Simon Mkolo is one of JL's oldest partners on the African continent in terms of friendship and partnership -- going back to the early 1980s. Simon had been a political radical and revolutionary during the days when Southern Rhodesia was seeking her independence from white rule. As a result of his speaking out against the injustices of the racial regime, he was arrested and put in prison for 4 years for his rebel activities. While there he was given a book by an African pastor entitled God's Miracles. The message of that book -- especially the emphasis on the verse about Jesus Christ being "...the same yesterday, today and forever" (Heb. 13:8), led to his equally radical conversion to Jesus Christ.

Upon his release from jail, he began to walk from village to village in the poorest areas of Zimbabwe preaching the Gospel.  As a result, thousands were saved and churches were planted in the “African Bush.”  Today he has planted well over 500 churches.  JL has gone to Zimbabwe annually to preach Conferences and Conventions for Simon’s people.  He has also funded the building of many “bush churches” and pastor’s homes.  Today one of J.L.‘s primary projects is helping build the Conference Center for Pastor Simon along with the Eben-Ezer Bible College.