May Update 2019

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: In May we celebrated Christopher's fourteenth birthday with cake, cards, gifts, and prayer. Hope has been doing very well in her new job by the grace of God, getting lots of compliments from her employer and the customers she serves. She gives all the glory to God and knows it is all because of Him.

We're also continuing to pray for our shoulders to be healed. Neither of us have seen a doctor for the painful issue.

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 five nations including Uganda, Nigeria, Kenya, and Mali.

In April Len received the following comment from James (pictured left), one of our DTS students who is a pastor in Uganda: "This school is one of the best. I love it. Your teachings are helping me and our church leaders know more in the Bible. Thank you very, very much."

James, who is currently on a trip to Kenya, also referred a new student to us in April named Jimmy Felex (pictured below), who is a thirty-two year old man from Lira, Uganda. He said the reason he enrolled is to know more about Christ and the true gospel, as well as for the purpose of getting the academic certificate. He gave the following testimony of how he got saved at age sixteen:

"In 2003, I was in [my] senior [year]. It was when my mother had passed on, and there was no one to support me educationally. I tried [asking] all my relatives to support me, but no one could help me. I heard a voice in my dream one day when I was sleeping, which said, "No one can help you...only Me..." So I went to where my mother [had been] working [before she died] thinking I was going to get help. I met a co-worker of hers there, and she told [me], "There is only one way you can get help, and this is only through salvation. From that day, I got born again and [give] thanks [to] God for it all."

Praise the Lord! That's a wonderful testimony.

Jimmy (L) and Tom (R) in Uganda

Another student in Uganda referred by brother James also enrolled. He is a thirty-eight year old man named Tom (pictured left), who is enrolling in order to grow in the knowledge Christ and also to receive proper accreditation for any ministries ahead of him. Here is his salvation testimony of how he was saved at age eight:

"It was 1989 that I met a group of evangelists moving [from] door to door. They preached to me and my father, and instantly my Dad accepted and I followed him. We accepted salvation out of our free will, [as] nobody forced us to get saved."

Hallelujah! We are thankful for these new students, who will begin their training on June 1, as we begin a new quarter, and we look forward to serving them over the next three years.

Grace in Uganda

In April Len received the following email from one of our students in Uganda who is a pastor named Grace:

"Praise the Lord, brother Len. I am so blessed to be part of what God is doing through DTS!!!! I am sorry, could not send my testimony, because of the pain I have. So [I am]struggling to make it all with the course. All I know is this [training] has totally changed my life. Each day I live draws me closer to the Lord and ready to be at home with Him any time to come. It is not about our titles and accomplishments, but a personal relationship with the Lord. I have gone through these [courses] and the Lord continues to teach me through DTS the things I had not known before! Let every child and minister of God be not contented with what he or she knows or has, but just humble ourselves and be ready to learn. Just enjoying Poetry I and Biblical Typology I. My life is NEVER the same a gain!

Bless you my brother!

Grace Okurut"

Our sister Collete in Mali is due to graduate at the end of May. She has been very diligent with her training over the past three years, and has faced many challenges, including a broken leg. Please pray for her that she and all of our students will finish all of their training on time.

More DTS Testimonies

In May, Len received an email from Kamal in India, the son of our former student William Badugu, who passed on into glory in March. Brother Kamal wrote:

"I have one vision to publish a Christian magazine, so i was designing it. And I want to ask you [to] excuse [me], because I had taken one of your [article] that is [called] "Who is God?" and searched through the links from your mail. I'm translating [your article] into Telugu.  So with your permission I will print it as one of the topics in the magazine."

Praise the Lord that Kamal has been led to translate Len's article into Telugu and publish it in his magazine, so that more people can read it, especially those who really need it in India.

DTS Photo Album.

In May, Len received the following email from a sister in the Midwest United States, who was unknown to us:

"Hi Brother Len,

I was doing some research on the fruit of the Spirit and found your website. Wow! What a gold mine.

I wanted to know if I could have permission to copy the comparison chart of: the gifts of the Spirit vs. the fruit of the Spirit for our Wednesday evening Bible Class.

It would be handed out free of charge to about 30-35 people. Also, could we read your daughter's poem Fruit in Every Season?

Above all  things, we want to be honorable and get your permission before using any of your  material. We would include links on the handout to your web page. Thanks for all you do to encourage the body of Christ

Blessings,
Wanda"

Praise the Lord! Len had written that article in 2011, and had just recently added that side by side comparison chart a few days before sister Wanda wrote that email.

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

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 Adam as a Type of Christ, Hagar and Sarah as Types, The Temple as a Type of Christ, and If My People Who Are Called by My Name. Len's latest articles are all available at Old News That's Still Fresh -- May 2019. 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 the progress Hope is making with her new job.
2. For the testimonies of what the Lord is doing in the lives of brothers James and Grace in Uganda through the DTS.
3. For our new students from Uganda, Jimmy and Tom.
4. For Kamal's plans to translate one of Len's articles into Telugu and publish it in his new magazine.
5. For enabling us to make a contribution to a sister's Bible study group in Illinois.
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 from chronic pain and limited range of motion in her right arm, and for the Lord to heal Len of the same thing in his left shoulder and arm.
2. For the Lord to heal Faith and Len from eczema.
3. For the Lord to help Hope continue to do well with her training as she comes up the learning curve.
4. For the Lord to help Dr. William Badugu's son Kamal in India to translate Len's article for publication in his magazine.
5. For the Lord to heal brother Grace in Uganda from a broken arm and other injuries.
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). 
8. For the Lord to fulfill His purposes for us and our ministry.
9. For the Lord to move mountains 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 -- as He releases a financial miracle.

