Mission Accomplished

written by Jason Schoff

"Serving Immigrants to Christ and Mobilizing them to Serve." This phrase launched Mission Adelante on a trajectory nearly seven years ago. It gave our staff, volunteers, and immigrant friends a framework for why Mission Adelante exists. It continues to serve us as a clear mission statement that propels us in ministry, and this past month I saw a first hand glimpse of our mission coming to fruition.

Our morning English class for Latino immigrants is made up of just six students who did not know one another before the class. This hasn't seemed to matter, since every week our students bond more and become closer friends with one another. To my delight, Carmen*, one of the women in the class, has also begun to attend one of the three Latino house churches. Carmen has begun to embrace Christ and learn what is looks like to know and follow him.

One day in class, Laura*, another of the students, shared a prayer request and financial need: her husband needed an surgical procedure and they would have to come up with a few thousand dollars for it. Laura seemed discouraged by the obstacle, but Carmen quickly spoke up. 


 "Have you called the radio to see if you could ask them to collect donations for you? I would be willing to ask my coworkers for donations to help you." Wow! Carmen was serving! She wanted to help Laura in her desperate situation. Carmen was fulfilling our mission statement, first by being one of the immigrants Mission Adelante served and now by serving as a vessel for God's compassionate help. I praise God for showing us a mission accomplished in one immigrant's life!

*Carmen and Laura's name have been substituted to honor their privacy

In other news:

• Both the Latino and Bhutanese Spring parties were outstanding!  They're a great way to honor kids and English students, and for the whole Mission Adelante Community to be together in one place celebrating.  We want to give a big thanks to the group of adults and teens from Christ Community Church and the Bhutanese outreach volunteers for all their help pulling off the Bhutanese party, and to the volunteers from New City Church of KC, MO and Mill Creek Community Church for all their help pulling off the Latino party.
• A big thanks to the five volunteers from Heartland Community Church's Millennial Group that spent Saturday doing a lot of work around our facilities.
• The Teens Adelante teens had a great time at Shoal Creek Community Church last weekend when they joined the Shoal Creek youth group for an overnight lock-in.

Prayer needs:

• Pray for our two incoming summer interns, Blake and Lindsey.  Pray that God will prepare them for the weeks they'll spend with us, and that He'll bless their fundraising efforts and provide the necessary funds.
• Pray for God's continued blessing and protection of our team that's presently traveling in India and Nepal, including the Stetler family, Kristen Maxwell, and Drew Timberlake, as well as a few volunteers.  They plan to return May 3.
• We've applied for a visa in order for Yanelis, the leader of Raices the ministry we work with in Cuba, to come to Kansas City for training.  We'd love to have her with us during the summer trimester, so please pray that her interview with the U.S. embassy in Cuba would be scheduled very soon.

Current needs:

• A couch has been requested through the resource center.  Please contact Molly at 913-281-6274x5 if you have one to donate.
• Teens Adelante is hoping for summer swimming lessons for 10-15 teenagers.  Please contact Brooke (brookec@missionadelante.org) if you can teach swimming lessons to full-grown teens or can help us find a good instructor.
• A ceiling-mounted projector and protective cage
• Large storage bins with lids (Rubbermaid-type)

Important dates:

• Saturday, June 30 @ 9:00 a.m. Adelante Missions Institute Seminar.  We're pleased to announce that Noel Castellanos, CEO of Christian Community Development Association, will visit Kansas City at the end of June.  Mark your calendar!

RAICES Discipleship Retreat--Enjoy this Video!

In the Perfect Shepherd's Care

Written by Brooke Coon, Teens Adelante Director

As one of the volunteers, Karlie  Cooper, was sharing with Teens Adelante about her spiritual gift of Shepherding, something she said pierced my heart. “One of the drawbacks, or temptations of this gift can be that we are easily discouraged by the condition of the flock.” In the past two years, I have seen teens come and go. I have seen them step into their full potential and then watched them lured back into destruction, and I struggle through the choice between relentlessly pursuing these straying sheep and giving them space to grow, while focusing my energy on the ready disciples.  

Last week I felt a nudge to pursue a teenager that I had painfully let distance herself last Fall. Jesus reawakened  my heart to be with her, so I hesitantly called her, not sure how she would respond, and she jumped at my invitation to spend time together. 

By the end of our joyful evening together, I found myself humbled at what God had been doing in this young woman during the past few months. I asked her if she recalled one of the last spiritual conversations we had and we picked up from there. “Are you still angry at Him?” I asked. “No,” she simply replied, so lightheartedly.  I was kind of shocked and asked her, “How did that change happen?”  “Well, I pray,” she said. She continued on and I began to see that in her time away from this community, she has discovered what she doesn’t want to fill her life with. Some of us have to go through a process of elimination to get to the Truth and it can be painful to watch ones we love “turn away” from what we think is good for them. But I am so encouraged this week by the Good Shepherd.

I can so easily forget that he holds every sheep in his hand, no matter how ugly the battle appears.  As much as I wanted to gain all my energy from the encouragement of a lost sheep regained, I reminded myself of how I don’t want all my energy to be lost over a sheep gone astray. I thanked the Lord for this encouragement and his consistent pursuit of her, and worshipped him for being the perfect Shepherd, always full of patience and compassion for those who are lost. Always in control of the Teens Adelante flock, whether united or scattered. It seems that they are just learning to distinguish the sound of His voice by hearing the way all the others contrast.

