Prayer

Loving People from All Places

Loving People From All Places

by Patrique Harris, Ministry Community Director




If you’ve been around Mission Adelante for any length of time, you’ve likely heard our slogan: loving people from all places. Over the past couple of years, I’ve learned firsthand why and how we’re called to show hospitality, compassion, and friendship to our immigrant neighbors. Initially, I viewed our slogan through the lens of showing love to those who are vulnerable around us. But as I reflect on 2024, I see it through a broader lens.

This year has been a whirlwind for our ministry, full of change, challenges, and increased need. Yet, through it all, I can’t help but see God’s goodness and providence reflected in the loving and generous people from all walks of life who are passionately and humbly living out the gospel by supporting our work at Mission Adelante.

““Loving People from all places is more than a slogan””
— -Patrique Harris

From dedicated volunteers who mentor teens in our Youth Club, to the family who gives monthly to keep our lights on, to the small group that prays for our community, to the Good Neighbor Team that helps newly arrived refugee families navigate their first grocery trip, to the mom who cooks a meal for our afterschool kids, to the family who cleans out their closet to keep Adelante Thrift stocked for the winter—these actions, big and small, reflect the heart of our mission. I could go on and on, but it truly takes loving people from all places to do the work of loving people from all places.

To every single person who supports Mission Adelante, whether in big or small ways, seen or unseen, thank you from the bottom of my heart. We could not do any of this work without you.

As our community grows with new families arriving each week, it’s critical that we continue to expand our circle of support. Let’s celebrate the hope a new year brings by praying for, and inviting, new, loving people into our mission. Consider boldly sharing your experience with Mission Adelante with friends, neighbors, coworkers, or family members.

Someone you know might be moved to join in. As a resource, you can direct them to missionadelante.org/serve to learn more about opportunities to serve.

Be part of our programs!

We are so excited for everything that is happening in our programs and we are grateful for all our volunteers who make everything possible. Would you consider partnering with us this trimester?

How can you help?

  • Pray for our program participants would create an impact in our community and grow with their walk with the Lord.

  • Serve – Invite people from your workplace, school, or church small group to host a resource drive for refugees or volunteer at Adelante Thrift. We are happy to share more about occasional service opportunities for all ages.

  • Donate to join us in building a multicultural community of disciples making disciples.

Oh, no! He Never Lets Go…

Oh, no! He Never Lets Go…

by Elaine Reimers, Adult Ministry Director




I would like to share with you a true story about God’s unexplainable omnipotence; His unmatchable faithfulness; and the immeasurable love and compassion that He so freely lavishes on us every day. During this Christmas season, like many, I am reflecting on the goodness of Father God. I think about what it must have been like to willingly come to this world, knowing that you would ultimately be crucified by the same people you breathed life into- brutally beaten, spit on, humiliated, and nailed to a cross by the people you came to save! And yet, He came. He came for you and he came for me! He came. He suffered. He died. And He rose again….all because He loves us. He truly, truly loves us, and the recollection of a road trip on a bitterly cold winter’s night always reminds me of this undeniable fact.

Sometime during the winter, approximately 13 years ago, my children’s father, my two oldest sons, and my only daughter, and I were on a road trip from Kansas City to the Christmas Mountain Village Resort in Wisconsin Dells, WI. We packed up our SUV and hit the road excited about finally getting away. My daughter was still in an infant car seat, which means that my two oldest boys had to have been approximately 4 and 6-years-old. The trip started off as normal as could be: we stopped for gas; I bought my favorite travel snack, Peanut Butter M&Ms; and the kids most likely convinced us to buy them those high-priced juices with the latest movie/television character as the spout-remember those?! Then, of course once we were on the road, there was the expected and inevitable kids' bantering turned to bullying, pulling over for the potty and diaper changes, baby girl crying in the rear-facing car seat, car games like who can get through the alphabet A to Z using the first letter of words seen along the highway, etc. We were having as much fun as two parents on a road trip with three kids under the age of seven could have and we were looking forward to arriving that evening to our cozy little cabin in the woods, safe and sound.

