Working Together for the Truth

Thank you for your prayers for the recent trip to Zimbabwe. They were certainly needed, as we experienced delays in arriving. Rachel & I sat on the plane for 6 hours in Asmara, Eritrea, while the weather cleared in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The weather delays then affected Ronda, Pete & Harold, who missed their connecting flight and arrived in Zimbabwe a day late. They also had their Chicago to Saginaw, MI flight cancelled on their return, so they had to rent a car to get home. 

We are grateful for the grace God provided us in handling these travel delays. His grace also poured out on our time together with the LTLA team, as he blessed our efforts to work together for the truth. In keeping with 3 John 1:8 the LTLA team provided great hospitality. It was good to get "face to face" time (3 John 1:14), as you will see from the photos below. 

The Apostle John certainly understood the value of incarnational ministry, which he witnessed firsthand with Christ Jesus. Ronda, Pete & Harold of Hopevale Church in Michigan and Rachel & Timothy of Ames, IA had the joy of seeing first hand what God is doing through the LTLA team. Relationships were built, mutual encouragement was experienced, the love of God was shared, and two water tanks were installed. To God be the glory as his kingdom continues to advance in Chinhoyi! 

For the sake of the Name, 

Mike Sulc 

Life to Life Africa 

 

 

 

Diana (LTLA team Member) & Ronda distributing clothes to children at the landfill. 

 

Ronda helping Tinotenda (wife of Shelton, LTLA Community Ministry team Leader) in the kitchen. 

 

Ronda (L) & Rachel (R) sharing with the LTL team ladies. 

 

Rachel digging holes for planting broccoli, as Ronda prepares to place compost in the holes. 

 

Rachel teaching the LTLA High School Bible Study. 

 

Timothy with the LTLA Youth Bible Study children. 

 

Timothy & Harold shared their testimonies at the Men of Hope meeting along with Pete, who took this picture.

Harold starting the plumbing connections for the water tank at the LTLA Community Center. 

 

Harold finishing the plumbing connection for the water tank. Erasmus, an LTLA Chosen Generation member, assisted Harold in this work. 

 

Simba, LTLA Training Ministry team member, climbed to the top of the tank to place the lid as Harold secured the ladder. 

 

Pete (Creative Media Pastor at Hopevale Church) spent time teaching Natalie the finer points of photography & videography. She is studying Visual Communication & Multimedia Design at Chinhoyi University of Technology and is involved in the LTLA College Ministry. 

 

Pete showing the Chosen Generation guys how he uses a drone to capture aerial video & photos. 

 

An aerial photo Pete captured with the drone of the LTLA Community Center. 

 

The LTLA Community Ministry team joined us in visiting the Chinhoyi Caves, where the rock creates a brilliant blue color to the water at the bottom of the cave. 

 

Ronda, Pete, Harold & Mike donning their Life to Life shirts with the LTLA team. 

 

 

 

Face to Face - Prayer Bulletin

Rachel Iliff and I have arrived in Zimbabwe. Our prayer is that Ronda Grosse, Pete Carlson & Harold Dost from Hopevale Church, and Timothy Steward from Ames, will arrive safely this week after travel delays. As I shared 3 John 1:8 in my recent update, I echo the Apostle John's sentiment in his prior letter (2 John 1:12) that our "joy will be complete" as we "talk face to face" with our Zimbabwean brothers and sisters in the Lord. Would you pray as we "work together for the truth" (3 John 1:8) and encourage one another to "walk in the truth" (3 John 1:4)? And, praise be to God, the truth is that "God is light; in him there is no darkness at all... If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin" (1 John 1:5,7). 

While in Chinhoyi, I look forward to being able to comfort and grieve face to face with Shelton, LTLA Community Team Leader, and his wife Tinotenda, as they lost their baby girl in the seventh month of pregnancy three weeks ago today. Please pray for them as they heal from this heartbreaking loss. I will also be able to spend face-to-face time with Tatenda, LTLA Training Ministry team member, who has continued struggling physically & emotionally from his bout with transverse myelitis. Please pray that our visit would encourage them to continue to find hope in Christ, our loving creator and sustainer. 

 

Grateful for your prayerful support!! 

Mike Sulc 

Life to Life Africa 

P.S. Thank you for your prayers for my brother, Mark. A recent MRI showed that there is no new cancer growth in his brain. He continues to be a strong example of trusting in God no matter our circumstances. He is also rejoicing that his two daughters are both expecting their first child later later this year. 

 

Co-Laboring

Last month Life to Life Africa was blessed by co-laboring efforts of a team from The Navigators at Iowa State University. And this month, I will be joined in Chinhoyi by a team from Hopevale Church in Saginaw, MI and by two recent college graduates. The LTLA team has and will be putting into practice 3 John 1:8, "We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth." 

Ezra Iliff, Navigators staff member at Iowa State, served in Zimbabwe in 2017 as a student with a team from Iowa State. His love for the Lord is infectious and he has been eager to return with others to participate in what God is doing in that land. He led a team of six (three students, one recent college graduate, and a young couple) that worked with The Navigators in their ministry to college students in Harare (Zimbabwe's capitol) and Bulawayo (the country's second largest city). They then joined our team in Chinhoyi, where they especially energized our efforts among the younger generation. We look forward to seeing the result of the Gospel seeds that they planted in the years ahead! Below you will find photos of their time in Chinhoyi. 

On Sunday, I depart for Zimbabwe with Rachel Iliff, who graduated from college a year ago and is Ezra's sister. Ezra recruited her, along with Timothy Steward (who graduated from Iowa State two years ago), to travel with me and serve the Lord in Zimbabwe. In addition, a team from Hopevale Church (Ronda Grosse, Pete Carlson & Harold Dost, who has served in Chinhoyi several times) will join us later next week. I am excited to travel with these sisters and brothers in the Lord, and to join with them in the opportunity to be blessed and be a blessing. Be on the lookout for an update on our trip later this month! 

 

Co-laboring in the Lord's harvest fields, 

Mike Sulc 

Life to Life Africa 

 

 

ISU Navigators Team with LTLA Training Ministry Team.

 

(L to R) Ezra, Zviko, Keziah & Sam riding in the LTLA truck as they enter 

Chinhoyi University of Technology where they had the opportunity to connect with students.

 

(L to R) Ezra, Kenton, Tinotenda, Simba, Luke & Sam. 

The ISU Navigators team helped Simba and the LTLA team make contact with new students like Kenton & Tinotenda.

 

ISU Navigators team enjoying a meal at Eat N Lick with LTLA staff and students.

 

ISU Navigators team helping with Youth Bible Study at the LTLA Community Center.

 

Ezra, Sam & Luke (only white faces) hanging with boys from the LTLA 'Hood ministry.

 

Ezra & Luke helping the LTLA Community Ministry team in their gardening efforts.

 

Keziah enjoying lunch with LTLA Community Ministry ladies.

 

(L to R) Rebekah & Keziah helping Kate shell corn harvested at the LTLA Community Center.

 

Zach & Rebekah Runyon with Shelton, LTLA Community Ministry Team Leader. 

Rebekah traveled to Zimbabwe in 2017 as a student on the same team with Ezra, 

and wanted to return so her husband, Zach, could experience the ministry, 

the people and the beauty of Zimbabwe.