Life to Life Africa (LTLA)

Building a vision for our elementary school project

2011-10-24T20:53:00.005-05:00

In Uganda, Global Builders (LTLA's sister organization) has almost completed the school project. It is our prayer and hope that we might be able to plan something similar for Zimbabwe with help from Global Builders.

VIEW VIDEO at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVVAEQ7mP3Y

The potential land for the school project will be located in the vicinity of the poor families who will be able to find convenient access to our Critical Care Unit, preschool program, and other educational programs if this project is accomplished.

We seek prayers for vision, wisdom, and resources.

Thank you....You made it happen!

2011-08-29T20:35:00.007-05:00

Thank you to all who have donated money and gifts-in-kind. We'd like to give a special thanks to Fareway, The Loft and Duck Worth Wearing for their generous donations and to the Coopers for letting us use their garage to store donations.

Thank you to our hardworking volunteers who came weekly to help sort, pack, and load. Your heartfelt interest in this labor of love was evident. Thank you for serving!!

Here are some of the photos from August 11, 2011 as our volunteers came to help load two trucks.

We'll keep you posted on the container's journey to Zimbabwe....stay tuned!

Sorting, packing, and more...

2011-07-22T04:33:00.003-05:00

Clothes that have been sorted and bagged

In the process of sorting....

Hard working volunteers helping to sort and pack

Books, books, and more books to be sorted and packed

Thanks to all our hard working volunteers who have given up their Thursday evenings to sort and pack. We couldn't have done it without you! If you're interested in helping with the next sort-and-pack event, please contact Lily or Christy.

We're still taking donations till August 8. Items most needed include school supplies (preschool-elementary), household (silverware, pots, pans, blankets, sheets), medical supplies, food (beans, peanut butter, tomato paste, canned tomatoes, tuna), sewing supplies (fabric, sewing machine, etc), toys (dolls, soccer balls, tricycles, educational, etc.) and much more!

Dolls with dark skin tone for Critical Care Unit

2011-07-21T15:58:00.002-05:00

Recently LTLA received a box of dolls with dark skin. A special thanks to Donna and her family for finding these dolls for the Critical Care Unit and making blankets for each of the dolls.

40 feet to Zimbabwe

2011-07-07T16:24:00.004-05:00

We're coming to the end of our collection time frame for our 40 feet to Zimbabwe. After July 10th, we will be sorting and packing all donated items. If you are interested in volunteering to help sort and pack, please email Lily for more details.

Items wanted for the container include preschool materials (pencils, papers, educational books & materials, etc), sewing materials (sewing machine, thread, fabric, etc.), building materials (hammers, nails, saws, etc), food (baby formula, dry beans, canned goods, etc.), household (silverware, good plasticware, blankets, powder detergent, etc.), health care (ibuprofen, acetaminophen, multivitamins, etc.)

Good Works Report 2011

2011-02-18T21:12:00.003-06:00

Meggy's Current Housing (Outside)

2011-01-06T18:42:00.002-06:00

Meggy's Temp Housing

2011-01-06T18:32:00.002-06:00

Meggy and family is able to stay here till they figure out new housing plans.

Chicken Project Pt 1

2011-01-05T10:28:00.002-06:00

Chicken Project Pt 2

2011-01-05T10:23:00.001-06:00

Chicken Project Pt 3

2011-01-05T10:22:00.000-06:00

Various ongoing services and ministries

2011-01-02T20:09:00.010-06:00

In July 2009, Arthur met Liberty, a final year student studying Banking and Finance at CUT. Liberty felt strongly that he needed to repent and believe in Jesus Christ. Since then, Arthur has been establishing him in his new found faith. In September of this year, Liberty left his home in eastern Zimbabwe and moved into Arthur’s home to grow in his relationship with Christ and receive training in evangelism and establishing of young men at CUT. In mid November, Liberty led a first year student, Ray, to Christ. Pray that he will pass onto Ray what he is learning from Arthur.

Mildred is meeting with Anna. Anna is leading our high school ministry with orphans. Marvelous is a key 15 year old into whom Anna is investing. (2 Tim. 2:2) Pray for Marvelous as she digs into the Word and falls in love with Jesus.

When the single mothers and grandmothers saw their high school children growing, they asked us for “discipling.” Approximately 50 meet biweekly. Mildred leads these “Women of Hope” sessions. They are memorizing the topical memory system in Shona and doing daily reading of the Bible. Many need simple reading glasses to allow them to read. The Women of Hope take the content we are giving them back to their homes where they pass it on to their children and grandchildren.

We continue to help run a medical clinic. Our doctors came out of the University of Zimbabwe ministry. Thank you for sending medicines. Matilda owns the Good Shepherd Pharmacy in Chinhoyi and is helping us purchase additional medications which we don’t have in our inventory. We also continue to feed 188 families and 250 prisoners. Pray for God to meet the needs of these people.

