2. 
  • Two individuals attended the Worship Celebration for the first time on Sunday evening. Also, six discipleship participants received certificates for completing the 13-study discipleship course about the basics of the Christian Faith.
  • A group of 12 young adults from Shoal Creek Community Church are spending three days with us this week. They're doing work projects around our facility during the mornings and hosting a VBS for neighborhood kids in a local park in the evenings. About 40 kids went last evening and enjoyed the activities including songs, a skit, and a story.
  • Buy Royal’s tickets to the June 30th game and support Mission Adelante! When you purchase through the "buy tickets" link below, a portion of the proceeds will go to help support Megan McDermott's staff role as our Kids Adelante Director!

Prayer needs:

  • Pray for evening VBS being held this week and next to attract new kids from the neighborhood and to reinforce our relationships with kids that already come to Thursday evening outreach Bible studies.
  • Staff members and volunteers have engaged in spiritual conversations with numerous adult English students already during the first two weeks of the summer trimester! We praise God for the students' openness because our purpose is not only to teach English, but also to share our faith. Please pray that any past negative experiences that these individuals may have had with churches won't hinder their exploration of the claims of Christ.
  • Please pray for a family in our faith community in which the husband and wife are experiencing marital difficulties and the son is displaying threatening behavior.

Current needs:

  • Three LCD (flat screen) computer monitors
  • Diapers sizes 4, 5, and 6 to stock the Resource Center

Important upcoming dates:

  • June 29: Spanish class cancelled.
  • July 1-4: Midterm break. The Mission Adelante office will be closed and there will be no activities on Thursday. **Monday morning English class will continue uninterrupted.**

Amazing Improvement for Felipe Leyva!


We were elated to learn last week that Leaders-In-Training (LIT) student, Felipe Leyva received the award for most improved third grader at M.E. Pearson elementary school at the end of the year. His improvement on the state math assessments was the best in his grade level, out-pacing normal growth by almost four times. His reading improvement was also marked at nearly three times normal level.

Immigrant kids face significant challenges in our urban context. These begin with the language barrier (nearly 85% of students at M.E. Pearson speak only Spanish in the home), and continue with poverty, intimidation by gangs, and other negative social and peer dynamics. Mission Adelante's LIT program identifies kids from within this mix who have characteristics of potential leaders and invests in their spiritual, academic and character growth. The aim is to equip them become leaders among their peers.

Felipe's dramatic improvement in math and reading is a tremendous encouragement to all of us who worked with him this year in those very subjects. Other LIT students from this first year have also received honors; Iris Venegas, 8th grade, was accepted into Sumner Academy, Andrea Flores, 3rd grade, made similar, though not as dramatic improvements in math and reading, and Helen Venegas, 6th grade, has made it to the final stage in the process of becoming a Kauffman Scholar.

Please pray with us for these students and for those whom we will choose to join them in the LIT program this fall. And thank the Lord for the exciting fruit that we're beginning to see from our pilot year of the program.

In other news:

  • Our summer trimester got off to a great start last Thursday evening with 53 kids in attendance at Kids Adelante and four adult English classes full to capacity. Thanks to volunteers' availability this summer, we also have a morning adult English class. We owe so much of the success of our programs and our impact on the community to the dedicated, ongoing service of our many volunteers!
  • Both Bible studies kicked off the summer with a pot-luck meal and fellowship on Sunday evening. Several visitors joined us for the first time.
  • Buy Royal’s tickets to the June 30th game and support Mission Adelante! When you purchase through the "buy tickets" link below, a portion of the proceeds will go to help us hire Megan McDermott as our Kids Adelante Director!


Prayer needs:

  • The nine students who successfully completed the year of LIT will go on a three-day canoe and camping trip this weekend in southern Missouri. Eleven adults will join them. Please pray for safety, cooperation of the weather, and that the trip will make a spiritual impact on the kids and allow for bonding between the kids and volunteers.
  • Please pray for the provision of the necessary funds for Megan McDermott to join our staff full-time as the Kids Adelante Director.

Current needs:

  • Three LCD (flat screen) computer monitors

Important upcoming dates:

  • July 1-4: Midterm break. The Mission Adelante office will be closed and there will be no activities on Thursday. **Monday morning English class will continue uninterrupted.**


A Mission Field in Your Own Backyard

Mission Adelante (Mission 'go forth') is strategically positioned to reach a growing Latin American mission field that is coming to our own doorstep. Somewhere between 75% and 85% of the population of our urban Kansas City neighborhood is Latino. Yet, most American Christians are unaware of the needs of this population, or have simply not considered the kingdom opportunity that this dynamic presents. It is a significant and accessible openning for followers of Christ to engage in missions in an ongoing way, without the expense and adjustment of having to move to a foreign country.

Immigrants are generally a group with distinct needs. They, like widows and orphans, are mentioned in the Bible as vulnerable people who should be the object of special care and compassion by believers. Problems that are foreign to most suburban Christians, such as language barriers in school, at work, and in the hospital, gang violence, illiteracy, and abuse by landlords are par for the course for many immigrants from Latin America.

With these things in mind, Mission Adelante is focused on three important objectives:

1. Serving Latino immigrants in practical ways: Serving is a tangible way to demonstrate the love of Christ. Teaching English, tutoring kids, and providing food and clothing are some of the ways we do this

2. Sharing Life: Our staff, and even some of our volunteers, have re-located to the neighbhorhood where we serve, so that we can build authentic ministry relationships.

3. Holistic Evangelism: Serving and building relationships is our way of earning the right to be heard. Living the gospel and sharing it verbally make a powerful combination.

