The Light of Sixteenth Street

Written by Brooke Coon


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

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

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

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

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

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

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


In other news:

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

Prayer needs:

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

Current needs:

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

Upcoming dates:

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

An LIT Volunteer's Hope for the Students

Written by volunteer Michelle Holland

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

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

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

In other news:

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

Prayer needs:

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

Current needs:

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

Upcoming dates:

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

Sharing American Culture at Jack in the Box

Written by Lauren Timberlake

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


In other news:

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

Prayer needs:

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

Current needs:

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

Upcoming dates:

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

Gone Fishin'

Written by Molly Drake 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


In other news:

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

Prayer needs:

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

Current needs:

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

Upcoming dates:

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