What is self reliance?
We are taught from an early age that we must learn to do everything for
ourselves. We must become independent. We must not rely on
others.
We are alone and on our own??
Wow this is some heavy lifting for the young- for anyone at
any age. I can recall putting this on
many applications and it was the headline on my resume for years:
SELF STARTER
INDEPENDENT; SELF
MOTIVATED
SELF RELIANT
However, I must admit now that none of these descriptions
fit me and they were not true. In fact,none of these describe any of us if we were to look deep into our inner self. There some of us may find a spirit
and a soul. This is our essence of life. It is the force which keeps each of us alive and kicking.
For those who believe -- really believe and have a personal
relationship with God He is the only Being who is a Self Starter and fully
Independent. Before there was He Was and
is to come- Jesus Christ. Jesus Spoke everything we see know and feel into
existence. Nothing that is now ever was until He spoke it into existence.
I will restate what I tell everyone I know as I fulfill
God's Great Commission: We are born into this world with no pockets, no credit cards and no worldly possessions. We leave the planet the same way. God does this so "None can boast” Each us must Honor His Grace and give all Glory to Him. For it is by His grace that we have anything. And anyone who does have some temporary
worldly possessions really does not have them;
You did not bring it here; you cannot take it with you.
Therefore, everything you have or will ever have is simply
"Borrowed" from God. He graces
some more than others.
Then there are those who have material goods via ill gotten
means. Mostly we see these people making
“Idols” of the things they own. These
“Things” become their God. Thus the Evil
one supplies too but he does at a great price.
Usually the cost is your soul, if you cannot make back into
the Light of Jesus. Your reward for these false idols of material comforts on earth is eternal separation from our Creator- God Almighty!
The Devil provides these things to people to take their worship from the Lord Jesus; He is substituting the desire we should all have to worship the Savior and replacing it with the worship of material goods.
Worshiping Jesus and gaining salvation is for all times. Worshiping material goods lasts only in this life time, and you cannot take these things with you.
We must all guard against having or possessing "material goods or money lest they become the: false Idols" we worship as we forget that anything and everything is
created by God via the Savior Jesus Christ.
In the end, as it is revealed in Revelation, Every knee shall bend and
every tongue shall acknowledge Christ Jesus.
No one is an Independent Self Starter. No one can say "I earned it and it is
mine"!
All you possess is merely borrowed for your short time here
on earth. So do not boast of it or Lord your possessions or status on earth over others
Next time you are in the shower, look down and see if you
are a special being who was born with pockets full of money attached to your
thighs. Please respond ASAP to my Blog
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Return to Work In Kaunas
Monday, April 12, 2010
I Returned to Kaunas Saturday. All students were out for weekend and end of Spring break.
Today I found out we lost Gedies. He will not be returning and he will remain in Vilnius.
We all pray that he keeps up with his Bible studies and continues in the Student Survival Kit.
However, God is always throwing a curve because this afternoon I met and distributed books to other students. One, Purlita, must work outside the country like many Lithuanians. She is a part time student who is doing a work study in Great Britain. She did take a book and confirmed her belief in God, but she could not tell me much about or relate to this Jesus Guy.
Three boys, Valdamas, Myazes and Alexander received the Student Survival Kit Christian student study guide. I was very happy they responded so well. Of the three Valdemas spoke English the best, so he acted as the interpreter for me where the others could not understand.
Two other girls also joined us in the conversation: Margureta and Lena. Of these two.
Margureta was the doubting Thomas.
“What are you doing here anyway?” She asked in a skeptical and unbelieving way.
“I am here to give you something free. Would you like that?” I said.
That depends on what it is” said Margureta, and then she said something to her two friends in Lithuanian I did not quite understand.
Yet I could tell from the laughter of the other girls it was probably something not nice about me.
“No this is a free gift. No strings attached” I said quickly;
“You do not have to pay me are or do anything at all.”
They all were wondering what it was and why some old American guy was giving something away.
I reached in my bag for some hats.
