Dia Gratia - June Mission Update

Our ministries under Dia Gratia have grown and developed over the years, so to help explain what we are doing, we came up with a 1-2-3 explanation. 

 1. One Mission 

 i. Fulfill the Great Commission 

2. Two Elements

 i. Effectively preach the Gospel 

 ii. Strengthen Body of Christ 

3. Three Paths 

 i. Equipping and preparing the next generation of missionaries through Calvary International Training Institute (CITI) 

 ii. Equipping women in ministry through When She Leads, and hurting individuals in our new ministry, Applied Care for Trauma (ACT).

 iii. Financial and Care support for us as domestic missionaries as well as for our missionaries and our ministry work under Dia Gratia.

Kyle’s Update

At the beginning of the year I had the opportunity to spend a month in São Paulo with Calvary São Vicente. I taught through the book of Genesis for two hours per night over a two week period. It was the first time for me teaching a class like this completely in Portuguese.

After a short break and guest teaching at a nearby Calvary in the city of Peruíbe, i returned to Calvary São Vicente and taught through 1 Peter, with a few other pastors, for their yearly carnival retreat which spanned nearly a week. 

Back in Belem, I was invited to share at a leadership conference at a 1st Assembly of God in neighboring town. I also taught at a men’s conference for a four square church in a neighboring town as well. 

Through these various teaching opportunities outside of my main responsibilities at Calvary Belém, I could see the Lord confirming this calling to equip and prepare the next generation of missionaries and pastors. 

On March 19th, 2023, I preached my final sermon as pastor of Calvary Belém. I was very happy to be able to deliver it in Portuguese. It was a bitter sweet moment for all of us. Our time in Belém was so important and impactful. Pastoring the people of Calvary Belém was one of the greatest honors and privileges of my life.  We owe a debt of gratitude to all who have supported us over the years for helping make this possible. We keep Kelvin and his wife Heloisa in our prayers as they take the lead at Calvary Belém.

At the end of April, I was invited to a leadership conference within the Rivercommunities that we have previously ministered in. An organization called Pro-Ribeirnho, based in Portel, Pará, invited me to speak at their yearly leadership conference. This organization has helped to plant and continues to support eleven churches along various rivers in the Marajó region of our state. The conference was held at their base which is about 30 hours away from Belem by boat. We have been working with Pro-Ribeirnho since 2018, and to be invited to speak at this conference was an honor and a privilege. We do hope to return to the region for this conference next year. 

Krista’s Update 

Applied Care for Trauma (ACT):

In February, I traveled to a neighboring state in Brazil to visit an indigenous tribe and share my training on healing brokenness and preventing vulnerabilities that lead to abuse, human trafficking, forced prostitution, etc. This work is part of the Proverbs 24:11 ministry, however, it is also part of my new ministry Applied Care for Trauma (ACT) a ministry that goes to other organizations, churches, and mission fields to equip christians to work with brokenness and trauma in their people. 

Although I have shared this training for many years in various settings from different Amazonian River communities, Brazilian juvenile prisons to US women’s conferences/retreats, I was worried that the training would be culturally irrelevant given the huge diversity of the tribe. However, as I sat with the indigenous and we looked at what the Bible has to say about healthy versus unhealthy love and the Biblical roles that God has for husbands/dads, and wives/moms and what happens to our hearts when we do not receive these things, I could see that they not only understood these concepts but that the truth of these things had been on their hearts from the beginning. 

As Paul wrote in Romans 1:19; “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.” They understood that how they were raised, contrary to the way the Lord intended, had damaged them and hurt them and they didn’t want to repeat the cycle. As I shared my story and struggles with them throughout the training one of the young men said he felt as though he were the only one who struggled like that…his questions, comments, and thoughts were so profound and sincere. I was affected profoundly too…I saw Romans 1:19 being lived out. 

I saw the Word of God made understandable and applicable in a way that only the Lord could do. The training I developed will go on to be used as a devotional with the current missionaries there for their time with the indigenous they serve. It was a blessed experience and I truly look forward to continuing in this new area of ministry. 

When She Leads (WSL)

For the last year, I have been a part of the When She Leads (WSL) women’s ministry team. WSL is a ministry focused on equipping and encouraging women in ministry (churches, missionaries, etc). We have monthly podcasts that address a variety of topics from dealing with conflict in the church, raising up leaders, to addressing spiritual warfare in ministry. WSL also has conferences throughout the year and around the world. Calvary Belem hosted a WSL conference in March, and I will continue to travel and teach with the WSL team at various conferences throughout 2023/2024.

My next mission trip with WSL is to Ireland in July to encourage the ministry workers in and around the area or Cork, Ireland. I will continue to focus my teachings on equipping the ministry workers to come alongside those who are hurt and broken through crisis and trauma (part of the Applied Care for Trauma (ACT) ministry). 

It is amazing to see the Lord use what He had started in me from so many years ago from my heart for the marginalized and cast out to helping/encouraging women. He has used all my experiences, trainings/education, and failures to be used in the special role I find myself in now. I could never have imagined that the Lord would use someone like me to help fight for those who are forgotten, encourage and love the women who feel overlooked, and to equip the churches to work with their hurting. It really is an unbelievable journey, and I am beyond grateful to the Lord using me, despite all my weaknesses.

He truly does give strength to weak, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. ‘Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Thank you for your support, for your prayers, and encouragement! We hope that we can count on your continued support for the work we are doing for His Kingdom! 

As you pray about continuing to financially support Dia Gratia, we first want to say thank you for your heart and the sacrifices you have made, and second, your support allows us to continue focusing our efforts to full time missions ministry.

Thank you!

Kyle, Krista, Aidan and Liam Fox 

Dia Gratia Ministries

kyle@diagratia.org 

951-414-5341