Project: Blantyre, Malawi

MEET YOUR CROWN PROJECT LEADERS

Johann and Retha Van der Ham have been teaching God's principles of stewardship in one of our world's poorest countries for 18 years. Before they launched the first Crown Stewardship School in the world, their mission work involved church planting in Lesotho through some grueling, tough conditions. Walking for 7 km, climbing half way up a mountain to get to their hut, cooking on fire, fetching water at a stream, digging a pit latrine for personal relief, cultivating the land, building a road with pick and shovel, learning a foreign language and being part of a rural community was the best training ground for missions they could have asked for. Their work now at the School has been hard and at times, progress has felt slow. But recently Johann shared, "Today, we sense that there's a swirl in the world for sustainable missions, and that's exciting for us. We feel we are pioneering something special." And they are!

At the Crown Stewardship Center in Malawi, Johann made his focus to train trainers, and growth and transformation took off. People come from all over Malawi and other African countries to be trained, but also from the United States, Argentina, Venezuela, and Chile. Trainers are being taught and are returning home immediately implementing what they learned for the transformation of individuals, families, villages, even entire communities.  

Johann shared, "We are are truly thankful to see God's fingerprints and He is being faithful in fulfilling His vision for His people through weak instruments like us. And the multiplication is coming in the nations!" 

Johann & Retha van der Ham were born in South Africa. They met at Bible College and got married in 1991. They serve as elders in their church, Living Stones, where they have served as elders since 2011. They have three daughters and a son-in-law. Things that excite them are rock climbing, photography, and music.