Thomas, Diana, Drought & ZiG - LTLA Prayer Bulletin - April 2024

 

Dear Praying Friends, Fellow Life to Life Ministry staff, Thomas Gilbert, is currently in Zimbabwe for a three week trip to visit our team. Would you join in praying for him as he seeks to encourage Arthur Nhau, Life to Life Africa director in ZImbabwe, along with the other 21 LTLA team members? This week he and Arthur are visiting Simba & Pamela who recently moved to Mutare, the third largest city in Zimbabwe. They are encouraging and guiding this young couple as they seek to launch a ministry effort to college students since there are 3 universities and 1 polytechnic in Mutare.

Arthur, Thomas & Simba in front of Mutare Polytechnic.

We also ask for your prayers for Diana, a long time and faithful LTLA team member, who was recently diagnosed with cancer. You may remember that she accompanied our other team member, Tsungai, for her cancer radiation treatments in Harare, the capital, last year. Like Tsungai, Diana is needing radiation treatments for her cancer which will cost $4,000. We would like to assist Diana with these treatments. If you are able to help toward this need you can send a check payable to Life to Life Africa, writing Diana on the memo line. See below for the address where to send a check. Thank you for considering how you can help with this need.

Diana has led our efforts in training families in sustainable farming and helped us launch our weekly Children of Hope Bible study for children living at the landfill.

Zimbabweans have been dealt more bad news in recent weeks with the official declaration of a drought, which is considered one of the worst in 40 years. We typically stop food distribution for four months after the families we serve harvest their corn, but this year they have harvested very little if anything. We may need to continue providing food for these families if the government is not able to assist them. To do so it would cost an additional $7,000 beyond what we have budgeted. Your gifts to help us feed these families will be greatly appreciated. Click here for an article about the drought:  The Zimbabwean government has also introduced a new currency (ZiG- for Zimbabwe Gold) which unsurprisingly is predicted to fail due to the lack of confidence that Zimbabweans have in their leaders. The sad reality is that people lose their savings when the government introduces new currencies. This will be the fourth failed currency in Zimbabwe since 2008. Click here to read how this currency change is affecting Zimbabweans.  Thank you for standing with us as we show the love of Christ in real tangible ways to the people of Zimbabwe who are experiencing difficult hardships in this troubled world. Gifts toward Diana and/or for Food Distribution can be sent via check to: Life to Life Africa PMB 344 10151 University Blvd Orlando, FL 32817 Loving others because Jesus loved us, Mike Sulc Life to Life Africa

Hardships Of Life - LTLA Update - March 2024

 

Dear LTLA Friends, On this Good Friday, the Life to Life Africa team solemnly reflects with you upon the suffering and death our Lord endured on our behalf. And with you we also rejoice in his victory over sin and death which has granted eternal life to those who believe in his Name. This truth encourages us especially as we see the hardships of two team members. Last year LTLA team member, Tsungai, was diagnosed and treated for cancer. She was accompanied in the capital city, Harare, for her treatments by teammate Diana. In 2020, Diana had undergone similar surgery to remove cancer from her body so she was a comfort to Tsungai. Unfortunately, we recently learned that cancer has returned to Diana at a stage 1 level. We ask for your prayers for Diana and her family as we await the treatment plan for her cancer. Diana provides leadership for our sustainable farming efforts along with helping lead the weekly Children of Hope Bible study that reaches out to children living at the landfill. She is a widow with 3 adult children and cares for 4 grandchildren at her home.

Diana (left) last year with Tsungai on her last day of radiation treatment.

Another team member who is ailing is Mr. Chigwida. Old age is catching up with him, so we will help him develop income generating projects he can do around his home. For over ten years, he has faithfully served in our Men of Hope ministry along with training and modeling well the sustainable farming principles we teach. He credits LTLA for saving the life of his granddaughter by providing formula for her after her mother, his daughter, died when she was 2 months old. He has served the ministry with joy and delight. It is hard for him to "slow down" in his old age. Please pray for Mr. Chigwida as he transitions to a slower pace and continues to share from his relationship with Christ to those around him.

Mr. Chigwida.