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

Donate Online

April Update 2019

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: In April Hope started a new job at the same cafeteria style restaurant that Charity works at. So far she has been adjusting well, learning many new things, as they have been training her on multiple jobs including waitress and line server in the take out area. Praise the Lord for her new job, which is her first one. We're praying she would continue to do well with her training as she comes up the learning curve.

Christopher and Faith are also continuing to do very well playing their instruments in worship and learning many new songs. It's been a real blessing to us. If you would like to see and hear them sing The Proof of Your Love, then click on this link. In this video, Christopher is playing the keyboard while Faith and Joseph sing. But Faith also plays the guitar on other songs, and sometimes they both play their instruments together.

Len has been having symptoms of a torn rotator cuff in his left shoulder, so we're praying for the Lord to heal that, as well as the continued sciatic pain and eczema that he's been experiencing. We're also continuing to pray for Jennifer's shoulder to be healed. She has not gone to see a doctor for it.

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 five nations including Uganda, Nigeria, Kenya, and Mali.

Memorial service for William Badugu in India

In March, Len received an email from the son of one of our DTS students in India, Dr. William Badugu, to notify us that he died on March 9th. The photo (left) from his memorial service shows his photo in the bottom center as well as the life-size photo of him on the wall banner. His son wrote:

"Dear Beloved Brother,

My father Dr. Badugu William has expired on this month March 9, 2019. I am his youngest son Badugu Kamal Manohar. I am proud to say 'He is a solider of God,' He had done a very heavy work of God until his death. I had seen very [much] less, but I came to know [of] his work for God [at] his Memorial Service by the pastors [who spoke about him].

He has shown what GOD's love is. (This is not [what I am] saying...it is the testimony given by each and every pastor who has came for [his] Memorial service.)  Now I want you to pray for family consolation.

Thank you."

We were saddened and very surprised to get this news from Brother William's son about his death only ten days prior. Brother William was only sixty-two years old, and had just recently enrolled in our DTS. His first quarter began on March 1. He held a Master of Arts degree, a Masters in Education, and a Doctorate in Theology, and was the President of Care Ministry in India. You may click here to watch a memorial video paying tribute to his life.

When Len spoke with his youngest son Kamal on the phone, he explained that his father William had a chronic kidney condition and had been on dialysis for one year. While doing that, he had been getting very tired, and Kamal had advised him not to travel to other states on ministry, but he wanted to continue to serve the Lord every day as usual. So Kamal agreed to assist him by driving him to these ministry locations, which were sometimes 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) away, where he cared for pastors. And that is what Kamal did for quite some time during the past year, driving him wherever he needed to go. In fact there was a big event coming up in Bombay in May.

Dr. William Badugu

However, recently in March he became very weak and stopped eating for a week. He was at home on bed rest and only taking fluids. Kamal thought he should bring him to his older, married brother's home to rest and recover for a while, so he did that. After a couple days staying with Kamal's brother, he started to become more active, because he enjoyed his time with his granddaughter. On the third day there, he collapsed in the bathroom, so they took him to the Emergency Room and found out that he had broken a bone in his hand, plus his pulse was abnormal, and he may have been having strokes.

They moved him to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for observation, and Kamal stayed until around 11:00 PM, but he was told he could not stay overnight since it was the ICU. So he told his father he would be going home, but that he would come back in the morning. William wasn't really able to talk, but simply said, "Come in the morning." Then Kamal went home and received a call from the hospital at 5:00 AM to return there immediately, which he did. When he walked into the ICU, they were performing CPR, doing chest compressions, and said they had been trying for about fourteen minutes to resuscitate him, but they were unable to bring him back. It was his time to go and he went to be with the Lord. At his memorial service later, the pastors that he cared for spoke about the wonderful impact that William had made on their lives.

William left behind his wife, two sons, a daughter-in-law, and a loving granddaughter, as well as an older brother with his wife and daughter. They are pictured in the photo above. There is a pastor behind the pulpit with the mic, then William's wife to the left of his picture in front, and to her left is Kamal with the beard and dark shirt. To his left is William's older brother with his wife and daughter. On the other side of the picture is Kamal's older brother with his wife and daughter.

After Len spoke with William's youngest son Kamal on the phone about William's passing, Kamal wrote to Len to thank him: "Thanks for you call and for your condolence...Your call made me very happy and supportive...really I was facing very much disappointment and loneliness [after his death]. I was praying God to hold me in this situation. And please do remember us in your prayers." Let's pray that the Lord would comfort this whole family in their loss.

Richard in Uganda

In April we received the following testimony from our newest student named Richard, who is a pastor in Uganda:

"I praise Christ Jesus for the wonderful connection to DTS. I am very rich now in the knowledge of the Word. I am confident in teaching the Word, as a disciple of the Costly Grace. It's so good that I joined this college.

