Debbie Vest: Reflections

My reflection:

Ten women from across the United States came together with a common goal-to plan a mission journey to meet with United Methodist women in Lithuania. Through video conferencing and many emails from both sides the Journey was planned. It was an Ubuntu Journey. Simply put it means "I am human because you are human."

This was a journey of faith for each of us. As we made our preparations it became clear there was a purpose for each of us individually to be on this journey. While we might not have realized it we each had a gift to share. The gift was ourselves. We were called upon to share our faith and personal stories. We shared willingly knowing it is not always easy to share with strangers something very personal. Our sharing made it possible for others to share their stories. Through our stories of joy, laughter, sorrow and tears, we became sisters.

While some of us may never again travel to Lithuania, our connection will remain strong. The time spent never forgotten. We will, as well as our Lithuanian Ubuntu sisters, hold each other close through thought and prayer. It was truly a gift to be a part of this amazing experience.

Debbie Vest
913.568.8826
vimscj@sbcglobal.net

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Wanda Holcombe: Reflections

It is rare that women across cultures have the opportunity to "take the time" to share faith stories and discuss local/global concerns and how we can care for those concerns wherever we live our lives to make a difference for the sake of the future for ALL.....

The UMW Ubuntu Lithuania mission trip provided such an opportunity for me and our team. So many times I heard various ones share how connected we are even when apart by our passion to care beyond ourselves and for our neighbor. It seemed to me that we all came with a desire to not only share but to "be" together through our prayer times, fun and creative times and experiencing the "mystery" of the Other in us all. I am very thankful to the UMW for offering this possibility, and to all the US and Lithuanian women who ventured forth to explore being One in the Spirit for the sake of a more unified and understanding world on behalf of ALL.....

Wanda Holcombe, Austin Texas USA

Ready to "go"...rain or shine

Methodist Section of Hill of Crosses

 

Wanda places cross in memory of

Restorative Justice Colleague

Emmett Soloman

 

Tasty Cake...even down to the fingertips

Women of All Ages and Cultures participate together

 

Kevin sharing local food...

Two "missional" women leaders....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Sunday, the Farewell

On Sunday, May 18, we concluded our wonderful retreat with a service of music, preaching and Holy Communion. We were joined by a couple who found our gathering inviting.

 

Regina and Josephine

Jelena, Beth, and Helen

Zaneta

 

So many new friends were made! New friends within Lithuania, new friends within the US, and new friends across the ocean! United Methodist Women from all over formed a community of faith and friendship, of fellowship inviting transformation. All who participated found opportunities for communion. The Holy Spirit was among us.

District Superintendent Bill Lovelace blessed us at the end, and he and Helen waved us off in our separate buses.

 

 

 

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Sharing Stories May 17

Several of us stood up to tell the stories about how we had come to be women of faith. One was saved as a small child by her local United Methodist Women's group as her parents' marriage failed through alcoholism and violence. Some had not been women of faith at all, but were delighted with the idea of meeting with others making crafts and talking about troubles. Some with musical talents were invited to sing in the choir or play the organ. Some were changed by miracles in their lives, including being able to travel in the USA. Some found their way to leading Christian Education programs and working with the children, one heard the voice of God in her small daughter's voice saying, "Let's go to church, Mama." One had lived all her life in the church. One had followed her husband two steps behind, grumbling, after he told her he had promised to bring her his second week of attending. "I am still grumbling, but I have learned to apologize!"

Ann

Danutė

Žaneta

Josephine

Andželika

Then, to take a break from the intense sharing, we made angel pins, and found new ways to build relationships. Some of us were "crafty" and some were not!

Angel PIN ingredients

Thanks, Sue, for this fun activity!

And thanks to Rosita for her kind helpfulness!

We were next invited to walk the prayer stations, receive small meditation gifts, see the paintings, study scriptures and write our thoughts for sharing later.

Our sharing deepened. Some spoke of the husbands they divorced, who had prevented their church attendance. Some spoke of the changed hearts that came after they felt their sinful habits had been confronted. Some spoke of the freedom they experienced as women whose leadership was welcomed in the Methodist Church. We connected as mothers, whose stories were intertwined with those of our own mothers and our own children.

