Shantelle Brutsman

Has someone ever loved you so much that it made you feel light, peaceful, content, and happy? You felt so loved that your joy bubbled over and you wanted to make someone else smile that day too? And maybe secretly buy their drinks at Starbucks? This is the story of my life. I have been so deeply loved and cared for. I feel so safe and protected in this great love that Christ has for me. It is in direct response to that extravagant love that in March 2012, I moved to Tanzania, East Africa.

I felt God’s leading to serve in full time ministry, specifically missions, in high school. Through the example and discipleship under my youth pastor, Cam South and his wife, Sheryl, my love for God’s Word grew and I better understood my role in God’s plan – to love people and God more. More than anything else. I attended Baptist Bible College and after my sophomore year did a missions internship in the country of Zambia, Africa. It was after this internship that I realized God had increased my desire and burden for missions. I graduated from BBC with a major in Intercultural Studies and a minor in Elementary Education in 2004.
After graduating from BBC, I moved to San Diego, CA to serve as a teacher.  It was while I was in California that I had the opportunity to visit Africa two more times, Nairobi in 2006 and Mombasa in 2008. These trips helped solidify my love of the African people, their culture, and their need of Jesus.  In March 2012, I moved to Tanzania to work alongside my friends and colleagues in the missionary team, The Grace Mission.

In Tanzania, I am working with Sifa Threads project where the goal is to “equip marginalized young women through artisanal training and the hope of the Gospel”. I am also working alongside my local church, Mbezi Chapel, to assist them in starting a small pre-school as an outreach to their community.

I am humbled and thankful for the opportunity to partner with Coffee Creek in Kansas City and represent and connect them with the ministry here in Tanzania.

Please find more information at www.thegracemissiontz.com

Shantelle Brutsman

Hi all!

Hope this e.mail finds you well! We are currently in our summer months – as I write the temperature is around 90 degrees with a very uncomfortable amount of humidity. It’s the time of the year where you get excited to get in your car to go anywhere -anywhere at all – to feel that sweet, sweet Air Conditioning. Never have you been so excited to run to the store for milk or “Oh, I forgot to get butter! Bummer” Back in the car I guess. Blessed blessed air conditioned car.

Besides the heat, things are going very well here. We have taken some time this month to celebrate and look back on 2018 to remember the great things that took place last year. There’s something really special about looking back over the big picture of a year and taking some time to reflect and appreciate the good and the bad.

My teammate, Steph, made an amazing booklet that highlights the events of last year. I’ve attached it to this e.mail. I hope you’ll take the time to look through it and celebrate with us as we reflect on what God has done – the lives He’s changed, the impacts that have been made.

What I love about it most, is that in some way, we all were a part of what He’s done. Whether you’re on the ground in Tanzania, financially making this ministry a priority, whether you’ve been praying, doing mail outs, creating prayer cards, doing accounting, sending Ranch Dressing and Taco Seasoning to TZ, or sending encouraging notes and e.mails, these kinds of movements forward don’t happen on accident. They happen because there is a diverse team with different strengths, working with intention towards the same goal. And we all together  make  up that team.

No doubt 2019 will be full of ups and downs. The prayer I keep praying is that we have faith enough to find joy not in our circumstances of 2019, but that we can find peace and contentment in Jesus and the love, joy, and hope He offers.

Thank you and sending lots of love,

Shantelle

Link to the Booklet