Boys' Night Out

Written by volunteer Brad Gregory


As a long-time volunteer at Kid's Adelante, I have truly come to love my Thursday nights with the kids. I savor my time with them, but my hectic schedule keeps me from getting anywhere near enough time with them outside of the Thursday night programming.  But, thanks to the generosity of a Mission Adelante supporter, I had the opportunity last weekend to take three of our young men LIT students to the Sporting KC game at Livestrong Park.  We started the evening with some great pizza at D' Bronx in Mission followed by a highly-competitive round of putt putt mini golf at Mission Bowl. It only took a short while with these young guys to remind me of two things that I had forgotten:
1) How to laugh - these boys know how to have fun. They were more entertained by hitting the ball into the water than into the cup!
2) Young men can EAT!!  They always want something else to eat!!!


Sporting KC played a great game, and we especially enjoyed the fantastic seats we had. We were having such a good time that the boys wanted to be sure I didn't return them home any sooner than the time I had told their parents, so we even squeezed in a late-night McDonalds' run.

As I drove home after dropping them off, I asked myself why I don't do that kind of thing more often. I loved every minute of it and this reminded me of how impacted and blessed I am by sharing life with the families and kids in the Mission Adelante community.


In other news:

• David Stetler, Kristen Maxwell, and Drew Hammond, the Bhutanese Outreach staff that returned  last week from a trip to Nepal and India, are occupied with processing through all that they saw and experienced, and are formulating personal and ministry applications.
• Kristen Maxwell, Director of Bhutanese Kids programs, held an informational meeting last Sunday to announce to the Bhutanese community the launch of Leaders In Training for Bhutanese students this fall.  The parents of potential participants caught the vision for the tutoring and character development program, and their sons and daughters were invited to apply.

Prayer needs:

• Please pray for Blake and Lindsey, our summer interns who will arrive on May 26, as well as Drew and Hannah, both in the middle of a one-year internship.  Pray for their fundraising efforts, and for God to prepare them for the fast pace and intensity of the summer!
• Pray for Megan McDermott, Kids Adelante Director, as she is in the season of discerning which students to invite to participate in Leaders In Training next year.
• Help us ask the Lord to supply the volunteers we need for our summer trimester, which begins the week of May 28.

Current needs:

• Bhutanese outreach volunteers for the summer trimester--Tuesday evenings May 29 through August 7.  Please e-mail morganh@missionadelante.org if you're interested in any of these roles.
• Five Kids Club volunteers
• A worship leader for Teens Club
• A driver with a CDL
• Individuals familiar with sign language and deaf culture to work with several deaf Bhutanese ESL students

• A couch has been requested through the resource center.  It's also time to stock our resource center with baby's and kid's summer clothing.  Please contact Molly at 913-281-6274x5 if you can donate any of this.
• Several 4-8 person tents for the upcoming L.I.T. canoe trip, and tarps large enough to put under the tents. Please contact Megan at 913-281-6274x2.
• Fifteen reusable water bottles for Teens Adelante.  Please contact Brooke at 913-281-6274x8.

Important dates:

• Volunteer Orientation & Training--Saturday, May 19 @ 9:00 a.m.  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, May 21 @ 6:30 p.m.  We encourage everyone that will be volunteering with us during our summer trimester to attend so we can prepare for a great launch.
• Summer trimester program launches--Week of May 28
• 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!

Parents' Night Out

Written by Megan McDermott


I often stand in awe of parents!  They sacrifice their time, money, food, sleep, and even their own desires to provide the best for their children.  Since our house church began this past November, we have been looking for ways to connect in a more relational way with the families. We wanted to serve them in a way that would not only bless, but also encourage them. 


Since ministry is primarily a relational endeavor for us, those of us in leadership of the house church asked ourselves, "What is something that every parent would want and appreciate, and that we could give them by virtue of the fact that we have relationships with them?"  How about a break?

Last Sunday, a few of us from our house church linked arms to give the hard-working parents among us a much needed night off.  Some of them used the opportunity to reconnect with their spouse over a quiet dinner.  One mom excitedly expressed to me, "We actually got to start AND FINISH the same conversation!"  Another family decided to have a girls night out and the grandma, mother, and granddaughter enjoyed some rare quality time together.  Each family, without tiny hands and voices distracting them, got to rest and relax in a way that meant something to them.


Meanwhile, all the kids and teens gathered at the Mission for about three hours to eat pizza, watch a movie, play some pretty intense four-square, and enjoy some rich relational time. It was one of the most fun nights I can remember having with them because we simply got to play together!  



I know that the parent's night out was meant to bless our families, but it blessed us as well.  These amazing children that we are privileged enough to to walk with on an everyday basis, bless us with their laughter, joy, and love for the Lord.  




In other news:

• Jarrett Meek was impressed and encouraged at the beginning of his house church gathering last Sunday to find out that many of the immigrants arrived having studied the Bible passage for the lesson in advance and having memorized a Bible verse.
• We're continually encouraged by our partnerships with the people in ministry at local churches, and by the evidence that these partnerships are win-win.  This week, some of the leadership from Christ Community Church sought advice from Jarrett Meek and Jason Schoff about a particular matter, which Jarrett and Jason considered an honor and a highlight of their week!

Prayer needs:

• Praise God!  An interview at the U.S. embassy has been scheduled for Yanelis on May 9!  Yanelis is the leader of Raices, the ministry we work with in Cuba, and we want her to join us in Kansas City for leadership training during our summer trimester.  Now, join us in praying that her visa will be approved, and that it will be issued very rapidly!
• Pray for strength in the marriages in our immigrant community.  A particular immigrant family is currently separated and struggling.  Please pray for them to become more and more open to God working in their lives, and for God to purify and sculpt their hearts to reflect His character.
• Pray for another family struggling through a difficulty.  Pray that they'll find the resources and support that they need, and that they'll have a particular awareness of God's presence and love.
• Our summer trimester of programs is approaching.  Please pray with us for God to draw each individual volunteer and participant that he wants to compose the classes.
• Praise God for the new things (understanding, vision, passion and energy, approaches to challenges, etc.) that have been/will be borne of a trip to Nepal and India that the Stetlers, Kristen Maxwell, Drew Hammond, Rachel Yeargin, and Lori Gossenauer have just returned from.  Pray for their re-entry into our time zone, neighborhood, and ministry lifestyle.

Current needs:

• A couch has been requested through the resource center.  It's also time to stock our resource center with baby's and kid's summer clothing.  Please contact Molly at 913-281-6274x5 if you can donate any of this.
• Several 4-8 person tents for the upcoming L.I.T. canoe trip, and tarps large enough to put under the tents. Please contact Megan at 913-281-6274x2.
• Fifteen reusable water bottles for Teens Adelante.  Please contact Brooke at 913-281-6274x8.

Important dates:

• Volunteer Orientation & Training--Saturday, May 19 @ 9:00 a.m.  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, May 21 @ 6:30 p.m.  We encourage everyone that will be volunteering with us during our summer trimester to attend so we can prepare for a great launch.
• Summer trimester program launches--Week of May 28
• 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!

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!