As I write this, we have just concluded our 30th International Agriculture Conference, where 193 were gathered from around the world to connect: connect to new ideas, options, and strategies and connect to ECHO and each other. That’s what ECHO does best: we connect those front line workers — who are working daily with small scale farmers and the poor — to agriculture strategies that can reduce hunger and improve lives all around the world. Our ECHOcommunity.org membership portal now numbers about 19,000 global organizations and individuals — many of whom are trainers, leaders, and managers of God’s Global Church!
What an incredible privilege to be a part of the World Christian Movement — as God’s Church globally takes the message of hope through the Gospel and combines it holistically with improved lives, the reduction of hunger, improved market access, social well-being, and the care of creation. I saw this in action three weeks ago during our 8th ECHO Asia Biennial Agriculture and Community Development Conference in Chiang Mai, where over 200 workers (mostly from 20 countries in Asia) gathered for four days to share with and strengthen each other’s work. I met a Naga (Nagaland is in NE India on the border of Myanmar) pastor* who pastors a church of farmers and is a farmer himself. He proclaimed: “This [attending the ECHO conference and learning new skills, ideas, and connecting with colleagues] is exactly what I and my church of 1,000 farmers have needed! I have been encouraged with new ideas and will share what I have learned with my congregants and all the other pastors in the area. There are 1,700 churches of over 1,000 members each! Just wait and see the impact this will make!”
It is the stories like this which propel us forward into our new strategic plan and boldly into the future, knowing that we serve a Great and Mighty God who desires his Church to be his hands and feet on the ground bringing blessing to mankind and care to the creation. Will you join us this holiday season with a generous gift to help us jump-start our next strategic plan so that together we can reach more with this hope? Imagine what God can do through us through the power of partnerships like what that Naga pastor expressed! And he is just 1 of 19,000 similar workers connected to ECHO.
Blessings and thanksgiving,
Abram J. Bicksler, Ph.D.
President/CEO
*Pastor's name withheld
