Arriving in Zimbabwe - LTLA Prayer Bulletin - October 2025

 

Dear LTLA Friends, Today I arrive in Zimbabwe and covet your prayers not only for me but also for my sister and brother-in-law who will arrive on Saturday. It has been a blessing this year to have family visit the work of Life to Life Africa. I am excited to have Tim and Debbie experience what God is doing and to contribute with their gifted experience. Tim has been involved in training business as mission practitioners initially in Brazil as he prepared kingdom minded entrepreneurs to enter closed countries to traditional missionaries. He now travels to encourage the work of these pioneers carrying the Gospel through their business ventures. This week he has been involved in a business as mission conference in Cape Town, South Africa. He and Debbie have been joined at the conference by Shalom Govero, wife of Jonathan, who are leading the work of The Navigators in Zimbabwe. They are keen to create a business as mission movement among entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe to help carry the work of God's kingdom there and beyond.

Debbie, Shalom & Tim at the FORGE 2025 Conference

Shalom is actively coaching and discipling young women entrepreneurs. This Saturday Tim will share his experience in the field with these and other entrepreneurs in Harare. Then he will share with our LTLA team on Monday & Tuesday. Debbie, who is a retired music teacher, will enjoy working with the LTLA team members who work with children to incorporate singing and the use of small handheld instruments which she has graciously gifted the ministry. On Tuesday, she will be able to work directly with the Critical Care Center children. Do pray for me in my meetings with the LTLA team leaders as well as the ministry trustees as we evaluate the year and prayerfully consider plans for next year. On my return I will stop in Orlando to visit Thomas Gilbert & Jim Cunneen who minister there and oversee the work of Life to Life Ministries. Grateful for your partnership in prayer! Mike Sulc Life to Life Africa

Your Kingdom Come - LTLA Update - Sept 2025

 

Dear LTLA Friends, I want to thank you for your partnership in the work of Life to Life Africa. Through your generous financial and prayer support, we are engaged in advancing God's kingdom in Zimbabwe. As Zimbabweans would say, "Maita bassa," which means thank you for a job well done!  Through the faithful efforts of the team members in Chinhoyi and Mutare, Zimbabwe, we are seeing young and old placing their faith in Christ, growing as disciples of Christ and becoming laborers in His harvest fields. Jesus not only came to "preach the good news of the kingdom of God," (Luke 4:43) but as he told the disciples of John the Baptist, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor." (Luke 7:22-23)  As Jesus cared for the physical needs of people, Life to Life Africa is also sharing the love of God with the people as we provide food along with training in growing food, as we nurture preschool orphans along with sponsoring students to attend school, and as we provide medical care for the sick along with counseling help for the hopeless. Thank you for joining us as we pray, "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven..." along with the remainder of the Lord's prayer. (Matthew 6:9,10)  We are asking the Lord to guide us and to continue to sustain our efforts to see his kingdom come in Chinhoyi as well as Mutare and wherever the Lord spreads the fruit of our ministry in keeping with Isaiah 60:22 & 61:9. For His kingdom and glory, Mike Sulc Life to Life Africa Please Also Pray For:

Thomas Gilbert, Life to Life Ministries president, arrived in Chinhoyi yesterday and will be with the team this week and next. He will speak at the LTLA Student Conference Oct 9-12. He is seated with (L to R) Zviko, who leads our college ministry in Chinhoyi, Arthur, who leads the work of Life to Life in Zimbabwe, and Simba, who leads the ministry efforts in Mutare.

Today Thomas joined the Life to Life Training Ministry team for their meetings.

Shelton, who leads the Community Ministry efforts in Chinhoyi, asks for prayer for his wife, Tinotenda, who is 13 weeks pregnant. Tinotenda is diabetic and pregnancies are very hard for her. You may remember they lost their first child at 8 months, but the Lord blessed them with their daughter Kunashe, a year later. She is now a spunky two year old as you can see from her facial expression in this photo.