As it turns out, these girls were were very polite, but the hats were not their style.
“Ok, take one for your boyfriend then.” They all laughed at that suggestion.
“What about one for your brothers?” They shook their heads.
Then I have another gift for you. Can you read English?” I asked.
“Sure Sure!” they replied proudly. They looked through the books for another five minutes and we discussed what they knew about God and their relationship with the lord.
They were all Catholics and they believed in God and Maria they told me. It was a good chance to ask more questions about their personal relationship. Also I told them I would be back and that I was on campus all the time if they had any questions.
I returned to my flat an hour later to pray that a least one of them would be there at the appointed time to hear more about the concept of a personal relationship with Christ. I had hopes that some would come to our meeting this week. My time was growing short here and I felt an even greater urgency to make a permanent mark on these students.
They are in a kind of gray zone. They have had an exposure to God through the Catholic Church, but no real follow up in knowing Christ as a personal Savior. Most notably they have no idea of what is in the Bible and they almost don’t believe it when the Word is read to them. They seem so skeptical as if the words I am reading from Matthew or Psalms or I Corinthians or I John are things I am making up.
Today I have made up my mind to purchase a Bible written in Lithuanian. I hope that convinces them this word is real. If they can read it in their own language perhaps I may help.
I Returned to Kaunas Saturday. All students were out for weekend and end of Spring break.
Today I found out we lost Gedies. He will not be returning and he will remain in Vilnius.
We all pray that he keeps up with his Bible studies and continues in the Student Survival Kit.
However, God is always throwing a curve because this afternoon I met and distributed books to other students. One, Purlita, must work outside the country like many Lithuanians. She is a part time student who is doing a work study in Great Britain. She did take a book and confirmed her belief in God, but she could not tell me much about or relate to this Jesus Guy.
Three boys, Valdamas, Myazes and Alexander received the Student Survival Kit Christian student study guide. I was very happy they responded so well. Of the three Valdemas spoke English the best, so he acted as the interpreter for me where the others could not understand.
Two other girls also joined us in the conversation: Margureta and Lena. Of these two.
Margureta was the doubting Thomas.
“What are you doing here anyway?” She asked in a skeptical and unbelieving way.
“I am here to give you something free. Would you like that?” I said.
That depends on what it is” said Margureta, and then she said something to her two friends in Lithuanian I did not quite understand.
Yet I could tell from the laughter of the other girls it was probably something not nice about me.
“No this is a free gift. No strings attached” I said quickly;
“You do not have to pay me are or do anything at all.”
They all were wondering what it was and why some old American guy was giving something away.
I reached in my bag for some hats.
As it turns out, these girls were were very polite, but the hats were not their style.
“What about one for your brothers?” They shook their heads.
Then I have another gift for you. Can you read English?” I asked.
“Sure Sure!” they replied proudly. They looked through the books for another five minutes and we discussed what they knew about God and their relationship with the lord.
They were all Catholics and they believed in God and Maria they told me. It was a good chance to ask more questions about their personal relationship. Also I told them I would be back and that I was on campus all the time if they had any questions.
I returned to my flat an hour later to pray that a least one of them would be there at the appointed time to hear more about the concept of a personal relationship with Christ. I had hopes that some would come to our meeting this week. My time was growing short here and I felt an even greater urgency to make a permanent mark on these students.
They are in a kind of gray zone. They have had an exposure to God through the Catholic Church, but no real follow up in knowing Christ as a personal Savior. Most notably they have no idea of what is in the Bible and they almost don’t believe it when the Word is read to them. They seem so skeptical as if the words I am reading from Matthew or Psalms or I Corinthians or I John are things I am making up.
Today I have made up my mind to purchase a Bible written in Lithuanian. I hope that convinces them this word is real. If they can read it in their own language perhaps I may help.
Ekaterinburg, Aspect, and the Homeless
Easter Sunday started for me with the daily prayer walk. I was the only one who showed that day. Others were mostly sleeping after the Midnight mass celebration of Easter at the local Orthodox Cathedral.
