Our Resource Center: The Most Bang for your Book

By Sarah Winston, Operations Director

Are you familiar with Eric Carle’s beloved children’s book The Very Hungary Caterpillar?  Through simple text and eye-popping artwork, Carle tells the story of a caterpillar that eats its way through a smorgasbord of goodies, builds a cocoon, takes a nap, and emerges as a beautiful butterfly.  We are excited to announce that our Resource Center is going through a metamorphosis of its own.  Over the past few years your donations have helped meet a variety of diverse needs in the neighborhood, and we thank you for your generosity and support.  Through observing needs in the community and laying the groundwork to open a thrift store in the coming months, we realized it’s time for the Resource Center to narrow its focus to a few very specific needs, and will no longer accept donations of clothing or housewares.  During this summer of transformation, we will shut things down, clean things out, and emerge colorfully as the new, improved Resource Center.  We don’t want to spoil the surprise just yet—we will unveil the new vision for the Resource Center this fall.

One thing we can let you in on now, though, leads us back to our caterpillar friend—BOOKS!   Mission Adelante is launching a literacy program through our Resource Center.

A 20-year study through the University of Nevada found that children with large home libraries attain an average of 2 more years of education than kids without books at home.   Books in the home are as strong of a predictor of academic success as parents’ level of education and income level.  (See links below for further reading).   Do you want to help us get books into the hands of every kid in our community?  Here are some things you can do now, while were still in the “cocoon” phase of the Resource Center transition.

Help us organize the shelves:  The building blocks for a well-organized, easily-accessible system are uniform containers that stack well in our shelves to separate books by grade level.  Here’s a link to the containers we've chosen.  Would you consider purchasing one or two? http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?sku=57528&gclid=CJqKguOJtr8CFVFp7Aod_zAACg

2.   Collect Books:  Gather current and popular children’s titles from your family, friends, community group, or church; sort them by grade level (K-1, 2-3, 4-5 are preferred); and contact Molly at mollym@missionadelante.org  or 913-281-6274 x 5 to schedule a time to drop them off.  It’s that easy!  Please bear in mind that we only have the capacity right now to distribute books for elementary-aged kids, and books with minority characters are a bonus.  We are not able to accept reference books or adult books.

We hope that putting books in our kids’ hands will make them hungry for more.  Feeding their minds with great books will help them realize all of the beautiful, colorful potential God put in them!

For further reading about the effects of book ownership:

http://www.psmag.com/navigation/books-and-culture/books-home-strongly-linked-academic-achievement-82144/

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100520213116.htm

In Other News:

• We are excited to say that renovations to the house next door to our building are underway!  Mission Adelante purchased the home completely stripped to the studs, and Christ Community Church is partnering with us to rehab it into a flexible residential space.  More details are coming soon.

Current Needs:

• Leaders in Training, our after-school leadership development and tutoring program, is getting excited about technology!  We are currently looking for tablets that are in new, or very good condition to be used for learning activities during the 2014-2015 school year. If you have one you would like to donate please contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org or Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org.

• Looking for a fun way to make a big impact in the fall? Want to pour into the future leaders of our community?   Our relational and fun after-school and character development program, Leaders in Training, is currently looking for volunteers.   Contact Megan at meganm@missionadelante.org if you are interested!

• If many hands make light work, we could use more hands to help with the house rehab--no construction experience necessary!  There will be weekday and weekend opportunities for everything from swinging hammers to sweeping debris.  Please contact Sarah at sarahw@missionadelante.org if you want to join in.

• Additionally, we are in need of residential appliances that are in good working order for the house rehab.  Please contact Sarah at sarahw@missionadelante.org if you would like to donate an electric range/oven, dishwasher, refrigerator, washer, or electric dryer.

Important Dates:

• Get-acquainted Days: Thursdays, July 10 & 17 (Latino)/Tuesday, July 15 (Bhutanese) 6:30-8:30  Have you wondered what all goes on around here on a typical evening of programming?  Here's your opportunity to come and see for yourself!  Come on up to 22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102.

July 13th@5pm: A Concert to Benefit Mission Adelante and other Ministries!

Lenexa Baptist Church is hosting a benefit concert to raise awareness about several Kansas City area ministries! Enjoy an evening of family fun and music with "The Isaacs."   The Isaacs are an award winning family group based out of Hendersonville, TN, who began singing 35 years ago. Their musical style has been influenced by many  genres of music including bluegrass, rhythm and blues, folk, and country, contemporary, acoustic and southern gospel.

Buy your tickets here!

This benefit concert is sponsored by and designed to raise awareness for the following ministries:

Champions Special Ministries, Empower Sudan, Freedom Fire Urban Ministries, Hope's Heart Orphan Foundation, Hope Family Fellowship, HopeFaith Ministries, House of Hope KC, Hope Network of Raytown, Lenexa Baptist Church Adoption Ministry and Nicaragua Housing Ministry, Mercy and Truth Medical Missions, Mission Adelante, Mission of Hope Clinic, Pizzultelli Missionaries to China and Shalom Retreat Center.

A Small Gift with a Big Impact

By Lauren Timberlake, Bhutanese ESL Director

Devi is happy to have a pair of reading glasses. The refugee camps in Nepal don’t use the written word very much, but in the U.S., being unable to see clearly has kept her from learning to read. This makes shopping confusing, filling out forms at the doctor’s office very difficult, and passing a U.S. citizenship exam impossible.

A few weeks ago, we placed a request in this newsletter for donations of reading glasses. We quickly received nearly 20 pairs from several sources. Almost all of those have found new homes with English students. When students wear the new glasses, there is an immediate sense of relief. I have already noticed greater letter recognition, increased confidence, and less fatigue by the end of class. There is still a lot of hard work that goes into learning a new language, but being able to see well is a great start. The reading glasses are a small gift with a big impact for these students.

Thank you to those who donated glasses, and to anyone who has met a practical need at Mission Adelante. We believe that the opportunities and challenges in our community are God-sized, and that meeting them requires partnerships among believers. Members from 26 different churches come together to become conversation partners, after-school LIT mentors, Kid’s Camp leaders, employers, and more for members of our community. Even more families and individuals pray over our newsletters, run extra errands to donate a physical need, or share part of their paychecks each month to fund our programs and staff salaries.

It’s important to recognize the beauty of the body of Christ in our city working together in big ways and small ones to show hospitality to our newest residents. May our partnerships please Jesus and allow us to see Him at work around us.

In other news:

• We're so excited to have Emmanuel Baptist Church hosting our third--and final--week of Kid’s Camps this summer.  We kicked off  the week with a BBQ and viewing of the movie “Frozen” with our community, which was a hit!  We are very blessed to have such amazing church partners that engage the kids in our community in such fun activities, while helping us reach out to even more neighborhood kids!
• Both of our Bhutanese Interns have recently had grandparents arrive in the United States from Nepal. It's wonderful to share in their excitement about being reunited! In the coming months many people from our Bhutanese community will be welcoming family members who are resettling here. The resettlement process is a long and arduous journey for refugee families, and we are excited to welcome these families into the community as they make the United States their new home!

