Tuesday, April 6, 2021

Seven Years!

 

Seven years ago today our home church, Mckenna Community Church commissioned us for the mission field, April 6, 2014. Wow! I can hardly believe that it's been 7 years since we left our home to serve as missionaries in Colombia.

If you'd like to join us in the work we do here by becoming a financial partner, click the following link: 
https://southamericamission.org/donate/missionaries/chris-cristi-haylett/

It was such a blessing at our commissioning service to have the support, encouragement, and prayers of so many beloved brothers and sisters in Christ as we prepared to leave for the mission field.
Our good friend and mentor, Dino, who along with his wife, Elaine had been a missionary in Bolivia with the Chimane for 30+ years, gave our commissioning send-off. Dino and Chris did jail ministry together in our hometown for a couple of years as well, and he and his wife gave us advice and helped us with Spanish as we prepared to serve as missionaries. 

From one missionary to another at our commissioning service, Dino spoke words of advice and wisdom. He said that his #1 tip was to "Stay in the Word!" He also talked about focusing on preaching the gospel of Jesus and allowing Jesus to transform lives, rather than just preaching against sin and trying to get people to change and stop sinning. He emphasized discipleship. He shared testimonies of how he'd seen God transform lives during his and his wife's ministry.

A friend´s post on my Facebook timeline history reminded me of Dino´s closing call to us and the church,
"as I just left the jail to minister to those men there, I asked them 'are you hungry?' And to you (MCC church folks) I ask- 'are you full?' " Are we going to share what we have to help feed the others in this world who don't know Jesus? Or just keep to ourselves our loaves of bread and fish? I am indeed full here in America." 

Dino, Elaine, and the jail ministry team continued to be an encouragement to us when we left for our missionary service by meeting regularly with us for prayer via skype. We were saddened to hear that Dino passed away before we made it back from our first 4 years on the mission field.

Dino´s testimony, his example, and his legacy made a lasting impact on us.

I believe that Dino entered heaven welcomed with, "Well done my good and faithful servant. You served well." And Dino's ministry and impact continues today. 
Before his death, Dino had begun writing a book to share the mission's journey that God had taken him and his wife on. After he died, his wife Elaine finished putting the book together and got it published. I believe there was also work being done to get it translated into Spanish and also into the Chimane language. This book can be used to teach the Chimane some of their history. Dino and Elaine came alongside the Chimane to help them in many ways, they brought the gospel to them, assisted them with a written language, were instrumental in helping to get the Bible translated into their written language, and helped them establish a form of government to protect their way of life.  If you'd like to read about Dino's and Elaine's journey into missions and their work with the Chimane, go to the link below for their book or message us. 

https://www.amazon.com/Journey-Ch%C3%ADmane-Land-Elaine-Kempf/dp/1498499112


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