Mission: Down Under
Life, faith and missions in Australia. Following and supporting the missionary journey of the Chikwekwes.
Mission: Down Under
Our Journey
G'day mates! It's the Chikwekwes checking in from Down Under.
It's been over a year since we packed our lives into suitcases and made the leap to Australia, and we're long overdue for an update. It's been a wild season of change, but God's been so faithful through it all. Moving to Australia as missionaries was a huge leap, but we've seen His grace in more ways than could imagine.
Whether you've known us for a while or this is your first time hearing our story, we're just really grateful you're making time to read this. Thanks for being part of this journey with us.
This journey to Sydney started way before we packed our bags. Over a decade ago, we both came to Australia on a short term mission trip, and honestly, we felt a nugde that never left us. Something about this place stuck with us. In the years after, we kept feeling this pull like God was stirring something in us, preparing us for this season. Now that we're here, it's wild to look back and see how He was lining things up all along.
We're here because Australia for all its prosperity, it has seen a decline in church life, and there's a real spiritual hunger beneath the surface that many people are searching to fill. People are doing well on the outside, but there's a real hunger for something deeper, that something is Jesus.
We feel called to be part of what God's doing to breathe new life into His church here, and we're just grateful to be invited into it.
Whether you've known us for a while or this is your first time hearing our story, we're just really grateful you're making time to read this. Thanks for being part of this journey with us.
This journey to Sydney started way before we packed our bags. Over a decade ago, we both came to Australia on a short term mission trip, and honestly, we felt a nugde that never left us. Something about this place stuck with us. In the years after, we kept feeling this pull like God was stirring something in us, preparing us for this season. Now that we're here, it's wild to look back and see how He was lining things up all along.
We're here because Australia for all its prosperity, it has seen a decline in church life, and there's a real spiritual hunger beneath the surface that many people are searching to fill. People are doing well on the outside, but there's a real hunger for something deeper, that something is Jesus.
We feel called to be part of what God's doing to breathe new life into His church here, and we're just grateful to be invited into it.
We're part of a small team working to revitalize an over 60 year old church. This church has an incredible heritage, decades of faithful ministry and deep roots in the area. But like a lot of churches here, it went through a long, slow decline over the past 30 years and was honestly on the brink of closing. It's a small church right now, mostly older folks who've been holding the fort for years.
In the past year alone, we've celebrated four people joining the church. It's not massive growth, but it's something, and we're in this for the long haul.
We are pretty much all in on whatever needs doing, from teaching to menial stuff, you name it. Our 11 year old son TJ plays kids and Maria leads worship. We're trying to be creative about how we reach people because traditional methods just aren't cutting it in this context.
Sport is absolutely massive in Australia, so I've started coaching teams that my boys also play on. It's thrown us right into the thick of community life, and honestly, it's one of the best ways to build real relationships.
We teach Scripture in local schools. Our main focus is reaching young people and young families because that's where the gap is. We run several initiatives that can bring people into contact with the Gospel.
I also train and develop resources for youth pastors across Baptist churches. It's a role that comes with occasional travel, but it's been great to invest in the next generation of leaders who are doing this work all over the region.
This work is both exciting and exhausting. But we're seeing slow, steady fruit, and that makes it all worth it.
In the past year alone, we've celebrated four people joining the church. It's not massive growth, but it's something, and we're in this for the long haul.
We are pretty much all in on whatever needs doing, from teaching to menial stuff, you name it. Our 11 year old son TJ plays kids and Maria leads worship. We're trying to be creative about how we reach people because traditional methods just aren't cutting it in this context.
Sport is absolutely massive in Australia, so I've started coaching teams that my boys also play on. It's thrown us right into the thick of community life, and honestly, it's one of the best ways to build real relationships.
We teach Scripture in local schools. Our main focus is reaching young people and young families because that's where the gap is. We run several initiatives that can bring people into contact with the Gospel.
I also train and develop resources for youth pastors across Baptist churches. It's a role that comes with occasional travel, but it's been great to invest in the next generation of leaders who are doing this work all over the region.
This work is both exciting and exhausting. But we're seeing slow, steady fruit, and that makes it all worth it.
Our first year here was a faith adventure full of ups and downs. We lived in three different houses in the first year alone, which made settling in longer. Even though we had been here before, some things felt foreign in ways we didn't anticipate.
