Discovering Truth

Written by Hannah Hume - a volunteer-mentor for Bhutanese Teens Club

Discovering truth is a beautiful endeavor. It's one thing to be told something is true. We may believe it, or we may not. We will judge the validity of what we have been told on many things, mainly the reliability of the messenger. However, to discover truth for ourselves means that we have to interact with it, and wrestle with its claims. When we do this, we haven't borrowed someone else's ideas but have created and taken ownership of our own convictions. Once we we do this, its nearly impossible for someone to persuade us to think otherwise, because we are certain of what we ourselves have seen, touched, and experienced. This is what I love about discovery Bible studies.


In teens club at Mission Adelante we have been taking the teens through Jesus' life using discovery Bible studies. This method of study doesn't teach the teens what to believe, instead it allows them to discover truth from the Bible for themselves. We go through the story from the Bible together and then ask questions about who God is, and how these stories interact with our own lives, using scripture as the ultimate guide for our discussion. We only discuss what is in the story, and any conclusions we arrive at need to clearly be seen in the story. Having the freedom to discuss, and interact with the scripture is a lot of fun for all of us, and it's amazing to see some of the truths the teens are discovering for themselves.

A few Tuesdays ago we learned the story of the crucifixion of Jesus. As we began to ask questions about who God is, and what we could learn from it, the teens discovered some astonishing truths. After asking questions about and considering the roles the two thieves played in the story of Jesus' death, the teens concluded that the only way to get to get to heaven is to believe that Jesus is the Son of God! They also discovered that even though they have done some bad things, all they would have to do to go to heaven is to believe that Jesus is the Son of God. These are truths I could have told them, but it's so much more wonderful to see them discover them for themselves, with the Spirit and scripture as their guide. I am so excited to see what the Lord will continue to allow us to discover together in the upcoming weeks.

In other news:

• Thank you, Heartland Community Church, for sharing five complete Thanksgiving dinners with families in our neighborhood.
• The Mission Adelante staff enjoyed a refreshing holiday weekend.  It offered the rare opportunity to unplug from ministry responsibilities for a few days, as well as extra rest for staff that had been under the weather.

Prayer needs:

• Help us pray for God to supply for Mission Adelante through abundant end-of-year giving.
• This weekend, the Latino teens will go on a retreat.  Pray that a challenge course will aid in team building, and that an introduction to spiritual gifts will help them begin to learn their roles in the body of Christ.
• Twelve Leaders-In-Training kids are going on an overnight reward trip to Great Wolf Lodge this weekend.  Pray for fun and safety for them, and that they would grow deeper in their relationships with the Lord as they discuss forgiveness.

Other needs:

• A Multi-Media Specialist, who will devote two to three hours a week to the use of multi-media to tell the story of Mission Adelante, its programs, and its people in ways that increase ownership and passion and inspire others to get involved. Please contact Jarrett at jarrettm@missionadelante.org
• Male volunteer tutors for our Leaders In Training program on Mondays from 4:00-6:30  for the rest of the school year.  Please contact Megan at meganm@missionadelante.org.
• Kids' and adults' hats, gloves, and scarves to make available through our resource center.  Please call Molly at 913-281-6274 x5 to arrange dropping off your donation

Upcoming dates:

• Latino Christmas Party: Saturday, December 10 at 5:00, Bethany Community Center, 12th Street and Central Avenue in Kansas City, KS 66102.
• Bhutanese Christmas Party: Sunday, December 11 at 4:00, Bethany Community Center, 12th Street and Central Avenue in Kansas City, KS 66102.

An Autobiography of the Bhutanese Ministry Apprentice

Written by Drew Hammond - Bhutanese Ministry Apprentice


As someone who was nearly a high school dropout, (and is currently, technically, a college dropout), obedience hasn't always been my strong suit. But when I realized that the Lord was calling me, and tugging on my heart, I began to listen and pray for Him to show me where he needed me. That was about three and a half years ago.


Naturally, I tried to keep things within the way I saw my life going, towards college for a degree in technical theater. That's when I tried community college, and all the while I was there, I felt the Lord was telling me something. "This is for some, but not for you."  So I left theater behind and walked away, closer to the Lord.


By this point, I was feeling pretty directionally challenged. Feeling left behind by my friends who went to college and not seeing my movie theater job sustaining me for my life, I continued to pray. I kept persisting that the Lord reveal where it was that He really wanted me. It took quite a bit of prayer, but "the Jesus" (as our Bhutanese friends refer to him) took me somewhere great.


Over winter break of 2009/2010, God gave me an opportunity to go to Israel and learn more about Him. After that, I asked the director of the organization who led the trip if he knew of any internships available in full time ministry. He directed me to Mission House, where I was sent to Mission Adelante to intern in January of this year. Over the course of my internship, my heart expanded. It expanded to love God more and more and more, but also found a community to love, the Bhutanese refugees in my own backyard.


Three years ago, if God would have told me that I was going to go to Israel, then move to Kansas City, KS and love an immigrant people more than I loved theatre, I would have thought He was crazy, kept to my own ways and I would still be searching to this day.  Thankfully, I gave God room to move in my own heart and my own life, and I finally found exactly where I need to be. It was a long haul, but here I am. I pray that God reveals His love to you.

In other news:

• The Mission Adelante staff members hosting Open Houses last Saturday really enjoyed connecting with those of you that were able to drop in for a visit!  Thanks for making the trip into our neighborhood to get more of a taste of what God is doing here.
• We've found that sharing a meal as part of our house church gatherings adds a really special element to the time we spend together.  Also, this past Sunday (just the second week that the Latino house churches met) attendees from the first week brought more family members and friends with them, demonstrating the immigrants' high ownership of the gatherings!
• Our budgeting and planning process in preparation for the new year turned out to be surprisingly fun for Mission Adelante staff.  It became an encouraging time to reflect upon the past year and the things we asked the Lord for and for Him to do, and to marvel at the things He surprised us with!

Prayer requests:

• Please pray for the health of Mission Adelante staff and family members, a number of whom are under the weather.

Important dates:

• Fall Break: There will be no outreach programs today or Thursday, November 24.  The Mission Adelante office will be closed Wednesday, November 23 - Saturday, November 26.
• Latino Christmas Party: Saturday afternoon, December 10
• Bhutanese Christmas Party: Sunday, December 11 at 4:00 p.m.

Panza Llena, Corazón Contento

Written by volunteer Kathleen Powell


Several years ago, I spent a summer in Mexico living with my aunt and uncle. I was trying to master the Spanish language and to get to know my Mexican family better. After every meal, my Tío Toño would always say, "Panza llena; corazón contento." This roughly translates to: "full stomach, happy heart." Last Sunday I realized that it isn't just the eating that makes his heart happy; it's the act of bringing la familia (more than just relatives) together and conviviendo (sharing life).

Sunday night, Mission Adelante launched three different house churches. My group had the privilege of meeting in the home of one of the Latina moms who is relatively new in her faith. Her 11 year old son has a sweet and joyful heart and is one of my favorite kids to hang out with at LIT (Leaders in Training, Mission Adelante's after-school program).

This evening, for the first time since that summer I spent with my tío, I tasted the sweetness of what sharing life could look like in my neighborhood, in my life. My senses were awakened; the room was full of laughter, spices, color, and warmth. Everyone who came had a chance to speak and contribute; everyone brought something to the table (literally). We worshipped together and dug into the Word together. I felt alive again. We were doing church, being the church, and it had nothing to do with a program or a building.


In other news:

• There are now a total of five house churches meeting in Kansas City, Kansas; two of which include our Bhutanese friends and three of which include our Latino friends.  Kids Adelante Director Megan McDermott described the first meeting of her Latino house church last Sunday as feeling like a family reunion!  She was also delighted that kids with whom we're acquainted brought their parents, some of whom hadn't had any past involvement with Mission Adelante!
• We're grateful to Heartland Community Church and Christ Community Church for supplying winter coats for ALL of the children that participate in our outreach programs.
• Bhutanese Kids Club Director Kristen Maxwell and Intern Drew Hammond share their lives and a whole lot of their time with the families we serve.  This week, Kristen gave a 12-year-old girl her very first Bible and then watched as she immediately sat, opened it, and began reading aloud.  Also this week, some Bhutanese teen boys engaged Drew in conversation about Jesus and the implications of Christian faith in our lives.

Prayer needs:

• Please pray for our house churches to become well established, for immigrants to embrace leadership roles, and for new people to continue to come and feel welcomed.
• Pray for safety in the homes of some of the kids we know, and protection for them.
• Pray for a teen we know that is in legal trouble.

Current needs:

• A Multi-Media Specialist, who will devote two to three hours a week to the use of multi-media to tell the story of Mission Adelante, its programs, and its people in ways that increase ownership and passion and inspire others to get involved.
• Male volunteer tutors for our Leaders In Training program on Mondays from 4:00-6:30  for the rest of the school year.  Please contact Megan at meganm@missionadelante.org.
• Adults' and children's winter clothing and shoes in all sizes to stock our Resource Center.  Please call Molly at 913-281-6274 x5 to arrange dropping off your donation.
• An electric stove, which was requested through our Resource Center.  Please call Molly at 913-281-6274 x5 to arrange dropping off your donation.

