An "All-Sufficient" Retreat

Siauliai, Lithuania

Where do missionaries go to "get away from it all"? From March 21-24, the Lithuanian/Russian MBM/S team held their annual retreat at a hotel in the scenic town of Trakai, Lithuania. The group of 20 adults and 15 children enjoyed a time of worship, seminars, fellowship, and relaxation. The retreat's focus was "The All-Sufficiency of Christ" as one relates to self, to others, to God, to challenges and to a new culture. Participants found the sessions, which were led by the missionaries themselves, both refreshing and meaningful. "The diversity of gifts represented in our group impressed me," said team leader Ernie Reimer. "Yet, we are all here for the same purpose--we are simply tools the Lord wants to use. The retreat helped to recondition these tools for service in our respective areas of ministry."

An atmosphere of caring seemed to pervade the retreat. "It felt like there was a spirit of safety, of togetherness. We had freedom to share what we were going through, and finding that others were going through the same things; we could support one another," said Andrew Hershey-Bergen, a Bible teacher in St. Petersburg. The children were ministered to in a special way, with Sharon Gerken and Vonda Kinser from Kansas coming to Lithuania to provide a special program for the group of 15, who ranged in age from one month to 13 years. Another treat was Harry Engstrom (visiting pastor from B.C.) presenting a special chalk talk. For Susan Gulack, mother of three, the best part of the retreat was "seeing the kids have such a great time. In our day-to-day working as missionaries, kids can often get ignored."

Carolyn Willms Gartke

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