Kairos--A New Beginning

Welcome to Mission Adelante!

So on Saturday, May 28, I began my internship with Mission Adelante in Kansas City, KS that will last until August 14. I flew back from Mexico May 27 pretty last, so I was tired! With Mission Adelante, I will have the opportunity to serve the Latino immigrant community by teaching English classes and sharing with them who Christ is. I have been here for almost a week now, so I will try to summarize a week of awesomeness as succintly as I can.

Moving in

SO, part of Mission Adelante's model is to move into the neighborhood where they are serving. Due to this, all the interns are staying in a dorm-like building that you used to be a hubbub for Medical Missions in the heart of KCK. There is actually a birthing center on the first floor. Unfortunately, due to lack of funding the birthing center is only open on Wednesdays. The room pictured above is mine. This is the largest room that I have ever had in my life! Random story: This past Wednesday, I had to translate for a Mexican woman and her husband that the center could no longer service pregnant women anymore.

I don't think we're in Johnson County Anymore

Our faithful leader (or the Director/Founder of Mission Adelante), Jarrett Meek, gave us a tour of our new community in this awesome bus! Everyone keep telling me to close my mouth because I was in complete shock! Growing up in Johnson County, I didn't realize that this "Little Mexico, Central/South America" existed less than 30 minutes from me! There were Panderias, Taquerias,Pastelerias, Paleterias, and more.

A Neighborhood Welcome

So, the first evening here, we got to meet some key people that are in our neighborhood. It started it out as kinda awkward, but that didn't last too long! I ran outside to play soccer with the boys and jump rope with the little girls. It was a blast! It is crazy to see how close this neighborhood is and they let us in with open arms. What a blessing this summer is going to be!

Instant Best Friends

This summer there are six interns with Mission Adelante. Jessie and Geo are working with Latino Teens. Cassie and Michelle are working with Latino Kids or Kids Adelante. Nate is working with Teens that are Bhutanese Refugees. We are all so different and from different walks of life, but we instantly clicked as a group. It is crazy how talented this men and women are, and I know they strong brothers and sisters in Christ as well. I am so excited to learn from them for the next two and a half months.

Busy Week!

Part of the internship. So, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, we wake up at 7:30AM to do a morning workout around the track at 8AM. It is important for us to take care of the temple that God gave us. After that we do devotional time as well as read from books about Christianity and Leadership. We eat lunch at work and use the afternoons for office work and contact work. Contact work is an opportunity for us to take people that we have connected with in the neighborhood out to bond and just completely show them the love of Christ.
Special Additions. Aside from that regular schedule, there are some additional things that I get to do. Mondays, I eat with my specific immigrant family. The mom's name is Erika and she has two children named Natalie and Kevin. Tuesdays, I go to killer Zumba classes with women in the community. They are awesome, but taught by an intense woman named Myesha who is Afro-Cubana. On Wednesdays, I eat with my supervisor, Jason's family. Thursdays I teach ESL classes in the evenings. Saturdays are pretty open. Sometimes, I will go to a Grandma named Marta's house to hang out. She has six grandchildren that she takes care of all day, every day in the summer. She reminds me so much of my Grandma that passed. On Sundays we are free to go to church in the morning wherever we want. In the evenings we have church at Mission Adelante in Spanish.
Thank God for Sabbath. Fridays we have our day of rest. This last Friday, I made the mistake of scheduling too much and filling it up with appointments. NEVER AGAIN!

God Speaks

I just wanted to close with what God is teaching me this week. The scripture that we read a group was John 15:1-10 and Matthew 5:1-12. God is really breaking down my pride and teaching me humility, vulnerability, and trust in Him. Commentary in my Bible really spoke to me when it said, "To be blessed is to be able to experience hope and joy, independent of outward circumstances". I used to worry about tomorrow, but God is teaching me meekness and humility by finding joy in his Providential surprises.


Can I get an Amen?

Ariel