Important dates:

• Staff Open Houses: Saturday, November 19, 3:00-6:30, Mission Adelante Staff homes in Kansas City, Kansas 66102.  Drop in and let us thank you for your support of "our" ministry!
• Jarrett & Kristen Meek, Megan McDermott: 251 N. 15th Street
• Jason & Megan Schoff, Molly Merrick: 410 N. 15th Street
• David & Brooke Coon: 245 N. 17th Street
• David & Holly Stetler, Kristen Maxwell: 438 N. 17th Street
• Drew& Lauren Timberlake: 706 N. 17th Street
• Fall Break: There will be no outreach programs Tuesday, November 22 or Thursday, November 24.  The Mission Adelante office will be closed Wednesday, November 23-Saturday, November 26.
• Latino Christmas Party: Saturday, December 10
• Bhutanese Christmas Party: Sunday, December 11

Aradhna to Yeshu

Written by David Stetler

Chris Hale grew up in Nepal during the 70's as a
missionary kid where he was completely immersed in Nepali culture, language and music. Now, his passion is to build bridges between cultures through music. He plays the sitar as the front man of a band called Aradhna, which means worship. They travel the world singing worship to Yeshu (Jesus) in Hindi, Nepali and English.

Last Friday evening, Chris made a quick stop right here in Kansas City to teach us and our Bhutanese friends worship songs to Jesus in their own language and in their own ethnic Nepali cultural music. About 65 of us gathered together at Mission House, sat in a giant circle on Tibetan rugs, sang to Jesus in Nepali and shared an ethnic Nepali meal together.

For some, this was the very first time they had experienced the ever so familiar cultural tunes that they grew up with in Bhutan and Nepal while singing worship to Jesus. For many new Bhutanese believers this marked an extremely significant moment that connected their beautiful and rich culture with their new found faith in Yeshu.

Prayer Requests:

• Please pray for the launch of three house Latino house churches this week!
• Please pray for wisdom and God's guidance in our planning and budgeting process.

Upcoming dates

• Staff Open Houses: Saturday, November 19, 3:00-6:30, Mission Adelante staff homes in Kansas City, Kansas 66102.
• Fall Break: There will be no outreach programs Tuesday, November 22 or Thursday, November 24.  The Mission Adelante office will be closed Wednesday, November 23-Saturday, November 26.

Ministry is a Relational Endeavor

Written by Jason Schoff

From the moment a potential volunteer comes to our orientation, they learn how much we value relationships. We say ministry is a relational endeavor. However, we want this to be more than just a stated value; we want it to be a living reality. Our volunteers accomplish much more relationally with our immigrants than we could ever dream of.

Last month we saw major evidence of just how invested our volunteer force is in the relational endeavor. While our staff was out of town for a conference in Indianapolis, I was left with the options of cancelling our Latino adult English classes or challenging our students and volunteer teachers to meet together over dinner, a Coke, or ice cream. I put the challenge out and our volunteers marched "adelante", or forward, without much hesitation.

What resulted was priceless! It was a new level of friendship and relationship on which to continue building over the remaining six weeks of the trimester. One student shared about the transformation of his life, from a time when he domineered his wife to coming to see her as his equal, all while his classmate and volunteer teacher listened. Another student hosted her teacher and other students in her home--what a proud moment for Rosa. Several other volunteers decided to join their two students together and meet for ice cream in a local Mexican shop.

For many of our volunteers, this was a true first: spending time with an immigrant outside of a programmed activity and in a new cultural landscape. All this happened on a Thursday night while our staff was listening to conference speakers far away. I could not be any more excited for our volunteers and their commitment to becoming friends to our immigrant community!

Want to share in these fun adventures? Become a volunteer, too! For more information, go to  www.missionadelante.org/volunteer.


In other news:

• Our Leaders In Training--12 pre-teens and teens--are learning that serving can be fun and relational!  They've visited the residents of a local assisted living facility twice now, and last week enjoyed sharing popcorn and doing a craft together!
• Like our volunteers' efforts toward relational ministry that Jason described above, Mission Adelante staff is deeply committed to sharing life with the families we serve by getting involved on a personal level in their lives and activities.  Brooke and David Coon have been deepening their friendship with the families of several of the teens whom they lead by sharing meals and participating in a walk to support individuals with Down's Syndrome, the younger sibling of one of the teens being affected by the condition.
• Similarly, Molly Merrick continues to mentor two pre-teen/teen girls by spending a large amount of time with them.  Now, the girls' upstairs neighbor, another teen girl, is tagging along, too!  Molly's effectiveness lies in her consistent investment of time!

Prayer needs:

• Please pray for an upcoming house concert for our Bhutanese friends as we all learn to worship Jesus with Nepali music.
• Brooke and David Coon are taking two teens to a teen conference this weekend.  Pray that the teens will grow in their walk with Jesus and realize more of their leadership potential.
• Pray for the Lord to work in the lives of an immigrant couple struggling with marital conflict.
• As a way to better emphasize equipping immigrant leaders for ministry, our Latino worship community will begin meeting as several house churches in November.    Please pray for the training process of the leadership teams, and for momentum to continue.

Current needs:

• A Multi-Media Specialist, who will devote two to three hours a week to the use of multi-media to tell the story of Mission Adelante, its programs, and its people in ways that increase ownership and passion and inspire others to get involved.
• A female volunteer to tutor two girls in our Leaders In Training program on Mondays from 4:00-6:30 beginning November 28 through the rest of the school year.
• Adults' and children's fall and winter clothing in all sizes, and especially winter coats for 5-7 year-old boys to stock our Resource Center.  Please call Molly at 913-281-6274 x5 to arrange dropping off your donation.
• Board games appropriate for kids ages 3-12, in good condition and containing all of their pieces.

Upcoming dates:

• Staff Open Houses: Saturday, November 19, 3:00-6:30, Mission Adelante staff homes in Kansas City, Kansas 66102.
• Fall Break: There will be no outreach programs Tuesday, November 22 or Thursday, November 24.  The Mission Adelante office will be closed Wednesday, November 23-Saturday, November 26.

The Light of Sixteenth Street

Written by Brooke Coon


One year ago, David and I were wrestling with God for the house we wanted here in KCK. God had a better plan for us that took months for us to realize, which is now our house on 17th street. Once here, we quickly realized that there is a darkness lingering on the street behind us. You can nearly feel the dividing line of peace and chaos running through our alley. As we heard rumors of things that went on behind us, we felt burdened and began to pray for 16th street.

Anxious about the dangers that were threatening the children on that street, we prayed that God would show us our role in it all. Two boys from that street, Johnny and Tony, seemed to be drawn to the light of the Holy Spirit in David, and started showing up at our door more frequently. Through those boys David began to learn about the realities of gangs, drugs, and violence on that street. 

About the same time, Jessica, a girl we knew from Teens Adelante, moved onto that street. Jessica and her younger friend began to show up on our porch seeking refuge and fellowship. I learned more about bullets going through walls, siblings in jail, gang allegiances, screaming arguments between parents, and the physical violence that goes on even between young kids. It's hard to believe that the things I hear from these two sweet girls are happening just yards from our peaceful front porch.

Then Johnny started coming to Teens Adelante and one night I heard it, I saw it; the Lord opened my eyes. The answer to our question, "What are we supposed to do with this overwhelming burden on our hearts?" Johnny and Jessica. These two teens are David's and my opportunity for obedience to change darkness into light on 16th street. It wasn't to start some alley restoration project, or neighborhood watch, or prayer team. It was to use the light that HE HAD ALREADY PLACED there; to invest in and nurture these teens.

Johnny and Jessica are only 14 and 15, but age doesn't hinder the Holy Spirit. I am humbled by the fact that I didn't need to find a solution to the problem. That street is the Lord's and He is fighting for it. He was on it, and there is a role for me to support and guide these teens, who will have more impact than David or I ever could on that street. I was overwhelmed with the size of the problem and I almost forgot that the burden, that compassion, was from Him. He was already moving. It was and is His heart in me that cries for 16th street. It is His heart that burdens me to pray, that beckons me to ask, “What is my role there?”

As I sat in church with Jessica last night, she passed me a note that said that Matthew 5:13-16 is her favorite passage of the Bible.  “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

I was struck. I wrote her back, “That is awesome because I have always seen you as the light of your family...and the light of 16th street.”  Her smile was eternally beautiful.


In other news:

• One of the Bhutanese families that we have been praying for and walking with for over two years experienced a death in their family that sparked a spiritual breakthrough in their family.  We are excited to continue walking with them in their pursuit of Jesus.
• Our staff enjoyed a visit this week from David Chan, Missions Pastor at Hillcrest Covenant Church.  David explained to us the ways that he and the rest of the Hillcrest Covenant Church leadership are striving to empower and equip every person to live missionally through their individual skills and passions, right where they live.

Prayer needs:

• As a way to better emphasize equipping immigrant leaders for ministry, our Latino worship community will begin meeting as several house churches in November.  Praise God for the turnout of nearly all the individuals making up the leadership team for each house church last Sunday at the first meeting in preparation for this transition.  Please pray for the momentum to continue.

