Welcome to Lifeline Ministries Southern Africa

Introduction
Lifeline Ministries Southern Africa began as an evangelistic and basic discipleship ministry as part of Emmanuel Press, which began in South Africa under David Newington in 1945.  In 1976, during UDI, because the border closures prevented literature getting through, Pastor Ron Davies received a call from God to relocate to Salisbury (now Harare).  See the menu for a more full history of Lifeline's formation and development over the years.

Holroyd New Life Church has supported the ministry of Lifeline Ministries Southern Africa since 1982. This site is dedicated to providing up-to-date information on what is going on in LMSA's ministries.  It is done primarily from an Australian perspective, aiming at increasing awareness particularly in Australia / New Zealand of the work LifeLine does in Southern Africa.  We aren't website development experts.  You won't find any bells and whistles here....  but we hope the information, reports, and photos inspire more folks to get involved in what we know firsthand is a "good work in the Gospel"!

Stress has been on a balance of Christian activity that emphasises development of local ministry potential, while also developing self-help programs of food and work provision, relief ministry, literature publications for evangelism and basic Bible and Leadership training.  In Australia, the emphasis has shifted more recently to supplying resources to resource centres being established for all the ministers and leaders in a local area.

In addition to financial contributions, a certain amount of material aid has also gone - clothing, shoes, medical and pharmacy donations, educational materials (the amount often determined by the kindness of airline staff and stretched weight allowances!).  Donations collected and distributed go a long way towards practical assistance and helping equip nationals for ministry in their own countries!

Donations made by concerned people are added to our own church's regular remittances, and everything goes on 100%  for use in Southern Africa.  We take care to direct funds specifically to where a donor requests (e.g. Sparrows Nest orphanage in Mozambique has received wonderful help from this kind of giving).  We pray continually that God will bless and enlarge our storehouse so we can give again and again!  Over the months and years ahead!   

Our own church has been involved in the outworking of this vision for some years, not only in financing and praying for the program, but sending teachers to be an active part of the Lifeline Ministry Development courses.  See the stop press below for further news on this.

We hope you are inspired to become a Friend of Lifeline too by your visit here!

We ensure every cent given gets forwarded to Africa. Absolutely NO admin. costs are taken out.  If you are interested in helping, or contributing, or would like regular updates sent to you, contact us.  And we keep a close firsthand eye on where the aid is distributed (something that is more difficult to do in some larger relief organisations where 30%+ normally goes to cover admin costs, and close relational ties are not so easily formed with those receiving assistance).  Other collection agencies exist for Lifeline around the world - go to contact details...

Please direct any enquiries to newlife@hnlc.org.au.  You can deposit direct by telegraphic transfer into the bank account of Holroyd New Life Church (BSB 062-428,  a/c  2803 1618), but please email us advising what you want done with the donation).

If you're interested in supporting Lifeline in any way, or receiving regular news, contact us at this email address, or call (61) 02-98962514.  Lifeline Southern Africa's Field Administrator is Loxley Ford.  Loxley works with his wife, Mavis, out of Harare, Zimbabwe.  His e-contact is lifeline@africaonline.co.zw.  

What can we do?
Here's the practical situation right now...

• We can pray.  Pray for peace and stability.  For the ongoing effective witness of the church in Zimbabwe and surrounding nations.  The safety and security of Christian workers (local and foreign).

• We can give - donations of finance are easiest to transport and allocate; plus reasonable quality clothes, shoes, and educational material.  Financing the ongoing work of Lifeline will help ensure the development of the next generation of leaders and workers in the churches of Sthn Africa.  Our giving will also help alleviate the pressure on many people there right now - their needs include food, medical, transport costs, educational helps, etc.  Details on how to give are included above....  

• And some of us can go.  For this aspect, you need to touch base with Brian Rensford regarding the current status of visits and what's required.  Fuel, accommodation, and economic factors are making it very difficult for team visits at present.

CONTACT DETAILS

Reports of various African Lifeline activities follow.
These respect the cultural sensitivities of the regions personnel are active in....  updates over two years old are filed under Older Updates).

Lifeline Online is now available in on the Internet.  It is an attempt to provide basic resource materials from God's word for ministry development - to people unable to travel to places of group lectures and discussions.  Go there and have a look!

