Prayer Bulletin -- Next Generation Leaders

December 29, 2016


Praying friends, please pray for four young LTLA men who have traveled to participate in an African continent conference sponsored by CRU (Campus Crusade for Christ). Shelton and Tatenda (current LTLA staff members) along with Simba and Lazarus (LTLA-discipled college students) boarded a bus yesterday for Lusaka, Zambia, where they will gather with 2000 other young Africans at the Pamoja Africa IV Conference from December 28 - January 2. (Pamoja means "together" in Swahili.)

Shelton, Lazarus, Tatenda, and Simba on their way to Pamoja Africa IV.
(Tatenda has a serious look in this photo, but usually he wears a big smile.
He may be nervous, as this is likely the first trip out of Zimbabwe for each of these young men.)

Jonathan & Shalom Govero will also be attending with several students from their ministry efforts at the University of Zimbabwe and Bindura University of Science Education. As stated in the conference description, "Pamoja Africa IV will challenge the participants to develop commitment and responsibility for their campuses, societies, nations and continent. We will help them on how to practice self-discipline and become leaders of integrity. We will encourage them to take initiatives to solve problems and lead change with biblical values. This will lead into growing spiritual movements and impacting not only campuses and churches but also the societies at large."

We are grateful for the collaborative effort by CRU to open up this opportunity for other organizations to send the fruit of our ministries to this conference. Please join us in praying for Shelton, Tatenda, Simba and Lazarus; for Jonathan, Shalom, and their students; and for the other 2000 in attendance, as they are all challenged and motivated to be laborers in God's kingdom work in Africa.


For His Kingdom & Glory,
Mike Sulc
Life to Life Africa

Wishing You a Very Merry Christmas

December 23, 2016


Christmas Greetings!

On behalf of the Life to Life Africa team, Arthur Nhau, LTLA Director in Chinhoyi, writes:

"Wishing you the beauty, blessings and joy this season brings. We are very grateful for the prayer and financial support you continue to give this ministry. Lives are being transformed physically and spiritually." 


The LTLA team memorized the following verse this month:

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

We are truly blessed by your partnership as we serve this wonderful, mighty, everlasting and peaceful Lord.

Mike and Arthur in Chinhoyi

Merry Christmas!

Mike Sulc & Arthur Nhau
Life to Life Africa

Investing in the Next Generation

December 22, 2016



When I was in my late 20s, I found myself not "fitting in" with the college students I was ministering among. At that time, the Lord impressed upon me the first 7 verses of Psalm 78. I recognized I was ministering to the "next" generation. "What I have heard and known, what our fathers have told us...the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, the wonders he has done," we are "not to hide" these things but "tell" them to the next generation. (Psalm 78:3-4) The impact of imparting these things to the next generation reaches "the children yet to be born and they in turn will tell their children... then they would put their trust in God." (Psalm 78:6-7)

In Chinhoyi, we are applying these instructions as we labor to see God's kingdom advance now and in the years to come. Our spiritual input focus from the beginning has been with young people. As their parents and caregivers noticed the impact of discipleship with this generation, the older women and men requested discipleship, which resulted in the Women and Men of Hope groups.

We have "discipled," or trained, the parents and caregivers in feeding their families through effective farming practices as well as income-generating entrepreneurial projects. As the younger generation has reached the working age, we are mentoring them in these same ways. This month we held a Foundations for Farming training for our young adult group, "Chosen Generation," so that they can assist their families in growing food. We are looking to launch them in income-generating projects in the coming year, so pray with us as we instill the value of work in the lives of young people.

Chosen Generation receiving Foundations for Farming training at the LTLA Community Center.

We are also reaching the next generation of young men through soccer. This month the Life to Life team traveled to play a soccer match with youth from a farming community where we hope to launch a satellite ministry effort. We are grateful to Cathy Twito, fellow Overflow Thrift Store co-founder, who secured Ames Soccer Club uniforms for our team.

LTLA soccer team at the farming community soccer "pitch."

Team members hamming it up for a "selife" in the back of the LTLA truck.

