WELCOME TO BLESS & EQUIP MINISTRIES
Bless and Equip Ministries was conceived In early 2014, birthed in early 2015.
It ministers in NZ helping in the rural sector with at risk farmers and in wider vulnerable communities providing teaching of basic skills and work ethics to the vulnerable unemployed helping some find employment.
In 2014 we were made aware of the lack of practical help to the rural community and the number of rural suicides that farming stress had caused. We were aware of a number of organisations who offered stress seminars or lobbied government for support or offered a place for those in stress to talk. But there was no organisation that could offer practical help. We began to respond in this way. Relying on word of mouth from concerned family, friends, and/or neighbours we make contact with the effected people and find out their need, and then form a plan to relieve the burden and stress. We may take over the day to day decisions of management, helping in the milking, feeding the calves, feeding out and pasture management. etc. for as long as needed. We can often supply some additional help in the form of unemployed or experienced rural people. The unemployed get practical experience which can help lead to future employment. All this so far is being paid for by a small group within the trust. We do have need of more funding so we can roll this out throughout NZ. People need practical help. Their farm concern doesn’t stop functioning because they can no longer do the work or are attending stress relieving seminars.
We so far have a 100% success rate if we get there in time. Unfortunately at present we are small in number and need help to expand, we see this need only getting larger. Share milkers and sole charge owners cannot afford to hire extra help and if their partner has a breakdown or things get tough they try to carry on without help until its sometimes too late and they have a breakdown themselves or worse. Friends or neighbours often can’t help as they maybe in a similar position. We have known of a number of those in the lower Waikato. There is we believe a need to have this spread around the whole of the farming community throughout NZ.
There are semi-retired and retired farmers that could form a rural database, using their knowledge, experience, time and compassion to help for as long as it takes in whatever Is needed. and perhaps take some young unemployed with them to give them some practical experience.
New Zealand, Samoa and Africa:
In 2014 after a casual remark and a challenge from a friend, set off number of vivid dreams and a lot of prayer. God seemed to lay out a plan for NZ and Eastern Africa (Uganda, Tanzania Kenya, and Zambia.) that has led to Bless and Equip being formed. To achieve our objectives in these three countries financially we have costings of $30-35 mill for NZ $60-65 mill for Africa, and approx. $15 mill in Samoa, a tall order. In eastern Africa to set up a large self-contained agricultural training centre, to train locals in NZ way of sustainable farming, and helping the tribes to raise up their production. In Samoa we have a large area offered, for training and for providing employment for the local people