Upside Down Kingdom

Written by Lauren Timberlake, Bhutanese ESL Director

Mon Maya Rai prayed a lot for my healing

 this summer and has blessed me so much.

God’s kingdom is truly upside down. Last year, our family spent lots of time, energy and money to move to the Mission Adelante neighborhood and serve Bhutanese refugees. We finally settled down in March, and I was looking forward to diving into relationships with our neighbors. As I prayed about where to start and how best to serve, a mentor encouraged me to wait at God’s doorstep (Proverbs 8:34-35). Positioning myself near to His heart would ultimately be the best way to serve others.

So I did. And I was led to take small steps. 

A few neighbor kids started spending time with us after school, and we made plans for summer fun with them. I was excited to take them swimming and to the park, and to go on walks with some of my ESL students. Summer was going to be a season of diving deeper into life here, and I was ready.

The first weekend after school got out, I broke my foot (just walking barefoot in my house!). I knew it would slow me down, but I prayed God would heal me quickly, so I could still take the kids swimming and such. A few days later at a routine eye exam, my doctor discovered that my retina was detached. I would need emergency surgery--the kind that comes with a significant recovery period.

I was down for the count. And really frustrated. How was I going to take care of my three kids--let alone serve others--if I couldn’t walk, drive or even see straight? But God still had plans for my summer. I was surprised by all the ways I saw His concern for me through those I thought I was supposed to be taking care of.

My missional family (those of us living in the neighborhood to serve the Bhutanese), co-workers, volunteers and even my ESL students blessed me again and again. They brought meals, prayed for me and with me, walked my baby girl, and sat with me while I was homebound. Our Bhutanese house-church members and several ESL students prayed for my healing. Even now, they commonly ask me how my eye is doing. Their concern was real, and God listened to their prayers. It's been about a month since my foot finished healing, and my eye is doing better than anyone expected--I am so grateful.

How humbling. And how beautiful. We come to God ready to give what we think we have, and then he turns it around and lets us receive His love and grace afresh. His kingdom doesn’t work the way we think it should--it’s so much better than that. The relationships that form from serving at Mission Adelante really do result in sharing life with each other and growing His kingdom--

His way

, not ours. And positioning ourselves at His doorstep is always a good way to begin.

In other news:

  • The majority of Mission Adelante staff and a number of staff spouses, members of the missional family, and neighborhood teens attended the Christian Community Development Association's Annual Conference in Minneapolis last week. It was four days jam-packed with encouragement and equipping to do justice and love mercy, along with exhortation to never forget that walking humbly with our God is that which enables us to do the work that we do.
  • We're so very pleased that Yanelis, the leader of the Raices discipling ministry in Cuba, has arrived in Kansas City for about three weeks of getting to know the "family" and training. It is a long-awaited visit, involving mountains of paperwork, and we're enormously thankful that the Lord brought her in His timing.

Prayer needs:

  • Please pray for each member of our staff to persist in the habit of quieting ourselves before God on a regular basis to receive life from Him.
  • Pray for the Lord's hand to be over Yanelis during her visit, that she would learn and be encouraged and equipped in every way that He has for her.

Important dates:

  • Tuesday, October 9 & Thursday, October 11: Bring-A-Friend Nights Volunteers, who do you know that might be interested in getting a first-hand look at what it's like to volunteer at Mission Adelante?  Next Tuesday and Thursday evenings are the perfect opportunity for you to invite someone to come along, meet your immigrant friends and Mission Adelante staff, and get the flavor of the way we serve to demonstrate the love of Christ.
  • Saturday, November 17, 3-6:30 p.m.: Mission Adelante Staff House Parties

Oversized Postcards

by

Vistaprint

  • Jarrett & Kristen Meek, Molly Merrick: 251 N. 15th Street
  • Jason & Megan Schoff, Megan McDermott: 410 N. 15th Street
  • David & Brooke Coon: 245 N. 17th Street
  • David & Holly Stetler, Drew Hammond: 438 N. 17th Street
  • Drew & Lauren Timberlake, Kristen Maxwell: 706 N. 17th Street
  • Garett & Jenny Dunn, Hannah Hume: 335 N. 15th Street

All homes are in Kansas City, KS 66102.  RSVP not necessary.

The Difference a Dude Can Make

Written by Kristen Maxwell, Bhutanese Children's Ministry Director


I was recently visiting some of our neighborhood KCK elementary schools, meeting teachers in preparation for the launch of the Bhutanese Leader in Training program.  As I talked with one of the teachers, we got on the topic of an LIT kid who had been in her class a few years earlier.  She talked about what an amazing transformation she had seen in the life of this boy since then. 

For the purpose of this story we will call this young man John.  John was new to the country.  His family was in crisis mode, trying to figure out which way was up.  His father was working all the time, leaving his mother to take care of him and his four siblings.  John started to make friends in the apartment complex where he lived.  These friends were considerably older than him and had visible ties to gang activity.  We were worried about John.

John’s attitude at school, home and Kids Club became increasingly negative.  He wanted to be like his older friends, his friends that were in the gang.  Around this time Drew Hammond and Tyler McCommons became the mentors for John’s Kids Club group which included 4th to 6th grade boys.  Drew and Tyler started investing in John.  They started spending time with him outside of Kids Club, hanging out at his house, and taking him places; becoming like big brothers to John and a few of his other Bhutanese friends.

John began to walk with new confidence, a confidence found in the knowledge that Tyler and Drew believed in him and expected great things from him.  Hanging out with his old “friends” didn’t seem so cool anymore.  I am certain that the Lord used Tyler and Drew to change the direction of John’s life.  John is now a bright spot in our Tuesday night program, focused on becoming a leader in our LIT program, and helping the younger Kids Club kids.  

There are countless young men in our community that could benefit from a relationship like the one Drew and Tyler have with John.  If you are a male, would you consider being a mentor to some of our boys?  Would you consider doing life with them, showing them how to walk in the way of Jesus, and how to be a man of God?  A couple of hours a week could make a world of difference in the life of a young man.  If you would like more information about getting involved please contact Megan McDermott (meganm@missionadelante.org) or Kristen Maxwell (kristenm@missionadelante.org).

In other news:
  • A few Latino teens from our community that are interested in pursuing college attended their first "Latinos of Tomorrow" meeting. The mission of Latinos of Tomorrow is to provide leadership learning opportunities in education advancement, career development and civic involvement.  We look forward to encouraging our teens to learn the skills they need to apply for college admission.
  • A big "Thank You" to Cathy Claudell, Bhutanese Nursery volunteer, for outfitting our nursery with fun and engaging toys!  The nursery is used on Tuesday nights by the children and grandchildren of many of our English class participants who would not be able to attend if it were not available.
Prayer needs:
  • Our Bhutanese Leaders in Training will finish their first full week today!  Praise God with us for a full, successful, and fun first week!
  • Thank God with us for our faithful transportation volunteers. They serve our community in such an important way. The Bhutanese ESL, kids and teens programs wouldn’t happen without them!
Other needs:
Important dates:
  • Staff Open Houses--Saturday, November 17, 3:00 to 6:30 p.m. Come to our neighborhood and spend the afternoon with us!

Partnership for the Benefit of our Kids

Written by Megan McDermott, Latino Children's Ministry Director

Do you remember being asked as a child what you wanted to be when you grew up?  I remember that for me, that question had any number of answers, depending on the day.  Many of us had been told, "You can be anything you want to be!"

We can't assume the same for the kids we serve here in urban Kansas City, Kansas.  They may not approach the question of what they want to be and do with the same invincible sense of possibility that we did.  Many are exposed at a very young age to gangs, peer pressure, abuse, temptation to compromise their purity, and simply trying to fit in among the variety of cultures represented here.  Having become acquainted with many harsh realities of life at such a young age can rob them of their innocent enthusiasm to dream big, or to dream at all.

As we purpose to pour into the young leaders in our community by coming alongside them as they grow in their academic and character strengths, we recognize the absolute importance of the role the local public schools play. We have been working very hard these past four years to establish strong connections with the faculty at our neighborhood schools. We currently have active partnerships with ten different schools.  Kristen Maxwell (Bhutanese Children's Ministry Director) and I 

have been warmly accepted into many of these schools to share about Mission Adelante, the cultural concerns our kids face, and how we can better come alongside the teachers and administrators that fight so hard for the kids we love.

 Two weeks ago,

 Kristen and I

were given a few minutes to share with the Central Middle School faculty the beautiful things that the Lord is doing in some of their students' lives through LIT. 

As we look toward the future, I am excited to see our relationships with public school administrators and faculty grow stronger and deeper. We truly believe that the kids that we serve are the future leaders of our community.  Investing deeply in them now will produce the fruit of future Christian leaders that not only love the Lord but desire to see others come to love Him as well.

In other news:

  • We had a great turnout and a great time at our Volunteer Orientation on Saturday morning.  We're so grateful for the Lord's provision of volunteers trimester after trimester.
  • The leaders of the Kansas City Bhutanese community gathered together over the weekend to dream about what it would look like to work together on future projects.
  • The Latino LIT (Leaders in Training) program launched this school year's program last week, and today is the very first day of Bhutanese LIT! Both groups are excited to begin growing together as a family, as they will by spending three afternoons a week together!
  • A BIG thank you to Jarion Srack and her small group from Mill Creek Community Church for providing three months of snacks for Leaders in Training kids!
  • If you'll be worshiping at Redeemer Fellowship this Sunday morning, stop by Mission Adelante's table at the LoveKC Fair and say hi!  LoveKC is a website launched by Redeemer Fellowship earlier this year to connect people and organizations to improve our city.