It was a moving service filled with Russian Tradition, icons and ceremony such as the singing, Chanting, bell ringing and candle light worship. The highlight of which was the procession of all present around the cathedral holding a lit candle which had started is
with a light from the Orthodox High Priest and continued in a chain reaction effect in the crown culminating in a Hugh candle light service
We left English Camp after re-loading all the equipment and materials used in the various productions. There were two truck loads of some very heavy equipment.
He group loaded up on a large tour type bus with the folks from Kentucky and a few of the local people who live in Moscow year round. Most were volunteers, one was the wife of the project director for Aventura . It took us about an hour and 30 minutes to reach the north east metro terminal that would take all but us folks from Florida back to their hotels of destination places.
Our group remained on the bus to the Gama Hotel across from the famous Moscow outdoor market. There we dropped off the extra bags we could not take to Ekatrinburg and the took the Orange Line Metro from Rizhskaya to the Brown Prospekt Mira station then the green to Voikovskaya near where I stayed with my Host Family for a week.
Upon arrival we went to the Metropolis mall one block away. Here the team ate mostly American food while I had an ice tea and headed for the Internet café[ 50 rubles for 30 minutes] with very slow speeds.
After the allotted time we went back to the same Metro]green] and rode it to the end of the line Rechnoi Vozkal and there caught the155 local bus to terminal D at Sheramatova airport.
We had arrived at the airport around 11 30 Pm and our flight left at 1 05 AM.
It took us most of the time with passports, checking a few bags and the gruesome Security inspection. We boarded a nice modern Aeroflot 326 airbus to Ekarinsburg, Arrival was on time two hours later, though due to Russia having 11 time zones and they had just lost 2 that very week, we arrived in Ekatrinsburg at 5 00 AM Monday morning.
We were greeted by Igor and Ivan with a large van and Igor’s own car.
Another hour of driving and we finally arrived in the Shelter.
Needless to say we all were looking for a bed. We had tea and cakes and hit the bed.
Around 11 15 AM me Joe and Andrew the other two males of the group were roused up for “Brunch” Soon after Addie laid out or plans for the day.
Addie, Christie, Chantel and Gabby got in the van with Igor and Natashia and headed for the streets. The source of the members in the Shelter, and the location of many, many other homeless people.
The people who receive food and some clothing live under ground in the central hot water heat duct system. For years the Soviets have maintained a system where they build large central heated water systems that serves a large number of buildings in a specific area. It is efficient in that there is only one source of heat for the buildings and it eliminates duplication of multiple heating systems for each building. The down side is that there is one central control for the heating of, say a thousand flats, and there is no individual control for ones particular flat.
As far as the people we are helping, they find ways to “break Into” these duct systems and the are able to stay out of the extreme cold. However, these are dangerous places where many bad people hang out, so it is never safe to live there. Another point is that it is very unsanitary. Most of the people we saw were sniffing glue and other strong solvents like lacquor and Urethane to get high. On our arrival so many of these people emerged from out of thin air knowing that the mission was there to provide food and clothing. Within minutes after arrival we were surrounded by young boys and some older men, two younger women and on this day two Gypsy women who were the mothers of about 5 of the boys.
I brought some baseball hats that were donated by my wonderful Selah Bible Study Group. The kids were so excited that they were getting the hats and food. Look at the faces here and it is heartbreaking to know that this may be the first time they have smiled in a long time. At first it is depressing to see the conditions they live in, then you feel you are really making some small difference in the changing the hopelessness of their lives. They ate up the soup we provided and devoured the bread. This is one of the best meals they probably get all week. Please Praise God for the tireless efforts of the volunteers who do this week in and week out. We asked Igor and his wife how they were able to do this and see the same people over and over and see that their lives of many are not do not seem to be making a permanent change. They told us that if they can help even a few survive and have the Hope of God that He will improve the life of just one then they have fulfilled their mission. I have never seen such an unselfish love for others as I have seen at this mission. And it is true that some do come to the shelter and their lives do change, So there is always Hope and the Love of God that this work is making a difference.
