INTERNational Living Part 2

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2:42

My experience here so far has encouraged me and my walk with Christ through the many examples I have seen in Namibia. I have met many wonderful people who are seeking the Lord. Last Sunday, during Thrive Bible study, we discussed what it means to reach out to the community. It was neat to be a part of the discussion as they looked back at where the group has come and where they are going. Each story told that night was riddled with themes of community and discipleship. I am blessed to be a part of a group that has built a strong community in and through Christ. Acts 2:42-47 has been the key passage this group has grasped on to and is striving to live out. It was inspirational to hear these students share stories about what the group was two years ago and where they are now. I was encouraged to see the Kingdom of the Lord lived out through these students in their daily lives.

This is how the church is called to live. The Kingdom of God should be consumed with community, discipleship, and reaching out to others in and with Christ. We are all called to love the Lord and to love others. This is affirmed in Mark 12:30-31,“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

 I am personally convicted to live in a way that glorifies the Lord by loving others and I am encouraged to see how these men and women continue to walk in obedience in Christ through their community.

Melissa Faraci

“Aacckk!”

“Aacckk! That’s not a lizard — it’s an alligator!!”

I have had a grand adventure discovering the different types of wildlife found here in Namibia. Being here in this wonderful country I have learned that there are many snakes that can cause death, that giraffes and flamingos roam free and that warthogs gather together to go to the watering hole.

God’s wonderful creation is just one of the many blessings that I have experienced here. The Lord continues to show His faithfulness and how He transcends all cultures, tongues, and people. Jesus has been doing a great work through Three Measures’ Thrive group and through the Echols. He is revealing Himself to these young adults in powerful ways. I have just been with them for about two weeks and I have seen them show the love of Christ to each other and really be a community of believers. They welcomed me in without hesitation and allowed me to become a part of that community.

Tennis has been a huge part of this community. It recently started up again, which has given me the ability to build relationships in a sport that I love. I am excited to see what the Lord will do through us in this season and how He will move to bring transformation.

Melissa Faraci

Selfies with Raylin: Tennis

We took a break for the holidays, but we’re back! Hope you enjoy this week’s selfie…

I took my selfie this week at the tennis court. We have a tennis ministry that takes place every Wednesday afternoon. Last year we even had our first tennis tournament. Tennis has become part of our physical health program in 3measures.

A note from David & Sandy:

This program started sort of unintentionally. We never intended to start a tennis ministry, but another missionary in Windhoek invited us along for his tennis program at the local university. The group we took liked it so much that we had to start our own program.

While it is a physical activity, I am sure that the social benefits for our group have far outweighed the physical. This ministry was key to developing a stronger sense of community among our young adults.

Unexpected Loss: Margret Shikongo

A couple of weeks ago, we introduced you on this blog to the Shikongo family. We have also shared about them in our last two newsletters. Last night we heard the sad news that Margret Shikongo passed away. As is social norm in our community, the funeral services started on Wednesday and will continue on through Saturday.

We have been meeting each week to study the Bible in the home of Margret and her husband, Abraham. We have been so impressed and encouraged by the faith and love that we see in this family. This was especially evident in Margret, who showed a genuine desire to know Christ and for her family to learn to follow Him.

Please pray for comfort for the Shikongo family as she left behind a husband, four daughters and a brother. Also pray that their home will continue to be a light of hope for their community.

Selfies with Raylin: The Shikongo Family

Selfies with Raylin: Thrive Bible Study

This week’s selfie finds me at our Thrive Bible study. This Bible study is that part in our name “3 measures” which involves the spiritual aspect of people’s lives. Reaching people spiritually is the most important thing that we aim to achieve in this community. This picture was taken at our Bible study with young adults and meets on Sundays. Every week has its own topic of discussion.

Raylin

A note from the Echols:

This Thrive Bible study has been at the center of most of what we have done so far. This is where community, trust, discipleship and support  begin. It is where people are asking life’s tough questions, searching their souls, coming to repentance and experiencing God. While we’re away we have four of the young men we baptized this year taking turns leading the Bible study. This past Sunday was Raylin’s turn again, he led a biblical discussion about perseverance.

David & Sandy

Selfies with Raylin: Hope Cafe

Hi everyone, I am Raylin Uirab and this is my first selfie!

This is me at Monday night’s Hope Cafe. Community members from our Thrive group meet here to use the provided internet to do college homework, research, assignment and projects. We also just come here to enjoy time together and the refreshments that are sold.

Raylin

Note from the Echols:

Internet is not always as easy to come by in Namibia as it is in other parts of the world. We noticed a need for internet access in Katutura especially among our college and university students. Internet tends to be very expensive and is usually charged on a per mb basis. In most cases the only internet access available to them is free from midnight to 5 AM, leaving our students often having to wait until then to begin their studies. Hope Cafe was our answer to this problem. It has been a big success, allowing students a chance to use internet and providing a safe and fun place for community members to socialize.

If you’re ever in Namibia, feel free to drop by Hope Cafe, so far we’re open every Monday and Thursday evening.

Introducing: “Selfies with Raylin”

Hey everyone, we’re going to do a new series on the blog over the next several weeks. Raylin, our first official staff member at 3 Measures, is making sure that everything keeps going while we’re gone (in case you missed it we’re in the States until Feb 3rd). Each week he’s going to take a selfie at one of our events and write a short blog post to tell you what’s happening. We’re calling it, “Selfies with Raylin.”

But first, let us formally introduce him…

Raylin was a part of Hope Club, our Saturday night program for young adults, from the beginning. Since then we’ve changed Hope Club into Thrive Group. On Sundays we meet together to study the Bible, worship our God and enjoy time together as a community. Rayin was baptized back in May this year and joined our staff in August. He is a passionate Christian and has been such a blessing to us. Hope you enjoy getting to know him more over the next couple of months!

Stay tuned, Raylin’s first selfie will be posted on Saturday.

The Final Countdown!

We leave for our furlough in less than a week! GULP!

We will be in South Africa for a week from the 23rd to the 30th of October, and then we take the journey to America! We return with lots of stories, a couple of wooden animals and a brand new baby 😉

We will be Stateside for just over 90 days. Ninety glorious days filled with grandparents, family holidays, church families, the missionary convention, and CHIPOTLE!! We plan to spend most of November in Missouri, we will be at ICOM, and then December and January will be spent in Colorado.

Let us know if you want to get together and eat Chipotle with us our schedule is filling up quickly but there is always space for friends and Mexican food.

Be in prayer for us as we sprint to try and finish everything on our to do list before Thursday, and then pray for traveling mercies. For us, and for the poor souls who will be flying directly in front and behind our gymnastic toddler and opera singing baby.

And of course the obligatory baby picture.

Sandy’s blogging! Check out what a week looks like for us at 3 Measures. http://…

Sandy’s blogging! Check out what a week looks like for us at 3 Measures.
A week in 3 Measures. | 3 Measures – David and Sandy Echols
www.3measur.es
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