Whether you're interested in getting your feet wet as a volunteer, contributing financially, or praying for our ministry, we would love to include you in what God is doing through Mission Adelante. Please contact Jarrett Meek with questions. jarrettm@missionadelante.org

What-If Serve Day Winners:
Thank you to all who participated in the the What-If Serve Day! Members of team 19 and team 24 have won the prize! We would love to present you with a Mission Adelante polo shirt! Please email Morgan Ham at morganh@missionadelante.org to request a shirt size and claim your prize. (If you think you were on one of these sheet-rocking teams, but aren't sure, ask Morgan.)

Subscribe to the Adelante Express! If you would like to receive this regular update on Mission Adelante's ministry, please subscribe by emailing morganh@missionadelante.org

A Celebration and a Farewell

The Mission Adelante community celebrated the conclusion of the spring trimester at our Spring Party on Saturday evening. Adult English students, Kids Adelante and L.I.T. participants, volunteers, and members of our faith community, as well as family and friends gathered at a local community center. We enjoyed a pot-luck meal together, recognized the accomplishments of adult and youth participants in our programs, and celebrated with the Sears' family the beginning of their new phase of ministry.

Trimester parties, which occur three times a year at the conclusion of each trimester, are always enjoyable because they're the occasion for the gathering of everyone associated with the Mission. They provide the chance to catch up with friends we may not have seen in a while, and to meet new ones. We were blessed this time by a group of volunteers from Christ Community Church who handled many of the logistics. They took care of setting-up and decorating the facility, provided and grilled the burgers and hot dogs, and cleaned-up afterwards. Many thanks to all those who lended a hand!

The highlight of the evening was the time we spent honoring Seth and Andrea Sears and family for their almost four years of dedication and service in the Mission Adelante community. We enjoyed a slide show of pictures and video, and the memories it triggered. We listened with pride as Seth explained, in Spanish, the work they'll be doing in Costa Rica during at least the next three years. And we asked the Lord's guidance and blessing on the adventure upon which they're about to embark.

In Other News:

  • James "Rambo" McClure and a group of Anglos and Hispanics are tirelessly working on insulating our building this week before the very warm weather arrives at the end of the week. James earned his nickname by army-crawling on his elbows through the attic crawl spaces! We're grateful for his expertise, leadership, and dedication to the improvement of the facility!
  • This Saturday, April 25, Molly Merrick and Megan McDermott will be holding a dinner and silent auction to raise funds for their staff roles with Mission Adelante. Everyone is invited! Click here to download Megan's invitation. Or... Click here to download Molly's invitation.
  • Buy Royal’s tickets to the May 16th game or the June 30th game and support Mission Adelante! When you purchase through the "buy tickets" link below, a portion of the proceeds will go to help us hire Megan McDermott as our Kids Adelante Director!!

  • Jarrett & Kristin Meek will be on a much-deserved vacation April 24-29. Jarrett will return to the office Monday, May 4.

Prayer needs:

  • The Sears family departure to Costa Rica is tomorrow, April 22. Please pray for final preparation, safe travel, and initial acclimation in Costa Rica.

Current Needs:

  • Summer clothes, all ages and styles, to stock our resource center by the arrival of warm weather.
  • Diapers, sizes 4,5, and 6.
  • Although not a necessity, we always appreciate toys to give out to the kids who come to the resource center with their parents.

Upcoming Dates:

  • April 20-May 31: break between trimesters
  • May 23: New volunteer orientation and training
  • June 1: All volunteer team meeting

Mission Adelante’s Impact . . . in North Carolina!

Written by Brandon Martin

How does a mission organization based in Kansas City impact a ministry starting in Hickory, North Carolina? As all ministry happens . . . through relationship!

I first met Jarrett and Kristen Meek in Bolivia where we served together as missionaries. Working side by side for almost a year in the town of San Ignacio, we grew not only in friendship, but also in passion for shared ministry values. Our experiences there confirmed the value of holistic, relational ministry that equips believers to serve and prepares leaders to multiply the mission. In 2004, I left Bolivia to attend seminary in St. Louis and the Meeks later returned home to begin Mission Adelante.

These past five years, I’ve had the joy of continuing our friendship as I’ve observed the initiation and growth of Mission Adelante. One highlight was a visit to an ESL class in which numerous Hispanics were laughing as they practiced English with their conversation partners. I was inspired to see Spanish and English speakers serving one another and building genuine relationships through which God’s grace abounds!

As I rejoiced to see the Meek’s vision become a living ministry, I realized that God was calling me to follow in their footsteps. Just as in Kansas City, God has brought the foreign mission field to our doorstep here in Hickory. As we now initiate our Hispanic outreach, you may notice many similarities to Mission Adelante. The wisdom and experience of the Adelante staff has greatly blessed us and given us a strong start. Thank you for blessing God’s kingdom work in North Carolina!


Brandon Martin is Associate Pastor for Mission Development at St. Stephens Lutheran Church and Mission Developer of The Bridge Hispanic Mission

In Other News:

  • Our faith community celebrated Easter together at the Mission Sunday evening. All the pews were full since the kids stayed with the adults during the service. Congregation participation through songs, corporate reading of verses, and the Lord's Supper allowed the community to respond to each part of the gospel message.
  • Our pilot year of Leaders In Training wrapped up this week, with nine of the original 13 students finishing the year. Jarrett and the volunteer tutors are eager to evaluate the outcome to make improvements for next year.
  • Christ Community Church is helping host the Trimester-End Party this Saturday by setting up, decorating, providing and grilling the burgers and dogs, and cleaning up. We're very grateful for their help! The party is at Bethany Community Center at 5:30 p.m. We would love for you to come and bring your family!
  • On April 25th Molly Merrick and Megan McDermott will be holding a silent auction to raise funds for their staff roles with Mission Adelante. Everyone is invited! Click here to download Megan's invitation. Or... Click here to download Molly's invitation.
  • Buy Royal’s tickets to the May 16th game or the June 30th game and support Mission Adelante! When you purchase through the "buy tickets" link below, a portion of the proceeds will go to help us hire Megan McDermott as our Kids Adelante Director!
  • Morgan Ham has returned from Maternity Leave. We're grateful for Marla Hansen and Dawn North's help during her absence.

