Business & Music in Mission - LTLA Update - November 2025

 

Greetings LTLA Friends, Last month my sister and brother-in-law joined me in Zimbabwe where they were able to invest in the work of Life to Life Africa utilizing their skills and ministry experience. Tim encouraged people in their business ventures, while Debbie shared her love for using music in ministry. It was a joy to have them meet and encourage the LTLA team. Tim & Debbie are second career missionaries, after taking early retirements to serve in Brazil where they promoted business as mission and helped launch people in establishing businesses around the world to glorify God and make him known. Tim has experience working in the corporate headquarters of Delta Airlines and holds MDiv and Doctor of Ministry degrees. We put them to work within the first few hours of their arrival, with a meeting in Harare to promote the vision of business as mission for people engaged in entrepreneurial enterprises. Jonathan & Shalom Govero, who serve as country leaders for The Navigators in Zimbabwe, were keen to invite people to this gathering as an opportunity to encourage Zimbabweans to create businesses that employ people and support God's kingdom work. At the Harare gathering, Tim and Debbie shared from their experiences with the 25 people in attendance. We hope that it will be the first of many such gatherings for the purpose of equipping and encouraging kingdom minded entrepreneurial ventures to advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Zimbabwe. In Chinhoyi, Tim also engaged with the LTLA team about business as ministry and talked with them on their personal entrepreneurial ventures.

Tim sharing on business as mission with 25 people in Harare.

Tim & Debbie shared devotionals and had business as mission sessions with the LTLA team.

Debbie, a retired music teacher, was able to provide a music training session with LTLA team members. She shared about the impact that music and singing has in evangelism and discipleship particularly with children. It was fun to see the LTLA team members engaging with the activities as seen in the video below. Another video shows Debbie spending time with the Critical Care children.

Debbie leading LTLA team members in music activities for children.

Debbie singing with the LTLA Critical Care children.

Debbie graciously provided small instruments and colorful scarves for use with the children. The video below shows how the team incorporated shakers and scarves with the Children of Hope group.

LTLA Children of Hope using scarves and shakers as they sind Jesus Loves Me.

It is a blessing to have supporters (and family) travel to Zimbabwe to experience and serve in the work of LTLA. After the trip, Tim shared that what he experienced in Chinhoyi with LTLA is the best example he has seen of Acts 2, seeing brothers and sisters in Christ living and serving the Lord in unity. Let me know if the Lord is prompting you to come and experience what the Lord is doing through Life to Life Africa. For His Kingdom & Glory, Mike Sulc Life to Life Africa

Rescued now Rescuing, Pursued now Pursuing - LTLA 2025 Letter

 

Dear LTLA Friends,  Itai describes her early life as “horrible.” “My parents divorced when I was young and I received very little guidance which led me to get pregnant and married by the age of nineteen. When my fourth child was born, my husband died and left me in a desperate situation needing rescuing. That is when I became a beneficiary of Life to Life Africa. I received food assistance and training in growing food for my family. Most importantly,” Itai continues, “through the ministry I learned about having a relationship with God. The Bible studies and individual spiritual mentoring I received changed my life. I am a new person and now I counsel others that God is the only one who can save and redeem us from all our problems.” Itai was invited to join the LTLA team and has been faithfully serving the ministry since 2009. Ron Shimkus equipped Gogo Mildred to disciple Itai and the other ladies that comprised the LTLA Ambassadors. Now Itai, along with fellow team member, Kate, are discipling other widows who are in turn discipling others.

Itai (top left) and Kate (top right) have been discipling Mrs Bangira (top middle), Mrs Butau (middle 2nd from left), Mrs Mapiriyawo (middle 3rd from left) and Mrs Mashevedzanwa (front). And now Mrs Mapiriyawo is discipling Mrs Nyirenda (middle far left) and Mrs Butau is discipling Mrs Mabote (middle far right).

