Derk Jan Kleinhesselink
I am a retired Program Officer from the Foreign Department of Kerk in Actie (Mission Office) in the Netherlands. My life’s work has been devoted to Christian mission, community service, and building cross-cultural partnerships. Although I officially retired in 2012, I have remained actively involved in church and community initiatives, continuing to live out my calling to faith and service.
I spent nearly two decades with Kerk in Actie / ICCO, coordinating mission and development programs across South Asia—devoting around 70% of my work to Pakistan. My role involved partner relations, project supervision, and church organizational development, as well as representing the organization internationally through forums such as the Church of Pakistan Mission’s Partner Committee and IAM-Afghanistan.
Earlier in my career, I worked as a process and project coordinator in the Netherlands, and from 1978 to 1983, I served as a missionary with the Vocational Technical Training Centre (CTTC) in Gujranwala, Pakistan. There, I introduced and developed a Civil Drafting curriculum and took on leadership roles, including vice-principal. Before my mission work, I held various positions in civil engineering and architectural drafting, gradually developing both technical skills and leadership experience. After retirement, I visited ICCO/KiA projects in Bolivia and volunteered as a Senior Management Consultant with SSEWA-Pak in Mirpurkhas and Rattanabad, Pakistan, across several extended assignments between 2013 and 2015.
Since 1985, I have had the privilege of serving several terms as a board and committee member in my local congregation, the Protestantse Gemeente Heerenveen, and as a provincial representative in mission and service committees. I started the GreenChurch Taskgroup in both my congregation and the province of Fryslân to encourage greater care for God’s creation.
Beyond church life, I have volunteered eight years in a municipal participation working group, chaired an interchurch foundation for Lonely People for over a decade, and since 2021, have served as secretary for a foundation supporting people with disabilities. I am also a member of SWF-Almere, which develops small-children projects in Pakistan, and I maintain warm relationships with organizations and friends there.
I was born into a Christian family in the Reformed Presbyterian tradition, baptized in 1947, and confirmed in 1965–66. Over the years, I have served as a youth leader and elder, and my education includes technical training, extended engineering studies, and a civil engineering degree, along with various professional certifications. Married since 1969, I am blessed with three children and six grandchildren. My journey has been shaped by a commitment to serve God, foster understanding between communities, and care for those in need—both in my local surroundings and across the world.