Current needs:

• A Multi-Media Specialist, who will devote two to three hours a week to the use of multi-media to tell the story of Mission Adelante, its programs, and its people in ways that increase ownership and passion and inspire others to get involved.
• A female volunteer to tutor two girls in our Leaders In Training program on Mondays from 4:00-6:30 beginning November 28 through the rest of the school year.
• Adults' and children's fall and winter clothing in all sizes to stock our Resource Center.  Please call Molly at 913-281-6274 x5 to arrange dropping off your donation.
• Bibles for use in Kids Adelante Bible studies.  These are our preferred type.  Feel free to have them shipped to Megan McDermott's attention at Mission Adelante, Inc., 22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102.
• Board games appropriate for kids ages 3-12, in good condition and containing all of their pieces 

Upcoming dates:

• Observation Days: Tuesday, November 1 for Bhutanese outreach; Thursdays, October 27 and November 3 for Latino outreach.  If you've never seen how we serve immigrants, please come observe.  If you're a regular volunteer, bring a friend who would be interested to find out about the mission field in our own backyard.
• Staff Open Houses: Saturday, November 19, 3:00-6:30, Mission Adelante staff homes in Kansas City, Kansas 66102.

An LIT Volunteer's Hope for the Students

Written by volunteer Michelle Holland

On the first day of Leaders In Training this fall, we were down to the last few minutes of our tutoring time so I began to instruct Nataly and Mariana to start putting away their things.  Before I could even take a breath, their papers were in folders, their notebooks were stacked, and Mariana had pulled out a small notebook from her backpack and said, “Michelle, how can I pray for you?”  Her pencil was poised and ready as she glanced up and met my eyes.  In that moment I was so encouraged at how God has used the LIT program, Kids Adelante Director Megan McDermott, and our team of volunteers.  Our students are learning life skills such as organization, they’re boosting their academics, and their hearts are becoming more compassionate as they build a beautiful and healthy confidence in themselves.

Nataly and Mariana were new to LIT last year, and it is such a blessing to begin this school year getting to see the fruit of God’s work from the previous LIT year.  I’ve seen these two young girls blossom as they have found refuge from a trial-filled world within the LIT community.  I’ve watched Nataly and Mariana develop a hunger to know God.  I’ve witnessed walls tumbling down as they understand that they are created by a God who loves them.  I see two young ladies shining in the knowledge that they are accepted and belong.

I pray that these truths are being planted in the rich soil of their vulnerable hearts.  I pray that as they enter the broken, trial-filled world, that these truths will give them a hope built on Jesus that cannot be shaken.  I am so thankful to be a part of the work God is doing in so many young lives.  It's not easy to understand the difficulties that each of our students face.  It often seems that the odds are stacked against them as they walk the path that lies ahead of them.  I have such hope knowing that God has sheltered them in a place where these can be turned for good; yet there is so much we cannot control, and so much we cannot change.  However, there is good news!  We serve a God who can beat all the odds. That is where I place my hope for these students.

In other news:

• Mission Adelante staff has returned from Indianapolis and the Christian Community Development Association annual conference.   Dreams were born, clarified, and strengthened there as CCDA leaders challenged us to INNOVATE new strategies and methods of reaching our city and seeing communities transformed.

Prayer needs:

• Bhutanese ESL Director Lauren Timberlake's (and her husband, Drew's) baby girl was delivered yesterday several weeks prematurely.  The baby weighs three pounds, 11 ounces, is 12 inches long, and is healthy.  Lauren says, "Baby Lois is doing so well."  Praise the Lord for his care for Lauren and Lois, and join us in praying that the Timberlake family will be especially aware of His presence and that He will cause Lois to continue to grow and develop.
• A Bhutanese teen is facing legal challenges as the result of an accident.  Please pray for him and his family to see the Lord's sovereignty over the situation. 
• We've begun the season of planning for the upcoming year.  Please pray for the Lord to supply discernment and wisdom as we craft goals for 2012.

Current needs:

• A Bhutanese family we know lost their home and all their possessions in a fire last weekend.  Please pray for them.  Also, if you can donate any furniture--especially beds--or household items to them, please contact David Stetler at 913-281-6274 x6.
• Bilingual Bibles for use in Kids Adelante Bible studies.  These are our preferred type.  Feel free to have them shipped to Megan McDermott's attention at Mission Adelante, Inc., 22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102.

Upcoming dates:

• Observation Days: Tuesdays, October 25, and November 1 for Bhutanese outreach; Thursdays, October 20 and 27, and November 3 for Latino outreach.  If you've never seen how we serve immigrants, please come observe.  If you're a regular volunteer, bring a friend who would be interested to find out about the mission field in our own backyard.
• Staff Open Houses: Saturday, November 19, 3:00-6:30, Kansas City, Kansas

Sharing American Culture at Jack in the Box

Written by Lauren Timberlake

Life in the United States is full of “firsts” for our Bhutanese friends. Last week the volunteers in our Level 4 English class got to experience a fun one with their students: eating at an American restaurant.

Ten students and four volunteers visited Jack in the Box after learning all about menus, ordering, and food culture in the U.S. It was the first time many of them had eaten in a restaurant at all, let alone an American fast food place.

The friendly restaurant staff (who had been told of our visit ahead of time) took each student’s order in English, with a volunteer at each register to facilitate clear communication. The students were confident, but it was a challenge for them to read the intricate wall menu and understand what the cashier was saying.  

Most Bhutanese people do not eat beef, so curly fries and cokes were the most popular items students ordered. The drink station was the highlight for many students. None of them had experienced fountain drinks before, and many had wet hands as they navigated ice machines and soda levers for the first time. Lids and straws were also new. They had coffee lids on soda cups and dipped straws still covered in paper into their drinks. After a few mistakes and lot of laughs, they figured it out. The medium cups were much larger than they expected, so most only had a few inches of soda in them. When told about free refills, the students just laughed. One trip to the drink station was enough for the night!

Back at the main building, I had the chance to visit with several of the students. Using short, incomplete sentences they told me how happy they were, that the food was very good, and how much they liked ordering in English. It was obvious that they were very proud of themselves and that they had a lot of fun.

The volunteers were equally enthused. Shirley Posladek said, “I think we crossed a barrier of American culture that they didn’t have the confidence to do themselves. It created such joy within them to be able to do it!”

Field trips like this one are a great way for students to grow in confidence of using English outside the classroom, gain practical life skills, and build deeper relationships with their conversation partners—each important steps towards feeling at home here in Kansas City.

Do you know someone you can share a piece of American culture with? It may be a restaurant, shopping center, live music, museum, or other place of business. You may be the only one who will help them cross that cultural barrier. Go for it—it may mean more than you think.


In other news:

• Our second discovery Bible study began last Saturday with another Bhutanese family that we've been walking with for over 2 years.
• The majority of the Mission Adelante staff is in Indianapolis through this Sunday for the Christian Community Development Association National Conference.  They're joining the discussion on finding fresh approaches for changing realities through innovation.  Check out CCDA at ccda.org.  There will be No Latino Outreach programs this evening, October 13.

Prayer needs:

• We've come into the season of planning for the upcoming year.  Please pray for the Lord to supply discernment and wisdom as we craft goals for 2012.
• Pray for the health and safety of our staff that has traveled to the CCDA Conference, as well as their families that have stayed behind in Kansas City.

Current needs:

• We need a wheelbarrow for landscape maintenance on our property.   Please contact Molly at 913-281-6274 x5 if you can donate one.
• Two dressers have been requested through our Resource Center.  Please contact Molly at 913-281-6274 x5 if you can donate one.
• We need three iPods for use in Kids Adelante, Bhutanese Kids Club, and the Bhutanese church.  Older iPods are fine; however, we need control of playlists, so Shuffles won't serve our purposes.  If you're able to donate one please contact Morgan at morganh@missionadelante.org or 913-281-6274 x3.

Upcoming dates:

• Observation Days: Tuesdays, October 18 and 25, and November 1 for Bhutanese outreach; Thursdays, October 20 and 27, and November 3 for Latino outreach.  If you've never seen how we serve immigrants, please come observe.  If you're a regular volunteer, bring a friend who would be interested to find out about the mission field in our own backyard.
• Staff Open Houses: Saturday, November 19, 3:00-6:30, Kansas City, Kansas

Gone Fishin'

Written by Molly Drake 

In the early days of his ministry, Jesus met two fishermen along the banks of the Sea of Galilee and gave them this invitation: "Come follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." It says that they immediately dropped their nets and followed after him. Little did Peter or Andrew know how drastically their lives would change by taking Jesus up on his offer!

In November of last year I received a similar offer from my pastor at Mission Adelante. I was invited to join a group of committed believers to meet together to learn what it means to become fishers of men and then to encourage each other in the process.

Because I already work with kids on a weekly basis through Kids Adelante (KA), it made sense that I would choose one or two kids to invest in more deeply. I made a list of all the kids who have a special place in my heart. It was a long list! But as I reviewed it again, two names stood out above the rest.

One was that of a girl in my class at KA. Galilea is an outgoing, fun-loving 8-year-old girl with a heart after God. If I had to describe her in one word it would be "enthusiastic." She is hungry to know God and someone I can count on to participate in class. She has that child-like faith that Jesus treasured. I knew that investing in her life would be a worthwhile endeavor.