My time is not wasted any more, but spent in reading and research. I have developed a life based on the content of the Bible Scriptures, the best interpretation, and the best devotional and prayer moments. So exciting is the life I lead now.

I am glad my mentor has encouraged me by asking many questions, which now I answer by wisdom and accurate interpretation of Scripture. Surely it's life transforming. I encourage others to apply. For no one can drop out. That's my opinion.

Greetings to all my colleagues in this Easter season.

Thank you Len."

More DTS Testimonies

Grace in Uganda

Len received an email in March from the daughter of Grace, who is one of our DTS students that pastors a church in Uganda. She informed Len that brother Grace had suffered a broken arm and other injuries from a motorcycle accident he had.

Let's remember brother Grace in prayer for healing from the broken arm and other injuries he sustained in the accident.

DTS Photo Album.

Last month we reported on the DTS graduation of brother Deji, which was a major milestone, since it was our first graduation of our first student. We have since received photos of the graduation, which you can find at this link, showing brother Gbenga, brother Deji, and his father at the ceremony.

Len also created a new blog called Biblical Typology, in which he seeks to fully unfold those rich truths buried like treasures in the Hebrew Scriptures, specifically the ones where we find types of Christ. The goal of all this is to grow in our love and knowledge of Jesus Christ and help others do so, too.  Some of the types covered already include Adam, Noah's ark, the temple, the tabernacle and its furnishings, the cornerstone, the rock from which the water sprang, Isaac, Hagar and Sarah. Others that will be covered, Lord willing, include the high priest, King David, Moses, manna, animal sacrifices, the blood of the lamb, the scapegoat, Israel, Joseph, Joshua, Boaz, Saul (son of Kish), the Israelites, kings and priests, and the tree of life.

John in Nigeria

Len received the following testimony from one of our students in Nigeria named John. He wrote:

"I have learnt so many things in this series. In fact, I have more insight into the following: 1) Pneumatology, which is the theology of the Holy Spirit. I learnt more about Him (Holy Spirit) and His ministry. 2) Eschatology: Through this teaching, I am very much aware that we are the last generation, and the world has no numberless days. I am enlightened more about this our present dispensation and the end time. 3) Biblical Typology: I used to think about Old Testament events with reflection to Christ, and now I know that God works in mysterious ways. The course has exposed me to God's design [and] plan of our salvation. I now fully understand that the Old Testament was a reflection and the Shadow of the real. Glory be to God for His mercies is from age to age."

Praise the Lord for this testimony from brother John and the new insights he is getting from the Lord as he studies with us, as well as the testimony given by brother Richard in Uganda. A brief quote from nineteenth century Mary Jones of Wales seems appropriate here: "If there is even a little truth in what [these students] kindly say, I thank God that in His great mercy and love He suffers me, poor and weak and simple as I am, to show forth in my small way His glory, and the truth of His blessed Word."

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

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 Praying Heart-Prayers, Seeking Him in the Wee Hours of the Night, Trembling at His Word, What Shall We Say To These Things?, and Share Jesus Without Fear. Len's latest articles are all available at Old News That's Still Fresh -- April 2019. 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 providing Hope with a new job.
2. For Christopher and Faith's continued progress on their worship instruments.
3. For the new insights our DTS student John is getting from the Lord as he studies with us.
4. For the testimony of what the Lord is doing in brother Richard's life in Uganda through the DTS.
5. For the opportunity to assist each of our students in becoming disciples of Christ and fulfilling their callings. 
6. For the Lord's leading, guidance, and help administering the Doulos Training School (DTS), and for the progress the students are making.
7. 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.
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 help Hope continue to do well with her training as she comes up the learning curve.
5. For the Lord to comfort the family of Dr. William Badugu in India in their loss.
6. For the Lord to heal brother Grace in Uganda from a broken arm and other injuries.
7. 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. 
8. 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). 
9. For the Lord to fulfill His purposes for us and our ministry.
10. For the Lord to move mountains 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 -- as He releases a financial miracle.

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

Donate Online

March Update 2019

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: In March, we celebrated Len's fifty-third birthday with gifts, cards, prayer, and a special, homemade cake. Hope has been applying for jobs, but hasn't yet found one. She is looking for something part time, very close to where we live, so that she can work a few days a week until she graduates from high school in June. Please pray the Lord would provide just the right job for her in His will.

Jennifer never did receive a consultation with an orthopedic surgeon, regarding possibly a surgical procedure to address the problem with her right shoulder being painfully stiff and immobile. We applied for financial aid with the healthcare provider and nobody ever contacted her about that to let us know if we were approved to receive assistance, despite the fact that she has followed up numerous times with them to find out the status of our application.

Len has been having symptoms of a torn rotator cuff in his left shoulder, so we're praying for the Lord to heal that, as well as the continued sciatic pain and eczema that he's been experiencing.

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 five nations including Uganda, Nigeria, Kenya, India, and Mali.