After we left we visited three other places where many people shared a small room in a flat where there was a common cooking area for three other flats along with a common bathroom. The conditions were deplorable, but at least they were inside a building. However, they still were faced with living in conditions where many of the other people [often as many as 20-30] were also drug addicts and street girls and undocumented folks.
On our last stop we met a girl who had been pregnant several times, and Addie pointed out that she was pregnant again. Another girl there was all white and wane and had cut off her hair in a very jagged style. Addie showed a photo of the same girl a year earlier and we could hardly recognize as the same person. Life on the streets is difficult and it wears on you. [please see http://MP.com for photos by Addie]
Many of these people are killed and there is no record of them. So it is also the mission of the Shelter to help document these people so they exist within the legal system. Think about it, if you had no birth certificate or address or other form of identification would you exist in America. No! Well the system is worse here, and the government has no desire to document these people for to do so would require that they face pressure to help them or give them some sort of government funding. So these people are not just homeless they are nameless and in the eyes of their society they don’t even exist. If it were not for the efforts of our mission they would remain hopeless and helpless. So think of this next time you are asked to support the efforts of Mission Possible.
This girls girlfriend had cut marks all up and down her arm. Conditions of the people and places were so bad I had never seen anything like it. Again I thought of Praises and Glory to the people from the MP shelter who do visit these people at least twice a week and give their time and Love to care for them.
The next day we drove the 130 mile trip o the shelter in Aspect. This is a place where mothers are given shelter and training and where they can come with their babies. All of them face some sort of addiction to drugs or alcohol. The facility is very clean and has a Godly set of rules for the addict mothers. Volunteers help tech them to properly care for the babies. All of these children were adorable and they were reaching out for us. It made me cry to see them.
The program is yet another testimony to the wonderfulness of God’s work in this area of the world. People come from all over Russia to be here because it is a model Shelter and very well run. Physicians volunteer to come in and check the babies and mothers health. There is a staff psychologist who evaluates the women and recommends treatment for their addictions. When a mother comes in she is not allowed off site for at least the first two months lest she fall prey to the temptation of drugs and Alcohol. Again, the Praise in my heart was for the unselfish giving of the staff who work tirelessly to help out the mothers and children. Just look into the faces of these children and you can see God at work in their eyes. The hope here for me was that these children have bee saved from a life of living in an underground duct bank filled with the evils of drugs, alcohol and sexual abuse. Worse would be the possibility of an early death.
We loaded up the van and headed back to Eketrinsburg to a another church function. This time it was to visit the Tuesday night service held by the Church of the Living God. The service is held in a rented movie theater. This church gathers up homeless boys and girls in the neighborhood and provides them with a service and a small meal. Our mission here was to entertain the children. I am so proud of the talent and efforts of the members of First Baptist. They gave a wonderful performance of song, Dance and a skit with a great moral about keeping away from temptations. Sorry, I can’t sing or dance. I could only give moral support and interact with the children.
They were all thrilled with the performance and all asked a lot of questions about where we live; do we have cars; do we make a lot of money; is there really a lot of shooting in the streets; do we know Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone? They were non stop with such questions.
They especially liked the young ladies in our group and wanted to get their email address. Again, look at the faces of these boys. They live in the streets and have to fend for themselves. They have no home or parents. Yet to see a smile on their faces to me is a miracle. Just one smile from destitute kids like these made the whole trip worthwhile.
It was a moving service filled with Russian Tradition, icons and ceremony such as the singing, Chanting, bell ringing and candle light worship. The highlight of which was the procession of all present around the cathedral holding a lit candle which had started is
We left English Camp after re-loading all the equipment and materials used in the various productions. There were two truck loads of some very heavy equipment.
Upon arrival we went to the Metropolis mall one block away. Here the team ate mostly American food while I had an ice tea and headed for the Internet café[ 50 rubles for 30 minutes] with very slow speeds.