Current needs:

• Leaders in Training, our after-school leadership development and tutoring program, is getting excited about technology!  We are currently looking for tablets that are in new or very good condition to be used for learning activities during the 2014-2015 school year. If you have one you would like to donate please contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org or Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org.

Important dates:

• Summer break: July 1-5 No programs.
• Get-acquainted Days: Tuesdays, July 8 & 15 (Bhutanese)/Thursdays, July 10 & 17 (Latino) 6:30-8:30  Have you wondered what all goes on around here on a typical evening of programming?  Here's your opportunity to come and see for yourself!  Come on up to 22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102.

Community Driven Program Launched by Chin Refugee Leaders

By Kristen Allen, Community Development Director

Pastor Run Tho of Myanmar Christian Church

delivers a message on the first day

One of my greatest joys in working cross-culturally is seeing amazing leaders rise up to address needs within their community. As the Director of Community Development, it is my privilege to work alongside men and women who are dedicated to using their God given abilities to transform their communities. My focus in the Adelante Empowerment Network, one of our community development initiatives, is empowering leaders to achieve their vision. There are beautiful stories of how vision is becoming reality and the Galilee Learning Center is just one example of the incredible capacity of the men and women who have immigrated to KCK.

My friend Lal is an entrepreneur in every sense of the word. She is always praying into how God can use her and her family and I enjoy how we share our dreams, encourage each other, and build upon our ideas together. Last year, Lal shared how God was laying on her heart to do something for the youth in her community and she started planning for a children's program to launch the summer of 2014.

Teacher Mawi Te leads the kids in a song

The vision of a children's program that focused on the Bible and provided Burmese and Chin language instruction couldn't be fulfilled without additional men and women who saw the need within the Chin

community and were willing to be a part of making it a reality. Leaders stepped forward and became the teachers needed to make the program run. One man volunteered his skills in leading worship, another decided to move his Burmese language program to Galilee Learning Center so he could help additional kids, and several Sunday school teachers from various Chin churches volunteered to develop the program, curriculum, and schedule.

GLC participants enjoy lunch at the end of the program day

I wish you all could spend a morning at Galilee Learning Center and see the hope that comes from a community focused on developing their youth. The sound of children's voices and laughter fills the air. Our space is full of praise songs as the group comes together to worship Jesus. It is beautiful and just a small glimpse of the blessings that God pours out when we work together.

The vision for Christian community development in our KCK community is being realized through Galilee Learning Center. It is community born, developed, and driven. We pray for more leaders to rise up and can't wait to see what issue God calls His people to address next. 

In other news:

• The Bhutanese summer interns are reading with the Bhutanese LIT students every Thursday at the library. It's a fun way for the interns to invest in their community, practice leadership, and help make sure that the LIT kids don't lose any of the skills they worked so hard to gain during the school year.
• Many of our English students have enjoyed seeing more clearly with the reading glasses provided by donors last month. It’s amazing what a difference it makes when they are learning to read and write. Thank you!
• One of our English students passed the Citizenship test! We are excited to interview her in our class to give the other students hope of becoming a citizen one day in the near future!
• Our thanks go out to Bright Ideas Signs & More for providing our eye-catching new sign in front of our building.  www.brightideassigns.com

Current needs:

• Leaders In Training, our after-school leadership development and tutoring program, is getting excited about technology! We are looking for tablets that are new or in very good condition to use for learning activities during the 2014-2015 school year.  If you have one you would like to donate, please contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org or Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org.

Important dates:

• Summer break: July 1-5 No programs.
• Observation Days: Tuesdays, July 8 & 15 (Bhutanese)/Thursdays, July 10 & 17 (Latino) 6:30-8:30  Have you wondered what all goes on around here on a typical evening of programming?  Here's your opportunity to come and see for yourself!  Come on up to 22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102.

Summertime: New Friends and a Ton of FUN!

By Megan McDermott, Latino Children's Ministry Director
 At Mission Adelante, the summer is always an invitation and an exciting opportunity for our community to invest deeply in our children. This week, a group of about twenty volunteers from Shoal Creek Community Church came to invest in the Bhutanese, Latino, and Chin children's ministries. At Mission Adelante, our mission is to make disciples by serving, sharing life, and sharing Jesus with people from other places.  Because of this, we were excited to begin the summer with our first Kid’s Camp with such a diverse mix of kids! Between games, Bible study, and some awesome crafts, an incredible change began to happen.

Many of the kids attend the same local schools and know each other. However, cultural differences can sometimes hinder friendship. Many of our kids struggle to find their niche between their native cultures and the American culture. The first night of the camp, amongst seventy exuberant children, we noticed that the kids were shy around each other. They didn't know what to make of each other and were hesitant to interact.  As the camp proceeded, though, we noticed that through games, dance parties, charades, a fun skit about King Nebuchadnezzar (pictured right) and incredible teaching by the Shoal Creek group, the kids began to play and laugh together. The shyness evaporated as the kids began to see that they weren't so different from each other and that maybe, just maybe, this new friend that they had made might be able to understand them in a really deep way.

As the summer goes on and the kids continue to engage in various activities, we are excited to see how God moves. His heart for these children is amplified when they are in a mixed context because, though these kids seem to be so different, they are all children of our Most High God.  What a blessing to see the many faces of our Father reflected in the sweetness of these precious kids! 

In other news:

• We were privileged to host the wedding last Saturday of a young Bhutanese couple that we became acquainted with through our Teens ministry. It was a wonderful ceremony! We celebrated aspects of Nepali culture, Narbu Tamang and Anjana (Monger) Tamang’s love for one another, and the Lord Jesus’ love for all of us! Please pray for this young couple as they begin the exciting and difficult journey of married life.

• Celebrating culture is one of our core values and a local community partner, Catholic Charities, is hosting World Refugee Day on Saturday, June 14 from 2:00pm-6:00pm. This is a great way to celebrate the cultures, histories, and community contributions of our Bhutanese friends and other refugee groups in KCK. Join the fun at 2220 Central Avenue, Kansas City, KS 66102.

• One of our men’s discipling groups is moving beyond just studying together and we’re beginning to serve together too, by visiting community members in their homes.

Prayer needs:

• The buildout of Chin Hills Restaurant continues. Please pray that construction can stay on time and our friends from the Chin community can soon realize their dream of using their grocery store and restaurant to fund programs for the youth in their community.

• Please pray for unity and spiritual hunger for our interns.

• Please pray for some special members of our Latino community who are moving to Texas in the next couple of weeks.  We will miss them!

• Continue to pray for our kid’s camp during the month of June! It is a great opportunity to reach out and share Jesús with kids in our own backyard.