We have approximately 19 children in our preschool. Most are “rejects” from society. We are working with the police department to help these vulnerable little people. HIV positive children are targets of sexual predators. Thank you for sending toys, books, medicines, blankets, clothes, etc. Thank you for gifts of money to purchase them high protein, high vitamin/mineral food.

Upcoming 2011 Projects in Zimbabwe

2011-01-02T19:27:00.002-06:00

LTLA is committed to two projects in Chinhoyi in 2011.

Primary School Building
Firstly, the city counsel of Chinhoyi has given LTLA 8 acres of land to build a primary school. Although the city is broke and looking for revenue, they have GIVEN LTLA the land because they value education very highly.

For more about Zimbabwe's forgotten children, see the documentary on the BBC website http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8538587.stm

40 Feet Container of Food, Clothes, Medical Supplies, etc
In July, LTLA will work with partners in US to collect food, clothes, medical supplies, books, etc and fill a 40 ft container. If you are interested in helping, please contact LTLA.

More faces of LTLA (Preschool center)

2010-10-18T19:32:00.007-05:00

Faces of LTLA

2010-10-18T19:29:00.001-05:00

Starting up the LTLA library (Oct 2009)

2010-10-18T19:25:00.004-05:00

Anna's story and LTLA's renewed focus

2010-07-22T21:54:00.004-05:00

Anna is a 20-year-old high school graduate whose parents died three years ago. She serves as the “head of home” for her three younger sisters, and she has been leading, on a volunteer basis, the Life to Life Africa youth programs in Chinhoyi. Anna’s entrance exam test scores for university were excellent. She enjoys studying English and dreams of becoming a teacher. However, the need to support her sisters has prevented her from being able to pursue a university degree. When I talked with Anna about her future, she said that she hopes to attend university as soon as her sisters are finished with high school. Currently, though, the university in Chinhoyi does not offer a teacher’s program and, even more importantly, Anna doesn't have the money for tuition. Anna told me she is willing to wait 10 years until her youngest sister is finished with high school. Although she can’t take university classes right now, Anna is a reader and is taking full advantage of LTLA’s Lending Library – the only one of its kind in the city of 750,000+ residents!

Anna and her three sisters

This week, LTLA offered to formally employ Anna. She will continue receiving food each week through the LTLA distribution. Even with the food LTLA gives her, though, Anna said that she and her sisters often go to bed hungry. The salary LTLA pays her will change that and will also help Anna pay for her sisters’ school fees. Anna and her sisters receive free medical care from the LTLA clinic, and I am trying to convince Anna to have her family take daily vitamin/mineral tablets offered through LTLA. The protein content and the level of basic vitamins and minerals in the food is appallingly low.

As a result of LTLA’s successful efforts to help folks get back on their feet, LTLA wants to focus less on relief work (i.e., food distribution) and spend more time on development work. Anna’s story is an excellent example of this renewed focus. In one year, LTLA will see if it is possible to find a university for Anna to attend in addition to a family that could watch over Anna’s sisters and keep them in school while she studies in another city. Feeding people is essential to life and health, and LTLA will continue to meet those essential needs wherever possible. However, teaching people to read and helping young people like Anna obtain an education will allow people in Zimbabwe to provide not only for themselves but will also offer another resource to help others, potentially eliminating the need for our relief. Interestingly, Arthur's wife, Mildred, is Anna’s friend. LTLA is paying for Mildred to finish her high school degree, and Anna is tutoring Mildred in her English studies. Many of LTLA’s good works get "passed-on" to others because Zimbabweans often share with each other what they have and what they know.

The Fish Project Ladies

2010-07-22T21:35:00.000-05:00

Core women of the Greenfield Fish Project. Each woman has started her own business and repaid the loan within four months.

The Fish Project Ladies. They really would like to start a chicken micro-economic project if capital investment was available.

Food distribution

2010-07-21T20:01:00.003-05:00

Distribution of cabbage and ground maize

Possibility of new school building

2010-07-21T19:56:00.002-05:00

LTLA may be able to collaborate in a new school project. Here is the site that is under consideration.

Another view of the site

Farm brick being made of mud at school site

More farm brick waiting to be fired

LTLA supported families

2010-07-21T19:48:00.003-05:00

One of the families supported by LTLA

These 3 guys live with their grandmother. There are 15 kids who live with Grandma. In the back, you can see all the maize (more than a ton) that the guys hauled 5 miles by hand to the house.

Critical Care Center

2010-07-21T19:44:00.003-05:00

Here are some of the children supported by LTLA through the Critical Care Center. These children are orphans who may be living with a relative. LTLA provides pre-school education and dietary nutrition.

