Catch a Breath

I'm sure you have had the experience more than one time where you were caught by surprise and had to take a breath and move forward.  I will say the first quarter of 2019 was filled with several moments of surprise. 

In January, we had ice storms.   The night before our Bible Club in Alytus I was praying for wisdom to know whether or not if we should travel two vehicles, two hours outside the city so that we can share the gospel with the kids in this orphanage.    Driving on ice is not my thing, even though i'm from Ohio please remember I was born in Florida.

I didn't have the heart to disappoint the children in the orphanage at such the last minute so we prayerfully went forward.  Afterwards the local church feeds us lunch before we head back to our city.  We usually eat at one of their families home.  This snowy day, they said they were not feeling well so today the dinner will be at the church.  We went and they were running late--I was trying to not show concern about darkness coming and the ice we will have to drive in.  There it was in the center of the room, a beautiful cake--it was a surprise party that my team organized with my baptist missionary friend Paula.  What a blessing and a surprise---i had to pause and take a breath while their love truly touched my heart. 

Birthday Surprise

As we moved to February, preparing for our youth group plant, Bible Club along with gearing up for Easter and a training seminar.  A phone call came in the middle of the night 3:30am on February 15, the Lord finally received my mom in heaven after several years of ailments.  That moment, I don't think anyone ever forgets such a phone call--you gasp, drop a tear and then need to plan the journey home, prepare your team (teenagers) to function in ministry without you; you simply catch a breath.

I returned home, here in Lithuania on March 1, 2019.  I needed to arrive in Europe before March 3 due to my legal resident permit was about to expire--I received noticed that my new card was approved the day before my mom's funeral--however I was in the states so I could not go and get finger printed to process my approval.  Which creates another challenge later on. 

On my way home, I caught something, somewhere but it was Viral and laid me flat on my back for over 2 1/2 weeks.  I'm grateful so grateful for those who pray faithfully for me and Kidz Lithuania.  Again, I  had to cancel a training session and KL was moving in ministry and preparing without me.  This virus caused the asthma to kick in and wowza lets just say March was a month I couldn't catch my breath if I wanted to--however created the a new challenge of retrieving my resident permit.  No more appointments available for interview until June.  I need process before May 20.

So here we go April, Bible Clubs are still running, training is going and we are preparing for our Easter outreaches.  It is so important to use every opportunity to share the Gospel.  I am a prisoner in Lithuania I cannot leave without my resident permit or I will be deported.  If I don't get my permit before May 20--then I will be deported from here.  I need to CATCH A BREAK and BREATH.  I wrote the director of immigration and explained why I had not been and they told me to come the next week in the morning any day and they would fit me in.  My moms death certificate in hand, also a friend for interpretation on technical things; we sat for over 5hrs to finally see my number come up on the board.  Yeah!!! It will happen today, my visit was simple.  Papers were signed, and permission to pick up my new permit any time after 13:00hr Thursday. 

As usual, I give them a day or two just to make sure it is there.  Just yesterday I traveled to get my card.  Nothing is ever as simple as it seems.  First of all 20 minutes to find parking, then draw your number and one hour to wait......wait a minute?!?!  She is asking me why would i simply ask for a 2 month visa.  I said, I paid for a 2 year visa.  She said your card says 2 months.  STOP--TAKE A BREATH--ASK GOD for wisdom.  I  said,  "I'm sorry but you only have either a 1yr, 2yr or 5yr visas.  I'm an American who can stay here for 3 months without a visa, why would i pay for a 2month visa.  She said, oh my yes something may be wrong. BREATHING!  Then you have to help them solve the problem.  Catching my calm breath.  She said,  "let me get your file".   Fifteen minutes later she returns and says look, they made a mistake.  She pauses--she does not know what to do?  I said maybe if you ask this officer who approved my visa for help,  she is over there in that window today. I saw her.  So she said, "Oh yes" (still breathing) --and went and retrieved the officer who processed me.  They read the approvals and said the person who made the card made the mistake.  So Saharon Missammmon (this is how my name is pronounced in Lithuanian) could you come back tomorrow?  I took a breath of relief and said, do I need to wait another hour----No, No you come and we will push you in.   

Kiz Lithuania always on the move!

As you can see I'm breathing well in Lithuania!  Kidz Lithuania is moving strong!  We are going to help two new sites for church plants this upcoming year.  Our relationship with the national church allows us to go in and develop trust, relationship and then a Union church takes over and creates the vision and development for a church plant.  Can't wait to report on the progress after this summer.  We have 8 weeks of day camps in non churched cities and villages.  Please pray! 

Jesus, Jonava & Me: Celelbrating Good TImes! (January Post)

Our Christmas tour was amazing; first to have a fourteen year old girl, Gabriele,  rewrite all the songs into the Lithuanian language is a gift but also takes skill and fullness of Spirit. She was able to  maintain the integrity of the original song with intimate meaning in her own language.



Many children prayed with us to ask Jesus to come into their hearts.  We prayerfully hope that the local churches will continue to reach out to each child.  Pray that their spiritual hunger move from an event to a personal experience which produces commitment in serving the Lord.

January we had one more "Jesus" Birthday Celebration.     Pray that the children in Alytus would respond; we have been hosting a Bible Club monthly and our hope was that the combination of this celebration with the seed already planted would produce open hearts.     Our great Hope is that the  significance of Jesus' birthday will resinate personally in their hearts and bring clarity about their purpose.


The beginning of the New Year "Jonava" was finally able to call a building their home!  THANK YOU OHIO WOMENS MININSTRIES, Ohio District Churches and many others who have given over the years so that the children and church plant of Jonava could own their own building.  We moved in this month, please keep this process in prayer.  Legal issues are  is so different here in eastern Europe and there are some logistics that need to be worked out with Gods' favor.  The church is about 27 people strong, with a growing youth ministry and showing much potential.  The current building leaves room for another 100 people to fill the main room.  This is the time and perfect season for their journey to continue to grow in spirit and numbers.  The goal is to purchase debt free they are still in need of about 25,000.00EU to do this.  We have until January 2019 to pay in full the balance of the by