Tandon Family to South Africa
We are joining a team of missionaries on the Garden Route of South Africa
to plant and equip healthy churches
through biblical leadership, discipleship, theological education, and community upliftment.
Our desire is to glorify God by helping the church in South Africa
to become a stronghold and source of Gospel advance throughout the African continent.
About Our Family
Alex and Bethany are both from South Carolina, but our married life has been a story of journeys. Shortly after our first anniversary, we moved to Lansdale, Pennsylvania for seminary.
Following seminary, the Lord led us to join a team of missionaries in East Asia,
where we lived and served for eight years. While there, we journeyed through adoption
(Joshua in August 2015) and were later blessed with a healthy pregnancy (Caleb in July 2019).
In early January 2020, our family returned to the US for what was supposed to be one month,
but COVID-19 changed everything. We spent the rest of 2020 waiting for a door to re-open,
but time and circumstances made it clear that the Lord had other plans.
Through a season of prayer and a series of affirming conversations, we began investigating the possibility of joining a team of missionaries doing similar work in South Africa.
In October 2021, the Lord opened a door for us to take an extended three-month exploratory trip.
God used this time of service to confirm this new journey for our family.
Consequently, we are now taking steps to join this established and growing work
along the Garden Route in George, South Africa.
Proverbs 16:9 - The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.
Click below to view our long- time blog and to see updates and reports from our survey trip.
Inspiring
Scenery
Opportunities to Serve
Equipping the Body to Support the Body
Church Planting/Support
Community Upliftment
Biblical Training
Life Fellowship Church
is a newly established church plant,
strategically located on the property of Inspire George, a multi-purpose
non-profit ministry in the
Central Business District of George.
During our exploratory trip, we had the opportunity to fill in for the Pastor and his wife for nearly half of the time, with Alex regularly preaching and leading services and Bethany serving in a variety of hospitality roles.
Check out Life Fellowship Church on YouTube.
In addition to establishing healthy churches, our desire is to equip healthy churches. This not only involves discipleship and training individuals to lead churches we have a hand in planting, but also building relationships with others in and/or pursuing ministry.
We can't wait to be actively involved
in ministry opportunities such as
NextGen Young Adults,
Biblical Training Institute, and the forthcoming Foundation Year program, which we will have a hand in leading.
Inspire George is not just the name of the non-profit ministry,
but is the heartbeat of our team.
We want to be a ministry that both proclaims and portrays the love of Jesus.
The Inspire George property is being developed to provide community enrichment and support through basic computer courses, life skills classes, as well as sports camps for local youth
on the multi-function sports court.
Our Timeline
An unexpected opportunity and need arose for us to make a second short-term trip,
once again on a tourist visa. We were in George, SA from May 11 - August 4, 2022.
Since our return, we have had the blessed opportunity to meet with a number of churches and groups to share updates about this urgent ministry opportunity and to continue to raise the necessary funds.
Pending the completion of fundraising goals and successful receipt of charitable volunteer visas,
we hope to move to George in early 2023.
If you would like more information about our background and service, or would like to set up a time for us to speak with you, your small group, or your church, please contact us!
PARTNERSHIP: How You Can Get Involved
At present, there are two primary ways we are seeking partnership: prayer and financial support. Click our Partnership page to get more information and see below for current prayer requests.
Current Prayer Requests (August 18, 2022)
-
for church contacts in and around South and North Carolina
-
for safe successful renewal of our boys passports
-
for smooth gathering of other needed visa documents
-
for progress in fundraising efforts and clear direction for visa paperwork
-
for continued growth in relationships begun during our recent trip to George