After the allotted time we went back to the same Metro]green] and rode it to the end of the line Rechnoi Vozkal and there caught the155 local bus to terminal D at Sheramatova airport.
We had arrived at the airport around 11 30 Pm and our flight left at 1 05 AM.
We were greeted by Igor and Ivan with a large van and Igor’s own car.
Another hour of driving and we finally arrived in the Shelter.
Needless to say we all were looking for a bed. We had tea and cakes and hit the bed.
Addie, Christie, Chantel and Gabby got in the van with Igor and Natashia and headed for the streets. The source of the members in the Shelter, and the location of many, many other homeless people.
The people who receive food and some clothing live under ground in the central hot water heat duct system. For years the Soviets have maintained a system where they build large central heated water systems that serves a large number of buildings in a specific area. It is efficient in that there is only one source of heat for the buildings and it eliminates duplication of multiple heating systems for each building. The down side is that there is one central control for the heating of, say a thousand flats, and there is no individual control for ones particular flat.
As far as the people we are helping, they find ways to “break Into” these duct systems and the are able to stay out of the extreme cold. However, these are dangerous places where many bad people hang out, so it is never safe to live there. Another point is that it is very unsanitary. Most of the people we saw were sniffing glue and other strong solvents like lacquor and Urethane to get high. On our arrival so many of these people emerged from out of thin air knowing that the mission was there to provide food and clothing. Within minutes after arrival we were surrounded by young boys and some older men, two younger women and on this day two Gypsy women who were the mothers of about 5 of the boys.
I brought some baseball hats that were donated by my wonderful Selah Bible Study Group. The kids were so excited that they were getting the hats and food. Look at the faces here and it is heartbreaking to know that this may be the first time they have smiled in a long time. At first it is depressing to see the conditions they live in, then you feel you are really making some small difference in the changing the hopelessness of their lives. They ate up the soup we provided and devoured the bread. This is one of the best meals they probably get all week. Please Praise God for the tireless efforts of the volunteers who do this week in and week out. We asked Igor and his wife how they were able to do this and see the same people over and over and see that their lives of many are not do not seem to be making a permanent change. They told us that if they can help even a few survive and have the Hope of God that He will improve the life of just one then they have fulfilled their mission. I have never seen such an unselfish love for others as I have seen at this mission. And it is true that some do come to the shelter and their lives do change, So there is always Hope and the Love of God that this work is making a difference.
After we left we visited three other places where many people shared a small room in a flat where there was a common cooking area for three other flats along with a common bathroom. The conditions were deplorable, but at least they were inside a building. However, they still were faced with living in conditions where many of the other people [often as many as 20-30] were also drug addicts and street girls and undocumented folks.
On our last stop we met a girl who had been pregnant several times, and Addie pointed out that she was pregnant again. Another girl there was all white and wane and had cut off her hair in a very jagged style. Addie showed a photo of the same girl a year earlier and we could hardly recognize as the same person. Life on the streets is difficult and it wears on you. [please see http://MP.com for photos by Addie]
Many of these people are killed and there is no record of them. So it is also the mission of the Shelter to help document these people so they exist within the legal system. Think about it, if you had no birth certificate or address or other form of identification would you exist in America. No! Well the system is worse here, and the government has no desire to document these people for to do so would require that they face pressure to help them or give them some sort of government funding. So these people are not just homeless they are nameless and in the eyes of their society they don’t even exist. If it were not for the efforts of our mission they would remain hopeless and helpless. So think of this next time you are asked to support the efforts of Mission Possible.
This girls girlfriend had cut marks all up and down her arm. Conditions of the people and places were so bad I had never seen anything like it. Again I thought of Praises and Glory to the people from the MP shelter who do visit these people at least twice a week and give their time and Love to care for them.
They were all thrilled with the performance and all asked a lot of questions about where we live; do we have cars; do we make a lot of money; is there really a lot of shooting in the streets; do we know Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone? They were non stop with such questions.