Thank you for your prayer support for Diana & Mr. Chigwida! Mike Sulc Life to Life Africa

28 New Believers - LTLA Update - February 2024

 

Greetings LTLA Friends, "I have some wonderful news to share," Marvelous said to me when I greeted her on my arrival to Chinhoyi on my recent visit. "Twenty eight of thirty eight children at our last Children of Hope Bible study prayed to receive Christ!" Marvelous went on to clarify that twenty three prayed to receive Christ for the first time with nine being children who live at the landfill. It was a re-commitment to Christ for five and one child had assurance of their salvation. It certainly was a joy to hear this news on my arrival and at the beginning of a new ministry year!

Children of Hope Bible Study Group.

Thank you for your prayers for my recent trip with my father in law, Duane Bundt. Once again, it was a treat for myself and for our team to learn from "Sekuru" (grandfather) Bundt's wisdom. The two LTLA teams (Training & Community teams) and the young adult group (Chosen Generation) provided questions in advance for him to address. The questions gave us some insight into how we are doing in our discipleship and training of these young people and team members. Pray with us as we continue to invest in the spiritual development of young and old in Chinhoyi.

Uncle Duane with Chosen Generation Group.

Uncle Duane with Training Team.

As a retired farmer, Duane Bundt was able to encourage two team members who have ventured into farming endeavors to help supplement their income. Community Team leader, Shelton, has planted four acres of "rapoko" (finger millet) and two acres of peanuts while team member, Brian, has planted three acres of corn. Rain was plentiful last year but this year they are facing a drought. In the midst of a drought, we are asking the Lord to bless their efforts along with all the families who have planted corn for their food supply.

Shelton instructing field workers where to apply the fertilizer they delivered by ox drawn cart.

Brian in his corn field.

On our last day, we prayed for Simba, a Training Team member, who is expanding our ministry in Mutare, the third largest city in Zimbabwe. Simba, who is fruit of our ministry to orphans, is fulfilling Isaiah 60:22, where the Lord promises to multiply the "least" and "smallest." He will be joined by his wife, Pamela as soon as she finishes her electrical engineering degree at the end of March. Pray with us for Simba and Pamela and their ministry efforts among students at the four colleges in Mutare.

Praying for Simba.

Praising the Lord for what he is doing! Mike Sulc Life to Life Africa

Back in Zim - LTLA Prayer Bulletin - Feb 2023

Dear LTLA Friends, 

I ask for your prayers as I am back in Zimbabwe with the Life to Life Africa team accompanied by my father in law, Duane Bundt. We are asking the Lord to minister through us to the team after facing a challenging year. God used Duane last year in ministry to the team and those we serve so he has returned to encourage and build them up in the Lord. 

We will also join the team in listening to the Lord as we seek his guidance in the ministry activities that will help us reach, disciple and equip laborers to advance his kingdom. On my last trip we examined Biblical principles that should be applied to help people without hurting their development as followers of Christ. This year we want to begin applying those principles, so pray with us as we ask for the Lord's wisdom, creativity, faith and power to implement his plans for us. 

I look forward to sharing what the Lord is doing and how he is working. 

Coveting your prayers, 

Mike Sulc,

Life to Life Africa

Gratitude & New Year Greetings from LTLA

 Dear LTLA Friends,

I am writing to express deep gratitude for the financial support Life to Life Africa has received to launch us into a new year of ministry. Thank you for your generosity which will enable us to continue sharing the love of Christ with lost, hurting, and vulnerable people in a troubled country that is not caring well for their own. Our team in Zimbabwe is continually amazed that people halfway around the world would stand with them in prayer and finances as they take the hope of Christ to the hopeless.

We covet your prayers as we begin this new year. The anxiety is high due to the difficult circumstances in the country and it is hard to know how best to help. Pray with us as we seek the Lord to guide us in how to encourage so many who are discouraged. Recently in my time with Jesus, he encouraged me from his words to Martha, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed." (Luke 10:41-42) That one thing that is needed for every person is to spend time with Jesus, as Martha's sister Mary was doing. And as one encounters Jesus more they will see that, "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." (Matthew 9:36). Pray that the LTLA team will lead many who are worried, upset, harassed, and helpless to discover the one thing they need. That one thing that is needed is to enter into a relationship with Jesus where by faith they acknowledge their sin, receive his forgiveness, follow him in their life, and experience his compassion as well as power to transform their lives.

We are praying that the Lord will continue to shower you with his blessings in this new year as you follow him by faith. Thanking and praising the Lord for your partnership with us!

Mike Sulc
Life to Life Africa