"Life Changing"

March 30, 2018

Easter Greetings, 

At this time, we reflect upon and worship our Lord for what He has done to reconcile, restore and renew us through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  The power of this Good News (Gospel) is transforming lives in Zimbabwe. In this update you will hear how two conferences have impacted lives of those involved with Life to Life Africa, both old and young. Below you will find photos from these conferences. 


Foundations for Farming Conference

"Life changing." Those were the words used by the five LTLA team members to describe the Foundations for Farming conference they attended March 6-8. "I Was Hungry for Forgiveness," was the theme of the conference where attendees from around the world heard powerful messages and testimonies of the transformation that comes through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This transformation, a gift from God, comes as a result of repentance (acknowledgement of sin toward God & others) and forgiveness (by God and by us to others) which makes way for reconciliation for eternal peace. At the conference they learned the equation: repentance + forgiveness = reconciliation for enduring peace. They witnessed a white Zimbabwean farmer share his journey of forgiving the black Zimbabwean who took away his farm during the government-sanctioned land redistribution and teach him how to effectively farm the land. They heard from a Rwandan Tutsi who chose to forgive the Hutu man who slaughtered his family during the genocide in Rwanda. These two men attributed the ability to forgive in these circumstances to receiving God's forgiveness of their sin. 

Experiencing God's redemption in our relationship with Him and one another greatly impacts the following problems in Zimbabwe: race and land. Regarding race, our perspective changes to recognize we are one human race made in the image of God. Prestege shared, "We should see God in each and every one of us, if we don't we are denying God as creator of all things." In relation to the land issue in Zimbabwe, she affirmed, "God is the owner of the land as stated in Psalm 24:1, 'The earth is the Lord's and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it,' and we are only stewards of it. What has gone wrong in our country is the greed for ownership overpowering the need to steward well the land." At the conference the team was exposed to many different ways to steward well the land through sustainable farming practices such as the benefits of composting and vermiculture. Diana wrote, "We are grateful for the opportunity to have attended the conference where we worshiped the Lord as well as learned and shared with fellow believers from all over the world!" 


LTLA Youth Gathering

This past Saturday in preparation for Easter, the LTLA team hosted a special gathering for the youth we minister to in Chinhoyi. Over 70 young people filled the Life Discipleship Center. They ranged from 6 - 24 years of age. They heard two messages related to the colored beads on a Gospel necklace we have distributed in the past. (Donna Clink of Ames made these necklaces for us to use in our ministry in Zimbabwe.) After each message they participated in breakout sessions to discuss the content of what was shared. Arthur Nhau, LTLA director in Chinhoyi, reported that many expressed a desire to grow in the nature and character of Christ. 

Please join us in thanking the Lord for the impact of these conferences and do pray that the fruit of forgiveness through the Gospel of Jesus Christ will transform the lives of young and old in Chinhoyi. Christ died for our sin and has risen to give us life eternal! 


Mike Sulc 
Life to Life Africa 


Photos from Foundations for Farming Conference

Bigger Chigwida, Prestege Kandirigu, Diana Nyamayaro, Faith Sixpence,
and Shelton Nhundu (taking the picture)
at the Foundations for Farming Conference, March 6-8. 

The same photo as a "selfie" to include Shelton along
with Bigger, Prestege, Diana, and Faith at the FFF conference.

Faith, Diana, and Bigger standing by the corn demonstration
plot at the Foundations for Farming conference.

Photos from the LTLA Youth Gathering 

Over 70 young people attended the LTLA Youth Gathering on March 24.

The messages at the LTLA Youth Gathering 

were based on these Gospel necklaces.

(Donna Clink of Ames made these necklaces 

for us to use in our ministry in Zimbabwe.)

Tatenda sharing about the black, yellow, 

red, and green beads on the necklace. 

Marvelous sharing about the blue, purple, 

white, and clear beads on the necklace.

Above and below: breakout sessions during the LTLA Youth Gathering.

Fully Trusting God and His Grace

February 28, 2018


With full dependence on God and His leading, Life to Life Africa has established a list of goals for the next three years that we believe will help us pursue the mission and vision to which He has called us. You will find the full list at the bottom of this update. Topping the list is the need for all of us on the team to grow in fully trusting God and His grace. We focused on this goal during my recent trip. 

Arthur asked me to continue leading the team into personally encountering Christ, something that Mark Chidister and I had done on my previous trip. To help me in this, I used two NavPress books written by men I respect: Speak Lord, Hearing Psalms in the First Person by Vic Black and Praying Over God's Promises: The Lost Art of Taking Him at His Word by Tom Yeakley. In both books, we are encouraged to ask the Lord to speak to us personally through His Word. We discovered that this is challenging, and yet encouraging as well. It is challenging because we mostly speak to ourselves, not hearing what God is trying to say to us. However, when we do hear His words to us, we are encouraged by receiving His affirmations and promises, as well as His rebukes or corrections because we know He loves us enough to address them with us. 

