written by Mission Adelante Intern Hannah Hume
Two years ago, I got on a plane and headed to India. I had no clue what to expect. However, over the five months that I was there the Lord changed my heart and the course of my life forever. I worked in the Himalayan mountains with Nepali refugees, seeking to spread the gospel and plant churches. I loved it. I loved the Nepalis. I loved church planting. And I desperately wanted this people group, who lived in one of the most beautiful places in the world, to honor, worship and know the God who made the mountains they lived in.
When I returned to the states five months later, my heart felt broken. You would think I would have been excited to see my family and return to the comforts of American life, but I wasn’t. All I wanted was to go back. I had seen the Lord move in miraculous ways like you read about in the book of Acts. The Lord had put a love for church planting and the Nepali people in my heart, and it felt like being among those people was where I needed to be. I didn’t understand why God had brought me back to Kansas City. Praying over, and seeking the answer to that question became the majority of my prayer life.
Then, about a year ago I stumbled across Mission Adelante through a link on a church website. I wasn’t familiar with who Mission Adelante or the Bhutanese refugees were. I just knew I wanted to serve in a cross cultural context, so I went to check it out. Upon arrival, I was shocked to hear the Bhutanese refugees speaking Nepali, the same language spoken by the people I worked with in India. I learned that the Bhutanese were ethnically Nepali, and nationally Bhutanese. The Lord had brought Nepali people to Kansas City!
Since that time, I have been serving among the Bhutanese of Kansas City, Kansas through Mission Adelante. When I got on that plane to India two years ago I never thought that I would end up back in Kansas City working with Bhutanese Refugees. When I returned to the states five months later I never would have dreamed that the Lord had a plan to fulfill his purposes for me in my own backyard. Its been a long, and at times frustrating, journey to get where I am today. However, I wouldn’t want the trek to look any different than how God planned it. God’s ways truly are higher than ours and He is faithful.
Now, I am setting out on a new adventure with Mission Adelante and the Bhutanese of Kansas City, KS. After serving with Mission Adelante as a volunteer for two trimesters, I am joining Mission Adelante as a year long intern. This new opportunity will help to fill a serious need for a person who can invest more time into the Teens Club program, and more importantly, into the teens themselves. The Bhutanese teen girls need someone to come alongside them and help them navigate the trials of being a teenager in America. They are struggling with issues of identity, school, boys, etc. all while being in a totally new foreign environment, and attempting to understand and speak the language around them. Please join me in prayer as the Lord gives me opportunities to assist these girls in navigating these trials, and ultimately point them to Christ. He is the only one that can deal with their biggest need, which is a personal relationship with Him.
In other news:
Two years ago, I got on a plane and headed to India. I had no clue what to expect. However, over the five months that I was there the Lord changed my heart and the course of my life forever. I worked in the Himalayan mountains with Nepali refugees, seeking to spread the gospel and plant churches. I loved it. I loved the Nepalis. I loved church planting. And I desperately wanted this people group, who lived in one of the most beautiful places in the world, to honor, worship and know the God who made the mountains they lived in.
When I returned to the states five months later, my heart felt broken. You would think I would have been excited to see my family and return to the comforts of American life, but I wasn’t. All I wanted was to go back. I had seen the Lord move in miraculous ways like you read about in the book of Acts. The Lord had put a love for church planting and the Nepali people in my heart, and it felt like being among those people was where I needed to be. I didn’t understand why God had brought me back to Kansas City. Praying over, and seeking the answer to that question became the majority of my prayer life.
Then, about a year ago I stumbled across Mission Adelante through a link on a church website. I wasn’t familiar with who Mission Adelante or the Bhutanese refugees were. I just knew I wanted to serve in a cross cultural context, so I went to check it out. Upon arrival, I was shocked to hear the Bhutanese refugees speaking Nepali, the same language spoken by the people I worked with in India. I learned that the Bhutanese were ethnically Nepali, and nationally Bhutanese. The Lord had brought Nepali people to Kansas City!
Since that time, I have been serving among the Bhutanese of Kansas City, Kansas through Mission Adelante. When I got on that plane to India two years ago I never thought that I would end up back in Kansas City working with Bhutanese Refugees. When I returned to the states five months later I never would have dreamed that the Lord had a plan to fulfill his purposes for me in my own backyard. Its been a long, and at times frustrating, journey to get where I am today. However, I wouldn’t want the trek to look any different than how God planned it. God’s ways truly are higher than ours and He is faithful.
Now, I am setting out on a new adventure with Mission Adelante and the Bhutanese of Kansas City, KS. After serving with Mission Adelante as a volunteer for two trimesters, I am joining Mission Adelante as a year long intern. This new opportunity will help to fill a serious need for a person who can invest more time into the Teens Club program, and more importantly, into the teens themselves. The Bhutanese teen girls need someone to come alongside them and help them navigate the trials of being a teenager in America. They are struggling with issues of identity, school, boys, etc. all while being in a totally new foreign environment, and attempting to understand and speak the language around them. Please join me in prayer as the Lord gives me opportunities to assist these girls in navigating these trials, and ultimately point them to Christ. He is the only one that can deal with their biggest need, which is a personal relationship with Him.
In other news:
- We had a great trimester launch last week and are amazed at the volume of relational ministry that our volunteer team of 177 individuals can accomplish! That army is many times multiplied from the 25 volunteers that were serving at this time six years ago!
- A Bhutanese couple eagerly dedicated their newborn baby girl to Jesus last Saturday morning at the house church they're part of. David Stetler, Director of Bhutanese Outreach, encouraged the new parents and the Bhutanese community to raise the little girl in Christian faith. Worship the Lord for this evidence of the family's surrender to Jesus!
- We continue to be encouraged by both our Bhutanese and Latino friends' growing initiative in driving the house churches, in some cases such that Mission Adelante staff feel that we're being swept along by them!
Prayer needs:
- Please pray for the Lord to grant wisdom to the Bhutanese Outreach staff to know how to respond to a family of peace they've identified among the Bhutanese community of Kansas City.
- Pray for unity among the Leaders In Training students, and that they'll grow in their ability to work more like a family during this trimester.
- Pray for healing in the family of one of our teenage participants, and wisdom and discernment for Mission Adelante staff to help them keep walking forward.
Current needs:
- Two Bhutanese Kids Club volunteers on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:30. Contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org or 913-281-6274x9.
- A male Leaders In Training tutor for Wednesday afternoons from 3:00 to 7:00. Contact Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org or 913-281-6274x2.
- Men's, children's, and babies' winter clothing to make available to families in our Resource Center. Contact Molly Merrick at mollym@missionadelante.org or 913-281-6274x5 to arrange a time to drop off your donation. Please do not leave donations without them being received by a Mission Adelante staff person.
Upcoming dates:
- Summer Internship Application Deadline: February 15 Our summer internship combines practical missions experience in an urban context with mentoring and seminars on key topics relevant to ministry. This opportunity is perfect for the college or post-college person who is exploring a potential call to missions or urban ministry. The internship lasts from May 26 until August 12. To fill out the our interest form go to www.missionadelante.org/
internship. You'll also find an attachment there with all the details. - Observation Days: Tuesday, February 21 (Bhutanese)/Thursday, February 23 (Latino) 6:30-8:30 Have you wondered what all goes on around here on a typically evening of programming? Here's your opportunity to come and see for yourself! If these dates don't work for you, please contact info@missionadelante.org to schedule an alternate evening.
