CEE Story From The Mission Field
Amity alters their eternities
July 7, 2008
by Natalie Kaspar
Her house burned down. His mother committed suicide. They both needed friends.
Believers in Lithuania utilize a variety of tools to share the Gospel, including concerts, tracts and conferences. In addition, IMB missionaries Milton and Lara Magalhaes know building relationships is key to leading people to Christ.
Sabine
Milton said his and Lara’s former neighbor, Sabine, accepted Christ “all because of friendship” 10 years after they initially invited her to church.
When Sabine’s house burned down, she returned to the body of believers who had been warm and welcoming while she had attended church years earlier. The group donated money toward materials to help rebuild the family’s home.
“She knew she had friends in that church who she could come to,” Milton said.
Since her baptism, both Sabine’s husband and daughter have accepted Christ, and Sabine has been sharing the Gospel with her mother and friends.
Mindaugas
Mindaugas Stonys was frustrated with the lack of explanation surrounding Catholic traditions, and accepted his friends’ invitation to the Baptist youth group Milton was leading in Šilute.
“They truly shared their love, and that maybe was the main point of why I wanted to come (to youth group),” Mindaugas said.
Then tragedy struck. Mindaugas turned to Milton and the Baptist congregation in Šilute when at the age of 19 he was the first to discover his mother who had hanged herself.
“I had big support from this church,” he said. “I am very thankful. I also know Jesus was always with me during this very hard time.”
Mindaugas currently hosts a weekly Bible study in his apartment in Vilnius, and said he hopes his older brother and father will soon accept Christ.
Please pray for Lithuanian believers to be bold in sharing the Gospel with their friends and family members, as well as strangers. Pray Lithuanians would respond wholeheartedly to the truth of Jesus’ salvation and then serve the body through Bible-based churches.
Want to have a hand in building friendships that point Lithuanians to a relationship with Jesus? Help believers in this country reach their goal of planting 12 churches within 12 years by contacting Milton and Lara at milton@everyheart.net, +370-611-212-72 or on Skype (username “miltonandlara”).