Maita Basa! (Thank you)

Dear Life to Life Africa Friends:

Thank you for praying for my recent trip to Zimbabwe.  It was good to be with our dear friends who are faithfully continuing the work that "Uncle Ron" so diligently started.  We were able to joyfully grieve his passing into glory.  They are eternally grateful for "Uncle Ron" showing the love of Christ as he cared for their physical and spiritual needs.  He taught them to trust God for his promises so we have begun the process of asking God to show us the promises He wants us to believe Him for in the coming years for Life to Life Africa.

I also want to thank everyone who has donated items for the container we are sending to Zimbabwe next month!  We are getting close to filling the container especially after packaging 150,000 meals this past weekend. Life to Life Africa in the Zimbabwean tradition is clapping and loudly saying "Maita Basa," to First Evangelical Free Church of Ames and Ascension Lutheran Church of Ames for the financial support and hands-on packaging of these meals.

We are especially needing sewing machines as we have collected 5 and hope to collect 20 more. 
Here is the video of the "Sewing Project Ladies" as they gathered to encourage one another in the Lord and with their sewing projects.

 

Financial contributions are needed as well to help defray the additional $12,000 needed to purchase and ship the container.  We are purchasing the container so it can be used as storage to free up our Community Center building for ministry use.  You can direct financial contributions for the container by mailing a check to:

Life to Life Africa

PMB 344

10151 University Blvd

Orlando, FL 32817

Volunteers in Ames are needed in the coming weeks to help sort and pack the items we have collected.  So far we have the following sorting and packing days scheduled and will update you on more dates within the next few days:

Saturday, October 19, 9am - noon

Saturday, October 26, 9am - noon

Saturday, October 26, afternoon session

Please contact Jonathan (comptojo@yahoo.com) for more details.

This is a picture of an orphan boy in the Critical Care Center with a "thumbs up" as he said, "Thank You!"

Maita Basa!
Mike

Donations for container still accepted through mid-November

What an amazing turn out on October 13, 2013! Volunteers came and packed more than 100K meals for Zimbabwe. These packets will be part of the 40 feet container that will be shipped in November.

We are still accepting donations for the container through mid-November.

If you wish to donate cash, please send your check to:
Life to Life Ministries
PMB 344
10151 University Blvd.
Orlando, FL 32817

Volunteers are needed for sorting and packing. If you are interested in helping, please contact Jonathan at comptojo@yahoo.com

Thank you for your support!

The Church Has Left the Building

The Church Has Left The Building - Register to package meals October 13, 2013! from First Evangelical Free Church on Vimeo.

Or click here to open in a separate window https://vimeo.com/75175038

Project 40 feet to Zimbabwe 2013

This fall, LTLA will be sending a container to Zimbabwe with food, clothing, books and other items to care for the needs of orphans, widows and the poor involved in the ministry.

 (Picture of Ron with our 40 feet to Zimbabwe project in 2011)

150, 000 pre-packaged rice meals will fill half of the container and donated clothing will fill a quarter. Donated medicines, books, school supplies, sewing machines & fabric, and other household goods will fill the remainder of the container.

(Picture of Orphans receiving donated blankets from the 2012 Container)

• The donated meals and clothes will help to feed and clothe more than 100 families being served by LTLA. 
• School supplies and books will help more than 200 orphans with their educational progress and in our English Reading Club. 
• 30 pre-school orphans participate in our Critical Care Center where they receive 2 meals per day along with spiritual and educational instruction.
• Sewing machines and materials will help to launch widows into sewing micro-enterprises.
• Medicine will help treat the family members during our biweekly clinics.