So the next generation knows,
Mike Sulc
Life to Life Africa

"I No Longer Need Assistance"

December 8, 2016


"I no longer need to receive the food that Life to Life Africa has faithfully provided to me for all these years," explained Faith Sixpence when she gave the ministry two large bags of corn last June as a tithe offering. “Words cannot express the gratitude I have for all the help I have received physically and spiritually,” she expressed effusively. “You have discipled me in the ways of God, have led my grandchildren to Christ, and empowered me to feed my family. Maita bassa!” ("Thank you" in Shona.)

Faith Sixpence next to her bags of harvested corn.

As a widow caring for her orphaned grandchildren, Faith has been a beneficiary of LTLA since almost the beginning of our ministry in Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe, over 10 years ago. She experienced the love of God expressed through our food distribution, monthly clinic, Women of Hope discipleship group and the Foundations for Farming training for effectively planting corn. Her granddaughter, Tendai, was led to Christ through our weekly Bible studies for orphans, and her grandsons, Kudzi and Tinotenda, are actively involved in our young adult orphan group, Chosen Generation.

Faith’s family was one of 24 families that we “graduated” from our food distribution program this year after we determined that we had helped get them through extreme circumstances. This step has enabled us to add 18 new families that we can share the love of God with and instruct in His ways. We seek to reach, establish and equip them in Christ as we did with Faith’s family.

Veronica Mushore (holding baby) standing with many of children she cares for in Chinhoyi.

Veronica Mushore’s family (above) is one of the 18 new families. She also is a grandmother who is caring for 10 “grandchildren.” Not all the children she cares for are her own. She took in Lusha and Bably after their parents both passed away. These two girls are participating in our Critical Care preschool program. She has added three other children whose parents abandoned them to her family, along with five of her own grandchildren whom she cares for.

Lusha and Bably attend the LTLA Critical Care Center. 

HIV/Aids is the major cause of the orphan crisis in Zimbabwe, but the current economic crises is contributing as well. Financial stress is breaking up marriages in Zimbabwe and fracturing families. Veronica rescued Shadrack, Lean and Dean when their parents separated and divorced, abandoning their children. God has called LTLA to step in and share God’s love in the chaos.



Would you help us continue reaching, establishing and equipping many more like Faith, Veronica and their families for Christ in Chinhoyi? 


Our operational budget in Zimbabwe is $8,000 monthly and we will need year end gifts to launch us into next year. Your special gift or monthly commitment will enable us to continue in 2017. You can contribute by sending your check payable to:

Life to Life Africa
PMB 344
10151 University Blvd
Orlando, FL 32817-1904

You can also donate online. If you are interested in doing so, please email me at mike.sulc@lifetolifeafrica.org and I can pass along instructions.

Thank you for considering how you can help. Your prayers and financial support make this ministry possible. Thank You!

Mike Sulc
Life to Life Africa

Why We Are Doing What We Are Doing

November 24, 2016


Thanksgiving Greetings!

May the Lord bless your day as you gather with family and friends to celebrate His bountiful goodness to us. I am truly grateful for your prayerful support of Life to Life Africa. It certainly upholds our ministry and the Lord's presence was with us on my recent trip. Thank you! (See Photos, Praises & Prayer Requests below)

"Why are we doing what we are doing?" That is what I asked our LTLA team while with them. "What is the vision and mission of LTLA?" That was my follow up question. To help us answer these questions, God led us to consider: who is He and what is He doing? What is His vision? What is His mission?

From 1 Chronicles 29:10-13, we see the great king of Israel, David, acknowledging God as the all great, powerful, glorious, victorious, and majestic king of this universe who is worthy of all our praise and worship. In Daniel 7:13-14,18, God reveals his plan to grant "one like a son of man" dominion over an everlasting kingdom that will be shared with the "saints of the Most High." Jesus came fulfilling this vision and declaring, "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God...for I was sent for this purpose," (Luke 4:43) and "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." (Luke 12:32) He then "sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:2)

Why are we doing what we are doing in Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe? Because God is the King and has established His Son, Jesus, as the Savior King of His kingdom. King Jesus has called us to proclaim the kingdom of God. May the Lord find us as faithful servants in His kingdom.