Prayer needs:

  • We are engaging with ESL students to help them take on more leadership roles this trimester. Please pray for clear communication and good participation from our immigrant friends!
  • Bhutanese Kids Club is taking on a whole new format and a new curriculum!  Please pray for a smooth transition for our mentors and kids.
  • Pray for the Lord's guidance as all of our outreach programs get up and running this week for our Fall Trimester. Pray that He receives the glory in everything that we do!

Current needs:

  • A folding card table and 4 folding chairs for use by the Bhutanese Leaders in Training.  Contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.orgif you can provide one.
  • Inexpensive floor lamps and extension cords to for Bhutanese Teens Club.  Contact Hannah Hume at hannahh@missionadelante.org for additional information.
  • Three volunteers to serve at Kids Adelante each Thursday evening through December 6.  Please contact Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org for more information.
  • Volunteers for Tuesday or Wednesday afternoons/early evening to mentor our Latino Leaders in Training kids.  Please contact Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org for more information.
  • Thirty custom-printed t-shirts for our Leaders in Training to wear on field trips.  With an increased focus on enrichment this year we will be spending many afternoons out in the community!  Matching t-shirts will encourage a sense of unity, and will help us easily identify our kids in public places. Please contact Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org or Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org if you or someone you know would like to provide these shirts!

Important dates:

  • Fall trimester launch: Latino Programs--Tonight! September 13, 6:30 p.m.

Eleven Bhutanese Students Join the Ranks of Leaders In Training!

Written by Kristen Maxwell, Bhutanese Children's Ministry Director
About a year ago I had the privilege of walking two of our Nepali sixth grade girls--refugees whose families had resettled in Kansas City--through the application process for an afternoon scholarship program.  Part of the application involved a placement test which had three portions to it:  reading, math and writing.  When I picked the girls up from the placement test,  I asked them how it went.  With a panicked expression they asked me, “Kristen, what is a spaceship?”  The writing assessment prompt that they were asked to respond to involved a spaceship, and they didn’t know what that was.  Two of our brightest girls who spoke very good English had no clue what a spaceship was.  

This fall, we are setting out with the goal of teaching everyone what a spaceship is.  Well, not really, but we are hoping that through partnership with students, families, community members and volunteers we will be able to expose a select group of students to enrichment activities and experiences that will set them up for success!  Who are these kids?  They are the 11 new Bhutanese Leaders in Training students!  

We are thrilled to be launching this new branch of Mission Adelante’s Leaders in Training program to our Bhutanese students.  This fall marks the fifth year of the Latino Leaders in Training and the first for the Bhutanese.  We are excited about dreaming of the future the Lord holds for these kids, and what it will hold as they become leaders, changing their lives, families and communities!

If you are interested in investing in our Leaders in Training we are currently in need of volunteer tutors for both the Latino and Bhutanese ministries, which take place Monday through Thursday afternoons in the 3:00 to 7:00 time frame.  We also have a list of current material needs.   For information on the Latino LIT Program, contact Megan McDermott at Meganm@missionadelante.org.  For more information on the Bhutanese LIT Program, contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org.

In other news:
  • The Latino Leaders in Training Program had a Volunteer Training and Ice Cream Social on Tuesday evening to gear up for this school-year.  All 13 of the children invited were present with their parents! We are excited to kick off the program next week. 
Prayer needs:
  • Please pray for our volunteers and students as they make commitments for the fall trimester. We are thankful that the Lord is so faithful, leading some to serve and others to rest. May his purposes be accomplished by the teams he puts together this fall!
Current needs:

  • Six volunteers to serve in Bhutanese Kids Club on Tuesday evenings from September 11 through December 4. Please contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org.
  • A folding card table and 4 folding chairs for use by the Bhutanese Leaders in Training.  Contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org if you can provide one.
  • Sixteen-ounce packages of pasta, pinto beans, and bottles of oil, which we include in food staple bags that are distributed through our Resource Center. Please contact Molly at mollym@missonadelante.org if you can provide any.
  • Christ-following men and women to volunteer as mentors in Leaders In Training, our after-school tutoring program. Four females and seven males are still needed. Contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org or Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org to find out more!
  • Materials for this year's Leaders In Training programs:
    • 4 wireless capable laptops (Used is great as long as they are wiped clean)
    • Snacks for a month at a time (purchased in bulk for 25 kids, three days a week)
    • Matching tee shirts to wear on field trips/service projects for 35 adults and kids
    • Team Kid Character Challenge: Lifeway: Leader Guide and Enhanced CD for grades 1-6:
    • 13 Team Kid Character Challenge: Activity Book for 4-6 grade: 15 copies
    • Stickers/construction paper for cards/activities/thank you notes
    • Walmart gift cards for science experiment supplies
    • Small groups to sponsor small reward activities/enrichment fields trips for 25 kids ($7 -$10 per kid)
Important dates:
  • Volunteer Orientation & Training--Saturday, September 8 @ 9:00 a.m.  All volunteers should attend this training once at the beginning of serving with Mission Adelante.  It's also a great way for someone to become familiar with Mission Adelante.  If you or someone you know is interested in finding out more about what we do, and about our volunteer opportunities, please plan to attend/encourage him or her to attend this informative training.
  • All Volunteer Huddle & Dessert--Monday, September 10 @ 6:30 p.m.  We encourage everyone that will be volunteering with us during our fall trimester to attend so we can prepare for a great launch.
  • Fall trimester program launches--Week of September 10

Point 11 Camp: Overcoming Fears and Laying Down Struggles

Written by Brooke Coon, Latino Teens Ministry Coordinator

 In mid July 15 teens and 6 adults from Teens Adelante spent a week at Point 11 Camp on Table Rock Lake. It was our first trip as a group out of Kansas City and for some, the longest they had been away from their family! We did lots of fun and challenging activities that pushed our faith in God and our trust in each other. Overcoming a fear of swimming was enough to humble some of the teens before God. For others, the challenge was in the high ropes team-building course or in the inner struggle of letting God and new people into their hearts. Whatever the fears and struggles, Jesus was there to ask us to lay them down. I think many of the teens returned to Kansas City with a new found courage to face their struggles in areas where they have given up hope.  Here are some different teens' perspectives: 



Talking about summer camp with teens Johnny, Alejandra and Salma

"I have had a lot of fun this year. Our group, Teens Adelante, went to camp for a week. Best experience ever. I will never forget those days when we gathered around and just worshiped."  -Johnny

What kind of stuff did you do at camp? 
"We did some pretty cool, fun stuff like swim in the lake, have pool parties at night, go tubing in the lake, and a lot more activities."  -Alejandra
What was your favorite thing? 
"One of my fav things was tubing when it would go fast ^.^"  -Alejandra

What did you learn about yourself? 
"I learned that I could do things that I used to say I couldn't do."  -Alejandra

What did you learn about God during small group times (when we went to the beach to do Bible studies)? 
"I learned about God que El perdona a todos (that He forgives everyone.)"  -Alejandra

Why did you decide to go to camp? 
"Because my friend said to go with her and because Sam said camp helps a lot with life."  -Alejandra

Have you changed since you came home?
"Yeah I think I changed a lot like I don't be going out, party anymore like back then, and now my mom and me we have a great relationship."  -Alejandra
 
When did you say "I can't do this" and realize fear?
"When we went tubing and also talking to a girl that I heard stories about."  -Salma
What did you decide to give to God at the end of the week when we said, " I can't ______, but I trust you with this."?
"I decided to give him my fears of going back home and dealing with many things. I also trust Him with the things He wants to send me."  -Salma
View more photos from the teens' trip to summer camp at  http://www.immigrantheart.org/.

In other news:
  • We are excited to announce that Yanelis López, the leader of RAICES, our partner ministry in Cuba, was approved and has received a visa to come visit Mission Adelante next month! We’re excited to host her and see how God uses this opportunity to further deepen our partnership!
  • Our partnerships with local schools are going deeper and wider!  Staff and volunteers working with our Leaders In Training programs are having more and more opportunities to work with teachers and principals in KCK schools.  This year we have connections in 10 local schools!
  • The Bhutanese refugee community held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday morning in partnership with New Roots for Refugees to celebrate a successful harvest of the first season in their new community garden on 14th street.
Prayer needs:
  • Ask the Lord to increase the faith of our staff as we trust Him to provide more donors to come alongside us with financial support.
  • One teen boy in our community has partial face paralysis right now from an unknown cause. Please pray for healing and protection against permanent damage.
  • Please pray that God would continue to reproduce healthy leaders in our house churches, and that He would raise up leaders who are passionate for Him from within the immigrant community to lock arms with us in impacting the community at large.
  • Please continue to ask the Lord to supply wisdom as we allow Him to possibly reshape the Bhutanese Teens Club.
Current needs:

  • A folding card table and 4 folding chairs for use by the Bhutanese Leaders in Training.  Contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org if you can provide one.
  • Sixteen-ounce packages of pasta, pinto beans, and bottles of oil, which we include in food staple bags that are distributed through our Resource Center. Please contact Molly at mollym@missonadelante.org if you can provide any.
  • Christ-following men and women to volunteer as mentors in Leaders In Training, our after-school tutoring program. Four females and seven males are still needed. Contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org or Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org to find out more!
Important dates:
  • Volunteer Orientation & Training--Saturday, September 8 @ 9:00 a.m.  All volunteers should attend this training once at the beginning of serving with Mission Adelante.  It's also a great way for someone to become familiar with Mission Adelante.  If you or someone you know is interested in finding out more about what we do, and about our volunteer opportunities, please plan to attend/encourage him or her to attend this informative training.
  • All Volunteer Huddle & Dessert--Monday, September 10 @ 6:30 p.m.  We encourage everyone that will be volunteering with us during our summer trimester to attend so we can prepare for a great launch.
  • Fall trimester program launches--Week of September 10

Everybody Loves a Party

Everyone loves a party!!  Well, almost everyone... and I guess it depends on the kind of party and whether or not you feel like you fit in.  For example, if you like country music and the partiers are playing heavy metal, you might feel out of place.  Or, if you are a Wildcat fan and everybody is dressed in crimson and blue and yelling "Rock Chalk", you might wish you were somewhere else.  Or if you're over 25, at a wedding reception, and the song "Call Me Maybe" suddenly comes on, you might end up sitting on the sidelines wondering what is happening around you.  The point is that common cultural preferences and experiences go a long way toward making us feel like insiders...or outsiders.