WASTED YEARS
Easter 2010
And who am I...
That you reach out and try
To save me from my sins?
Now my heart has opened up
To your Loving Touch!
And I can see the beauty of Your Love
You've paid the price for me
So I could finally see
The wisdom of your Love!
I gave up a lifetime, Lord,
Seeking for myself alone...
Ignoring all Your signs toward Home.
I gave up a lifetime, Lord,
Seeking for myself alone...
Ignoring all Your signs toward Home.
You are ever Faithful to me
You sought me when I hid...
You the God of the Universe!!
You sought me when I hid...
You the God of the Universe!!
How is it You Will do this for us?
Why do we ignore You so?
Why don't we listen?
Why do we ignore You so?
Why don't we listen?
You are in our hearts at birth
We have only to look within,
And listen to Your Word
To overcome our sin.
For You are Great...
You are Kind...
You Give Life
You heal the blind!
What more could we ask for?
You Have saved us from the FINAL WAR.
And gave us Life Eternal Lord!
So though my life was wasted on me.
You finally set me free...
To see the You are King and Majesty.
Thank You God for saving me.
will
You finally set me free...
To see the You are King and Majesty.
Thank You God for saving me.
will
Friday, April 2, 2010
Easter Eve the Bunny and Egg Hunt
Russian_English Camp is going quite well. Last night we enjoyed a wonderful prayer rally and many Russian students attended.
Games and activities are fun filled but very hectic. The leadership here is spectacular. Each of them, Greg, Kyle John, Donna, Addie , Ginny and the Russian volunteers from local churches and organizations have planned out an intense and yet entertaining schedule for these young people. I am also amazed at the talent shown here in the stage productions and music. The most amazing thing is that it all happens so fast, and the creativiy of the people making it happen is unbelieveable.
The skits are wonderfully funny but with a message for the students.
It is so amazing how they create all the music and videos and mix it with current activities of the day. I have a difficult time just doing this blog and it pales in comparison to the works I see here every day. God has truly blessed this effort with some of His finest people. I am very proud to be even a small part of His work.
The skits are wonderfully funny but with a message for the students.
Monday, March 15, 2010
God Sightings Comments
Hi fellow followers. I like this format [God Sightings Daily Web Post] and believe it gives a great daily regiment for reading God's word.
I find the comments from Pastor Larry very encouraging and I always read them right after the message. The format is good for me and better than having a paper book I could and have misplaced last year. I am not an i-Pod user, so [sorry Josh] my thumbs are too big and the print too small for that format. My group here has seen the site and they like it. I am trying to get one of them to sign up and see if it works the same way here, It should. I might add too that I find comments from fellow followers very interesting and often they stimulate new ideas about the reading I had not thought of before.
This is one of the best sights for organization and navigation. Though sometimes it seems a little slow. :))
Your Brother in Christ
Will
Baltic-Russian Mission
http://rugodswill.blogspot.com
http://hubpages.com/hub/hubYou-or-God-Who-is-in-Control
I find the comments from Pastor Larry very encouraging and I always read them right after the message. The format is good for me and better than having a paper book I could and have misplaced last year. I am not an i-Pod user, so [sorry Josh] my thumbs are too big and the print too small for that format. My group here has seen the site and they like it. I am trying to get one of them to sign up and see if it works the same way here, It should. I might add too that I find comments from fellow followers very interesting and often they stimulate new ideas about the reading I had not thought of before.
This is one of the best sights for organization and navigation. Though sometimes it seems a little slow. :))
Your Brother in Christ
Will
Baltic-Russian Mission
http://rugodswill.blogspot.com
http://hubpages.com/hub/hubYou-or-God-Who-is-in-Control
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Binging His Message Home
Sunday I had a wonderful opportunity to visit a local family and share the message of Jesus.
Vytautas, a student here in Kaunas lives with his mother Loreta and his grandmother Birute in a
nice flat outside Kaunas proper. This is in the Smiliai district upland from the city to the WNW.
