Stories
Nathan: DUO 58
A meal for a meal.
I first met Nathan when he catered for an event that I attended. I have to tell you that while his bacon-wrapped fillet mignons were inspirational, he impressed me more with his exciting vision.
Nathan had been a student involved with Cru, the student movement that I have been connected to for many years. During his time as a student leader he had the opportunity to travel overseas and witness first-hand the needs in the world, particularly in Serbia, Haiti and Rwanda.
As his heart was moved by the needs he saw, God gave him a vision for how he could combine his talent for business with his desire to see change in the world by helping people in need.
Although at that time he had no experience in catering or in the restaurant business, God gave him the idea to begin a business where every meal that sold in his home country, the United States, would provide another meal and a day’s education for a child in need in Haiti or other places in the world. Since 2011, Nathan and his business partner, Lisa, have been running their business called Duo58 and have donated over 40,000 meals and days of education for children in Haiti. They are also about to open up a second location.
“Nothing is as powerful as an idea whose time has come”
— Victor Hugo
Build and Grow e v.
“What can be more rewarding as a team than helping build a home for a family as a stepping-stone to break the cycle of poverty?”
And then there’s my friend, Gordon. Originally from Germany, I met Gordon when he came to my home country of New Zealand as a student on a mission trip. Even then I admired Gordon for his passion for God, matched by his boundless energy levels.
After his time in New Zealand, Gordon returned to Germany to study business and now works as a consultant for a global firm.
While he’s been working he’s continued to grow his passion for God and his vision for how he can help others with great need.
Through his consulting work he also grew a desire to help businesses and their staff strengthen their teamwork skills and sense of social purpose.
This has led him to found an organization called Build&Grow that combines corporate team building with serving others. He started by taking over twenty of his own colleagues to build a home for a family in Romania.
I was privileged to witness the moment when a recently widowed woman and her adopted daughter saw her new home being built for them by Gordon and his colleagues. Since then they have built a another home for a family in Moldova. His dream is to engage many more corporates and other professionals in building many more homes.
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