The boys had to learn new social cues, different ways of making friends, and even how humor works in school. Simple things like what to pack for lunch or how to greet teachers became daily puzzles. In those first days, Tinashe would naturally refer to adults as "uncle" and "aunty" like a typical respectful African child, only to be gently corrected that here, you call older people by their first names. Fun times!
We've had bouts of deep homesickness and social isolation that we weren't prepared for. We're figuring out how to parent in this cultural context, when to push the kids to adapt and when to let them hold onto who they are. Some days we get it right. Other days, not so much. Maria hasn't found a solid full time job yet, and that hasn't been easy. But we're learning to rejoice in the current work she does have and to trust God for what's next, even when the waiting feels long.
But here's what we want you to know: we're still here, still rejoicing, still committed, still believing God called us to this. And we're starting to see green shoots of hope. We've been slowly making friends. The kids have found buddies at school and we can see them flourishing in ways that encourage us. We've also been blessed beyond measure by a Christian school that has shown us extraordinary generosity through missionary scholarships. At the moment, we only pay a certain percentage of the tuition. Their support has been a tangible reminder that we're not alone in this calling.
This season has grown us in ways nothing else could. We've learned to lean on each other, to serve together when we're running on empty, to know one another in deeper ways. We've discovered that Australia is an outdoor paradise and we've spent countless hours hiking, beachcombing, and exploring as a family on Sunday afternoons.
These simple moments have become our lifeline.
The boys had to learn new social cues, different ways of making friends, and even how humor works in school. Simple things like what to pack for lunch or how to greet teachers became daily puzzles. In those first days, Tinashe would naturally refer to adults as "uncle" and "aunty" like a typical respectful African child, only to be gently corrected that here, you call older people by their first names. Fun times!
We've had bouts of deep homesickness and social isolation that we weren't prepared for. We're figuring out how to parent in this cultural context, when to push the kids to adapt and when to let them hold onto who they are. Some days we get it right. Other days, not so much. Maria hasn't found a solid full time job yet, and that hasn't been easy. But we're learning to rejoice in the current work she does have and to trust God for what's next, even when the waiting feels long.
But here's what we want you to know: we're still here, still rejoicing, still committed, still believing God called us to this. And we're starting to see green shoots of hope. We've been slowly making friends. The kids have found buddies at school and we can see them flourishing in ways that encourage us. We've also been blessed beyond measure by a Christian school that has shown us extraordinary generosity through missionary scholarships. At the moment, we only pay a certain percentage of the tuition. Their support has been a tangible reminder that we're not alone in this calling.
This season has grown us in ways nothing else could. We've learned to lean on each other, to serve together when we're running on empty, to know one another in deeper ways. We've discovered that Australia is an outdoor paradise and we've spent countless hours hiking, beachcombing, and exploring as a family on Sunday afternoons.
These simple moments have become our lifeline.
Partner With Us
We are deeply grateful to God and to those who have already supported us on this journey. Your prayers and partnership mean more than words can express. We're still inviting old and new friends to join us in what God is doing here in Australia.
Our Current Needs
How You Can Partner
Prayer Requests
Our Current Needs
- $15,000 for immigration processing, a significant step in securing our long-term ability to serve here in Australia.
- Regular operational and living costs ongoing support that sustains our family and ministry.
How You Can Partner
- Give a one time gift or become a regular monthly supporter
- Let us know if you're able to partner with us, we'd love to keep you updated on the journey
- Pray for us, this is the most powerful way you can stand with us
Prayer Requests
- That our family would continue to love God and one another in a way that shows Christ to each other and to the world
- For the fruit of the Spirit in us, to endure hardship with grace, gospel courage and boldness and to fully enjoy the blessings of serving God.
- For fruit that will remain, lasting impact in the lives we're called to reach
How To Give
By M-Pesa
Give quickly and conveniently by Mpesa.
Go to Send Money on your phone: M-Pesa Number: 0708898164 |
By Bank Transfer (Kenya)
Account Name: Tatenda Chikwekwe
Account Number: 2000063300 Bank: Prime Bank Branch: Riverside Swift Code: PRIEKENX |
By Bank Transfer (Australia)
Account Name: Tatenda Chikwekwe
Account Number: 13250910 Bank: Commonwealth Bank BSB: 067872 Swift Code: CTBAAU2S |
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. ~ Matthew 28:19