Rick & Alice Bush • Disciple Makers
Finding Family in the Margins
In this story from the KC Underground Network, Rick and Alice share how God has built spiritual family among the marginalized in Kansas City.
“When we open Street Church with prayer, the number one thankfulness is one more day—and out there, they mean it.” - Rick & Alice Bush
Nearly four and a half years ago, Rick was invited to hand out clothes at Washington Square Park. What began as simple service—offering food, clothing, and prayer—eventually became something deeper. After being trained in disciple-making pathways, Alice sensed the Holy Spirit urging them to take the Gospel directly into their context.
So they began what is now known as “Prayer in the Park.”
For over three years—through cold January drizzle, small crowds, and gatherings of twenty—they have consistently hosted Discovery Bible Studies, shared coffee and snacks, and built real relationships. What emerged wasn’t just a ministry—it was a spiritual family.
They describe the marginalized as those Jesus named Himself: the poor, the addicted, the imprisoned, the widow, the orphan. Rather than expecting people to come to church, Rick and Alice chose to go where people already were—joining them in their realities.
As relationships deepened, new doors opened. A friend recovering in a nursing home invited them to start a gathering there. Now, similar spiritual family rhythms—Bible study, prayer, music, conversation—are forming inside that facility as well.
But this work is not romanticized. Family means celebrating and mourning together. They have attended funerals. They have grieved loss. They have prayed for anger issues and addiction. And every week, when they open in prayer, the most common gratitude spoken is simple: “Thank you for one more day.”
This story reflects a core conviction of KC Underground: disciple-making among the marginalized requires consistency, dignity, and treating people like true family.
Are you walking with people, planting the gospel, or seeing new life emerge in your context? Your story can strengthen and inspire the wider KC Underground family.
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