After answering the call of God as a young man at the age of nineteen, Tanswell attended bible school in Nelspruit, South Africa where he ministered as part of the Acts Team across Africa. Tanswell was learning much about the heart of God towards mankind and His finished work in Christ on mans behalf. Portia joined him at the bible school for a few months after being part of their mailing list and after completing her degree in education. Portia went on to complete her Masters Degree in Educational Psychology. As a young couple, they sensed very strongly the call to awaken every man to their true identity in Christ where they hosted regular word schools, small bible study groups and conferences.
One day in September 2001, Tanswell and Portia felt that God was leading them to the nations. They felt lead to pursue a venture to the United Kingdom. Portia accepted a teaching post in Kent, United Kingdom. They served in a local fellowship where Tanswell assisted with their outreach and missions to Sierra Leonne, West Africa, called Compassion Africa where they worked tirelessly to establish orphonages.
Throughout his journey with God, Tanswell connected with church leaders across African countries where he would minister at conferences and bible schools from South Africa to countries like Kenya, Zimbabwe and Sierra Leonne.
Tanswell forged a strong bond with one of his spiritual mentors who is a missionary in the Ukraine. He would travel to the Ukraine alone and with his family to minister in and around the cities in the Ukraine with an interpreter who has dedicated his life to the call of God and to serve the body of Christ.
In 2008, Tanswell and a group of friends were drawn to a small community outside Somerset West Cape Town, where they felt lead by God to work among the families. The women’s ministry and children’s ministry did particularly well where these ministring teams were supported by NGO’s and local business men and women. Later the ministry expanded into working among youths trapped in drug and alcohol abuse and formed small discovery groups. Tanswell dedicated his time to walk with these young men and women into deliverance and restoring them back into their true identity and value in Christ and to take up their responsibility to their families and their society. Powerful testimonies could be heard of God’s power to deliver even the most destitude in the community