Prayer Needs:

  • Seth & Andrea Sears and family have less than one week before takeoff! Their departure to Costa Rica is this Wednesday, April 22. Please pray for final preparation, safe travel, and initial acclimation in Costa Rica.
  • Pray for financial provision for Megan McDermott to join the Mission Adelante staff in June as Kids Adelante Director.
  • Pray for the several Hispanics who have only partially engaged in our faith community to jump in with both feet.

Current Needs:

  • Summer clothes, all ages and styles, to stock our resource center by the arrival of warm weather.
  • Diapers, sizes 4,5, and 6.
  • Although not a necessity, we always appreciate toys to give out to the kids who come to the resource center with their parents.

Upcoming Dates:

  • Saturday, April 18 at 5:30: Spring Party at the Bethany Community Center, behind the fire station on Central Avenue between 11th and 12th Streets in Kansas City, KS.
  • April 20-May 31: break between trimesters
  • May 23: New volunteer orientation and training
  • June 1: All volunteer team meeting

Partnership in the City and the Suburbs




Partnership in the City and the Suburbs

Partnership means a lot of things to different people. For Mission Adelante it means finding ways to create Kingdom-win relationships with other organizations whose purposes find alignment with ours in one or more areas. As an urban ministry reaching out to people who have very few physical resources, we have recognized from the beginning that we would need a lot of help from suburban partners. Excitingly, we have something to offer them as well; an opportunity to serve in a cross-cultural mission field right here in their own city!

We have felt from very early on that the suburban church in America has scores of people who are longing to find ways to invest personally and relationally in "the least of these". Too often though, meaningful ongoing opportunities for this are limited or out of reach the average person. Through Mission Adelante we have set out to create as many hands-on, relational opportunities to serve as possible so that we can help mobilize Christians in suburban churches to fulfill the calling God has placed on their hearts in a way that becomes a part of their ongoing lifestyle, and not just a one-time or occasional experience.

As an urban ministry, partnership for us has other applications as well that we are still exploring. What does it look like for us to partner with other urban ministries? The Hope Center in KCMO, for example, has been extremely helpful in giving us ideas for our Kids Adelante programs. And, Mercy and Truth Medical Missions has provided housing in our neighborhood for our summer interns.

Last Sunday night we experienced our deepest urban partnership opportunity yet as we came together with the Servant Community Church, another small church in our neighborhood, to do a joint baptism, baby dedication service and potluck dinner. The bilingual worship event had songs in English and Spanish, included nine baptisms and two dedications, and involved Hispanic, African American, Caucasian, and South-Asian participants. The ethnic diversity was an exciting glimpse of what Revelation 5:9 says when it declares that Jesus has purchased for God with his blood, people from every tribe, tongue, people and nation. We are excited to continue pressing into the idea of partnership, both with our urban and our suburban ministry partners!

In Other News
  • Our Spring Party will held at Bethany Community Center on Saturday, April 18th at 5:30 p.m. We would love for you to come and bring your family!
  • On April 25th Molly Merrick and Megan McDermott will be holding a silent auction to raise funds for their staff roles with Mission Adelante. Everyone is invited! Click here to download Megan's invitation. Or... Click here to download Molly's invitation.
  • Buy Royal’s tickets to the May 16th game or the June 30th game and support Mission Adelante! When you purchase through the "buy tickets" link below, a portion of the proceeds will go to help us hire Megan McDermott as our Kids Adelante Director!
Prayer Requests
  • Praise God for answering our prayers for the Baptism Service last Sunday!
  • Please pray for a strong finish for our participants in our ESL, LIT, and Kids Adelante Programs
  • Please pray that God would use the celebration of His resurrection this weekend to draw people to Himself.
  • Please pray for God to raise up new volunteers for our ESL Level 1 and for the formation of a team of upper-level volunteers.
Resource Center Needs
  • Diapers, wipes and baby items
  • Staple Food items like rice, beans, sugar and cooking oil

Celebrating Nayeli's Baptism


Celebrating Nayeli's Baptism
I've known that Nayeli Leyva was a special kid since early on in her first trimester in Kids Adelante. She and her brothers began coming to Kids Adelante in the summer of 2007 after a group from Emmanuel Baptist church came to our neighborhood for a week to do a VBS-like program for kids in our neighborhood. The group of mostly high school and college kids went door-to-door handing out flyers to kids in a six-block radius around our home. Nayeli and her brothers came as a result of that invitation and have been coming ever since.

Nayeli had an early impact on the other kids in Kids Adelante. She was the first in her small group (10-12 year olds) to begin coming with her Bible verse memorized each week. By the end of the trimester others in the group had begun to follow her lead. It was because of this leadership and influence among her peers, as well as her consistency and positive attitude, that Nayeli was selected to participate in our pilot Leaders-In-Training (LIT) this year.

This Sunday, after nearly two years of involvement with Kids Adelante, a whole school year of participation in "LIT", and a number of ups and downs, Nayeli, along with five others, will be baptized. Nayeli's story is exciting for a number of reasons beyond the obvious celebration of a new life in Christ. Her journey includes investments made by many people, beginning with her mother and grandmother, who will be baptized this Sunday as well. The Emmanuel Baptist group made the first invitation. Several Kids Adelante volunteers have poured into her life. Our summer interns last year spent a lot of time with her. And more recently LIT volunteers have given her guidance and tutoring. Each one has played an important role in Nayeli's decision to follow Christ and her growth as a new believer.

Nayeli has a lot of hurdles to overcome in life, but I believe that God is constructing a foundation in her life that will be solid enough to build the kind of life on that will glorify Jesus. Please pray with us for the baptism event this weekend and for Nayeli as she continues to learn how to follow Jesus.