Please do pray for our team that we would allow God to speak to us, drawing us into deeper trust and relationship with Him to empower us for the mission at hand. Pray for the launching activities of a new semester at Chinhoyi University of Technology. Pray for the three Grade 7 students and four High School students who are receiving their test scores this week which will determine their academic advancement. Pray for Simba, fruit of our ministry, as he seeks permission to do evangelism and Bible study at Harare Polytechnic where he is a student. Also continue praying for favorable resolution of our land issues and for Louisa Joubert, who continues her battle with cancer displaying a desire to see God glorified in her trial. We thank the Lord for the rains that did arrive and we ask Him that it will help yield a harvest for the families we trained in effective farming practices. 


Seeking to listen to His voice, 

Mike Sulc 

Arthur and Mike wearing their favorite soccer team jerseys.
Liverpool (England) for Arthur and Internacional (Brazil) for Mike.

LTLA soccer team (yellow) won this match 4-1, and Mike scored a penalty kick goal.

Shelton transporting kids for weekly Bible study, using LTLA truck.

LTLA Goals 

Growing in God’s grace and dependence on Him, Life to Life Africa's goals for 2018-2020 are to: 

1. Nurture the team’s ministry of prayer for peace and spread of the Gospel, growth in fully trusting God and His grace, and team members’ understanding of their spiritual gifts and use to edify the team. 
2. Develop fund raising and entrepreneurial capacity within the team. 
3. Evaluate the effectiveness and cost (time, space, and money) of every aspect of the ministry. 
4. Develop and grow the training programs in sewing, farming, and dried fish along with training in business practices and entrepreneurship necessary for the programs and trainees to thrive. 
5. Develop a plan for the best use of the land and buildings. 
6. Develop laborers and leaders through ministries to the chosen generation, high school, and campus. 
7. Investigate models of ministry and training programs that have proven effective in order to improve the ministry.

Traveling to Zimbabwe - Prayer Bulletin

January 22, 2018 

Dear Praying Friends, 

I have arrived in Zimbabwe for a two week trip so will once again covet your prayer covering. We have received word that a dear friend, Louisa, is in her final days as she battles cancer. Please pray for her and Johan, her husband, along with their family. May the Lord grant her freedom from pain and may everyone experience the comfort of the hope that is found in Christ alone. 

Arthur asks for prayer for Vedra, a CUT student, who received Christ last semester and is being encouraged in his relationship with Christ. He also asks for continued prayer for timely rain that will benefit the plots of corn planted by the 100 families we serve. Rain is critically needed this week. Our land issues with the local authorities have not yet been resolved. Thank you for praying for these items!

With a grateful heart,
Mike Sulc

A Light to Many

January 19, 2018

New Year Greetings!

"Find, love, care, lead, disciple and train so effectively that the ministry will be a light to many." This is the first part of the Life to Life Africa vision statement (See LTLA Vision Statement below), recently developed by the LTLA team and stakeholders in Zimbabwe. As we start a new year with fresh anticipation, I wanted to share with you what God impressed upon us for the future of LTLA. We look forward to trusting God for what He desires to accomplish through us!

The recent political changes in Zimbabwe have renewed some hope for the country. Just a week after being installed as president to complete the remaining seven months of former president Robert Mugabe's term, Emmerson Manangwa spoke at the Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT) commencement ceremony. In that speech he stated:

"Chinhoyi University of Technology indeed is a young and vibrant institution favoured with a special mandate to lead industrial development and the nurturing of entrepreneurship, innovation and creativity. These objectives are in tandem with our new thrust as Government to empower our young people with critical skills that will drive industrialization and modernisation of the economy and inculcate a new thinking in wealth creation, innovation and entrepreneurship." 
(http://www.chronicle.co.zw/zimbabwe-poised-for-massive-industrialisation/) 

We are excited to continue spiritually impacting students at CUT who will be part of the re-birth of Zimbabwe. May the Lord use LTLA to instill Godly character in this next generation of leaders.

CUT students involved with LTLA at a recent Discipleship Conference.

The Lord is also asking us to "empower and develop (vulnerable) people through training and enterprises that enable healthy and productive lives." We are asking the Lord for his empowering and creativity in how to do this. Bob Scott, the author of the book Saving Zimbabwe: Life, Death and Hope in Africa, just posted the following regarding Zimbabwe in his blog (http://www.jocomglobal.com/blog/):

"There is a great deal of hard work ahead which will realistically take decades to accomplish. It cannot happen without the help of people outside the country... people from the US and Europe who are motivated by building businesses which exhibit a compassionate form of capitalism will play a significant role. Too long the west has simply pillaged Africa. It is time to show a model of business more akin to Jesus' teachings with a Kingdom of God worldview." 

Perhaps the Lord will place it on your heart to join us in our efforts to come along side to empower orphans, widows and the poor toward healthy and productive lives.

