Breaking Bread Together

Written by Kristen Maxwell, Bhutanese Children's Ministry Director

Bhutanese & Latino LIT students on a field trip to Union Station

The Fall 2012 trimester brought another exciting enhancement to the Bhutanese Outreach with the launch of our Leaders in Training program.   It is hard to believe that we already have one trimester behind us and are a few weeks in to our second trimester.  It has been such a joy to add these 11 young leaders to the ranks of the already-existing Latino Leaders In Training program.  Both programs meet three afternoons a week, but have different formats because the two groups of kids have different sets of needs.  Wednesdays, though, have become quite the highlight of each week.  On Wednesdays we gather to eat.  

Each Wednesday afternoon in the Mission Adelante Kids' Room, something beautiful takes place; a feast reflecting what heaven will look like.  The13 Latino LIT kids and the 11 Bhutanese LIT kids come together for a meal with their mentors.  Each group provides a main dish, fruit or vegetable, and dessert.  The menu is always a surprise, and we've come to expect anything from spaghetti or pizza to flautas or tacos to chow mien or curried potatoes.  The parents in our communities take turns providing the dishes, which is something that their kids usually love.  

It has been beautiful to watch the kids' relationships grow by way of sharing meals with one other.  Foods that may have once looked foreign and weird are now more familiar.  Common ground has been found in a fondness for sweet rice; who knew that Kheer and Arroz con Leche were that similar?  In a neighborhood where Latino people and Bhutanese people daily pass each other on the street without much interaction, the Lord has made a way for kids from these two cultures to come together every week to learn about His creative nature by learning about the distinct people and cultures He created.  

Won't you join us in praying for the trimester of LIT that is underway?  Pray that our kids would finish strong and continue to grow in relationship with each other and the Lord.

In other news:

• The Bhutanese Outreach was recently given a generous gift of Nepali Bibles and Nepali language Jesus Film DVDs to share with our Nepali speaking Bhutanese friends who want to know more about Jesus in their native language.
• Four teenage Bhutanese boys have taken on volunteer roles in setting up for Teens Club each week and helping with Transportation Team prep work. It’s exciting to see teens serving their own community and growing in leadership. Please pray that our Bhutanese friends would take increased ownership of the ministry and values of Mission Adelante as the trimester proceeds.

Prayer needs:

• Please pray for Jesus, the father of one of our Latino church members, who has been hospitalized with various health issues.
• Please pray for one of our kids that is going through a difficult separation from his family. Pray for peace, protection, and healing.
• Please pray for our Bhutanese friends who recently suffered a break-in and theft at their newly opened Asian convenience store.
• One of the families in our community lost an uncle this past week.  Pray for peace, and for moments for us to speak truth and love into their lives.

Current needs:

• We are looking for a volunteer who is skilled in welding and would be interested in helping serve on a Saturday afternoon.  Please contact David Stetler at davids@missionadelante.org.
• Three sofas have been requested through our Resource Center. We also need diapers sizes 2-5, wipes, and pull-ups in all sizes. Please contact Molly Merrick at mollym@missionadelante.org
• A dining table and chairs for a recently-arrived family from Nepal. If you have one available please contact Drew Hammond at drewh@missionadelante.org
• Expo dry-erase markers for use in the Bhutanese Kids Programs. Please contact Kristen at kristenm@missionadelante.org.

Important dates:

• Bhutanese ESL Volunteer Dinner: March 2 at Lauren Timberlake's house. Please contact Jenny Dunn for more details at jennyd@missionadelante.org
• Observation Days: Tuesdays, March 5 & 12 (Bhutanese)/Thursdays, March 7 & 14 (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!

The Power of Prayer

Written by Hannah Hume, Bhutanese Teens Coordinator

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name I will do it.  John 14:13-14

Prayer is a big deal. Through it we have access to the most powerful being in existence, the sustainer of all life, and that being has made promises to his people regarding prayer; promises like the one above. Often times though, we struggle to take God at his word. He will do whatever we ask in His name? These types of scriptures may feel too good to be true or feel confusing to us. However, there they are in the Bible, promises Jesus made in His word.

In the time I’ve been with Mission Adelante I have learned a lot about prayer as I have spent more and more time with my Bhutanese friends, both “Yeshu bhakta’s” (Jesus followers) and Hindus. When I visit my friends at their home, they often take me to lay hands on their sick grandmother and pray for her in Jesus’ name.  Occasionally a teen girl will ask me to pray for the healing of her broken heart after a breakup with her boyfriend. Sometimes these requests are made by those who follow Jesus but more commonly, the request comes from a member of a Hindu family. They truly believe that Jesus has the power to heal, and He does!

Over and over again friends have reported nonchalantly that the prayers worked and God has healed their relative.  For them, this is just the natural outcome of prayer.  Many times I am the surprised one. I have so much to learn from my friends about believing in the power of prayer!  