In Other News
  • Our Volunteer Team meeting will be held this Monday night, April 6 at 6:30 P.M. Volunteers in ESL, Kids Adelante and LIT are encouraged to attend.
  • Our Spring Party will held at Bethany Community Center on Saturday, April 18th at 5:30 p.m. We would love for you to come and bring your family!

Prayer Requests
Please pray for our Baptism Event this Sunday night. Pray that God would use it to draw people to Himself and to create a new of passion and purpose in the lives of those being baptized.

Resource Center Needs
  • Diapers, wipes and baby items
  • Staple Food items like rice, beans, sugar and cooking oil
  • Praise God for a donation of 300 lbs. of rice, beans, sugar and flour

The Power of a Praying Wife

The Power of a Praying Wife

Elaine Flores, the co-owner of the famous Paletería Michoacana (the ice cream shop where we first began to build relationships in the neighborhood), received Christ about a year ago through her involvement in one of Mission Adelante’s Bible studies. We had known Elaine and befriended her from early on in our time in this neighborhood. In fact, at the close of 2005, I had the privilege of performing Elaine and Juan’s wedding…in their ice cream shop. It was a unique experience to say the least, but from that time I have seen how the Lord has been at work in their lives.

Initially, Juan and Elaine were both open to talking about spiritual things, but had reservations about following Jesus. Through family members who had begun seeking the Lord, God brought Elaine to the place where she was ready to receive the gift and begin living her life as a child a God. Kristen had the opportunity to disciple Elaine as she began to grow, but her husband Juan kept his distance. Kristen and Elaine met nearly weekly for several months and Elaine often prayed for Juan.

Last week, after over a year of being prayed for by his wife, Juan finally took the big step of coming to our Bible study because HE wanted to. Please pray with us for Juan as he begins investigating what it means to be a follower of Christ. And all of you wives out there whose husbands haven’t yet decided to follow the Lord, remember; your changed life and your prayers may be what God uses to draw your husband into a relationship with Jesus! We all celebrated inside with Elaine and sat in amazement as Juan shared that his wife’s faith and life-change had caused him to consider the claims of Christ.

In Other News:
  • Buy Royal’s tickets to the May 16th game or the June 30th game and support Mission Adelante! When you purchase through the "buy tickets" link below, a portion of the proceeds will go to help us hire Megan McDermott as our Kids Adelante Director!

Prayer Requests
  • Please pray for Mission Adelante’s first baptism service scheduled for April 5th. Pray for those who have decided to be baptized as well as for those who are still considering it. Pray that the Lord will give us a real sense of celebration as a community and will galvanize the heart commitments of those new believers taking this important step.
  • Please pray for our Leaders in training program as we enter the final month of our pilot year. Pray that the kids and volunteers would finish strong. Pray that the Lord would solidify permanent life change in the kids.
Current Needs
  • Diapers, wipes and baby items
  • Staple Food items like rice, beans, sugar and cooking oil
  • Praise God for a donation of 300 lbs. of rice, beans, sugar and flour

Go to the Royals Game and Support Mission Adelante!


When you buy tickets through the link below, for either the May 16th game or the June 30th game, a portion of the ticket price will go to help Mission Adelante hire a director (Megan McDermott) for our Kids Adelante and LIT programs!

May 16 vs. Baltimore Orioles @ 6:10 p.m.
June 30 vs. Minnesota Twins @ 7:10 p.m.

Field Plaza: $22 Hy-Vee Box: $11 .

For more information on this event contact Tyler Riordan at (816)504-4475 or tyler.riordan@royals.com

Surprised by Compassion

Surprised by Compassion

When people asked Jesus what the greatest commandment in scripture was he replied, “To love the Lord your God…and to love your neighbor as yourself”. Of course, one listener needed to know exactly who Jesus meant by “your neighbor”. Jesus responded by telling the story of the Good Samaritan. To the Jews, the Samaritans were despised and rejected for racial, cultural and religious reasons. By putting the Samaritan in the role “the neighbor”, Jesus demonstrated that our compassion should extend to those who are typically rejected and despised. For Mission Adelante, this puts a compassion bulls-eye on the backs of Latino immigrants. Leviticus 19:34 connects the dots even more clearly. “The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.”

Just as Jesus’ hearers must have been perplexed by the idea of a Samaritan showing compassion to a Jew, we have found that immigrants are as surprised as they are grateful to be the recipients of compassion from native born Americans. One of our core values says, “We believe that God calls Christians to demonstrate special compassion to “strangers”, going out of their way to show them compassion.” This kind of compassion surprises and disarms a people who have learned to be guarded, making them open to considering the claims of Jesus.

If you are interested in helping Mission Adelante reach this mission field in our own city, we would love to get you connected. We are now recruiting for our summer trimester. Please go to our website www.missionadelante.org to see more volunteer opportunities.

In Other News
  • Next week (March 15-21) Mission Adelante will be on Spring Break. ESL, Kids Adelante, LIT, and Spanish Classes will not meet.
  • Summer Internship Applications Due Soon! If you know someone who is interested in a summer internship in cross-cultural ministry, please have them email jarrettm@missionadelante.org for more information.
  • Pastors and community group leaders met at Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church to discuss a cooperative effort at gang prevention in KCK.
  • Each week the number of families who are seeking help through our resource center increases. Last Saturday over 10 families came through and received basic food items, clothing, furniture and other essential items.

Prayer Requests

  • Please pray for the kids who participate in our LIT program to finish strong both in LIT and in school. The last few weeks have been challenging with attitudes, and problems for a few of the kids at school and at home.
  • Please continue to pray for the families in our community who are unemployed. Pray that God would provide for their needs.