Third Term Praises & Prayer Requests - LTLA Update - August 2025

 

Greetings LTLA Friends, As a new school year begins for us in the US, in Zimbabwe their primary and secondary schools, which run on a calendar year, begin their third and final term in September. The Life to Life Africa team follows the rhythm of evaluating and planning their activities for each term. So, recently the team prayerfully reflected on the second term of 2025 and made plans for the remaining four months. Here are praises and prayer requests from the Training and Community Ministry teams in Chinhoyi along with praises and prayer requests from the Mutare team, which is comprised of Simba & Pamela with Tinotenda, who is fruit of our high school ministry in Chinhoyi and is a student at Mutare Polytechnic: Chinhoyi Training Ministry Team focusing on primary, secondary, university students and young adults Praises God continues to give us spiritual fruit among the younger generations to whom we minister. Thankful that Life to Life Ministries president, Thomas Gilbert, will visit and speak at the student conference Oct 10-12. Marvelous, one of our team members, is engaged to be married to Abraham in December. Prayer Requests We desire to reach even more young people. Each of the six team members wishes to share the gospel with 25 students at Chinhoyi University of Technology this semester, for a total of 150 students with whom the gospel is shared. That God will raise up a "Timothy" and a "Lydia" who are discipled and trained in ministry among our high school & university students as well as from the Chosen Generation group; our young adult group. That God will bless the student conference October 10-12. May it not just be a gathering but a catalyst for spiritual generations to be produced through the lives of those who attend. For spiritual protection of the ministry, the team members and the fruit of the ministry.

Our first Bible study gathering this semester for Chinhoyi University of Technology students. Half of the group were first year students which is a big praise!

Marvelous and Abraham are engaged to be married in December.

Chinhoyi Community Ministry Team focusing on the adults along with preschool orphans in the community Praises The men that are meeting weekly for discipleship with team members, Lunga and Brian, are showing themselves to be faithful, available and teachable. There are three groupings of weekly discipleship meetings for women. The ministry through a kind gift of donors who visited the ministry last year provided the start up capital for one lady to begin a successful  income generating project where she buys live chickens, butchers them and sells chicken cuts.  Overflow Thrift Store provided funds that enabled us to install solar power at the future home of our second Critical Care Center location along with a well for water at our current Critical Care Center. Prayer Requests Our Men of Hope group has dwindled as some have passed away and with age the others are unable to walk to our meeting place. We are asking the Lord for more men to whom we can minister. We are sharing the generosity training we received with people, so pray that generosity takes root in our lives and in the lives of those we are discipling. The Community Ministry team is growing in faith and drawing closer in their walks with the Lord, which is another praise. Pray that from the overflow of their walk with Christ they remain focused on the vision to reproduce their lives spiritually. Pray with us for another successful farming season for the families we serve. May the people be faithful in their efforts and the Lord provides the needed rains.

The group of faithful, available and teachable men that are meeting every Friday for discipleship.

One of the groups of women who meet on Fridays for discipleship. Spiwe (far right), who is running the successful "chicken cuts" business is growing spiritually as well.

Solar panels at our White City neighborhood house where we host the weekly Children of Hope Bible study and where we will add a second Critical Care Center location for preschool orphans. Overflow Thrift Store generously provided the funds for installing this solar system along with drilling a well at our Critical Care Center which stopped receiving city water due to poor city infrastructure maintenance.

Drilling the well to provide water at the LTLA Critical Care Center.  Video Link:  https://youtube.com/shorts/UIQbgz6JNC0

The LTLA Critical Care Center preschool orphans now have good clean water to drink. In this photo they are lining up to wash their hands before lunch.

Mutare Ministry Team focusing on college students Praises Key students at Manicaland State University of Applied Sciences (MSUAS) in whom Simba has invested are back and they met last Friday to plan for the semester. The MSUAS administration continues to welcome the presence of Life to Life Ministry with open arms. One of our key students was invited to share about our activities at the new student orientation last week. (see video below) Prayer Requests Simba will be equipping Tinotenda, who is fruit of our high school ministry in Chinhoyi, to help him disciple the key MSUAS students. Tinotenda is enrolled at Mutare Polytechnic and lives with Simba & Pamela. They will host monthly in-depth discipleship training sessions at their home for these key students. Pray for open doors for Simba to join Tinotenda to minister to students at Mutare Polytechnic. The school administration is more restrictive of extra-curricular activities on their campus than MSUAS. Pray for continued strong relationships with the chaplin and the dean of students at MSUAS. Pray for God to lead Simba to those who are thirsty for God and his Word.