Here at Mission Adelante prayer is one of our central values. Each thing we do to make Christ known in Kansas City, KS can only work if God moves. We are dependant on Him, and this drives us to our knees. Please join us in praying for God’s continued movement in our neighborhood, and especially that God’s power, demonstrated through His answers to prayer, would bring Bhutanese to put their trust in Jesus as their Lord.

In other news:

• The spring trimester of our Bhutanese and Latino outreaches launched last Thursday with a lot of momentum and we are excited to see immigrants and volunteers develop lasting friendships in the coming weeks.
• The staff from partner church Christ Church visited Mission Adelante yesterday to share a meal with our staff and serve together by preparing welcome food baskets for new refugee families.
• Bhutanese Children's Ministry Director Kristen Maxwell designed the Leaders In Training program for 8-12 year old Bhutanese students to include the preservation of their cultural heritage. For that reason, time is planned for older members of the Bhutanese community to teach the students how to write in Nepali, their native language.

Prayer needs:

• Please pray for the Bhutanese ESL students that have been designated as "class leaders" to take ownership of their tasks this trimester.
• Pray for spiritual hunger to grow among the Bhutanese teenagers.
• We are praising God for the amazing volunteers that lock arms with us to love our community that He has blessed us with for yet another trimester!
• Please pray for God to bring more volunteer drivers to help transport our Bhutanese friends to outreach programs on Tuesday nights.

• One of our Latina friends delivered a still birth last week. Please pray that she will experience God’s comfort.

Current needs:

• Volunteer drivers for Mission Adelante’s Bhutanese Transportation Team! We transport about 150 people to our outreach programs in our two shuttle buses each Tuesday evening, and we need more drivers to serve for two hours a week. Must be 25 years of age or older, NO CDL REQUIRED. For more information, please contact Drew Hammond at drewh@missionadelante.org
• A dining table and chairs for a recently-arrived family from Nepal. If you have one available please contact Drew Hammond at drewh@missionadelante.org.
• Two space heaters for a family without heat in their home. Please contact Molly Merrick at mollym@missionadelante.org if you can donate one.

Important dates:

• Observation Days: Tuesdays, March 5 & 12 (Bhutanese)/Thursdays, March 7 & 14 (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!

The Road to Life-On-Life Discipleship

Written by Drew Hammond, Bhutanese Logistics Coordinator

At Mission Adelante we believe that ministry is primarily a relational endeavor, that genuine compassion and reconciliation requires relationship, and that disciple-making must be life-on-life.

Nearly eight months ago I received a phone call that required an immediate response. A Bhutanese family, who had been in the USA for less than three months, was being forced to move out of their home into a motel at 78th Street and I-70. The house next door to theirs had burned down, the fire severely damaging their home, and they found themselves relocating to the motel located some distance from the majority of the Bhutanese community in Kansas City, KS. As a representative of Mission Adelante, I responded by taking the family food to last them a few weeks until they could relocate to a permanent residence.

When we arrived at the motel, we met the family and delivered the food. The family began to eat and invited me to join them, per the cultural norm.  I tried to refuse, saying, "we brought your family this food since you won't be able to prepare all the food you like while living here.  Keep it for yourselves." A young man about my age responded to my refusal by placing a full plate of food onto my lap.

At that moment, I didn't realize that not only was I beginning a relationship with this family, but that that family would later become my family, and the man that served me the plate of food would become my brother.  You see, now I have the honor of living with this family and sharing my life, and more importantly, the truth of the love of Jesus with them everyday.

In other news:

• We're so thankful for the Lord’s continued provision!  He has provided so many wonderful new volunteers with the Spring trimester launch!
• Martin, Iris, Jai and Janga were highlights at our recent volunteer training as they shared parts of their immigrant story with our new volunteers.
• The Bhutanese outreach programs launched for this trimester on Tuesday night! We are super excited to watch and see what the Lord will do this trimester in everyone’s hearts as we serve and learn together.
• We were so excited to see our LIT (Leaders in Training) kids back and in action this week!

Prayer needs:

• Pray for one of our Latino leaders to have wisdom in his decision as he considers moving out of Kansas City.
• Praise God for growing our immigrant leadership teams! Please pray that they continue to develop leadership skills and increase ownership of our outreach activities.

Current needs:

• Two women who would be excited about forming discipling/mentoring relationships with Bhutanese teenagers through Bhutanese Teens Club on Tuesday evenings. Please contact Hannah Hume at hannahh@missionadelante.org.
• Volunteers for Mission Adelante’s Bhutanese Transportation Team! Our transportation needs are great for our Tuesday night outreach, and we are looking for more volunteers to join the team as drivers. Must be 25 years of age or older, NO CDL REQUIRED. For more information, please contact Drew Hammond at drewh@missionadelante.org
• A dining table and chairs for a recently-arrived family from Nepal. If you have one available please contact Drew Hammond at drewh@missionadelante.org.
• Small toys and trinkets (valued at about $1 each--ie Target dollar bins, or dollar store) to be added to our Kids Club prize box, which contains reward for excellent behavior during our Tuesday night program for kids ages 5-12.  If you can help us out contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org.
• Bhutanese and Latino kids' programs are in search of a gently used lamination machine to keep our frequently used materials usable for longer. Please contact Megan at meganm@missionadelante.org.
• Expo dry-erase markers for use in the Bhutanese Kids Programs.  Please contact Kristen at Kristenm@missionadelante.org.

