Sowers of the Word - LTLA Update - October 2026

 

Dear LTLA Friends, "Who are we?" Tinotenda asked loudly to 65 students and staff who were attending the Life to Life Africa College & Alumni Conference. Tinotenda is fruit of our high school ministry who is finishing his college degree this semester. The conference crowd shouted back, "Sowers of the Word!" Tinotenda then prompted the group, "What do we hold?" And the crowd enthusiastically responded with, "The seed that never dies!" That is how the seventh LTLA conference started. It was encouraging to be around so many eager and energetic young people. I was impressed to see young people waking up as early as 4:30am to get time with the Lord and to all be present for the large group devotional I led at 6:30am each morning. Thank you for your prayers for this conference and for my trip to Zimbabwe with Mike Shupp. The Lord sustained and spoke through Mike in his 18 hours of teaching which included 4 messages at the conference and 8 sessions for the Walk Through the Bible with 12 LTLA team members, along with teaching at the high school Bible study, at the Men of Hope meeting and being asked to preach a sermon when we arrived at the Evangelical Church in Chinhoyi. Needless to say Mike was exhausted at the end of the trip, but the following feedback from those who attended the conference and LTLA team members who participated in the Walk Through the Bible training has to encourage him: Students & Alumni "I need to make reading the Bible a habit because it is the truth and Christ is the Word, so I am spending time with Jesus when I read the Bible."  Astrid, alumni "I learned that we need to make reading the Bible a habit because it gives us hope, directs our path and helps us know God more. We also need to exercise our faith by putting it into practice and not giving up before trying."  Shamy, student "I learned that we need to be curious when reading the Bible by asking questions and letting God answer them. Also that we need to be diligent workers sharing the Word to win people and encourage them in Christ. This gives your life meaning and purpose."  Fadzi, student "The Word is the biggest gift you can give someone because it answers all of life's questions."  Aleta, alumni LTLA Team Members "From the Walk Through the Bible sessions, I learned that God has fulfilled all of his promises to Abraham. God may seem quiet as seen in the 400 years of slavery for the Israelites in Egypt but he was faithful to his promises. Like with Joseph, he trains us to be great people and the training is tough." Gogo Mildred "I thought the Old Testament was just a collection of stories but now I see how the stories are all connected. This training has helped me understand what the stories are leading to in the New Testament. I learned that God is faithful. Even when men fell, failed, complained and rebelled God kept his promises." Shallom "I learned that the probability of one man fulfilling just 8 of the prophecies concerning the Messiah is 1 in 10 to the 17th power. And Jesus fulfilled all of the prophecies!" Marvelous "The training provided an easy way to summarize the Old Testament and how the Abrahamic, Mosaic and Davidic Covenants culminate in the New Covenant at the cross." Shelton "After this training, I now have a tool that helps me summarize the Old Testament with people." Otillia "I really enjoyed the way he shared the general overview of the Old Testament in a very engaging manner that really encouraged us to see God working behind the curtains of history." Arthur We are grateful to Mike Shupp for the investment of sharing his time and Bible knowledge with the LTLA ministry. We are also grateful to each of you for your investment in prayer and finances toward this work of the Lord! Mike Sulc Life to Life Ministries, Africa Director Here are photos and videos from our trip and photos from the recent sustainable farming training with 36 family members.

Mike Shupp sharing a lesson with the Men of Hope.

Mike Shupp training LTLA team members with the Walk Through the Bible.

Video Link: https://youtube.com/shorts/Ytu-DnIIWtk Mike Shupp in action with the Walk Through the Bible.

Video Link: https://youtu.be/_SqPVRvHARo Marvelous, LTLA team member, in action with the Walk Through the Bible. We are grateful that she will translate the Walk Through the Bible leaders guide and participant handouts into Shona so that it can be used in our ministry efforts.

Mike Shupp speaking at the LTLA College & Alumni Conference.

Students and alumni enthusiastically singing praises to the Lord.

Video Link: https://youtu.be/Dqlgn6fynf4 Students and alumni enjoying the team games at the conference.

LTLA College & Alumni Conference group photo.

Shelton, LTLA Community Ministry team leader, leading the Foundations for Farming training.

36 families were trained in sustainably growing corn. Half of the group were receiving the training for the first time.