Upon arrival I could smell a delicious aroma from the kitchen. Turkey with delicious mushroom sauce;
mash potaotes, peas,and cabbage. We talked a few minutes; made introductions and had some wine.
I brought flowers for the ladys since it was Woman's Day in Lithuania. A day to celebrate all women
Moms wives, sisters, girlfriends--all women. They do not have an offcial Mother's Day. Woman's Day
is a legacy holiday from the Soviet era.
Birute is a very interesting and well educated woman. She was genuinely interested in my perspective
on Lithuania as an American. She was candid in teling me that Lithuanians were disappointed with the way America treated them after WWII. I was familiar with the history, and responded by telling her that things would have been quite different had the US given General Patton his way and let him march into Moscow.
She responded with the lament that their small country suffered under the USSR for 50 years because of US Policy.
I did relay what I knew of the Tasmanian connection and the US Australia effort to provide Lithuanian Jews Austalian passports and help move them to Tasmania. This effort resulted in saving thousands of Jews dstined for the camps as the Germans fled the Russian counter attack with the help of fresh arms from the US. She was not aware of this fact.
I wanted to get off the politics and government issues and speak of the Bible. Biute is a dvoute Roman Catholic [RC]. I told her I was raised a RC and practiced until I was about 13-14 when I started to question the lack of bible study in the church. I even went to RC school up to High School and we rarely read scripture except or the little bits that were in the Catechism. She was surprised and said she thought I was a Baptist all my life. I told her I have always been a Christian.
I began telling the family about my mission. I spoke of the Love for God and the close personal relationship we each can experience by speaking with God. Birute said she talks to God, and that she talks to Maria.
I said that is admirable and that I did not want to offend, but that talking to Maria is not talking to God. She said she understood, but that she felt more comfortable speaking to Maria because she is a woman and Maia understands women's issues. Another reason is that she can see Maria in the photos and religious Icons of Maria around her home. She cannot see God. I pointed to a painting of bottles of wine hanging over the kitchen table. These bottles of wine look very real- taip [yes]? However, you can't take one from the painting and open it and drink it. But when you have Jesus in your heart ,as your daughter Loreta has described to me, then you have a real live experience of God.
She smiled, and said she had never thought of it that way. She then said I had given her a lot to think about. I asked Vytautas [pictured to the left with his mother, Loreta] if he had been thinking of this in his studies. He is an exceptional student and he knew his English well, he could even understand my American, Many Lithuanians and Russians tell me they have a hard time in America because we don't speak clearly and we "mush" words together. Whereas in Great Britain they speak the English that is taught in school here.
I told him if he would like to learn more I was getting some study guides for Psalms, and we would be meeting with other students at my flat near Akropolis on Wednesday night. Vytautas is interested in learning more, but he could not commit to a Bible Study meeting at that time because he works to help support his family and he is trying to make money on line. So for about another 20 minutes I shared my experience on Hub Pages and Ad Sense. He was very interested in this and we will talk more when I get back from Russia.
The family was disappointed that the pod cast did not work. I had bookmarked some Worship music, and Loreta who is a music teacher played some of her favorites. Birute wanted to know if the "Priest" was going to talk. I tried to explain about the failed pod cast. I think she finally understood. We sat and enjoyed the music for an hour or more, I tried to connect to the FBC server after each song, but to no avail. We all agreed to try again next Sunday. They asked if it was normal for such good music to be played in church. I told them we played this kind of music every Sunday, and I think Birute was concerned that it was not solume enough for God. And they asked about clapping and lifting up arms and hands and looking like people were in a trance. I told them that most of the songs were right from the Bible. Like Psalm 50 and that in the Bible it tells us to lift up our hands and Praise God. I further explained that Sunday was a Day of Praise to God for all He has given us. It is like people get excited when you give them a present, and they thank you and hug you. We, as Baptists, celebrate our joy to God each Sunday and give daily thanks for the Love and Life we receive because of the sacrafice of Jesus.
