Impacting Misuku, Malawi For Christ

 

Greetings,   I am writing to share about an opportunity to invest in God's Kingdom work taking place in Misuku, Malawi. This opportunity came to my attention on my most recent trip to Africa when I visited a young entrepreneur who loves the Lord and is seeking to bring lasting transformation to his community through training in Biblical principles and opening new markets into one of the worlds most traded commodities. Thank you for taking the time to consider this Kingdom investment opportunity.

Park Msukwa (far left) with coffee farmers from Misuku, Malawi

Coffee farmers in far north Malawi have failed to be adequately paid for their coffee harvests for several years now. The cooperative that has been serving their region is suffering the effects of mismanagement and corruption. Park Msukwa grew up in Misuku where his father along with all the other coffee farmers grow the best Arabica coffee in Malawi. I met Park five years ago and was impressed by his work ethic, entrepreneurial drive, concern for his community and, most importantly, his faith in Christ Jesus. He desires to impact his home community of Misuku for Christ by training coffee farmers in Biblical principles of farming, business and life. Life to Life Africa (LTLA) supported him four years ago to receive this type of training from The Crown Ministries Stewardship School.   I visited Park last month with Tim Mooney, a coffee loving friend, and Charles Mugarura, a successful coffee farmer from Uganda. Together we assessed the situation for the 30 coffee farmers that Park is seeking to help. We determined that in the long-term they need to establish their own cooperative that they manage collectively for the sustainability of their farming enterprises. It was also determined that for the short-term, Park, through his registered business - Park Coffee Traders, needs a loan to begin buying coffee cherries from the farmers and process them in preparation to sell to buyers. One buyer, Namikango Coffee Roasters, a Christian mission enterprise, desires to buy 12 tons of coffee parchment from Park. He can buy red coffee cherries from the farmers and process 4 tons at a time for $20,000 USD. Once he supplies those four tons to the buyer, he will be paid with a small profit and can then use that payment for buying and processing the next 4 tons. The projections are that he will repay the loan in three years if not sooner. Those funds will return to LTLA where it can be used for other enterprises that advance the work of God’s Kingdom in Africa. To help Park make an impact in his community by buying coffee from farmers at a fair price and helping them encounter Christ through Biblically based training, would you prayerfully consider making an investment in this Kingdom building opportunity? Here are possible investment levels to help us reach the $20,000 goal: ·         $1,250 for ¼ ton of coffee ·         $2,500 for ½ ton of coffee ·         $5,000 for 1 ton of coffee   You can send a check payable to: Life to Life Africa PMB 344 10151 University Blvd Orlando, FL 32817   Or you can direct your bank to make a payment through Bill Pay to: Acct #: 586600386 Routing #:267084131   I will follow up with a phone call this weekend to answer any questions you might have regarding this opportunity. Thank you for considering investing in Park’s work among his community along with other future enterprises that will impact communities in Africa. For Christ & His Kingdom, Mike Sulc Life to Life Africa 515-520-3607  Here are some photos from our trip along with photos and a video of the activities that happened this week with Park and the coffee farmers in Misuku:

The coffee farmers met with us in the hills of Misuku during our visit.

Park, Tim & Charles inspecting coffee plants of one of the coffee farmers.

Park spending time in Bible study with the coffee farmers.

Farmers brought bags of harvested coffee cherries (by motorcycle) to be weighed and processed.

Picking out the ripe red coffee cherries for processing.

Video showing the hand crank sheller that removes the skin from the coffee cherries producing the coffee parchment:  https://youtube.com/shorts/T2mqiYefQrY

The coffee parchment is spread out on drying beds made from locally harvested bamboo. Once dry the coffee parchment will be bagged for sale.

Park with his father, mother and a niece in front of his parent's house where the coffee is processed.

Joy, Grief & Perseverance - LTLA Update - July 2023

 

Dear LTLA Friends, I must admit that my heart has been weary lately with the highs and lows of life. My most recent trip to Africa and events that followed confronted me with the reality of life in this broken world. Through this weariness I am experiencing the truth that David concluded in Psalm 62:1-2 & 5-8. I ask that you pray for me to find rest in God alone who is our salvation, our rock, our fortress, our hope and our refuge. A high was meeting Kunashe, daughter of Shelton & Tinotenda. As LTLA Community Ministry team leader, Shelton experienced pouring out his heart to God to find refuge this past year after they lost their first daughter at 8 months of pregnancy. A year later God has blessed them with the birth of Kunashe, which means, "There is God." It was good to enter into their joy in person.