Current needs:

• Leaders in Training, our after-school leadership development and tutoring program, is getting excited about technology!  We are currently looking for tablets that are in new, or very good condition to be used for learning activities during the 2014-2015 school year. If you have one you would like to donate please contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org or Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org.

Important dates:

• Summer break: July 1-5 No programs.

New Look--Same Vision

We envision a growing multicultural community of disciples making disciples, where immigrants and others are thriving and using our gifts together to transform our neighborhood and the world for the glory of Jesus Christ. New Look -- Same Vision loving people from all places We're pleased to introduce you to our new website!  It has been designed to reflect the ways Mission Adelante has matured and developed over the years and it looks toward the future we believe God is calling us to embrace.  In our first nine years, we've learned a lot about "loving people from all places". Our mission remains focused on making disciples by serving, sharing life and sharing Jesus with people from other places, but we've grown in the scope and reach of our ministry.  We're excited to have a new tool that will more effectively communicate who we are and what we're dreaming with our community! We invite you to take a few minutes and learn more.   www.missionadelante.org In His Grace, Jarrett Meek   Copyright © 2014 Mission Adelante, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you have shown interest in hearing more about Mission Adelante and have chosen to receive email updates. Our mailing address is: Mission Adelante 22 S. 18th Street Kansas City, KS 66102

Sunset and Washing Dirty Feet with Interns

by Jarrett Meek, Pastor/Executive Director

As the sun went down on the second day of our internship launch retreat, we were all finally starting to feel
comfortable with one another.  After all, our group included an unlikely mix of white, Latino, and Bhutanese-Nepali youth from our neighborhood.  We were all a bit worn out from our marathon afternoon of playing four different sports in the hot Kansas sun.  We started with volleyball, which was the most comfortable of the activities we did, and then moved on to baseball, American football, and soccer.  The interns went swimming after all that, but I opted for a nap.  Now we were all relaxed (and exhausted), as we settled in on the back deck of the Barn Bed and Breakfast Inn, a secluded place located somewhere off the beaten path in rural Kansas.  It was a peaceful environment to study one of Jesus' most important lessons on servant leadership.

We talked through John 13 that evening, reflecting on what it means to be a leader.  A leader is a servant, according to Jesus' definition.  The God of the universe humbled himself and became a man, taking on the role of a slave, and he washed the feet of his disciples.  He taught them that they also ought to wash one another's feet.  So, we did.  We washed, we worshiped God, and we prayed for one another.

The young man who washed my feet and prayed for me has grown up in and around Mission Adelante.  If you knew him six years ago you wouldn't recognize him now.  He has overcome some extremely difficult circumstances to get to the point he where he is today.  When he put his hand on my shoulder and began praying I felt like I was seeing into a heart that has been broken, shaped and re-made through the trials of life; trials that most people can't even imagine.  His prayer was one of the most sincere and beautiful prayers I've ever heard in my life.  Courageous, faithful, intelligent, wise, genuine, hungry, and determined are the words I'd use to describe him.  The work of Jesus in his life is unmistakable.  Maybe someday he'll tell his own story for all to hear.

In other news:

• In preparation for the launch of our thrift store, the vision of the Resource Center is changing. We are no longer accepting donations of clothing, furniture, or housewares.  Look for information on the revised vision of the resource center in upcoming issues of the Adelante Express.

Prayer needs:

• Each summer, the Youth Ministries of several of our partner churches lead three or four-day Kids Camps on our soccer field. They're a great time for all students involved, and they kick-off next week. Please be in prayer for good weather, safety and fun!

Important date

• Summer Break: July 1-5 No programs will meet.

A Family Commitment to Community

Written by Kristen Allen, Community Development Director

Recently I’ve heard some awesome stories from our volunteers that highlight how God is moving in the Mission Adelante community to draw individuals deeper into relationship with Him and people from other places. A few weeks ago a Bhutanese ESL volunteer shared with me how a stop to buy Gatorade for her sick mother led to meeting new people and an opportunity to learn Nepali from someone in her Olathe neighborhood all because she made the effort to greet a stranger with a simple “Namaste”. God wants us to be in relationship with others and when we start to follow His call, the doors start to open.

My friends and neighbors, Rachel and Jeremiah Pierce, are examples of how following God’s calling for their family has led to incredible opportunity to partner with people from other places. Four years ago the Pierces were part of Westside Family Church's JOSEPH Campaign and learned about openings to serve here in Kansas City and around the globe. Rachel’s heart was drawn to children’s issues and anti-trafficking efforts, but she clearly remembers not marking the box for refugees because she wasn’t interested. Around the same time Westside was hosting a short-term missions trip to Thailand to visit their ministry partners and the Pierces decided to go for their 10th wedding anniversary. There Rachel and Jeremiah met Karen refugees from Burma and by the time they returned to KC, God had put a love for refugees deep in Rachel’s heart and the family decided to get involved with mentoring a family from Burma.

As the Pierces started to get to know the newly arrived refugee family they were matched with, they started to learn more about themselves and how their lives might be used through cross cultural friendships. They prayed and moved to Kansas City, Kansas, they started volunteering at Mission Adelante, and they kept listening to God and loving people from other places.

Over the past year, their lives have intersected with more refugees and led to helping people prepare for the citizenship test, teaching about home maintenance, assisting with doctors appointments, befriending refugee mothers at McKinley PTA meetings, and working with the Kansas Chin Christian Church to prepare a home for a newly arrived refugee family. And that is really just a snapshot of their lives; Rachel and Jeremiah have too many stories to share of the opportunities God has given them to partner with others because they kept following His heart.

We celebrate all of our volunteers who step out in faith to follow God’s command to welcome the stranger and how those initial meetings turn into meaningful, interdependent relationships. Next week a new trimester starts and so do new stories of volunteers experiencing challenge and growth. Please pray for the life change that happens as children, ESL students, and volunteers come together to build community.

In other news:

• There were 14 high school graduates from the Bhutanese community this week. These kids arrived in the US as teenagers and have overcome great obstacles to finish high school in America. We are proud to celebrate with them!

Current needs:

• We’ve received lots of board books for our Mommy & Me ESL class--Thank you! If you still have books to donate, please contact Lauren at laurent@missionadelante.org. We can use them year round. 

• Recent storms have prompted us to want to make our outdoor activities a little safer.  So, we are putting together an outdoor safety kit.  Please contact Sarah at sarahw@missionadelante.org if you or your community group would like to donate a lightning meter, a portable weather radio, a first aid kit, or crank-powered flashlights.  

• We are in need of a high-quality vacuum that can keep up with our heavy foot traffic.  Please contact Molly at mollym@missionadelante.org if you can help.