When it comes to planning parties for people from other cultures, I have to admit it's not easy to know how to create the kind of experience that will really allow them feel like insiders.  Maybe the key is to let them run it their way!  Last Sunday night something exciting happened at Wyandotte County Lake Park.  At shelter #6, 200+ people from our Bhutanese ministry gathered to party, while just up the road at the beach shelter, another 200+ from our Hispanic ministry were together celebrating.  Though we had done parties like these many times in the past, there was something different this time.  The Bhutanese party felt a little more Bhutanese, and the Hispanic party felt a little more Hispanic.  At Shelter #6, Bhutanese and Americans sat and stood together conversing in a very comfortable environment, while Jonga, an emerging Bhutanese leader, emceed for the the awards ceremony.  At the beach shelter, Alejandro was on the microphone sharing about what God has done in his life and marriage, the teens were showing a video they had made about their experience at summer camp, and Janoy and Jaime were leading a Latin dance party.  A shift had taken place! Our parties were beginning to feel more like they were for the immigrants in our neighborhood than for the American neighbors and volunteers who serve and share life with them!
It's pretty hard to separate our culture from our faith.  But as missionaries and friends of people from other places, we can never stop evaluating this and working at it.  Whether it's learning their language, understanding their values, or partying the way they do, we must follow Jesus' example of incarnation and become like those we wish to serve.  After all, as much as I love my country, my goal in life is not to make converts to my culture and preferences, but to make disciples who love Jesus and treasure Him above all else.

In other news:
  • New Bhutanese families continue to arrive from Nepal each month needing assistance and support.  This month we received 3 new families: 2 families from Nepal (primary migrant refugee) and 1 family from Kentucky (secondary migrant refugee).
  • A passionate volunteer at Mission Adelante, successful businessman and entrepreneur has begun coaching a few Bhutanese community leaders in a possible business start up.  We look forward to the possibility of empowering the leaders of these communities in business.
  • Nine Latino teens turned in applications to attend the CCDA (Christian Community Development Association) conference!  Three will be selected to join the staff and key volunteers at the conference the last week of September.
Prayer needs:
  • We’ve been getting reports that many of our ESL students are practicing English at home! Praise God for the gains they have made, and pray they continue to speak English outside of class during the break.
  • Please pray for some teens who are retaking the same grade (or barely made it into the next) to start the school year off strong and to stay focused. Please also pray for one teen who has a new found interest in college, but has a financial obstacle to overcome in order to start college classes this year.
  • There is conflict between the children of a particular family in the community.  Please prayer for discernment and wisdom for the mom to prayerfully make the right choices in leading her family.
Current needs:
  • Wireless Internet-capable laptops for use by our Leaders In Training during the upcoming school year.  It's okay if the battery doesn't work!  Contact Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org if you can provide  one.
  • A  gas stove and a refrigerator have been requested in our resource center.  Please contact Molly Merrick at mollym@missionadelante.org if you have one to donate.
Important dates:
  • Volunteer Orientation & Training--Saturday, September 8 @ 9:00 a.m.  All volunteers should attend this training once at the beginning of serving with Mission Adelante.  It's also a great way for someone to become familiar with Mission Adelante.  If you or someone you know is interested in finding out more about what we do, and about our volunteer opportunities, please plan to attend/encourage him or her to attend this informative training.
  • All Volunteer Huddle & Dessert--Monday, September 10 @ 6:30 p.m.  We encourage everyone that will be volunteering with us during our summer trimester to attend so we can prepare for a great launch.
  • Fall trimester program launches--Week of September 10

Demonstrating the Love of Christ

Written by Drew Hammond, Bhutanese Outreach Intern

 Living in the Midwest comes with a few "perks". One of those being the grueling summer heat. This summer has been exceptionally hot: the first six months of 2012 were the hottest on record, and July temperatures continued to soar. Try to imagine living in this heat without air conditioning. The temperature inside your home may get up to say, 93 degrees. Your initial thought may be, “I could tolerate that. I could visit the air-conditioned home of family or friends during the hottest part of the day, and it would’ve cooled off by the time I return home to sleep.” But not if you work the night shift...in a shipping warehouse that also isn't air-conditioned, and you must sleep during the day. So now, you come home after working through the night, the temperature in your home is pushing 100 degrees, and you have to get good sleep so you can perform well at work again tonight.

That is precisely the situation in which one Bhutanese refugee family recently found themselves. They told their family about the hardship, who told their friend, who told us at Mission Adelante. At that point, we took the opportunity to visit the family. Not only did they not have air conditioning, the fan set up in the window was missing a blade. We replaced the fan with a new one, to encourage them and let them know we were looking to help them. Not long after that, some friends from a local coffee shop heard their story. Responding in obedience to the call the Lord put on their heart, they graciously donated a window a.c. unit to our ministry for the benefit of that family.

After we delivered the a.c. to their home, helped them install it, and explained how it works with a mind for their future electricity bills, the family was eager to make a modest donation to Mission Adelante.  That sounds odd, doesn’t it? Mission Adelante turned around and sold a donated item to a refugee family?!?  We understand.  It’s a pretty new concept for us, too.  But it’s called “dignity,” and it has become one of our core values.  At Mission Adelante, we value the dignity of the people the Lord has called us to serve, share life, and share Jesus with.  Rather than being spoon-fed, this Bhutanese family became empowered to “provide” what they needed for themselves, even with their admittedly limited resources. To take part in overcoming a problem, rather than helplessly accepting an external solution.

Thanks to the donation of an air conditioner at a key point in time, we were able to demonstrate the love of Christ to our Bhutanese friends. Not only that, the family was able to maintain their dignity, and ended up with a real sense of ownership and empowerment. Most importantly, the Kingdom of God was given more ground on earth.

 In other news:

  • A big thank you to Mill Creek Community Church and Christ Church Anglican for providing backpacks and school supplies for all of the kids in the Latino and Bhutanese Outreach!
  • We are excited that some of our teens are beginning the process of visiting area universities, and applying for admission. Megan McDermott, Latino Children's Outreach Director was honored to accompany a high-school senior on her visit to UMKC Medical School on Monday.
Prayer needs:
  • Please pray for moderate temperatures (under 100!) for our end-of-trimester picnics this Sunday so we can safely enjoy this special event.
  • Mission Adelante staff will attend the Christian Community Development Association annual conference at the end of September, and we're going to use the opportunity to
    invest in emerging leaders by
    taking a few immigrant teenagers with us. Please pray for the application and selection process, through which we'll choose which teens we'll take. Decisions will be made within the next week!
  • Please pray for the Bhutanese Teens Club as we dream about possible new changes for next trimester.
Current needs:

  • Wireless Internet-capable laptops for use by our Leaders In Training during the upcoming school year.  It's okay if the battery doesn't work!  Contact Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org if you can provide one.
  • Ten 60"x102" rectangular felt-backed plastic tablecloths.  We spread them on the floor to use them as "activity centers" for our Bhutanese Children's Outreach.  We've recently seen them on clearance at discount stores.  Contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org if you can provide any of them.
Important dates:
  • August 12: Summer Parties at Wyandotte County Lake Park, 91st and Leavenworth Road, Kansas City, KS 66109.  After entering the park, you'll come to a fork in the road; go left.
    • The Latino party begins at 3:00 with an informal time to socialize, followed by a pot-luck meal at 4:45 and program at 6:00.  It will be in the "Beach Shelter." Turn right after passing shelter #6.
    • The Bhutanese party begins at 4:00 in shelter #6.

A New Response

Written by Jason Schoff, Latino Outreach Director


Too many times in the past, after posing a question to our house church,  I have waited, hoping for an authentic answer, only to hear what sounds like a memorized statement.  This happens all to often with men.  We men tend to stand proud, laugh at weakness, and talk like life's obstacles are easily overcome.  Santiago often tells the group how he offers up the same prayer each morning and it gives him all he needs for the day.  While that might work for him, such a simple pattern has never worked for me or, I would venture to say, for most of us.


I love the way God uses Scripture and His Spirit in us to shake everything up.  I almost couldn't believe my ears at our last house church meeting when Santiago vulnerably shared some temptations of his.  We had been studying the temptation of Jesus and split into men's and women's groups to discuss it deeper when Santiago surprised me with his response.  As a result, the whole group began to share similar temptations and we found ourselves talking about our common weaknesses.  We were transparent with one another in a new way that I could never have made happen.  It was powerful!


Perhaps the greatest fruit of this was to hear us confess humility toward God and our need for Him.  No, Santiago didn't revert back to saying he would pray that same prayer and all temptation would go away, but instead recognized how important a heartfelt plea to our Father is in our times of need.  I pray that this heartfelt plea to God touches each day and every area of these men's lives and that God would amaze us all by His Almighty Power.


In other news:

  • Several of our Bhutanese ESL classes have enjoyed field trips the past two weeks. Classes learned about shopping at Sunfresh, fixing household problems at Lowe’s, and geography at Kaw Point Park. These practical out-of-the-classroom experiences empower students to use community resources and create opportunities for relationships to grow between volunteers and students. And, best of all, it’s fun!
  • Our summer interns are reading the great missionary biography Bruchko, about a 19-year old American who embarks on a mission to share the gospel with a Stone-Age tribe in the jungle region between Venezuela and Colombia.  Beyond all odds, and in the face of disease and hostility from many directions, Bruce Olson was used by God not only to bring the gospel to this untouched tribe, but also to advocate for their rights in light of violent encroachment by Colombian settlers and foreign oil companies.
  • At Bhutanese Teens Club we heartily encourage our volunteers to hang out with students outside of our weekly programming. The past few weeks our volunteers have really stepped up to the challenge, inviting students over for family fourth of July celebrations, practicing reading skills with students in their homes, and attending Nepali dinners. It’s fun to see cross-cultural friendships built where everyone can laugh and learn about each other’s cultures.



