Some of our story so far...

After getting married in 2000, Mark & Tamara moved to Nara, Japan to live and work as English teachers.

During the next 2 years, they fell in love with Japan, the people, the culture, the food and the language. 

After returning home to Australia in 2002, they built their lives and careers (mechanical engineering for Mark & school teaching for Tam) and began a family in Brisbane. During this time they also welcomed many Japanese people into their home for short term stays. 

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In 2010 they both became Christians on the same day and began a new journey with Jesus.   

Together with their children they began going to church and felt called to be part of a church plant, Hope Community Church, Burpengary in 2013. During this time both Mark & Tamara went to Bible College and the whole family began serving at Hope Community in various ministries (Mark, Charli & Hudson in the creative team & Tam as a Pastor). 

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In 2022,  God began to stir and resurrect their love for Japan and the Japanese people again and after visiting Japan on a family holiday in January 2023, Mark & Tamara saw the need to encourage and revive Christianity and answered the call to return to the country.

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In November 2023, the Haddon family were sent from Hope Community Church and WEC International Australia to join the WEC International Japan team as long term missionaries. The Haddon family have moved back to Nara, with Jesus in their hearts, and currently live in the same street that Mark and Tam lived in 21 years ago! 

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“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life".

Mark 10:29-30