Shelton, Tinotenda and Kunashe

A low was to hear the tragic news of the death of the older brother of Marvelous, an LTLA team member. He died in a head-on collision when a van carrying a full load of passengers recklessly tried overtaking another vehicle. There were other fatalities in the accident. Her brother leaves his wife and three children ages 11, 7 and 4. Would you pray for Marvelous and her family as they grieve his loss? Thank you for your continued prayers for Tsungai, LTLA team member who has led our ministry to pre-school orphans for more than 10 years. She is persevering through the cancer radiation treatments as there was a week and a half delay due to repairs that were needed on the radiation machine. As expected, she is experiencing localized pain and tiredness from the treatments. We are grateful for the hospitality of ministry friends who are hosting her in their Harare home. The treatments are taking place at a private clinic in Harare. the capital of Zimbabwe. LTLA team member, Diana, has accompanied her during the five weeks of treatment. She is grateful for the opportunity to fulfill the Lord's command, "As I have loved you, so you must love one another." (John 13:34). Diana reports, "The Lord has been teaching us that there is nothing better than having Jesus present with us along with people who care for you. Thank you for caring for us through your prayers and support!"

Diana on the left with Tsungai.

On this last trip, I traveled to Malawi where I visited Park Msukwa, a young man I met five years ago. He loves the Lord and the coffee growing community where he grew up, Misuku. Four years ago, LTLA sponsored Park in attending the The Crown Ministries Stewardship School, along with Shelton, LTLA Community Ministry team leader. Like Shelton, he has been persevering in teaching the Biblical principles he learned to the coffee farmers in Misuku. He also desires to practically help the farmers by securing better markets for their coffee.  Tim Mooney, a friend of LTLA and coffee lover, joined me along with his Ugandan farmer friend, Charles Mugarura. Together we determined that Park needs to help the coffee farmers establish a cooperative and he needs an infusion of capital investment to get them started. If you have an interest in helping Park launch this enterprise that will seek to bring Christ's transformation in his community, you can contact me for further details.

Park (far left) with Misuku, Malawi, coffee farmers.

(L to R) Charles Mugarura, Tim Mooney, Mike Sulc & Park Msukwa in the coffee growing hills of Misuku, Malawi.

Finding rest in God alone, Mike Sulc Life to Life Africa 515-520-3607

Good Neighbors - LTLA Update - June 2023

 

Greetings again from Africa, I am writing to share an encouraging development that happened for the LTLA Community Ministry this past month. It is encouraging to see the impact that our ministry is having upon our neighbors by the LTLA Community Center. Our prayer is that we continue to impact our neighbors around our ministry sites in Chinhoyi. When the team is working in the LTLA vegetable garden they are typically singing and laughing together. This caught the attention of the gardener at the Environmental Management Agency that is close by as he walked on his way to work. He observed that we are quite successful in our vegetable garden efforts and he had noticed our good composting work that is out in front of our property. He was struggling with his gardening efforts and asked his supervisors if he could approach us for training. When asked, Shelton, LTLA Community Ministry team leader, was more than happy to have the team provide training at their site. The team helped them start their compost pile and will be providing ongoing coaching in their gardening efforts.  Last week I had the opportunity to accompany Shelton to guide the gardener in turning his compost pile and providing the appropriate amount of moisture while turning it. While at their site our team noticed a lot of mulch piled up so they inquired if they would be willing to share some with us. Well, they shared a lot as you will see in the photo below, so we are now well stocked with mulch for our gardening efforts. Mulch is critical in sustainable farming to help preserve moisture in the soil and prevent weed growth. Would you pray with us that relationships with our neighbors will result in people coming to know Christ as they see our good works on behalf of the community? Seeking to be good neighbors, Mike Sulc Life to Life Africa

LTLA Community Ministry team demonstrating composting with Environmental Management Agency staff.

Shelton, LTLA Community Ministry team leader, doing a follow up consultation on composting with the Environmental Management Agency staff member.

Pile of mulch provided to LTLA by the Environmental Management Agency.

Cabbages from LTLA garden are being distributed with corn meal & beans to vulnerable families.

Carrots in the LTLA garden.

The carrots are being sold along with broccoli and lettuce to help the ministry. Cauliflower, peas and red onions will soon be harvested for sale as well.

Mike enjoyed using the lettuce, carrots and broccoli for salads on his recent visit.