Lucy, a second semester first year student in Accounting at MSUAS, represented Life to Life Ministry and described the ministry's purpose as well as our activities at the new student orientation last week.  Video Link:  https://youtube.com/shorts/COMhnSQiTTU

We give praise to God for your faithful support in prayer and finances! Mike Sulc Life to Life Africa

Reflections - LTLA Update - June & July 2025 sent

 

Greetings LTLA Friends, Thank you for your prayers for the LTLA ministry and the groups that served there last month. The first group was comprised of Ed Hett and his three teenage children: Justus, Elise and Abigail. Ed's father and mother in law, Rex & Debbie Rector, oversaw the building of the triplex at the LTLA Community Center back in 2012. Here are their reflections from the experience serving with the LTLA team: "I saw God working through the ministry in many ways, but the most vivid for me was faithfully providing for those who have been abandoned by the world. The depth of love and care that I witnessed between the workers at LTLA was incredible. The sacrifice for one another was inspiring and something that is rarely seen in this world. The community cared for one another and worked very hard to be faithful to one another's needs. This community, that God is moving and directing, is physically becoming Father to the fatherless. The ministries to the orphan, the widow and the alien were clear. With all that, the spreading of the gospel was still being done as well and central to all action. We feel truly blessed to have been able to share the week with the LTLA team, and our lives will never be the same."  Ed Hett "I saw God working through the soft-spoken and quiet, those who I didn't hear talk but their actions spoke volumes."  Justus Hett "I saw God working through LTLA to minister to every age. The key lesson I learned was that no individual is able to do their part of the ministry without the team."  Elise Hett "I saw God helping people through LTLA by providing spiritual and physical care. I learned to appreciate what I have."  Abigail Hett The second group that served was a family affair as my brother in law, Josh Bundt with his wife, Amanda and their three children: Edi, Gabby and Caleb joined my family: Julie, Johanna and Micaela.  Here are reflections from Josh, Amanda, Gabby and Johanna: "I witnessed the body of Christ in action (Rom 12): many different gifts, all serving together, serving one another, all for the glory of His Kingdom. God taught me that his strength is shown in our weakness and not to underestimate how He will use us (our family)."  Josh Bundt "The impact of the LTLA ministry is far reaching to the second and third generations. The ministry cares deeply for the community as shown through the Critical Care Center for pre-school orphans, the weekly youth Bible studies and the outreach to those living at the landfill. It was a blessing to do daily devotions and Bible studies where the love of Christ flows through the cultural and language barriers."  Amanda Bundt "I was amazed by how many people LTLA reaches from every age group. I learned that helping others when you expect nothing in return brings great joy!"  Gabby Bundt "I was so blessed by my brothers and sisters in Christ who work with my Dad. They were so welcoming, kind and encouraging. Diving into God's Word with them was beautiful to see how the blood of Christ unites us. It was an experience that will shape the rest of my life." Johanna Sulc Both groups were a great encouragement as the LTLA team shared words of gratitude and blessing to each group upon their departure. As you can see from the reflections above the feelings were mutual. The photos and video below display the blessings of the experiences. Grateful for the blessed experiences, Mike Sulc Life to Life Africa

Abigail on the ladder and Elise painting one of the triplex bedrooms. All three triplex units were plastered and painted for the first time, covering up the bare concrete walls.

Ed watching Justus cut a tile. They did an excellent job instructing Zviko and Tino in the fine art of tiling.

Tino (left) and Zviko were trained in tiling by Ed & Justus. Tino & Zviko showed proficiency in tiling, a skill they can use to earn some extra income.

Zviko (left) and Tino putting the finishing touches on tiling by the sink in one of the triplex units.

Ed helped get one of the drains unclogged. His plumbing skills came in handy and he was able to provide plumbing training to Shelton, LTLA Community Team leader.

Justus (left) joined in this "hood" Bible study, where guys get together for encouragement in their relationship with Christ.

Elise rode in the back of the truck with all the kids being picked up for youth Bible study, including the kids from the landfill.

Abigail with LTLA Critical Care orphans.

The Hett family with the LTLA team by the triplex, built by Uncle Rex, where they helped paint and tile the interior.

Abigail, Justus and Elise with the Chosen Generation (young adult) group. Justus facilitated the discussion.