Stop Press Summary Updates (under 2 years old)
August 2010 - Plans for the bi-annual Indaba are well-advanced.  This is a vital time for the ministry to prayerfully assess our position in the broader framework of what the Spirit is doing and saying in Southern Africa, and to ensure we are all properly positioned in His purposes - alongside the many, many other servants of God and ministries that are endeavouring to be fruitful for our Saviour.  Location again is in the Midlands.  It is not open to the public, but by invitation only; there is no special speaker - but rather, a time of deep discussion to identify "the Way Forward".  The PDF is here to give an indication of what Lifeline is prayerfully looking forward to.

July 2010 - Feedback from the last ministry visit to Zimbabwe continues to come in - the latest from Douglas Marikanda, Administrator of CLRC (Christian Leadership Resource Centre) Bulawayo.  Extract from CLRC's 6-mthly report....  LIFELINE MINISTRIES :-... as a Center we had another Seminar with Pastors on the 7th of May 2010 at the Christian Leadership Resource Center premises from 0900hrs to 1630hrs.  The topics which were discussed on the day were stemming from the Conference Theme; ”Priesthood of every believer.” Pastor Brian Rensford and Pastor Sam Abalo taught quite well and many were left wanting to hear more from both speakers.  There has been an increasing demand for the soft copy resource materials of their lessons.  The attendance was another record breaking figure as we had never before then hosted more 56 Pastors at the Center using the Boardroom for that matter, yet on that day the 56 fitted in the Boardroom; yes they were squashed, but they all endured up to the end of the day, which was really an encouragement to the Administrator, and more so to Brian and Sam who had travelled all the way from Australia for that Conference, including another one they had in Gweru two days before.  As a Center l must say we see it as great favour from God to be seen partnering with these Organizations and it is our prayer that God will guard these relationships jealously. The commitment that these brothers put into their work is really amazing, they just give it all, and may God bless them.

May 2010 - Sam Abalo (senior minister of Living Word Centre in Western Sydney accompanied Brian Rensford, for the first time, for two weeks contributing to the seminars and discussion times with many pastors and leaders through the Midlands and Bulawayo.  He says he's coming back!  And they want him back!

Brian and Loxley Ford earlier spent five days south of the Central Mozambique Corridor in the bush churches, following up last year's fresh ground-breaking expedition.  You can follow their journey on the HNLC current trip report on the menu bar opposite - there are two versions there - one only 65kb (no photos), the other 650kb (with photos).

Currently, the Harare Base is being remodelled to cope with the arrival of another young family at the end of 2010.  Mavis Ford has already been adopted as an ambuya (grandmother) by Jonathan - her maid Mabel's beautiful, friendly 15 m/o son.  Her proud husband (Kogen) has helped maintain the Base for the past 3 years too.  Jonathan's such a gorgeous little boy!

April 2010 - Ladies and their Peanut Butter project.  Loxley Ford and Pastor Mapiyawo filed the accompanying report on the difference in financing lifestyle and enhancing dignity that a little assistance can generate, when the love of God is the motivational force.

March 2010 - Friends of Lifeline operate numerous ministries in Southern Africa.  We have started listing them (and their updates and websites) separately on the menu bar (new).

Mavis Ford celebrated her 70th birthday in Harare; her church threw a surprise birthday party, complete with an enormous cake!  (click on the photo).  Loxley and Mavis then drove their visiting relatives back to Joburg airport (and doing the customary shopping in SA!).

January 2010 - Loxley Ford has again visited Sparrows' Nest in Mozambique.  The very encouraging developments are detailed in his (PDF) report here - with photos.  When this report was brought before Holroyd New Life Church on their January missions' morning (first Sunday of every month, the morning offering goes 100% into Lifeline activity), $US1400 was given towards improving the infrastructure for the 60+ children being cared for at Sparrows' Nest.  Mozambique (unlike Zimbabwe until recently) has a safe and efficient electronic banking system that enables forex to be sent without "interference" by authorities.

Go here for an update re the Training Seminar hosted by the Matabeleland branch of the EFZ (Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe) - forwarded by John Stambolie (Administrator of TCZ - Theological College of Zimbabwe), whose kind assistance enabled the seminar to be put on (and in such a conducive environment!).

December 2009 - Some significant developments have continued to emerge from last October 2008's Indaba (= time of deep discussion).  Including new opportunities to establish regular training seminars and ongoing Ministry Training Programs (MTP's).  Some of these are detailed in the most recent HNLC Trip Report which covers the 5000km 6-week ministry trip throughout Zimbabwe and central Mozambique.

Lifeline Field Director, Loxley Ford, has also reported on the rapid completion of the Sparrows' Nest Orphanage girls' dormitory highlighted in the same current report.  Go to Orphans' and Widows' Reports for his report (in PDF).