Mike & Mike - LTLA Prayer Bulletin - October 2026

Greetings again, Our team is grateful for your prayer support throughout the year and I certainly appreciate it when traveling to serve alongside them. Today, I arrive in Zimbabwe accompanied by Mike Shupp who will provide teaching & training with our team as well as speak at the LTLA Student & Alumni Conference. It will be a joy and blessing to have Mike with us! He has had a close connection to Life to Life Africa as he is Mary Ann Shimkus's second cousin. When my family arrived to Ames so I could serve LTLA, Mike & Sharie Shupp helped us move into our home. We got to know each other well through church and they have been very active in the Overflow Thrift Store venture. Sharie provides many volunteer hours and Mike utilizes his retail management experience serving on the board. Mike has a close relationship with the Lord and is a good teacher of God's Word. Ever since sitting through his Walk Through the Bible series, I thought it would be beneficial for our LTLA team. The plan is to have it translated into the local language, Shona, and our team members will be able to conduct the Walk Though sessions with groups in our ministry or from churches. There was also a need for a speaker at our conference, so he graciously accepted to do both on this trip.  Please pray for Mike Shupp as he provides 16 hours of teaching along with individual and small group interactions. I will have some teaching sessions with youth, young adults and devotionals at the conference along with meeting leaders and team members. Please also pray for fruit to result from the conference where students and alumni will be challenged to be sowers of God's Word with people in their lives. We would also love to see members of our team sharing the Walk Through the Bible with those to whom they minister and blessing church communities with it.

Mike Shupp & Mike Sulc at the Des Moines airport upon departure.

This is the LTLA conference announcement we have shared with students and alumni.

Thank you for holding us up in prayer! Mike Sulc Life to Life Ministries,  Africa Director

 

Time With God - LTLA Update - September 2026

 

Greetings LTLA Friends, Following the example of our Lord Jesus, extended time with God in prayer is a common practice for our teams in Zimbabwe, especially at the beginning of new school terms during the year. The primary and secondary schools divide up the year into three terms so the final term for this school year began this past month. Our Community & Training Ministry Teams took extra time in prayer in preparation to finish this year well.  The Training team, who minister to primary, secondary and college students along with young adults, spent days praying and planning at the LTLA Community Center. The Community Ministry Team, who minister to preschoolers and adults in Chinhoyi, also got away for a couple days of extended time with the Lord at a nearby retreat center. I asked the team leaders to have their team members share what impact these extended times with the Lord have on them personally and in ministry.  Arthur, who oversees the ministry and provides training for the Training team, provided the following responses for himself and from his team: Extended time in prayer has helped me a lot in cultivating my spiritual disciplines. I enjoy it so much that I have increased my time with the Lord. It is giving me a greater love for him and for people.  -Zviko I was troubled and trying to think if I was still of value before the Lord. I got some time to meditate and reflect from where God took me, being a double orphan having lost both my father and mother, to now I am caring for orphans. God reassured me that I have meaning, I am relevant and of value!  Time alone in prayer helped me refocus! -Prestege So for me one of the things that has really impacted me personally is learning to trust God every step of the way. I have been learning that prayer is not something I only do when I need something from God, but an important part of developing my relationship with Christ and depending on Him daily. It has helped me to seek Him more intentionally and to grow in my relationship with Christ. -Shallom When we pray together we stop competing and start caring for each other as well as working together as one team. (Acts 1:14) Our team has one spirit as the Holy Spirit takes over and leads us. Prayer is no longer an extra activity for us but it is the source of ministry. Without it we have nothing to give. -Tatenda The extended time in prayer has challenged me to grow deeper in my prayer life, and in trusting God. Now by the grace of God I have peace like a river even when the Lord's answer is "no."  I specifically asked the Lord for a good turnout of people to our ministry events and it is happening! Putting God first in everything has helped me to depend on God always and remain humble as I serve. -Marvelous My personal experience from the extended time in prayer is Jesus is my perfect  safe space because of His grace I am experiencing inner peace, love and joy. In ministry I have asked the Lord for daily opportunities to help others, to continually  share my faith and to trust God to guide me in ministering to people. -Stella In my time with the Lord I pleaded for a family situation. I am thankful for the peace he is giving me and the assurance that He is all-knowing. He is helping me to trust Him more. I may not know what the future holds but He does so I am committing it all to him and I continue to hear Him taking me to Romans 12:2 that His will is good, pleasing and perfect. -Arthur

LTLA Training Ministry Team (L to R) Zviko, Shallom, Arthur (behind), Stella, Tatenda, Marvelous, Prestege

Shelton, the Community Ministry team leader, provided the following observations from their team's extended time away with the Lord: After a long time in serving people, we needed to be refreshed in the Lord. Spending the day fasting was a good way to humble and surrender ourselves to the Lord. We felt God's presence and the time together united us as a team as we shared our personal prayer needs. People were open to talk about even their personal challenges. We prayed for each other personally and in our ministry efforts.  We did feel the enemy's attacks as Lunga couldn't be there since his brother was involved in an accident in Harare. We pressed through that attack and prayed for every ministry activity and for those who support our ministry. We had so much time in prayer that we called it a prayer marathon.  We were isolated from the noise of this world and focused on the Lord . A thing we needed after months of serving others. We were hungry to be in the presence of God hearing from Him.