Important dates:

• Summer trimester programs launch: Week of May 26

A Camping We Will Go

Written by Kristen Maxwell, Bhutanese Children's Ministry Director

When looking back on childhood summers many of us have fond memories of time spent at summer camp.  Making art projects, exploring the wilderness, playing games, and growing closer to friends were always highlights.  

Last Friday through Sunday, 16 Bhutanese Leaders in Training students (and eight adult mentors) got to take part in the tradition of summer camp at Camp New Hope, about 45 minutes north of Kansas City.  We learned about God’s creation, played games, used a compass for the first time, tie-dyed, took a ride on a wagon, and got to pie mentors in the face for learning the two memory verses of the weekend!

Experiences like these are so very important to the education of our kids.  They not only get to have fun and learn life skills, but they also have their world view expanded.  Enjoy some pictures of our fun time this past weekend!

 

 

In other news:

• The Latino Equipos (Spanish for "Teams")  group met on Monday to discuss how our community can welcome our new volunteers this summer through food, friendship, and worship.  We are really excited and blessed to have such an awesome team of leaders with hearts to serve!

Prayer needs:

• Leaders in Training is our tutoring and character development program during the school year for a select group of kids, and is by invitation, only. We're wrapping up our application process for the 2014-2015 school year.   Please pray for discernment and wisdom for those involved in the decision of which students to invite.

Current needs:

• We're still looking for volunteers to serve in the following programs for our summer trimester:
• Bhutanese Kids Club (Tuesday evenings): 5 volunteers.  Contact Kristen at kristenm@missionadelante.org.
• Latino Kids Adelante (Thursday evenings): 2 volunteers.  Contact Megan at meganm@missionadelante.org.
• Latino ESL for adults (Thursday evenings): 8 volunteers.  Contact Morgan at morganh@missionadelante.org.
• Shuttle drivers (various times): No CDL Required!  Contact Drew at drewh@missionadelante.org.

• Recent storms have prompted us to want to make our outdoor activities a little safer.  So, we are putting together an outdoor safety kit.  Please contact Sarah at sarahw@missionadelante.org if you or your community group would like to donate a lightning meter, a portable weather radio, a first aid kit, or crank-powered flashlights.

• We are in need of a high-quality vacuum that can keep up with our heavy foot traffic.  Please contact Molly at mollym@missionadelante.org if you can help.

• The Bhutanese ESL program could use reading glasses of all strengths. We also need more toddler/preschool board books (gently used) to give away during our Mommy & Me class in June. Please contact laurent@missionadelante.org if you can donate any of these items.

Important dates:

• Volunteer Orientation & Training: Saturday, May 17, 9:00-12:30 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's ministry. 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 plan on attending this informative training, and to contact Morgan at morganh@missionadelante.org for all the details.
• All Volunteer Huddle & Dessert: Monday, May 19, 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 programs launch: Week of May 26

Come and Serve on the Mission Field in Your Own Backyard!

Written by Jarrett Meek, Pastor/Executive Director

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

In Matthew 25 Jesus says these words;

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

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

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

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

Whether your heart is for adult immigrants or kids, Latinos or refugees from Bhutan, there is a place for you to make an impact with Mission Adelante.  We specifically need volunteers in the following areas for the summer:

• Six mentors for Bhutanese Kids Club each Tuesday evening. Contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@Missionadelante.org.
• A shuttle driver for various times (No CDL required). Contact Drew Hammond at drewh@missionadelante.org.
• Conversation Partners for Latino English Class each Thursday evening. Contact Morgan Ham at morganh@missionadelante.org.

Please click here for all the info related to volunteering with Mission Adelante! And now, if you have a couple of minutes, watch a quick video to get a better feel for what it looks like to be involved in our ministries!

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

In other news:

• Jarrett, Megan, Brian, and Sandy arrived back safely from Q-ba on Tuesday.  They all taught at a three-day purity retreat for more than 85 youth and young adults in the church. God protected the team and allowed them to go deep with the youth.

Prayer needs:

• Please pray for the health of two of our Bhutanese grandmothers. They are both struggling to recover from some previous health challenges.  Pray for healing, renewed strength and a sense of the presence of Lord Jesus.

Important dates:

• Volunteer Orientation & Training: Saturday, May 17, 9:00-12:30 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's ministry. 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 plan on attending this informative training, and to contact Morgan at morganh@missionadelante.org for all the details.
• All Volunteer Huddle & Dessert: Monday, May 19, 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 programs launch: Week of May 26

Reaching the World's Largest People Group

Written by Kristen Maxwell, Bhutanese Children's Ministry Director

Who it is that comprises the largest people group to be reached with the gospel?  Is it some group of people in a foreign land, perhaps people in crowded cities somewhere in Asia or Africa?  As it turns out, some missiologists assert that the largest people group resides everywhere, including right here in Kansas City.  Presently, the largest group with whom to share the Gospel is people under the age of 20.  As worldwide birth rates peak in 2015, children and teens currently make up half of the world’s population!

 Children are worth our attention!  A 2010 study by the Billy Graham School of Missions found that people are most likely to make a decision for Christ between the ages of 4 and 14, and that 71% of Christians make a decision for Christ before the age of 15!

At Mission Adelante we love kids!  As we have observed a number of times, faith is often brought into an immigrant family for the first time by some of the youngest members.  Each week of our Outreach Bible Studies gives us another chance to love kids, build relationships with them, and point them to Jesus. 

We are preparing to launch our summer trimester the week of May 26^th and we're looking for mentors to love and serve the kids of Mission Adelante on Tuesday and Thursday evenings!  For information on how you can help reach the world’s largest people group please contact:

Megan McDermott, Director of Latino Kids Ministries at meganm@missionadelante.org

Kristen Maxwell, Director of Bhutanese Kids Ministries at kristenm@missionadelante.org

Check out some great infographics on the importance of reaching kids with the Gospel: 

http://www.gmi.org/infographics/missiographic-PopulationTrends.jpg

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Prayer needs

• Please pray for the Adelante Thrift Board. They meet next week to discuss location and timing of the store and have some big decisions to make. Please pray for God to continue to guide us in this process as we look to start sustainable community development.

Current needs:

• Spring has sprung, and our grounds could use some TLC.  Please contact Molly at mollym@missionadelante.org if you are interested in weeding and mulching flower beds.

• We are collecting board books for our Bhutanese Mommy & Me early literacy class this summer. Contact Lauren at laurent@missionadelante.org if you can donate new or gently used board books, especially those with counting, colors, first words or ABCs. They will be given to refugee families attending the class.

Important dates:

• Volunteer Orientation & Training: Saturday, May 17, 9:00-12:30 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's ministry. 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 plan on attending this informative training, and to contact Morgan at morganh@missionadelante.org for all the details.
• All Volunteer Huddle & Dessert: Monday, May 19, 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 programs launch: Week of May 26

Introducing the World to Deaf Refugees

Written by Lauren Timberlake, Bhutanese ESL Director

Guman, Josh, and Chandra

When Guman and Chandra Poudel first came to English class two summers ago, I wasn’t sure we could help them. We have many students who have had little-to-no education, but I had never taught anyone who couldn’t hear. Guman and Chandra are deaf, but they wanted to learn and were so happy to be in class. We paired them with Josh Downing, a first-time conversation partner, and he found several resources to help them begin to understand what we were covering in class.

