The Depew family has been serving as church-planting missionaries since 2015. Tom and Tiffany did not grow up in Christian homes but were both reached through the faithful youth ministry of a local church, where believers invested in discipling them toward Christian maturity. They met in that youth group, later became high school sweethearts, and were married in 2012. Today they are grateful parents to four children: Lydia, Lucy, Lola, and Luka. Early in their Christian lives, the Lord began growing in them a desire for missions. They later spent six months in Taiwan as part of a missions internship, receiving training in cross-cultural adaptation, church planting, language learning, and discipleship. During that time the Lord confirmed their calling to missions both personally and through their sending church.

After raising support, the Depews moved to Tianjin, China in 2018 to serve as church-planting missionaries. They ministered there for two years until COVID-19 began. When they attempted to renew their visas, their applications were unexpectedly rejected and they were given only two weeks to leave China. Though the transition was difficult, they trusted in God’s sovereignty. Over the next couple of years they attempted to transition their ministry to Taiwan, but the country’s borders remained closed and the Lord did not open that door.

During this time they were introduced to the need in South Africa through a missions conference. As they learned more about the spiritual needs there, the Lord gave them a growing burden for Cape Town. In 2023 the Depew family moved to Cape Town and have since been serving in several ministries, including helping strengthen a young church plant. They are currently serving alongside Mountain View Baptist Church with the goal of being sent out to plant a new church in 2026.

The Depews are sent by Wayside Baptist Church in Waynesboro, Virginia. Their sending church faithfully provides pastoral oversight, accountability, encouragement, and ongoing support for the family and their ministry. Through this partnership the Depews are not serving alone but are sent out with a strong church family behind them as they labor to see healthy churches established in South Africa.

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