On the Ground in Africa - LTLA Prayer Bulletin - June 2023

 

Greetings from Africa, Thank you for your prayers for my time with the LTLA team in Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe. I have been able to spend time with Shelton & Tino and meet their baby daughter, Kunashe. What a joy to rejoice with them in God's gift of her life! She is now home with them and they are busy doing "kangaroo treatment" with her, where they wrap her to their body for skin to skin contact. This treatment allows their body temperature to keep her warm so that the nutrients she is receiving from Tino's milk can be used for her growth and not to just keep her warm especially with the cooler temperatures of their winter..Please pray for Kunashe's continued development and for sustaining grace for her parents as they care for her.

Kunashe was well loved by friends from the US who provided the wrap she is wearing along with the blanket she is laying on and the toys she is beside.

I learned while here that another team member, Stella, became a "gogo" (grandmother) for the first time. She was doubly blessed with twin boys born to her daughter in early June. They were also born premature at 30 weeks and are still at the hospital connected to feeding and breathing tubes. Please pray for their lung development as one in particular is struggling to breath. I have also spent time with Tsungai, who has completed one week of radiotherapy treatment for cancer. She is encouraged in spirit and is just experiencing some dizziness physically. Other ladies on the LTLA team will take turns to be with her in Harare, the capital city where she is receiving treatments, to provide help and encouragement. They are graciously being housed by friends of the ministry in Harare.

Mike with Tsungai.

While here, I have also been able to encourage Arthur, the LTLA director. It has been a challenging past year on many fronts as we feel attacked by the enemy. The ministry teams here have increased their resolve to pray, asking the Lord for His protection and victory. Would you join us in praying for the Lord to strengthen our faith and bolster our courage to continue carrying the great news of Jesus and His Kingdom into Chinhoyi and beyond? I have the opportunity to carry the Gospel of Christ to farmers in northern Malawi with a good friend of the ministry, Tim Mooney. Ron Shimkus discipled Tim as a student at ISU and he went on to serve with The Navigators for two years in Uganda. After that he taught social studies at Ames High School and would take groups of students with him in the summers back to Uganda to help build schools. Tim developed a heart for coffee farmers in Uganda, so we met in Malawi yesterday along with a Ugandan farmer friend of his, Charles, to visit coffee farmers in northern Malawi.  You may remember four years ago that I traveled to Malawi to visit another ISU student, Tyler Marshall, who was serving there with the Peace Corps. On that visit I met Park, a young man in that community, who desires to make an impact for Christ. Park and Shelton, LTLA Community Ministry team leader, received sustainable farming and stewardship training together that year from Foundations for Farming in Malawi. Would you pray for Tim, Charles and I this week as we visit Park to encourage him in his efforts with farmers in Misuku, Malawi? Grateful for your continued prayer support while I travel in Africa! Mike Sulc Life to Life Africa

Mike and Tim Mooney

Meeting Kunashe - LTLA Prayer Bulletin - June 2023

 

Greetings LTLA Friends, I am pleased to report that on June 9th Tinotenda, Shelton's wife, gave birth to Kunashe Liz. Tino was having contractions most of the day, so the doctor delivered Kunashe via C-section at 32 weeks. Kunashe weighed 4lbs and was initially assisted with a breathing and feeding tube in intensive care at a private hospital in Chinhoyi. Thankfully, she is now breathing and eating on her own. A year ago this month Shelton & Tino lost their first child at 8 months of pregnancy. Tino has type 1 diabetes, so her pregnancies are at a higher risk. The doctor made the decision to deliver the baby as he felt good about the baby's development. We are grateful to the Lord for guiding the doctor and preserving Kunashe's life. Her name means "there is God." Shelton & Tino have certainly felt God's presence very near to them as they are rejoicing in his gift of Kunashe to them. Join us in praying that she can go home soon. Thank you for the prayer and financial support for Tsungai. She began radiation treatment today. Pray that this treatment will eliminate all cancer cells in her body. I arrive today to Zimbabwe and plan to visit Tsungai in the capital, Harare, where she is undergoing the radiation treatment at a private clinic. She is being housed there by good friends of the ministry that live close to the clinic. Hopefully I can hold Kunashe on this trip if she is released from the hospital. Would you pray that I am able to encourage our team as they continue to persevere in challenging circumstances with the Zim dollar collapsing in value and as they face presidential elections at the end of August? Thank you for holding us up in prayer before our good Heavenly Father who is ever present. Gratefully in Him, Mike Sulc Life to Life Africa

Kunashe was in the incubator with a breathing & feeding tube for the first five days. She remained in the incubator another five days.