In Nepal, being deaf is a serious handicap. There is often no education offered to deaf individuals, and they are not able to work or fully socialize with society. Most deaf people have no way to learn a sign language. As refugees, The Poudels have even more hurdles to face than the rest of the Bhutanese community because their life experiences have been so limited. We really wanted them to be able to learn American Sign Language and experience more community and opportunity in Kansas City. We prayed for help, and God sent us Rev. Debbie Buchholz from Deaf International in Olathe.

A volunteer from Deaf International teaches Guman sign language during ESL registration.

Debbie and a team of volunteers from Deaf International have been working with Guman and Chandra for more than a year. They are teaching them American Sign Language and everyday life skills that are new to them--like using silverware, hand soap, and pushing a shopping cart. Debbie said, “They have been put into a culture where being deaf means opportunity to follow God’s plans and prosper in whatever area God has placed them in. They both want to get married, have a family and drive a car. We say they can….they say they can’t. God has placed us in each other’s lives, and now it is our privilege to move forward in introducing the world to them and them to the world. The key is not giving up.”

In addition to expert help from Deaf International, Josh (their conversation partner) has spent the last two years as Guman and Chandra’s best friend. He works with them at English class every week, visits their home, often drives them to church (Deaf International Community Church), and has been there when they needed him most. Josh has been learning American Sign Language along with them, too. It’s amazing to see what God does when intentional relationships are formed. Josh has given so much, but he has also been changed by this unlikely friendship. Josh says, "I love Guman and Chandra and have learned so much from my relationship with them. I have worked to teach them English and ASL, but they have given me a class in getting outside myself and communicating on levels that I'm deficient in. Much like how Christ calls me to hear on a level deeper than words, they have helped me to grow in deep hearing, in hearing things that really matter and communicating in ways that really connect."

Guman and Chandra can now write their names and have simple conversations in ASL. They have greater respect from their Bhutanese community and have many American friends, deaf and hearing, in Kansas City. This has given them much joy. Josh shares, "In the last couple years I've seen Guman and Chandra really come more alive and connected as they have grown in their language abilities. One simple example of this growth is that almost a year ago Guman was lost and needed to be able to communicate his name to some strangers. At the time he had learned enough ASL to be able to fingerspell his name to them. A year later, were he to find himself in the same scenario, he would also be able to write his name in English. There is so much power in knowing and being able to communicate your name in the native language. It's incredibly encouraging to have seen Guman and Chandra work to develop this particular skill."

At Mission Adelante, we love people from other places--regardless of their ability to speak English, read, work, or hear. We desire to welcome newcomers to our city, help them see what’s available to them, and shower them with dignity and respect. We are thankful God sends volunteers like Josh and partners like Debbie, who come alongside us in this mission.

Important dates:

• Volunteer Orientation & Training: Saturday, May 17, 9:00-12:30 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's ministry. 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 plan on attending this informative training, and to contact Morgan at morganh@missionadelante.org for all the details.
• All Volunteer Huddle & Dessert: Monday, May 19, 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 programs launch: Week of May 26

Celebrating

written by David Stetler, Director of Bhutanese Ministries

At Mission Adelante we love to celebrate culture and leadership development, and we especially love to celebrate when our friends from other places “adelantan" (move forward). Last weekend the community of Mission Adelante celebrated the completion of our 2014 Spring trimester, the raising up of young leaders as they took on new responsibilities, the friendships that have grown during the last 12 weeks and the beauty of the unique cultures represented in our growing multi-cultural community! The adult students in our English classes received certificates, the teens and kids received awards and everyone received a little more joy.


We believe that developing individuals to reach their potential as disciples and leaders is how ministry bears fruit. This was so evident in the way that our community leaders came around each part of the events. The Equipos (the teams) led the way at the Latino party and the Bhutanese LTP (Leadership Training Project) teens led the way at the Bhutanese party. It was such an exciting time to see new and growing leaders stepping up to lead in new ways.

As our community keeps growing, we long to continue to create more opportunities for leaders to be developed, disciples to be made and for people from all places to thrive as we use our gifts together to transform our neighborhood.

In other news:

• The Latino party last weekend was a blast! We were so proud of the kids as they performed “God’s Not Dead,” and of our Kid’s Equipo (Team) that led really fun and creative activities to engage the kids during the adult portion of the program.
• Immigrant business owners continue to transform our community. Two refugee business owners have submitted plans to the city to open restaurants. We’ll share when the restaurants open so you can support the community and enjoy some delicious food!

Prayer needs:

• Please pray for a ministry team from Mission Adelante who will be traveling to Q- ba over the next couple of weeks to work together with RAICES at a ministry retreat.
• Please pray for our gap between trimesters to be a time that our staff can rest as well as prepare and plan for the summer trimester.
• Please pray for the Adelante Thrift board as they continue to work through challenges to open the thrift store.

Current needs:

• We’re looking for a source for custom embroidered garments. If you know the owner of a local promotional product business, please email Morgan at morganh@missionadelante.org.
• Our Kids Club board games are beginning to wear out.  We are looking for new or gently used board games and toys for kids in the Kindergarten to 4th grade age range.  Some popular items include Trouble, Connect4, Jenga, Tinker-toys and Lincoln-Logs.  For more information contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org.

This Week at Mission Adelante

News:

• Bhutanese LTP (Leadership Training Project) students have begun reading through the book of Mark together. This is the first time a majority of the students have opening a bible and read it for themselves. We are excited to see what God will teach us as we read His Word together.
• Janoy, a Cuban member of our Latino church community, preached on Sunday night at our celebration service for the second time.  It is a real privilege to walk with people as they develop their ministry gifts.
• We are in week four of a five-week pilot English class at Laminate Works, Inc, a local business partner.  Laminate Works has provided employment for several members of the Mission Adelante community.  Thank you, Laminate Works, Inc.!
• We are thankful to those that have given to make the LIT reward store a success! The kids received awesome rewards for working hard to improve their organizational skills, to memorize their verses, and to grow in their leadership!

Prayer needs:

• Please pray for the Lord to give us vision and insight as we begin dreaming and planning for the fall season of programs.
• Please pray for wisdom as we work out details of Adelante Thrift, a new thrift store in the neighborhood we are hoping to launch this summer/fall.
• Please pray for Latino teens as they begin the application process this Monday for LTP (Leadership Training Project). We are super excited for this, the newest version of our summer internship, which will invest in the development of teens from our own neighborhood!

