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 CEO of GPEC Global, Inc., views it as an answer to prayer. The reason is because where many 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 closely-linked to our mandate to steward the creation which God has 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 is Derk’s wife Annita – who often accompanies him on 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. The results? In the last 12 months, the governments of Mexico, Romania and Dubai have contracted Derk and his team to commence full-scale waste-into-energy projects in 2009! 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. Derk relates the spiritual nature of the entire transaction: “The Holy Spirit is combining faith and technical knowledge with a new environmental consciousness to bring spiritual, environmental and social transformation. 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 a special calling to lead and participate in the challenge with respect to waste and energy issues. The beauty is in the way the Lord uses human-generated problems like this to model both his love and supernatural imprint in places otherwise difficult to reach.” h3. 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!