When I thought about Galilea, the next logical thought was "Meme," (short for Emmanuel). He's also in my class; he and Galilea just "happen" to be cousins; they just "happen," to really enjoy each other. They sit side by side in class and it's obvious they have a close relationship.
In March of last year I began spending time with them almost weekly. Now, when you think about discipleship, you probably think about sitting around a table with Bible pages rustling, pen posed, notebook open. Discipleship with Meme and Galilea looked a lot different at the beginning. Initially it looked like outings to go skating, swimming, or to eat ice-cream. This was the relationship building part.

Eventually it came time to go deeper. I'll never forget the day we sat around a picnic table at Shawnee Mission Park and they leafed through their very own Bibles. I showed them where they could find a devotional designed for kids written alongside the various Bible stories. We read through one together that day. I encouraged them to make a little time to read each day.
Now when I pick up Galilea to go on our various adventures, I love to hear her tell me about what she is learning. She tells me that she has a routine most days of reading her Bible once she has eaten supper and finished her homework. Last week when I picked them up, she came out of her house carrying her Bible. We stopped by Meme's house and she got out to get him. He came out carrying his Bible too! We had some time on a picnic blanket after playing at the park to review the lesson from KA that week about God's Word, the letter he has written so we can know him better.

Just like Peter and Andrew experienced, my life has been blessed by following Jesus and obeying his command to make fishers of men. The smiles, the hugs, the silly conversations and laughter we have while driving around, the opportunity to invest in two lives and see them grow in their love for Jesus fills my heart with joy!


In other news:

• Ministry Aide Molly Merrick hosted a work group of 15 seniors from Wyandotte High School on Tuesday morning.  They came with a great attitude and willingness to work, and did a great job sprucing up our building and property!
• Bhutanese ESL Director Lauren Timberlake is really enjoying the extra time she's been able to dedicate to ministry since joining the Mission Adelante staff a month ago.  She has enjoyed visiting Bhutanese ESL students in their home, and having greater interaction with volunteers.
• Bhutanese Kids Outreach Director Kristen Maxwell was invited to address the teachers and staff of Mark Twain Elementary School in Kansas City, Kansas about the experience of refugees; particularly the Bhutanese refugees who have resettled in Kansas City and with whom Kristen has become friends.  The group to whom she spoke was grateful to gain a better understanding of the culture and experiences of this growing sector of their student body.

Prayer needs:

• An extended Bhutanese family in Kansas City has expressed for the first time the desire to follow Jesus.  Praise the Lord for drawing them to Himself, and also pray for David Stetler and the Bhutanese Outreach staff as they begin to disciple the members of this family.  In addition, please continue to pray for wisdom for leaders during the beginning stage of our Bhutanese house church.
• Pray for some changes we're making to the way our Latino church worships.  Pray that deeper involvement and more discipleship will be fostered.
• Some of the Leaders In Training participants have recently displayed challenging attitudes.  Please pray for an improvement in their attitudes, as well as stamina for volunteers and students.

Current needs:

• Two queen beds, one double bed, a sofa, a dining table and chairs, and a washing machine are needed by Bhutanese families.  Please contact David at 913-281-6274 x6 if you're able to donate any of these furniture items.
• We need a wheelbarrow for landscape maintenance on our property.   Please contact Molly at 913-281-6274 x5 if you can donate one.
• Two dressers have been requested through our Resource Center.  Please contact Molly at 913-281-6274 x5 if you can donate one.
• We need three iPods for use in Kids Adelante, Bhutanese Kids Club, and the Bhutanese church.  Older iPods are fine; however, we need control of playlists, so Shuffles won't serve our purposes.  If you're able to donate one please contact Morgan at morganh@missionadelante.org or 913-281-6274 x3.

Upcoming dates:

• The majority of the Mission Adelante staff will travel to the Christian Community Development Association National Conference in Indianapolis October 12-16.  Check out CCDA at ccda.org.  Therefore, there will be No Latino Outreach programs Thursday, October 13.
• Observation Days: Tuesdays, October 18 and 25, and November 1 for Bhutanese outreach; Thursdays, October 20 and 27, and November 3 for Latino outreach.  If you've never seen how we serve immigrants, please come observe.  If you're a regular volunteer, bring a friend who would be interested to find out about the mission field in our own backyard.
• Staff Open Houses: Saturday, November 19, 3:00-6:30, Kansas City, Kansas

Loving our Neighbors

Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. ‘This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40 (NLT)
Many of us are very familiar with this passage of scripture, still we sometimes ask, “Who is my neighbor?”  Doing life in the community that is Mission Adelante, we recognize our neighbor is the immigrant and refugee living among us.

You may have wondered, “What’s the difference between an immigrant and a refugee?”  or “How did these people from Bhutan end up in Kansas City of all places?”  A person is made a refugee by the United Nations when they cannot return their homeland, many times because of war or fear of persecution based on race, religion or caste. When refugees are removed from their homeland, they are settled in refugee camps that serve as a middle ground until they can be resettled to a new permanent home, because they can’t return to their previous home.  Refugees are then welcomed in to third party countries, like the United States, and are given a chance at a new life.

The Bhutanese Outreach at Mission Adelante serves Bhutanese refugees.  Our Bhutanese friends are ethnically Nepali, and their ancestors migrated to Bhutan over 200 years ago.  In the early 1990s, the government of Bhutan essentially kicked out all of the ethnically Nepalese people from the country.  The UN stepped in, and set up seven refugee camps on the border of Nepal and Bhutan.  In 2008, the UN began to resettle the residents of the camps in other countries including the US, Canada, Norway and Australia.

There are currently about 400 Bhutanese living in Kansas City, Kansas along with refugees from Somalia, Burma, Iraq and other countries.  When resettled, refugees are assisted by Catholic Charities for a time as they find jobs, and begin to figure out life in America.  The struggle is great for our friends moving from bamboo tents to a major city.  In these struggles, Mission Adelante has the chance to step in and be the hands and feet of Christ to our friends, filling their practical needs and showing them the love of Christ.

Prayer requests:

• Our 12 Leaders In Training, ages eight through 14, will visit a retirement home once a month during the duration of the school year to spend time with the residents.  Please pray for mutually encouraging friendships to form between the students and seniors.
• Pray for some changes we're making to the way our Latino church worships.  Pray that deeper involvement and more discipleship will be fostered.
• Pray for wisdom for leaders during the beginning stage of our Bhutanese house church.

Current needs:

• Two queen beds, one double bed, a sofa, and a dining table and chairs are needed by Bhutanese families.  Please contact David at 913-281-6274 x6 if you're able to donate any of these furniture items.
• A dresser has been requested through our Resource Center.  Please contact Molly at 913-281-6274 x5 if you can donate one.
• We need three iPods for use in Kids Adelante, Bhutanese Kids Club, and the Bhutanese church.  Older iPods are fine; however, we need control of playlists, so Shuffles won't serve our purposes.  If you're able to donate one please contact Morgan at morganh@missionadelante.org or 913-281-6274 x3.

Upcoming dates:

• The majority of the Mission Adelante staff will travel to the Christian Community Development Association National Conference in Indianapolis October 12-16.  Check out CCDA at ccda.org.  Therefore, there will be No Latino Outreach programs Thursday, October 13.

The LeMasters Have Come to Kansas City

Written by Joe LeMaster

In September 2010, my wife and I were at a Board meeting of the international mission that sent us to Nepal in 1990. For almost a year, we’d been diligently seeking the Father’s heart about the next few years of our lives. We’d returned from Nepal in 2000 after a decade of service there, and settled into lives and jobs in Columbia, Missouri, a mid-west college town. I was reasonably successful as tenured faculty member at the University of Missouri School of Medicine and my wife as a nurse at a local hospital and a teacher for Community Bible Study. Our kids had grown and flown, and it looked like we were going to be there until retirement.

That all changed at the Board meeting. One of our fellow Board members introduced us to some Bhutanese refugees to whom she was ministering in Loudonville, NY. The moment we met them, we were smitten…these were not the erudite Nepalese PhD students we’d met in the mid-west, who were well-off and worldly-wise. These were ‘people of the land’, poor hill-dwellers like those with whom we’d worked in rural Nepal. They spoke like them, they dressed like them, they were like them in every sense that had mattered to us. We were deeply moved at meeting them.

About 2 weeks later, we were in KC for my 25^th medical school re-union. That weekend, we met a young couple working in KCK, named David and Holly Stetler, who were living and working there… with Bhutanese refugees.  

We began to gingerly knock on doors to see if they would open to join them in KCK, and one after another they did so, beckoningly. The Stetler’s missional team opened their arms wide to us. KU Medical Center offered me a job to do refugee healthcare.

Finally, we sold our house on a lake in the country. We quit our jobs in Columbia, MO. We had bought a house in the KCK neighborhood where the Nepalese live. We believed God was with us. We took the leap of faith, and moved into the neighborhood.

We’ve been here about 2 months now. Gradually we are getting to know and love our new Nepalese neighbors, and our ‘Adelanté family’ who are planting a vibrant, young, missional gathering of believing Nepalese.  We meet regularly to pray, crying out to God for grace to be his hands and feet here. We are learning to share life and work with our Nepali neighbors. And we rejoice with each small step towards Jesus that we see them take.