Pre-school at the Critical Care Center

Another opportunity to help!

2009-08-07T14:07:00.002-05:00

We've seen how the previous donations in last year's container have touched the lives of hundreds in Zimbabwe. Right now, we're in the process of organizing another shipment to Zimbabwe. Because we're sending a smaller shipment this time, we're hoping to concentrate on critical items such as medical supplies, vitamins, etc. If the stories from this blog has touched your heart, and you would like to help in this next container, please send your check to the address listed on the right column menu. If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to email me at lilycompton@gmail.com with the Subject Heading "Zimbabwe Container" and I will forward your email to the people in charge of the shipment.

Reality in Zimbabwe...

2009-08-07T14:04:00.001-05:00

An update from Wilton and Nora:

Mrs James is the blind woman who lost her husband and has 5 children. She is under LTLA's care. When she came to collect her weekly food ration at LTLA, thieves broke into her home and stole all her clothes, blankets, etc. We then we gave her clothes for her family, blankets, jerseys. All these we got from the container.

Donation of water purifier

2009-07-31T09:17:00.002-05:00

LTLA gave a solar powered, UV water purifier to a grandmother with 3-4 children. These purifiers are expensive but this first one was donated by a friend of LTLA as a trial in rural Zimbabwe. But what is the value of the unit if it saves some children from some water born diseases?

Books for Sinoia Primary School

2009-07-15T14:02:00.004-05:00

Some of the books donated in the last container were given to the top primary school in Chinhoyi. The student enrollment at this school is approximately 600 students. In the past, LTLA have also helped to pay teachers' salaries. We hope to send more quality books in the October 2009 shipment.

Picture below shows LTLA team delivering the books to the school administrators

Assistance for Chinhoyi Prison

2009-07-08T13:52:00.005-05:00

Things are difficult in Zimbabwe. Many people cannot even afford one meal per day. LTLA is helping a lot of people, both young and old. These difficulties have also hit the prisons and inmates are dying in large numbers due to malnutrition and simple infections.

LTLA has made a committment of $200 monthly to help feed the inmates corn meal. Also, LTLA has given $200 for medication. Trynos, LTLA's nurse has placed an order with a wholesaler in Harare. In the future, LTLA would like to provide inmates with multivitamins.

Besides food and medication, the Chinhoyi Prison are also receiving library books. There is a possibility to meet and counsel the inmates.

Below are pictures of the inmates cutting the tree by hand in front of the prison. The prison is located in the city square.

Update on Critical Care Unit

2009-07-05T21:16:00.002-05:00

The Critical Care Unit, run by Wilton and Nora, is growing. Five children under 12 months were added to the milk and peanut butter program for infants. There are now a total of 11 under the baby formula program.

Also, seven older children have been added to the Critical Care Unit. There are now 14 children coming for feeding daily. These children are given porridge and peanut butter in the morning and sadza and beans/soyas and vegetables with peanut butter in the afternoon.
These children also receive one vitamin tablet per day.

Immunisation Program

2009-07-05T21:10:00.004-05:00

4000 children were immunised during a two week Immunisation program in June to help prevent against paralysis on children. The program was triggered by 4 children who suffered from paralysis. The Ministry of Health then sought help from the World Health Organisation. The World Health Organisation donated the vaccines to vaccinate the children in a bid to prevent this problem from spreading out.

Also, the Municipality of Chinhoyi approached LTLA for assistance with petrol. They also asked other organisations, but only LTLA responded favourably. LTLA assisted the Town Council with 20 litres of petrol.

Computer for the Zimbabwe Republic Police...

2009-05-18T09:01:00.004-05:00

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (Victims Friendly Unit) were using an old typewriter and were having problems in typing their court dockets and statistical information in time. Because of this LTLA gave this computer to them. On May 15, 2009, Wilton, Nora, Arthur and Matilda were present to hand the computer to the District Police Officer,(Makonde District) and the District Police Officer for Operations.

LTLA Medical Clinic

2009-05-12T08:13:00.005-05:00

Updates from Wilton...

Drs Felix Manyeruke and Nhio Matambo came to Chihoyi yesterday.(9 May) They did spend the whole morning attending to patients referred to them by our clinic and other Council clinics in Chinhoyi. It was wonderful to see people who had lost heart of ever going to consult a doctor because of the prohibitive fees which they charges consulting them. People expressed joy as they were seen by the doctors. The medicines were available and most patients were even shocked to learn that the medicines were available. The clinic has never had medicine for the past three years!!!! In what was a dead place, God has brought life to it once again.

Below is a picture of Felix (Dr. Manyeruke) receiving 31 boxes of medical books that were donated to the medical students and shipped in the container:

From left to right: Nora, Kudzi, and Felix (Dr.Manyeruke):

Going back in time....

