A New Nation, Calling, Obedience, and the Birth of Art By Kudzi, Part 2

Six weeks after turning eighteen, I landed in a new nation of Australia with twenty kilograms of clothes and the hope of a fresh start.

This chapter continues my story after growing up in Zimbabwe during a period of economic collapse. If you have not yet read the beginning, you can start with Part 1, Growing Up in Zimbabwe, Chaos, Creativity, and the Making of an Artist.

Because of complex family dynamics, there was no certainty that my university tuition would be covered. Carrying the disappointment of being the only child who was not a straight A student, I was determined to forge my own path and make a clean break from the past.

The years that followed were filled with youthful exploration, studying, relationships, and partying. A binge drinking culture in student residences made reckless choices feel normal. At the time, I did not recognise what was really happening. I was escaping, numbing pain, and borrowing courage from temporary things.

Finding Ground Again

Even as I drifted, God did not turn His back on me.

I formed a friendship that would change the course of my life. This friend attended church with me, offering grounding in the midst of turmoil. I did not know then that we would spend the next two decades supporting each other through some of life’s most difficult moments.

Faith, at that stage, was not polished or consistent. But it was present.

Eager to Prove Myself

Entering the corporate world, I aimed for the top. I moved quickly through the financial services industry, eventually becoming a director in my early thirties.

From the outside, it looked like success. Title, status, access, resources.

Yet something was missing.

Throughout those years, art never fully left me. I painted sporadically, sometimes once a year, sometimes not at all. I only painted when I felt inspired. At the time, I did not understand what that meant or why the urge came so rarely but so clearly.

Your Art Is the Key

One day, I went on a prayer walk seeking clarity about a business idea I wanted to pursue. Instead of strategy, I heard something unexpected.

Your art is the key. You need to put it out there.

Until then, my art was deeply private. If you had not visited my home, you would not have known I painted. Starting an Instagram page and sharing my work publicly felt exposing. I did not yet understand why art was the key, but I chose obedience anyway.

Learning Obedience

My faith journey up to this point had been uneven, seasons of dedication followed by periods of self reliance. Something shifted. I became planted. I committed to community, service, and contribution.

At the beginning of one year, I sensed God saying, I want you to grow in my authority. I did not know what that meant. A series of unexpected prompts led me toward Bible College. After completing my CPA, I had sworn off further study, but I stepped into it anyway.

I did not want to study theology. But I had nothing to lose.

False Comforts

Professionally, I was thriving. I had built a significant client portfolio from nothing. My influence in the market was growing. Life unfolded in polished offices, premium events, and exclusive rooms.

On the surface, everything looked aligned.

Yet underneath, there was emptiness.

I stayed partly because I wanted future generations of migrants to see that executive leadership was possible. I mentored others intentionally, and when those I had poured into were elevated, something shifted. Around the same time, a relationship that appeared miraculous on the outside began to reveal its fractures.

Being Called

I had been a Christian for many years, but I never imagined myself as a faith leader. I was content to remain in the background.

God had other plans.

He said, I want you to speak life into many people of many nations.

Through study and experience, I began to understand my spiritual gifts, wisdom, encouragement, and prophecy. Prophecy, as scripture teaches, is hearing God’s voice to encourage, strengthen, and comfort.

The inspiration that drove my art was no longer abstract. The visions I painted were prophetic and aligned with scripture. Time and again, the message in a piece would meet someone exactly where they were. Often, it met me there too.

For a deeper exploration of how prophetic art carries meaning and purpose, you can read What Is Prophetic Art?

A Pruning Season

Every season has its purpose.

Abruptly, I stepped away from my corporate career. Shortly after, my relationship ended. Loss and disappointment became the tools through which God rebuilt me into the person required for what came next.

Pruning is rarely comfortable, but it is always intentional.

Art By Kudzi Is Born

Art By Kudzi was not created as decoration.

It is my ministry.

Through art, I speak hope, healing, and expectation into homes across nations. Each piece carries a message rooted in scripture and lived experience. It is a reminder that even in the darkest valley, there is no need to fear, we are not alone.

Much of my work today explores these themes of faith, resilience, and presence. You can explore how these ideas translate into visual form through my Prophetic Collection.