 YOU CAN HELP! HERE'S HOW:

1. Pray for the LTLA team. As God to give them "lasting fruit" that will grow to maturity and win Zimbabwe for Christ.
2. Share this page with others.
3. Collect donated items (Click on picture to the right to see the list of suggested items). Coordinate with Mike Sulc (mikesulc@gmail.com) or Mike Shimkus (mshimkus@lifetolifeafrica.org) to drop off or have items picked up.
4. Monetary donations are accepted. Please make checks payable to Life to Life Africa and send it to Life to Life Ministry, PMB 344, 10151 University Blvd, Orlando, FL 32817.
5. Volunteer to collect, sort, package and load in Ames, IA. We will need many volunteers in November. Please contact Jonathan Compton at comptojo@yahoo.com to be put on the volunteer list.
6. Follow the work of LTLA at this blog and share with others who might be interested in helping this ministry.

Ronald B. Shimkus Sept. 5, 1946–July 16, 2013

Dear LTLA supporters,

Ron was called home to heaven on July 16, 2013, after suffering a heart attack while serving the Lord in Zimbabwe.

Ron spent more than 40 years working for the Navigators in various capacities that spanned three continents. More recently, Ron's passion and care for others led him to start and lead Life to Life Africa, a charitable organization devoted to meeting physical and spiritual needs of people in Africa, with a special focus on those living in Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe.

Ron was a passionate, driven visionary whose heart for others was clearly evident to all those who had the privilege of knowing him. He worked tirelessly on behalf of widows and orphans, and he routinely put the needs of others ahead of himself. When not in Zimbabwe or planning a trip to Zimbabwe, Ron loved spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren.

To read his full obituary: http://amestrib.com/sections/obituaries/ronald-b-shimkus-sept-5-1946%E2%80%93july-16-2013.html

Please continue pray for his family and Ron's ministry in Zimbabwe.

Readers are welcome to leave comments to this post or at this blog.

A Facebook page has also been set up for you to share your comments and testimonies: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ron-Shimkus/576913562346736

The family will receive visitors from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 9, 2013, and a memorial service will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2013, both at First Evangelical Free Church of Ames, located at 2008 24th St., Ames. Memorial donations may be made to Life to Life Africa, PMB 344, 10151 University Blvd., Orlando, FL, 32817.

Photos from the Critical Care Unit

Critical Care Building

Few of the children served by LTLA

The Critical Care children

Mother with twin babies and two sons

Our Critical Care workers

Not just a statistic.....

A 2012 Christmas Story from the Southern Hemisphere: 

3 year old Lavestor, a real boy, not just a statistic.

Lavestor with other orphans at Critical Care Center

Three years ago, when Lavestor was abandoned as a 7 day old baby, Loveness (37 years old) took him into her family even though they are not related.  She already had 6 children.  Life to Life began providing a milk supplement from Iowa for Lavestor and weekly food each week for Loveness’s family.  In the past year, Lavestor has been coming 5 days a week to our nutrition/preschool program where Tsungai has taken a special interest in him.  We are “stuffing” him with love and high quality food. 

Tsungai feeding Lavestor at Critical Care Center

With a mentally ill husband, Loveness sells tomatoes and other vegetables to try to earn a living.  But she has HOPE.  We have a mentoring program where Loveness is meeting regularly with our key staff, Grandmother (Gogo) Mildred.  Loveness is learning to read her Bible daily and is hiding God’s word in her heart.

Lavestor enjoying a donated tricycle from America

                                     

We like to help people find a living HOPE in God in the midst of a difficult economy in Zimbabwe.  The unemployment rate continues at 95%.  Yes…95%.  But where there is great darkness and injustice, God’s grace is greater still.

I have just returned a few days ago from 5 weeks in Zimbabwe.  I appreciate you praying and cheering. I am AMAZED at all the wonderful things that are happening there.  In 2013, I will share more stories.  But we need some money to keep going.  Your generous gifts in 2012 made a difference.  THANK YOU.  If you can begin to help us financially in 2013, we will continue our work.

Have a marvelous Christmas.  We who have faith in God, have a living HOPE.  Thank you for bringing HOPE this Christmas and in 2013 to Loveness, Lavestor, and their family.