The move away from the hyper-inflation Zim$ to $US and Rand has greatly helped the movement of donations into Zimbabwe.  It has also meant locals can conduct business without worrying how much their cash will devalue overnight while they sleep!  This is good news for all Christian and Relief organisations.

Mavis Ford has produced an update of life in Harare - an interesting cameo of life in an ever-changing unstable society. Also Go there to read about Loxley and Ishumairi's amazing God-provision experience in their recent trip to Mozambique when their 4x4 broke all four fanbelts!!

April 2009 - some donors have made available funds for micro-investment - empowering local people to commence a small business which makes them self-supporting.  Our Harare Field Administrator, Loxley Ford, recently forwarded this report from the bush in the Midlands of Zimbabwe.

Last week I met with Pastor Cathias Mapiyawo from Takavarasha which is 15 kms, to the south, down a dust road from the Masvingo/Zvishavane road about half way between them.  I may have told you about him – the man who took up bee-keeping by reading a book about it with no outside help. He is a school master and a quite amazing guy. He is also the pastor of a thriving church of about 150 in his village which is very well organized. On my advice he undertook the replacement of the front two of the massive brick columns which effectively divided his church building in two front to back. We walked around the village and looked at all the scrap iron and I pointed out bits that could be used for the replacement columns with bases and a means of picking up the load from the roof trusses that were carried on the columns. This of course meant propping the roof while the brick column was removed and the new one set at the right level on the base. I would have been a bit nervous but he not only got the new columns made as per my sketch but also did the job.

We were discussing help for widows and orphans and he mentioned a project he wanted to start for making peanut butter. His wife, Sally, has grown 1 hectare of peanuts and others in the church are also growing them. The harvesting and preparation for making peanut butter is quite labour intensive and he wants to buy a small machine that crushes the peanuts. He has recently been given a 6-room house at the school which has electricity and so the project is now viable. I am going with him on Tuesday to try to find a peanut butter machine in Harare before he goes back on Wednesday.

The project will involve widows in the church in all the stages of the process from planting to selling the finished product. I felt that this was a worthwhile project in which to invest the final USD200 which you left with me. I have asked Cathias to prepare a statement for you about the project (this came hand-written and is available on request)

November 2008 - we have highlighted some of the emerging emphases Lifeline is engaging in as the situation in Zimbabwe and Mozambique deteriorates regarding the care of orphans and widows (especially as the AIDS crisis continues to grow.

Here are some firsthand examples...  go to separate webpage

And now for some of the worst news to follow on such an emphasis on widows and orphans...

Only today we found out that the only son of Good and Mydei Ndlovu died two days ago in Chinhoyi hospital.  Good was a Lifeline student in 2000, and worked as the head groundsman at the Harare Base for some 6 years.  His son was named Brian (as a first musukuru - grandson-in-the-faith) for his friend and mentor, Brian Rensford, in Sydney.  The Sydney Lifeline people are deeply distressed by this tragic death (which probably would never have happened in a functioning society with an operative health system).  Brian was only 9 months old and as this photo (taken only five weeks ago) shows, he was a healthy boy.  Please pray for Brian's mother and father as they regather their shattered lives and look to "the God of all comfort" at this time.

October 2008 - An important Gathering of the Lifeline Network Leaders took place mid-October in the Midlands.  Attendance at the Indaba (= deep discussion) was by invitation only and the response was almost 100% form Zimbabwe and Mozambique.  A copy of the invitation to "the Way Forward" for the ministry is posted in PDF here for public viewing.  A significant time of prayer, discussion of emerging structure, and fields of opportunity for service was contributed to by virtually every one of the 30 delegates present.  More details on the who and what will be posted here in the next month.

May 2008 -  communications are proving quite irregular at present, and newsletters have been sporadic (as well as being carefully written).  The latest update (to April 2008) is accessible on the left menu bar.  It's extensive, and makes for very interesting reading.

Meanwhile, despite the uncertainty gripping the region at present, Brian and Peter Brown are booked to go again in June; they value your prayers, as Brian responds to several invitations to conduct Lifeline minsters and leaders' training seminars in several districts.

Domingos Caetano, long-time Lifeline brother and pastor in Nhamatanda, Mozambique has run Sparrows Nest orphanage since 2002.  His wife and partner in ministry, Sister Dorcas, died in March 2008 after several years of long, difficult, and failing health.  Home with Jesus.  Domingos continues looking after (at last report) 56 orphans.  Pray for him...  And the  children.

Older Stop Press Updates are filed under Older Updates...