50/50 Partnership with Pilviskiai, Lithuania

A recap of our 2016 Reverse Mission Trip
The Lithuanian Reverse Mission Trip met and exceeded all of our goals and expectations!  We definitely strengthened and expanded our relationship based partnership with the United Methodist Church in Pilviskiai and our youth developed an ongoing relationship with their youth.  The mission trip had and probably will continue to have a profound impact on the five Lithuanian teenagers.  Besides being “the best time of their lives," it also showed them what is possible and achievable in a society such as ours and how supportive and loving a church community can and should be.  We received a lot in return. The Lithuanian youth were fun loving, very appreciative, humble, trusting and affectionate. It was simply delightful to be with them. The children of our host families got “big brothers and sisters” for almost a week and got to realize that kids from across the world have similar interests. Love and affection developed quickly.  While they were here they became family.  Having the opportunity to get to know Pastor Jolita and these youth also provided us with unexpected perks. We had a great time interacting with persons we knew and getting to know others from our church. Talking and sharing with the Lithuanians provided us with an opportunity to learn more about ourselves, our faith, and reminded us how fortunate we are to live in such a great community and country.  A huge thank you to Wills, Trusts, and Memorials, Dora Hanson, and individuals who contributed to the Lithuania Mission fund.  Without your support, this experience would not have been possible!

"Hosting Lukas was a huge blessing for our family. Like always, I volunteered to host without any knowledge of Lithuania or the teen we would be hosting.  I truly didn't even think about it- just knew it was something we could do.  Mason was the most excited one in the family once we were told we would be getting a teenage boy, a "big brother" for the week! Mason did not stop smiling the entire time Lukas was with us.  Mason was able to learn about how life is for Lukas and that there is a world outside of the Americas. Lukas encouraged Mason to eat his meals to be strong and healthy, even was able to attend part of Mason's baseball game and cheer him on.  This, for Mason, was the highlight of his visit!   
 
Lukas said that it was an honor staying with us and that we were spoiling him (I treated him like I would if he were truly my son: breakfast, snacks, taxi service, conversation, laundry, and the basics).  We told him that we actually were the ones who felt honored that he stayed with us. It was an honor that our church committee, Pastor Jolita, and his family trusted that we would be "fit" to host him!   
 
The trust these kids had in us as host families was amazing.  The fact that they had never traveled from their home country, never been to the United States, and did not fully speak our language, that we took over their care at a baseball game, and drove them to our homes after very tearful goodbyes from their GB hosts, took so much faith and trust.  With open arms and hearts they accepted us and trusted we would keep them safe.  
 
Most impressively beside all of this, these kids are 1st or 2nd generation Christians in their families.  Communism fell in 1991. Their parents were basically in high school when this occurred- so these kids are some of the first in history to know what it is to live in a democracy.  On their visit here, to Neenah WI of all places in the United States!! Small town America (not NYC, or LA, or Washington, DC), they were able to see that hopes and dreams can be a reality. They were able to see that there is hope and they can have dreams to be whatever they chose-- for them to take this back to their hometown is HUGE!!! These kids can be a change in a country that is still trying to figure out what a free market economy means.  
 
By hosting this group, we were able to not only minister to them that God is WORLD WIDE and that Christianity does not mean just praying and going to church, but by being real, authentic, supportive, and open to all people. We were able to expose them to what hard work and education can provide. That they can set their minds to anything as long as they keep the faith.  
 
But what they brought to us---- education on their amazing country, humility, appreciation for the "stuff" we often take for granted, a REVIVAL in the church-- look how many showed up to meet them on Monday night- the church was alive with conversation and a blending of both services.  
 
What little money that we spent to host these kids was a great investment in not only changing the lives of those we hosted, but that in our youth and the congregation as a whole."
                                                                            -Meridith Starling

​"Our kids echo Evaldas' thoughts: having the Lithuanians here was "epic". We loved watching American ninja warrior with him and watching him chase our crazy puppy. It was great for our kids to realize a boy from halfway across the world has similar interests to them. Selfishly, it was great for our family to meet more members of our church and to meet people from a different culture. We think we have found friends for life both here and abroad. Thanks for letting us host Evaldas! We would love to do it again, (especially if we are in better shape to beat him in pull ups and push-ups.)"    
                                                                            -Sara Klawikowski

"Being a host family was an incredible experience. We would do it again in a minute!  I must confess that I didn’t really think about this “reverse mission” trip until Sue reminded me on the day of their arrival.  Sue, as always was left with the “prep” work, such as stocking the refrigerator, cleaning the house, and making the beds while I made sure that there was gas in the car.

