Life To Life Africa

The Journey of the 40ft Container

On November 20, 2013, I posted that the 40-foot container filled with over 43,000 items (food, clothing, sewing machines, mattresses, bed frames, and much more) for those in Chinhoyi was at last on its way to Zimbabwe. Had all gone according to schedule, the container should have arrived by late January/early February of 2014. But heavy rains, logistics, government inspections, incorrect paperwork, and more delayed its arrival until early June.

By God’s grace, everything did finally arrive safely and in good condition, and we are thankful! In order to get a glimpse into one aspect of LTLA’s work, please read below the unfolding saga of the challenges of getting the container to its destination.

-Mike Sulc

January 28, 2014
Container Arriving in Zimbabwe

The container is on a train in southern Zimbabwe, making its way to Harare, where it will clear customs and then will be transported to Chinhoyi. The meal packets that were packaged here in Ames will certainly help us at this time. Last Wednesday we could not distribute corn meal to the families because the suppliers did not have enough bags for the 100 families we are serving. Please pray that the container will clear customs without delay and that it will be safely transported and unloaded onto the concrete slab (see photo) waiting for it at the Life to Life Community Center in Chinhoyi.

Concrete slab for container at the LTLA Community Center

February 7, 2014
Pray for Rain to Stop!

I am waiting on my flight for Zimbabwe and need to appeal for prayer. It has been raining for 13 days in Chinhoyi and throughout Zimbabwe. Thank you for praying for rain! We now need it to stop for a few days so that the train carrying the container can proceed and so we can unload it at our Community Center. A 4 wheel drive truck got stuck there yesterday, so we will need to make contingency plans for temporarily storing the container elsewhere until the soil dries.

We expected the container to arrive to the capital city, Harare, today but it did not make it due to trains being halted for the rain. Once it arrives there you can pray for smooth processing through customs and then wisdom for a contingency plan if we are not able to proceed to the Community Center in Chinhoyi. We are requesting help from another ministry in Harare where we hope to park the container until we can proceed. Would you pray that they or another ministry will agree to help us?

Gratefully, Mike Sulc

February 24, 2014
Container Selected for Random Inspection

I once again ask for your prayer for the container. The rains have slowed so the container can begin to progress but it has been selected for a random inspection in South Africa near the border with Zimbabwe. The container actually never made it into Zimbabwe. God has providentially provided a pastor in Polokwane, South Africa, who can act as our representative during this inspection. He is the brother of Johan Joubert, a good friend of Life to Life Africa who lives in Chinhoyi. Johan prepared the concrete slab for the container at the Life to Life Community Center. The inspection will take place on Thursday, Feb 27. Please pray that the authorities will not create trouble and that the container will be able to progress on its way with all the items and arrive to Chinhoyi next week.

March 6, 2014
Container Inspection Results

Continue praying for the safe arrival of the container to Chinhoyi. The South African authorities were satisfied with the inspection that was performed on the container. It appears that our agents mishandled some container paperwork, which raised suspicions on the container contents. We praise God for pastor Henk Joubert who served as our representative and recruited a church member, Hans Van Staden, to assist with a forklift and laborer help. He assured me that all the items they removed for the inspection, approximately 1/3 of the contents, were re-packed in the container as seen in the photos he sent me. The container should be making its way to Zimbabwe next week. Please continue praying.

Unloading the container for inspection in South Africa

Closing container doors after inspection

May 5, 2014
Continue Praying for Container—Incorrectly Labeled for Johannesburg, South Africa

I am sorry to report that the container continues to be detained in South Africa. When I last reported, I wrongly assumed that once the inspection was completed in South Africa the authorities (South African Revenue Service- SARS) would release it. Instead they have very slowly tried to determine why the container returned to South Africa after it entered Zimbabwe. We sent our Zimbabwe agent in mid-March to deliver documents that were requested. While at the border, he inquired with the National Railway of Zimbabwe (NRZ) personnel to determine what transpired. He learned that our container, along with two other containers, entered into Zimbabwe on a wrongly labeled rail wagon. It was labeled for Johannesburg, South Africa, so they returned it. Last week the South African freight company finally acknowledged the wagon was wrongly labeled but passed blame to the NRZ that they should not have returned the wagon without inquiring with them first.

We have elevated this issue to the executive levels and have informed the South African desk at the United States State Department. Please continue praying that the container will be released without assessment of a fine on the freight company. If they are fined we ask you to pray that they will pay it as they should and if they don't that the shipping company will take the appropriate measures to force them to pay and to obtain the release of the container.

I am encouraged that Henk Joubert, our pastor friend in Polokwane where our container is detained, has been monitoring the security of the container. He says the container has not moved and is positioned in a way that the doors cannot be opened.

Needless to say, however, this detainment and delay has been discouraging, frustrating and time consuming. I leave for Zimbabwe on May 22 and it is my hope that I do not have to alter my travel plans to deal with the release of our container. Please pray the container's release and movement to Zimbabwe will occur prior to my departure.

Thank you for your prayerful support!

Mike Sulc

May 14, 2014
Container Update

Thank you for praying! It looks like the container will be released soon. The South Africa Revenue Service (SARS) communicated the amount for the fine and the shipping company will pay it.

Please pray that there are no further delays or unexpected problems in South Africa. We have also requested two documents from SARS which will be needed for Zimbabwe customs, so please pray that they supply those documents in a timely fashion so there are no complications for us in Zimbabwe. I am also hoping that the container will arrive while I am in Zimbabwe between May 23 - June 6.

Grateful for your prayers! Keep them up as we trust the Lord to see that the container is unloaded on the concrete pad that awaits it on our property in Chinhoyi. -Mike Sulc

May 21, 2014
Container is Moving

I gladly report that the container is now on Zimbabwe soil making its way to the capital, Harare. It will arrive there middle of next week, so it looks like I will be there when it arrives in Chinhoyi. God is always on time with His ways, so we continue to look to Him for the safe arrival of the container and that the contents will bless the people.

June 5, 2014
Container Has Arrived!

Greetings from Zimbabwe, I am delighted to report that the container has arrived and safely placed on the concrete slab at the Life to Life Community Center in Chinhoyi. It was a challenge all the way through the process but the Lord has granted us perseverance to see it through. We give Him all the glory for seeing that the container and all its contents arrived safely. Below are short video clips of its arrival. Thank you for all your prayers on our behalf!

June 23, 2014
Distributing Clothes and Other Container Items

Thank you for praying for my recent trip to Zimbabwe! God answered our prayers regarding the container as it arrived during my time there.

I witnessed the distribution of mats with sheets and blankets to the families of the orphans in the Critical Care Center. These were transported in the container and were a gift from Gifts for the Nations, a ministry in Kansas. The mats were obtained from a correctional facility and ladies associated with the ministry made sheet covers and blankets for each mat. Below is a video of this distribution.

The LTLA team in Chinhoyi created 110 bags of clothing from the clothing in the container and distributed them last Wednesday to all the families that are involved in this ministry. Please pray that the families will experience the love of God through the blessing of this clothing and many would turn to Christ as the savior of their souls and sustainer of their lives here on earth.

Thank you for helping us show the love of Christ in Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe!