January Update 2013

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

Family: In December and January, the Lord continued to give Charity more poems, which she really enjoys writing. They have already begun to touch people who read them, and we've received very positive feedback about them. The testimonies of her experiences with God indicate that the Lord is the one inspiring these. She wrote several, but we posted her best ones online, including the "Eyes of the Lord" (see here), "My Anchor" (see here), "Mirror of Christ" (see here) and "Vessel for the Master" (see here).

We've been so blessed to see Len's nephew, Denis growing in the Lord, after returning to Christ nearly two  years ago, following a long period of backsliding.  We'd like to encourage you to read his testimony about his experience, called "The Lord Healed My Backsliding" (see here).

Meanwhile we have introduced the children to Keith Green music, which they have begun listening to and enjoying. They also enjoy singing and worshiping to songs from Cory Asbury, Kim Walker, Misty Edwards, and Philips Craig and Dean.

On Christmas day, we had some new believers over for a delicious turkey dinner, which was very special for all of us.  They have no relationship with family, live a very difficult life in poverty, and were only six days old in the Lord (more on that in a moment).  We led them in some Hungarian worship songs, which really touched their hearts. We'd like to tell you now how we came to know them.

Erzsébet, Jennifer, and Len

Ministry: In December, Gábor was doing some home repair work for a poor lady near his hometown of Tököl, named Erzsébet ("Elizabeth"). She had a melon-sized tumor on the side of her neck, and she welcomed his offer for us to pray for her.  So with Gábor as our interpreter, we visited with her at her home in Halásztelek, and discovered she didn't know the Lord, so Len shared Jesus with her.  During the visit, she was in a lot of pain, which made it difficult for her to talk.  We told her there was help from heaven for her.

She told us that she had a relapse of cancer in January 2012, and the doctor told her she had three months to live.  She began chemotherapy and kept waiting to die, but was wondering why she was not dead after three months.  She receives 90% disability pension per month to live on. And the pills she had to take during the treatment cost nearly two-thirds of her pension on those pills.  So in August she decided to discontinue the treatment. She thanked the doctor and told him that she was going to trust God alone to heal her.

After Len proclaimed the good news of the kingdom, she received it with tears.  We prayed with her to repent and ask Jesus into her heart, and the presence of the Lord was tangible.  She was truly born again, and said she actually felt like she had just been "born all over again."  Afterward we prayed for her to be filled with the Spirit and healed.  Then she said all the pain was gone, and without touching it, she "felt as though the tumor was no longer there!"  She also said she felt like she was "floating."  We told her that's what Life feels like!  Hallelujah!  Several times after that until we left, she kept checking the tumor and saying, "It's getting smaller!" Praise the Lord!  He has done great things!

Erzsébet (mother), Jennifer, and Len

The Lord Jesus said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father." (Joh 14:12). He also said, "These signs will accompany those who have believed...they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." (Mar 16:17-18)

Then her mother, also named Erzsébet, wanted to give her life to Jesus, too.  So we prayed with her as well, and she was saved. Then we all rejoiced that these two women had come into the kingdom of God.

As we departed from their home, they were overflowing with expressions of gratitude to the Lord for what He had done in their lives, and to us for our small part as His servants.  This is what we live for, and it is such a pleasure to participate with God in it.  It made our year!

The younger Erzsébet accepted Gábor's invitation to ride to the Rose Garden Baptist church services with him on Sunday, and hopefully she will also be able to participate in the new church being started in his home there in Tököl, as well.  Gábor has been over at her home, teaching her the Word.  And along with his sons David and Bendi, he has been cutting wood to heat her home.

During one of our subsequent visits with her, she said that the first time we visited to share Jesus with her, she had no running water, since her water pump had not been working for 15 hours.  She was unable to get a repairman, who knew how to fix it, to come and get it running.  But immediately following that first visit, after she and her mother gave their lives to Jesus, the water came back on without any repair.  She believes, and so do we, that it was a miracle. Praise the Lord!

Even three weeks later, she continued to report that her tumors seemed to be shrinking a little each day, and the pain is a little less each day.  Please agree with us in prayer for a complete healing.

Erszébet has a twenty-year old son, named István ("Steven"), who does not know the Lord.  On New Years Eve, he held a party, and someone posted something about it on facebook.  It ended up that around five hundred people showed up, including graft elements, and we won't discuss what they did.  Please also pray for his salvation.

Edith, Andrew, Len, and Jennifer

We mentioned previously that Len began to share Jesus with a Hungarian, medical doctor named Endre ("Andrew"), and that he was invited to this man's home for further discussion about it.  In January, we traveled as a family across the country to visit with him and his family  in Szeged (pronounced "SE-ged"), Hungary.

We spent an afternoon with Andrew and his wife Edit ("Edith"), at their lovely estate, along with their two daughters.  He recalled that he had felt an instant friendship with Len from the first moment they met at the airport in England back in November.  It was obviously a divine connection! Later in the day, Len shared the gospel with Andrew, and he surrendered his life to the Lord, inviting Jesus into his heart.  He was marvelously born again, and felt the peace of God in his heart.  This is what he had been searching for.  Praise the Lord!  The Lord answered the powerful, united prayers of all those who prayed for Andrew's salvation, as well as our prayers.  As we concluded our visit, it was a joyful moment with talk of future visits together. Later that evening, Andrew personally shared the Lord with Edith, since she didn't understand clearly what Len was saying, but he told us she is not ready to make a decision for Christ at this time. 

