December Update 2018

Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ!  We're pleased to share with you the wonderful things the Lord has been doing in our lives and ministry.

The Family at Thanksgiving Dinner 2018

Family: In November, we celebrated Thanksgiving together with turkey and fixings, as well as delicious deserts. We had so much to be thankful to God for, and we verbally expressed our thanks to Him together in prayer around the table.

We mentioned last month that we were having numerous issues with the installation of our new central heating and cooling system, that included two system freeze overs, in which the system literally froze up with ice and stopped working properly. At our request they replaced the heat pump under warranty, and took care of most of the other issues, so we trust that we can now put that behind us and move on. We also mentioned last month that we had flooding through a hole in our foundation. By the grace of God, we finally got that repaired. It's nice to have those things behind us now.

More photos.    

Ministry: As we continue to administer our discipleship training school (DTS), we'd like to update you on the good things that God is doing with it. By the grace of God, we currently have disciples in four nations including Uganda, Nigeria, Kenya, and Mali.

Brother Daniel in Nigeria

In November, Len received a comment on his article You Must Be Born Again from a twenty-three year old man named Daniel in Nigeria, who wrote:

"I believe in Jesus, He died for me on the cross of Calvary. I repent from all my sins today. From now on, only Jesus Christ will be my Saviour. I believe." He went on to say, "I actually want to register [for the DTS]; I am interested, [because] I want to know more about coming of Christ and how to preach gospel. Mrs Collete Toure introduced me to it."

He testified how he actually came to know Christ earlier this year: "Actually as I was sleeping one morning, someone was preaching in the street, saying, 'Repent for the kingdom of God is near.' The voice of that person touched my heart. My heart was troubled. I also had a friend that had just gotten saved at that time, and he was preaching to me too. I was afraid of the coming of Jesus Christ, so I called him and explained to him [what was happening]. I told him that I needed Jesus in my life and I was coming to their church. On Sunday we went to church, and after the service I gave my life to Christ. He prayed for [me] and I got baptized."

Praise the Lord that this man has come to know Jesus as His Savior. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation, and through the preaching of it, the Lord was able to wake this man up both from his natural sleep and especially spiritually. When Len checked with sister Collete, one of our students in Mali, Africa, to find out more from her about how he decided to contact us, she replied humbly:

Sister Collete in Mali

"Dear brother Leonard,

It is the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in our eyes. It all happened like this. In Africa we have what is called Christian Whatsapp groups for evangelization, encouragement, teachings and testimonies, prayers, and all that concerns Christians, preparing us for the Lord's second coming.

I am involved with several groups. It so happens that Daniel is in one of the groups. Due to my contributions, thanks to the vast knowledge on various topics gained from Doulos Training School, [the Lord] enabled me to be an asset to the group.

It was from this forum that Daniel spotted me and wrote to me that he would like to have more knowledge about Christian life and to grow in the spirit. Well, I introduced him to the school, because I know he will gain more and become a good disciple of Christ.

As I said before this was just from God, because I have talked with several brothers and sisters about the school, but none of them has ever shown interest.

I give God all the glory.

Stay blessed.

Sister Collete"

We give all the glory to God for brother Daniel's life and salvation, and the way He used sister Collete to edify and encourage him, as well as to direct him to our training school, where he can learn to become a disciple. He did enroll in our DTS on Thanksgiving Day and stated that his reason for doing so is, "I want to learn more about Jesus Christ, and how to preach the gospel." Praise the Lord.

Afterward Len connected brother Daniel with brother Deji, since they both reside in Lagos, Nigeria. Let's pray that he will learn more about Jesus and how to preach the gospel.

Brother Geoffrey in Kenya

Daniel has since referred two other people to our DTS, brother Joshua in Ghana and brother Geoffrey in Kenya. When Geoffrey applied for enrollment into our DTS in November, he gave the following testimony of his salvation:

"I was led to the Lord after a twelve-year struggle with addiction, by a pastor who was helping me to overcome alcoholism. Initially, and like it is with all addicts, I had tried all I could to get out of a self-destructive, sinful lifestyle. This being my fourth year of being dry, and walking with the Lord, I received a call for serving and reaching out to others who are still burdened with the yoke of addiction. Due to lack of funds, DTS is ideal, as I can pursue the knowledge of God without the limitations that lack of finances can afford. It's also ideal, as through the Life Transformation Group [LTG], something good can be birthed and nurtured into a fellowship that can be fruitful for the Lord."

Praise the Lord for saving Geoffrey and delivering him from alcohol addiction! What a wonderful testimony of God's power! And we're so pleased to be able to offer him the DTS training free of charge, in order to help him grow in his knowledge of God. As you can see from his reason for enrolling and his comments about LTGs, he's already caught our vision of multiplying disciples. Let's pray the Lord helps him grow spiritually and births something good through him that can be nurtured into a fruitful fellowship in Kenya.

More DTS Testimonies

Len received an email from one of our students in Uganda named Grace. He is a pastor who is having challenges paying his rent, so he accepted an invitation from a sister from his church, who offered him and his family a place to stay. He is now there, but facing transportation challenges. He wrote:

Brother Grace in Uganda

"Praise the Lord, dear brother Len. I am staying with my wife and our five children together in this new place. The challenge is to walk to church almost daily for six kilometres [3.7 miles]. My wife Dina is weak, since she has been sickly from her youth. We are praying for transportation and our own house.