The Story After the Story

Written by Jason Schoff, Latino Outreach Director

In the days leading up to our Christmas Eve service, I visited several community families in their homes to talk with them about their Christmas plans and to make sure they knew the details for our service.  I found out that one young Latino couple and another single man didn't have any plans for Christmas Eve following our service.  This seemed tragic, especially given that Latinos stay up past midnight on Christmas Eve celebrating with family and friends. What could I do?  I was leaving early the next morning to join my family.  I love to be involved in God's plan but sometimes He reminds me that I am not the main solution, others are.  

Cynthia was the solution.  God used Cynthia and her love for people and hospitality to make the night complete.  When she found out these three friends would be going home without a party to attend, she extended an invitation.  Maybe there was no room in the inn for Jesus nor was there room at other parties for Martin, Sindi and Michael, but Cynthia allowed these fellow believers that opportunity to join her family for tamales, posole, and other traditional Mexican foods.  Cynthia is one of the bright spots in our ministry because she understands the importance of relationships to our discipleship efforts.  It will be exciting to see her take other steps to lead in the year ahead.  

Our Christmas Eve service was a wonderful end to our 2012 ministry season, but so much of what makes us excited happens outside of the big events when perhaps only God is watching.

In other news:

• The Mission Adelante staff enjoyed a restful and refreshing break spent with family and friends! Thank you for your prayers to that end.  Most of us returned to the office reinvigorated (there's some illness about), and we're looking forward to diving into a new trimester.

Prayer needs:

• Please pray for our new volunteers as they come for orientation this Saturday. Pray that they would feel welcomed and encouraged by the opportunity to serve with us!

• Please pray for the Bhutanese Leadership team meeting on Sunday.  Pray for ownership, direction, and vision for this team.

• We would love prayers for all of our outreach activities as they ramp back up over the next week, that the Lord would guide us to be His hands and feet to the community that we love and serve. Pray particularly on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for smooth, stress free, and Spirit-filled days as our outreach programs launch for the spring trimester.

Other needs:

• Volunteers to serve once per week for the duration of the spring trimester, beginning next week (the week of January 14) and concluding the week of April 8:
• Two men and 1 woman who would be excited about forming discipling/mentoring relationships with Bhutanese teenagers through Bhutanese Teens Club on Tuesday evenings. Please contact Hannah Hume at hannahh@missionadelante.org.
• Volunteers who love kids and love Jesus to mentor Bhutanese kids ages 5-12 on Tuesday evenings. Specifically, two more men are needed. Please contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org.
• Volunteers to mentor Latino kids through either Leaders In Training on Monday or Tuesday afternoons, or Kids Adelante outreach Bible study on Thursday evenings. Please contact Megan McDermott at meganm@missionadelante.org.
• Volunteers to help organize our Resource Center on Wednesday afternoons between 1 and 3 pm. The Resource Center provides food, clothing, and household items to immigrants in need of these items. Please contact Molly Merrick at mollym@missionadelante.org if you're available at that time.

• A dining table and chairs. If you have one available please contact Drew Hammond at drewh@missionadelante.org.
• Two twin beds, 1 queen bed, a sofa, and a kitchen table and chairs to seat 6 or 7 have been requested through our Resource Center. The Resource Center also needs inventory including new and gently used kitchen items, bedding, towels, and medium stuffed animals. Please contact Molly Merrick at mollym@missionadelante.org to set up a time to drop-off your donation. Please help us out by not leaving donations inside or outside our facility.  Thanks.           

• Small toys and trinkets (valued at about $1 each--ie Target dollar bins, or dollar store) to be added to our Kids Club prize box, which contains reward for excellent behavior during our Tuesday night program for kids ages 5-12.  If you can help us out contact Kristen Maxwell at kristenm@missionadelante.org.

• The Bhutanese and Latino LIT programs need a small group (or groups) to purchase pre-packaged, healthy, after-school snacks for the kids.  We would be blessed to receive a couple months (@ 3 days/week) worth of snacks.  Please contact Megan at meganm@missionadelante.org.

• Fifteen to twenty 8 GB flash drives for the Latino LIT students to use, preferably with a ring or another way to attach them to lanyards. Please contact Megan at meganm@missionadelante.org.

• Bhutanese and Latino kids' programs are in search of a gently used lamination machine to keep our frequently used materials usable for longer. Please contact Megan at meganm@missionadelante.org.

Important dates:

• Volunteer Orientation & Training--Saturday, January 12 @ 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.  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 attend this informative training.
• All Volunteer Huddle & Dessert--Monday, January 14 @ 6:30 p.m.  We encourage everyone that will be volunteering with us during our spring trimester to attend so we can prepare for a great launch.
• Spring trimester programs launch--Week of January 14