Brother Deji and sister Hannah in Nigeria

In March, brother Deji graduated from our DTS after completing his entire three years of training in our challenging program. That was truly a major accomplishment. The Lord graciously provided for a special presentation of his official Certificate of Completion and transcript by one of our board members, Brother Olugbenga Oladejo (pictured below), a pastor from the UK who just happened to be on a short-term trip to Nigeria at the time. Brother Olugbenga had not intentionally planned to be there for brother Deji's graduation, but the Lord orchestrated it that way. Brother Olugbenga conducted a service where numerous people were present, including brother Deji's father. We were also able to participate by phone in that special occasion to worship together and pray for Deji. Moreover, brother Dave Wenrich, the President of Doulos Missions International and pastor of Boston Harbor Community Church, was also able to join us on the call and pray for brother Deji. We are grateful that he could do so, since we had not given him any advance notice.

What a blessing it was to see the Lord bring forth the first fruits of our DTS! Deji was our first student to enroll in 2015 and is the first one to graduate. It's amazing to think that it all began when Len was on his knees in his prayer closet in 2015 and heard "Doulos University." That was how the Lord initially led him to establish the DTS.

Here is brother Deji's amazing testimony of how he and brother Gbenga connected on his graduation day for the ceremony in which he was awarded his certificate of completion:

"We were suppose to meet at the airport at a particular time. I was on field working with my father on a construction site outside Lagos State. I was thinking of the stress of having to find my way to the airport, the stress on my wife who had challenges with her health that day, and how to go to the bank in order to have cash for our transport fare. My father and I left the construction site and decided to go the the office of the man who was going to construct the aluminum window for the project he was supervising. On getting to the man's office, my father went in to negotiate with the man and I was in the car parked outside wishing that he finishes with the man on time so that I can make the airport in time. I was in this state of mind in the car when I saw a vehicle approaching. It eventually turned out to be Brother Gbenga's vehicle and I had to wave it down. We both did not think, in our widest imagination that we could find each other in that place. He had come to inspect his own construction site in that area before he leaves for the UK, and God just connected us right there in Shimawa. This divine connection eased his journey back to the airport, saved me a lot of stress and money, and gave us an opportunity to have my father's presence in the ceremony, sir. It pleased Pastor Gbenga so well because, trying to get the time and space to do the ceremony in the airport could be a challenge and the Lord took away these challenges. Glory to God."

Brother Olugbenga "Gbenga" Oladejo

Praise the Lord! What an amazing testimony of the way the Lord did the impossible and brought these two brothers together in a most unusual, supernatural way! Since brother Gbenga has returned to the UK he has been sick with fever, so we are praying for his healing.

Len spoke with brother Deji in February and learned how the Lord has been giving clear direction to him and his wife Hannah in answer to our prayers and yours. He said that he had spoken to his mentor in Nigeria, who is an evangelist, who has traveled to Liberia on ministry trips, preaching the gospel. As a result, there is a congregation in Liberia that needs a pastor. The evangelist and his team have been praying for the Lord to provide a couple, whom they could send to Liberia to pastor this flock. Deji's immediate response was to ask, "Why can't I go?"

So he began praying about this and asked sister Hannah to pray about it, too. She was not really interested or enthusiastic about moving out of the country, but she prayed about it. Then one day they decided to fast and pray together for the Lord's direction. While they were praying, they felt led to the book of 1 Samuel 3:21, which says the Lord "revealed himself to Samuel through his Word." They interpreted this verse of Scripture to mean that the Lord would speak to them through His Word. Hannah felt in her heart while they were discussing this to go and read about Abraham, although she didn't tell Deji, and then she decided to start from Genesis 12:1.

They went into the church auditorium to pray, where he found a spot at the back and she went to the front; and there they sought the Lord for direction individually. The Lord initially led him to read Genesis 17 and then eventually Genesis 12 about the call of Abraham. When he read the words, "Go from your country," it seemed to jump out at him, because he had never realized the Lord told Abraham to leave his country. He always thought the Lord said something like, "Leave your land." He felt the Lord was speaking to him about leaving his country as a missionary, but during his quiet time he did not tell his wife about this experience or what he felt the Lord was saying through it.

While he was spending time with the Lord in prayer and the Word, he heard Hannah let out some kind of shout at one point. Later he asked her about her experience and what the Lord spoke to her. She said the Lord led her to read Genesis 12 about the call of Abraham, and when she read the words, "Go from your country," it seemed to jump out at her. She felt that through this the Lord was speaking to her to leave her country in His service. They felt this was a wonderful confirmation that it was the Lord's will for them to go through this open door of ministry opportunity in Liberia.

After Deji's call with Len, he emailed him to say, "I already spoke with the Evangelist, and he said that the church will [officially] invite us after the [government] election period currently ongoing in Nigeria. We will be presented to the church elders and the final decision will be made then. According to him, after the church approval, then we can start preparation for the trip, which will be scheduled for the month of July."

Len was able to connect Deji with some contacts he knows in Liberia, including a missionary from Sierre Leone, who is the West Africa Director for Every Home for Christ, who is based in Ghana but also works in Liberia. This brother used to live in Liberia and has helped many other Nigerian missionaries who have gone to Liberia. So he said he would be glad to help brother Deji and sister Hannah in any way he can.