Resource Center Needs

  • Food staples for what we call "Canasta Basica" or basic basket also go fast. One "Canasta Basica" contains: 2 bags of rice, 3 bags of beans, 1 box of Maizena, one bag of sugar, one bottle of cooking oil, 2 bags of pasta, 1 bag of flour. We love it when friends can bring a complete "Canasta Basica" already assembled!

The Lost Art of Disciple-Making

The Lost Art of Disciple-Making

I still have the first book I ever read on the topic of making disciples. At the end of my sophomore year at KU Doug Nuenke, a Navigators staff member, presented me with The Lost Art of Disciple-Making, by Leroy Eims. To me, this book still defines the disciple-making process as well as any, with principles taken from a thorough observation of how Jesus himself trained his disciples. Eims’ emphasis on an individualized approach that invests in a few and equips them in turn to disciple others has stuck with me through the years. It’s 2 Timothy 2:2 in action; “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.”

Mission Adelante is employing this same disciple-making strategy; investing in immigrants who receive Christ and teaching them in turn to make disciples of others. In this season we have begun a renewed emphasis on this process. Four immigrants who have been through our process are now discipling others and a total of 19 people are receiving one-to-one or one-to-two instruction in the basics of the Christian faith. I wish disciple-making were always a clean and clear process. However, with broken humans involved, it is always a messy process that requires God’s grace in abundance. So, as we press into this season please pray with us for those new believers who are being discipled to grow in their hunger for Christ, and for those of us who are investing our lives to have patience and perseverance to give ourselves away for those we’re helping.

In Other News

  • Spring Break: All ministry programs of Mission Adelante will be taking a break the week of March 16-20. This includes Spanish classes, LIT, Kids Adelante, and ESL.
  • Mark your calendars for Mission Adelante’s Spring Party: April 18th.

Prayer Requests

  • Please pray for a strong finish for our Leaders In Training Pilot. Pray especially for the kids to remain engaged and be diligent even as we move into the Spring.
  • Please pray for our discipling groups. Pray that each person involved would gain a greater passion and hunger for Christ. Pray for consistency. Pray for a sense of community.
  • Please pray for Megan McDermott as she continues to raise funds to join our staff as the Kids Adelante director.

Current Needs:

  • Food staples for what we call "Canasta Basica" or basic basket also go fast. One "Canasta Basica" contains: 2 bags of rice, 3 bags of beans, 1 box of Maizena, one bag of sugar, one bottle of cooking oil, 2 bags of pasta, 1 bag of flour. We love it when friends can bring a complete "Canasta Basica" already assembled!



Missional Community

Mission + Community = "Missional Community"
"Mission" and "Community" go together like peanut butter and chocolate. From my years leading small groups I know that building "community" can all to often stagnate into an inwardly focused endeavor. However, when the combination of growing deeper in relationship and pursuing God together in worship and study meet up with pouring ourselves out for the lost and brokenhearted we stumble onto something that is as satisfying as it can be messy.

At the center of Mission Adelante's various teams and programs is a "missional community", a group of people who are united both by a love for one another and God, and a common mission to "Serve Hispanic Immigrants to Christ and Mobilize them to Serve". Many of us have re-located to the Mission Adelante neighborhood. Others have been part of our core team since the beginning. And all are committed both to serving and growing together. Last Sunday morning as we ate breakfast together in our home, read scripture, prayed and played together, I felt a great sense of joy in what God had created; not a large group (13 adults to be exact), but a unified and highly potent group. Acts 2:42-47 came to mind and I had to praise God for part of the Mission Adelante experience that makes the burdens of urban, cross-cultural ministry feel a lot lighter.


Please Respond to Keep Receiving the Adelante Express!
Please Subscribe to the Adelante Express! We are trying to improve our systems and want to send this weekly update only to people who are truly interested in receiving it. Email morganh@missionadelante.org with the word "subscribe" in the subject. Thank you to those who have already done so!

In Other News
  • Summer Internship: We are now accepting applications for our summer internship. For more information visit our website at www.missionadelante.org/recruiting.
  • Nineteen participants continue in our discipling series. Please pray that God will solidify their commitment to pursuing Him over the next several weeks.
  • Ten families received a "Canasta Basica" last week through our Resource Center. The canasta basica contains basic food staples such as rice, beans, sugar and cooking oil.
  • Our Level 1 English classes are experiencing the highest consistency in attendance that we've seen yet with about 90% of students present each week through week 5 of the trimester.
Prayer Requests
  • Please pray for participants in our discipling program to gain a greater passion and commitment to Christ.
  • Please pray for our siervos ministry team to regain momentum.
  • Please pray for Jarrett's trip to Utah this weekend to investigate a partnership opportunity with Alpine church in Ogden.
  • Please pray for the LIT kids who received Christ last week to continue their growth in Him.
Current Needs
  • Food staples for what we call "Canasta Basica" or basic basket also go fast. One "Canasta Basica" contains: 2 bags of rice, 3 bags of beans, 1 box of Maizena, one bag of sugar, one bottle of cooking oil, 2 bags of pasta, 1 bag of flour. We love it when friends can bring a complete "Canasta Basica" already assembled!



New Birth in the Mission Adelante Community

Five LIT Kids Born Again!
Long-term investing in the lives of our "Leaders-In-Training" kids has born spiritual fruit! Iris, Nayeli, Helen, Edgar, and Felipe all received Christ on Wednesday during our mentoring time. Because of more than a year (in some cases more than two years) of learning the Bible through the Kids Adelante's Outreach Bible Study, the message of the gospel was not hard for them to grasp or receive.

I have seen significant changes in the attitude and character of these kids over the last several months. Being with them three afternoons and one evening each week since September has given us the opportunity to see them at their best and worst, and has allowed us to speak truth into their lives in every situation. They have become more and more open and have learned to trust that we are truly for them. Now, as 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, they are new creations in Christ. It will be exciting to see how the Holy Spirit will continue His work in them!

