Teddy James

AFA Journal staff writer

June 2010 – At the beginning of the 21st century, almost 500 million people spoke English. Of those, many lived in poor areas with limited access to literature, especially Bibles. Steve Schmidt, founder of Eagle Nest Ministries in Butler, Illinois, has a God-given passion for making Christian literature available to these people.

“In the beginning,” Schmidt said, “I had a little stack of Decision magazines, daily devotionals, Christian books and Bibles sitting in my dining room. Every time I walked by, God told me I was wasting it. I argued, telling Him that I would use that stuff to prepare a lesson or do personal study. But I knew that I would let it sit there until I spilled a drink on it or threw it away. I wrote to men who had a Bible college overseas asking if they could use some literature. They told me they would use it as soon as I could get it to them.”

Getting the literature
Schmidt and his wife began Love Packages in their Butler, Illinois, basement. Often when Christians in their community learned of the family’s ministry, they would respond with piles of books and literature.

Today Love Packages still receives what people and churches send in, but much of their literature now comes from LifeWay, Assemblies of God publishing house, David C. Cook and Radio Bible Class.

Love Packages sent out 60 boxes of books that first year, 1975. Soon they began filling pallets. Eventually Schmidt and volunteers required ocean containers that held over a million pieces of literature and delivered them to over 120 countries.

Packing the literature
Today scores of volunteers move the literature from stacks on the floor of an old school gymnasium to ocean bound containers. Volunteers are housed in renovated classrooms and are fed from the school’s old kitchen.

Volunteers have come from Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Missouri and Nebraska. While there, Schmidt likes to show pictures and share the testimonies that make their way back to him. Love Packages does not mark the literature that leaves its facility, but testimonies come through the distribution points or from the companies that publish the literature.

Schmidt tells stories of great need, including students studying to be preachers or evangelists who don’t even own their own copy of the Scriptures.

Sponsoring the literature
Receiving and packing the literature is only part of the work of Love Packages. Without the funds to pay for distribution throughout the world, the literature would simply collect in the old gym.

“If God doesn’t bring us the money to send the literature, with over six tons coming in weekly, we get stacked up pretty quick. We didn’t have money all of last year. When we would get ready to send a container I would talk to my secretary. She would tell me we only have $300 in the checking account but our next shipment was going to cost $5,000. I would tell her to go ahead and make the arrangements. While we were loading it, someone would call saying they wanted to sponsor a shipment.”

But Schmidt emphasized that small donations are not taken for granted. In fact, anyone who donates any amount to Love Packages receives a newsletter which is published about 10 times a year.

“When people send literature or money to us, I feel that I have a responsibility to share with them how their donations are being used. The newsletter tells them about the ministry, how much literature we have sent out, and where it is going.”

To make a donation to Love Packages, visit www.lovepackages.org or call 217-532-6701. Literature can be sent to 220 Union Street, Butler, IL 62015.   

God works through Love Packages
A Hindu girl’s parents were killed in an accident. She was able to stay with extended family for a time, but they eventually told her she was of no benefit to them so she was kicked out. She was living on the streets. Being a devout Hindu, she prayed to all of her gods, but none of them answered. She was thinking her life was over because she was hungry and did not know when she would get her next meal. She decided to walk to the train station and throw herself under a train. She felt that would be the quickest way to die. When she arrived at the station, a pastor passing out literature he received from Love Packages handed her a booklet called “The Almost Christian.” She was so intrigued that she decided to read it before she died. She gave her life to Jesus and is now a vibrant evangelist in her area.