Incidentally, we learned from one of the disciples here that Szeged is the center for darkness for all of Europe.  (This statement is intentionally left vague on this public venue, but it is the "Salem of Hungary." For more clarity you can read Revelation 2:13 and Deuteronomy 18:10).  This quick, "in-and-out" trip felt like we penetrated right behind enemy lines on a hostage rescue mission.  Consequently there is one more, bright light shining in that dark place.  All glory to Jesus! Although we did not have an opportunity to minister healing to Andrew's friend, who is diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer, he did say he would ask her if she would like us to do so. Please pray for Andrew's wife, Edith and their daughters to come to know Jesus.  And pray that they will all grow in Christ.

You may remember Greg, one of Len's disciples here.  During the holiday week in December, he preached to a youth group in the village of Fony, in northern Hungary, near the border of Slovakia.  There are about 125 people in the village and twenty youth.  Of those twenty youth, seven attended the meeting where Greg preached.  It's great to see Greg stepping out and being used by the Lord.

Kriszti and Gábor

Gábor recently preached for the first time in his house church meeting, and he got some good feedback afterward.  The church that has been founded in the his home will be having their first service in a public building on February 24th.  We have been invited to attend. Please pray that this work will be established and result in many disciples for the Lord.

You may recall that Len prayed for Gábor's kidney, where he was having unusual symptoms, so his doctor ordered a CT Scan.  Then the symptoms stopped completely after hands were laid on Gábor for healing.  However, the doctors have given him a bad report, based on the CT Scan done prior to the healing, which is just as we expected would happen.  Len has counseled him to ask for a second image of the kidney, so they can document his healing. This is all presently in progress, so please pray that his healing will be confirmed by the doctors.

Gábor's wife, Kriszti ("Christy") is a hairdresser, and she runs her own business out of their home.  But due to the economy, customers who used to come every two weeks now come every two months.  So it has been very difficult for them, and she is very concerned.  Many others like them have found it difficult to survive here in Hungary. That's why Gábor would like to go to Germany or some other country to find work to support his family, which a lot of people in Eastern Europe are doing these days.

Vilmos

 In Hungary, as a result of the alcoholism during the decades of communism and the emotional damage done by communism itself, there are many alcoholics here. There are also many people who gamble all their money.  For years there has been a hopelessness among the people of Hungary, but it is increasing even more these days.  Gábor told Len that "99% of the men in Hungary cannot say 'I'm sorry.'"  So this leads to family breakdown.  Gábor knows one elder couple in his family, who have been married for 65 years, and now they are about to get divorced.  He recently told the husband that he was a dead man until he came to know Jesus, and he told this man that he, too, is dead until he gives his life to the Lord.  He did not want to hurt this man, but felt the fire in his belly to tell him the truth.  Pray that this man gives his life to Jesus.

Jennifer continues to build relationship and care for Rita, the poor, gypsy lady we mentioned last time.

Len recently met with Vilmos ("William"), one of the elders we have known for four years now at a local church in Budapest. He has been under attack since being appointed as an elder about 18 months ago. The year 2012 was an intensely grueling year for him.  During his recent visit with us, the Holy Spirit brought times of refreshing in the presence of the Lord, and he said it literally felt like he was standing in an ocean or a river. Glory to God!

Resources:  This month we would also like to encourage you to read  a message about "The Eyes of the Lord" (see here); a poem that Charity also wrote about the "Eyes of the Lord" (see here); a message called "Pressing on Toward the Goal" (see here), and a message called "The Evil Nephilim Giants" (see here). You may also be interested in reading "Standing in the Gap" (see here).

Other inspiring, new poems written by our children include "My Anchor" (see here) and Still the Same" (see here).

As always, Len's entire collection of most popular blogs are at "Writing for the Master" (see here).  We welcome your comments on this newsletter, so feel free to leave those below.

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:

"Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness." (Ps 115:1)

1. For the quality time away that we were able to take without the children.
2. For saving Erzsébet ("Elizabeth") and her mother, healing her, and restoring her running water.
3. For the wonderful time we had with "Elizabeth" and her mother during Christmas.
4. For marvelously saving "Andrew".
5. For restoring Len's nephew Denis and making him a testimony of Jesus' saving power. 
6. For healing Gábor from kidney problems.
7. For using Gábor and Greg to preach His Word.
8. For the open doors of ministry on other continents.

Next steps and prayer needs:

1. For the Lord to reveal Himself to all the non believers in Hungary, whom we have touched, especially Rita the poor, gypsy lady. 
2. For the Lord to anoint us with words and wisdom to witness to Andrew and his family in Szeged.
3. For Erzsébet ("Elizabeth") to be completely healed of cancer, and her son István ("Steven") to be saved.
4. For "Andrew" to grow in his new relationship with Jesus, and for his wife Edith, and daughters to come to Christ also.
5. For the Lord to give us wisdom and direction concerning open doors of short-term ministry outside of Europe.
6. For the Lord to continue using all of us in our personal evangelism work, including the children.
7. For the Lord to continue to multiply disciples through Dávid V. and the others in his church. 
8. For the outpouring of His Holy Spirit here in Diosd to continue to ripple all across Hungary and Eastern Europe.
9. For the Lord to powerfully anoint and help Len as he meets with pastors, elders, and disciples here in Hungary this winter.
10. For our financial blessing.  

Thank you so much for your partnership in this ministry.

with love from all of us,

The Lacroixs

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