Henk and Antoinette Van der Merwe serve with Iris Global at the organization’s head office in Franklin, Tennessee. Since 2016 they have been part of the Family Care department, providing relational support and care to leaders of Iris bases and ministries around the world.

Together with their five children—Elihanna, Jubilee, Kelilah, Tehila, and Yoshua—they have been living in Tennessee since 2022. For their family, it is a great honor to serve and support their heroes: the Iris Global missionaries and leaders serving across the nations. Their heart is to see these missionaries and leaders thrive and have the support they need to live fruitful lives in both ministry and family.

Henk is originally from South Africa and has sought to follow Jesus step by step throughout his journey. He first served with YWAM for seven years before moving to Mozambique in 2009 to work with Iris Global. There he met and married Antoinette, a fourth-generation missionary who moved to Mozambique in 2005 with her family, the Wilcoxes, in response to God’s call.

Henk and Antoinette spent many years living in Pemba, Mozambique, serving in a variety of roles before joining the newly formed Family Care Department.

In Franklin, they are also part of a growing local community that seeks to create a place where Iris missionaries, their families, and others the Lord brings can encounter Jesus, be refreshed, and receive spiritual nourishment.

Their dream is to help followers of Jesus—both locally and around the world—walk in the fullness of what the Lord has for them: lives that shine with His presence, filled with His joy and love, and marked by wholehearted obedience to Him.