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Marcel and Annemieke van den Berg
Marcel, Annemieke and Jonathan
Personal
How it started: In 2000 Marcel got involved in a summer mission-trip to Kenya with a Christian student association in Rotterdam, organized by Annemieke. Marcel met Annemieke earlier that same year and they began dating. She had visited Kenya at the age of 16 and carried a dream to become a doctor and go back to Kenya and start a hospital. Marcel graduated in economics in 2002 based on an internship in West Africa concerning a credit system for farmers in Togo and Bénin. In 2003 they married and shared their dream for Africa.
Marcel worked a few years in the Netherlands to gain actual experience in his field; first for a company and then as a consultant. As their dream for Africa grew, friends often asked Marcel if his real desire was to be a traditional missionary. He wasn't comfortable with that title. In November of 2005 John visited Rotterdam and did a conference in Marcel's church in which Marcel was the interpreter. That was his first exposure to the concept of Kings ministering in the marketplace that relieved the missionary stigma. In November of 2007 Marcel accepted a job in Kenya as Business and Finance Specialist with ICRISAT (International Crops Research Institute For the Semi-Arid Tropics). Their move to Kenya came a few months after Jonathan's birth and launched them both down their path of the dream God put in their hearts years earlier.
Marcel trains farmers and entrepreneurs to write business plans to start up seed companies and raise seed crops. Although his organization is secular, it shares a Kingdom vision to help people all over Africa to become entrepreneurial, prosperous and self-supporting. They are in the midst of building processing plants to prepare and package the seed for resale. Thus, Marcel has been strategically positioned by God to release the dream in the heart of Kings.
Personal Passion: Marcel enjoys the process of helping people to dream of becoming job creators instead of job seekers. Medium sized companies are the backbone of every nation's economic strength. Marcel is developing entrepreneurs in very practical ways; writing business plans, preparing cash flow assessments, and finding start-up capital through loans. In a word, Marcel is "Releasing Kings."
Marcel provides workshops for groups of 20 and works with individuals to help them find and articulate their dreams.
Personal Benefit: Marcel has just recently begun to see his talents come together to release his own ministry in a remarkable way. It's very rewarding to help people releasing their dream and then have the talent to help them overcome the barriers to get it off the ground and growing.
Value to others: Marcel's ministry and job provide very practical assistance in developing entrepreneurs, connecting them with new technology, opening stores, and distribution networks. The whole effect is "trickle-down economics" that will change a nation.
A training session in one of the seed processing plants
Business Potential (upside): Marcel's job and ministry will have a huge impact on both the spiritual and natural state of Kenya. He is poised to extend the influence to every nation in Africa.
Complexities, failures (downside): Kenya, like many other African nations, has been a hotbed of political unrest due to recently failed elections. Local infrastructure is often lacking and the level of corruption is a challenge to every new business. There is a need for entrepreneurs with integrity that will set a "Kingly" example for the nation.
Vision for the Kingdom: Marcel's vision is to eventually start a company of his own with a network of knowledgeable co-laborers who will help people start businesses. His heart is especially focused on those at the bottom of the pyramid. However, to finance the work at the bottom of the pyramid, he envisions providing excellent business services and training to companies at the top of the pyramid as well, to generate finances. Besides, people in large corporations have a wide influence in society, need to be reached as well and can leverage other activities. His vision is to raise up medium sized companies that will change the economy of African nations. Psalm 37 is Marcel's vision:
Marcel's vision is to see a generation of Kings raise the bar of spirituality, integrity, and ministry that will bring wealth and revival to the continent of Africa. He is more than willing to dedicate his life toward that level of impact. Annemieke is involved in a new hospital in Nairobi specifically to provide medical services to people living in the slum areas of Nairobi who cannot afford to pay for medical care. She also started a project called ‘Kids 2 School’ to give children from a slum area nearby a chance to get good education to escape poverty sponsored by people in the Netherlands. Presently eight children are enrolled and able to go to school with help from others.
Impact from Releasing Kings: The book and the 2005 conference in Rotterdam helped Marcel find a sense of identity and permission from God to step into his real Kingly calling. It was as though scales were removed from his eyes. It was the starting point for his personal dream and a release from the traditional missionary mentality. He has also been encouraged by the weekly newsletters for the last 2+ years.
How Can Marcel Help You: Marcel has several templates and EXCEL tools for writing business plans and cash flow assessments. He's a huge asset for those with a dream to start a business. Marcel also has a vision to network with others that share a similar dream to change the poverty mindset in Africa; those that can help coach entrepreneurs and those that can help identify capital for new business start-ups, etc.
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