The Conviction

For many years, giving has been one of the spiritual disciplines the Haasbroek family has practised. It was intentional, a reflection of conviction rather than transaction, not a calculation of expected return. André describes it plainly: 'Jesus reminds me that success is not defined by what I accumulate, but by whether my life is spiritually significant. I want to build treasures in heaven, not just manage comfort on earth.' When the family sold their business, that long-held conviction met a practical question: what does responsible stewardship of a significant capital event look like? The scale of the opportunity demanded more structure than ad hoc giving could provide.
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The Complexity

The challenge was not willingness, it was architecture. André wanted to give in a way that aligned with his calling over the long term, not just in the immediate aftermath of the sale. He wanted to ensure the capital could continue to serve Kingdom purposes beyond his own lifetime, without being consumed by the administrative and structural burden of managing a private giving vehicle. 'I wasn't just interested in doing some good,' he explains. 'I wanted our giving to be part of a coherent legacy, for our family, for Kingdom purposes, for future generations.'
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The Solution

A Donor-Advised Fund offered André exactly the combination he was looking for: a decisive, irrevocable act of generosity at the point of the business sale, paired with the flexibility to recommend grants over time as discernment, needs, and opportunities unfolded. 'The separation of decision points was critical,' he says. 'I could move the resources into the DAF now, that question was settled, while the question of where they go could be worked out carefully over time.' The administrative dimension mattered too. With Tree of Life handling compliance, receipting, and disbursements, André's energy was freed for what he considers the real work: prayerful discernment about where the capital could do the most good.
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The Impact

With the DAF in place, the primary question has shifted. It is no longer 'how much do we give?' but 'to whom, and why?' André describes experiencing a kind of freedom that surprised him, because the capital is already legally and spiritually given, the inner tension around individual grant decisions has diminished. 'It is easier to say yes to needs and opportunities,' he reflects, 'because generosity has already been structurally built into our lives.' The longer-term ambition is equally clear: the DAF creates a framework that can model generosity to the next generation and anchor the family's identity around impact rather than accumulation. For André, the measure of success has shifted accordingly, away from what is built up, and towards whether what has been entrusted is being faithfully stewarded.