Saturday, January 16, 2021

January Update -- 2021

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.

Family
: First of all we want to wish all of you a Happy New Year! In January, both Charity and Hope lost their jobs. Without going into detail, it is related to the government mandates associated with the Covid. Please pray the Lord will provide them will new employment that will be even better than the jobs they lost.

Jennifer's finger is still causing pain and discomfort, and needs continued healing. However, the good news is that the other finger that had become infected has now been healed. So only the finger that originally was infected in August, on which she had emergency surgery, is the one that needs to be healed.

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 five nations including Uganda, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa.

In December, Len received the following email from brother Grace in Uganda, which he wrote to Len immediately after reading the December DTS newsletter:

"Praise the Lord! It's  wonderful to know all what God is doing through DTS in these nations! I also want to use this opportunity to testify  about the Lord's saving power and love. A week after a Muslim gave his life to the Lord, as I had testified two weeks a go, his brother came around, and after sharing the Word [with him]....etc., he gave his life to the Lord, too. 

This year we have seen more salvations, healings, and deliverances more than ever. We praise the Lord for this and will testify more and more by God's grace.

Blessings,
 
Grace Okurut"

In December Len received an email from brother Charles Okello in Uganda, who is one of our DTS students and a pastor there. Here is an excerpt from that email:

"Good Morning Bro Len, 

I am sorry I have replied this email late. I received a call from Bro Grace in Soroti, Uganda and he requested that I check my email for your communication.

I had travelled to visit my extended family members in the upcountry/village and you know there is no internet connection there. Actually precisely about two hours and some few minutes after talking to Pr Grace, the vehicle I was traveling in overturned three times and to God be the glory God found it faithful that we live to serve Him. 

I must testify that after the impact caused by the accident, none of us died except for minor injuries. We consulted with the doctors and the medical examinations have declared us out of any danger or after effects of the accident. For sure God is true to His Word, and indeed He is our shield and protection.

Right now am still in the hospital for more checkups, but traveling back home tomorrow.
 
My regards to all, and please also help our ministry in prayer because the hall we are using currently we hire [rent], and the land lord wants it back. So we are believing God for divine direction and also for a hall/land at a strategic place. We are also believing God for provision for this project.

My regards to the family, partners and friends. God bless you and have a glory filled Christmas Celebration. Tell the family that my wife and Children greet them. God bless you and thank you for being a blessing to the body of Christ.

Kind Regards,

Charles Okello"

Praise the Lord for protecting brother Charles and his fellow travelers who were in that car that rolled over three times. Let's pray for divine direction and provision, in order to find a new building on a strategic piece of property, so that they will be able to continue to meet as a church there in Lira, Uganda.


Len had sent an email to brother Tom in Uganda asking if the article on reaching Muslims was of any help to him during his ministry trip to the refugee camp to the South Sudanese people, who are mostly Muslim. He replied in late December:

"Dear Len,

Many blessings from Jesus Christ our Lord to you. Your article 'How to Reach a Muslim for Jesus Christ' was of great help to me, because I used the right approach to minister to them easily. May you keep on updating us as Christ leads you.

I have just arrived in my home city today from Palabek resettlement camp.

I am sorry I delayed to respond to your three mails you sent.I lost my smart phone in the camp -it fell off when I was riding a motorcycle...

May you increase in knowledge and wisdom as you minister,
Brother Tom"

Praise the Lord that the article on reaching Muslims was helpful to him. 

In January, sister Dorcas in South Africa wrote:

"...I now read my bible more, and I'm enjoying to spend more time in the presence of God. And now I even have the courage to evangelise on the  street and people's life are changing.. I really thank God for this ministry. I am so grateful that I joined.. More grace on you and the family, and please pass my love to them."

Praise the Lord for the way He is changing her life through the DTS.

We also have a couple of students who are searching for new employment, brother Solomon and sister Cynthia, both of whom are in Kenya. Cynthia specifically needs to find employment that won't require her to work on the Lord's Day. Please join us in praying for new jobs. 

Brother Sam in Uganda is still bedridden and unable to walk due to the disease in his spine. Please join us in praying for his healing.

The students in Uganda are reporting that there is a lot of political hatred, violence, bloodshed, and death in their country right now surrounding the Presidential election. Please pray for their protection and for peace in their hearts.

In December a sixteen year old youth in Massachusetts named Giovaughn contacted Len to get saved. Len shared how to do so, and Gio gave his life to the Lord. The following day he on his own initiative got water baptized. Praise the Lord for another new life in Christ.

Resources: We would like to invite you to read the following recent articles that Len has posted, which include Women Teaching Men, How to Reach a Muslim for Christ, The Truth About Islam, and Three Stages of Christ's Earthly Mission. We would like to remind you that Len's 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 protecting brother Charles in Uganda and his fellow travelers in that serious car accident.
  2. For the testimonies of Grace, Tom, and Charles, and Docas regarding how the Lord is helping them with their ministries and impacting their lives through the DTS, as well as the lives of those around them.
  3. For all of the healing, deliverance, and salvation that brother Grace is witnessing in his ministry there in Soroti, Uganda.
  4. For helping brother Tom to reach Muslims for Christ during his ministry at the refugee camp.
  5. For the salvation of Gio, our new brother in Christ in Massachusetts. 
  6. For the opportunity to assist each of our students in becoming disciples of Christ and fulfilling their callings. 
  7. For the Lord's leading, guidance, and help administering the Doulos Training School (DTS), and for the progress the students are making.
  8. 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's finger.
  2. For the Lord to heal Faith and Len from eczema.
  3. For the Lord to provide for all the needs of our DTS students in the hardships they're experiencing due to the lockdown, especially those in dire need in Uganda. 
  4. For the Lord to heal Sam and miraculously raise him up from his sick bed.
  5. For the Lord to give direction and financial provision for brother Charles in Lira, Uganda to find a new building to rent for the church meetings on a strategic piece of property. Pray also that in the interim, they would successfully transition to house churches.
  6. 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. 
  7. 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), and help them finish all their course work for the current quarter by the end of this month. 
  8. For the Lord to fulfill His purposes for us and our ministry.
  9. For the Lord to raise up new faith partners, and for Him to provide for all our needs -- not only ours personally, but also those of the 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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