 I wish I could say it was always easy because we believe God called us here. Some days it feels that way more than others. When I come out of my clinic after seeing Nepalese patients at KU Medical Center, I have to pinch myself that it is really happening…it is really sweet. A month ago, though, when one of our Nepalese friends committed suicide…not so much. But then I was able to collaborate with the leaders of the Bhutanese community and a local mental health clinic to write a grant to improve mental health services for Bhutanese refugees…the day we submitted that grant was a good day too.

Sometimes we struggle with something that feels a lot like culture shock, which we experienced when we moved to Nepal. We realize that we are weak, broken vessels, but ones through whom the Holy Spirit still wants to move. We believe it is His desire to call and mobilize local Bhutanese believers to embrace the Great Commission, to take the Gospel to their Nepali neighbors all over the world. We want to be a part of that…it would be our honor and joy. 

It’s still early days for us…we are still in the adjustment period. We have stepped into a place where God alone is in control. Only He can bring to pass the change in He wants in us and in those whom He has called us to serve. And we are with Him here, sink or swim… and there is no place else that we would rather be. 


In other news:

• Both the Bhutanese and Latino outreach launches went really smoothly last week, much in part to very high-quality volunteers with servant's attitudes and a willingness to help in every way that they could!  Thank you for praying for launches such as those we experienced!
• A group of 12 parents and kids from Heartland Community Church assembled 30 Canasta Basicas (bags of food staples) on Saturday morning, which will be made available to families in need through our Resource Center.  Find out more about Canasta Basicas, and how you can assemble some of them at www.missionadelante.org/canastabasica.

Prayer requests:

• Please pray that several Hispanics in our Latino church will rise to invitations into leadership roles that they'll soon be offered for the first time.
• Praise God for facilitating the smooth launch to our Fall trimester last week.

Other needs:

• An appliance dolly to help move large and heavy items in our Resource Center.  Please contact Molly at 913-281-6274 x5.

Important dates:

• Staff Open Houses: Saturday, November 19, 3:00-6:30, Kansas City, Kansas

Discipleship: Walking Through the Mundane

Written by Katelyn Wharton

Discipleship is such an important word for followers of Christ. Jesus had twelve disciples, and called us to make disciples. But when it comes down to it, how do we do this practically? Most people don’t have time to meet at the coffee shop every morning and do Bible studies with someone. So, if it’s not that, what is discipleship? I saw a model of discipleship at Mission Adelante this summer that is modeled after Christ’s work here on earth. He moved into his disciples’ area and invited them into his life (Mark 1:16, 19, 38). He walked further and began meeting the spiritual and physical needs of his community. In the same way, the Mission Adelante staff has moved into the neighborhood and begun meeting the needs of their community. Jesus used a come-and-let-me-teach-you approach to invite the disciples to share his life. Mission Adelante staff did the same thing with the interns this summer.

My invitation to share life looked a little different than that of the other interns. In my pseudo-intern position, I couldn’t stay the whole summer, so Jason and Megan Schoff invited me to spend the weeks I was in Kansas City, KS with their family. So began my journey into the mundane, to find out how to be a disciple and “do” discipleship out of who I am in Christ.

There is nothing particularly glamorous about family life—I know this from my own family, it’s simply reality—but I’ve found that there is something special about being asked to share the mundane moments of life with someone else! Jesus called his disciples to follow him and share in all the moments of his life, even the ordinary ones. When they dropped everything to follow him, I wonder if they realized they were in for a lot of walking?

While I’m sure that dorm-style life with the rest of the interns would have been great, staying with the Schoffs allowed me to be a part of the day-to-day life of a family seeking to follow Christ. Walking with Megan meant the occasional breakfast or lunch date, morning walks around the neighborhood with the boys in their stroller, grocery shopping, and talking after the boys went to bed, among other things. Walking with Jason looked like visiting people in the community, working with the English classes, and lots and lots of office work.  In these mundane moments I learned a lot. Several times throughout the summer, Megan asked me, “Katelyn, are you sure you want to come along with us? We’re only going to Costco,” or “We’re not doing anything interesting.”

 But isn’t this the essence of discipleship? Countless times throughout the New Testament Jesus was going somewhere, and he took his disciples with him (Mark 2:23, 3:13, 3:20, 5:1, 5:21, 6:1). Jesus invited his disciples to journey with him, then told them to make disciples; the Schoffs are followers of Christ who invited me to take part in their journey. Jesus ministered out of who he was; the Schoffs are ministering out of who they are and are becoming in Christ. And I was invited to journey with them in their mundane moments. Most of this journey wasn’t spent in a coffee shop or doing Bible study, but I have learned about becoming like Christ by simply walking with them and watching, just as the disciples learned by walking with and watching Jesus.

 So, who will you invite into the mundane moments of your life? 

In other news:

• Six individuals were baptized at the Latino worship service on Sunday evening  with the rest of the congregation gathered around the pool.  Each of those being baptized shared a confession of faith beforehand, and the depth of the ownership of their faith to which they testified was edifying for the rest of the congregation to hear.  
• This week is the launch of our fall trimester, and the Lord provided many of the volunteers that we were asking him to provide.  However, we're still a few volunteers short.  We need a couple of conversation partners for Thursday evening Latino ESL classes and a male L.I.T. tutor on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons.  Find more information as well as phone numbers of directors by clicking here.

Prayer needs:

• Pray for the continuing faith journey of the six who were baptized.  Pray for their faith to be protected and that their love for the Lord would continue to grow.
• The oldest boy in Teens Adelante is taking ownership in welcoming five new teens into the outreach Bible study this fall.  There are also three new volunteers.  Please pray for each of them to integrate well and be accepted into the group, which developed closeness during the summer.
• Pray for the relationships that God will form between volunteers and program participants this trimester in all of our outreach programs.  
• Ask the Lord to give Jarrett Meek and Jason Schoff guidance and boldness as they consider reformatting that way our Latino church worships.

Current needs:

• A small group to provide a meal for 20 people each Monday afternoon throughout the school year.  Please contact Megan at meganm@missionadelante.org.
• Fifty-five gallon trash bags.
• A gas stove, dining room table and chairs, a washer, and a dryer have all been requested in our Resource Center.  Please contact Molly at 913-281-6274 x 5.

Important dates:

• Latino Trimester Launch: Thursday, September 15, 6:30 p.m
• Save the Date: Saturday, November 19.  Mission Adelante Staff Open Houses in the afternoon.  More details TBA.

Sons and Daughters

Written by Brooke Coon


We went around the circle one by one, as each teen shared what the summer at Teens Adelante was all about for them. After four weeks of the boys and girls being separated to have a Purity study, I was anxious to see if the confidence I had seen growing in the girls community would transfer to the whole group. As we went around the large circle of 11 Teens and 9 leaders, every single one shared a truly insightful piece of what God had been teaching them. "Loyalty." "Brotherhood." "Respect." But what really got me was when I heard "Trust." It wasn't just the concept, but who it was coming from; the one teen who from the first night I volunteered at Mission Adelante tried to place a wall between us.  "Trust" was not in his vocabulary. Walls were safe for him.


Over the past year, his defenses have come down, stone by stone, and during the men's purity time something in him seems to have not only come down, but he has actually reached out. He offered his true self and what resulted was "Trust; I never thought I would be able to trust a group of guys. I have never been able to before." Not only did he find a group of teen guys and men to lead them as brothers in Christ, but he is discovering an identity in Christ that gave him the confidence to share his true heart in front of all Teens Adelante.


The four weeks with the girls was equally powerful. The first week was an awkward tension of defense mechanisms at their maximum load. The second week those defenses burst to pieces. The Lord had called a couple of the women leaders to share from the dark unhealed wounds of the heart. He called us to lead the way in modeling what it looks like to brings things into the light that can really feel painful to acknowledge.  Immediately after we penetrated the silence in our own hearts, they did in theirs. The chains of our sin and the wounds that others had inflicted on our feminine hearts poured out into the thick air that night.


But a temporary discomfort in facing sin brings complete salvation and freedom to never again sit in darkness or fear. Doors in every single one of the young women opened, to what I imagine will be a year of deep restoration. There is a Holy restoration to our identities as 'daughters of the King' that occurs when we simply gather to seek His face. I am now beginning to see in them a security in each other and in their womanhood.  They are suddenly radiating as a group of girls. They no longer see each other as a threat, but as sisters. 


I am joyfully anticipating building on this foundation of sisterhood that Jesus laid in them. My prayer for all the Teens as we begin a new school year is that this communal foundation will give them strength to live a life that is set apart and that they will experience the Body of Christ working in all its glory. Despite all of our differences at Teens Adelante, there is a group of women and a group of men that will gather to seek wholeness in Christ, and demonstrate our love for each other through "loyalty", "respect", "trust", "vulnerability", and "brotherhood."


In other news:

• A portion of the Bhutanese missional family traveled to Fayetteville the weekend before last to learn about business as missions from a church that is doing it there.  They returned with many ideas about new ways to help the immigrants in our community.
• Another year of Leaders In Training--an after school tutoring and character development program--begins today for 12 select kids between the ages of eight and 14.  Director Megan McDermott feels very privileged to invest in the emerging leaders of our community in this way.

