By Chris Hanley
Most Americans have no clue where Lithuania is, but 12 Hokies from the Baptist Student Union at Virginia Tech invested their spring break in this small country, and witnessed God doing amazing things in the lives of students in the former Soviet republic, which only 15 years ago regained its independence.
Our goal was to develop relationships with young people and share how Christ has impacted our lives, and then connect them to career missionaries living in the area for follow-up.
Armed with musicians, basketball players and English teachers, we arrived in Vilnius, the capital of the country, and saw a land blanketed by snow and ice. We continued our journey to a quaint hotel at our final destination, the town of Druskinnininkai.
We awoke Sunday morning to see snow showers falling on several feet of snow already on the ground. Despite subfreezing conditions, our team of students was eager to canvas the town in search of young people. We hit the streets to pray that the people of the town would be responsive to the message of the gospel.
At a coffee house Sunday night, several of our students did a concert, while others mingled among the patrons and struck up conversations with people who could speak English.
People gathered to listen as our group played modern worship songs and shared about our purpose for bringing 10 students, one alumnus and a campus minister to Lithuania. Though not everyone could understand exactly what we were saying, the people of Druskinnininkai heard a new song with a message of hope and joy. It was a great start to an amazing journey.
Lithuania boasts a heritage of successful basketball teams in European and Olympic competition. One of the unique aspects of our trip was an opportunity to play basketball with some of the local talent. The first opportunity was an informal pick-up game against several members of two different city teams.
We were definitely outsized. Our team had one student about 6 feet tall, while the front line of our Lithuanian competitors ranged from 6 feet, 3 inches to 6 feet, 3 inches. Nonetheless we held our own and made some great friends.
The second game was a little more intimidating. We played a team from a nearby college and arrived at the game to find a referee, a full team of serious basketball players and about 100 or so fans there to watch.
We had a blast. A couple of the guys we played against in the first game agreed to play with us in this second game, because we needed extra bodies to compete. The final score was Kaunas College-85, Virginia Tech BSU-81. Although we lost, our students proved to be excellent ambassadors for the Kingdom of God. They seized every opportunity to connect with the people around them and share the love of Christ.
Many adults and students in Lithuania were eager to practice conversational English with Americans. Several of our team members taught English classes at schools there. Even the teachers were excited to practice language skills with us and welcomed us into their classrooms. The strategy provedan incredible method to develop relationships to people in this little town.
“Why would you give-up your spring break to got to Lithuania,” was a question we heard several times before we left the States and after we arrived in Druskinnininkai. But the notion of “giving-up” spring break is not an accurate description. It was an investment with monumental returns. No, we did not get a suntan or relax on white sand beaches, but we did participate in groundbreaking ministries to help establish an evangelical church in a strategic location in Lithuania. We traveled halfway across the globe and made some new friends with Lithuanian students.
We did not lose a thing. Rather, our entire team received incredible blessings by being a part of God's work in a small town in southern Lithuania. Some people may have had the adventure of a lifetime on their spring break, but our opportunities to participate in the mission effort of the kingdom of God allowed us to have an adventure for eternity.
So, where should we go next year?
Special to the Herald
Chris Hanley is associate director of the Baptist Student Union at Virginia Tech.