Namibia Stewardship Center Presentation

Our background in Namibia:

 

We (Derick and Sanet Vermeulen) have been faithfully following Christ full time in Ministry since 2006 when we were part of a group who launched Crown Financial Ministries in Namibia. Crown Financial Ministries has had an independent Namibian Board of Trustees and has represented Crown in Namibia since then. After a long time of prayer seeking God’s guidance (Isaiah 42: 1-5), Derick took up the leadership of Crown Namibia in 2007. Over the years we have added many Crown products including Career Direct, Character Transformation and the Best Game with the purpose to add value to the spiritual lives of all those with whom we work, especially with the focus on behaviour, as behaviour is the foundation of good financial management. Recently our focus, with the African Money Map, has specifically been the inmates of various prisons in Namibia and also on the Early Childhood Development care-takers, with Character Transformation.

 

We have influenced thousands of Namibian people with our resources.  To add to that we also influenced especially pastors in Angola, Tanzania, Zambia and had the wonderful privilege to train employees of a bank in Botswana as well.

 

In 2014, whilst busy praying and seeking God’s guidance, we were lead to establishing the non-profit Adonai Trust. This trust is a separate entity to Crown and has a board of 8 Trustees. In 2015 we started praying into Adonai regarding stewardship. Since we were not sure how to do this we asked prayer partners to pray with us.  While we were busy praying and seeking God’s heart, we did our best to continue to serve ‘the least’ in society. We decided to wait on the Lord for clear guidance on how our Stewardship School needs to make a difference in Namibia. We now believe that our confirmed calling is to establish a Stewardship School in Namibia focussing on farming and food security

 

Throughout this time we have maintained ourselves and our family of 2 children solely through the Ministry. Although we went through difficult times, God provided faithfully, this made it possible to continue with His calling on our lives. We have all faith that His providential hand will continue to guide us.

 

Adonai Trust: Our vision

 

At the beginning of 2019, Monika Barnard, one of our trainees, gave us Isaiah 60:1-5 as a Word from the Lord.  We faithfully believe that we have a mandate from the Lord to go to our government with an answer for our country.  As Daniel and Joseph had an influence on their country, so also we have one for our nation.  The younger generation is looking for answers.  The Lord has given the answer and the solution for Adonai and we need to take it further.

 

In March 2019, Chuck Bentley invited us to the Champs Conference of Foundations for Farming in Harare.  We know that this invitation was a divine appointment.  After listening to the life-changing testimonies ofthe least in the community, we knew (husband and wife in agreement), that this is what we need to do through a Stewardship School in Namibia.

 

While we were in Zimbabwe the Lord gave Isaiah 55 to us, especially from verse 10-13.  “ The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word.  I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands! Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow. Where nettles grew, myrtles will sprout up. These events will bring great honour to the Lord’s name; they will be an everlasting sign of his power and love (NLT)”.

 

Back in Namibia, our trustees approved the decision to start with the Stewardship School in Namibia with the focus on the least, to serve them. (Matthew 25:40-45)

How can Adonai Trust move?

We envision a Stewardship School where, through demonstration, we can teach the principles championed by Foundations of Farming. This includes all aspects of Faith, Family and Finance through self-sufficiency and food independence via small scale personal farming.

 

This would be conducted through a three-year curriculum with family and village groups attending a series of live-in workshops of approximately 14-day duration. The basic structure would be:

·                 Year one:  Foundations for Farming, which includes: Faith, Family, Foundations for Farming and Finances (“I was Hungry”).

·                 Year two: Character Transformation; Money Map; Trauma Healing/Ancient Pathways

·                 Year three: Follow-up on year 1 and 2 and Best Game – to equip them to start with their own businesses

At the same time, we would continue with our current work:  Career Direct, PID, Yes! and training in Foundations for Farming, Money Map Game, Character Transformation, Best Game or any other consultation work, with reference to our calling.

 

Adonai Trust – what do we need?

·         5 ha (12 to 15 acres) of land where it is possible to make demonstration gardens (crop and vegetables), with a borehole. The gardens will be    used for hands-on training and the produce of the garden will be saleable,

·        A dormitory with 20 beds for men and a dormitory with 20 beds for women for short term occupation during training (approximately 14 days at a time),

·          A small conference centre and kitchen, and

·          Staff accommodation for no more than 3 staff members.

 

 

Adonai Trust Team

Derick and Sanet Vermeulen