MANA - Spiritual Life Center

Observations from an outsider……

On Thursday May 22,2008 City Church met in the newly renovate meeting room to dedicate it. As we entered the room for the first time since completion it was exciting to see the transformation. This cold run down room with maroon on white paint and mold up one wall from the water damage had been transformed into a much warmer atmosphere. The warm colors that were chosen changed the feeling in the whole room at once as you entered. It was hard to believe it was the same room and gave so much hope to all of us for the potential of the other rooms that were in so much need of repair.

Many showed up for the dedication service. The Free Christian Church was there as well and said a few words and we worshipped together. It was such a beautiful service of partnership. And it is just the beginning…….

BEFORE

Observations from an outsider…..

When you live in a country that pays it’s workers so poorly it is amazing to see the turnout of a church group for a clean up day. Yet another thing in the States that I can see where we take it for granted that when the church has a project there are almost always a donzen and a half volunteers to see that the job gets done. Volunteerizm is simply part of our culture and is something we smile upon and reward. Not so here.

It has been my obseration that the afluence of the country’s appearance and available “things” has indeed gone up, but that the pay has not. It has been said more than once by a Lithuanian friend that,”It is nice that we now have all these new and very nice things available to us but the question I have is,’ who is buying them?’”

To just get by in this country, it seems necessary for a couple to both maintain full time jobs. This brings in the bare living expenses. If you are enginuitive you can create your own business and this is where many have thrived. If you are the average person however you may live with your parents, who will raise the kids, if you have them, while you work and since you are sharing a house you may have some extra money to enjoy life a bit. The children go into full time state run childcare called “Kindergarden” by age 2 where they remain daily as late as 5 or 6 pm until they begin their formal eduction in 1st grade at age 7. After working each day at a job that requires a lot and compensates very little, you go home for a few hours with the kids or the “second shift”. Once you’ve given your kids your time, get the kids fed and put to bed you may fall into bed yourself to start the whole process all over again the next day. The weekend may be the only time you have to relax and that becomes only one day if you have chosen to attend church each week. Which many Lithuanians don’t see as necessary.

So when we announce that we are having clean up days at the community center and ANYONE shows up. I am always amazed that they were willing to sacrifice their precious time for the betterment of those they do not even know yet.

Observations from an outsider…..

Room renovations began just as soon as the office renovations were complete. The rooms are located above the offices and are big enough for one person to live in each room. A community bathroom and a kitchen will serve these five rooms. These are also in process.

It was never really determined just who would live in these rooms but the rooms have been filled as people have needed a room to live in.
So far they have hosted a couple of women from the Ukraine who worked on the building and also a student leadership confrence who transformed the office space and rooms into meeting and sleeping places.

One Lithuanian from a recovery center has been living there for a few months as a way to transtition back into mainstream Lithuanian life. In the states we call these “half-way houses”. Since then another man has joined him. They will both participate with renovations as we have money to do so.

One room is occupied by an American missionary who on hearing of the churches vision for the community center immediately gave his rental notice and moved in. He renovated the room himself. He has since gone home for the summer and challenged several members of his church to spend some time with us as well, so he will be back soon with them. I believe about 7 people.

And most recently a church member who had been supported by City Church as a missionary in Kurgistan has rented out his flat and moved into the community center as our resident Lithuanian missionary.

There are several others who are part of the church who are interested in contributing to the community center is such a way. It is a beauty to behold. The love that is beginning to fill the building as it begins to be livable. People want community. Here is a place where they are finding it…….

Observations from an outsider…….

I recently went to the Community Center for a meeting. I was there early and chose to look around the grounds to see what had been done since I had been there last. The outside grounds needed some attention, like the grass cut and the trees trimmed, but I could see such potential. It will be great to wonder through these grounds in meditative thought when it is completed. I long to see a gardener take on this place…….

I went to the front door and it was unlocked so I went on in. I heard some activity going on upstairs and knew that the Free Christian Church had been renovating one of the large meeting rooms so I wanted to check out their progress. My children had been primering the dark maroon lines on the walls a few weeks before. I entered the room and could see the great transformation that was taking place. I greeted the men in my poor Lithuanian and was delighted when the pastor spoke to me in perfect English. “What made you want to help us with this?” was my first question. His response endeared my heart to him ,”We heard you were doing this and I thought to myself,’ If I were taking on such a project wouldn’t I appreciate if someone would help out?’ and so here we are.” Already we are seeing how this “project” is bridging the gap between churches. It was such a blessing to so many to see a group not even affiliated with us takes such measures to see this vision succeed in a tangible way.

We have been able to use the meeting room several times since then. It is amazing to me the difference.

Dr. David Shenk and his wife Grace Shenk recently visited our community center. David is a an enthusiastic supporter of churches in Lithuania. At the community gathering David spoke about how lithuanian churches compare to other churches in the global context. Some of his thoughts are can be seen in the videos below.