Current needs:

• A family has requested a twin bed (mattress, box springs, and frame) through our resource center. If you have one to donate, please contact Molly at mollym@missionadelante.org.

Important dates:

• Bhutanese Spring Party: Saturday, April 12, 5:00-8:00 at First Baptist Church, 2900 Minnesota Avenue, Kansas City, KS 66102. Please come and help us celebrate the accomplishments of our ESL, Teens, Kids Adelante, and L.I.T. students this trimester and honor volunteers with sustained service.
• Latino Spring Party: Saturday, April 13, 5:00-8:00 at Bethany Community Center. Please come and help us celebrate the accomplishments of our ESL, Teens, Kids Adelante, and L.I.T. students this trimester and honor volunteers with sustained service. Bethany Community Center is located on Central Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas (66102) between 11th and 12th Streets, behind the fire station.

Jesus, the Light of Life

Written by Jenny Dunn, Bhutanese ESL Coordinator

Sunday afternoon our Bhutanese ESL team was privileged to meet with a number of volunteers to discuss and consider our Bhutanese friends’ religion and culture. We seek to understand their context in order to relate to, and love, them better. As we looked at the information, we asked ourselves, "How can we reflect some of our friends' innate values, so they can see Jesus more clearly in us?"  Ideas included humility, generosity, hospitality, renunciation, and reverence for God and men. We got a taste of the reverent and sensory aspects of our Bhutanese friends' culture by lighting a candle and incense while we prayed.  Much like some religion offer up incense, we offered up our prayers to God that Jesus would become the Light of life to our friends.

At Mission Adelante, we place a high value on interdependent relationships and are so encouraged by our dedicated volunteers, who value it as well.  They asked many questions and shared many experiences.  Pray with us that as we continue to learn together, God will use our attempt to understand culture as a way to display Jesus’ love to our friends.







In other news:

• The Latino LIT kids had a blast last weekend on their overnight trip to the Omaha Zoo, including fun adventures with bats and a gorilla! It was a great reward trip for the hard-working students!
• The Latino Teens Outreach is planning a cookout to end the trimester.  We are looking forward to good food and family fun!
• The entire volunteer team for our Latino Kid’s Outreach is getting together to celebrate an awesome trimester with some fun and fellowship at Megan’s house this weekend.

Prayer needs:

• Please pray for the the Bhutanese and Latino Outreaches as we are planning our trimester parties during the next two weeks.

Current needs:

• A family has requested a twin bed (mattress, box springs, and frame) through our resource center. If you have one to donate, please contact Molly at mollym@missionadelante.org.

Important dates:

• Bhutanese Spring Party: Saturday, April 12, 5:00-8:00 at First Baptist Church, 2900 Minnesota Avenue, Kansas City, KS 66102. Please come and help us celebrate the accomplishments of our ESL, Teens, Kids Adelante, and L.I.T. students this trimester and honor volunteers with sustained service.
• Latino Spring Party: Saturday, April 13, 5:00-8:00 at Bethany Community Center. Please come and help us celebrate the accomplishments of our ESL, Teens, Kids Adelante, and L.I.T. students this trimester and honor volunteers with sustained service. Bethany Community Center is located on Central Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas (66102) between 11th and 12th Streets, behind the fire station.

A Journey of Firsts

Written by Drew Hammond, Bhutanese Ministry Logistics Coordinator

Spring break for many people is a time to go to the beach, take a cruise, try surfing, or do anything else that involves bright sunshine and escaping the tyranny of winter clothes. However, a group of five Bhutanese-Nepali student leaders from Mission Adelante chose to spend their spring break in the bone chilling air of “the windy city,” Chicago, Illinois.

The trip was the first official activity of the Leadership Training Project, (LTP), for the Bhutanese Teens Ministry. The Leadership Training Project is a year-long leadership development program for emerging youth leaders. The program has two components: mentoring and learning through leading. Students will be mentored by an adult in leadership skills and taught about how to follow Jesus, the ultimate leader of men, as Nepalis and in a way that honors and celebrates their Nepali culture and family. Students will also participate in opportunities to serve and lead in the Bhutanese Community, and in our Kansas City neighborhood. The leadership skills they develop during this program will help them to grow spiritually and build their character, as well as to teach them necessary skills for school, future jobs, and how to be good and productive members of their families and communities.

The objective of the trip was to transform us from a group of individual students working to organize the Bhutanese Teens Ministry into a team of leaders equipped and empowered to lead the Bhutanese Teen community at Mission Adelante. One great way to make a group of people into a unified team is to share new experiences. Our journey to Chicago was full of new experiences. For example, none of us had ever navigated the subway and bus system of Chicago before. It proved very complicated for a group of people from Kansas City without experience with such a massive public transportation system. Many times during our trip we relied upon help from local people from Chicago at times when we got off the bus at the wrong stop or rushed from one train to another, hoping not to be late to our next destination. We returned from our journey knowing the Lord had used our transportation challenges, as well as others, to draw and bind us together as a team.

Will you pray for the LTP team? Pray that we will be bound together as we embark on our journey to love and follow Jesus as our Lord.

In other news:

• It has  been an exciting time for the Latino Outreach as more and more of our teens step up to mentor kids during our Thursday night Outreach Bible Study.  We praise God for teens that are using their gifts to transform our neighborhood and the world for the glory of Jesus Christ!

• The Latino LIT kids are very excited for a trip to the Omaha Zoo this weekend! The trip is a reward for all of their hard work this year.

Prayer needs:

• The lease negotiations continue as we try to secure a space for Adelante Thrift. Please continue to pray for this process and for the next steps that need to happen to make the thrift store a reality.

• As we wait for the House of Representatives to legislate immigration reform, please pray against actions that will polarize the discussion and pray for a willingness to cooperate in ways that are productive.

Current needs:

• Is your church planning a VBS program this summer? Once your VBS camp is over, please consider giving your program materials to a Burmese Chin woman who is starting a children’s outreach program for Chin children in the community. Please contact Kristen Allen at kristena@missionadelante.org to learn more.

• We are looking for people who have knowledge and skills with literacy intervention for teenagers. Many of the Bhutanese teens are in need of reading and English help outside of school. Mission Adelante would especially like to offer this help to our five teenage interns this Summer. If you or someone you know has helpful resources or suggestions on this topic or would be interested in volunteering your skills this summer, please contact Hannah Hume at hannahh@missionadelante.org.

• Our LIT students earn "Mission Adelante Money" for exemplary behavior and doing extra academic work, which they can spend at a Reward Store once each trimester.  We're in need of items by March 31 to stock that store!  Ideas include sports equipment, craft supplies, bedroom decorations, or any small item that would appeal to 8-14 year old students.  If you would like to contribute, please contact Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org or Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org.
• Every August we have the chance to bless the almost 200 students who are a part of the ministries at Mission Adelante with backpacks for Back-to-School!  We are currently looking for churches and organizations to host Backpack drives for the back-to-school season!  Would you consider hosting a backpack drive as a summer service project, or as a part of your Vacation Bible School? If you would like more information on packing backpacks for us, and meeting this tangible need for our community contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@Missionadelante.org.