LTLA impacting generations in Chinhoyi

Seeking to shine the light of Christ,

Mike Sulc for the Life to Life Africa Team

Important Meeting Follow-Up - LTLA Prayer Bulletin

December 29, 2017

Thank you for holding us up in prayer regarding our land issues. Arthur and Gogo Mildred were finally able to meet with the town planner today. The official surveying report is not yet finalized, so we are still waiting for resolution. The town planner did say that it looks promising for us to be given additional land adjacent to our Community Center property. 

So, please continue praying for a favorable resolution to additional land we are owed and for our encroachment on electrical authority right-of-way. These issues have come about due to Chinhoyi officials giving a "stand" we purchased to someone else and improperly laying out our Community Center boundary lines. I will keep you informed as resolution is reached, hopefully in the coming weeks. 


Grateful for your prayer support! 
Mike Sulc

Important Meeting - LTLA Prayer Bulletin

December 26, 2017 

Hope you enjoyed a blessed Christmas celebrating the birth of Christ Jesus our Savior and Lord. We are grateful that He is sovereignly reigning in the affairs of man and that, "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord." (Proverbs 21:1) We are also grateful that as we trust Him and go about doing what He did, He invites us to ask for things that will bring glory to God. (John 14:12-14) 

In that spirit, would you pray for God to grant Life to Life Africa favor in the eyes of Chinhoyi officials as it relates to our Community Center property. Arthur & Gogo Mildred, leaders of our work, will meet tomorrow, December 27, with the town planner and other officials to bring resolution to some land issues. Our property lines were not laid out properly by the city engineering department so we are encroaching on electrical authority right-of-way. We are also owed land since a "stand" we paid for was given to someone else. To compensate us, we could be given additional land surrounding our Community Center. 

We are asking the Lord to give us additional land surrounding our property and that we will not have to modify our wall due to the mistake made laying out our property lines. Please also continue praying for the needed rain for the plots of corn planted by the families we serve. Thank you for joining us in prayer. 


Trusting our Sovereign Lord, 
Mike Sulc

"I Need to Give Back the Love I Was Shown"

December 4, 2017


"I need to give back the love I was shown by Life to Life Africa," shares Tsungai, who directs the LTLA Critical Care Center, our ministry to pre-school orphans. "While getting treatment for HIV at the hospital, a nurse directed me to LTLA because as a young widow with two sons I was struggling to properly feed my family and myself. LTLA provided me food and medical care and Uncle Ron Shimkus even found me a job at a local pre-school back in 2008. LTLA helped me when even my family isolated me due to my illness. The God of 'second chances' is using me now as I once was useless." 

When LTLA launched the Critical Care Center, Tsungai (pictured with the Critical Care Center orphans, below) was invited to help and she gladly accepted the opportunity. Her love for children is evident every morning as she greets them with a big smile and hug when they arrive. She not only cares for them physically by feeding them breakfast and lunch; she also cares for their educational development as she prepares them for kindergarten, and she cares for them spiritually by teaching them Bible stories and songs. As Tsungai continues to share, "I grew up going to church but it was through LTLA that I understood the Gospel and accepted Christ. I used to only hear the Bible at church but now I read, study and memorize it."

Tsungai with Critical Care Center orphans.

When asked to share how the Critical Care Center has impacted the orphans in its care, Tsungai tells the story of Victoria (pictured below). Victoria, now 9 years old, entered the care of LTLA at the age of 3 months. She was in the care of her grandparents since her father passed away while her mother was pregnant with her and then her mother passed away shortly after she was born. Her grandparents appealed for help from LTLA as they were unable to afford the formula to feed her. LTLA provided the formula, "saving her life" her grandfather says. She soon joined the Critical Care center under the watchful care of Tsungai who finishes the story by saying, "Now she is the best student in her class. She does not miss the weekly LTLA youth Bible study where she loves to memorize scripture. Her grandparents are often in tears as they see God working in Victoria's life."

Victoria

Tsusngai asks for prayer for Malka (below). She has been in her grandmother's care since her mother abandoned her at 2 months of age. Her grandmother is not stable and has not cared well for her, leading to malnutrition. She has been inconsistent lately in bringinig Malka to the Critical Care Center. Tsungai asks us to "Please pray that God will protect Malka and speak to her grandmother's heart to allow LTLA to help Malka. We also pray that we can help her grandmother and mother come to know Christ."

Tsungai holding Malka.

Would you help us continue caring for the physical and spiritual needs of children like Victoria and Malka, as well as their families? 

Our operational budget in Zimbabwe is $8,000 monthly and we will need year-end gifts to launch us into next year. Your special gift or monthly commitment will enable us to continue in 2018. You can contribute by sending your check payable to:

Life to Life Africa
PMB 344
10151 University Blvd.
Orlando, FL 32817-1904

You can also donate online. If you are interested in doing so, please email me at mike.sulc@lifetolifeafrica.org, and I will pass along instructions.



Thank you for considering how you can help. Your prayers and financial support make this possible.

Thank You!

 Mike Sulc