Blessings."

Praise the Lord for the provision of a temporary place to stay. Let's pray the Lord would provide brother Grace and his family with their own house and a vehicle to use for transportation.

Len also received an email from another pastor in Uganda who is also in our DTS, named brother Charles. He stated:

"Greetings From Uganda.

Brother Charles in Uganda

I am very grateful that the Lord made it possible for me to be able to join this training program. I would like to let you know that it has not only widened my understanding in the Word of God, but has also helped me apply the word of God in my day-to-day life and made the Pastoral work easier. I am very optimistic that the next courses will be more impactful.

My regards to the family and partners of Doulos Training School. Let them know that every little support they are giving materially, emotionally, spiritually and financially to make God's word available is being recorded and God will reward each person accordingly.

Thank You Very Much For Continuous Service to Empower and disciple Christian leaders.

Pr Charles L Okello"

DTS Photo Album.

Len sent out his monthly edition of Old News That's Still Fresh in December to pastors, elders, and laborers in the harvest in the US, Europe, Australia, Africa, and Southeast Asia.

In December, he received the following response from sister Collete (pictured above), who receives the Old News That's Still Fresh each month. She wrote:

"Dear brother Leonard,

First may I start by thanking God for keeping us all as students of Doulos [Training] School and our families to enter the month of December. It has been a challenge to most of us, but the grace of God has carried and been sufficient for us.  I especially thank God for your family for the strength and anointing that has sustained you to continue with the school program, as well as the Writing for the Master blog. All glory be to Him alone.

Thank you for the Old News That's Still Fresh - December edition. May the Lord forever replenish those hands and strengthen them to continue serving him.

Forever stay blessed.

Sister Collete"

Brother Deji in Nigeria

As sister Collete mentioned, the DTS training is a challenge for most of our students. This is evidenced by the fact that we have just as many former students, who were once in our training and did not finish, as we do students who are currently enrolled. Sister Collete is now in her second-to-last quarter and is due to finish her training on May 31, 2019. Meanwhile, our very first student, Deji in Nigeria, who began his training with us in August 2015 is now beginning his final quarter, which ends on February 28, 2019. Please pray that the Lord will help all of our students with their training, and especially help sister Collete and brother Deji to complete their training as planned.

Our sister Sherry in Kenya, who is now beginning her third year of DTS training, is encountering some major challenges, as things are "a bit tight," but she is pressing onward and trusting the Lord for a miracle. Let's agree in prayer for her miracle.

Although we are not based overseas any more, we are still missionaries and still need your financial and prayer support of our ministry. Please pray and ask the Father if He would have you give.

Resources:  This month we would like to suggest some articles Len has recently written called Serving Within Your Sphere and Keep Your Lamp Burning. Len's latest articles are all available at Old News That's Still Fresh -- December 2018. His entire collection of his most popular blogs are at Writing for the Master.

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 blessing us with a wonderful Thanksgiving Day celebration together as a family.
2. For helping us finally get the issues with our central heating and cooling system resolved.
3. For helping us get the hole in our foundation repaired.
4. For what the Lord is doing through sister Collete's life there in Africa through the DTS training she has received from us.
5. For the way He brought brother Daniel to Christ earlier this year and leading him to enroll in our DTS.
6. For the testimony of brother Geoffrey's salvation and deliverance from alcohol, and for using brother Daniel to bring him to our DTS.
7. For the opportunity to assist each of our students in becoming disciples of Christ and fulfilling their callings. 
8. For the Lord's leading, guidance, and help administering the Doulos Training School (DTS), and for the progress the students are making.
9. For the lives being touched for Christ around the world through our writing ministry.

Next steps and prayer needs:

1. For the Lord to heal Jennifer from chronic pain and limited range of motion in her right arm (adhesive encapsulitis in her shoulder). 
2. For the Lord to heal Len's lower back and sciatic pain.
3. For the Lord to heal Faith and Len from eczema.
4. For the Lord to continue using sister Collete for His glory through the Christian social media groups she participates in.
5. For the Lord to help brother Daniel as he begins his training in our DTS, so that he may learn more about Jesus Christ, and how to preach the gospel.
6. For the Lord to help brother Geoffrey to grow spiritually and birth something good through him that can be nurtured into a fruitful fellowship in Kenya.
7. For the Lord to grant a miracle to our sister Sherry in Kenya.
8. For the Lord to provide brother Grace and his family with their own house and a vehicle to use for transportation.
9. For the Lord to assist us with the administration of the Doulos Training School (DTS), as well as develop through it many disciples who multiply disciples. 
10. For the Lord to help all of our DTS students to find LTG partners (another Christian to meet with weekly for discipleship in a Life Transformation Group). 
11. For the Lord to fulfill His purposes for us and our ministry.

Thank you so much for your partnership in this ministry.

with love from all of us,

The Lacroixs

There are two ways to donate to Doulos Missions International. You may either send a check or money order by mail to:
Doulos Missions International
PO Box 5526
Manchester, NH 03108-5526

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