Selecting Kids for “Leaders-In-Training”

Do you remember how you felt when you received the call from your first employer and heard, “You’re Hired!”? As you read this article this afternoon (Tuesday), Megan McDermott and Jarrett Meek will be visiting the homes of seven kids, giving them the news that they have been selected to be in our Leaders-In-Training (LIT) program.

Seven kids from last year’s pilot group along with the seven new kids have made the invite list by demonstrating diligence and positive leadership characteristics in our Thursday night Outreach Bible Study and other contexts. As these kids grow up in our urban neighborhood, we will invest in their development so that, instead of succumbing to the negative influences of their peers, they can be leaders who influence others to follow Christ.

Please pray with us as you read this that the kids we invite along with their parents will recognize the unique value of this opportunity. Pray that they will accept the invitation and begin the year with soft and teachable hearts. And, please pray that God would raise up additional volunteers tutors to help with the program.

In other news:

• Alberto led one of the home Bible study groups on Sunday evening for the second time and did a good job preparing and leading.
• Molly Drake and Rachel Nighswonger took the kids from their Kids Adelante group to the zoo on Sunday afternoon.
• We've begun using a new format with the kids on Sunday evenings to help them engage more in studying the Word. It's a smaller group than Thursday evenings, which is good for discussion.
• Megan McDermott and Maria Rentas' housewarming party last Saturday evening drew and enormous crowd and provided a nice atmosphere for most of our community to connect and socialize as well as get acquainted with some new folks.

Prayer needs:

• Praise God with us! Eduardo, one of the community kids most at-risk of gang involvement, has recently shown signs of change in his attitude and behavior. His family has also had more consistant attendance at worship and Bible studies lately.
• Please pray for depth in the preteen girls' purity Bible study and Sunday evening Bible studies.

Current needs:

• Volunteers for Adult English classes and LIT tutors beginning in September. If you're interested in being an English conversation partner, please e-mail Jason at jasons@missionadelante.org. If you're interested in tutoring kids in the afternoons, please e-mail Megan at meganm@missionadelante.org.
• A trailer for transporting large items to ministry events
• A portable CD player "boom box" for use with the kids on Sunday nights
• A washer and dryer for a family in our community
• A flat screen computer monitor
• Diapers, sizes 5, 4, and 3. Diapers are one of the most sought-after items in our Resource Center and seem to fly off the shelves as fast as they're donated.

Important upcoming dates:

• Monday, August 3 @ 6:30 p.m. Volunteer Team Meeting at the Mission
• Sunday, August 9: Trimester-end Party