In Other News: Welcome Baby Ham!!!
  • Morgan and Felipe Ham welcomed their son Camilo Sage Ham into the world two weeks ahead of schedule (Monday, February 16). He is a handsome boy weighing 7 1/2 pounds.
  • Volunteers Dawn North and Marla Hansen will be helping cover Morgan's responsibilities while she is on maternity leave (about 8 weeks). Praise God for meeting this need in such a timely way!
  • We're now recruiting for our summer internship! Please contact jarrettm@missionadelante.org if you know of anyone who might be interested.
Prayer Requests
  • Please pray for our "Leaders in Training" kids. A couple of them have not done well in school recently and we are working hard to help them make a turn around.
  • Please continue to pray for the kids in our neighborhood. Pray for their safety in light of the recent violence. Pray that they would learn to trust God to comfort and protect them. Pray especially that God would capture the hearts of the young boys before they start down tragic paths.
  • Pray that God would grant us continued momentum in our discipling program.
Resource Center Needs
  • We have found that baby items such as diapers and wipes go faster than we can stock them. We always need these items!
  • Food staples for what we call "Canasta Basica" or basic basket also go fast. One "Canasta Basica" contains: 2 bags of rice, 3 bags of beans, 1 box of Maizena, one bag of sugar, one bottle of cooking oil, 2 bags of pasta, 1 bag of flour. We love it when friends can bring a complete "Canasta Basica" already assembled!
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Kids At Risk


Kids At Risk

This week has been a hard one in the Mission Adelante community. With a gang-related shooting taking place in front of M.E. Pearson Elementary school, the school that most of our kids attend, we are all extra aware of the dangers and challenges facing our youth. When I was young I remember that news traveled fast among students whenever there was going to be a fight after school. Sometimes the faculty would know about it by the end of the day. Other times they would find out only when they saw the group of curious students gathering in the designated place to watch the event. As we’ve talked with the “Leaders In Training” kids this week about the shooting we have learned a lot about what they experience everyday. Their knowledge of the gang scene and lingo is telling; they are exposed to it on a daily basis. Just as we used to hear the chatter about after-school fights, news travels through the middle school halls of in our neighborhood about rumored or real gang activity.

It was re-confirmed to me this week that kids are recruited for gangs during their years in elementary school; often in fifth grade, but sometimes even as early as second. So, there is the battle ground for Kids Adelante. Can we capture these kids while they’re young, teach them to love God, and give them a sense of belonging that will compete with what a gang might offer? I pray we can! For those of you who serve in Kids Adelante or LIT, whether with younger kids or older, you are a key link in their lives. The things they learn from you, the affirmation and love they receive from you is a big part of what it takes to immunize them against the tragic choices that they might have made. You are standing in the gap for them! You are making a difference! Thank you for serving! Thank you for giving! And, please pray for our kids this week.

Thank You,
Jarrett Meek

Please Respond to Keep Receiving the Adelante Express!
Please Subscribe to the Adelante Express! We are trying to improve our systems and want to send this weekly update only to people who are truly interested in receiving it. Email morganh@missionadelante.org with the word "subscribe" in the subject.

Giving More Than Just a Hand

Please let us know!

As a part of upgrading our delivery system for the Adelante Express we want to be sure we are sending it only to recipients who are interested in receiving it. If you would like to continue receiving the Adelante Express please respond to morganh@missionadelante.org with “subscribe” in the subject line. After February we will no longer send the “Adelante Express” to people who have not specifically asked to receive it.

Giving More Than Just a Hand

Every Saturday morning, we open the door of our resource center to meet the needs of area Hispanics. Our shelves are filled with adult and children’s clothes, kitchenware, toys, small appliances and, sometimes, beds. Of course, the most sought after items are the “canasta basica”, or basic food basket, and baby items such as diapers and formula. No matter what a person lacks, we make every effort to meet the physical needs. In and of itself, this shows love and compassion, but we don’t stop there.

As each family leaves with their selections, we stop to pray for them by name. Mission Adelante strives to set our work apart from the common social justice agency. Helping meet physical needs is only the first part. We want to befriend our neighbors in need and share the gospel with them. Relationships always require more than a simple handout, but they also bear greater fruit. Our hope is that prayer begins to cultivate friendship and trust. As a result, the door to share our lives is opened.

When you make donations to the resource center, you are helping to do more than just meet needs—you are helping build relational bridges. To view a list of the most sought-after items, click here and scroll down to the "Resource Center" section.

In other news:
  • Fifteen individuals have begun the 13-part discipleship program during the past two weeks. One of them, Edgar, age 14, received Christ on Sunday evening after completing the first lesson on the topic of salvation!
  • Among the group of people who are leading a partner through the discipleship study are five Hispanics who completed the study themselves for the first time last year! This represents significant fruit for our ministry according to our Mission Statement, "Serving Hispanics to Christ and mobilizing them to serve."
  • We're grateful for a new water heater in our facility which was installed by volunteer Chris Lang! Thanks, Chris!

Prayer needs:

  • Pray for the continuation of momentum as discipleship pairs get further into the series of studies, and for Edgar as he begins his new journey of faith.
  • Pray for strength for the 11 preteen L.I.T. participants to prevail over the negative current of their social environment and influence their peers positively.
  • As we anticipate hosting a group of interns for the second time this summer, please pray for God to lead the right candidates to us.

Current needs:

  • Diapers to stock the Resource Center: all sizes; any quantity. (Thanks to the Thursday evening volunteers who brought some last week, but they always go fast!)
  • A volunteer to fill in as Administrative Assistant at least one afternoon a week during March and April while Morgan is on maternity leave. If you're available and interested, please contact Jarrett at jarrettm@missionadelante.org or 913-909-0627.


