Azeem and Clara Munir
Azeem is the founder and director of Hope Alive Ministries of Pakistan.Hope Alive Ministries focuses on assisting the persecuted Church, rescuing orphans, helping widows, and distributing Bibles in remote areas of Pakistan. He and his wife Clara have a passion to reach the people of Pakistan with the love of Jesus Christ.
Azeem was born and raised in Pakistan.
Azeem Munir was born and raised in the Christian minority of the Punjab region of Pakistan. At the young age of 5, his mother passed away. After his mother's death, he worked with his father in a can manufacturing factory in Karachi. His hands would sometimes get cut making the cans for oil. At the age of 10, his life was devastated when his father suffered a fatal heart attack.
Azeem and his three siblings were left as orphans. No one wanted to take the responsibility for their support. They just passed from one house to another. At one point, Azeem's aunt threw him out on the street with no shoes and only the clothes he was wearing. He had no place to sleep or food to eat. When he was with relatives, they would call him a dog and let him eat their leftovers. His uncle would send him to the city to sell oranges on the street.
After some time, he went to live with his mother's family. His grandfather was a pastor. Azeem spent his childhood after this, struggling to get an education. He studied from before sunup to dark. He knew his life could become better if he got an education and then could one day get a good job.
Azeem and his three siblings were left as orphans. No one wanted to take the responsibility for their support. They just passed from one house to another. At one point, Azeem's aunt threw him out on the street with no shoes and only the clothes he was wearing. He had no place to sleep or food to eat. When he was with relatives, they would call him a dog and let him eat their leftovers. His uncle would send him to the city to sell oranges on the street.
After some time, he went to live with his mother's family. His grandfather was a pastor. Azeem spent his childhood after this, struggling to get an education. He studied from before sunup to dark. He knew his life could become better if he got an education and then could one day get a good job.
Azeem experienced so much suffering as a child. He said through his suffering, he truly came to know God as his Heavenly Father. He made up his mind at this early stage in his life, that as God enabled him, he would help other children left as orphans and needy people.
Azeem surrendered his life to Jesus Christ at the age of 16 and was baptized the same year.He began working with Operation Mobilization in Pakistan. They went from city to city evangelizing and distributing Bibles. This was very dangerous, but he saw God's protection many times. He was beaten at one time while distributing Bibles and evangelistic tracts on the street.He finished his high school studies and went to one year of Bible College.
Azeem can speak four languages fluently. He has traveled to the remotest areas of Pakistan bringing hope to the broken hearted. He has brought relief to flood and earthquake areas and Christian villages that were destroyed by radical Islamists. Azeem knows firsthand what it means to suffer for your faith. His own mother's home village was burned to the ground by angry mobs because it is one of the few Christian villages in Pakistan.
In 2012, he met Clara when she traveled to Pakistan from the US. They were married that same year and began working together as missionaries. They have three children whom they homeschool in order that they can travel together in the ministry.
Azeem can speak four languages fluently. He has traveled to the remotest areas of Pakistan bringing hope to the broken hearted. He has brought relief to flood and earthquake areas and Christian villages that were destroyed by radical Islamists. Azeem knows firsthand what it means to suffer for your faith. His own mother's home village was burned to the ground by angry mobs because it is one of the few Christian villages in Pakistan.
In 2012, he met Clara when she traveled to Pakistan from the US. They were married that same year and began working together as missionaries. They have three children whom they homeschool in order that they can travel together in the ministry.
Having lived in one of the most extreme and dangerous countries in the world for Christians, Azeem has a powerful testimony to share with your Church or small group. He is available for in person and online meetings.
Eric Blieverneicht
Vice President
Eric Blievernicht was born and raised in suburban Detroit (MI) and is the eldest of two brothers. He earned a B.Sc. in Applied Engineering Sciences from Michigan State University, during which he came to saving faith in Christ. He became involved in creation ministry, joining the Creation Research Society and Lutheran Science Institute as life members and becoming a charter member of the Creation Museum of Answers in Genesis. He also completed Bible Institute training at Community Bible Church (Paris, IL).
In his first career as a quality engineer he spent 20 years with TRW Automotive (now ZF) in Marshall, IL. He earned certifications as a Quality Auditor and Quality Engineer from the American Society for Quality and was certified as a VDA 6.3 Process Auditor. At TRW he was responsible for safety-critical automotive electronics such as crash sensors, anti-lock brake controls and lane-keeping cameras. In 2017 he established the Blievernicht Family Foundation, a 501(c)3 charitable foundation.
From 2019-2023 he served Vision Beyond Borders as its Operations Manager, overseeing programs to smuggle and distribute Bibles, send relief supplies, support orphanages and women's safe houses, support networks of pastors in closed countries, and send missions teams to restricted nations worldwide.
Eric has since served on the board of SOS Hope Ministries and with the leadership team of Hope Ministries International. He has helped organize and lead missions teams to Cuba, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. He continues to work with, sponsor, encourage, support and pray for an array of ministries, evangelists and mission workers in the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia.
In his first career as a quality engineer he spent 20 years with TRW Automotive (now ZF) in Marshall, IL. He earned certifications as a Quality Auditor and Quality Engineer from the American Society for Quality and was certified as a VDA 6.3 Process Auditor. At TRW he was responsible for safety-critical automotive electronics such as crash sensors, anti-lock brake controls and lane-keeping cameras. In 2017 he established the Blievernicht Family Foundation, a 501(c)3 charitable foundation.
From 2019-2023 he served Vision Beyond Borders as its Operations Manager, overseeing programs to smuggle and distribute Bibles, send relief supplies, support orphanages and women's safe houses, support networks of pastors in closed countries, and send missions teams to restricted nations worldwide.
Eric has since served on the board of SOS Hope Ministries and with the leadership team of Hope Ministries International. He has helped organize and lead missions teams to Cuba, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. He continues to work with, sponsor, encourage, support and pray for an array of ministries, evangelists and mission workers in the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia.