ECHO- England Kristin Niedbala

As part of the ongoing process of discernment and planning, Kristin Niedbala is needing to travel to England in October to further the missionary groundwork needed. This will include meetings, and direct assistance to diocesan leaders as well as helping connect families, priests and young adults to this initiative. 

For further details and listed needs, please see my full letter below.   All donations will be to Dumb Ox Ministries, a registered 501 (c)3 non profit organization therefore, all donations are tax deductible.

Thank you for your all of the ways you have supported this mission already!  

Please refer to Kristin's letter below.



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Support letter from Kristin Niedbala


Dear Friends,

“I give thanks to my God at the remembrance of you, praying always with joy in my every prayer for all of you, because of your partnership for the gospel” - Phil 1:3-4

It is with a grateful heart that I write to you, in thanksgiving to God for the many ways we have been able to partner together in the missionary activity of the Church. Thank you for all of the support and accompaniment over the years. Because of your many prayers, financial gifts and loving encouragement, I have witnessed many individuals, parishes, ministries, and whole communities who have come into times of great renewal as they experience greater depths of the spiritual life and the liberating and life giving encounter with Our Lord, Jesus Christ! This IS the New Evangelization!

As most of you know, after serving in England with multiple short term mission trips and then living there full time for 2 years, I returned to the United States in February of 2013. Upon return to the U.S., I have had the opportunity to work closely with Dumb Ox Ministries. Dumb Ox Ministries is a Catholic Community that works with teens, young adults and families, cultivating their authentic masculinity and femininity through the Theology of the Body; helping them prepare for, discern, and pursue their unique vocations to love.

One of their initiatives is ECHO, a Theology of the Body Camp. The camp explores topics of prayer, identity and the mission to love. It explores the most fundamental questions being asked by the youth of today. The camp strives to nurture what St John Paul II called “a civilization of love”, which in turn provides an opportunity to organically integrate and put into practice all of the material being presented. This environment, along with a rich Sacramental experience and times of great fun and celebration, allow for significant transformation in all who attend this camp.

A NEW MISSIONARY HORIZON

Dumb Ox Ministries also made a significant addition to the camp this past year, inviting 3 young men and 3 young women to be the first ECHO Missionaries. It was a tremendous privilege to be able to walk alongside these missionaries and assist in their formation as Director of ECHO Missionaries.

This same missionary grace has been pouring out into the entire Dumb Ox Community. And through much prayer, the community has sensed a call from the Lord to take this camp to other locations. Currently we are working with the Diocese of Westminster in England, to discern further if we will be able to offer Camp ECHO in England over the summer of 2015.

Camp ECHO in England will not only allow us to reach the young people of England, but also the priests, families, and single young adults who would attend. I believe that through the teachings of the Theology of the Body, as well as exposing all who attend the camp to an environment of healing authentic love, ECHO Camp will have a significant impact on the whole of the Church and culture in the London area.

MY PART IN THE MISSION

I hope to travel to England at the beginning of October to further the missionary groundwork needed as we look to the possibility of offering camp ECHO in England, 2015. This will include meetings, and direct assistance to diocesan leaders as well as helping connect families, priests and young adults to this initiative. How beautiful that as we are following the Good Shepherd, He seems to always be ‘looking ahead’ and knowing exactly how He will intermingle all our little ‘yeses’ into a greater plan. It is with great joy that I have been able to witness Him bringing together fruits of both my time spent in England and my time spent here in New Orleans with the Dumb Ox Community. And, I am so grateful to see how He is STILL VERY MUCH BLESSING ENGLAND and laboring for her renewal. I humbly ask that you might consider helping me respond to this particular mission. Please prayerfully read through the needs as listed on the next page and consider any way you might be able to partner with me.

All for the Glory of God,

Kristin



NEEDS AND HOW TO HELP

In order to allow this missionary trip to happen, I need:

- AN INCREASED COVERING OF COMMITTED PRAYER

Over the years the years of doing mission work, I have been acutely aware that any success in missionary activity is directly linked to prayer. It has been through the ministry of prayer that others have committed to, that I tangibly experience the support of our communion, which has often been a source of great strength. Also, of all the activities I have been a part of, I have found that when engaging in any work involving Theology of the Body… MUCH prayer is needed. Although there can be obstacles to the youth receiving such powerful truth, we have the great blessing of prayer and fasting as effective weapons. Please consider being part of the COMMITTED PRAYER TEAM for ECHO England. If you would like to be a part of this team, you will receive intentions and suggestions for ways to help increase the covering of prayer and suggested ways of committing to praying for this mission

- FINANCES totaling $ 3000 USD which = 1800 GBP (pounds)

This would include covering: travel expenses, food, and a small stipend for my own living expenses. Please inquire for breakdown of expenses. There are a couple of ways for you to support my missionary trip financially.

1. I have set up a personal fundraising page through gofundme. You can go to the page and donate there in order to help me reach my goal.

* Or if you do prefer to donate directly to Dumb Ox via donation page please mark ENGLAND in the Notes of your donation.

2. You can also mail in a check to the Dumb Ox Ministries office: 1000 Howard Ave, Ninth Floor New Orleans, LA 70113 * Please make the check out to Dumb Ox Ministries and put ENGLAND in the memo line