“The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.” John 10:3-4

In other news:

• Our Easter celebration with our Bhutanese friends was a prayerful pursuit on the part of the staff to give families a context for worshiping Jesus that included elements familiar to their culture, so as to show them that commitment to Christ and the Lordship of Jesus does not mean a cultural conversion, but a new life in Jesus.  It was well-attended and a thoroughly enjoyable celebration!
• Our Easter celebration with our Latino community was also very well attended, with immigrants leading the congregation through many parts of the worship.
• There will be a Bake Sale and Jewelry Sale this evening (April 12) at 8:30 (immediately following programming) to benefit the L.I.T. Canoe Trip at the end of the school year.  This is a reward trip for the students that succeeded at meeting the expectations for L.I.T. participation throughout the whole school year.
• Join us for our Spring parties this weekend!  The party with our Latino friends will be Saturday, April 14 at 5:00 p.m.  The party with our Bhutanese friends will be Sunday, April 15 at 4:00 p.m.  Both parties will be at Bethany Community Center, 1120 Central Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas 66102. 

Prayer needs:

• Pray for staff members David & Holly Stetler and children, Kristen Maxwell, Drew Hammond, and several volunteers who will travel to Nepal/India next week for an exploratory-training-leadership trip.  Pray for the Lord to grant them easy and trouble-free travel.
• Join us in praying for a couple of particular families going through really hard times right now.  Also pray for an abundance of patience, discernment and courage for the members of our staff that are walking with them.
• Praise God for the amazing ways God was at work during Jarrett's trip to Q-ba last week, and for Jarrett's safe return to Kansas City on Monday.

Current needs:

• A washing machine, which has been requested through our resource center.
• Teens Adelante is hoping for summer swimming lessons for 10-15 teenagers.  Please contact Brooke (brookec@missionadelante.org) if you can teach swimming lessons to full-grown teens or can help us find a good instructor.
• A ceiling-mounted projector and protective cage
• Large storage bins with lids (Rubbermaid-type)

Important dates:

• Saturday, June 30 @ 9:00 a.m. Adelante Missions Institute Seminar.  We're pleased to announce that Noel Castellanos, CEO of Christian Community Development Association, will visit Kansas City at the end of June.  Mark your calendar!

You're Invited to Our Spring Parties Next Weekend

Our spring trimester of programs will conclude next weekend with parties! These parties are the highlight of each trimester. Not only do the kids, adult English learners, and volunteers enjoy being recognized for their accomplishments and contribution, but the meal we share and the celebratory atmosphere make it a good time for everybody. These parties are also one of the best ways new people can get to know our ministry! That's why we encourage our program participants and worship community to bring their friends and family, and our volunteers to invite anyone they know that might be interested in the work that we do. We'd love to have you join us!


The party with our Latino friends will be Saturday, April 14 at 5:00 p.m.  The party with our Bhutanese friends will be Sunday, April 15 at 4:00 p.m.  Both parties will be at Bethany Community Center, 1120 Central Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas 66102.


In other news:

• Last week's beautiful weather created opportunities for extra time spent outdoors with neighborhood kids. Drew Hammond played soccer with  group of Bhutanese boys and Kristen Maxwell played with a group of girls.  And last Wednesday, Kristen, Lauren Timberlake and Holly Stetler, their own kids and a collection of Bhutanese kids rode bikes to a playground to play together.  These are examples of the way our staff and a number of volunteers share life with our immigrant friends, by living in and becoming part of the neighborhood we serve.

Prayer needs:

• Jarrett Meek is spending this week in Q-ba teaching at a discipleship training retreat.  Please pray for his last few days there to be a rich time with friends.
• Please ask the Lord to continue providing the funds for some of our Bhutanese outreach staff to take an exploratory-training-leadership trip to  Nepal and India in April.
• Please pray for our first Easter Celebration service with our Bhutanese friends, this Saturday.  This will be the first Easter celebrated by a number of new believers!  Pray for the non-believers that are in attendance to have clarity about the excellent news in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
• Also pray for our Latino community's Easter Celebration on Sunday, that as we rejoice in the way God demonstrated his love to us through Jesus, everyone's faith will be nourished.

Current needs:

• A washing machine, which has been requested through our resource center.
• Teens Adelante is hoping for summer swimming lessons for 10-15 teenagers.  Please contact Brooke (brookec@missionadelante.org) if you can teach swimming lessons to full-grown teens or can help us find a good instructor.
• A ceiling-mounted projector and protective cage
• Large storage bins with lids (Rubbermaid-type)

Important dates:

• Thursday, April 12 @ 8:30 p.m. (immediately following Thursday evening programming) Bake Sale and Jewelry Sale to benefit the L.I.T. Canoe Trip at the end of the school year.  This is a reward trip for the students that succeeded at meeting the expectations for L.I.T. participation throughout the whole school year.
• Saturday afternoon, April 14 @ 5:00: Latino Spring Party at Bethany Community Center.
• Sunday afternoon, April 15 @ 4:00: Bhutanese Spring Party at Bethany Community Center.
• Saturday, June 30 @ 9:00 a.m. Adelante Missions Institute Seminar.  We're pleased to announce that Noel Castellanos, CEO of Christian Community Development Association, will visit Kansas City at the end of June.  Mark your calendar!