“I remember trying to sneak away when ‘Baba Donnell’ (Arthur Nhau, LTLA Director in Zimbabwe, whose son is Donnell) would stop by to read the Bible with me and my brother. Thankfully he didn’t stop pursuing me, because his spiritual investment in my life and that of the other LTLA team members has really impacted my life.” Tinotenda went on to share, “Both of my parents passed away when I was young, so my siblings and I were raised by our grandmother. As a caregiver to orphans my grandmother received assistance from Life to Life Africa and we grandkids participated in the weekly youth Bible study. Through these Bible studies and the Bible reading sessions I placed my trust in Jesus Christ as my Savior.” “The ministry continues to bless me as they have matched me with a sponsoring donor to help me pursue a college degree. This year the Lord opened the door for me to continue my education at Mutare Polytechnic where next year I will complete a national diploma in production engineering. It has been exciting to join Simba & Pamela in Mutare. (Simba & Pamela launched an LTLA ministry effort to college students in Mutare last year.) I live with them, so I am continuing to be discipled and Simba is coaching me as I lead a Bible study with classmates. As I have been discipled, I desire to share with others what I have received.”

Tinotenda (L) studies the Bible with Tinashe, Lucky & Takudzwa.

It is encouraging to share with you what God has done through Life to Life Africa in the lives of Itai and Tinotenda. Your faithful prayer and financial support have made this possible. As the ministry continues to grow, we are finishing this year with limited funds. Would you prayerfully consider helping us start 2026 on strong financial footing with a special gift or commit to begin or increase monthly/quarterly donations?  To donate, you can send checks payable to: Life to Life Ministries (please write "Africa" in the memo line) PMB 344 10151 University Blvd Orlando, FL 32817 You may also initiate a Bill Pay donation and make it recurring if you wish through your bank. Please also make the payment to Life to Life Ministries (writing "Africa" in the memo line) and have your bank mail it to the address listed above. Thank you for prayerfully considering how you can partner with us and help us continue rescuing and pursuing orphans and widows, young and old, children and young adults, men and women. All for Christ's kingdom and glory. Mike Sulc Life to Life Ministries, Africa Director

Happy Thanksgiving from LTLA!!

 

Dear LTLA Friends, The Life to Life Africa team and I wish your family a joyous Thanksgiving! We are certainly grateful for your partnership with us in carrying the great news of Jesus to young and old in Chinhoyi and now also in Mutare, Zimbabwe. A common prayer I hear in Zim is thanking God for the gift of every breath we take. With that perspective, it is appropriate to live with thankful hearts for God creating us and for his desire to be in relationship with us.  On my recent trip, it was encouraging to hear the children who live next to the landfill singing impromptu on the way back from the Children of Hope Bible Study. (see below) Their response after spending time learning about a relationship with Jesus was one of joy in song. They were singing: "Do not be worried or cry, for I am with you and I will lead you."

Children singing on the way home after the LTLA Children of Hope Bible Study.

Thankful for Immanuel, God with us, Mike Sulc Life to Life Africa

Guard My Heart - LTLA Update - October 2025

 

"I have to guard my heart from all kinds of evil for it is the source of good and bad intentions." This was the key lesson from Lucy, a student from Mutare, who attended the Life to Life Student and Alumni Conference. She was one of 45 students and alumni who gathered at Hunnington Retreat Center outside of Chinhoyi. In sharing about what she learned, she referenced the conference theme, "In His Steps," taken from 1 Peter 2:19-23.  Students were encouraged to remember that we can follow the example of Christ in resisting temptation. As a point of application, Lucy noted from 1 Corinthians 10:13 that God provides a way out of temptation, just as he did for Jesus when tempted by the devil. She also was encouraged that when we do fall into sin, God is willing to forgive us as we confess and repent of our sins. As a next step, she wants to get grounded in God's word so she can use scripture to resist temptation like Jesus. Pray with us that the conference will continue to bear fruit in Lucy's life and that of the others who attended. May the impact extend beyond these students into the lives of their friends as they follow in Christ's steps. Below are photos from the conference as well as from the recent corn plot training the LTLA Community Ministry team undertook with families we serve. Thank you for your support in prayer and finances that sustain our ministry efforts in Zimbabwe! Mike Sulc Life to Life Africa

LTL Student & Alumni Conference group photo.

Mutare students at the conference. Lucy is the second from the right.

Leo, an alumni, served as the MC for the conference.

Tinotenda, fruit of our high school ministry in Chinhoyi, and now a student at Mutare Polytechnic led the evangelism workshop at the conference.

Saturday evening formal meal at the conference.

Mr. Lunga leading the theory portion of the corn plot training.

Brian leading the practical portion of the corn plot training.

Family members digging the corn plot holes.