The LTLA Community Team got away to a nearby retreat center for extended time in prayer with the Lord.

The Lord Jesus while on earth longed for those times with the Father and our teams know why he did. May we all experience the blessings of daily and extended times with the Lord, for "in his presence is fullness of joy," (Psalm 16:11) and "even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me." (Psalm 23:4) Sitting at His feet, Mike Sulc, Life to Life Ministries- Africa Director

Mission Trip Highlights - LTLA Update - August 2026

 

Dear LTLA Friends, Your prayers over the past month certainly empowered a lot of activity in Chinhoyi. Here are the highlights: Five LTLA team members and I shared talks and workshops for the Hatfield Presbyterian Church Retreat, led by Pastor Clarence and his wife Anna, a former LTLA team member. The theme of the retreat was Abiding in Christ. The talks and workshops focused on spiritual disciplines that help us abide, walk with and share Christ. Those workshops covered quiet time, scripture memory, meditation on scripture, a Gospel illustration (The Bridge) and a discipleship illustration (The Wheel). We were glad to encourage Clarence & Anna in their ministry efforts and to introduce their congregation to these spiritual disciplines and ministry tools.

Pastor Clarence (seated) and Anna (standing giving remarks) did a great job coordinating their church retreat.

Prestege (LTLA team member & Anna's younger sister) presented The Bridge illustration, a great tool for sharing the Gospel.

A team of nine people from Hopevale Church, wonderfully led by Kevin & Alison who were on their 3rd trip to Zimbabwe, blessed the work of LTLA by collaborating with us to conduct a vacation Bible school. Students are on break from school in August, so we took advantage of their weekday availability to run a VBS.  We were blessed and surprised by the number of students who came, including 140 and 132 elementary and middle school students on Monday and Wednesday. In addition, we had 37 high schoolers on Thursday, and a group of 40 young adults attended Tuesday's special meeting for the Chosen Generation ministry. We are grateful to Alison for spearheading this inaugural VBS. It was a big success and there is a request to add a component for our college ministry in the future. The Hopevale team also served at our Critical Care Center for pre-school orphans and shared at weekly youth Bible studies & discipleship gatherings as well as our Men & Women of Hope meetings. We are praying for much fruit to blossom from the seeds that were sown. The Hopevale Church team also assisted us in constructing and installing a new kitchen sink with counter & cabinets for one of the triplex units at our Community Center, where two LTLA team members and one student leader in our college ministry reside. They also helped trench a larger diameter water line for our drip irrigation tank so it can fill up quickly for watering our very productive vegetable garden. Harold (a master plumber who was on his 7th trip from Hopevale!) connected that water line along with water lines and a sewer line for a new bathroom at our neighborhood ministry house. He also installed the toilet and sink in that bathroom, which will serve the 50 children who attend a weekly Bible study. The photos below will show the Hopevale team in action. As you can see, it was an active and fruitful few weeks in Zimbabwe for the Life to Life Africa ministry. We are grateful for the opportunity to serve with the Hopevale Church mission team in Chinhoyi! Thank you for your prayers that sustained our efforts!! For His Kingdom and Glory, Mike Sulc Life to Life Ministry, Africa Director

Elementary to Middle School Age VBS day where we hosted 272 kids over two days.

Emersen (from Hopevale team with Fruit of the Spirit shirt) leading the children in a Fruit of the Spirit song.

Alexis (Hopevale team) helped her group of kids arrange the words for Galatians 5:22-23.

Sarah M (Hopevale team) sharing a Fruit of the Spirit activity with the kids.

Sarah L (Hopevale team) leading her group of kids in a game.

The high school students gathered for their VBS day.

Brandon (Hopevale team) sharing with the young adults on the Chosen Generation VBS day.

Alison (Hopevale team co-leader) spent time with the same discipleship group from two years ago.

Kevin (Hopevale team co-leader) spent time with Shelton (LTLA team leader to his left) and the men he disciples.

It was a group effort trenching for the new water line to the drip irrigation tank.

Mr Lunga (left) and Brandon (right) helping Harold make the new water line connection.

Mike holding the ladder for Harold to make the new water line connection to the drip irrigation tank.

