Dinner and A Movie

Our team is growing here. And as we do we always have to remind ourselves that we are a family and a team on the same mission together.

I have to admit. A lot of times we forget to say “thank you” to each other. A lot of times we forget to say “ I love you”. We get busy and forget that we have a team to take care of.

I am the worst at this, and I will be the first to tell you. I get focused on something and it might even be a great thing but I forget so much to take time for our team. When I do, I remember why it is so important.

This last week Jill and I took the Córdobas to Santiago to see the movies. We went with the plan of seeing Harry Potter but Abi and Dani had other plans. So Jill and I took Abi and Dani to see “Los Pitufos” (The Smurfs) in 3D while Porfi and Carla went to see Harry Potter.

We had a terrific time at the movies, at McDonalds, and just being together for a while. Time spent with each other. I remember a blog that Rich and Audrey wrote while they lived here called “Time Well Spent”. It was about them spending time with the Córdobas, getting away from “work” and spending some ti

me just went the team. At the time, I will admit I did not understand what all was meant behind that blog, now I do.

I love the Córdobas. I love everyone on this team. And it truly is time well spent when we spend time together.

A Growing Experience

At this point many of you have heard about it but we had a break in here at camp a few weeks ago. No one was hurt and everyone is totally okay, so do not worry. It came at a time that we, as a team, were really starting to see growth in the lives of our disciples. Of course, that is a perfect time for Satan to attack. And, he did. Things were taken, but we kept having to remind ourselves that things are things, whether we can physically replace them or not.

It would have been very easy to let this experience take someone out, to let them say to themselves that this is too hard. Yes, break ins happen in the United States but why does it have to happen here too and make everything so much harder? I do not pretend to have all the answers to that for every person that wonders is but I can tell you that some great things came out of it for me.

I got to see just how supported I am. So many people came through for me in so many ways. From my family back in the States, to our team of missionaries here, to Nubia, our awesome secretary, to Carlos, one of my boys I work closely with here. All of those people were huge encouragements to me and God provided ways for amazing conversations and new levels of Spirituality to happen among all of those people.

In some ways I hate that the break in happened but in some ways it has given me a new motivation and new vision for the kind of relationship I can have with the people around me.

Thank you for all of your prayers during this attack from Satan. I love you all.

As Summer Ends

As Summer Ends

Summer 2011 is coming to an end here with Manna DR. We are finishing up our last group and our interns will soon be leaving us. We have been extremely blessed this summer in so any ways. I, as the group leader, want to let you know some of those blessings.
8 amazing groups. Each one of them, in their own way, were a huge blessing to some or many aspects of our ministry.
Great groups leaders. Every one of them came prepared and were flexible with us. They challenged us in many ways and that will have as big of an impact here as anything.
Jeff Reese. As our lead intern this summer he did an amazing job. I can truly say that there were a few weeks there at the beginning of the summer that I am not sure what I would have done without Jeff. Even since that time Jeff has taken on a ton of responsibilities and jobs that have allowed me and the rest of the team to do things to get ready for our big project kick off coming up.
6 interns. Alex, Allie, Luke, Nikki, Sarah, and Savannah. From the beginning these guys took their responsibilities and ran with them with little supervision. They have been there for the eight groups and really gotten close the the Dominicans that we know and love.
Our team. As of just a few weeks ago we are all finally here. We are super excited about the possibilities of this year and I am grateful for their support and patience with me this summer.

This might have been a predictable thing to blog about but I am truly thankful for this summer. As summer ends this year there is one difference for me.
As last summer was winding down I was unsure of many things about how the next year would go. I did not doubt that God would reveal those things to me but I was unsure of what exactly that would be. God did come through and because of that I am not anxious about this year due to uncertainty of what I will do.
I am, as I believe a lot of us are, anxious about how this school year will go and for that I ask for many prayers.
As this summer ends we enter into a new stage of our ministry. No, we could not have gotten here without the many stages before but it is scary none the less. We need prayers and patience as we try to disciple the twenty kids coming into our Discipling Program.
This summer was a huge step in the kick off of our Discipling Program. Much thanks to all who participated in it and I ask for your continued prayers. I am excited for each of you to return to see how God continues to bless and grow these kids.

Much love,
chad mynatt