Mission Adelante Christmas Update

Merry Christmas from the Mission Adelante Team!

As we head into this weekend and then the Christmas break I wanted to update you all on a few recent happenings in the Mission Adelante community and give you some creative ideas for year-end giving.

A Grand Finale
With snow falling and temperatures dropping God brought record numbers of Volunteers and immigrants to celebrate Christmas and the end of another trimester. Some 150 plus people turned out to enjoy a catered Chinese buffet, great jazz music, an awards ceremony, and a brief evangelistic message. An army of volunteers helped put the event together and donate services and items to make it happen. Several kids received awards for memorizing scripture verses and perfect attendance at our program, while a few kids were selected for special awards including leadership, servant heart, and enthusiasm. Sara’s husband, Pedro confessed after the party that he hadn’t wanted to come, but that his wife had dragged him along against his will. With a big smile on his face he said, “I had a great time! This is the first time I’ve ever enjoyed an event like this.” We are praying that God will use this event to open doors for us to connect relationally with the friends and family members of our kids and ESL students.

The Power of Giving
On Monday night I stopped by the home of Nayeli, Felipe and Emanuel with a van load of gifts contributed by members of a Heartland Community Church small group. When Nayeli came to the door I told her I needed some help unloading some “stuff” from my van. “What stuff?” she asked. “Just some stuff”, I replied. She called her brothers and we all went out to the van. When I opened the back hatch their eyes opened wide and their mouths dropped. “It’s all for you”, I said. In a matter of 30 seconds my van was unloaded and I was inside watching the kids looking for their names on each gift. Their mother, Luz, and their grandmother were there watching too. A few weeks ago I had learned that their father was in prison.

Nayeli, Felipe and Emanuel are an interesting trio. They connected to Kids Adelante through a VBS program we did last summer with the help of Emmanuel Baptist Church. Most kids connect with us because their parents are in our English program. Nayeli and Felipe had perfect attendance this trimester and Nayeli set the bar high for the other kids in the oldest group by coming with her verse memorized nearly every week. She received the leadership award at our party on Saturday.

After watching the kids excitedly investigate their gifts, I took the opportunity to circle the family up, share a verse and pray for them. Felipe said he wanted to pray too, but when his turn came he didn’t know what to say. So, I told him to repeat after me. To my surprise, everyone in the room repeated the prayer after me, including their mother and grandmother. Afterward they began to ask about our Bible Study and how to be a part of it. I extended an invitation to our Christmas worship celebration this Sunday night. They accepted.

We continue to be convinced that God works through compassionate service, caring relationships and His word to draw people to Himself. Thank you to all who have played role in this process through giving or volunteering.
Please pray with us for them, that God would bring them on Sunday night the 23rd. That they would feel welcome in our community and home, that His word would take root in their hearts, and that they would be reborn to new life in Christ.

Year End Giving Ideas:
Mission Adelante relies significantly on year-end giving to meet our ministry and operating budget each year. This year we are praying that God will provide $25,000 toward our 2008 ministry budget through year-end giving. We invite you to consider being a part of meeting this goal in one of the following ways.

Cash contribution: You may send checks to Mission Adelante, 251 N. 15th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102.
Gift Cards: We need gift cards to places like Home Depot, Office Max, and Dick’s sports.
Non-Cash Assets (like automobiles): Mission Adelante has a foundation fund set up through the Servant Christian Community Foundation. SCCF specializes in converting assets to cash for ministry organizations. If you have an asset such as a vehicle that you are considering selling, why not save yourself the hassle and use it to make a kingdom impact. SCCF makes it really easy for donors and ministries, and they are very efficient. Please contact Connie at chougland@servantchristian.com for details on how do this!

Thank you for your interest in Mission Adelante and your part in it. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

In His Grace,
Jarrett Meek