Important dates:

• Optional Bhutanese ESL Training: March 30th at 2:00 on the topic of Hinduism at Jenny Dunn’s house.  Email Jenny for details: jennyd@missionadelante.org.
• Bhutanese Spring Party: Saturday, April 12, 5:00-8:00 at First Baptist Church, 2900 Minnesota Avenue, Kansas City, KS 66102. Please come and help us celebrate the accomplishments of our ESL, Teens, Kids Adelante, and L.I.T. students this trimester and honor volunteers with sustained service.
• Latino Spring Party: Saturday, April 13, 5:00-8:00 at Bethany Community Center.  Please come and help us celebrate the accomplishments of our ESL, Teens, Kids Adelante, and L.I.T. students this trimester and honor volunteers with sustained service. Bethany Community Center is located on Central Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas (66102) between 11th and 12th Streets, behind the fire station.

A New Director of Latino Ministries for Mission Adelante!

by Jarrett Meek, Mission Adelante
and Jeff Stokes, Mill Creek Community Church

We are excited to announce that Gary Pauley will be joining Mission Adelante's staff as our new Director of Latino Ministries. As I write, I am struck by the absolutely surprising ways that God often chooses to answer our prayers. Indeed, it never would have occurred to me to approach Gary Pauley, the teaching pastor at Mill Creek Community Church, to fill a role at Mission Adelante. But, in the strangest way, God orchestrated seemingly chance meetings at critical moments, which provided space for casual and unexpected conversations, that led to Gary filling the role of Latino Ministries Director at Mission Adelante. And now, we are eager to welcome Gary and Jan into our neighborhood and ministry and to see how God will continue to deepen our partnership with Mill Creek through this transition.

The Pauleys are a gifted couple with years of pastoral ministry experience and a proven heart for cross-cultural ministry and for our neighborhood. In addition to having planted and then pastored Mill Creek Community Church for 19 years, Gary and Jan have been involved in the Mission Adelante community in formal and informal ways for the last five years. Jan has volunteered with our Latino ESL program and then helped launch our Bhutanese teens club, while Gary has found himself serving, sharing life, and sharing Jesus with Bhutanese youth in our neighborhood. Their love for people from all places and their missions heart has been evident in the ways they have engaged with our ministry over several years, and in the ways they have led their own church by example. Gary is bilingual, having learned Spanish in informal cross-cultural settings, and has spent time teaching in missions contexts in Argentina, Mexico, Russia, China, and the Philippines. And Mill Creek, along with the Pauleys, has developed a deep commitment and passion to be a "sending" church.

Mill Creek has been an important partner for Mission Adelante over the years, and now even more so in this transition. We are extremely grateful for the collaborative spirit they have demonstrated and their desire to use this transition as an opportunity to deepen the relationship and partnership between their church and Mission Adelante.  Even as this transition means some significant changes and a sacrifice for Mill Creek, their elders, staff and congregation are embracing the change as a way to live out yet again the value of "sending and going" as shown in the New Testament. What an inspiration! We are looking forward to the opportunity to walk closely with Mill Creek in the coming season and beyond. Jeff Stokes, Mill Creek's Executive Pastor has shared his thoughts below to further elaborate on this transition and what it means to their congregation.
 -----------------------------


A Note from Jeff Stokes, Executive Pastor, Mill Creek Community Church

At Mill Creek Community Church, we talk often about “every member on mission where they work, live and play”. We celebrate and rejoice when members naturally engage by showing and sharing Christ’s love to those around them. As His disciples, this should be the norm for all of us, including our own pastors. Gary and Jan Pauley are acting on this biblical truth they have taught and modeled for us - walking in faith and obedience to His call,wherever the call may lead. We will miss them greatly, but we fully support the Pauleys in responding to His call to join the team at Mission Adelante and to serve in the Kansas City, KS community.

I can share firsthand that Gary and Jan will bring biblical wisdom, love, and truth to every relationship and endeavor they are involved with. Your staff and your community will be blessed by their presence and testimony.

We so appreciate our partnership with Mission Adelante. We love your passion and vision for the people in your fellowship and community. We look forward to deepening our relationship and serving together for the Kingdom work here in the metro area. We covet your prayers as we search for a new teaching pastor who will fill “big” shoes left by Gary knowing God has just the right person. In turn, we will pray for Mission Adelante as you complete this transition with Gary and Jan. Just promise to send Gary and Jan back to us occasionally for updates and opportunities to support and respond to your work at Mission Adelante. May we all be people willing to be “sent” as He calls us to model and share the good news of Christ to all.

God Makes it Grow

Written by Hannah Hume, Bhutanese Teens Ministry Coordinator

“I planted, Apollos watered, but it is God who has been making it grow” 1 Corinthians 3:6

In life, things rarely go as planned. This can be really frustrating sometimes, especially in a ministry context. We pray, we envision and dream, we set out plans, and we walk in faithfulness in order to see our plans through. We want to see the vision the Lord has given us become a reality. However, along the way things happen that are completely outside of our control.

We can faithfully share the gospel using the best methods man can devise but we have no control over whether our audience receives our message. We can invest in students' lives, only to find out that their family has decided to move to another state. We can plan a great field trip and then find ourselves sick in bed, unable to lead the trip. Things are constantly shifting and changing, and it can be very easy to become discouraged when things don’t seem to be turning out the way we had hoped. This is one of the reasons that prayer is SO important.

Prayer is one of our core values at Mission Adelante. We believe that prayer is the most important work in ministry and that our mission depends upon the power and work of the Holy Spirit in individual lives, in our community, and in all of our circumstances.

This doesn’t mean that when we pray, God suddenly makes everything easy and in accord with our exact preferences (although He may). What it does, is remind us of our place in the world. As Paul so aptly explained to the Corinthians “God makes the seed grow”. He is in control. He is working out His plan--a plan He lets us join Him in. He doesn't ask us to make things happen, he just asks us to faithfully walk according to His leading, and let Him do the rest. This truth can give us freedom from disappointment and energy to do the work He has given us, knowing the results are up to Him!

Would you join us in praying for our KCK neighborhood? Pray that God would carry out His plan for this city, and that we would be faithful to follow his lead.

Important dates:

• Observation Days: Tuesdays, March 11 (Bhutanese)/Thursdays, March 6 & 13 (Latino) 6:30-8:30  Have you wondered what all goes on around here on a typical evening of programming?  Here's your opportunity to come and see for yourself!  Come on up to 22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102.
• Spring Break: March 17-22 No programs.  The Mission Adelante office will be closed March 19-22.
• Optional Bhutanese ESL Training: March 30th at 2:00 at Jenny Dunn’s house.  Email Jenny for details: jennyd@missionadelante.org.