Presently they are not completely certain it is His will for them to go to Liberia, and they have received counsel from others in Nigeria who care about them that they should ask the Lord to confirm it to them. Len recommended they take a short term reconnaissance trip together to Liberia to spy out the land and watch for the Lord to confirm His will or redirect them someplace else.

We would also like to include here brother Deji's testimony upon completion of the DTS:

"I want to thank the Lord for seeing me through the DTS. The Lord has definitely equipped me with sound doctrine through the DTS. This helped in ministering to others around me and in the church. All the coursework had relevance to our everyday life. I also thank the Lord that through the Discipleship of Brother Len and Sister Jennifer in DTS, the Lord has answered a lot of questions and guided me in the way to go in my walk with him. DTS for me is much more than just the reading of those scriptures and the coursework, it's a life; learning to follow the Master. DTS gave me an opportunity to really experience and have an understanding of what true fellowship is. At a time during my second year, I thought of dropping out of DTS but the Lord gave me grace to continue until the end. I have been enlightened, edified and equipped through DTS and many suppressed truths of the Lord's ways have been revealed to me through the coursework. All glory to God for the great things he has done in my life.

One important thing that I learnt in DTS that I will take everywhere that the Lord takes me is Life Transformation Groups (LTG). I wish that we could reduce the number of services we have in churches today and replace some of these services with LTGs. I've identified it as a good method of multiplying disciples, and by the grace of God, I plan to utilise it wherever I find myself.

The Lord bless you sir,

Deji"

Praise the Lord for the marvelous work He is doing in brother Deji's life and for helping him complete all of his DTS training with us. Please pray with us that he and his lovely wife Hannah would hear clearly from the Lord, so that they may know the Lord's will for their lives and do it.

More DTS Testimonies

Joseph in Nigeria (L) and Richard in Uganda (R)

In March, we had four new students enroll in our DTS, two of whom we have already mentioned to you in our January update. The third person is Joseph, a thirty-three year old brother from Lagos, Nigeria. He testified how he came to the Lord in 2003 at age seventeen: "I gave my life to Christ in my early days in high school. Then we do have school fellowship named FCS (Fellowship of the Christian Students). Then I joined the brethren to attend the FCS camping [event]. It was really a blessed period for me." He said he is enrolling in the DTS "To know more about Christ, His kingdom and what it takes to be His disciple."

The fourth new student is a 45-year old pastor in Uganda named Richard, who was referred to us by another one of our students there named James. He shared with us the following testimony of how he came to Christ in 1989: "I got saved in the late 1989. My life had much challenge with demonic torment, and it’s only church that gave me relief and total deliverance in Christ. I am baptized, am married with three good daughters all grown up. I studied [in a] secular [school] and [was] later called into ministry in 1997. Since then I [have] served in Pastoral ministry in [the] Evangelical Healing Centre Ministry with much desire of raising and sending workers who are fully equipped; so I love training to acquire relevant knowledge for the work of the Lord."

He has enrolled in the DTS in order "To be able to understand well the Word of God and teach it to leaders and raise many in this generation." He says, "I desire a ministry of the learned while teaching the Word of God, so I want to be a student of the Bible."

Let's pray the Lord will really bless Richard, along with all of our students as they seek to know Christ more and become His disciples.

Grace in Uganda

Len received the following email from Grace, who is one of our DTS students that pastors a church in Uganda. He stated:

"Praise the Lord, my brother. My life continues to be changed through this course. This First Year Fourth Quarter has been a blessing in such a way that I am able to know the top ten topics Jesus taught. At least now I am blessed and careful with the topics I teach as the Bible says teachers will be judged with greater strictness. I now teach the Word with confidence; glory be to Him!

Thanks,

Brother Grace Okurut"

Praise the Lord for the growth our brother is experiencing in his life and ministry. We give all the glory to God.

DTS Photo Album.

In March, Len received an email from brother Charles in Uganda that said:

Brother Charles, pastor in Uganda

"Praise the Lord, bro Leonard,

Thank you for the great work your are doing in empowering leaders. Am sorry I was quite busy in the mission field and I was not able to send this mail. I had actually not yet finished the last two course units by the 27th, but I made sure that I finished [by the 28th, in order] to start on time with the rest of the team. I am grateful to the Lord for giving me the grace this far. Am also glad to let you know that I have started an LTG group.

Thank you for your efforts. My regards to the family, ministry support team, our sponsors and well wishers. Looking forward another great time in the presence of God."

Praise the Lord for the progress that brother Charles is making with his DTS training, while simultaneously carrying out his ministry there in Uganda.

Brother David in Nigeria advised Len in March that the university lecturers' strike has been suspended, so classes have been resumed. He and our other DTS students at the University of Jos were finally able to take their exams in March. We are thankful to God for answering our prayers for the strike to end.