Prayer needs:

• Praise God!  Lauren Timberlake has officially joined the Mission Adelante Staff as the part-time Director of the Bhutanese English Outreach!  Please pray for the quick completion of the remodeling of the home they have purchased in Kansas City, Kansas, as they are eager to move to the neighborhood.
• Pray for God to strengthen  a Latino gentleman in our community that lost his father earlier this year and is presently trying to hold onto hope for his marriage.

Current needs:

• A number of volunteers are still needed for the fall trimester in most of our program areas. Our needs are:
  • Bhutanese Kids Club: 4 volunteers, at least one of whom is male
  • Bhutanese Teens Club: 2 male mentors; a worship leader
  • Latino Teens: 2 male mentors
  • Latino Adult ESL: 6 conversation partners
  • Leaders In Training: a small group to provide a meal for 20 people each Monday afternoon throughout the school year; 1 male tutor for Wednesday afternoons
  If you, or someone you know is interested, click here for more information. Then contact the staff person listed with the information about the program that most interests you. Our fall trimester is right around the corner, kicking off on September 13.
• An appliance dolly, to move large items in our Resource Center.
• Nonperishable food items to distribute through our Resource Center including canned goods, cereal, pasta, toilet paper, etc.
• A  baby stroller, which has been requested in our Resource Center

Important dates:

• Volunteer Orientation & Training: Saturday, September 10, 9:00-12:30. This orientation is a great way to get to know the scope of our whole ministry in one sitting, so if you'd like to find out more about us, even if you're unsure whether you can commit to volunteering, please come!
• Volunteer Team Meeting: Monday, September 12, 6:30 p.m. All of our active volunteers gather once at the beginning of the trimester to prepare for a great program launch.
• Bhutanese Trimester Launch: Tuesday, September 13, 6:30 p.m.
• Latino Trimester Launch: Thursday, September 15, 6:30 p.m
• Save the Date: Saturday, November 19.  Mission Adelante Staff Open Houses in the afternoon.  More details TBA.

Life-Change through Volunteering at Kids Adelante

Written by Rylee Bacon

As a 20 year-old college student home for the summer, exploring the city in which I grew up, I found myself searching for a community that truly “practiced what they preached.” What I found was Mission Adelante: a community of true brothers and sisters in Christ, who live out their convictions in a lifestyle truly reflective of God’s love, and moreover seek God’s love with some of the most fervent passion I’ve ever witnessed. As I worked as a volunteer for Kid’s Adelante, I saw God’s love and majesty work throughout this body without the man-made borders of age, skin color, language or ethnicity, and replaced with love, compassion, respect, and sacrifice. What I found was truly life-changing.

Through Kids Adelante, I witnessed first-hand how God does some very big things in some very small (and by small I mean young) people. As I was embraced by the entire Adelante community, I saw that, while although I was there to help teach, I began to see that others were teaching me. Under the direction of Megan McDermott, Kid’s Adelante’s phenomenal and driven leader, and an incredible group of passionate fellow volunteers, I began to see how committed this community is to one another and to the teaching of God’s love. As I began to work with some of the greatest, most mature and loving children I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet, I saw the deep barriers of today filled and replaced with love and understanding, in both the children I worked with and myself.

From free back-to-school backpacks and supplies for each child, to cook-outs and community parties, from the heartfelt embraces every time I walked in, to the undeniable support I saw for each member of this community, I saw the very hands of God at work. May we as the body of Christ, always remember, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12.”

A number of volunteers are still needed for the fall trimester in all of our program areas. Our needs are:

• Bhutanese Kids Club: 4 volunteers, at least one of whom is male
• Bhutanese Teens Club: 2 male mentors; a worship leader
• Kids Adelante: 3 volunteers, preferably male
• Latino Teens: 2 male mentors
• Latino Adult ESL: 6 conversation partners
• Leaders In Training: a small group to provide a meal for 20 people each Monday afternoon throughout the school year; 1 male tutor for Wednesday afternoons

If you, or someone you know is interested, click here for more information. Then contact the staff person listed with the information about the program that most interests you. Our fall trimester is right around the corner, kicking off on September 13.

Current needs:

• An individual skilled in small motor diagnostics and repair to take a look at our lawn mowers and weed eaters and advise us in terms of their repair. Please contact Molly at 913-961-2984.

Prayer needs:

• Please join us in praying for the Lord to provide the remaining volunteers that are needed to fully staff all of our outreach programs for this fall.

Important dates:

• Volunteer Orientation & Training: Saturday, September 10, 9:00-12:30. This orientation is a great way to get to know the scope of our whole ministry in one sitting, so if you'd like to find out more about us, even if you're unsure whether you can commit to volunteering, please come!
• Volunteer Team Meeting: Monday, September 12, 6:30 p.m. All of our active volunteers gather once at the beginning of the trimester to prepare for a great program launch.
• Bhutanese Trimester Launch: Tuesday, September 13, 6:30 p.m.
• Latino Trimester Launch: Thursday, September 15, 6:30 p.m

A Lesson in Discipleship at the Pool

Written by summer intern Michelle Morency

At Mission Adelante we believe that making disciples goes far beyond what happens in a classroom or in a Sunday School program. My experiences this summer have echoed this truth as I’ve had the chance to invest in a handful of girls throughout my time here. This past Saturday I took two girls, Ashley (9) and Perla (8), to the local pool. These girls hardly ever get

to go to the pool, and so they began with trepidation, neither wanting to admit their fear of deep water. We slowly moved from the shallow end to deeper water, learning how to hold our breath, swim without plugging our noses, and float on our backs. We advanced to drills of jumping in and swimming longer distances. I would swim beside them, ready to hold them up and all the while encouraging them. Throughout this whole process the girls also learned how to encourage each other as they took risks and faced their fears. The girls were overjoyed each time they accomplished a challenge and were motivated by their successes to push themselves further.
After many little victories and lots of excitement, the girls were determined to jump off the diving board before we left. Although I was hesitant, there was no stopping them. It was a wonderful victory for each of them to jump off for the first time and they both left the pool beaming with pride of their success.

It may seem tedious, tiresome or time-consuming to disciple children at all, and especially to concentrate on only a few, but I believe that real growth happened for Ashley and Perla on Saturday through the challenges that were set before them. Also, countless situations during our time at the pool opened up teachable moments or spiritual conversations. What is exciting to me is not that Ashley and Perla learned to swim better. I am encouraged by the fact that they are the future leaders of this community and that they learned in a really small way how to trust God when he asks them to take a risk for Him.

Going to the pool was not what I pictured for summer discipleship. My suburban, task-oriented mindset gave me dreams of weekly Bible studies and prayer with the girls. I used to feel that time spent with them was ineffective if we had not talked about God. I have learned that discipleship, however, is about sharing life. To make real change in a girl’s life demands much more of my time than a weekly Bible study and calls for a friendship first. Jesus trained the 12 not in classes or seminars but by spending a lot of time with them. Consequently, he was able to speak truth into their lives.

Jumping off a diving board is a small challenge, though it seemed big to the girls. In their Christian lives they are sure to face greater trials, as the early apostles faced trials and persecution. We are told over and over in Scripture that trials await, but that God is purifying us through them and developing perseverance (James 1:3 and 1 Peter 1:7). We must be constantly strengthening each other for Jesus has said, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Matthew 9:37). We must take on a view of discipleship that equips others, even children, to become workers for God’s Kingdom, and for his harvest field.

Upcoming dates: Everyone is invited to our End-of-Trimester Parties! Come celebrate the accomplishments of adult English learners, teens, and kids, and the incredible dedication of our many volunteers! Both the Bhutanese and Latino parties will be Sunday, August 14 at Wyandotte County Lake Park. The park entrance is at 91st Street and Leavenworth Road in Kansas City, KS.

• Bhutanese End-of-Trimester Party: Sunday, August 14 at 4:00 p.m. in Shelter #6 at Wyandotte County Lake Park. Please bring a dish or drink to share.

• Latino End-of-Trimester Party: Sunday, August 14 at 5:00 p.m. in the "Beach Shelter" (Turn right after passing Shelter #6) at Wyandotte County Lake Park. We'll be grilling 'burgers and 'dogs, so please bring a side dish, dessert, or drink to share.

Come and See the Mission Field in your own Backyard!

Throughout both the Old and New Testaments, God's heart for the lost and broken is evident. His love for all people is beyond imagination, but His heart of mercy for "the least of these" is displayed time and time again in unique and special ways.

In Matthew 25 Jesus says these words;

37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

At Mission Adelante, we have found ourselves in the middle of a mission field right here in our own backyard. And in this mission field we are surrounded by the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the sick, and families of people in prison. Who would have thought that the cross-cultural mission field would come to us, and that we would have the opportunity to demonstrate the kind of compassion that Jesus exhorted us toward right here in our own city!?

We invite you to join us in this mission by serving in practical ways and connecting relationally with people from another culture. Instead of viewing missions as something only a few "super-Christians" can do, why not make it a normal part of your life?

Whether your heart is for adult immigrants or kids, Latinos or refugees from Bhutan, there is a place for you to make an impact with Mission Adelante.

• English Classes for adults (Latino or Bhutanese)
• Kids Outreach Bible Study (Latino or Bhutanese)
• Teen Bible Study (Latino or Bhutanese)
• LIT After-School Tutoring (Latino)

New volunteers are needed in all of our outreach programs beginning in September! Only three weeks remain in our current trimester, so now is the perfect time to come observe what we do and find the program that you're the most well-suited for! Please click here for all the info related to volunteering with Mission Adelante! And now, if you have a couple of minutes, watch a quick video to get a better feel for what it looks like to be involved in our ministries!

