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Writer's picture: Nielsen Studios IncNielsen Studios Inc

American Faces No. 106


Here is the meaning of compassion:  To see the suffering of others and to choose to walk alongside them.



I think woven into the very DNA of Rob Bergfalk is a gene for compassion.  Ok maybe there isn’t a gene but I do think there is a deep soul-level drive that moves Rob to make a difference in the community he has been called to.  That community is Anoka, MN where he first started Compassion Church in 2021.  From that 2021 church launch, a small church has grown into a group of people who are making a tangible difference in their community. You can find them serving at Stepping Stone, Hope 4 Youth or with people in the community who are experiencing homelessness. Then, in 2024 Rob and Compassion Church opened Compassion Coffee; open daily Monday - Saturday serving amazing coffee along with pastries from its next door neighbor Krown Bakery.  The vision for Compassion Coffee is to empower people affected by homelessness.  They hope to provide employment, skill training and resources for those who are struggling.


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Rob isn’t just a guy that talks the good talk; he is a man who lives out the true meaning of compassion. He talks with kindness and dignity to his employees and patrons alike. He also shared a story of how the compassion mindset of the coffee shop was able to bring rest and warmth for those struggling in the community.   It was very stirring for me to hear his heart for people.  


As our time was ending, I asked him the question, “Why do people need compassion?”   He shared, “Everyone struggles in some way, shape or form.  Everyone needs someone to care, to see them, to remind them that they are loved.”  It is through caring that true change is possible in people's lives.


My hope is that those who read this help reflect the definition of compassion in some way in 2025.  The world will definitely be a better place because of our actions!


Photos and story by: Nielsen Studios 

Editing by: Cristine Nielsen






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Writer's picture: Nielsen Studios IncNielsen Studios Inc

American Faces No. 105


I realized many of my American Faces subjects have been Makers of one sort or another.  I guess maybe I am drawn to tell the stories of those who carefully craft from a sketched-out drawing on a piece of paper or a napkin with dreams drawn over a coffee ring.  It is the vision for what can be and moving that vision to reality.  I suppose, in many ways, the images I create are much like that as well. 


Justin Rosckes is one of those talented Makers and is subject #105 of American Faces. Justin runs Midwest Woodcraft which is headquartered in a shop at his home in Corcoran, MN.  His website displays much of his talent and skill, so be sure to check it out.  What really blew me away is his talent for creating functional pieces of art from wood. He has honed his skills in old-world techniques to hold pieces together, like the t.v. trays that are crafted using only wood rather than screws or modern fasteners. He has the talent of a master woodworker. 


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But that is not the beginning of the story.  Justin began his adult career in the automotive industry where he was a technician and securely set in the industry.   Yet, as he and his wife contemplated what family life meant to them and what the future looked like they knew a change for Justin was a part of that plan. A 180 degree pivot from modern technology in the auto industry to old-world craftsmanship was just what they needed.  Justin is a man who loves his family and his fellow man.  I heard it as I spoke with him.  At times I felt like I was being interviewed, but maybe that is what this American Faces series is all about; just conversations with new friends. 


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So what’s the takeaway for this one?  Sometimes a pivot or change unlocks who you are meant to be.  For Justin that meant becoming an exceptional woodworker and a guy who mills his own wood from once standing trees.  For you that might mean being adventurous and climbing a mountain. For me, it might mean being ready for whatever the future has in store.  Be open to change, it might just help create the best version of you yet.


Photos and story by: Nielsen Studios 

Editing by: Cristine Nielsen






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Writer's picture: Nielsen Studios IncNielsen Studios Inc

Updated: Dec 12, 2024


American Faces No. 104


In a world that seems a bit bruised, beaten down and in need of a whole lot of compassion I would like to introduce Chris Bellanger who is a “City Focused Compassion” kind of guy.  That compassion comes from a childhood and a lifetime of struggle.  Chris’s first 27 years were riddled with difficulty. Drugs, nightlife, overdoses and just flat out hard stuff were a part of the tapestry that he called his family.  His life in those formative years had him tracking to at best end up addicted or at worst, dead.  Instead, he found hope.  As he put it, “I  found Jesus.”  The “righteous path" started for him when he was 27.  Chris’s backstory is what drives him every day.  His compassion for the city of his childhood is in his DNA.  He remembers his family being on the streets.  He remembers the agony of loss and now he is always searching for the next person he can help; the next person who needs a kid word.  This heavily bearded, street-wise pastor from the Southside of Minneapolis has serious "street cred" as he lives, breathes and cares for his city.


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I went along with Chris and a crew of like-hearted people to South Minneapolis where I watched Chris and his team provide compassion focused meals that they had packed, hygiene packs, and sleeping mats to the people who were experiencing homelessness and those in tent cities.  There wasn’t judgment by Chris and his team, just sharing the love of Christ to the brokenhearted and homeless souls of Minneapolis.  Prayer was offered by the team to those that wanted it.   Most importantly, all humanity was cared for by the team just by being present.  They were just true “Difference Makers”.


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Check out Chris and where he pastors at Free Grace United Downtown Minneapolis.  Oh and if you are really bold, meet him and maybe tag along.  I am pretty sure you will just get pulled into the tide of City Focused Compassion that Chris leads.  I did!


Be bold and go make a difference.




Photos and story by: Nielsen Studios 

Editing by: Cristine Nielsen






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