Effective Compassion Means Spending Yourself

Surrounded by a sea of human needs and buffeted by endless waves of challenging situations that arise in an urban context, I often find myself returning to the question, “what makes compassion effective?” It is easy to see how some have arrived at institutional compassion as a means of efficiently addressing the multitudes. However, while efficient systems are clearly important for any organization, Mission Adelante believes that ministry is primarily a relational endeavor, and that genuine compassion requires relationship. Marvin Olasky, chief editor of World Magazine and author of the book Renewing American Compassion writes, “Effective compassion recognizes that one size does not fit all—only a personalized, face-to-face approach tailored to the individual (or sometimes the family) offers any hope for turning lives around.” This kind of compassion is not clean and easy. It requires long-term involvement. It is harder to measure than simply asking “how many people were served?” Relational compassion requires people who will get their hands dirty in the messy lives of broken people. However, despite its personal costs, relational compassion is the best way to transmit the message of the gospel; the message of God who lived among us as a man and died for our sins.

As Mission Adelante serves immigrants in our community we have taken Olasky’s words to heart. Volunteers in our ESL program work with one or two adult students. Several of our ESL classes meet in homes in the community, providing an environment of hospitality and friendship. Birthdays are celebrated. Kids are taken out for ice cream. Volunteers and students take field trips together doing things like bowling or going to the Nelson Art Gallery. And when financial help is provided it always happens through a relational process.

I realize that the swelling waves of human needs will not subside until Christ returns. So, while it is tempting to abandon effectiveness for efficiency, Mission Adelante will always remember that “relationship” is one of the most important ingredients in the kind of compassion that changes lives for eternity. Please pray with us for volunteers and staff who are willing to spend themselves on behalf of the broken and vulnerable.

In other news:
  • We're grateful for Valerie Kalny, who has served as Mission Adelante's volunteer bookkeeper from the very beginning! The Mission has benefited greatly by her dedication to this role and her accuracy in her work, which have been especially evident during the last few weeks as she has worked on year-end tasks. Thank you, Valerie!
  • We had a strong launch for our spring trimester last Thursday! Five levels of adult English classes got up and running in the neighborhood and 63 excited, energetic kids ages 5 through 12 filled the building for Kids Adelante!
  • Seven pairs/groups of three began the discipleship study together last Sunday evening. The study includes 13 lessons on the basics of following Christ.

Prayer needs:

  • Join us in praying that the initial enthusiasm for the discipleship study will be maintained during the next few months while the pairs work to complete it, and that those people who missed the first week will be able to get started this Sunday.
  • Pray for Molly Merrick and Megan McDermott's continued fundraising. Molly joined the Mission Adelante staff at 10 hours/week at the beginning of January and Megan is planning to join full-time in June.
  • Pray for God's provision for the families in our community that are suffering financially because of lack of work in the winter season and in this economic climate.

Current needs:

  • A volunteer to fill in as Administrative Assistant at least one afternoon a week during March and April while Morgan is on maternity leave. If you're available and interested, please contact Jarrett at jarrettm@missionadelante.org or 913-909-0627.
  • Individuals to organize food drives at their churches to stock our Resource Center. If this is something you could do, please contact Jason at jasons@missionadelante.org or 913-281-6274.
  • Diapers to stock the Resource Center: all sizes; any quantity

3...2...1...Liftoff!

I have watched a few space shuttle launches in my life and am always amazed to imagine all of the YEARS of preparation that go into those few moments. Thousands of details and millions (billions?) of dollars are spent on equipment, training, supplies, and so much more. And it all comes together at one focal moment as the countdown reaches zero.

It’s really a ridiculous comparison, but three times each year Mission Adelante has its own version of a launch night as we begin a new trimester. Volunteers recruited and trained, a million photocopies of curriculum made, English students recruited, called, oriented, evaluated, and reminded, meetings completed, and emails sent out.

And it all comes together at 6:30 on a Thursday night: English classes in 5 different sites in our neighborhood, 50-60 kids converging on our facility, volunteers meeting new students, and a million details to coordinate. As chaotic as launch night can be, there is always a great sense of excitement and anticipation in the air as our ministry witnesses God's faithfulness in drawing so many people to a place where they can see Him more clearly through acts of compassion and His word spoken.

Tonight is that night, and we are less than 5 hours from lift-off as I write this reflection. Please pray with us tonight for students to arrive, for volunteers to make great connections with kids and adults alike, and for all the other details to come together.

In other news:
  • Twenty-six new adults registered last Thursday for our spring trimester of English classes.
  • More than 50 individuals from the Christ Community Church youth group came to Mission Adelante on Saturday. They brought enough staple food items to distribute among about 12 families and did some work around our facility. Thanks to all those involved!
  • Our second semester of L.I.T. (Leaders In Training) began yesterday. L.I.T. is a three-afternoon-a-week intensive tutoring and character development program for 13 kids who show potential to become leaders among their peers. Three new volunteers have come on board to tutor the group weekly. Please pray that each of the 13 kids would be able to continue coming and complete the school year in spite of other activities that threaten to pull them away.

Prayer needs:

  • Isabel, the woman we requested prayer for last week, remains in the hospital without a diagnosis. Please continue to pray for a diagnosis to be made in order for her to receive proper treatment and recover.
  • Five English classes and five sub-groups of Kids Adelante will launch our spring trimester this Thursday evening. We're grateful for the many volunteers who will serve in various ways, including new volunteers from at least 4 churches not previously represented! Please pray for momentum for a strong start!
  • Our discipleship pairs will begin the 13-part study on the basics of following Christ this Sunday evening. Please pray for wisdom for all the disciplers, especially those in the position for the first time, and for all involved to make a strong commitment to finishing the study.