The meteorologist on the radio was forecasting below zero temperatures overnight and I certainly was not doubting it because as we drove further North and the sun dipped below the horizon of the Western Uplands of Wisconsin, I could definitely feel the plummeting temperatures even from inside our vehicle. Although my feet were very cold, I was safe and protected from the elements and at least we would be getting to the resort soon, I thought. I was starting to feel a little sleepy and weary from being on the road all day. I couldn’t wait to be able to relax and get some sleep! And then, suddenly, the lights flickered in the SUV’s cabin and the heater turned off on its own. There was a beeping coming from the dashboard that intensified the already tense situation. I was sure the vehicle would break down at any moment. What were we going to do? We were in the middle of nowhere, in the dark, with no sign of a gas station in sight with our three children! We couldn’t remember the last time we had seen a gas station so we weren’t sure whether to keep going, or to turn back. We definitely could not risk stopping, so we forged ahead, into the unknown. The only thing I could think of was to pray…

I was scared! Between my pleas to God, all I could think about was how we would surely end up stranded on the side of the highway overnight and freeze to death with our kids. As we continued driving and the beeping persistently reminded us of our pending doom, we finally saw it! There was a sign on the side of the highway indicating that there was a gas station just a few miles down the road. I hope we make it, I surely thought! The next thing I know, we are on the offramp and there it was - the first sign of life we had seen in miles off to the right. Thank God! We pulled into the parking lot and as soon as we stopped the car, it lost all power and shut off and would not start again. I could see a woman vacuuming the rug just inside the foggy, glass door. She looked like she was ready to go home! Come to find out, she was just about to lock up and do just that! We had made it in the nick of time. Praise Jesus! My kids’ father jumped out of the vehicle and rushed in to meet the woman to ask for help. Just then, I saw a minivan pull into the parking lot and then I noticed a small group of Christmas carolers that I had not noticed before. They were singing joyfully for our Lord right outside the gas station door. (I had never actually seen people Christmas caroling. I thought that only happened in the movies!) Next, I see the woman in the minivan get out and go into the gas station. At this point, I am overwhelmed with a song that I had been listening to a lot and I know it was the Holy Spirit that brought it to my lips when I turned around and saw my three kids fast asleep in the backseat.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, Your perfect love is casting out fear. And even when I'm caught in the middle of the storms of this life, I won't turn back. I know You are near. And I will fear no evil. For my God is with me. And if my God is with me, whom then shall I fear? Whom then shall I fear? Oh no, You never let go, through the calm and through the storm! Oh no, You never let go, in every high and every low. Oh no, You never let go, Lord, You never let go of me!

I sang in a quiet voice that filled the now even colder SUV. Tears were streaming down my cheeks as I tried to stay calm and focus on the words of the song coming out of my mouth. Eventually, my kids’ father came back to the vehicle and told me that we had just reached the only gas station that exists for miles and that, yes, they were indeed closing up for the night in a matter of minutes!

Seconds later, the woman who had gone into the station after my kids’ father (and whom I will never, ever forget) came out of the door after “just stopping by ON A WHIM to say ‘Hello!’” to her friend, the woman vacuuming. At the time, I believed it was “on a whim”, but over the years I have come to realize that this was and is a testament of God’s omnipotence, His faithfulness, and His love and compassion! He promises us regarding His omnipotence in Isaiah 55 verse 10-11 that just “as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” And, Psalm 91:3-4 certainly declares a clear message in regard to His faithfulness, love, and compassion for us when it reads: “Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” The woman, whose name is Cindy, did not stop by on a whim at all! She stopped by because God prompted her to do so at just the right time because He knew that His children needed Him and that only He could do what needed to be done; and He ultimately did this because He is not a man that He should lie and He promises faithfulness and, yes, He truly, truly loves us…

To wrap this precious story up with the little bow it deserves, I am so excited (even years later) to share with you that our angel in disguise, Cindy, helped move all of our luggage (kids and baby included) from our SUV into her minivan and drove us about an hour to our little cozy cabin in the woods. When we pulled up, she jumped out eagerly and unloaded our bags (and kids) with joy and a constant smile. She promised to come pick my kids’ father up the next day to take him to the mechanic shop near her house about 45 minutes away to pick our SUV- and she was faithful in doing so! She even turned the fireplace on and stayed a few minutes chatting until she saw that we were feeling settled in! Wow, it still blows my mind to this day to think about how God came through at just the right time and that we can EXPECT this of Him every time. His coming through may not always look exactly how we imagine or want it, but He never fails and you can be absolutely certain that He never lets go.

