"I am Willing to Wait"

"Anna is willing to wait 10 years until her youngest sister is finished with high school before she attends college." Ron Shimkus shared this in his July 2010 LTLA report. At that time Anna was 20 years old and had been the head of household for her three younger sisters since she was 17 years old, when her mother passed away. 

 

Anna & Prestege (back) Ruvimbo & Vimbai (front) in 2010 (from the Ron Shimkus newsletter).

 

It has been ten years and I am delighted to report that Anna just completed her first year of a two year diploma in Child Safeguarding, Protection and Care at Catholic University of Zimbabwe, which is near her home in Harare. It is an appropriate degree for someone who has a big heart for children and a lot of experience caring for them. While caring for her younger sisters, Anna worked in the LTLA Critical Care Center for preschool orphans and then launched the LTLA weekly Bible study for primary and secondary children out of her home. Since then she married Clarence Tungunu who is a Presbyterian pastor, and they have a three year old daughter, Iana. I am also happy to report that Anna is 4 months pregnant. She asks for prayers that her high blood pressure would not adversely affect her pregnancy. 

 

Anna, Iana & Clarence Tungunu at LTLA Community Center while attending Ottilia's wedding in March 2020.

 

Here is a report on Clarence & Anna's ministry efforts: 

 

 "We serve at the Lovemore House of Study (LHS) of the Presbyterian Church of Zimbabwe in the Cranborne section of the capital city, Harare. On 28 July, 2019, we launched a church plant at LHS. It is with great joy to report that the congregation continues to persevere in the midst of the COVID-19 lockdown which has restricted our ability to gather for worship since March of this year. We are using WhatsApp and Facebook platforms to hold our services and are meeting in homes for smaller gatherings with those who are not able to participate in those online platforms. Pray for us as we meet the spiritual needs of those to whom we minister in these very restrictive and challenging days." 

 

Members of the Lovemore House of Study church plant.

 

"With Anna's heart to minister to children we launched an outreach to the children in our neighborhood who happen to be children of police officers and of soldiers as there is a Zimbabwe Republic Police camp as well as a Zimbabwe Army barracks nearby. We were conducting a weekly Bible study along with other fun activities for the children but like everything else those activities have been suspended during this pandemic. We eagerly desire to restart this outreach once we are given freedom by the government to do so." 

 

Anna with neighborhood children during one of their activities.

 

"In response to needs in our community during the pandemic we have undertaken two initiatives. We have identified a group of homeless people living by the Mukivisi River and have provided them with food as well as ministering to their spiritual needs. The other initiative is making facemasks because the goverment has declared that not wearing a mask in public is a crime. So we have been making reusable cloth facemasks and distributing them to our vulnerable community." 

 

LHS church plant members with the food supplies for the homeless.

LHS church plant members making facemasks.

 

 "Finally we are also utilizing our property at LHS to grow cabbages and tomatoes as a way to help fund our ministry efforts. We desire to add poultry production and be able to provide employment opportunities as well as commercial agricultural skills through a training program. Pray with us as we seek to establish this Vegetable & Poultry Farming Training Centre." 

 

Tomatoes growing at LHS.

Cabbages growing at LHS.

 

What a joy to share how God is working through Clarence and Anna, fruit of the LTLA ministry! 

Mike Sulc 

Life to Life Africa