Micaela, Edi and Johanna also joined the Chosen Generation (young adults) group with Johanna facilitating the discussion.

Johanna teaching "Jesus Loves Me" to the youngest kids at the Children of Hope Bible study.

Josh sharing with Men of Hope.

Amanda sharing with Women of Hope.

Julie and Tinotenda (Shelton's wife) preparing a dinner meal.

The Hett family introduced the fun card game of "spoons."

Tatenda & Zviko enjoyed continuing to play "spoons" with the Bundt & Sulc families.

Gabby holding one of the broiler chickens as Caleb and Edi look on with Brian.

Julie (at the sink) and Marvelous (with the hat) demonstrating washing laundry by hand.

Caleb and Gabby shared a Bible story and taught a game with the youngest group at the LTLA Community Center youth Bible study.

Edi (left) and Micaela spent time hanging out with Daisy, whose father, Arthur, directs LTLA in Zimbabwe.

Josh spoke on the ethical use of artificial intelligence to a group of faculty and staff at Chinhoyi University of Technology. Josh is the Chief Technology Officer at the Military Academy so it was good to have him serve the university in this way.

The Bundt & Sulc families with the LTLA team during a devotional.

Bundt & Sulc families with the LTLA team.

Zimbabwe Bound - LTLA Prayer Bulletin - June 2025

Greetings LTLA Prayer Partners,

Today I am scheduled to arrive in Zimbabwe in preparation to host some families, including my own, who will be serving alongside the LTLA team. On Sunday, Ed Hett will arrive with three teenage children, Justus, Elise and Abigail, to help make improvements to the triplex at the Community Center along with participating in ministry discipleship meetings throughout next week. Ed is the son-in-law to Rex & Debbie Rector who built the triplex in 2012. Rex is now with the Lord, but we know he would be thrilled, along with Debbie, to have family return to serve Life to Life Africa.

On June 26 my wife, Julie, as well as our teenage daughters, Johanna & Micaela, arrive and the following day, Julie's brother's family lands in Zimbabwe. Josh & Amanda Bundt, are bringing Edi, Gabby & Caleb to experience serving the Lord in another country. Our children will engage in ministry with preschool orphans at the LTLA Critical Care Center as well as with the youth LTLA are discipling. Josh, Amanda & Julie will share Christian life lessons with adults in the ministry. Josh, who is career Army and a professor at the US Military Academy will engage in his field of computer science with a professor and graduate students at Chinhoyi University of Technology. Amanda, who is a professional photographer, will train a couple team members to capture good photos and videos of what God is doing through LTLA.

Please hold us up in prayer in the following ways:

• Delay-free travel so the long trip is not prolonged.
• Safety and good health for everyone.
• Peace of mind for the children and parents as they adjust to the new culture and environment.
• Fruitful interactions that share God's love and elicit a deeper faith in Him.
• Productive progress with facility improvements.
• Life-transforming experiences that draw all involved into a closer relationship with Christ.

Thank you for your prayers! I look forward to sharing how God will work.

Trusting & serving our Lord,

Mike Sulc
Life to Life Ministries - Africa Director

Passing It On - LTLA Update - May 2025

Important Donation Notice: When making donations to Life to Life Africa, checks need to be made out to Life to Life Ministries with "Africa" written in the memo line. Our organization is registered as Life to Life Ministries with the IRS and our bank needs checks made out to our registered name. See below our updated giving instructions. Thank you for your attention to this change. Greetings LTLA Friends, As the university semesters come to an end here in the US this month, so do most of the semesters in Zimbabwe. The LTLA teams in Chinhoyi and Mutare have been busy passing on the good news of Jesus and discipling students this semester. Here are reports from Chinhoyi and Mutare: Chinhoyi University of Technology Ministry Zviko Charariza, LTLA college ministry leader in Chinhoyi, shares that he is encouraged by two students in particular who have demonstrated an eagerness to know Christ more deeply this semester. Emmanuel, who hails from Bulawayo (the second largest city in the south of Zimbabwe) and is from the Ndebele tribe, has been discipled by Arthur Nhau, LTLA Director in Zimbabwe. Emmanuel is soft spoken but demonstrates faithfulness, availability and teachableness- a FAT guy. Arthur says he is moving toward being a man of FAITH, as he has the H- heart for God & people, but just needs to add the I- initiative to minister to people. Would you pray for Emmanuel as Arthur maintains contact with him from a distance as he will be away for a one year internship?