Kunashe is now out of the incubator and is continuing to adapt to breast feeding while also taking bottles.

Bringing Hope To The Next Generation - LTLA Update - May 2023

 Greetings Again,

 

In the midst of challenging circumstances in Zimbabwe, the LTLA Training Ministry team has faithfully continued reaching out to Zimbabwean youth and young people. The situation there is leaving the next generation with a hopeless forecast from a human perspective but we are pointing them to the only true source of hope. Here is a report from Arthur Nhau, LTLA Zimbabwe Director and Training Ministry Director:

 

College Ministry - Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT)

 

We had a session on mental health and invited a professional counselor who is a believer. She was really engaging and the students kept asking a lot of questions regarding their future along with life challenges. She continued to point them to Jesus who invites us to come to him with all our questions and concerns.

Mental health session with CUT students.

Our student conference had more than 40 students who attended. We didn’t invite a guest speaker but gave the opportunity for the LTLA Training Ministry trainees to share from their own walk with the Lord. It really encouraged the students to hear from young adults who are walking with Jesus and some new contacts we invited gave their lives to Christ. College Ministry Conference gathering.            College Ministry Conference fun activity. We have also started engaging students through sports on campus, mainly soccer. We are thankful that God is giving us new contacts through this ministry outreach. In the past we have reached out into the community through forming a soccer team so we are now trying it on campus with students. LTLA College Ministry soccer team (wearing donated Ames High School soccer uniforms). Young Adult Ministry - Chosen Generation Lately the group has been dominated by guys so we prayed that girls would also attend the fellowship. We are thankful to the Lord that more girls are now coming. Pray with us that God will raise laborers from this fellowship and open doors of opportunities for this group which is composed of unemployed youths in our community. (As you have heard about the situation in Zimbabwe, there are very few jobs available.) Chosen Generation Bible Study. Chosen Generation barbeque gathering. Primary & High School Ministry The love for scripture memory continues among the youth which is very encouraging. Pray with us that as they commit God's Word to memory it will guide them to Christ throughout their life.  We had been doing a separate Bible study with the Children of Hope (children living at the landfill) but have incorporated them with the other children. It is helping remove the stigma associated with their circumstances. Would you pray that the Children of Hope and all the children will open their hearts to Christ as they spend time in God's word and with one another.  Youth Bible Study that is incorporating Children of Hope (children living at the landfill). Thank you for your prayers for the LTLA Training Ministry team efforts in sharing Christ with the next generation here in Zimbabwe. Faithfully yours in Christ, Arthur Nhau LTLA Zimbabwe Director

Misery Index - LTLA Prayer Bulletin - May 2023

 Dear LTLA Friends,

Thank you to those who responded to our appeal for financial help! Your support will keep us going during the summer months when our gift income is lower. It will certainly help us as we face increased needs in the country that has been named the most miserable place to live in 2022. You can read about it in the following link:

https://www.nationalreview.com/2023/05/hankes-2022-misery-index/

The situation is only getting worse as the exchange rate of the Zimbabwe Dollar for one US Dollar has increased from 850 Zim Dollars in January to 2000 Zim Dollars in May for $1 USD. The result of this is a further increase in prices for basic goods, only making things harder for the Zimbabwean people. So, thank you for your contributions that help us share the love of God in tangible ways with the people to whom we are ministering.

Our team member, Tsungai, is needing to undergo radiation treatments to help kill off any remaining cancer cells after a hysterectomy identified evidence of cervical cancer. Typically this radiation treatment could be performed at one of two government hospitals in the country, but both of the machines are not in operational order. So she is left with the private clinic route which is more than twice the cost, $4000. She, like most Zimbabweans, does not have medical insurance and does not have the money to pay for this treatment. Our ministry would like to help her. If you would like to contribute toward this need, you can send a check to:

Life to Life Africa
PMB 344
10151 University Blvd
Orlando, FL 32817
(Write "Tsungai" in the memo line)

I must admit that I personally am feeling very discouraged with the ongoing struggle of the people in Zimbabwe. They topped the list of most miserable in 2022 but there are countless other people around the world who face very similar circumstances. It can be overwhelming to consider, but I know that God sees it all and he has made a way for people to be saved along with prompting his people to help bring good for the glory of his Name. Would you pray for Life to Life Africa as we seek the Lord to strengthen us to persevere and guide us in doing good? (1 Peter 4:19)


Committed to our faithful Creator,

Mike Sulc
Life to Life Africa