Mission Adelante's Volunteer Opportunities from Mission Adelante on Vimeo.

In other news:

• The recent heat wave has provided terrific opportunities for several Mission Adelante staff and interns to take kids swimming as they continue to share life with them.
• The Lord has truly blessed the first two weeks of the Latino teens' purity Bible study. By guiding the adult leaders to be particularly transparent and vulnerable on the topic of personal purity, God has brought some of the teens' deepest wounds into the light. While those things are exceptionally hard to resolve, praise the Lord, who wants to heal the wounds each of us have suffered!
• The Bhutanese ministry staff enjoyed dinner with some of the Bhutanese community at a Bhutanese family's home last weekend, and were surprised by how strongly they felt like they were among family.
• Each of our summer interns continues to make a real impact on lives in our community. Latino Outreach Director Jason Schoff reports that summer intern Ariel Anib did a terrific job teaching the Level 1 Latino ESL class last Thursday!

Prayer requests:

• Please ask the Lord to grant understanding and healing to the Bhutanese community in Kansas City following a tragic death. Ask Him also for wisdom for Mission Adelante staff that want to comfort and care for them, as well as opportunities to speak words of hope to them.
• Pray for Fernando, a teen in our community, that will have eye surgery on Thursday.
• Alberto, a member of our Latino church, has an appointment this week for his doctor to determine whether he needs knee surgery. Please pray that if surgery is necessary, that the Lord would provide the resources for him to afford it, and that if it isn't necessary, that the Lord would relieve his knee pain in another way.
• Please pray for each of the six summer interns to remain totally engaged in their ministry roles here for the remaining three weeks of their internship, and to finish the summer strong.

Current needs:

• A bookshelf has been requested through our Resource Center. Contact Molly at 913-961-2984 if you have one to donate.
• Box fans to help cool the classrooms in our facility. Please contact Morgan at 913-281-6274 x3 if you can donate any.
• Articles of clothing for school uniforms, including elementary and middle school boys' and girls' khaki and navy pants as well as navy and white polo shirts. Please contact Kristen Maxwell 913-980-7627 to arrange a donation of clothing.

Upcoming dates:

• Sunday, August 14: Bhutanese and Latino End-of-Trimester parties at Wyandotte County Lake Park. Mark your calendar now to attend--everyone is invited! More details TBA.

EBC's Kids' Camp Waters Seeds

Written by summer intern Cassie Donley

This summer I have had the amazing blessing of serving at Mission Adelante as an intern with Kids Adelante. I have learned so much that it is impossible to nail down just one aspect to share. Nevertheless, the one that is upon my heart to share is the principle of convivir (Spanish for "to live with"). All of the Mission Adelante staff and interns live in this neighborhood. It is a basic ministry principle that Mission Adelante holds dear: to live and serve with the people we are trying to reach. This past week, I had the privilege of watching 35 teens from Emmanuel Baptist Church, along with their interns and leaders, experience the principle of convivir. They stayed in KCK from Sunday through Thursday, doing service projects during the day and hosting a kids' camp in Prescott Park with Mission Adelante each evening.

The group arrived Sunday evening, transformed the Mission Adelante soccer field into an outdoor movie theater and hosted a barbeque. They spent their first evening in KCK in fellowship with the Latino church. Just as church concluded, the barbeque was ready and the children stayed for a movie on the soccer field. It was so much fun to lie on blankets and watch the movie. The most exciting part was watching the young EBC teens interact with the kids from our neighborhood.

Over the next three days, EBC hosted a kids' camp at Prescott Park. That specific area of town has been one of Mission Adelante's target neighborhoods for outreach, so locating the kids' camp there was strategic. It was a well-prepared outreach from the songs, to the message, to the crafts and game stations. The biggest impact was the teens from EBC loving on the kids from the Prescott Park neighborhood--kids who have never been to Kids Adelante and were not associated with Mission Adelante. What the EBC teens didn’t know was that they were watering seeds that had already been planted in those children’s hearts.

On Thursday night, EBC was invited to come to Mission Adelante and participate with us in our weekly children’s program. That night, eight new kids from the Prescott Park neighborhood came to Mission Adelante for the first time. We have had kids' camps at Prescott Park for the last three summers with the goal of planting seeds in the hearts of kids. This year, with eight brand new kids coming to Kid’s Adelante, it’s a blessing to see the fruit of God’s hands.

In other news:

• Bhutanese Kids Club coordinator Kristen Maxwell had the opportunity to tell kids and youth at the Olathe Christ Community Church campus about domestic missions. She challenged them to be the hands and feet of Jesus to Bhutanese refugee children by providing a backpack and school supplies to one of them for the upcoming school year.

Prayer needs:

• Tonight, Jesus' death and resurrection will be the topic of the lesson at Bhutanese Kids Club and Teens Club. Coming from a Hindu culture, many of them accept Jesus as one of their gods, but not as the only true God. Please pray for the leaders to present the gospel in a culturally respectful way, and that the truth takes hold in the kids and teens minds.
• A particular immigrant family that lost the husband/father to murder is undergoing heavy spiritual attack now, a year later, as it struggles with issues such as the kids' behavior and finances. Please help us pray that the Lord would protect and deliver them from the enemy's harassment.
• A number of the Mission Adelante staff members including several interns are presently finding it very difficult to connect with individuals that they want to intentionally spend time with in order to create a framework in which to do ministry. Please pray for the Lord to facilitate the development of those relationships.
• This is the second of three weeks of "purity talks" with the Latino teens. Last week, God used the study to begin teaching the leaders to be vulnerable, and to examine their own lives through the lens of purity. Please pray for the Lord to deepen the authenticity, vulnerability, and attitude of obedience in the teens and the leaders during the remaining studies.

Current needs:

• New volunteers for all outreach programs beginning in September. Now is the perfect time to come observe what we do and find the program that you're the most well-suited for! Please click here for all the info related to volunteering with Mission Adelante!
• Diapers, in all sizes, are a frequently requested item in our Resource Center. Contact Molly at 913-961-2984 to arrange making a donation.
• Articles of clothing for school uniforms, including elementary and middle school boys' and girls' khaki and navy pants as well as navy and white polo shirts. Please contact Kristen Maxwell 913-980-7627 to arrange a donation of clothing.

Upcoming dates:

• Sunday, August 14: Bhutanese and Latino End-of-Trimester parties at Wyandotte County Lake Park. Mark your calendar now to attend--everyone is invited! More details TBA.

A Need for the Lord Connects the Suburbs with Urban KCK

Written by Jessie Chastain

Suburbia met KCK four evening this week as busloads of teens from Emmanuel Baptist Church have unloaded at Mission Adelante for kids’ camp. Watching their arrival seems to me akin to aliens stepping off their spaceship into uncharted territory. There is a sense of boldness and anticipation mixed by a touch of uncertainty. The feeling seems familiar to me, having been here for only two months. However, in that short time the Lord has spoken to me in my uncertainties, and I’ve seen him do the same with the groups of people that come to volunteer.

In conversations with staff and volunteers, it’s become evident that the Lord’s favor is the thing that enables countless relationships that happen here. There is no other explanation for the vulnerability and encouragement that is cultivated. I have left dinners with my immigrant family speechless because of the connection I feel with them as a family, causing me to ponder the way that Jesus served and lived among the people he worked with. I often plan the right questions to ask and stories to tell before I walk into situations and in reality, I sense the Spirit most in the times when I’m left with no words.

My prayer has become for there to be a growing awareness in the nearby suburbs of the proximity in location and of the heart of KCK. Walking into situations where the culture and history of the people you’re working with is foreign territory only increases our dependence upon God and his ability to work. The hearts of the people here look no different than our own in this sense: they are just as much in need of a holy touch from the Lord as any person that lives in the suburbs.

I see a connection to the Israelites in the Old Testament. God is calling us into a deeper relationship with him that our hearts long to have. You see that he knows the reality of the deep rebellion of our hearts, and our lack of lasting commitment to a relationship with Him. I want to believe that the thousands of years that separate me from the Israelites is enough to cleanse humanity of those tendencies. Wake up call; I’m flesh, and although the world has developed in the outward physical ways, the human heart remains the same. Acknowledging the darkness of our motivations does not end the sinfulness, but it does still us before Christ’s infinite grace in our daily living. I think this is the unifying piece and an ever-present reminder of the ways that God can truly connect the heart of the suburbs with the heart of the city through our joint need for Him.

In other news:

• Teens Adelante Coordinator Brooke Coon is focusing increased attention on the Latino teens that are "stepping up" in terms of their dedication. She has learned to identify the "hungry" ones as those individuals who show up to events that aren't primarily to have fun--like a service day they had last Saturday.
• Bhutanese Outreach Director David Stetler and volunteer Drew Timberlake have returned from a very successful trip to Nepal. They were honored when the pastor-leader of the Bhutanese house church network with whom they've established a relationship told them, "We need you to partner with us in this ministry." The global connections that God continues to make for Mission Adelante are remarkable!
• Each summer intern has dinner with the same immigrant family one night a week as a way to foster relationships that hopefully become the context for ministry to occur. After about two years of participating in English classes and being invited to church, the family that hosts intern Ariel for dinner each week has responded to her invitation and have come to church twice recently!

