May Update 2012

Greetings from Hungary!  We’re glad to give you another update on the exciting things the Lord is doing here in Eastern Europe.

Family: We are all grateful to be doing well here right now.  In May we celebrated Christopher’s seventh birthday with a party and some gifts as usual.   Among his gifts was a used bicycle.  He was thrilled to receive it. 

Christopher celebrates his seventh birthday

He was so thrilled that he had a race with Faith on her bicycle, which resulted in an accident.  Faith lost control of her bike and crashed very hard into an iron fence.  She needed stitches on her chin, and is now in the process of healing up.  Thank the Lord it wasn’t worse than that.

The Lord continues to do amazing things among us.  We found some gems in our home (see here), which is part of a greater spiritual awakening and outpouring that we have been experiencing here (see here).  Praise the Lord for the great things He has done.

Ministry:  Len traveled to Bulgaria for ten days to see how the churches there are doing, to preach the gospel to the poor, to encourage the pastors and saints, minister to the sick and those that were bound, and impart gifts to them from the Holy Spirit.

While he was there, he preached and ministered in three different churches in the city of Plovdiv, the town of Stamboljski, and the village of Kalekovitz.  The Lord brought about healing, deliverance, conviction for sin, and heartfelt prayer.  Many believers repented of sin and turned their hearts back to the Lord.  The power of the Spirit was demonstrated, and presence of the Lord was manifested.

The Lord also baptized people with the Holy Spirit and fire with signs following. It is uncertain how many people came to know Christ.  But there were at least three people who did so.

Strahil, Len, and Naiden in Kalekovits, Bulgaria

One lady testified that she was not present at the meeting on the first night, but her son, Naiden (pictured left) was here. He accepted Christ and got the baptism with the Holy Spirit.  She said he is now saved and enthusiastic for the Lord.

Naiden testified afterward that he is so thankful he was healed, saved, and baptized with the Holy Spirit. He was able to start eating again after the Lord healed him.

There were many others who testified that they received healing and deliverance from the Lord.  One gypsy girl, named Girgina, was powerfully delivered from an evil spirit that was tormenting her with pain, involuntary convulsions, and keeping her from speaking. She was set free by the Lord, spoke, and gave her life to Jesus.

For video of the gypsy church in Kalekovits worshiping, click here.

Len with members of the Kalekovits church

The following Scriptures summarize the trip well:

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19)

“And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed.” (Mar 16:20)

“God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.” (Heb 2:4).

If any man boasts, let Him boast in the Lord.  The Lord has done great things for us.  It is marvelous in our eyes.  All the glory goes to our Lord Jesus Christ.  Praise His matchless and powerful Name!

Zlatka, Haroutyun, and Len

Len enjoyed time with an elder named Haroutyun who shares responsibility for the church in Stamboljski.  He has known Haroutyun for several years, and they mutually encouraged one another.  He was marvelously saved and delivered from cigarettes, and later miraculously raised from the dead after a serious illness.  The Lord spoke to him in an audible voice on both occasions.  Please do not miss his amazing testimonies posted under separate blog at the links below:

Haroutyun raised from the Dead - see here

Haroutyun saved and supernaturally delivered -- see here

After the first meeting in Kalekovits, the leaders of the church came to Timotei and said they thanked God for the message, because they needed to hear it at this time. He said he was also very thankful for Len coming to minister there. Praise the Lord!

On the ride home from the meeting in Stamboljski, Hari said the people were very thankful Len came, very thankful we held a special meeting that they would not normally have, and grateful for the message. They felt they needed this message at this time. Praise the Lord!

Back in Hungary, we continue to evangelize and make disciples. Len received an email from David, one of his disciples.  He is part of the youth leadership at his church, while studying in the university. In this group there are seven young people who have given their hearts to God.

He said, “In my school I asked God to give me all the spirits [souls] there. And I [have] started speak about God... which is going well...God will get my school... for His glory.  It's my purpose.”

David says there are more than six hundred students there that he intends to reach with the gospel. He went on to say, “I'm starting an LTG [Life Transformation Group] with one of my friends from the youth group. I want it to spread in my church, because it must create a personal relationship with God. And that's the plan for making disciples. It's in my heart.”  Please pray that the Lord will help David to spread the glorious gospel of Jesus at his university and to make disciples there and in the youth group he leads.

Lastly, the Lord has been laying a burden on our hearts for the Hungarian Roma people (gypsies) here.  Len discovered a map online that shows where they are located.  One such village, called Őrkeny, is only 45 minutes drive from where we live.  When Len shared about this with Gábor, one of his disciples, Gábor said he owns some land in Őrkeny, which he inherited.  So please pray that the Lord would send forth laborers to the gypsies in Hungary, especially Őrkeny, and that he would show us any part He would like us to have in that.

Len with Timotei and Lydya, in Bulgaria

Resources:  Len has recently written a blog called "Costly Grace" (see here).  Another one that is very encouraging is called "Fishers of Men -- the 419 series" (see here). And then there is "Keeping Sundays Holy -- Part II" (see here).  If you would like to read this or any others he has recently written, you can find them at "Writing for the Master" (see here).

In closing, we have much to praise God for, and many opportunities for you to join us in prayer.

Praise the Lord with us for the many answers to prayer:

1. For the healing He is doing on Faith’s chin.
2. For the opportunities to evangelize the lost here.
3. For the encouragement, healing, deliverance, and salvation He brought about in Bulgaria, and for confirming His word through signs and wonders.
4. For the good report from David, the young disciple in Hungary.

Next steps and prayer needs:

1. For the Lord to reveal Himself to Lászlo and Annamaria, Zsolt and Andi (ZHOLT and ON-dee), and our hairdresser, Juszti (YOU-stee). 
2. For the Lord to use all of us in our personal evangelism work, including the children.
3. For the Lord to continue using Len's disciples David, Greg and Gábor to reach the lost with the gospel, as well as make disciples.
4. For the Lord to help David to spread the glorious gospel of Jesus at his university and to make disciples there and in the youth group he leads.
5. For the outpouring of His Holy Spirit here in Diosd to ripple all across Hungary and Eastern Europe.
6. For the Lord to bless the churches in Bulgaria, especially the churches in Kalekovits, Stamboljski, and Plovdiv where Len ministered.
7. For the Lord to send forth laborers to the Hungarian Roma (gypsies), as the Lord is laying a burden on our hearts for them.
8. For our financial blessing.  
9. For the Lord to help us renew our visas in the fall.

Thank you so much for your partnership in this ministry.

Love from all of us,

The Lacroixs

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