Prayer needs:

  • One group of Latino teen girls is about to start a Bible study of their own initiative, as a result of a hunger for God that was stirred up at camp last month. Please pray
     for the deepening of discipleship relationships with the teenagers and for more small groups to naturally form.
  • Please pray for the children and adults in our outreach programs to stay connected to us and
    finish strong
    these last two weeks of the trimester.
  • Please pray for moderate temperatures (under 100!) for our end-of-trimester picnics so we can safely enjoy this special event.
  • Please pray for our friend and volunteer Daylin as she travels to her native Cuba to help develop leaders.

Current needs:

  • 1-3 NIV or NLT Teen Bibles, 1-5 "True Images" Bible for teen girls (will be on sale at Family Christian Bookstore starting Aug. 3)  Please contact Brooke at brookec@missionadelante.org if you can provide any of these Bibles.
  • Wireless Internet-capable laptops for use by our Leaders In Training during the upcoming school year.  It's okay if the battery doesn't work!  Contact Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org if you can provide one.
  • Ten 60"x102" rectangular felt-backed plastic tablecloths.  We spread them on the floor to use them as "activity centers" for our Bhutanese Children's Outreach.  We've recently seen them on clearance at discount stores.  Contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org if you can provide any of them.
  • Thank you, everyone who has donated items to our Resource Center, which distributes clothing, household goods, and food to immigrants in need.  If you have items to donate, please contact Molly at  913-281-6274 x5 in advance to schedule a time to make the drop-off.  Calling ahead will help us tremendously to keep things orderly around here!
Important dates:
  • August 2: Final observation night.  Ever wondered what goes on here on a typical evening of programming?  Come on up for our Latino outreach this evening and find out!  Come to 22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102 between 6:30 and 8:30.
  • August 12: Summer Parties at Wyandotte County Lake Park, 91st and Leavenworth Road, Kansas City, KS 66109.  After entering the park, you'll come to a fork in the road; go left.
    • The Latino party begins at 3:00 with an informal time to socialize, followed by a pot-luck meal at 4:45 and program at 6:00.  It will be in the "Beach Shelter." Turn right after passing shelter #6.
    • The Bhutanese party begins at 4:00 in shelter #6.

Feeling the Growing Pains

Written by Lindsey Bokach, Summer Intern

This summer, I have been learning a lot. I can feel the ache of growing pains as the Father has been molding my life.  It seems that everything I've been learning has a resounding theme; God's love must be expressed in its fullest through an incarnate life. 

Through life shared with our community, this new found truth has been utterly exposed. You see, incarnation isn't nuclear science. It's being present with people. It's taking kids to get ice cream at McDonald's and listening to what's going on in their lives. It's simply loving people where they are and for who they are.

I believe that if we want to bring restoration to our neighborhoods, we have to love others authentically. We must be willing to let down our guards, open up to our neighbors, and build friendships on the basis of God's love. Friends, if we forget to love, how on earth will shalom be brought to our lives and the lives of our neighbors?

Yet, I must warn you; loving people is not for the faint-hearted. We are a broken people and life gets messy quickly. The thing is, we shouldn't shy away from sharing life with people because of this brokenness. Why? Because it is in these vulnerable, interdependent friendships that God shows up. It's in the midst of sharing life together that He reveals our need for Him and stands in the gap with His grace.

So, dear friends, embrace your neighbors. Love them truly and allow the redemptive grace of God to bring restoration in your lives. May God be with you. 

In other news:
  • ‎"I can't _________." The Lord led Teens Adelante at summer camp last week to fill in that blank. Confessing their fears, they are now saying, "I give it to you, I trust you," in areas they never have before. Please pray for the journey for the group in overcoming the areas in their lives that they are holding fear, where they have been saying "I can't" for a long time. They are trusting that "I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength." Phil. 4:13
  • We are praising God for meeting the genuine need of a couple of families in our community for air conditioners over the past week through our network of contacts and in ways that dignify the recipients.  Each week brings many opportunities to demonstrate compassion, and we're committed to promote immigrants' dignity in everything we do.  A great book that informs the way we minister is Toxic Charity by Robert Lupton.
  • All thirteen Latino kids (8-13 years old) that were invited to apply to participate in Leaders In Training did so, and Latino Children's Ministry Director Megan McDermott is really eager to begin the year with them.
Prayer needs:
  • Praise God for keeping all the teens and sponsors safe and free from injury last week at summer camp.
  • Please pray for a young man that graduated high school this spring to receive the financial aid that he needs to begin attending Donnelly College next month.
Current needs:
  • Wireless Internet-capable laptops for use by our Leaders In Training during the upcoming school year.  It's okay if the battery doesn't work!  Contact Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org if you can provide one.
  • Ten 60"x102" rectangular felt-backed plastic tablecloths.  We spread them on the floor to use them as "activity centers" for our Bhutanese Children's Outreach.  We've recently seen them on clearance at discount stores.  Contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org if you can provide any of them.
  • Thank you, everyone who has donated items to our Resource Center, which distributes clothing, household goods, and food to immigrants in need.  If you have items to donate, please contact Molly at  913-281-6274 x5 in advance to schedule a time to make the drop-off.  Calling ahead will help us tremendously to keep things orderly around here!
Important dates:
  • July 24, 26, 31, August 2:
    •  Observation nights.  Ever wondered what goes on here on a typical evening of programming?  Come on up on a observation night and find out!  Tuesday evenings are Bhutanese outreach, Thursday evenings are Latino outreach.  Come to 22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102 between 6:30 and 8:30.
  • August 12: Summer Parties at Wyandotte County Lake Park, 91st and Leavenworth Road, Kansas City, KS 66109; afternoon.  More details TBA.

Gatekeepers to the Children We Love

Written by Sarah Winston, Operations Director



Last week at Kids Adelante, I was assigned the post at the front door of the kids’ room.   My job was to make sure that once kids were signed in and entered the kids’ room, they stay there safe and sound and out of mischief until programming started —the gatekeeper, it you will.  Before the kids arrived, I was messing around with other staff, making gatekeeper jokes.  I playfully took a broom, pounded it to the floor and in my best Gandalf voice shouted, “YOU SHALL NOT PASS!”

For those less geeky than myself, I should note that this was a reference to a scene in The Lord of the Rings.  The wizard Gandalf was fighting off a demon-like creature from deep inside the mountain while the rest of his companions escaped across a narrow rock bridge to safety in order to continue their quest to destroy a magic ring and save the world from total domination by the evil power that sought the ring.  While the “You shall not pass” line is the most famous and memorable line from that scene, I looked up what the rest of the dialogue said.  It is interesting that Gandalf began with his declaration of his identity, “I am a servant of the secret fire, wielder of the flame of Anor” and established authority over the dark power that the creature wielded.  He then asserted its boundary which climaxed with “you shall not pass.”
Okay, all geek-ness aside, isn’t that the role of believing adults in the lives of children they love? At least for our own children, while they are young, we serve as gatekeepers. We long to guard against anything that would seek to destroy them.  Of course, with kids we only see once or twice per week, we really can’t shield them from the evils of the world or the sometimes harsh realities of living in an under-resourced neighborhood.  But what we can do is pour love into them and teach them about who they are.  Our hope is that in investing  in them relationally and giving them the scriptural foundation of their identities in Christ they will grow to take authority over the things in their lives and community that would seek to harm them.  They can say to poverty and hopelessness, violence and prejudice, immorality and anger, “I am child of the most High God, purchased through the blood of Jesus.”  They can begin to confront the injustice that seeks to encroach on their lives, their families, and their community and declare “You shall not pass!”
In other news:
  • Twelve Latino teenagers and five adult volunteers are at summer camp at Point 11 Camp on Table Rock Lake this week.  We'll be eager to find out how it went when they return on Saturday--without their phones and Internet access, there are no Facebook posts being shared this week!  Funds are still needed to provide partial scholarships for the teens. You can scholarship one teenager's trip to camp for $200.
  • Lauren Timberlake, Bhutanese ESL Director, is pleased with some produce she purchased earlier this week from Bhutanese refugees who had grown it through the New Roots for Refugees program.  At least two of our former ESL students have successful businesses. CSA (community supported agriculture) shares are available for the entire season, and many farmers also sell at the weekly markets around town.  Click here to find out at which local farmers' markets they sell, and to learn more about New Roots for Refugees.
  • Jarrett Meek, Executive Director, returned last week from another successful leadership development trip to Qba.  While there, he got to celebrate with the discipleship ministry with whom we partner there two years of ministry.  Praise the Lord for the way he's working in people's lives there, and for the privilege we have to call them family!
Prayer needs:
  • Please continue to pray for our Latino teens at summer camp this week; for God to  speak to them through what they're learning, and for their safety during sports and activities.
  • Please ask the Lord to provide encouragement to, and endurance for, our staff, to finish out the last three weeks of our summer trimester well.  Also, as we begin recruiting volunteers for the fall trimester, pray for us to trust in God's provision.
  • Pray for new seeds of the Faith that are being planted in the heart of a Bhutanese friend to grow.  Also, pray that God will help some Bhutanese teenagers to deal well with conflict.
  • It is our vision to transfer much of the ownership and execution of our end-of-trimester parties to our immigrant friends.  Beginning with the parties coming up on August 12, pray that we'll be brave and trust our friends to begin leading, even at the sacrifice of everything running smoothly.
Current needs:
  • Wireless Internet-capable laptops for use by our Leaders In Training during the upcoming school year.  It's okay if the battery doesn't work!  Contact Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org if you can provide one.
  • Ten 60"x102" rectangular felt-backed plastic tablecloths.  We spread them on the floor to use them as "activity centers" for our Bhutanese Children's Outreach.  We've recently seen them on clearance at discount stores.  Contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org if you can provide any of them.
  • Thank you, everyone who has donated items to our Resource Center, which distributes clothing, household goods, and food to immigrants in need.  If you have items to donate, please contact Molly at  913-281-6274 x5 in advance to schedule a time to make the drop-off.  Calling ahead will help us tremendously to keep things orderly around here!
Important dates:
  • July 19, 24, 26, 31, August 2: Observation nights.  Ever wondered what goes on here on a typical evening of programming?  Come on up on a observation night and find out!  Tuesday evenings are Bhutanese outreach, Thursday evenings are Latino outreach.  Come to 22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102 between 6:30 and 8:30.
  • August 12: Summer Parties  at Wyandotte County Lake Park, 91st and Leavenworth Road, Kansas City, KS 66109; afternoon.  More details TBA.

