Mill Creek Blog

Mission Adelante is a strategic partner of Mill Creek. This is a letter from David Stetler, working with the Bhutanese of Kansas City, Kansas. If you want to volunteer at Mission Adelante, the next training opporutnity is January 9th, 9 am. More info below.

In January of 2010, Mission Adelante is launching a new pilot ministry to serve the growing population of Bhutanese refugees that are resettling here in Kansas City, Kansas with the mission to serve these people, do life with them and to share Jesus generously and always through both word and deed. 

We seek to meet the needs of this community while fostering relationships through high volunteer involvement.  For the launch of the Bhutanese Outreach there will be two opportunities to serve:  English class and Kids Club.  

English class    

Teaching English has become Mission Adelante's most effective "front door" outreach by fostering relationships and effectively meeting one of the major needs.

As a volunteer conversation partner in our Bhutanese Adult English class you make a huge impact just by speaking English while building a friendship through an instructor-guided lesson each week so all you have to do is show up, love on your students and practice English with them.  

The class will have 1 teacher, approximately 20 students and 10 volunteer conversation parters.  Each volunteer will meet weekly with the same 2 students to practice speaking English in a structured, but relational classroom context.  

The volunteer conversation partner is a 13 week commitment every Tuesday evening from 6:30p.m. to 8:30p.m. starting January 12th. 

Kids Club  

Immigrant children are in a cultural "no-man's land" that alienates them from their parents and leaves them vulnerable to the negative influences of peers and gangs. The Bhutanese Kids Club wants to step in and provide a positive environment for spiritual, academic and character development, and be a cultural bridge for the whole family.

As a volunteer small group leader in our Bhutanese Kids Club you will build a modeling relationship with a group of up to 10 kids, leading them through a specific Bible study curriculum following a dynamic, high energy Kids Club program with songs, games and skits.  

There will be approximately 30 kids and up to 8 volunteers.  Each volunteer will partner with another leader to guide their group of kids through the Bible story curriculum, "Firm Foundations: From Christ to Creation".

The volunteer small group leader is a 13 week commitment every Tuesday evening from 6:15pm to 9:00pm. 

Training

Training for Mission Adelante volunteers in all ministry areas will be held Saturday, January 9, 2010. We'll begin with a continental breakfast at 9:00 a.m. and wrap-up at 12:15 p.m., followed by an optional lunch together at a neighborhood Mexican restaurant. The purpose of this training is to familiarize and orient volunteers to the whole ministry as well as the area in which they'll serve.

If you are interested in learning more about Mission Adelante's Bhutanese Outreach and possibly volunteering, please contact David Stetler at 913.579.6115 or email at davids@missionadelante.org.    

18 of our youth are in Texas now ministering to a family in need. Here is an update from  one of the students on the trip, John Petterson, passed on by his mother.

The group continued to work on the trailer and outside room for the family with five children in Hidalgo county - the worst county in the U.S.  It was hard to know where to start, because what was there was not solid, nor square.  They have been dry walling, insulating and siding.  They plan to raise part of the roof so that water will drain when it rains. 

They took down the paneling inside the trailer, because the insulation was really bad and needs to be replaced. 

John noticed a Bible verse written in crayon inside the trailer, but they don't know where her heart is.

The family consists of a mom, (not sure about the dad), 4 girls and a boy named Joel.  The mom has been "shy toward our group" and they would like to connect with her in some way.  John said that Joel always has a smile on his face.  He's 11 and speaks pretty good English.  The oldest girl may be 13 or 14, John couldn't tell, and then the other girls are younger.

Yesterday, John left his soccer ball in the van that went to the site, which was a blessing, ("a huge God thing") and everyone got in some playing time during the 5 hours they were on the site.  It was a big draw for the kids living there.  Actually, later today, a group of four or five 15-20 year-olds asked if they could play soccer, so our group will be looking for them tomorrow and Thursday to kick the ball around.

Today, some went to the work site, while others did the VBS, or CBA (Children's Bible Study).  John said at the site jobs are voluntary, so everyone does what they feel they can do.

Last night they went to Walmart and bought sports balls to bring to play with the kids.  The girls in our group bought stuff to make bracelets with, and they girls living there did that with our girls today.

It's hot, but bearable.  The workday is from 9-2, so they're done before the hottest part of the day.  That allows for some naps to catch up on sleep. 

Fortunately, no major safety issues, keep praying...John feels like the group is getting closer each day.  Meals at the camp have been good.

It's been a pretty humbling experience for everyone.  When looking around, he thinks, "wait, I'm not in Mexico."  Every house has 6 foot tall fences to keep people out.  Some have sliding chainlink fences for their driveways.  He'll think it "doesn't feel like the U.S., then he'll see the postman, " and realize they're still in the United States. 

Pray for:  1) continued safety, and  2) to be able to connect  in some way with the mom - that she'll receive God's love and provision through the youth.

When we talk about reaching the "valley" we are speaking of the Calchaquies Valley...a massive valley in the western part of Argentina. It is an amazing place to experience. Cachi is a city in the valley, and will serve as the springboard city for the project to reach a good section of the valley.

Mill Creek is working in tandem with Centro Crecer church in the city of Córdoba, Argentina. Our project together is to form a base of operations to reach the 20,000 people in the valley with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to show them Christian love. 

The first leg of the project is the ordination of Marcelo Brondo. Sam Masters, our missionary in Córdoba, has trained Marcelo over the past several years. Originally he was to become the pastor of Centro Crecer...but in recent years he has felt the Lord's leading to start a work in the valley. Our survey team from Mill Creek recently travelled into the valley with Marcelo. Marcelo is now busy looking for housing so that he and his family can move in following his ordination on April 26th. 

Marcelo recently wrote to me and closed with these words...

"...it is difficult to think of this people without Christ. But God is faithful and knows the perfect time when these things should occur. To Him be the glory!" 

The next leg of the project is the building of a house/ministry center in Cachi. This project begins with a team from Mill Creek that will collaborate with a team in Argentina in March of 2010. Two churches working together--how awesome is that!