For His Kingdom and Glory,
Mike Sulc
Life to Life Africa

Mike meeting with the LTLA team under the shade of the Life Discipleship Center roof during 100 degree temperatures.

Mike had the opportunity to share about God and His kingdom with the Men of Hope group (not pictured), the Chosen Generation (young adult group, above), and with 30 university students and the end of semester banquet, below.

Praises & Prayer Requests: 

• God energized the LTLA team with this reminder: Jesus is the King of a good kingdom which He is pleased to give us and that He calls us to proclaim. 
• The LTLA team asked God for good relationships with 20 students which has happened. 30 students attended the end of semester banquet - a taste of God's kingdom. 
• The LTLA families have planted their corn and thanks be to God that rains have started. Do ask the Lord that if it pleases Him, the drought would end this year. 
• God blessed our Life to Life Zimbabwe Trust board meeting where we agreed to empower the LTLA staff to gain ownership in setting objectives and evaluating ministry areas as well as begin thinking of new initiatives. 
• Pray that in 2017 the Lord will help us assess well where we are as a ministry in order to establish long range planning for the future. 
• Pray that the Lord will guide us in how to respond to the needs of people in the current economic crises in Zimbabwe. 
• Pray for a peaceful transition to better governance in Zimbabwe. Click here for a video that describes the current situation.

Short-Term Missions Impact

October 25, 2016


On October 1-2, I had the privilege to visit with the Hopevale Church mission teams that traveled to Zimbabwe the last two summers. Pastor Dan Davis preached on serving Christ with our lives that Sunday morning and incorporated a powerful video that highlighted the impact of the Hopevale mission trips to LTLA in Chinhoyi. What a blessing it was to be with these dear co-laborers in Christ!
Here is the link to the video, which I thought you would enjoy viewing: Video on Mission Trips


Grateful to be an eye witness of the Lord's work in the lives of people!

Mike Sulc
Life to Life Africa

Planting Time in Zimbabwe

October 24, 2016


In the US farmers are harvesting their crops this month, while in Zimbabwe they are preparing their fields for planting. On October 12 we trained 18 new families in how to effectively plant plots of corn. They join the 66 other needy families that we continue serving in Chinhoyi.

We were able to add these new families after helping 28 families, who had been dependent on LTLA for assistance, get established in caring for themselves physically and spiritually. It is encouraging to be able to help the 18 new families, though we know that because of the worsening economic conditions in Zimbabwe things are still challenging for those we no longer assist. Please continue praying for the government to make changes in their policies that will enable the Zimbabwe economy to dig out of the deep hole it is in.

Pray also that these new families will discover the joy of the Lord as they follow His ways in planting their plots of corn. Pray for Diana, Itai, Cate and Mr. Chigwida, the LTLA Amdassadors team, as they encourage them in their efforts and as they minister to them spiritually. The photos below show the heart of this team and their training efforts with the new families.

Diana, LTLA Ambassador, just harvested onions from her garden, and is training her granddaughter (below) to be a gardener.

New families gathered for Foundations for Farming training at the LTLA Community Center (the new Life Discipleship Center in the background), where they learned to plant on time, with quality (row & plant spacing), and with joy.

Student Conference 

18 Students from Chinhoyi and 4 LTLA staff attended The Navigators Student Conference on Oct 7-9. Shelton, LTLA staff, reported that it was one the best conferences yet. He has attended them each year since 2011, when he was a first-year student at Chinhoyi University of Technology. Jonathan Govero, who organizes these conferences, in keeping with the planting season asked for prayer that the spiritual seeds planted will take root in the hearts of this next generation of leaders.

 

Prayer for Trip, Oct 23 - Nov 6 

I am on my way to Zimbabwe, where I will meet with Jonathan Govero and Arthur Nhau, LTLA Director in Chinhoyi, along with the Life to Life Zimbabwe Trust board of directors. Please pray as Arthur and I evaluate the ministry and make initial plans this week to present to the board on Saturday, Oct 28. Pray that the Lord will guide us in what He wants to accomplish through LTLA next year and in the years to come.

Your God-directed support makes this all possible!

Mike Sulc
Life to Life Africa