Profiles in Transformation: Ordinary people doing extraordinary things in the power of God

h1. Profiles in Transformation: h2. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things in the power of God _Friends, it is difficult to overemphasize how profound yet elegantly simple the sequence of the following testimony is: 1) Serious ecological and energy related problems exist that confound society 2)Regular people dedicate their life work for the Lord’s glory 3)God responds by imparting life-giving know-how that addresses need. Please read on and be refreshed and inspired:_ Derk Maat: Turning waste into power While most people consider garbage an ugly, if necessary, by-product of modern society, Derk Maat, environmental engineer and a founder and CEO of GPEC Global, Inc. views it as an answer to prayer. The reason is because where most people see two disassociated problems – environmental pollution and the feverish quest for new energy sources, the Lord has shown Derk that they are not only related, but in fact complementary of each other and are related to our mandate to care and steward the creation which God has so lovingly and with His infinite wisdom created. That is why in a relatively short time, Derk Maat and his company have moved to the leading edge of the waste-into-energy revolution. His company has in fact produced one of the most efficient methods of releasing the energy potential found in everyday refuse! From a market perspective, an astute businessperson could easily envision huge demand for this service and a dizzying profit potential, but the difference in Derk’s case is the Lord’s miraculous favor on GPEC because it has purposed to be a vehicle for the healing of the nations. This purposefulness is evidenced in various ways, not least of which in Derk’s wife Annita – who often accompanies the business trips to pray for clients and their families, the negotiations and for the land and its inhabitants. From his offices near Toronto, Ontario, Derk notes the gathering clouds of skyrocketing energy prices, waste disposal dilemmas and growing environmental consciousness. While western nations such as the U.S. and Canada are beginning to strain under their weight, he points out that Central America, North Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Europe are actually the places which have responded most readily to the waste-into-energy concept due to their own environmental and energy crisis. Because they represent regions with historically rocky relationships with the Western World, Derk and Annita’s mode is to consistently approach them in a spirit of peace and generosity, offering the very best technology, as opposed to the leftovers, as is often the case when western companies contract with less developed nations. On top of this, they set aside a significant portion of the profits to be used for social and environmental entrepreneurship, modeling God’s heart for the regeneration of each country. (Insert quote from Derk here). The results? In the last 12 months alone Derk and his team have demonstrated working scale models of his system to the governments of Mexico, Romania and Dubai. He expects their first full-scale project in Mexico to go into operation in 2009 and the other locations at the same time or soon thereafter. Today, Derk and Annita are walking through open doors that larger companies find mysteriously closed. He relates that when Jesus is lifted up over a company – the fruit is realized not just over the corporation itself, but in the ripple effect to its customers, who now have reason to see God in a whole new light, one powered by energy that was once rubbish. (insert uplifting, summary quote from Derk here). “The Holy Spirit is revealing a new kingdom entreprenureship that combines faith, technical knowledge, and financial reorientation with a new environmental consciousness into spiritual, environmental and social transformation of our communities through the market place. There is a hunger and passion in each country that we visit to change its lifestyles, correct its social inequities and remedy their environmental excesses. As Christians we have special calling to lead and participate in the challenge of market place transformation with respect to waste and energy issues that we all contribute to and face on a day to day basis.” WHY THIS SHOULDN’T BE UNUSUAL Folks, Derk and Annita are seeing the extraordinary because they understand that their work is not incidental to God’s kingdom, but an integral part of it. God is ready to work through you too. Just ask Him where to start and He will show you. The table is set, the food is served and He is inviting you to sit down and enjoy the banquet He has prepared! As an encouraging adjunct to this story, we also have the joy of announcing that Derk Maat has agreed to become the chairman of our Canadian board (Transformation Canada). This is a special joy for us, because he credits much of the primary understanding and enablement of the spiritual dimension of his energy project to his connection with Harvest and its Transformation Network. LET’S DO THIS All that is left is take the first steps. That is why I want to ask you to pray for the Lord to show you where he has positioned you to do the unusual and extraordinary as you dwell on the Maat’s testimony. Your time is now! Call or "write us":mailto:edsilvoso@harvestevan.org if you desire our team to counsel you in regard to your specific situation. In Christ, Ed Silvoso