The All-Star FanFest and Relational Ministry

Written by Blake Johns, Summer Intern

This summer, I get to work with the Latino kids, which has been a tremendous blessing! In addition to weekly house church meetings and our Thursday night kids program, my main job is to build relationships with kids in our neighborhood. There are two boys in particular on whom I've tried to focus my time: German and Felipe, but because of Summer break last week and the three weeks of Kids' Camps before that, I haven't had nearly as much time to spend with them individually as I'd like. So, at the beginning of this week, I was pretty excited to finally have some free time in my schedule to devote to them. On top of that, I was fortunate enough to receive two free tickets to the All-Star Game FanFest (!!!), which provided the perfect opportunity to connect with one of the boys.

I decided to surprise Felipe with the ticket, and immediately was energized by the light in his eyes when he found out where we were going. He ate up every moment as we walked around the Kansas City Convention Center, trying to figure out where all the best free stuff was -- we missed out on the foam Mohawks and Taco Bell tacos, but snagged a small treasure trove of foam baseballs -- and trying to decide which ‘main events’ were worth waiting for. Even before our series of Kids Camps began, I hadn’t been able to spend hardly any time with Felipe one-on-one, so getting some light-spirited quality time with him was refreshing, to say the least.

We were only there for two hours or so, but that time very tangibly reinforced my established purpose and vision for the summer. We are here to love to the highest degree, and while seeing this boy’s delight at hitting a 400-ft. home run on a simulator couldn’t have been sweeter in the moment, the taste for a greater love was reawakened in me. At Mission Adelante, we believe that ministry is a relational endeavor, and as such, building and maintaining relationships are an essential part of any ministry we undertake. However, while events such as the All-Star Game FanFest provide a unique opportunity to develop relationships, they cannot be the end for which we are striving, only the means. In Colossians 4:2-4, Paul asks for prayer that “God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ…that [he] might make it clear, which is how [he] ought to speak” (emphasis mine). I shouldn’t strive to be an activities coordinator. I should strive to plainly show these kids the love that I have for them in Christ, and how His love has guided me to them. Pray that Christ’s love would be explicit in my ministry, for that is the greatest love we can offer.


In other news:
  • The '12-'13 school year is just around the corner.  For Latino Children's Ministry Director Megan McDermott and Bhutanese Children's Ministry Director Kristen Maxwell, that means it's time to gear up for Leaders In Training, our after-school leadership development program.  Megan has identified which of last year's students will return to the program, and this week she's extending invitations to a handful of "new kids."  Kristen is mailing acceptance letters to the 11 Bhutanese students that applied to participate. 
  • Twelve Latino teenagers and five adult volunteers are going to summer camp at Point 11 Camp on Table Rock Lake from July 16-21.  It will be the first time for any of the teens to experience summer camp.  Funds are still needed to provide partial scholarships for the teens. You can scholarship one teenager's trip to camp for $200.
Prayer needs:
  • As the Latino teens go to summer camp next week, pray for God to use it as an opportunity to speak to them, and for their safety during sports and activities.
  • A member of a Bhutanese family to whom some of our staff have grown close is in need of a lung transplant.  The family must move to St. Louis in order to gain access to the means for the transplant.  Please pray for God to take care of the family and to provide for all of their needs.
Current needs:
  • Wireless Internet-capable laptops for use by our Leaders In Training during the upcoming school year.
  • Thank you, everyone who has donated items to our Resource Center, which distributes clothing, household goods, and food to immigrants in need.  If you have items to donate, please contact Molly at  913-281-6274 x5 in advance to schedule a time to make the drop-off.  Calling ahead will help us tremendously to keep things orderly around here!
Important dates:
  • July 17, 19, 24, 26, 31, August 2: Observation nights.  Ever wondered what goes on here on a typical evening of programming?  Come on up on a observation night and find out!  Tuesday evenings are Bhutanese outreach, Thursday evenings are Latino outreach.  Come to 22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102 between 6:30 and 8:30.

Bringing Outsiders In

Written by Hannah Hume, Bhutanese Outreach Intern

This summer, the interns spend every Saturday evening together.  We call it Intern Family Night, and it’s a chance to relax and to bond.  Last Saturday, we wound up playing board games at IHOP.  If you haven’t visited an IHOP late at night, take it from me, the people that gather there tend to be a little rough and quirky. 

I began to observe our fellow restaurant patrons.  There were teens, college students, and people in their fifties and sixties; they were in different phases of their lives, and all wearing different styles of apparel. They seemed to be the types that live at the fringes of society, perhaps not widely accepted by others. To be completely honest, I found myself not merely people watching, but judging them. I had no interest in getting to know them, and loving them never crossed my mind. I think if we are all perfectly honest my response is not an uncommon one. However, as I've thought more about them, I've been reminded that these are just the sort of people with whom Jesus spent most of his time.  In that day, it was the prostitutes, tax collectors, and fishermen that were widely disliked. But Jesus loved the outsiders.

At Mission Adelante we are all about making outsiders insiders. We want to help those who don't speak English, and don't fit into America's culture become insiders in both America and in the Kingdom of God. What about outsiders in our own culture though? Jesus calls us to love both the foreigner in our midst, and the “native” that just doesn't seem to fit in.  If we want to be a people marked by love and community, who live like Jesus did, our value of bringing outsiders in should extend to all outsiders.  Bhutanese and Latino immigrants are the outsiders in my backyard this summer.  Who are the outsiders in yours?



This week's news:
  • Support the Latino Teens' effort to raise funds to go to summer camp!  They're holding a Bake Sale this Thursday between 8 and 9 p.m. (immediately following ESL and Kids Adelante) at our building.  We're hoping to take 15 to 20 teenagers to Point 11 Camp on Table Rock Lake in July.  It will be the first time for any of them to experience summer camp.  You can scholarship one teenager's trip to camp for $200.
  • We really want to thank Bill Tiemann and his friend, Dallas, from Blue Valley Baptist Church, for coming up and doing some projects around our building at the end of last week.
  • We also want to express a big "Thank You!" to the team of about 25 from Shoal Creek Community Church that came down to KCK to lead an outreach Summer Kids' Camp three evenings last week.  The activities were very well organized and smoothly executed, and the kids really had fun!
  • We're into our third and final week of Kids' Summer Camp, led by a team of about 30 high-schoolers and adults from Emmanuel Baptist Church.  They kicked-off the week on Monday night with a cook-out and an outdoor movie projected onto a big screen.  About 50 neighborhood kids came, and many of their families stayed for the fun, too.
  • Our interns, Lindsey Bokach, Drew Hammond, Hannah Hume, and Blake Johns, are really doing great rolling with the punches of ministry as life, and of jumping in to do whatever is asked of them.  Recently, this has included competing in a pie-eating contest, and driving bus routes to pick up immigrants for our activities.
Prayer needs:
  • Please pray for a young boy in our Latino community who is struggling with deep emotional and behavioral issues.
  • Pray for growth in the depth of relationships and community among our staff and volunteers living in KCK.
  • Noel Castellanos, CEO of Christian Community Development Association, is visiting our ministry today through Saturday.  Please pray for the time we spend with him to be productive, enlightening, and inspiring.
  • Finally, a Latino family in our community has been deep in turmoil for a couple of months.  Please ask the Lord to draw their hearts to Him, and to cause them to begin diligently seeking Him.
Current needs:
  • Thank you, everyone who has donated items to our Resource Center, which distributes clothing, household goods, and food to immigrants in need.  If you have items to donate, please contact Molly at  913-281-6274 x5 in advance to schedule a time to make the drop-off.  Calling ahead will help us tremendously to keep things orderly around here!
  • Paper grocery sacks for resource distribution in our Resource Center.  Why not request, "Paper, please" the next time you go to the store, and bring them up with you the next time you come to the neighborhood?  Please contact Molly Merrick at 913-281-6274 x5 to tell her when you'll be bringing some.
  • Wireless Internet-capable laptops for use by our Leaders In Training.
  • A twin bed frame and a washing machine have been requested in our Resource Center.  Please contact Molly Merrick at 913-281-6274 x5.
Important dates:
  • Saturday, June 30, 9:00-12:00 It's not too late to register for the Adelante Missions Institute Seminar  this Saturday at Mission Adelante featuring Noel Castellanos, CEO of Christian Community Development Association!  There is a cost of $10 per person, which includes a continental breakfast.  Register here.
  • Week of July 2 Summer break; no programs
  • July 17, 19, 24, 26, 31, August 2 Observation nights.  Ever wondered what goes on here on a typical evening of programming?  Come on up on a observation night and find out!  Tuesday evenings are Bhutanese outreach, Thursday evenings are Latino outreach.  Come to 22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102.

