News from KT Lithuania

Well, we have had lots of changes the last few months, some really good ones and some difficult.  This is normal life and ministry though isn’t it….  We love the promise from Psalm 34:19 “Many are the afflictions of the righteous; But the Lord delivers him out of them all.”  Definitely a comfort in hard times.

We praise God for Ona, Janell and Gintare who are out on a KT DTS (Australia, India and Ireland) and have hope that they will be part of the new generation that God is raising up.  Recently we sensed God spoke to us as He spoke to David that it was the next generation that would build the temple.  So despite some big disappointments we trust He holds the future in His hands.

We lost four staff within two months (normal reasons) and that was difficult.  In the same time period we moved out of the building that we had purchased (still working on settling the ownership and relationship issues) and reduced our space to one meeting room and a small office.  It has meant some significant changes in the level of activity.

But some really good results of this is that we have focused on serving other organizations through a thriving volunteer program. 

Feeding people who live at the dump with the Missionaries of Charity.

We have gathered a group of our more faithful and active volunteers and formed a Discipleship/Mentor Group (DMG) that is having its ups and downs but we believe God wants us to continue to “grow our own” and they can’t all get out to DTS so this is somewhat of a longer term “mini-DTS “program.  We also see the need to do Catholic formation and are working that into the process.

Teaching on the KT DTS in India was a wonderful highlight for us in the midst of these times.  Wonderful to see the great job Cassius and Marian are doing and of course a special treat to see our daughter Janell! 

KT DTS in Pune (open week so a  few extra students!)

A new focus for Randy and Karen is on the Oasis Retreat Centre which has been somewhat on hold (although Randy kept it going with weekly trips to hammer away on the renovations).  We will be moving to Plateliai (village 75 km from Klaipeda) this month and will rent a little house beside the Oasis house so Randy can work more easily with the goal of moving into the house June 1.  We also believe God wants it to be an “oasis” for us personally before we can create that for others.  We are in need for an oasis in the midst of the desert experience we have been in.

We will maintain oversight of the team and the  ministry in Klaipeda. 

Pray for us please!  For the girls on DTS, for the DMG, for our ongoing building issues, for finances for completion of the Oasis house and the guest house, for the partnerships we have and continue to develop and that God will keep our hearts pure and clean as we serve in this nation.

Sending Gintare out to KT DTS in Ireland!

Blessings!  Randy, Karen and team!