P.S. My family and I had the privilege of driving to Cindy’s house in Wisconsin years later to say “Hello!” and to thank her once again for her kindness, generosity, and selflessness on that cold winter’s night!    

This is our time!

This is our time! Help us build out our new Refugee Welcome Center. Donate here: www.missionadelante.org/give

Wrestling with the Wind

Wrestling with the Wind

by Elaine Reimers, Adult Ministry Director



 In 2 Corinthians chapter 12 verses 1-10, the apostle Paul wrote about where his strength in hardship and weakness came from. He recognized, although he wrestled with God as he cried out three times pleading with Him to remove the thorn from his flesh, that God’s grace was sufficient for him because His power is made perfect in weakness (verses 8-9). I am sure many of us can relate to that feeling of a thorn in our flesh. Your thorn could be a chronic illness, a toxic relationship, a living arrangement, or maybe even a painful memory. There are many things that can be considered a thorn in the flesh that seemingly keep us from progressing and can put a damper on achieving our goals and seeing dreams come true. I know I am not the only one who has dreams, goals, and aspirations. There are many things I want to accomplish and see come to fruition before my time on this Earth is up. I (probably selfishly) would like to be able to choose how I spend my time, who I spend my time with, and who I help and how I help them. Of course, there are many other things I would like to be able to control when it comes to what my life is and what it will become; there is nothing easy about surrendering our will for ourselves and voluntarily accepting God’s will for our lives. Although this exchange of wills will probably never be a cut and dried operation, it is important to realize that in our wrestling with God between His and our will, we can discover freedom, joy, and peace about the future that, in all reality, only He knows. 

I was not born with a clue of what I wanted to be when I grew up, but as I have matured into the slightly intellectual person I am today, it has become very clear to me that I still absolutely do not have the slightest clue of what I want to be when I grow up! I could, however, list a myriad of things I do not want to be… Is it really necessary to know, without a doubt, what I want to do for the balance of my life? Do I have to have it all together and know what I’ll be doing a year from now? Ten years from now? So much of what we see and hear today tries its best to make us think that without a plan we will be left behind, and our life will be meaningless and worthless. We unknowingly search for guidance and comfort when we scroll through posts and blogs on social media as we also struggle with the fear of missing out. But, wait, what happens when a quiet and subtle voice says “My child, you don’t have to do all that- you’re doing too much. You’re worrying too much. You’re looking in the wrong places. Don’t you see? You’re making your plans without even considering my plans for you..!” Many times, His voice will contradict our false and fleshly sense of autonomy; and it has the invisible power to uproot everything we thought we knew just as a tree is plucked out of the ground by a tornado. 

Unfortunately, our flesh and His will are and will almost never be in agreement. Fortunately, He is the All-Powerful, All-Sovereign, and All-Knowing God and I believe that we can trust Him just as Jeremiah trusted Him when God said to him in Jeremiah 29:11: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” 

Some of you may, or may not, know that I am currently walking through something of a windstorm. I have been wrestling with this wind of God now for soon-to-be three months and did not recognize it for what it is until about a month ago- I am wrestling with my Creator and the Author of my life! I have been unconsciously (okay, also sometimes consciously) plugging both my ears and singing “fa-la-la-la-la-la-la” as loud as I can to drown out the wind swirling around me that just won’t let up. I feel it pushing and pulling me in all directions out of nowhere. I have tried to hold my tree to the ground and keep those roots covered, safe, and undisturbed because, (and I shout to the wind, crying and in deep despair): “before this all happened I was just fine! My tree was growing strong and steady! I was nurturing it daily. It had the perfect amount of branches and flowers. I laid under it daily, mesmerized with its growing beauty, and it protected me.” I have verbalized my feelings of discomfort, loss, anger, and disappointment to a few people in my circle who have listened to and encouraged me so graciously as I have experienced all of the new branches that are pushing through the surface of my tree’s trunk. They have been witnesses to my wrestling with God as He begins to replace my discomfort with calmness, my loss with gain, my anger with delight, and my disappointment with enjoyment. Praise Jesus for the joy that comes in the morning! I am not all the way there but I know with all my heart that He is the only One who could have pulled me out of the pit I was in just a short while ago- He makes beauty from ashes!