Bob (Hopevale team) and Jonas (right), our go to carpenter in Chinhoyi, building new kitchen cabinets for our triplex at the LTLA Community Center.

Before and After photos of Bob and Jonas' handiwork.

Kevin and Harold (both from Hopevale) installing the sewer line for the new bathroom at the LTLA neighborhood ministry house.

Harold working on the new bathroom sewer line.

Toilet and sink installed in the new bathroom at the neighborhood ministry house.

Hopevale and LTLA group photo.

Mission Trip & Funding - LTLA Prayer Bulletin - July 2026

Dear LTLA Friends,


The Life to Life Africa team covets your prayers as we have the opportunity to serve alongside another Hopevale Church team next week. A Vacation Bible School will be conducted with the children, youth, & young adults as well as some facility improvements at our Community Center and White City neighborhood ministry house in Chinhoyi. Would you pray that the hearts of everyone involved would be drawn into the deep love of God and into an abiding trust in Christ?


I have arrived in Zimbabwe to assist the LTLA team in preparing for the Hopevale group. The LTLA team and I also have the opportunity this weekend to lead a spiritual enrichment retreat for the Hatfield Presbyterian Church that is being pastored by Clarence who is married to Anna, a former LTLA team member. The theme is Abiding in Christ and six of us will take turns teaching and leading workshops. Would you pray that our team be able to encourage this church family to abide in Christ in order to bear much fruit in their lives and in their community?

Lastly, we ask for your prayerful consideration of a special mid-year gift to carry us through this year. The hike in fuel costs has increased our expenses so we are running a bit behind budget. Thank you for considering how you can partner with us in carrying the love of God through Christ to orphans, widows, the vulnerable along with college students who are the future leaders in this country. 

Grateful for your prayerful support!

Mike Sulc
Life to Life Ministries, Africa Director 

Trauma - LTLA Update - June 2026

 

Greetings LTLA Friends, "A continent in trauma... Even a cursory look at the history of Africa will admit historical trauma across the continent...The prolonged and intergenerational nature of such trauma entrenches its impact deeply within societal structures and individual psyches... This means that many people in Africa live in a constant state of survival... These experiences leave deep emotional and psychological scars that affect both hearts and minds... and the daily struggle for survival erode(s) a sense of hope and security... Many suffer from anxiety, depression, and trauma-related stress, unable to process the loss and grief they've endured."  This assessment from the Awakening Africa Report, published by the South Africa-based Mergon Foundation, accurately describes the challenges that the Life to Life Africa team faces in Zimbabwe. The report also presents ministry to youth, women and the development of Christ-centered leadership as key strategic opportunities which are a focus of our ministry efforts. We will glean further insights from the report to help guide our ministry plans. You can download the Awakening Africa Report by scrolling to the bottom of the page at the following link: https://mergon.co.za/awakening-africa-report-insights-for-kingdom-mobilisation/ The report highlighted the need for trauma ministry in Africa, which is something we certainly have seen in our ministry efforts. I have shared with you in recent months about Tatenda, an LTLA team member, who recently has transitioned out of a residential Christian counseling program to help him heal from trauma in his life. The week after his release he participated in the Trauma Competent Care Training that was delivered by Hope's Promise, a ministry in Mutare doing similar work as LTLA. Simba, who leads our ministry efforts in Mutare, joined in this training and shared the following report from the training: "It was a life changing opportunity for me. I discovered that I had so many traumatic events in my life as a child that I need healing. The training helped me reflect on my past and open things that I thought were water under the bridge. They helped me realize that my past can affect my future if not resolved, that my past does not define my future and that Christ can help me heal from my past trauma."

Tatenda (left) and Simba at the Trauma Competent Care Training.

Tatenda's mother had him out of wedlock and she died when he was young, leaving him to be cared for by her mother. He was not accepted by the rest of the family, and when his grandmother passed away he was essentially left without a family. The LTLA team has become his family as they have been ministering to him since his late high school years. Simba also lost his mother at a young age in Mutare at which time his father abandoned him, leaving him to be cared for by his mother's sister in Chinhoyi. LTLA ministered to him through high school and his college years after which time he was trained for ministry when he felt called to invest in the lives of young people as was done with him.  As we minister to people in these circumstances, Isaiah 61 is a guiding passage of scripture for LTLA. We know from Luke 4 that Jesus read from that chapter and declared, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." (Luke 4:21) It is Jesus who, "bind(s) up the brokenhearted, proclaim(s) freedom for the captives, release from darkness for the prisoners, proclaim(s) the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, comfort(s) those who mourn and provide(s) for those who grieve, bestow(ing) on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair." (Isaiah 61:1--3) Thank you for partnering with us as we lead the brokenhearted, captives, prisoners, those mourning, grieving and despairing to Jesus for healing and to become "oaks of righteousness." (Isaiah 61:4) Mike Sulc Life to Life Ministries, Africa Director We were blessed to have a mission team from The Navigators Mid-America region serve in Chinhoyi for a few days this past month. Here are some photos:

Caleb & Sarah, from The Navigators Mid-America region mission team, taught a lesson on Jesus as the light of the world to this group of youth at the LTLA youth Bible study.