Emmanuel (right) with Daniel who visited from Iowa last year.

The other student who has proved to be a FAT person, is Eva. She faithfully has been attending the weekly meetings and inviting others to join. LTLA college ministry co-leader, Marvelous Makumbirofa, hopes to begin meeting with her for discipleship next semester. Would you pray that Eva avails herself for discipleship especially since it will be her final semester?

Eva (left) participating in a game during the weekly fellowship meeting.

Marvelous shared the photo below of the recent ladies fellowship outing. These ladies are all involved in discipling relationships with Marvelous as well as Stella and Prestege, the other LTLA Training Ministry team members. Marvelous highlighted that in this photo, Mitchell invited her fellow first year classmate Precious, to our ministry fellowship and Miriam invited Faith. Fadzai and Rumbidzai have actively been inviting friends to join our ministry fellowship. Aleta is the spiritual "daughter" and "granddaughter" of two former students who were discipled through our ministry.  As you can see God is blessing the ministry with women of FAITH. Would you pray for continued fruitfulness among the women on campus and that God would raise up men of FAITH (Faithful, Available, Initiators, Teachable, Heart for God & people)?

(L to R) Daisy, Mirriam, Mitchell, Faith,Fadzai, Rumbidzai, Marvelous, Stella, Precious and Aleta.

Mutare - Manicaland State University of Applied Sciences Simba Mangore. LTLA Mutare Ministry Director, reports that the Lord has given him twelve students to intentionally disciple at Manicaland State University of Applied Sciences (MSUAS).  They have hosted many students at their home for fellowship gatherings as seen from the photos below.

Fun Mutare student ministry gathering.

Mutare guys gathering.

Simba asks for your prayers as he plans to expand ministry efforts to Mutare Polytechnic, where Tinotenda from Chinhoyi is enrolled. Tinotenda has established relationships with classmates this semester so is ready to begin gathering students for Bible studies. Simba also asks for prayers for the following FAITHful students with whom he plans to meet weekly on the weekends next semester to equip them for ministry at MSUAS.

Lucy. Tino & Panashe will be second year Accounting students next semester at MSUAS.

Faith will be a second year accounting student next semester at MSUAS.

Emmanuel will be a fourth year student studying software engineering at MSUAS.

Simba shared the following verses that he is asking God to fulfill as he serves the Lord in Mutare: Genesis 26:4, Isaiah 43:4, Isaiah 46:4, Exodus 4:12 and Hebrews 11:8. I encourage you to look up these verses which proclaim God's promises. Like Abraham, Simba moved to a new place last year not knowing what to expect. The Lord has blessed him for stepping out in faith. Trusting the Lord's Promises, Mike Sulc Life to Life Ministries, Africa Director 515-520-3607

IMPORTANT: Donation Clarification for Life to Life Africa & Mike Sulc

Dear Donors,

Thank you for your faithful support of Life to Life Africa and of me as I direct this ministry to orphans, widows and the poor as well as to college students in Zimbabwe. The Lord has sustained our ministry efforts through your prayerful support for more than twenty years. Thank you!!

I am writing to inform you that donations made for the work of Life to Life Africa and to Mike Sulc will need to be made out to Life to Life Ministries with "Africa" or "Mike Sulc" written in the memo line to designate the gift accordingly. Our ministry is registered as Life to Life Ministries with the IRS and our bank needs donations made out to the name listed on our account. The bank is stepping up their security measures due to increased fraud in the banking sector. They had allowed donations made out to Life to Life Africa in the past but they can no longer allow that.

You may have recurring payments set up through your bank's Bill Pay system to send donations, so please make sure the donations are being made to Life to Life Ministries with a designation of "Africa" or "Mike Sulc" in the memo line. If you wish to split your donation between the Africa and the Sulc accounts you can include a note specifying the amount to each. Thank you for your attention to this change. I am sorry for the inconvenience it may cause. Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions.

Grateful for your faithful, generous, and prayerful partnership!!

Mike Sulc
Life to Life Ministries - Africa Director
515-520-3607