Prayer needs:

• Teens Adelante staff and volunteers are preparing to have a series of talks with the Latino teens on the topic of purity. Please pray for the teens to receive their message as one that is credible, and that they can relate to.
• We emphasize discipleship, or the sustained effort of believers to study and learn together in small groups, as an essential means to personal spiritual growth for our Latino church congregation. Please help us pray for an increase of the momentum and depth of each discipleship group.
• Pray for perseverance and for maximum learning potential for our summer interns, as they've passed the half-way point of their internship.
• There are a number of neighborhood kids that we see every summer for the various VBS events that we host in local parks, but not throughout the rest of the year. Please pray for outreaches targeted specifically at those kids that will begin next week. Pray that they'll be attracted by the Holy Spirit to begin attending Kids Adelante regularly.

Other needs:

• Window air conditioning units for neighborhood immigrant families. Please contact Molly Merrick at 913-961-2984 if you would like to donate one.
• A Bhutanese family in our neighborhood is in need of a car. If you have a running car that you're willing to donate through Mission Adelante, please contact David Stetler at davids@missionadelante.org.
• Articles of clothing for school uniforms, including elementary and middle school boys' and girls' khaki and navy pants as well as navy and white polo shirts. Please contact Kristen Maxwell 913-980-7627 to donate this clothing.
• Please contact a Mission Adelante staff member to arrange a time to drop-off donations to our Resource Center. We request that items not be left outside our building or outside of the Resource Center. You can reach Molly Merrick at 913-961-2984.

Upcoming dates:

• Wednesdays July 20 and 27, and August 3 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.: Latino kids outreach events. To find out how you can get involved, contact Cassie at 816-527-0947 or Michelle at 630-730-3283.

She's Just the Person that Unlocks the Door

We at Mission Adelante believe that serving to meet practical needs is a critical aspect of loving immigrants. The "kingdom value" of service increases when word and deed unite to clearly proclaim the glory of Jesus Christ. One of the ways Mission Adelante helps meet the practical needs of immigrants in our neighborhood is through our Resource Center, which operates out of a detached garage on our property. It helps channel resources such as clothing, furniture, household items, and food from donors to immigrants with specific needs. Resource Center volunteer Michelle Holland says, "Many people in our community have not connected to a support system. Having a place that offers to meet some of the essential needs, such as food and clothing, is so important in showing the love of Jesus. Meeting those needs can hopefully lead to beginning relationships that will build their support system and share a support system--Jesus--that will never fail them!"

Each Saturday morning for about the past two years, Ministry Aide Molly Merrick has opened the Resource Center to the waiting group of immigrants that have gathered in the parking lot. Molly is well suited to run the weekly operation because of several of her characteristics that she's well known for around here. Those who know her will tell you that she is compassionate and possesses a servant's heart. Her Christ-like vision leads her to welcome anyone who comes through the door. She diligently and cheerfully manages the ministry, which is a lot of behind-the-scenes work without much glory. She quickly recognizes needs and will do whatever she can to find a way to meet them. She's also shown resourcefulness, given that she speaks little Spanish, by braving the language barrier and creatively generating volunteers to help staff the Resource Center. In addition to the Holland family, three Latina women and their children, all of whom have been a part of our church at some point, are some of Molly's most dependable volunteers. Even when they've had long absences from church, serving in the Resource Center has shown them a way that they can serve and lead, and has preserved their connection with Mission Adelante.

Now, Molly describes her role by saying, "I'm just the person that unlocks the door." She says that the best part of managing the ministry is not having to worry about the Saturday-morning operation of the Resource Center because she knows that the volunteers that are helping know just what to do. This frees Molly up on Saturday mornings to visit with the families that come, play with the kids, and manage the volunteer groups that sometimes come for work days.

We believe that God calls believers to demonstrate special hospitality for "strangers," going out of our way to show them compassion. That's why we're so thankful for Molly, and her leadership of the Resource Center, which is one of the most tangible ways we have found of demonstrate compassion.

Current needs:

• Molly needs volunteers to help her sort and organize donations to our Resource Center. Please call Molly at 913-961-2984 to arrange a time to come help.
• Two refrigerators, which have been requested by immigrant families. If you can donate one, please contact Molly at 913-961-2984.
• The Resource Center door is a standard locking garage door, but the lock sometimes doesn't work correctly. If you could replace the lock, please contact Molly at 913-961-2984.
• Many of the immigrant families we serve have a need for the basics, like food. Help provide staple food items for neighborhood families by hosting a Canasta Basica Assembly Party! Find all the details by clicking here!

Important dates:

• July 8th at 7:00 p.m.: All are welcome to join us for tea, coffee, and dessert, and to meet the two new staff members we've added to the Bhutanese Outreach. You'll also hear about their calling to this ministry and the financial needs that we have to make them full time staff members. Join us at Larry & Barb Stetler's, 5814 W. 84th Street, Overland Park, KS 66207. Please RSVP by clicking here.

A Lesson about Hospitality

Written by summer intern Ariel Anib

There is a proverb that says, “Hospitality is making your guests feel at home, even though you wish they were”. You can bet that oftentimes that is the mentality of those of us from the United States. We say things like “Make yourself at home” while still breathing a sigh of relief when our guests leave.

Through the internship with Mission Adelante, each intern is matched with our own immigrant family to whose house we go once a week for dinner. For the past month, I have been invited Erika’s house. She is a single mother of two children, Natalie and Kevin, and her friend Ana also resides there. At first, I was nervous about going to eat in a stranger’s house, anticipating forced conversation and awkward silences. However, this fear was soon proven to be unnecessary. The first week, I was there for a straight three hours. Even after that long of a time, the family was still sad to see me go. Don’t get me wrong, I had my share of what I like to call “Lost in Translation” moments. For example, I asked Erika if she would bring her kids to the cannibal instead of the carnival, and I probably said "repite, por favor" ("please repeat") over 100 times. Through it all, they remained patient with me and listened. I can be sure that they were listening because they next week, they made my favorite dish, chiles rellenos.

Overcome, by the heart that this family had shown me, I promised to take them to the pool. With only one public pool in their city, the kids never got the opportunity to take swimming lessons, let alone swim at all. So, I took the kids back to my apartment pool in Olathe, along with Erika and her friend’s child Edmond whom she cares for during the day. After a couple of hours, we went across the street to meet my mom. Erika and my mom instantly connected, since they are both mothers by profession and shoppers at heart. On our way back to KCK, I realized that I had left my cell phone somewhere and turned around to go back. I ran out of the car and was quickly followed by both of the kids to help me search. They did not even have to be told. Once again, I was amazed by the purity of heart these children had!

This past Sunday, I opened the door to Mission Adelante and was met by Kevin and Natalie running into my arms. I was shocked; although the children go to Kids Adelante weekly, their mother Erika had never been to our church. With a smile on her face, Natalie said, “We came to support you while you give your testimony in Spanish today”. My heart swelled at this beautiful depiction of 1 Corinthians 13. The next day at dinner, Erika told me that seeing the people of Mission Adelante on the Leaders in Training camping trip over the weekend and the joy on her kids’ faces after Kids Adelante testified to the work that Mission Adelante was doing.

So, I leave you with one last challenge. The next time you are looking at the clock, wondering when your guests will finally leave. I encourage you to stop and think of Hebrews 13:1-2, “¹Let brotherly love continue. ² Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unaware”.

In other news:

• A group of about 30 L.I.T. students, family members, Mission Adelante staff, volunteers, and interns spent last weekend at a state park in Kansas. It was an enormously valuable time for them to leave the neighborhood and just have fun. They swam in a lake, played a game called Mafia, devoured s'mores, and slept in tents, but perhaps the best thing afforded by the trip was the opportunity for the volunteers to bond with one another and with the kids.

Prayer needs:

• A team of six from Mission Adelante are traveling to Qba today to spend about a week strengthening the sense of unity between our ministry and the Raices ("Roots") ministry there, with whom we partner. Please pray for their arrival there this afternoon to go smoothly, and that the Lord would use our team powerfully as they participate in some Raices ministry functions this week.

Current needs:

• Two refrigerators, which have been requested by immigrant families. If you can donate one, please contact Molly at 913-961-2984.
• Molly needs volunteers to help her sort and organize donations to our Resource Center, which helps channel resources such as clothing, household items, and food from donors to immigrants with specific needs. Please call Molly at 913-961-2984 to arrange a time to come help.
• Many of the immigrant families we serve have a need for the basics, like food. Help provide staple food items for neighborhood families by hosting a Canasta Basica Assembly Party! Find all the details by clicking here!

Important dates:

• June 28-July 4: Summer break. No Bhutanese or Latino outreach programs. The Mission Adelante office will be closed June 29-July 4.
• July 8th at 7:00 p.m.: All are welcome to join us for tea, coffee, and dessert, and to meet the two new staff members we've added to the Bhutanese Outreach. You'll also hear about their calling to this ministry and the financial needs that we have to make them full time staff members. Join us at Larry & Barb Stetler's, 5814 W. 84th Street, Overland Park, KS 66207. Please RSVP by clicking here.