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

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 The Flesh vs the Spirit, Only What's Done for Christ Will Last, The Mysteries of the Faith, and What Do You Mean By "Luck"? Len's latest articles are all available at Old News That's Still Fresh -- March 2019. 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 Len with fifty-three years of life and allowing us to celebrate his birthday together.
2. For helping Brother Deji complete his three years of DTS training with us and for providing for Brother Olugbenga to be present there in person to present him with his Certificate of Completion. For enabling brother Dave Wenrich to join us for that momentous occasion.
3. For the testimony of brother Charles that the Lord has given him the grace thus far in his DTS training, and that he has now started an LTG (a weekly meeting with another brother for discipleship called a Life Transformation Group). 
4. For helping brother Grace in Uganda to preach the Word with boldness and confidence.
5. For the testimonies of brother Joseph in Nigeria and Richard in Uganda, and that the Lord has brought them into our school.
6. For ending the lecturers' strike and allowing the students to take their long-awaited final exams.
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.
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 lead Brother Deji concerning the next step for his life and enable him and his wife Hannah to hear clearly from the Lord about that.
5. For the Lord to provide a part time job for Hope close by our home.
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). 
8. For the Lord to fulfill His purposes for us and our ministry.
9. For the Lord to move mountains 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 -- as He releases a financial miracle.

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

Donate Online

February Update 2019

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.

Len and Jennifer, 22nd wedding anniversary

Family: In February we celebrated our twenty-second wedding anniversary. Hope took over the kitchen responsibilities for Jennifer that afternoon, and we went out for dinner together at a small Greek restaurant, where we enjoyed an evening together.

We also celebrated Joseph's tenth birthday in February (pictured below) with gifts, cards, prayer, and a special, homemade cake, made just as he requested. On that same day we celebrated Len's thirty-third spiritual birthday since he was born again in 1986. If you've never read the story of how he came to Christ, you can do so by seeing his article called The Truth Set Me Free.

We have all been doing fine since we last wrote, although we have continued to battle a stomach virus intermittently that causes stomach ache and nausea. We have prayed and believe the Lord will completely heal us.

Up until recently, Charity has been cutting Len's hair each month, and Len has been cutting Jennifer's and the children's hair. But since Charity has begun working more hours at her new job, Faith has taken over for her on Len's hair. She had been shadowing Charity when she was cutting, and Len when he cut the boys' hair, and now she is doing Len's all by herself. She's a multi-talented young lady doing a great job. Praise the Lord that we are able to do this, because it saves us a lot of money on haircuts. We estimate that just on Len's and the boys' haircuts alone, over the past three years, we have saved over $1,500.

Charity has been doing well with learning her new job at the cafeteria restaurant. She received a compliment from her boss on her progress, and others have complimented her on her smile, so praise the Lord for that. One thing that has changed since before she was hired is that they went from playing mellow instrumental music over the restaurant's sound system to more pop music from a local station. One of the reasons she felt comfortable applying for work there was that the music was mellow, but this change has occurred since she began working there, and we are praying that management will revert back to what they were playing before.

Jennifer still has not gotten a consultation with an orthopedic surgeon, regarding possibly a surgical procedure to address the problem with her right shoulder being painfully stiff and immobile. We applied for financial aid with the healthcare provider and have not yet received a response.

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 five nations including Uganda, Nigeria, Kenya, India, and Mali.

David in Nigeria

Len received a very encouraging email from brother David in Nigeria, who is in medical school and at the same time training in our DTS. He is currently trying to finish his second year of DTS coursework by the end of February. He wrote:

"Dear Bro Len,

I really want to appreciate God for what He has been doing in my life. Though I have not been consistent with the DTS reading but there have been a great change in my relationship with God. I see the Lord helping me daily.

I have been able to use this strike period to read my Bible from Genesis to Revelations(reading through the Bible for the first time in my life), I have also been using this strike to fast everyday and praying at least 2:30 hours daily now. The Lord has been helping me to Focus wholly on Him.

I want to let you know that I have began the DTS reading also. Hope to finish it soon except for the fire books. I hope to also start the fire books soon.

The strike by the lecturers is still on. The government has been unable to meet their demands. I returned to school two weeks back and am currently in the hostel. I came back to school primarily to devote myself to fasting, prayer and study God's word. I am also reading other Christian books that speak to my heart.

In Him,
David"

Praise the Lord for the marvelous work He is doing in brother David's life. Let's pray he is able to finish all his coursework for the second year by the end of February.

More DTS Testimonies

Grace in Uganda

Len received the following email from Grace, who is one of our DTS students that pastors a church in Uganda. Len had asked him if there was any news on his need for a home of his own and transportation. He stated:

"Thanks dear brother for standing with me in prayer! I am sure before this year ends the Lord will have provided one of these or both. Also pray with me as I plan this year to acquire a public address system, and rent a hall in town for fellowship. By this we intend to reach out to many and also it will be a major launch of our ministry. Dear brother Len, the Lord is at work and several brethren have come with testimonies of how the Lord wants our ministry here to operate; the Holy Spirit 's leading is necessary.

We love you,
Grace."

DTS Photo Album.

Deji in Nigeria

As we mentioned recently, Deji is scheduled at the end of this month (February 2019) to finish the final quarter of his three-years of DTS training with us, which is only two weeks away from the date this newsletter was published. Please pray with us that he would manage to do so, and that he and his lovely wife Hannah would hear clearly from the Lord, so that they may know the Lord's will for their lives and do it.