2009-05-06T20:46:00.014-05:00

We're getting more pictures from our volunteers in Ames, Iowa from the days of collection and packing.

All the wonderful donations stored in Ames.

Our volunteers helping to sort and pack donated items into the Penske truck.

Touching more lives...

2009-05-05T14:16:00.005-05:00

Updates from Wilton

LTLA Staff and their Families
We at LTLA (Zim) would like to thank LTLA Board in USA and all those who contributed things for the container. Things are difficult and the hardships did not spare us here at LTLA (ZIM). We and our families got clothes, shoes and food. This includes Jim and Jeannette and one of their grand children. We all could not afford to buy clothes. We thank God for this. Arthur's family and my family (Wilton's) got bed sheets and some blankets in addition. Jamal"s stolen clothes were replaced. Now he has a red blankie.

Pots and Panes, Cutlery etc
We did not get a lot of these in the container.What we got we are at the moment using at the Critical Care Unit. We were short of these at the Critical Care Unit.

Chiswiti Family
The Chiswiti family benefitted so much from the container. Pastor Chiswiti and his family needed clothes. He desperately needed shoes. We gave them clothes and shoes for the whole family. We also gave them food (rice, cooking oil,beans, sugar,tinned foods,peanut butter etc). They are really grateful for the help they are getting from LTLA. They are also getting milk formula and baby foods.

Medication
So far we gave out only 10% of the medication to Jim. He and Jeannette came twice to the Ministry Centre to collect what they needed. We also gave to Jim some shampoos, soaps,suit, shoes and lotions for him and Jeanette. We are giving cough syrups and vitamin tablets as per need to people under LTLA. Vitamins are also being given to those who are HIV Positive. On Friday 04.04.09 we are going to give Presby Clinic medications.

This is the head nurse from the Lomagundi Clinic receiving some of the antibiotics and other misc items.

Clothing Distribution
So far we gave out 50% of the clothes to orphans and their guardians and all who are helped by LTLA under the old age and Chiswiti Clan programmes. Each child got two to three sets of clothes. We are yet to give out jerseys, shoes, socks, towels, etc.

We have families who stay in Mzari extension in Chinhoyi, (Machamire).These are very poor families that we have also helped with clothes. We gave a two sets of clothes per person

Wheelchair & Press Coverage

2009-05-05T14:11:00.004-05:00

Updates from Wilton

Tendayi Marowa is a man aged 25. In his family, most of them end up crippled as they grow. Tendayi has a Bachelor of Science degree in Town Planning. For him to be able to draw housing and industrial plans, he desperately needed a wheel chair. He has to go on site for him to be able to draw the site plans.

The Member of Parliament for Chinhoyi Constituency and the Mayor for Municipality of Chinhoyi approached our office if we could assist Tendayi with a wheel chair. On Sundayi 22.03.09 Wilton and Arthur went to Cold Stream township to handover the wheel chair to Tendayi.
When we got there, we were surprised to see crew members of Zimbabwe Television waiting for us. A large crowd had also gathered there. Wilton gave the wheelchair and gave a speech on whom LTLA is, What we do etc, Wilton emphasised on the word of God.He told all who were gathered there the importancy of having a relationship with God.

This event was screened on Zimbabwe Television for the whole of last week. We praise the Lord for being able to help this man who"s future was bleak despite being degreed because he had no wheelchair. This was a heart moving event.

Clothes, more clothes, and happy faces!

2009-04-26T22:42:00.010-05:00

Families waiting patiently and eagerly for distribution of clothes in front of Wilton's house.

Long lines but no complaints ...

... just smiling faces.

Piles and piles of clothes to share...

Arrival of container

2009-04-26T20:36:00.006-05:00

Pastor Martin (on the left) and Wilton as they begin to open the container. Pastor Martin has 30 churches in the POOREST areas of Zim. He consciously chose the most needy places around the country. He has already passed out most of his portion of the container contents. His relationships with officials allowed us to bring the container in without duty.

Container with labor of love

2009-04-26T20:29:00.004-05:00

The people of Ames (First Free Church, Ames High School students, Ascension Lutheran Church, St Thomas Aquinas Church, Fareway Grocery Stores, etc) and other friends from Iowa and the Midwest sent a 40' container to Zimbabwe in November 08. It arrived in Chinhoyi, Zim in late Feb and the $250,000 of donated clothes, medical supplies, food, books, etc. is being distributed. Enjoy some of the photos that have been posted here. LTLA is a group of common people who are trying to help meet an uncommon challenge in Zimbabwe. And while the headaches are many, the impact is beyond reasonable expectations. We hope you enjoy following our adventure in Zimbabwe as we together pursue our mission.