It has been challenging to take life as it has been  inevitably coming at me and to make the best of it regardless of the type of flowers that bloom on my tree’s new branches, but I am a witness to the power of God and His unending love for each of us and I trust that when I finally decide to allow Him to yank the roots out and plant a new thing that it will be wonderful and beautiful and beyond what I could ever think, dream, or imagine! Is it scary to just have that blind faith and allow things to happen to you even amidst all the doubts and questions? Yes! Of course it is! Have I pleaded with God to hurry up and get me past this situation so my life can go back to normal? One hundred percent! Have I told Him what my plans were before this and how I will never be able to fulfill my dreams and reach my goals if I have to stay in this for even one more day? Yes… and that sweet, small, subtle voice replies: “My daughter, what if you can do both? What if you do this for Me and you can fulfill your dreams also? I will help you. Trust me. Can’t you just trust Me?” I cannot truthfully say that when I look up at my tree from my place of repose beneath it that I don’t see branches I would like to prune (or to just completely cut off), but I am choosing to trust that God knows what is best for me and that, although I feel weak and weakened by the unexpected calamities around me, that His grace is sufficient for me; and I echo Paul when he wrote: “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10, NIV) 

I would like to encourage each one of you reading this to consider that maybe our wrestlings with God don’t have to be a time to compare His will against ours. Maybe it’s a time to allow God to wrestle with our flesh on our behalf and conform it to Him. Maybe your wrestling with Him looks and feels nothing like mine. I believe what is most important is that we are wrestling because that is when we are the most connected to Him and the most open to hearing what He has to say. Let’s unplug our ears and suit up for the matches to come. It’s worth it! You are worth it! He is worth it. God bless you, in Jesus’ name. Amen and amen.

Be part of our programs!

We are so excited for everything that is happening in our programs and we are grateful for all our volunteers who make everything possible. Would you consider partnering with us next trimester?

How can you help?

  • Pray for our program participants would create an impact in our community and grow with their walk with the Lord.

  • Volunteer – Come to our Observation Nights. For more information visit: http://www.missionadelante.org/serve

  • Donate to join us in building a multicultural community of disciples making disciples.

Thanksgiving in Spring

Thanksgiving in Spring

by Elaine Reimers, Latino ESL Ministry Director



“Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4


Heavenly Father,

This last month, I have been absolutely overwhelmed with joy and peace when I think about Your relentless love and mercy towards me. Who am I? Who am I, that I should be called Your child? What have I done for You, or what have I given to You that I should receive Your provision, let alone your grace and redemption? I have done wrong and You know this, and I will do wrong and You know this; and yet You are still going before me and Your Presence surrounds me. Thank You for Your protection over my heart, mind, and soul, and for giving me even a small portion of Your wisdom. Help me to delight in You all the days of my life!

In Jesus’ Name - Amen

God’s blessings are all around us even when we don’t see them as such. He blesses us before we ever even ask Him to and He does this whether we praise and worship Him, or not. I know this because there was a time in my youth that I did not honor Him, or even acknowledge Him. Yet even in my roaming from one wrong decision to the next, I now know that He was there and He protected me from so many things that could have destroyed me physically and mentally. He opened the doors along the way to get me where I am today. 

I know now that He never abandons us and that if we don’t feel Him, it’s not that He is absent; I can’t say that I know why we feel like He isn’t there at times, but I have witnessed time and again that everything always seems to work out when I just give it all to Him in prayer and delight myself in Him no matter the circumstance. The blessings I can see in my life now are countless and seem to be things that I never even asked for. I am in awe as I realize that they all seem to beat to the same rhythm as my heart. These blessings are the fruit of God’s love for me and are directly connected to dreams and desires within my being that I didn’t even know were there. Who, apart from my Creator, could know my heart enough to have blessed me with all the things that I didn’t even know I needed?