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

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 Only What's Done for Christ Will Last, The Mysteries of the Faith, and What Do You Mean By "Luck"? Len's latest articles are all available at Old News That's Still Fresh -- February 2019. 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 twenty-two years of marriage together and enabling us to celebrate our anniversary.
2. For blessing Joseph with ten years of life and allowing us to celebrate his birthday together.
3. For helping Charity with her new job at the restaurant.
4. For David's testimony about the great change in his relationship with the Lord, and how the Lord is helping him daily to focus on Him.
5. For the opportunity to assist each of our students in becoming disciples of Christ and fulfilling their callings. 
6. For the Lord's leading, guidance, and help administering the Doulos Training School (DTS), and for the progress the students are making.
7. 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.
2. For the Lord to heal Faith and Len from eczema.
3. For the Lord to help brother Deji finish his DTS training with us by February 28th, and to lead him concerning the next step for his life.
4. For the Lord to help brother David and all our students finish their DTS coursework by the end of this month.
5. For the Lord to provide a meeting hall and public address system for brother Grace.
6. For the Lord to bring the strike of the Nigerian university lecturers to an end, so our DTS students can return to their secular university studies.
7. 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. 
8. 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). 
9. For the Lord to fulfill His purposes for us and our ministry.
10. For the Lord to move mountains 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 -- as He releases a financial miracle.

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

Donate Online

January Update 2019

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: On New Year's Eve, we brought in the New Year together as a family with prayer as usual. After midnight, Len gave each one a New Year's blessing, following a family tradition handed down from his father. Then on New Year's Day we celebrated with a feast. Speaking of the New Year, let us take this opportunity to pray that the Lord would bless each one of you with His peace, with good health, a closer walk with Him, and a sense of His presence, as you abide in Him in 2019!

Christopher has been making great progress in playing the keyboard and likewise Faith has been making equally excellent progress with her guitar playing. They have been adding a wonderful new dimension to our worship in church as they play skillfully on their instruments. Praise the Lord!

The Lord also blessed Charity with a better job at another restaurant that will provide better pay, more hours, and be closer to home. So she has resigned from her job at Chick-fil-a, and will begin her new job at a cafeteria style restaurant on the 21st of January. Please pray for her to do well in the transition as she learns a whole new job.

Jennifer is in the process of trying to get a consultation with an orthopedic surgeon, and possibly a surgical procedure to address the problem with her right shoulder being painfully stiff and immobile.

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 five nations including Uganda, Nigeria, Kenya, India, and Mali.

Shadrach in Nigeria

A new student named Shadrach from Calabar, Nigeria enrolled. He was referred to us by one of our current DTS students named John, who lives in that same city. He is twenty-four years old, came to Christ two years ago in December 2016, and has been baptized with the Holy Spirit. He tells his testimony like this:

"I was born and brought up in church, but I still didn’t know what I was doing. Even though everybody around me knew me as a Christian; I just knew I had a big vacuum in me that needed to be filled by Jesus Christ. Later a friend of mine invited me to a youth fellowship which was not organized by my church, [which] was where I had an encounter with the Word, and right from that moment something new happened to my life. I got a new fire and passion for Christ (I knew deep within me that I was now saved and was born again)."

What a wonderful testimony that emphasizes the fact that we all must be born again in order to enter the kingdom of God, even those who have been brought up as Christians, and who consider themselves Christians.

Here is why he says he enrolled in the DTS: "When I look at how scarce the Word of God has become in the heart of the people around my environment, most especially the youths, I always feel deep in my spirit that God is seeking for a man to equip and release to help men find Him. It is with this reason that I have decided to prepare myself for the task which God is releasing me into, by seeking [to enroll in] a discipleship school that teaches the truth." 

We are delighted to have Shadrach begin his journey with us on March 1st. Let's pray the Lord would indeed equip him, so that he helps others find Christ. As Paul wrote to Timothy, "And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others." (1 Tim 2:2).

William in India

A fifty-nine year old pastor from southern India named William also enrolled in our DTS in January, so that he can gain a deeper knowledge of the Scriptures. He will begin his training at the same time as Shadrach on March 1st. Here is his testimony of how he was saved in 1979 as a young adult:

"Dear beloved Leonard,

My mother and father are Christians, so I regularly attended Church from my childhood along with them. I heard the Word of God and learned discipline and became a good-character youth. Especially I knew about the kingdom of God, and [when] I heard the Word of God to enter the God`s  kingdom, I repented by the Word [that says]: 'He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.' (Pro 28:13). [I was] saved and born again at the point. This is my [testimony] regarding [being] born again.

Thanking you.

in the Lord,

William"

Praise the Lord for his testimony, which reminds us that everyone, including those with good character, who have been raised in the church all their lives, must still be born again in order to enter the Kingdom of God. We are thankful the Lord has brought William to us, so that we can serve him. We look forward to the journey together with him over the next three years.

David (L) and Christian (R) in Jos, Nigeria

Len received a phone call from one of our DTS students in Jos, Nigeria named David (pictured left). He is in the medical school at the University of Jos, studying to be a medical doctor, and he informed Len about a tragedy that occurred there in mid-September. He said that the Muslims attacked and committed a massacre in Jos, even murdering entire households like they had previously done in June 2018, only three months earlier. The June massacre had claimed three hundred lives.