This Week at Mission Adelante

This week's news:
  • Meeting in our house churches is the highlight of the week for many of our staff members.   One Bhutanese and three Latino house churches meet weekly, and we continue to rejoice as we see the Lord awakening more of our immigrant friends to pursue Him.  We also rejoice in the believers' maturing in faith.
  • We want to express a big "Thank You!" to the thirty middle-schoolers, high-schoolers, and staff from Christ Church Anglican that came up to KCK to lead an outreach Summer Kids' Camp three evenings last week.  Record numbers of neighborhood kids turned out for it.
  • We're into our second week of Kids' Summer Camp this week, led by a team of about 25 from Shoal Creek Community Church.  The kids have really enjoyed their creative presentation of lessons, and crafts that have affirmed the great value that the Lord has for children.
  • Thank you, Joy Shiner and Gayla Benson for providing the Action Bibles we needed for our Bhutanese Children's Outreach!  These Bibles are particularly engaging for the fourth- to sixth-grade boys with whom we use them.
Prayer needs:
  • Please continue to pray for healing Lauren Timberlake as she recovers from eye surgery and a broken foot.  Her doctors are pleased with her progress, but the recovery process is long.
  • Pray for the evening Kids' Camps going on this week and next week here at Mission Adelante.  Pray for the kids to have fun, be safe, and most of all to see the Lord more clearly through the activities.
  • Lift the Board of Directors in prayer as they have a meeting this Sunday to continue planning for the future of Mission Adelante.  Ask God to grant them wisdom and direction, that their decisions would bring Him greater glory.
Current needs
  • Thank you, everyone who has donated items to our Resource Center, which distributes clothing, household goods, and food to immigrants in need.  If you have items to donate, please contact Molly at  913-281-6274 x5 in advance to schedule a time to make the drop-off.  Calling ahead will help us tremendously to keep things orderly around here!
  • Paper grocery sacks for resource distribution in our Resource Center.  Why not request, "Paper, please" the next time you go to the store, and bring them up with you the next time you come to the neighborhood?  Please contact Molly Merrick at 913-281-6274 x5 to tell her when you'll be bringing some.
  • Wireless Internet-capable laptops for use by our Leaders In Training.
  • Kids flip-flops of various sizes in neutral colors.  Please contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org.
  • Monetary contributions to offset the cost of replacing four laptops that were stolen from our building during a break-in the weekend before last.  (We've already purchased replacements.)  Contributions may be mailed to Mission Adelante, 22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102, and "laptop replacement" indicated in the memo line.
Important dates:
  • Saturday, June 30, 9:00-12:00 Adelante Missions Institute Seminar at Mission Adelante featuring Noel Castellanos, CEO of Christian Community Development Association.  There is a cost of $10 per person, which includes a continental breakfast.  Register here.
  • Week of July 2 Summer break; no programs
  • July 17, 19, 24, 26, 31, August 2 Observation nights.  Ever wondered what goes on here on a typical evening of programming?  Come on up on a observation night and find out!  Tuesday evenings are Bhutanese outreach, Thursday evenings are Latino outreach.  Come to 22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102.

Finishing Strong: Leaders in Training Go Canoeing


Written by Megan McDermott, Latino Children's Ministry Director
      
There's something about the wildness and unpredictability of nature that awakens something in all of us.   I think it returns us to a place of simplicity and purity, giving us a faint glimmer of what the Garden might have been like. Being out on a river with the tree branches swaying and the gentle lapping of  the waves, and seeing trees and rocks that were formed long before we were, reminds us of our smallness in comparison to God's grandeur.  It reminds us that we are part of God's glorious and infinitely lovely creation.  We are part of something bigger than just our own selves.


One of the biggest struggles the children in our community face is finding where they fit in.  They strive and push to find a place where they can find their significance and worth.   The Lord has blessed our community with a small group of twelve children that we have had the privilege to walk with in discipleship,conflict, love, and laughter this year in our Leaders in Training Program.  As we chose the best way to reward them for their incredible efforts this year, we thought about their struggle to belong.    We wanted to offer them an opportunity to get completely out of their comfort zone and really see the glory of the Lord in their surroundings.  Often, with the environment they live in on a daily basis, it is a fight to see the Lord at all.  After a great deal of prayer, we decided to take them on a weekend canoe trip to the North Fork River in Caulfield, Missouri.   

Thirty of us packed into cars and drove the five hours down to our campsite. This was many of the kids' first experience camping and sleeping outside.   We cooked over a campfire, made s'mores, and saw the majesty of the starry night sky in all its glory.  There were also many unexpected adventures and blessings along the way in which we saw the Lord intervene in mighty ways: car trouble, overturned canoes, communication between partners, snakes falling INTO canoes, and even a mini waterfall!  When we prayed for safety, we never imagined how powerfully God would answer those prayers!  

It wasn't until the end of our journey that I believe I really got to see the Lord's heart for His children and why this particular trip was so important.  Like many other outdoor activities, once you begin, you have to finish.  This is often a challenging concept for our kids because when things get tough in their lives in school, with friends, or at home, they tend to give up.  God was so faithful in not just giving us challenging circumstances to overcome on this trip, but also helping us all push through to finish together, as a family.  There is something very powerful about starting and finishing something as a group. It builds confidence in a truly necessary way.   I believe this trip will be more than just a fond memory of a great weekend out in the wilderness for the children.  I think it will continue to echo throughout their lives as a moment where they didn't just try, they succeeded.


In other news:

  • A team in the ballpark of 50 volunteers from Westside Family Church, Heartland Community Church, Grace Church, and Life Church, Olathe spent the What If The Church Serve Day with us last Saturday.  The things that were accomplished were far beyond our expectations.  We want to give a special thanks to John Craiglow, our site coordinator, for using his skill, his passion for the Kingdom, and his servant leadership to plan for and lead very well on Saturday.
  • Eighteen kids, ages 12 and up, finished the week of Free Wheels for Kids,  a new program that, in the course of one week, taught them bike maintenance and road safety.  They each earned a bike that they helped to refurbish, and celebrated the completion of the class with a ten mile group ride.  We at Mission Adelante were glad to partner with Ben Alexander and Free Wheels for Kids.
  • Around thirty middle-schoolers, high-schoolers, and staff from Christ Church Anglican have come up to KCK the past two evenings for our first week of Summer Kids' Camp.  The camp has been going really well, and 109 neighborhood kids turned out the first night!  We're eager for our final evening with the Christ Church Anglican team tonight.
  • Kristen Maxwell, Bhutanese Children's Ministry  Director, was privileged to share this week about Mission Adelante with 500 kids participating in Westside Family Church's VBS.  Kristen got to expand their definition of "missionary" by explaining how the Lord has brought people of other ethnicities here who need to hear about Jesus, and how she and the rest of our team have dedicated ourselves to the task.
Prayer needs:
  • Please keep Lauren Timberlake, Bhutanese ESL Director, in your prayers.  In the course of just a few days, Lauren broke her foot and then underwent emergency surgery a week ago today for a detached retina.  The Lord has given her a faster-paced recovery from the surgery so far than what is normal.  Please pray for continued supernatural healing, and continued patience with that process for Lauren and her husband Drew.
  • Pray for the evening Kids' Camps going on this week and the next two weeks here at Mission Adelante.  Pray for the kids to have fun, be safe, and most of all to see the Lord more clearly through the activities.
  • Please lift the members of our partner ministry in Cuba up in prayer; pray especially for their financial stability.
Current needs
  • Kids flip-flops of various sizes in neutral colors.  Please contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org.
  • Monetary contributions to offset the cost of replacing four laptops that were stolen from our building during a break-in the weekend before last.  (We've already purchased replacements.)  Contributions may be mailed to Mission Adelante, 22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102, and "laptop replacement" indicated in the memo line.
  • Paper and plastic grocery sacks for resource distribution in our Resource Center.  Why not gather up all the sacks that have accumulated in your kitchen and bring them up with you the next time you come to the neighborhood?  Please contact Molly Merrick at 913-281-6274 x5 to tell her when you'll be bringing some.
  • Eight copies of The Action Bible, which are used in our Bhutanese children's ministry.  If you would like to provide some of the Bibles, please contact Kristen Maxwell at 913-281-6274 x9.  If you like, you can have them shipped directly to us at: Mission Adelante, c/o Kristen Maxwell, 22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102.
Important dates:
  • Saturday, June 30, 9:00-12:00 Adelante Missions Institute Seminar at Mission Adelante featuring Noel Castellanos, CEO of Christian Community Development Association.  There is limited space, so we've offered priority registration to our staff and volunteers, and are now opening registration to a wider group.  There is a cost of $10 per person, which includes a continental breakfast.  Register here.
  • Week of July 2 Summer break; no programs
  • July 17, 19, 24, 26, 31, August 2 Observation nights.  Ever wondered what goes on here on a typical evening of programming?  Come on up on a observation night and find out!  Tuesday evenings are Bhutanese outreach, Thursday evenings are Latino outreach.

When God Transforms Tragedy into Purpose

Written by David Stetler, Bhutanese Outreach Director


In the early 80's a twenty-two year old Nepali man experienced something that would change his, and his fourteen year old pregnant wife's, lives forever.  That young man fell out of a tree and was paralyzed from the waist down. He would live the rest of his life in a wheel chair in Nepal as an outcast.


But God had different plans for this young man, whom we'll call BK.  Through this one event God gave BK, literally, a front row seat into the miserable life of the unjust treatment experienced by disabled people in Nepal and the Lord began to use him and his family to love and care for the disabled of Kathmandu.  

Thirty years later we see the power of the gospel piercing through this family and their community of lepers, disabled and sick people that make up an amazing expression of God's love and compassion.  The SD Church, by the mighty hand of God and His amazing grace, have reversed the seemingly inevitable fate of these people: they no longer identify themselves as outcasts, but as children of the living God!

