An Update Video from Megan McDermott

Mission Adelante! - Megan from Perception Funding on Vimeo.

This video has been graciously done and edited free of charge by Jonathan Klee of Perception Funding. Thank you to Jonathan and all of his efforts to help make such an incredible way to thank all of my donors!

I can't believe the summer is over and it's time to start a whole new trimester! This is an especially exciting time for me as I launched LIT for the first time as well as Kids Adelante tonight. It has been a fun-filled summer full of Royal's games, Vacation Bible School Camps, Mission Adelante volunteer gatherings, the Purity Bile Study, and lots of quality of time with the kids.
I am excited that this weekend we will be taking some of the kids and their families to the Wizards game. The kids love soccer so it should be a great time to relax and catch up with the kids after a busy Launch night.
Sometimes I look around at Mission Adelante and I just stop, marveling at the fact that I am there. I think about all the little (and big) details that it took to bring me here and I feel so unbelievably loved. I pray that I always cherish where I am and continue to praise God for the many sacrifices it took to get me here!!

Vacation Bible School offers rich opportunities for spritual growth in the summer!

The past few weeks, Kids Adelante has been blessed to have not one but three different VBS camps come. The groups offered fun activities, water balloon fights, skits, music, snacks, and above all else, a chance for the kids to grow in their faith.

The kids were taught about Peter and the choices he had to make as he pursued Jesus. They also learned about David and Goliath, Noah's Ark, and how to be part of "God's Team." The most moving part of the experience occurred on the last night of our most recent VBS. Two of the high school students got up and shared their testimony. The kids were rapt with attention and I loved that they got to see one of their peers share their heart for God. The night ended with the story of Jesus washing His disciples feet. As this profound message was shared, one of OUR kids had his feet washed by another boy.

The summer offers time for us to have extended weeks of spiritual depth with the kids. I have attached some pictures below. We of course played LOTS of soccer.......:)

Slumber party pics

The 2nd Annual Slumber Party

What can one say when 5 teenage girls descend on your house for an entire evening? IT WAS A BLAST! We ate wayyy too much, watched some scary movies, had a fashion show (compliments of Maria's closet), and finally passed out at 4:30 AM. I was looking around at each of these young, beautiful women as they ran around the condo like crazy people. I watched them as they tried on dresses and criticized their own petite bodies, then looked expectantly at us to be their real mirror. I was moved when I was told by the oldest, Iris, that ,"Of COURSE you will be a madrina at my quincinera!!" (That's like being a bridesmaid at a 15 year old's birthday party, a great honor) I laughed at their excitement at being out of the house for an evening and their protectiveness of each other. I was moved by their compassion for their friends and their great desire to help each other.

Most of all, I observed their issues with self-worth and the lies that they believe about themselves at such a young age. I was able to sit and talk with one of the girls about her options for the future and how her attitude can affect the opportunities she's afforded. I don't think that she realizes how much the younger girls look up to her. She told me after her conversation with me that she wanted to return to LIT (Leaders in Training) when she had previously said she had no interest. I am so excited at how God is revealing his love to His daughters! Hope you enjoy the pictures posted, even though I am still a novice blogger in relation to the picture feature!

My first real week!

So I finished my first real week at Mission Adelante :) It has been a bit crazy as we had a VBS camp last week and another this week. I love it when we have VBS camps because they go out into the community and are able to invite a lot of kids to attend our events. They generate a lot of excitement and we always see the fruits of their labors by the end of the summer.

It has been really neat to me to see a family that moved, reconnect with Mission Adelante. The oldest daughter has always been very resistive to Mission Adelante but I see a desire in her to know God. I also see a little girl that has been let down one too many times and just doesn't have the energy to believe in people anymore. After every Kids Adelante event that she has attended, she always tells me she's not coming back. I always look at her and tell her I will pray that I see her soon.

Last night, as the VBS camp was leading a praise and worship song, I looked over and saw her with her hands raised, praising God. My eyes welled up with tears because of how MUCH I see God pursuing her and her family. God can always turn even the hardest heart soft with His loving and patient hands!! Praise God for what He is doing at Mission Adelante!

It's official :)

So drum roll please...............I got my funding! I joined the staff of Mission Adelante as the full-time director of Kids Adelante! A generous donor is matching a portion of contributions made to support my ministry through the first 12 months at a ratio of 3:2. The battle isn't over yet(as it never is with fundraising) but I now have a big chunk of time to raise some support!

I had my first real "wake up call" this last week at a park near Mission Adelante. We had a local church come down to do a VBS with our kids Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. The first 2 nights of the week, we experienced a lot of tension as we essentially "took over" the park. Some of the middle school kids that weren't part of our group tried to instigate a fight but with the help of our volunteers, a potentially scary situation was averted. This really opened my eyes to the danger and constant worry our kids have about watching their backs. I think growing up in the 'burbs has really desensitized me to alot of urban normalities. I was very torn about whatever it was safe to keep returning to this park with our kids for summer activities or if we should stay at Mission Adelante. I felt it was a double edged sword because we could either stay and potentially draw in even more of the neighborhood kids or return to Mission Adelante to protect our kids. We opted to hold our future VBS activities at Mission but I am still very committed to handing out fliers to the neighborhood kids that aren't involved with Mission Adelante. I don't want them to have to suffer because of the safety issue.

On a happier note, last night as we had at least 80 volunteers, Mission kids, and non-Mission kids playing together, I had such a moment of peace. The church had brought a sound system and as the sounds of Christian music filled the park, I was over joyed that God was making his presence very known. Children that had attended our VBS camps last year in the park but weren't part of Mission, came back this year! I was able to again invite them to our Thursday night Bible Study. I hope they come tonight!

Thank you to those of you that have kept up with my sporadic blog and have kept our kids in your prayers. The slumber party is next week......AHHHHHH :)