We met the Lithuanian group for the first time at a Timber Rattler’s game where they said tearful goodbyes to their Green Bay hosts and friends.  After the game each host family then took their Lithuanian charges home with them for the first time.  We had their pastor Jolita, and the youngest teenager, Paula staying with us.  Paula had just turned 14 (going into eight grade) and her English was the most limited of the five students.  That was not a problem at all as she seemed to understand for the most part what we were talking about and pastor Jolita was there to interpret if needed. 

As a host family we provided the normal everyday things, wake-up call, breakfast, transportation to and from church, laundry, and plenty of conversation.  Although by the time they returned to our place in the evenings, they were pretty well exhausted.  We also joined them in many of their daytime and early evening activities so we also didn’t have any trouble sleeping at night.  During the five days and nights that they stayed in Neenah, we enjoyed getting to know the five teenagers and Jolita.  They are trusting, loving and very appreciative, and certainly they are mature for their ages.  

I believe that this trip has and is continuing to have a profound impact on these Lithuanian youth; it literally changed their lives.  Yes, they all agreed that this was the best time of their young lives.  But it was far more than just having fun.  They have now seen first- hand what is possible and achievable in a free society.  Taking this knowledge back home can have tremendous implications.  They saw our life style and abundance of material things but were more impressed on how we treated each other.  Most impressive to them was that the people here always seemed to be happy, smiling, and friendly, even to people they didn’t even know.  We were told that this was quite different to what they experienced at home.  They live in a country that was under communist control until the early 1990’s and a certain amount of suspicion of others is still present.  Churches and Christianity were discouraged if not completely outlawed under communism and their parents were probably the first to have a real taste of freedom.  When the soviets left, they basically took whatever industry was previously there with them, and destroyed many of the factory buildings.  No longer is everybody guaranteed a job as under communism.  They have a good educational system but their economy has not as of yet been sufficiently developed.  Accordingly their population has continued to decline as new high school graduates leave the country for employment. 

I believe that this trip also showed the Lithuanian teenagers just how supportive and loving a church community can and should be.   I believe the trip had a positive impact on the people in our congregation and helped in revitalizing our church.  Our congregation’s response to the Monday night question and answer session and the Lithuanian program was tremendous!

Having the opportunity to get to know these youth and Jolita also provided us with unexpected perks. We had a great time interacting with persons we knew and getting to know others from our church, especially with persons from second service. Talking and sharing with the Lithuanians provided us with an opportunity to learn more about ourselves, our faith, and reminded us how fortunate we are to live in such a great community and country."  
                                                                                       -Ed Koelper

"We were lucky enough to host two Lithuanian youth this summer, Indre and Vitalija.  Each member of our family got something different out of the experience, and it certainly will be something that we'll always remember.  
 
Aubrey and Brinley, our 7 and 9 year olds, had different reactions to the news that we would be hosting two Lithuanian youth for a week.   Aubrey was excited to meet these new girls and spend time with them, and excitedly volunteered her bedroom.  Brinley, on the other hand, being the more reserved one, was not so sure about these strangers staying in our house, much less her room.  However, it didn't take long after meeting the visiting group and getting to know them that Brinley came out of her shell and make connections with the youth.  She was sad to see them go, and went out of her way to make Indre and Vitalija homemade going away gifts!  
 
Aubrey's enthusiasm carried throughout the visit, and she was determined to get as much time with her new friends as possible.  She enthusiastically sought out their company at the week's events and got up early the morning they left so she was sure to be there to see them off.  She cannot wait until she is old enough to go to Lithuania on her own mission trip!  Meeting these youth from another country has ignited an interest in her to learn more about other cultures and to travel to see them for herself.
 
As for Matt and I, as most of our friends and family live close by, we don't have a lot of occasions to open our home and welcome others to stay with us.  It was such a joy and a blessing to care for Indre and Vitalija while they stayed with us.  There's definitely something faithful about being hospitable!  It was an amazing opportunity to have these two young ladies start out as strangers, but over the course of a few days, feel like part of our family.  We were blessed to host them in our home.
 
While it was a fast and busy week, the reverse mission trip touched each one of us.  I am happy to know that as time marches on, we will always have a relationship with those who visited and shared themselves with us.  No matter how the strength of the relationship waxes and wanes, we will always be a touch point for one another in a time in our lives that changed who we are."
                                                                               -Katie Woodrow