Blake & Julia, from The Navigators Mid-America region mission team, hanging out with LTLA high school youth after leading their Bible study.

The Navigators Mid-America region mission team with the LTLA Training Ministry team.

Quiet Determination - LTLA Update - May 2026 sent

 

Dear LTLA Friends, Before I provide an update on May activities undertaken in Zimbabwe, I would like to pass along a story shared with me by Shelton Nhundu, LTLA Community Ministry leader in Chinhoyi: "Every other Saturday at 5:00 AM, while most people are still asleep, Mr. Sunday gets up with quiet determination. His legs are weak and painful so he leaves his home a couple hours early in order to arrive in time for the LTLA Men of Hope meeting.  Walking is slow and difficult, yet he still makes the journey to our men’s Bible study fellowship. No excuses. No complaints. Just steady, faithful commitment. In a world that often chooses comfort over conviction, Mr. Sunday shows us what real devotion looks like. His body is limited, but his love for Christ and hunger for God’s Word drives him to endure. He refuses to let weakness keep him from fellowship with the Lord and his brothers. Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23) Mr. Sunday carries his cross with every slow, painful step — and he does it willingly. Let his example stir our hearts: Don’t wait for perfect conditions. Don’t let limitations silence your faith. Show up, even when it’s hard. Mr. Sunday’s faithfulness is a powerful sermon without words. May God give us all a heart like his — one that presses through pain and inconvenience just to be with Jesus and His people.

Mr Sunday (right) with Lunga, LTLA Men of Hope leader, who meets with him at his home on Fridays.

Thomas Gilbert, Life to Life Ministries president, provided a very good summary of the work of LTLA after his visit to Zimbabwe in May. You can read that summary at life2lifeafrica.blogspot.com and here is Thomas sharing about the Student Leader Training he facilitated during his visit: "This was definitely the highlight! First of all I got to see Simba (Mutare Ministry Director) and his wife Pamela as they attended and brought some key Manicaland State University students. Additionally, I got to spend time leading these students and students from Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT) in ministry topics that are important to me. We not only did studies, but we applied them together. We focused on 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12. Verse 8 is a clear verse about the power of sharing your life with people (hence: Life To Life Ministry). We had 3 areas of study from the verses: 1. "Shoko"! (scriptures) v3 "not in error, impurity, deceit" (2 Tim 2:15) How to write your own Bible study How to lead a Bible study group Bible Interpretation exercises 2. Sharing! v2,4 "boldness to speak the gospel" How to share our faith regularly & relationally Apply: pair up and share with students on campus or along the road 3. Security! v4,6 "not pleasing men, but God" The 2 components of ministry as illustrated by the mother v7 love & the father v11 truth, require the minister to have a secure I.D. in Christ in order to put the needs of others before yourself. It takes security in Christ to love like Christ did in John 13:4 and to share truth like the Proverb 27:6. These 3 pillars are essential to all ministry. It was awesome to see people get excited as we applied these things, especially when we shared our faith on campus at CUT and broke out into small groups to write a Bible study on our own. For some it was their first time attempting to write a personal Bible study. The student with whom I went out on evangelism said, 'I'd like to do this more often!'" Thank you for your investment through your prayers and financial support in the work of LTLA which is making disciples of Christ among the old and the young in Zimbabwe! Below you will find photos from the Student Leader Training and the good harvest of broccoli from the LTLA vegetable garden. I am pleased to report that it was a really good harvest for corn this year for the families we serve which will enable them to feed their families for 4-5 months!  Joyfully in Him, Mike Sulc Life to LIfe Ministries, Africa Director

Student leaders from Chinhoyi and Mutare learned how to share their faith at the Student Leader Training. They then paired up and went out to share the Gospel on the campus at Chinhoyi University of Technology.

Student leaders broke into groups of 4 and were assigned a chapter of the Bible and tasked with writing their own Bible study. They did great!

Student Leader Training group photo.

Diana (left) and Gogo Mildred displaying the broccoli harvest from the LTLA vegetable garden.