An Emphasis on Literacy

Written by Lauren Timberlake, Bhutanese ESL Director

Many Americans are unaware of the lack of access to education some people have in other parts of the world. A number of the refugees we work with in the Bhutanese English classes know how to read and write in their native language, but many more of them do not. Political unrest, poverty, a lack of schools for girls, and needs at home are some of the factors that kept most adult refugees from graduating high school. Many did not finish or even attend primary school at all. As a result, literacy is a huge obstacle to information, employment, and citizenship for many.

We are taking steps to improve literacy in our English classes this term. Dry erase boards with letters and numbers to trace have become very popular with students. Some are learning letter sounds and sounding out words. Others are using early readers to gain more confidence. Our advanced students are reading citizenship textbooks to learn about American history and civics. It’s been a great challenge, and the students are so proud of what they are accomplishing. This will prepare them to tackle the reading and writing components of the citizenship exam.

One of my first memories working here was with a grandmother who had no idea how to hold a pencil. Now, she can write her name and address. She works every week on writing letters more clearly. Another student, a mother of 4, is learning to read and working towards citizenship. She was happy last week to be able to differentiate the words “amendment” and “America.”

Volunteer conversation partners are our greatest resource. One-on-one listening, speaking, reading and writing practice is a huge help for a non-native English speakers. Our volunteers do a great job of identifying student abilities and choosing appropriate reading and writing exercises from the options available in class.

Knowing the Bhutanese community has taught our staff and volunteers much about life across the globe. We have been blessed by their optimism, resilience, and willingness to learn new things at all stages of life. We are grateful to be coaches and cheerleaders as many learn to read for the first time.

In other news:

• We took the Leaders in Training to Sky Zone indoor trampoline park last Monday as a reward for all of their hard work.  We love helping the kids discover that in life, hard work pays off!
• This trimester there are 234 volunteers serving with Mission Adelante. Eighty three of them are immigrant members of our community!  We get really excited about this kind of fruit!

Prayer needs:

• Please pray for Mission Adelante community members who will be sharing their testimonies in the English classes over the next few weeks.
• Please pray for the Adelante Thrift Board as they continue to review leases and negotiate to determine the best space between two potential thrift locations. Our fundraising efforts will begin soon and we are seeking God’s guidance as we continue down the path of sustainable community development.

Current needs:

• Our LIT students earn "Mission Adelante Money" for exemplary behavior and doing extra academic work, which they can spend at a Reward Store once each trimester.  We're in need of items by March 31 to stock that store!  Ideas include sports equipment, craft supplies, bedroom decorations, or any small item that would appeal to 8-14 year old students.  If you would like to contribute, please contact Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org or Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org.
• Operations Teams are Forming!  If you are interested in joining our facilities team (handy man projects) or IT Team (Think “Geek Squad”), please contact Sarah Winston at sarahw@missionadelante.org.  These roles are on an as-needed basis, and don’t require a weekly commitment.

Important dates:

• Observation Days: Tuesdays, March 4 & 11 (Bhutanese)/Thursdays, March 6 & 13 (Latino) 6:30-8:30  Have you wondered what all goes on around here on a typical evening of programming?  Here's your opportunity to come and see for yourself!  Come on up to 22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102.
• Spring Break: March 17-22 No programs.  The Mission Adelante office will be closed March 19-22.
• Optional Bhutanese ESL Training: March 30th at 2:00 at Jenny Dunn’s house.  Email Jenny for details: jennyd@missionadelante.org.

Reigniting The Spark of Exploration in Our Children

Written by Megan McDermott, Latino Children's Ministry Director

Throughout my education, one of the things I treasured most was the freedom to explore the topics that interested me.  If I wanted to learn more about the Egyptians, I was encouraged to research and understand the culture.  When I expressed my fascination with Native American dress, my teachers encouraged my creative exploration of that clothing.  However, when I look at the children in our after-school tutoring and character development program, Leaders in Training, I see that the spark of exploration has faded.  In an effort to reignite that spark, one of our main focuses this year in LIT has been learning about the past, and in particular, World War I.  

The children were so intrigued by the events of WWI, the soldiers, the battles, how animals were utilized, and more than anything,  how Mexico was involved in the war.  At Mission Adelante, we believe in the importance of celebrating culture and developing leaders.  Therefore, it was so exciting to see their eyes light up when they made the connection between the familiarity of Mexico and the role that it had played in WWI. 

Last Saturday, we took the children to the WWI museum and spent the day exploring together.  We poured over the vast collection of artifacts, did some hands-on activities, and got a glimpse into our country's history.  It is said that “Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it.”   I believe that by arming the future leaders of our community with the knowledge of their past, they will approach the future with greater wisdom. 

In other news:

• On Sunday the Bhutanese community welcomed baby Sarup Gurung into the world at his cultural baby naming ceremony, which takes place when a baby is 10 days old! He is a healthy little boy, and the first boy after 3 girls, making dad very happy! Many volunteers and Mission Adelante staff were able to go and see the baby and congratulate the family.
• We love to celebrate the cultures of people from other places living in our neighborhood! Several of those involved in Mission Adelante attended Chin National Day this weekend to celebrate the unity of Chin people, a collection of various tribes from Chin State in Burma. Through our community development efforts we continue to strengthen partnerships with various Chin groups in our community as two Mission Adelante volunteers develop friendships and help Chin churches organize citizenship classes for their members.
• As we continue to study citizenship with our Bhutanese friends, it has been gratifying to see their confidence increase .  Citizenship means a great deal to them, and they are succeeding! Thank you, Jesus, for small successes.

Prayer needs:

• Adelante Thrift is currently reviewing leases for two potential retail locations. Please pray for guidance and wisdom as we move another step closer to launch.

Current needs:

• Operations Teams are Forming!  If you are interested in joining our facilities team (handy man projects) or IT Team (Think “Geek Squad”), please contact Sarah Winston at sarahw@missionadelante.org.  These roles are on an as-needed basis, and don’t require a weekly commitment.
• Our LIT students earn "Mission Adelante Money" for exemplary behavior and doing extra academic work, which they can spend at a Reward Store once each trimester. We're in need of items by March 31 to stock that store! Ideas include sports equipment, craft supplies, bedroom decorations, or any small item that would appeal to 8-14 year old students. If you would like to contribute, please contact Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org or Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org.

Important dates:

• Child Protection Meeting--Saturday, February 22 at 9:00 a.m. All volunteers that serve the kids and youth of Mission Adelante should attend.
• Observation Days: Tuesdays, March 4 & 11 (Bhutanese)/Thursdays, March 6 & 13 (Latino) 6:30-8:30  Have you wondered what all goes on around here on a typical evening of programming?  Here's your opportunity to come and see for yourself!  Come on up to 22 S. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102.