SD helps these sick and disabled people, who come to Kathmandu from surrounding villages, navigate the complexities of the health system so that they will get the right treatment.  SD cares for their health needs and shares the love and truth of Jesus.  They are physically cared for and discipled in the way of Jesus, and some are trained to be leaders sent back to their villages to gather and shepherd new believers in their hometowns to participate in the mission of God in restoring the broken places in this world.  

We met the SD community at about the same time that we began to minister to the Bhutanese here in Kansas City and it has been a constant honor to love them, support what they are doing, learn from them and hopefully encourage them. Last month we took a team to visit SD again and were encouraged by all that the Lord continues to do through them.  It's amazing to see a life seemingly destined for struggle and hardship being so full of joy and life.  This is only through the power of God Almighty who makes all things new and "bestows on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair." (Isaiah 61)

In other news:
  • The Leaders In Training canoe trip last weekend took the students out of their normal environment and created a context for the deepening of relationships and community.  The Lord answered our prayers for safe travel and safety on the North Fork River, and it was a fun time for everyone who went.
  • Mission Adelante is partnering with Free Wheels for Kids, a new program that, in the course of one week, teaches kids ages 12 and up bike maintenance and road safety, and gives them the opportunity to earn a refurbished bike.  Fifteen kids, most from KCK, are participating, and Blake Johns, our Latino Children's intern, is getting to know them while he helps out.
  • We're blessed by the increased volunteer role that Jacob Holland has assumed.  He's gone from leading a class in his home during past trimesters to coordinating student and volunteer participation in the Level One class this trimester, which is always the largest class.
  • We're eager for the What If The Church Serve Day this Saturday!  We're looking forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones from metro churches and getting a few things from our "to do list" done!
  • We had a break-in last Friday night, and four laptops used by administrative and ministry staff were stolen.  Thankfully, our alarm sounded, scaring away the burglar(s), and the police responded promptly.
Prayer needs:
  • Please be in prayer for Lauren Timberlake, Bhutanese ESL Director, and her family.  Lauren broke her foot last weekend, and then during her routine eye exam yesterday, she was found to have a detached retina, and so she underwent emergency eye surgery today.  Lauren said, "It's a doozy of a surgery, so it may be a while until I'm back in the game."  Please pray for a speedy recovery, and for God's provision of help to care for Lauren's and her husband, Drew's, household in the meantime.
  • Latino Children's Ministry Director Megan McDermott is extending invitations this week to kids that have been selected to participate in LIT during the upcoming school year. This group of kids receives spiritual mentoring, academic tutoring, and character development.  Pray for God to define Megan's vision for this year's program, and to guide her preparation throughout the summer.
  • Praise God for providing the two Bhutanese teen girls' mentors we needed! 
Current needs:
  • Monetary contributions to offset the cost of replacing the four stolen laptops.  (We've already purchased replacements.)  Contributions may be mailed to Mission Adelante, 22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102, and "laptop replacement" indicated in the memo line.
  • Someone to mow (with their own mower) our property (22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102) by this Monday.  Evening kids' camp begins this Tuesday and will be held outdoors in our soccer field.  Please contact  Sarah Winston at 913-749-7958.
  • Paper and plastic grocery sacks for resource distribution in our Resource Center.  Why not gather up all the sacks that have accumulated in your kitchen and bring them up with you the next time you come to the neighborhood?  Please contact Molly Merrick at 913-281-6274 x5 to tell her when you'll be bringing some.
  • Eight copies of The Action Bible, which are used in our Bhutanese children's ministry.  If you would like to provide some of the Bibles, please contact Kristen Maxwell at 913-281-6274 x9.  If you like, you can have them shipped directly to us at: Mission Adelante, c/o Kristen Maxwell, 22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102.
Important dates:
  • Saturday, June 30, 9:00-12:00 Adelante Missions Institute Seminar at Mission Adelante featuring Noel Castellanos, CEO of Christian Community Development Association.  There is limited space, so we've offered priority registration to our staff and volunteers, and are now opening registration to a wider group.  There is a cost of $10 per person, which includes a continental breakfast.  Register here.
  • Week of July 2 Summer break; no programs
  • July 17, 19, 24, 26, 31, August 2 Observation nights.  Ever wondered what goes on here on a typical evening of programming?  Come on up on a observation night and find out!  Tuesday evenings are Bhutanese outreach, Thursday evenings are Latino outreach.

From Mission Adelante to the Foreign Mission Field!


Mission Adelante serves "a mission field in our own backyard."  But, what about the need to send missionaries abroad?  In our passion to involve ordinary, everyday Christians in cross-cultural missions in our city, we are not unaware of the constant and urgent need for missionaries to serve in foreign fields as well.  In fact, you might be surprised to know that Mission Adelante has played a role in equipping and preparing 12 missionaries who have gone on to serve on foreign fields.  Serving here sometimes leads to serving abroad!
As a missionary on the foreign mission field for more than three years, I can't count how many times I've been asked about culture shock and how we and the kids dealt with it. The truth is, I don't think it was much of an issue for us after our time with Mission Adelante. From having a Mexican woman live with us for nearly a year and a half, to leading Spanish-language Bible studies in our home or attending and serving in a Spanish-language church, we'd already experienced many cross-cultural challenges in Kansas City. --Seth Sears, Missionary in Costa Rica    
It is my belief that missionaries who begin foreign missions assignments with significant home-side ministry experience make a much greater impact than those who show up in foreign contexts with little or no experience at home.  And, imagine the difference it would make if that home-side experience were cross-cultural!  Many missionaries these days serve on a foreign field for 2 years or less.  This is barely enough time to learn the language and begin adapting to the culture.  If a missionary is also having to learn how to do ministry during this time, little kingdom work is actually accomplished.
Mission Adelante is really good at celebrating relationships.  We always made friends in our English classes, probably because Latinos are generally warm and easy to make friends with.  The relational ministry style of Mission Adelante turned out to be great preparation for the kind of friendships we've formed here in Colombia.  It helped build our confidence that we could build relationships with people, even when we couldn't communicate perfectly.                                       --Sam Posladek, Missionary in Colombia
It has been fun over these first six years of ministry with Mission Adelante to see God bring emerging missionaries to gain valuable training and experience with us.  This kind of dynamic interaction between home-side missions and foreign missions is fostering an exciting Kingdom synergy that benefits both the immigrant mission field in our own backyard, as well as the mission field in far-away places!  Because Jesus said, "the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few", Mission Adelante will always be serious about developing workers for the harvest, whether here or abroad!


Here is a list some of the missionaries who have served with Mission Adelante before going to a foreign field.  We are honored to have served with you!



  • Seth and Andrea Sears: Costa Rica
  • Sam and Kassie Posladek: Colombia
  • Rachel Grimes: Costa Rica
  • Seth Wing: Costa Rica
  • Beth Brown: Bolivia, Mexico
  • Adam and Abby Sallee: South Africa
  • Courtney Colin: South Africa
  • Bethany Owens: Asia
  • Rachel Sams: Ecuador


    • In other news:
    • Our summer interns have arrived!  Much of the Mission Adelante Missionary Team community enjoyed welcoming them at a cook-out on Saturday night.  Blake Johns will be working primarily with the Latino kids, and upon meeting Blake for the first time, a number of the boys seemed to be magnetically attracted to him!  Lindsey Bokach will be working primarily with Bhutanese kids, so Bhutanese Outreach interns Hannah Hume and Drew Hammond are showing her the ropes.  Lindsey especially enjoyed her first experience visiting a Bhutanese family in their home at the beginning of the week.
    • The Summer session of Bhutanese Outreach launched on Tuesday night, with a very strong showing of volunteers and well-planned programming.  We expect the participant numbers to increase during the next couple of weeks, after a few things get ironed out.  The Latino Teens outreach launched last night with a cook out at David & Brooke Coon's home, and four new teenagers present.  They're following God's leading into a new stage of meeting teenagers on their own turf.  Our Latino Outreach staff and volunteer team are eager for our Latino outreach launch this evening!
    • The Holy Spirit is imparting an understanding of Scripture and spiritual things to an extended Bhutanese family that meets together for weekly worship.  Last weekend, they remained together much longer than they typically do, until they were satisfied with their grasp on the meaning of the passage they were studying.
    • The Latino and Bhutanese kids are going to get to enjoy three weeks of evening kids' camps put on by three of our partner churches.  Come on down some evening if you would like to join in the fun, June 12-14, 19-21, and 25-28.  Also, pray that God will make these great outreach events effective for reaching more neighborhood kids.
    Prayer needs:
    • Praise God for supplying a driver for our mini-bus on Tuesday evenings!  This volunteer role is crucial, as transportation is foundational to our Bhutanese friends' ability to participate in our programs.
    • Please pray for safe travel for our LIT students and volunteers on their reward trip to North Fork River this weekend, as well as safety on the river and in the campground. Also, pray for the kids to see their smallness, relative to God's greatness and purity, as is so well demonstrated by nature.
    • Pray for vision and wisdom for Kristen Maxwell, as she continues to formulate plans for Leaders In Training for Bhutanese students during the '12-'13 school year, and as she invites others to be a part of it.
    • Pray for Mission Adelante staff  to pace ourselves this summer by planning well and taking things as they come, and to trust God for the time and resources necessary to carry out our mission. (Can you tell that there's an awful lot going on up here? :-D)
    Current needs:
    • Two females to serve as mentors for Bhutanese teenage girls each Tuesday evening through August 7.  Please contact Hannah Hume at hannahh@missionadelante.org.
    • Kids summer clothing to stock our Resource Center, and two sofas, which have been requested through our Resource Center.  Please contact Molly at 913-281-6274 x5.
    • A ceiling-mounted projector in a protective cage for use in our kids' room.
    Important dates:
    • Saturday, June 30, 9:00-12:00 Adelante Missions Institute Seminar at Mission Adelante featuring Noel Castellanos, CEO of Christian Community Development Association.  There is limited space, so we've offered priority registration to our staff and volunteers, and are now opening registration to a wider group.  There is a cost of $10 per person, which includes a continental breakfast.  Register here.
    • Week of July 2 Summer break; no programs

    Living Out Our Values

    Written by Lauren Timberlake, Bhutanese ESL Director


    Nearly 30 Bhutanese volunteers and their families met together a couple of weeks ago to celebrate the community God is putting together to serve our neighborhood. It was exciting to see the passion and variety represented in the body of Christ, listen to stories, and just enjoy deepening friendships. As I listened to what God was doing in the lives of our volunteers, several of Mission Adelante’s core values were represented. Here is just a sample of what God is doing among the Bhutanese at this time:

    Love for foreigners. I don’t know why I am still surprised when I hear volunteers talk about how much they love our Bhutanese friends. The Holy Spirit has obviously planted a fondness for them in so many of our hearts. One of our ESL volunteers moved last week from Olathe into our neighborhood in order to spend more time with her Bhutanese friends. Another told me at the party, “I almost feel guilty about how much fun I have as a volunteer. I just love it!” This love is a God-given love, sacrificial and live-giving. Without it, our ministry would be powerless.

