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!