God is at Work! (January-March 2018)

God is at Work!

Sheryl has been a key member of our first Thrive community from the beginning. From the time we met her she has shown great potential, loyal friendship & true sincerity. We have had the opportunity to share with her in her trials and tribulations, as well as in her accomplishments and triumphs. Sandy was able to guide her through her pregnancy and the birth of her beautiful daughter, Ivy. In all of this, Sheryl was slow in making a decision to surrender all to Christ.

Leaving Namibia in July was very difficult for us, even if only for a season. The fact that Sheryl had not yet made that decision made it that much more difficult. She has been on our minds quite often. One morning early in February I prayed for her and specifically asked that God would provide opportunities and people in her life to challenge her to give her life over to Him. Days later Sandy received a text message from Sheryl: “I’m getting baptized on Saturday!”

I wish we could have been there for the baptism, but there’s something incredibly exciting about seeing pictures of a total stranger baptising our good friend. God is at work! With or without us, God is busy in Sheryl’s life. He is working in Namibia and throughout this world. Wherever we might be, He is using each of His children to His purpose and His glory.

Being away has been difficult and we find ourselves anxious to get back, but this was such an amazing reminder that God is at work and is in control!

Prayer Requests

Hello Prayer Partners!

We feel we have had a very productive seven months of Home Assignment so far. We have strengthened relationships with several supporters & made several new relationships. Our time at Central Christian College of the Bible (CCCB) has been very positive as we’ve been given an opportunity to influence a lot of young missionaries-in-training. In addition, despite all the struggles that come along with the changes and homesickness, I believe God has used this time to minister to our family as well. Our debrief in January helped us process a lot of what we had been through on the field and the environment around us here in Missouri seems to be doing wonders for our kids.

As we go into the second half of this home assignment, please pray with us for:

• Sandy’s citizenship. The process is underway , please pray with us that it will move quickly and favorably. As soon as this is complete we can make our transition back to Namibia. We need this citizenship completed before leaving so she does not lose her green card again. Our hope has been to be back by October, but this could very possibly delay us if it does not move along quickly.
• Planning our return to Namibia. We have worked out some details for our return, but still have much planning to do. We will remain with YWAM, but establish 3 Measures as a new YWAM presence in the country, separate from the YWAM base we were a part of before. We are now working out the details of how we will be received in the country as we need an official invitation back (our former YWAM base provided that before). We are hoping to work that out with our Namibian church, but would like prayer for wisdom as we seek out the best situation.
• Support Raising. The last time we made a budget was 2014. We were living in a house on the YWAM base for less than $50 per month & neither of our kids were in school. As we return we need to be prepared to spend about $1,000 per month on rent and roughly $300 per child for school fees. We’ve reworked our budget and set our total monthly need at $4,900, an increase of $1,500. So far, support raising has gone pretty well, but we would like your prayers as we still need $822 p/mo to reach that goal.
• Recruiting. One of our focuses as we spread awareness of our work in Namibia is to find others who God may be calling to serve alongside us. We have met a number of people who have expressed an interest, please pray with us that God would lead the right workers into His Namibian harvest.
• Success with CCCB. We just sent out seven teams into the world for Spring Break. We worked closely with these students to prepare them for short term service, as they return we hope to continue that work with more of a long-term focus. Pray with us that God would use us in the lives of these students during this brief time we get to pour into their lives.
• Possible summer trip to Namibia. We are looking into the possibility of me (David) taking a small team to Namibia this summer. This could help with recruiting teammates, but could also be important for making some preparations for our return and for checking in on the ministry. No decision has been made yet, pray with us as we decide whether or not to make this happen. March 23, 2018
• Family. Finally, as we continue with home assignment and our preparations to return, please pray for our family. We would ask that you pray especially for our kids as they have been uprooted and moved a number of times already. We have seen God do some great things with them and build a lot of confidence, but it has been hard and we are getting closer to our move back, which will be a whole new upheaval in their lives.

As you pray for our family during this home assignment, also pray for the ministry going on in Namibia. Here are a few things to specifically pray for there:

• Thrive communities. We left two communities behind, one is made up of young guys ages 18-19, the other is our older group of young men and women in their mid-twenties. Both groups are made up entirely of locals from Katutura. Please pray for God to continue to build them up and lead them into closer relationship with Him.
• Hope Cafe. The cafe runs on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. We lost the person who was managing the cafe (he is studying and was not able to keep up with both commitments), so there are some difficulties with managing the cafe at the moment. We’re working out a new plan, so you can pray for God to bring that all together.

Thank you so much for taking this time to pray for us, we love you all at Pikes Peak and could not do this without you on the team!

For the Kingdom,
The Echols

Here & There (Aug-Oct 2017)

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Deficits

I recently spoke about “deficits” at our Thrive Bible study. The series was very interesting as I saw how the Thrive guys were really engaged in the Bible study topic.