    Service and Relationships. God is using cross-cultural relationships to bless both Bhutanese and Americans. When a crisis happened in the family of one of our volunteers, her Bhutanese “mother” here cared so much that she fasted and prayed. That kind of relationship comes from hours of practical service and time spent together. Pabitra (the Bhutanese “mom”) was able to see beyond her own neediness and serve her friend with love. That’s the kind of dignity and relationship that God grows through this ministry. It is such a blessing to watch.

    Partnership. The MOPS group (Mothers of Preschoolers) from Hillcrest Covenant Church created flower pot kits as Mother’s Day gifts for Bhutanese moms. Our friends loved the pots and look forward to growing something beautiful in their homes, and it gave the MOPS moms and their little ones a practical way to show love to immigrants in our city.

    These are just a few ways that God is using the Mission Adelante family to bless our community here in Kansas City, Kansas. Please pray that these values of love, service, relationship and partnership continue to grow and bear fruit in the lives of Bhutanese refugees, Latino immigrants, our volunteers, and church partners. To read more about our values as an organization, look on our website.


    In other news:

    • We're excited about the way that the summer trimester is shaping up, and about the great volunteer teams that are in place for all of our programs! God is faithful, every new trimester, to supply the volunteers that we need for our ministry programs to be effective!
    • We're eager for the arrival of our summer interns, Lindsey Bokach and Blake Johns, who will move to our neighborhood this Saturday to join our one-year interns, Drew Hammond and Hannah Hume.
    Prayer needs:
    • We have an urgent need for a CDL licensed driver to pick up our Bhutanese friends for weekly programs beginning this Tuesday, and for a volunteer (preferably male) that knows sign language to help a deaf Bhutanese man in ESL classes on Tuesdays throughout the summer. Will you help us pray for God to supply these two specific people?
    • Pray for the safety of our friends, Joe & Judy LeMaster and Drew Timberlake, who are presently on a ministry trip to Nepal.
    • Pray for God to work in difficult domestic situations being experienced by a few of the LIT students' families, and for His will to be done as to whether those students are able to go on the canoe trip next weekend, which they earned as a reward for their participation in LIT.
    Current needs:
    • Bhutanese outreach volunteers for the summer trimester--Tuesday evenings May 29 through August 7.  Please call David at  913-281-6274 x6 or e-mail him at davids@missionadelante.org if you're interested in any of these roles.
      • A CDL licensed driver to pick up our Bhutanese friends from around Kansas City, Kansas each Tuesday between 5:30 and 6:30 in our 22 passenger mini-bus.
      • A male Kids Club volunteers to work with 5th or 6th graders
      • A worship leader for Teens Club
      • A volunteer familiar with sign language and deaf culture to work with deaf Bhutanese ESL students.
    • Kids summer clothing to stock our Resource Center, and three sofas, which have been requested through our Resource Center.  Please contact Molly at 913-281-6274 x5.
    • A ceiling-mounted projector in a protective cage for use in our kids' room.
    Important dates:
    • Summer trimester program launches--Week of May 28
    • Saturday, June 30 @ 9:00 a.m. Adelante Missions Institute Seminar.  We're pleased to announce that Noel Castellanos, CEO of Christian Community Development Association, will visit Kansas City at the end of June.  Mark your calendar!

    Reaching Out To Jesus

    Written by Drew Hammond

    About two weeks ago, a small team of staff and volunteers from Mission Adelante’s Bhutanese outreach returned from a trip to Nepal and India. Since then, people have been asking me what my “one big takeaway” is. It is very difficult to pin down the single most valuable thing the Lord taught me over the course of our journey, but the following is definitely near the top of the list.

    One of the experiences I will always remember is our visit to a house church in a colony of ex-lepers in Nepal. This is a group of people that has been cast out from society because they happened to contract one of today’s least understood diseases. I was asked to share something with this group of people. In the back of the taxi on the way there, I was racking my brain trying to figure out what I could teach this group of people. After twenty minutes in the car, I still hadn’t come up with anything, even after thinking all morning. Finally I gave up. How could I relate to a people that had been rejected from society? There was nothing that I could find within myself to relate to them. As a last ditch effort, I started flipping through the New Testament to try to find something that could work. Then it hit me: I was my way to visit a group of people who had also found refuge in the arms of Jesus.  The Bible is where I should have started!

    As I scoured through narratives about Jesus, the Lord led me to Matthew 14: Jesus walking on water. I felt a sense of comfort as I  realized how well I was able to relate to Peter’s experience. Jesus calls Peter to step out of the boat, onto the water. The water which was new territory for Peter, a surface upon which all of his prior experience told him was impossible to walk.  As Peter stepped out of the boat towards Jesus, he became afraid and cried out “Lord, save me!” (Matthew 14:30). Then Jesus reached out His hand and said “You of little faith, why do you doubt?” (verse 31), and the two climbed back into the boat together.  I shared of the similar experience I had had when I began working with the Bhutanese, facing the options of either reaching out to Jesus or sinking into the depths of fear. I told them that I don’t hear Jesus’ words in verse 31 in a harsh and correcting tone, but in a loving and protective one.  A tone that says, “Don’t you know who I am?  You have nothing to fear in me!”

    The Lord definitely changed my heart in that moment, and over the course of our journey. It became even more clear to me that I belong to the Lord, and that I have nothing else to fear.


    In other news:

    • We're grateful for a generous donation of over 100 children's books in excellent condition for our children's library from Scott Bunte in memory of his mother, Joanne Paulsen Bunte.
    • We're looking forward to the What If The Church? Serve Day at Mission Adelante on June 9. The main projects will be remodeling a couple of rooms in our facility and beginning work on a house next door that we recently acquired. Register to volunteer here!
    • Our Latino and Bhutanese Missionary Teams have gathered the last three Monday evenings for grilling and fellowship followed by worship around a fire pit. One of the things we love most about doing ministry together is the rich community that is cultivated!
    Prayer needs:
    • Help us pray for a smooth on-ramp to our summer trimester. Ask God to put all the pieces in place, including each individual volunteer and immigrant participant in each of our programs, so that our love for Christ would be demonstrated by serving immigrants.
    • Continue to pray for an immigrant family in crisis. Pray for healing and peace, especially for the kids as they get used to a new family dynamic.
    • Pray for endurance and clear guidance for Executive Director Jarrett Meek as he leads the way into new initiatives, while keeping up with his many ongoing responsibilities. Also, pray for our Board of Directors as they plan for these new initiatives, which will allow us to have a broader impact in our community.
    • Pray for the Lord to bless the fundraising efforts of our staff and interns.
    Current needs:
    • Bhutanese outreach volunteers for the summer trimester--Tuesday evenings May 29 through August 7.  Please e-mail morganh@missionadelante.org if you're interested in any of these roles.
      • Five Kids Club volunteers
      • A worship leader for Teens Club
      • A driver with a CDL
      • Individuals familiar with sign language and deaf culture to work with several deaf Bhutanese ESL students
    • It's time to stock our resource center with baby's and kid's summer clothing.  Please contact Molly at 913-281-6274x5 if you can donate any.
    • Several 4-8 person tents for the upcoming L.I.T. canoe trip, and tarps large enough to put under the tents. Please contact Megan at 913-281-6274x2.
    • Fifteen reusable water bottles for Teens Adelante.  Please contact Brooke at 913-281-6274x8.
    • A  ceiling-mounted projector in a protective cage.  Contact Kristen at 913-281-6274 x9
    • Large Rubbermade storage bins with lids, and disposable cups.   Contact Kristen at 913-281-6274 x9
    Important dates:
    • Volunteer Orientation & Training--Saturday, May 19 @ 9:00 a.m.  All volunteers should attend this training once at the beginning of serving with Mission Adelante.  It's also a great way for someone to become familiar with Mission Adelante.  If you or someone you know is interested in finding out more about what we do, and about our volunteer opportunities, please plan to attend/encourage him or her to attend this informative training.
    • All Volunteer Huddle & Dessert--Monday, May 21 @ 6:30 p.m.  We encourage everyone that will be volunteering with us during our summer trimester to attend so we can prepare for a great launch.
    • Summer trimester program launches--Week of May 28
    • Saturday, June 30 @ 9:00 a.m. Adelante Missions Institute Seminar.  We're pleased to announce that Noel Castellanos, CEO of Christian Community Development Association, will visit Kansas City at the end of June.  Mark your calendar!