The Origin

Motivated by the indwelling love of God in Christ and the desire to see the unreached experience this same love, Tree of Life is dedicated to addressing holistically the needs of the communities of Sierra Leone to bring them into a relationship with Jesus Christ. Just as Jesus met physical needs which bridged those seeking hope to reach spiritual transformation, Tree of Life hopes to imitate that same model. Ultimately, we want them to “know us by our love”.

The UN still lists Sierra Leone among the poorest of the world’s countries, so the overwhelming need that exists is also a major driving force for the birth of this project. Also, Tree of Life hopes to give Sierra Leonean communities the opportunity to initiate and take ownership in meeting the needs of their communities, giving them a chance to learn to work together and experience success as a community so that they can initiate and undertake greater projects on their own.

Chuck P. Luke is a Registered Nurse who is serving as a full-time missionary with Pioneers in Sierra Leone, West Africa. Chuck is the Creator and Project Manager for the Tree of Life Project. Chuck has previously served with the International Mission Board as a Journeyman to Mali (1999-2001). He also has served with the North American Mission Board at California Baptist University (2001-2003). Chuck is currently seconded and partnering with a Christian U.S. based non-profit organization, GCPN (Global Connection Partnership Network) located in Sierra Leone.

Pioneers International mobilizes teams to glorify God among unreached peoples by initiating church-planting movements in partnership with local churches. For many years, Pioneers has been one of the fastest growing mission organizations in North America. Based in Orlando, Pioneers currently partners with more than 2,000 churches to send more than 1,900 missionaries to the neediest areas of the world. Pioneers International has a clear statement of faith, a focused mission, and a consistently applied set of core values. For more information, go to www.pioneers.org.