 So, what do I mean by “deficits”? I am talking about something or someone that’s missing in your life which can lead to an emotional or physical impairment. For example, one major deficit that affects my community is the lack of father figures. The worst part is that it is just accepted here. I know this personally because I grew up without a father figure. This led me to seek validation from the wrong friends and look up to older men in my community who just did all the wrong things, but this brought me no peace.

 However, the moment I started seeking validation from Jesus Christ everything started to get in place. My point here is once you allow God to walk with you in all your deficits, He will use you in even more life changing experiences. I can think of a few men that God used despite their deficits. One of them would be Moses in Exodus 4:10 “ But Moses said to the Lord “ Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” Here we can see how Moses had a deficit of speaking but the man helped thousands of people out of slavery, all of this with the strength of God.

 I believe that God worked through this topic and it really made a huge impact on our lives. I hope this speaks to you in some way, if so, please share with us down in the comments.

Raylin Uirab

INTERNational Living Part 4: Final Thoughts

It is crazy how time flies. Being back in the United States has given me some time to reflect on my internship in Namibia. Oh how dearly I miss the people there. The Lord has done so much in my life. He has inspired me and moved me by the people that have blessed my life and have allowed me into theirs.

David and Sandy are truly impacting many people for Christ. The Thrive group is growing into a community that not only cares for those within, but is beginning to to look outward as well. The retreat we had for them brought a spark of passion for their community. I cannot wait to see what these young adults are going to do. They are world changers. David has done a fantastic job of leading these students and showing them who Christ is. In turn, these students are reaching out to others to impact the Kingdom.

Sandy has inspired me in her leadership. She has led her household with dignity and love. Her two boys reveal who Christ is even at three and one. It truly is a testament to what she is instilling in her children every day. She is a humble servant to her children, the other missionaries and the community. While I was there, Sandy and a few other ladies began a ministry to young pregnant girls. I only got to hear her teach a few times, but you could see Christ in her words and actions. She is a gifted teacher. It was amazing to see Sandy support these girls in a difficult time in their lives.

A huge part of the ministry that I was involved in involved visiting homes. We had the opportunity to go to a little community within Katutura called Sonder Water. It was a wonderful opportunity. We basically went into their community and began to ask about their skills and abilities. It was amazing to see how this simple questions could change the way they viewed themselves. I talked with a group of gentlemen. They started bragging about each other. They began to sit a little taller. It was great to be a part of a community development program, even if only at the beginning.

There were so many things that I experienced and saw the Lord do that it would be hard to write it all down in this blog post. David and Sandy are doing great and inspiring ministry, but they are in need of help.

Matthew 9:37- Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.

David and Sandy have their hands in many different ministries that are working with the community to reach those who are in need of Christ. In Namibia there is a great thirst to discover who Jesus truly is. People are willing to hear about the Gospel and are open to have these conversations, but there are just not enough workers for the harvest. This desire is strong. I ask and plead that you would pray that the Lord would send workers.

I am so grateful for these experiences. My hope and prayer is that I would have the opportunity to go back. Namibia will always have a special place in my heart. I have learned and grown so much in Christ. My life has been changed forever.

Jesus, I ask and pray that you would send workers into this country. You are Lord. Thank you for knowing and loving this community and this country. Continue to bring your Kingdom to earth and transform lives for you. I ask that you would raise up leaders in Katutura. Bring your change. Thank you for always being faithful. Bring your hope.

INTERNational Living Part 3: Outreach, Ice Cream Cake & A Powerful Change of Plans

A couple of weekends ago, the 3 Measures team held a retreat for our young adult Thrive community. The retreat focused on reaching out into our community in Katutura and how they can go about that. We started the retreat off with a bonfire and some wonderful fellowship. Sandy gave an excellent devotional about loving your neighbor. Saturday morning we began our day by spending an hour with Jesus. I had the opportunity to put together a packet for each young adult. This packet included many practical ways of spending time with Christ. The passages I picked had to do with knowing how the Lord sees you (Psalms 139) and a passage from Philippians 2 that revealed how the church should follow in Christ’s footsteps.

After that hour, we spent some time discussing how devotional time went. Most stated that an hour seemed intimating at first, but after beginning, some said they needed more time. I was blessed and encouraged by the feedback. After the devotional time, we entered into a time of team building games like the egg drop. In the sessions that remained, we talked about how to reach out to the community. These young adults inspired me with their ideas of how to care for their community. They brought up so many creative and inspiring ideas. That night was filled with fellowship, Nacho Libre, and a delicious ice-cream cake.

On Sunday the Lord changed our plans. A time for outreach planning became a time of sharing about personal lives and opening up to each other. It was exciting to see and hear the Lord move in powerful ways and I was blessed to be a part of it.

Melissa Faraci

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

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.