In the past few weeks, we have had dozens of testimonies coming in from team members and staff. 

As anyone who has been with us on a mission team can attest...
 you go to make a difference and come home a different person! 
We think you should have a sneak peak at some of the testimonies we hear. Below find testimonies and stories of folks just like you, who have traveled thousands of miles to serve, love, and be changed forevermore.
 
Our wish with this e-newsletter is for you to catch the vision and heart to "go into all nations" and "love one another".
 
As a partner ministry, Growing Hope International reported from a trip they took in January, "...what is having possibly the biggest impact is the fact that Blessman Ministries and its supporters walk alongside the people, helping to empower them, giving them hope. They are building many things, 
but the most important things they are building are relationships.
(read more here)

Lastly, please keep up to speed with the President's Blog, "The birth of a new church".

Wishing you a blessed and quick approaching spring!
 
The Blessman Ministries Team
 
Check out our photo albums on Facebook for February and March!
 
February & March Update
Reporting what God has Done


Feeding Center
Lighthouse
Church
Hope Christian Church

Mission Teams

 
 
147,000+ meals! 
provided in schools, creche's (day cares) and partner ministries all across South Africa in just the month of January because of partners like you and BMI!
 
Partner with us in Iowa by volunteering with Meals from the Heartland. The same rice packets
 being made in Iowa, are the very ones feeding children in South Africa.
 
 
For the Month of February:
 

Adult Service 

Attendance  // 335

 

Children's Church Attendance  // 530

 

Midweek Meetings // 10

 

 

20 adults and 6 children responded to the salvation message at crusades and church services. 
 

To date for March:

  

Adult Service 

Attendance  // 169

 

Children's Church Attendance  // 442

 

Midweek Meetings // 10

 
 
 
New Church Plant pastored by Pastor Matt Shields was started on March 9th. 
 
We started with a movie night with 38 attending. Our first service had 55 people in attendance and our second service had 75!
 
20 people came forward to receive prayer at the end of the first service.

 
Our 2nd Team of 2014
 
This team was made up of 22 people from Lutheran Church of Hope in West Des Moines. They were able to provide 86 eye screenings and give away 150 shoes. They visited an administered at five day cares & orphanages.
 
Our 3rd Team of 2014

 

This was a mixed team of 25 from Lutheran Churches, Assembly of God Churches, Catholic Churches, and two of BMI's US staff! They were able to provide 178 eye screenings and give away 150 shoes -including 6 visits to creches.  
Prayer Requests
  • From Pastor Jonathan, "I am excited about the increased attendance in our Friday youth service. As you may know many young people in this area spend their weekends drinking, partying, but having them in church learning the word on Friday evening is a tremendous blessing! We trust the Lord to do a mighty work in them." In just two weeks we had 78 youth attend our Friday night cell group. Please pray that we can grow deep discipleship for these young adults - who often are the very ones caring for their siblings.
  • Please prayer for continued health, protection, and strength for Doc & Beth, Dustin & Ren�, Matt & Jacinda, and Mark & Jennifer. 
  • Continued favor in the village of Sekgakgapeng, Mokopane, and Tribal leadership. This is vital for our effectiveness with the community we call home.
  • Strategic planning for the new church, construction projects, and micro-enterprise growth
  • Pastoral leadership to be connected with God's heart as they disciple the congregations
  • For leadership to grow from within the Lighthouse Church, Hope Christian Church, and KC Live children's church.
If you wish to be part of our emergency prayer requests,
 please email Office@BlessmanMinistires.org and request to be added.
 
 
Proof: I'm Making a Difference
By Team Member Jolene Jensen

 

As we pulled into Pastor Chauke's the children waved and jumped up and down.  They lined up so they could receive hugs from us which warmed me from the inside out. Such beautiful children I thought to myself. After hugs we got a tour of Pastor Chauke's vision for the growth of his church and he has BIG plans.

 

Twenty plus children played in harmony on the one swingset while others turned a jumprope.  I noticed a handful of children staring off in a zombie like trance not participating. The other children just went around them as they stood or sat in one spot.  I picked up one of the children and she started to pull away from me. I smiled softly and put her hand in mind and let her stroke my face. She started to relax and I rocked her back and forth for about half an hour. I asked the daycare workers, who by the way work for free, why some of the children had such energy and others didn't.

 

"Oh" she replied, "They are new. They are malnourished, it takes about two weeks of being served your Meals From the Heartland before they have proper nutrition. We will usually get a visit from the parents wanting to know what we are doing and we tell them Meals From the Heartland."

 

I sat there and tried to wrap my brain around the impact these meals made in the heart of a child. Hugging this lathargic child brought everything full circle. 

We do make a difference and the proof was sitting on my lap.

 
 Optical Outreach Impact
By Ambassador Jenn Bettinger 

Meet Pollet. She is 14 years old, is in grade 9 at Nkakabidi High School, and loves Jesus. She came to be screened for eyeglasses at our outreach earlier this week. Before I helped her get fitted with glasses, I got to know her a little bit. She loves school and enjoys her homework (she had quite a bit for that evening). 
 
She wants to be a pilot and fly all over the world. What an encouraging time I had sitting with her listening to her dreams. Her tenacity to never give up is incredibly inspiring. Would you pray for Pollet. I know that The Lord has great things in store for this one. I am hoping to sit down on a plane in the future only to hear her name being introduced on the intercom. Amazing.