Other needs:

  • A volunteer to fill in as Administrative Assistant at least one afternoon a week during March and April while Morgan is on maternity leave. If you're available and interested, please contact Jarrett at jarrettm@missionadelante.org or 913-909-0627.
  • Individuals to organize food drives at their churches to stock our Resource Center. If this is something you could do, please contact Jason at jasons@missionadelante.org or 913-281-6274.

Upcoming dates:

  • Thursday, January 22: Launch of spring trimester ESL and Kids Adelante programs.

A Place Where the Church Serves Together

Mission Adelante would not be what it is if we didn’t have the enthusiastic support and participation of so many volunteers and churches. This past Saturday we held our first of three volunteer orientation seminars for 2009. As is always the case at these training events, as well as at our volunteer meetings, I looked around the room to see volunteers from a wide range of churches. Some of these included Leawood Presbyterian Church, Heartland Community Church, Christ Community Church, Blue Valley Baptist Church, and Jacob’s Well. A quick look at our volunteer database yields an interesting statistic:ongoing volunteers from 15 area churches participate in Mission Adelante’s ministry.

One of the fruits of this hodge-podge of participation and partnership from different places is that it gets people from various churches and denominations in the city serving together around a common Kingdom purpose. In this world of denominational divisions and territorialism, this seems like a work of God. In John 17 Jesus prayed that his disciples would be “one” so that the world would know that the Father had sent him. Our unity as believers is a sign to the world of the validity of Jesus’ claim to be the son of God! As we look around us here at what God is doing through Mission Adelante, we see that Jesus’ prayer is being answered in our little corner of the world; the incoming Latin American mission field in our own city is witnessing not only a display of practical compassion, but also a display of Christian unity. Thank you to all of you who have committed yourselves to serving together. Your service and participation are bearing the kind of fruit that is pleasing to our Lord!

In other news:

  • Registration for the spring trimester of English classes and Kids Adelante is tonight.
  • We continue to work on the improvement of our facility. If you or a group from your church is interested in spending a work day at our building, please contact Jarrett at 913-909-0627 or jarrettm@missionadelante.org.
  • We're thankful for two tall bookshelves that were donated by Shoal Creek Community Church for our Leaders In Training library.

Prayer needs:

  • Isabel, the matriarch of a large family belonging to our faith community, is in the hospital but her illness hasn't been diagnosed. Please pray for a diagnosis to be made in order for her to receive proper treatment and recover.
  • Please pray for an eager new group of adult English students and kids to engage in English classes and Kids Adelante this trimester.
  • This Sunday we will match those who attend our Bible studies and worship services into discipleship pairs. During the upcoming months, the pairs will work their way through a 13-part study on the basics of following Christ. Please pray for participants to be committed to completing the study as an important step in their spiritual growth.

Current needs:

  • Beds, all sizes
  • Diapers: all sizes
  • Baby wipes
  • Baby formula, to stock the resource center

Important upcoming dates:

  • Monday, January 19: LIT resumes
  • Monday, January 19, 6:30-8:30 at the facility: All-Volunteer Team Meeting
  • Thursday, January 22, 6:30: Spring trimester English classes and Kids Adelante begin

Signs of Life

Mission Adelante began with a vision to be both a “mission” and a “church”. On the mission side of our ministry we offer things like English classes, tutoring, and tangible resources, and bible studies and events for kids. On the church side of things we started with a small group of volunteers, hoping to share our faith and grow relationally and organically, adding the necessary components of a genuine worshipping community according to God’s timing. Multiplying home-based Bible studies, one-on-one discipling relationships and periodic worship celebrations formed the essence of our church-planting strategy. Without a doubt the church-plant side of our ministry has proven to be the most difficult and often painful part of the endeavor. To be sure, God has been faithful, and fruit has been evident every step of the way. Each trimester we look back and we see small steps of growth: a new conversion, a new ministry team launched, a children’s ministry started, a new family involved. Yet the volatility of immigrants’ lives and the painful unpredictability of their commitment has accelerated my (Jarrett) hair loss by years (at least that’s the explanation I give myself).

God has proven to us in this process that the glory will be His! Time after time when we least expect it He brings families back who we thought were lost or connects families that we had given up on. God will work in His timing and in His way. Our job is to trust and be diligent. The first Sunday night of 2009 was a celebration of this very kind of fruit. The room was filled with excitement as we had a record turn-out for our worship service: 37 adults and as many kids. In that group were Pedro and Sara, there for the third week in a row after having been missing-in-action for months. Mario and Veronica and their kids have the same story; three weeks in a row of attendance after a long absence. Mayra, a single mom, who has come very consistently since she began attending, invited her neighbors for the first time. These are precious small victories that cause us to celebrate, praise God, and forget prior discouragements.

We are still a small community, but God is causing us to grow little by little, both in number and in faith. As this year begins we are praying that God will strengthen our young ministry teams, under-gird our efforts at disciple-making, and use us to draw more immigrants into a relationship with Jesus. Please pray with us for these objectives.

In other news:
  • Our community celebrated Christmas Eve together for the first time with an evening worship service. About 20 adults including some new faces enjoyed the fellowship.
  • Molly Merrick joined Mission Adelante's staff this week as a Ministry Aide, working 10 hours per week.

Prayer needs:

  • Pray that our current three-part worship service series on becoming disciples will help more members of our faith community follow the pattern set by Jesus' first disciples.
  • Pray that our emphasis on individual discipleship will build momentum among participants and bear fruit.

Current needs:

  • Diapers: all sizes
  • Baby wipes
  • Baby formula, to stock the resource center
  • 2 tall bookshelves, for the Leaders In Training library

Important upcoming dates:

  • Saturday, January 10: 9:00-12:00 New Volunteer Orientation & Training
  • Monday, January 19: 6:30-8:15 All Volunteer Team Meeting
  • Thursday, January 22: 6:30 Spring English classes and Kids Adelante begin