Arriving in Zimbabwe - LTLA Prayer Bulletin - October 2025

 

Dear LTLA Friends, Today I arrive in Zimbabwe and covet your prayers not only for me but also for my sister and brother-in-law who will arrive on Saturday. It has been a blessing this year to have family visit the work of Life to Life Africa. I am excited to have Tim and Debbie experience what God is doing and to contribute with their gifted experience. Tim has been involved in training business as mission practitioners initially in Brazil as he prepared kingdom minded entrepreneurs to enter closed countries to traditional missionaries. He now travels to encourage the work of these pioneers carrying the Gospel through their business ventures. This week he has been involved in a business as mission conference in Cape Town, South Africa. He and Debbie have been joined at the conference by Shalom Govero, wife of Jonathan, who are leading the work of The Navigators in Zimbabwe. They are keen to create a business as mission movement among entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe to help carry the work of God's kingdom there and beyond.

Debbie, Shalom & Tim at the FORGE 2025 Conference

Shalom is actively coaching and discipling young women entrepreneurs. This Saturday Tim will share his experience in the field with these and other entrepreneurs in Harare. Then he will share with our LTLA team on Monday & Tuesday. Debbie, who is a retired music teacher, will enjoy working with the LTLA team members who work with children to incorporate singing and the use of small handheld instruments which she has graciously gifted the ministry. On Tuesday, she will be able to work directly with the Critical Care Center children. Do pray for me in my meetings with the LTLA team leaders as well as the ministry trustees as we evaluate the year and prayerfully consider plans for next year. On my return I will stop in Orlando to visit Thomas Gilbert & Jim Cunneen who minister there and oversee the work of Life to Life Ministries. Grateful for your partnership in prayer! Mike Sulc Life to Life Africa

Your Kingdom Come - LTLA Update - Sept 2025

 

Dear LTLA Friends, I want to thank you for your partnership in the work of Life to Life Africa. Through your generous financial and prayer support, we are engaged in advancing God's kingdom in Zimbabwe. As Zimbabweans would say, "Maita bassa," which means thank you for a job well done!  Through the faithful efforts of the team members in Chinhoyi and Mutare, Zimbabwe, we are seeing young and old placing their faith in Christ, growing as disciples of Christ and becoming laborers in His harvest fields. Jesus not only came to "preach the good news of the kingdom of God," (Luke 4:43) but as he told the disciples of John the Baptist, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor." (Luke 7:22-23)  As Jesus cared for the physical needs of people, Life to Life Africa is also sharing the love of God with the people as we provide food along with training in growing food, as we nurture preschool orphans along with sponsoring students to attend school, and as we provide medical care for the sick along with counseling help for the hopeless. Thank you for joining us as we pray, "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven..." along with the remainder of the Lord's prayer. (Matthew 6:9,10)  We are asking the Lord to guide us and to continue to sustain our efforts to see his kingdom come in Chinhoyi as well as Mutare and wherever the Lord spreads the fruit of our ministry in keeping with Isaiah 60:22 & 61:9. For His kingdom and glory, Mike Sulc Life to Life Africa Please Also Pray For:

Thomas Gilbert, Life to Life Ministries president, arrived in Chinhoyi yesterday and will be with the team this week and next. He will speak at the LTLA Student Conference Oct 9-12. He is seated with (L to R) Zviko, who leads our college ministry in Chinhoyi, Arthur, who leads the work of Life to Life in Zimbabwe, and Simba, who leads the ministry efforts in Mutare.

Today Thomas joined the Life to Life Training Ministry team for their meetings.

Shelton, who leads the Community Ministry efforts in Chinhoyi, asks for prayer for his wife, Tinotenda, who is 13 weeks pregnant. Tinotenda is diabetic and pregnancies are very hard for her. You may remember they lost their first child at 8 months, but the Lord blessed them with their daughter Kunashe, a year later. She is now a spunky two year old as you can see from her facial expression in this photo.