 
Sharing the Unconditional Love of Christ 
By Team Member Kari Schulte 
 

After much prayer, quite a bit of begging from my 17 year old daughter, and eventually a true calling from God, my daughter and I recently served for 10 days in South Africa with Blessman Ministries. Wow. Where to begin? The education and life changing experience we gained while ministering to the South Africans will forever be engrained in both of our minds and souls.

 

We ministered to and served hundreds of children and adults in need through optical, shoe, feeding, and other outreaches. During each of these serving opportunities, we were blessed to be the hands, feet, face and heart of Jesus. In addition to providing physical assistance through foot protection, improved sight and nourishment, we were able to give spiritual assistance to the South Africans through conversation and prayer. I continue to pray that we gave them a little hope and faith to sustain them in their daily struggles. 

 

We were educated during visits to daycare, farming, orphanage and special needs facilities, gaining knowledge about local efforts to improve the lives and lifespan of the South Africans. We were so fortunate to see our local Meals From the Heartland effort come full circle. After years of packaging meals in Iowa, we were able to pick up cases of meals at a warehouse, deliver them to various sites, and then prepare and serve the meals to our South African friends. God is good.

 

One of the things I truly appreciated was the culture that Blessman Ministries has developed, by bringing solutions to problems while creating local sustainability with their programs. It felt good knowing that the outreach programs and micro-enterprise projects we assisted with will continue to thrive. 

 

We sang, laughed, cried, served, ministered, played, prayed and MOSTLY shared the unconditional love of Jesus Christ with the South Africans. 

 

I have been forever changed, and blessed beyond measure. During our time in South Africa, God walked along side us, and the Holy Spirit moved in mighty and wonderful ways through each of us.

 
 
From Iowa to Africa
By Team Member Jake Brunkhorst


This young boy experienced the vastness and importance of partnerships between ministries like Meals from the Heartland and Blessman Ministries. In partnership with Meals from the Heartland and Convoy of Hope, we are able to feed 7,000+ orphans and vulnerable children each day in South Africa. Jake's story exemplifies the importance for people to serve both here and abroad. 

 

 

My name is Jake Brunkhorst. I am in 6th grade at Jordan Creek Elementary. This is my story on why I think Meals from the Heartland is AWESOME.

 

I thought Meals from the Heartland was doing something big. I was amazed at all the people wanting to package these meals for free to help starving people all over the world. Last year after packaging meals at Veteran's Auditorium, I looked out the window overlooking the packaging area and what I saw brought tears to my eyes. I was proud of Iowa helping starving children. Not long after this my Mom started talking to me about going to Blessman Ministries in South Africa through a mission trip with Lutheran Church of Hope. We watched all the videos from the Blessman website and what excited me the most was being able to see the meals I packaged help children.

 

So we decided to go to South Africa. The first full day we were in South Africa we got to go to church and after church service we fed the kids Meals from the Heartland. Some of these kids haven't eaten much, this is their one good healthy meal for the week. You could tell that they are thankful for the people that brought these meals to them so they can eat.

 

The rest of the time we were there we got to see the storage unit they keep Meals from the Heartland, then we got to deliver the meals, make the meals, feed people the meals and try Meals from the Heartland.

 

We went to a preschool, they call it a cresh�. There was a little girl that was 2 1/2 that has never had Meals from the Heartland and couldn't sit up by herself because she was new to the cresh�.

The kids that were eating Meals from the Heartland were running and playing soccer with us and were healthy. The women that help at the Creshe' said the little girl will get better soon if she keeps eating Meals from the Heartland! It is amazing what they do.

 

We have been home now a couple of weeks. I think now Meals from the Heartland feeds so many more people than I thought. I think they are way more important to the world than I could have ever imagined. I thought the packets fed a lot less people, but when you cook a package they grow to feed 6 people. They save lives.

 

I was so excited to know that as soon as I got back my mom signed us up for the Spring Break packaging event! Then my Grandpa said that he is helping every day with the set up team and said I can help him whenever I want! I am so excited to be there every day to make as many meals I can for all the children in the world that are in need.

 

Thank you Meals from the Heartland and everybody that packages meals for them. Thank you!

 

To see a interview of Jake on KCCI News 8, click here

 
 
The Real Deal
By Team Member Roger Stalheim

 

 

If your desire is to experience a vibrant ministry where you can be impactful in South African lives then Blessman Ministries is the place. Doc Blessman and Beth Blessman have a vision and regular action plans that are putting your time and donations to the best use possible.

 

You will be involved in providing food for the needy. Seeing your donations and gifts to the ministry are smartly used to provide good clean water with the borehole projects. Advancing farming techniques being implemented, taught, and demonstrated so South Africans can live in the dignity of providing for themselves.

 

South Africans are being provided for with shoes to decrease disease and injury to the feet that has limited so many lives in the past.

 

Blessman Ministries is the real deal when it comes to on the ground ministry. You will experience the love and devotion to care Doctor Jim Blessman and his wife Beth have for the people of South Africa.

 

You will be elated in the experience. My Wife Karen and myself Roger Stalheim highly recommend the experience of a life time. It is a joy and pleasure to experience in teaming with the Blessman's for a week and a half. 

 

 
 
Magnify the impact and join us on a trip this year!
We are still accepting applications for 2014 dates:
 
July 11th-22nd
July 24th-August 5th
September 4th-16th
September 25th-October 7th

2015 dates are being set now. If you or a group at your church, business, or local club are interested in grabbing spot, please email Office@BlessmanMinistries.org for more information.

To learn more, visit our FAQ page and to apply click here.

Blessman Ministries, Inc
2557 106th Street  |  Urbandale IA 50322  |  515.343.5920

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