We talked on until 10 PM and had a great fellowship. I related the story of one neighbor ignoring his neighbor until he wanted to borrow a car. This message was very clear to each one there. They strongly responded to the question," If you were to die today and came before God how would you answer if He asked 'Why should I let you into my Heaven? Did you acknowledge me when you were on earth?" We each learned something good from each other. We each came away thankful for what we had just shared. I thought of the passage in John 10:10 where Jesus said. " ...I have come so that they may have life, and have it to the full." I felt in my heart that this was Life to the Full in sharing His Word.
By the time we left it was about -7 and as we pulled out of the parking lot I heard the tires pop as they broke free from where they had become frozen to the surface...
Vytautas, a student here in Kaunas lives with his mother Loreta and his grandmother Birute in a
nice flat outside Kaunas proper. This is in the Smiliai district upland from the city to the WNW.
Upon arrival I could smell a delicious aroma from the kitchen. Turkey with delicious mushroom sauce;
mash potaotes, peas,and cabbage. We talked a few minutes; made introductions and had some wine.
I brought flowers for the ladys since it was Woman's Day in Lithuania. A day to celebrate all women
Moms wives, sisters, girlfriends--all women. They do not have an offcial Mother's Day. Woman's Day
Birute is a very interesting and well educated woman. She was genuinely interested in my perspective
on Lithuania as an American. She was candid in teling me that Lithuanians were disappointed with the way America treated them after WWII. I was familiar with the history, and responded by telling her that things would have been quite different had the US given General Patton his way and let him march into Moscow.
She responded with the lament that their small country suffered under the USSR for 50 years because of US Policy.
I did relay what I knew of the Tasmanian connection and the US Australia effort to provide Lithuanian Jews Austalian passports and help move them to Tasmania. This effort resulted in saving thousands of Jews dstined for the camps as the Germans fled the Russian counter attack with the help of fresh arms from the US. She was not aware of this fact.
I wanted to get off the politics and government issues and speak of the Bible. Biute is a dvoute Roman Catholic [RC]. I told her I was raised a RC and practiced until I was about 13-14 when I started to question the lack of bible study in the church. I even went to RC school up to High School and we rarely read scripture except or the little bits that were in the Catechism. She was surprised and said she thought I was a Baptist all my life. I told her I have always been a Christian.
I began telling the family about my mission. I spoke of the Love for God and the close personal relationship we each can experience by speaking with God. Birute said she talks to God, and that she talks to Maria.
I said that is admirable and that I did not want to offend, but that talking to Maria is not talking to God. She said she understood, but that she felt more comfortable speaking to Maria because she is a woman and Maia understands women's issues. Another reason is that she can see Maria in the photos and religious Icons of Maria around her home. She cannot see God. I pointed to a painting of bottles of wine hanging over the kitchen table. These bottles of wine look very real- taip [yes]? However, you can't take one from the painting and open it and drink it. But when you have Jesus in your heart ,as your daughter Loreta has described to me, then you have a real live experience of God.
She smiled, and said she had never thought of it that way. She then said I had given her a lot to think about. I asked Vytautas [pictured to the left with his mother, Loreta] if he had been thinking of this in his studies. He is an exceptional student and he knew his English well, he could even understand my American, Many Lithuanians and Russians tell me they have a hard time in America because we don't speak clearly and we "mush" words together. Whereas in Great Britain they speak the English that is taught in school here.
I told him if he would like to learn more I was getting some study guides for Psalms, and we would be meeting with other students at my flat near Akropolis on Wednesday night. Vytautas is interested in learning more, but he could not commit to a Bible Study meeting at that time because he works to help support his family and he is trying to make money on line. So for about another 20 minutes I shared my experience on Hub Pages and Ad Sense. He was very interested in this and we will talk more when I get back from Russia.
By the time we left it was about -7 and as we pulled out of the parking lot I heard the tires pop as they broke free from where they had become frozen to the surface...
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