Later Dalia led us in an activity of Kvilingas, or quilling. Here was the inspiration for our work. We also sang as we worked, sharing hymns and folk tunes from Europe and USA. We could harmonize together!

Rasa and Judy

We continued, with people eager to share their stories. Everyone was wealthy with stories to share. We reflected theologically, shared life struggles, and one of us read poetry!

 

Sister Milda gave us a brief history of the retreat center, and we ended the day with wonderful cakes in honor of Norways's 200th anniversary of its constitution. Thank you, Helen!

So ended another full day!

 

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Guronys Retreat and Spirituality Center Friday May 16

No wifi for several days while we were "retreating" at Guronys and then travelling through airports, which delayed the blogging. I will continue till this is complete though!

On Friday, May 16 our Ubuntu team and 20 Methodist women from churches all around Lithuania met for retreat at a beautiful retreat center named Guronys. With five or six excellent interpreters we were able to get to know each other over the next two and a half days. Here is where we had time to share our life and faith stories, and listen deeply to one another as our community formed.

Sanctuary

Station for prayer

 

Chapel

Helen's altar made for us

 

 

We started with devotions from the Upper Room, read in English and in Russian. Many of the women spoke Russian, and the Upper Room is not printed in Lithuanian. Our sisters who spoke every language translated to Lithuanian as well.

We did "ice breaker" activities and enjoyed the elvin slippers to wear. We found out each other's favorite flowers, food, season, book, and learned what we had wanted to be as girls, what jobs we were doing now, and what had been our most unusual jobs. We made the connection: "the way I live is a result of what I believe. "

Genutė, Rosita, Sue, Ann, Danutė, Lidija

Feet of Rasa, Dangoulė, and Beth

Regina

The light came early the next day.

 

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Pilviskiai

Today was a day of fellowship, crafts, prayer, storytelling and singing. We joined women from 5 churches in Pilviskiai. Many of us rode the bus together, and I had the chance to speak with Pastor Rosita, who serves two smaller churches: Kazlų Rúda and Eiguliai. She has an 8 year old daughter Victoria who is very brave and speaks excellent English. We also met Ona whose daughter lives in USA and Ramute, whose daughter lives in England.

A mother, Rasa, and her two daughters, Raminta, who is 17, and Gintarė, who is 13 years old, were particularly kind and welcoming.

Their friend Vaida helped with the candle making and wrapping. She communicated very well with her kindness.

Vaida

We actually started our day together with prayer, and moved to cake. This cake was called śakotis, or "many branches" cake. This cake was Special to all present.

We made bracelets with beads and wonderful beeswax candles. One to give and one to keep and light in remembrance of the day together.

We heard Elena, a 92 year old member of the church, tell the story of how she had come to care in 1989 for the cemetery in her town that had been so neglected. She cleared it, had it reconsecrated, and tended it for many years until she was no longer able, particularly honoring the graves of the family that founded the church. Her story is in many ways the story of the importance of faithful presence, for the church, and in caring for loved ones even in death. She told her story, and passed around well-loved photographs of her life, her husband, and the cemetery. The co-pastor of the church, Rev. Jolita Piečiate-Erbele translated for her. Rev. Jolita is a newly ordained Elder, and about to have her third child. Our thanks to both these remarkable women. (And to Deacon Jelena, who translated and played the organ and sang for us.)

Helen taught us all, after every story, that women together can make such a difference in each others' and their communities' lives. She reminded us that we have sisters everywhere there is a church, and that no matter our suffering or our mistakes, "whoever we are, we are welcome to Jesus."

Here is a picture of members and co-pastor (Andrew Erbele) of the Kibartai and Pilviskiai churches.

Kibartai Church has an after school program at their church that cares for many children, feeding them and helping them with homework.

Raminta spoke excellent English, and we shared stories on the bus all the way back to Kaunas. Wonderful that two women of such different ages and different countries could talk about things that mattered so much to both of them. We are Ubuntu sisters. "We are one. I am because you are."

I will end this blog with a photo of a gift from our time together yesterday with women from the church at Siauliai.

This was written on the back.

"Beloved let us love one another, for love is from God, and everyone who loves is born of God and is loved."

And one more photo, some Good News from outside a Local Bar! (John Wesley would have approved!)

 

 

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