I would just like to thank our Almighty God for the privileges and opportunities He has given me over the years. I am not where I ever expected I would be, but I believe I am in and on my way to the right place. Thank you, Jesus!

Be part of our programs!

We are so excited for everything that is happening in our programs and we are grateful for all our volunteers who make everything possible. Would you consider partnering with us next trimester?

How can you help?

  • Pray for our program participants would create an impact in our community and grow with their walk with the Lord.

  • Volunteer – Come to our Observation Nights. For more information visit: http://www.missionadelante.org/serve

  • Donate to join us in building a multicultural community of disciples making disciples.

We are thrilled to announce our partnership with The Runner’s Edge! Join them on their runs as a portion of their race registration fees will benefit Mission Adelante's impactful initiatives.

Discover their next race: Ward Parkway Four on the 4th!
For more details and to register, visit: https://wardparkwayfouronthefourth.com

Navigating Life's Challenges

Navigating Life's Challenges: A Journey of Faith, Prayer, and Deliverance"

by Elaine Reimers, Latino ESL Ministry Director


Recently my life has taken an unexpected turn down a road I perceive will include ditches, potholes, and possibly stormy conditions. Truthfully, I think I would rather use the free will that God has given me to turn and walk the other way, leaving this undesired and inopportune season of my life in the dusty road behind my weary, dragging feet. After all, there are a few references in the Bible that imply we as humans have free will over our lives.

Take for instance 1 Corinthians 10:23 (NIV) where Paul wrote to the Corinthian Church saying that although we say “I have the right to do anything,” it does not mean that“everything is beneficial”; he ends that passage saying that “not everything is constructive.”

Then, there is Paul’s letter to the Galatians that says:

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love”

(Gal. 5:13, NIV).

I can’t think of a single moment of suffering I have been through in my life that I would have chosen at the time. The truth is, although we can choose things like the clothes we pick out in the morning and what we eat for lunch, no one can choose to have a problem-free life.

You have likely heard the phrase: “if it’s not one thing, it’s another.” I imagine this phrase has been translated into thousands of languages because problems are no respecter of nationality, race, nor economic status. Problems can be served on gold, ceramic, or wooden platters. Maybe this only happens to me, but I feel like just as I get one issue settled and I am feeling good about life again, something else is knocking at the door ready to steal away my peace of mind, my joy, and my hope; often leaving me with worry, doubt, and frustration. I have been through my share of problems and have yet to come up with the equation to solve them all in a set amount of time or steps. Each one is unique and requires a specific approach.

If I could create a math equation to solve the problems we face in this life, it would look something like this, I think:

In other words: if you add Prayer and Holy Grit together, and then multiply the sum times Faith to the Power of God you get Deliverance.

The equation seems simple enough, right? But when I examine it, what I discover is that our Deliverance ultimately depends on the Power of God-not us! What God requires of us is to pray and strive to maintain an attitude of steadfastness and endurance along with keeping our faith active and thriving. This can be easier said than done!

It takes work on our part to keep us going until God delivers us. Let me assure you that this work is not done in vain, rather it is preparing you for the next inevitable and unexpected trial to knock on your door.

I encourage you the next time you are answering the door to that unwelcome guest, to fall to your knees and cry out to God. Ask Him to remind you to pray unceasingly and to face whatever issue it might be with a steadfast heart and an unwavering faith in Him. Lay down your feelings of worry, doubt, and frustration and reclaim your peace of mind, your joy, and your hope! Then, get to work! In His timing, you will see your deliverance!

After reading this over and over while writing it the last few days, I am feeling encouraged by my own words-by the message that God shared through me. Thank you, Jesus, for the power of Your Word and the resolve that You have so graciously given me in this season.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

Be part of our programs!

We are so excited for everything that is happening in our programs and we are grateful for all our volunteers who make everything possible. Would you consider partnering with us next trimester?

How can you help?

  • Pray for our program participants would create an impact in our community and grow with their walk with the Lord.

  • Volunteer – Come to our Observation Nights. For more information visit: http://www.missionadelante.org/serve

  • Donate to join us in building a multicultural community of disciples making disciples.