One California company changes lives in Guatemala and beyond

Today in the remote village of Tasharte, Guatemala, the village pastor is inside his new home, preparing for another day of ministry. During the past several months, the village has gone through a total transformation with a new school building, a clean-water well, and a new church building.

Many families in the community are finally hearing the Gospel, and the pastor breathes a prayer of thanks for all the people who made this change possible — people such as Brad Streelman and Kingdom Partners.

Brad is the owner of a nationally recognized wholesale battery distributor, and he credits his parents for teaching him about good stewardship.

“My view and philosophy of giving really came from my parents,” Brad shared. “They were strong believers in tithing and were really committed to the fact that everything they had came from God. Mom and Dad made it a goal of their life to give first to God’s kingdom.”

That spirit of generosity extended to their business. Brad’s father started Battery Systems in 1955.

“He was in business by himself, but my mom and dad always said that the business is really God’s,” Brad said. “It’s not ours, we’re just stewards of it.”

Brad joined the company after college and took over the business in 1983. Since then, the company has grown tremendously and now has 75 warehouses across the country. But Brad still remembers the things his parents taught him. Together with several other businessmen, he helped start Kingdom Partners, a group from southern California dedicated to using their businesses for the kingdom of God. Every year, Kingdom Partners raises money to help people in need around the world through World Help’s global programs.

For the Streelman family and for Battery Systems, generosity and good stewardship have become a part of their culture. The company encourages its employees to be involved in their communities and consistently reminds them that what they have is not theirs alone. They have funded a number of projects around the world, but one that they are most passionate about is a Village Transformation in Tasharte.

“I think what the Village Transformation allows us to do is build a bridge well into the future,” Brad said. “So often you go on these trips, you do a project, and then you leave. But if you have this one particular village that you return to, you kind of grow up with it. You build relationships and see how a village can mature. The pastor in Tasharte has a passion for helping the people in his village, and we wanted to support that.”

The Streelman family is dedicated to impacting the kingdom of God in a lasting and eternal way. Although Battery Systems has grown over the years, Brad still believes it’s important to be faithful with whatever gifts God has given to you.

“You have time, talents, and treasures. Everyone has different gifts,” Brad said. “We can use our gifts for significance. I tell my girls that right now, they have more time than treasures, so that is the way they can give. We have to get involved; you cannot continue to sit on the sidelines.”

Because of the faithfulness and generosity of Battery Systems and other Kingdom Partners, the village of Tasharte has hope for a new future. Your gifts — no matter how big or small they may seem — can be used by God to make an incredible impact. All we have to do is be faithful with what God has given us.