Third Term Praises & Prayer Requests - LTLA Update - August 2025

 

Greetings LTLA Friends, As a new school year begins for us in the US, in Zimbabwe their primary and secondary schools, which run on a calendar year, begin their third and final term in September. The Life to Life Africa team follows the rhythm of evaluating and planning their activities for each term. So, recently the team prayerfully reflected on the second term of 2025 and made plans for the remaining four months. Here are praises and prayer requests from the Training and Community Ministry teams in Chinhoyi along with praises and prayer requests from the Mutare team, which is comprised of Simba & Pamela with Tinotenda, who is fruit of our high school ministry in Chinhoyi and is a student at Mutare Polytechnic: Chinhoyi Training Ministry Team focusing on primary, secondary, university students and young adults Praises God continues to give us spiritual fruit among the younger generations to whom we minister. Thankful that Life to Life Ministries president, Thomas Gilbert, will visit and speak at the student conference Oct 10-12. Marvelous, one of our team members, is engaged to be married to Abraham in December. Prayer Requests We desire to reach even more young people. Each of the six team members wishes to share the gospel with 25 students at Chinhoyi University of Technology this semester, for a total of 150 students with whom the gospel is shared. That God will raise up a "Timothy" and a "Lydia" who are discipled and trained in ministry among our high school & university students as well as from the Chosen Generation group; our young adult group. That God will bless the student conference October 10-12. May it not just be a gathering but a catalyst for spiritual generations to be produced through the lives of those who attend. For spiritual protection of the ministry, the team members and the fruit of the ministry.

Our first Bible study gathering this semester for Chinhoyi University of Technology students. Half of the group were first year students which is a big praise!

Marvelous and Abraham are engaged to be married in December.

Chinhoyi Community Ministry Team focusing on the adults along with preschool orphans in the community Praises The men that are meeting weekly for discipleship with team members, Lunga and Brian, are showing themselves to be faithful, available and teachable. There are three groupings of weekly discipleship meetings for women. The ministry through a kind gift of donors who visited the ministry last year provided the start up capital for one lady to begin a successful  income generating project where she buys live chickens, butchers them and sells chicken cuts.  Overflow Thrift Store provided funds that enabled us to install solar power at the future home of our second Critical Care Center location along with a well for water at our current Critical Care Center. Prayer Requests Our Men of Hope group has dwindled as some have passed away and with age the others are unable to walk to our meeting place. We are asking the Lord for more men to whom we can minister. We are sharing the generosity training we received with people, so pray that generosity takes root in our lives and in the lives of those we are discipling. The Community Ministry team is growing in faith and drawing closer in their walks with the Lord, which is another praise. Pray that from the overflow of their walk with Christ they remain focused on the vision to reproduce their lives spiritually. Pray with us for another successful farming season for the families we serve. May the people be faithful in their efforts and the Lord provides the needed rains.

The group of faithful, available and teachable men that are meeting every Friday for discipleship.

One of the groups of women who meet on Fridays for discipleship. Spiwe (far right), who is running the successful "chicken cuts" business is growing spiritually as well.

Solar panels at our White City neighborhood house where we host the weekly Children of Hope Bible study and where we will add a second Critical Care Center location for preschool orphans. Overflow Thrift Store generously provided the funds for installing this solar system along with drilling a well at our Critical Care Center which stopped receiving city water due to poor city infrastructure maintenance.

Drilling the well to provide water at the LTLA Critical Care Center.  Video Link:  https://youtube.com/shorts/UIQbgz6JNC0

The LTLA Critical Care Center preschool orphans now have good clean water to drink. In this photo they are lining up to wash their hands before lunch.

Mutare Ministry Team focusing on college students Praises Key students at Manicaland State University of Applied Sciences (MSUAS) in whom Simba has invested are back and they met last Friday to plan for the semester. The MSUAS administration continues to welcome the presence of Life to Life Ministry with open arms. One of our key students was invited to share about our activities at the new student orientation last week. (see video below) Prayer Requests Simba will be equipping Tinotenda, who is fruit of our high school ministry in Chinhoyi, to help him disciple the key MSUAS students. Tinotenda is enrolled at Mutare Polytechnic and lives with Simba & Pamela. They will host monthly in-depth discipleship training sessions at their home for these key students. Pray for open doors for Simba to join Tinotenda to minister to students at Mutare Polytechnic. The school administration is more restrictive of extra-curricular activities on their campus than MSUAS. Pray for continued strong relationships with the chaplin and the dean of students at MSUAS. Pray for God to lead Simba to those who are thirsty for God and his Word.

Lucy, a second semester first year student in Accounting at MSUAS, represented Life to Life Ministry and described the ministry's purpose as well as our activities at the new student orientation last week.  Video Link:  https://youtube.com/shorts/COMhnSQiTTU

We give praise to God for your faithful support in prayer and finances! Mike Sulc Life to Life Africa