He said that in this mid-September attack, one of our other students named Christian (pictured above) had a friend who was killed in the attack along with his entire household, except for one sister who survived. And brother David said that he saw the attackers with his own eyes when they struck at the hostile where he and other university students were living. He said some people were trying to repel the attackers, and in the process of doing so, a stray bullet hit a young man named Shadrach in the back of the head and neck. He was brought into the hostile where brother David was, where he lay unconscious for about an hour. But there was nothing he could do for the victim, except pray, since the hospital was very far from there, and there was no way for him to treat such a traumatic head wound. Unfortunately he watched Shadrach die, and although he was a Christian, David is not sure if he was born again.

In addition to all of this, the University lecturers all across the entire country of Nigeria are on strike. They are making demands of the federal government, which brother David says it is in no position to fulfill. This strike has been going on since the fall, so the final exams that were supposed to occur in October and November never happened. Many of the students, like brother David, have returned to their hometowns to live with their families until the strike eventually ends.

Sister Blessing in Jos, Nigeria

Len also received an email from sister Blessing, another one of our DTS students at the University of Jos, describing the bloodshed that took place in September. She stated:

"It was really bad. We lost a number of students, some of which were considered missing and others who were actually killed. Although some missing students were found, while some confirmed dead, it's heartbreaking thinking of it now. Most families lost loved ones. On one occasion an entire family was [killed by] machete. It's really sad... killings without anybody doing anything about it (it's almost normal to wake up in the morning and hear that herdsmen attacked a village and killed a hundred people and that...nothing is done).....and the economy has been at its worse...hunger reached it's peak....It's quite terrible here, but then we have a 'big God that [surpasses] them [all].' We [will] survive by God's grace. Good things still happen down here though."

These DTS students in Jos need our prayers for protection and for an end to the professors' strike, so they can return to their studies. Anyone who says that Islam is a peaceful religion, or that Muslims worship the same God that Christians worship is not in touch with reality. The Koran itself teaches them to carry out this kind of jihad against the so-called infidels, which is what they have done for nearly two thousand years. They need our prayers, too, that they will come to know Christ, who alone can save them.

More DTS Testimonies

Len received an email from Sister Collete in Mali on New Year's Day, in which she stated:

Sister Collete in Mali

"Dear brother Leonard,

I thank God for bringing us into 2019. I have so much to thank God and glorify His name that paper and pen may not be enough.

He has been our all in all in 2018.  He made us overcome many trials and challenges in the last year. We became more than victorious. For Doulos School students, I thank Him so much for using us in various areas to be His witness and proclaim His name in the corrupted world. To your family I thank Him for all wondrous things He manifested in your lives.

My prayer for this year is for Him to take a permanent place in our hearts as we await His return that we may be raptured.

Finally I wish you a blissful year of joy and blessings.

With His Love

Sister Collete"

DTS Photo Album.

Deji in Nigeria

Len received an email from Deji in January, which he has given permission for us to share and excerpt from it here. He said:

"I sense the Lord is asking me to spend more time studying, because he has something he wants me to do which I don't know yet...However,  during a teaching on evangelism yesterday morning, I felt like resigning from my job, going to a place where the gospel has not been established, where I can spend all my time getting people into the Lord's kingdom and studying God's Word. Immediately after that message, I encouraged myself in the Lord..." Then he said that his pastor "...encouraged me to obey the Lord's leading and prayed for me too. Now I have joy and peace in my heart that I can do what I know the Lord is calling me to do as I am also waiting for the Lord's open door to be sent far away to the Gentiles to bring light to them.

Thank you sir,

The Lord bless you,
Deji"

Let's continue to pray that as Deji finishes his final quarter of DTS training with us, that he and his lovely wife Hannah would hear clearly from the Lord, so that they may know the Lord's will for their lives and do it.

Len sent out his monthly edition of Old News That's Still Fresh in January to pastors, elders, and laborers in the harvest in the US, Europe, Australia, Africa, and Southeast Asia. This month's edition included a free, devotional e-book and a free, downloadable calendar, both of which you can find at the above link. Upon receiving it, James Odeke one of our DTS students, who is a pastor in Uganda, replied, "Thank you so much for the help this is what we need."

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 The Active Nature of Faith, Obedient to the Heavenly Vision, Why God Hides His Face, The One Another Commandments, and The Holy Fire Series. Len's latest articles are all available at Old News That's Still Fresh -- January 2019. 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 allowing us to bring in the New Year with prayer, and blessing us with a wonderful feast together as a family.
2. For providing Charity with a better job in answer to our prayers.
3. For the progress that Christopher and Faith are making on their musical instruments and the blessing that is bringing to our worship services.
4. For protecting all our DTS students from harm during the recent massacre in Jos, Nigeria.
5. For the way He brought brother Shadrach to Christ three years ago, and for leading him to enroll in our DTS.
6. For leading William in India to enroll in 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 help Charity to do well in the transition, as she learns a whole new job.
5. For the Lord to help brother Deji finish his DTS training with us by February 28th, and to lead him concerning the next step for his life.
6. For protection of our DTS students in Jos and for an end to the university professors' strike, so they can return to their studies. 
7. For the Muslim marauders in Nigeria to come to know Christ, who alone can save them.
8. 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. 
9. 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). 
10. 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

Donate Online