Mark & Michele Hale
Missionaries to Lithuania

God's Work in Vilnius

In the fall of 1997, the Hales also began a youth ministry, which is now led by Vytas and Gaja, a faithful couple in the church.  Vytas surrendered to preach last year and feels God wants him to pastor in the future. He is being trained in the church with three other men who have also surrendered to preach.

Michele is involved in the children's ministries, team teaching the preschool class with other ladies of the church, as well as coordinating the translation and preparation of all the materials for the preschool, junior
age and children's church classes.  On any given Sunday, there are now 35 to 40 children in these two classes.  15 teachers have been trained and are teaching on a monthly basis.  As the children's ministries continue to grow, the classes will be divided again and the teachers will teach more often.  Eventually, each of these teachers will have their own class and teach every week.  Proper training and discipleship is vital.  Laying the right foundation takes time and much labor, but is well worth it.

Translation of good materials is also a vital part of their ministry, as there is very little translated into the Lithuanian language.  Henrikas, a faithful member of New Testament and future pastor, works full time
translating materials.  He is currently translating a four year Sunday school program, Bible Institute curriculum and various books and study materials that Mark and Michele know will benefit the believers in Lithuania.

Mark also teaches in the Bible Institute he and missionary Derek Thomas started in 1999.  This semester there are 9 men and women studying and preparing for the ministry.  The students are Russian language speakers, therefore, Pastor Irmantas and Mark have plans to begin a second, Lithuanian language Bible Institute, in the near future. (Click Picture for a closer look.  Use your browser's back button to return.)

Also in 1999, Mark and Michele began a ministry in a near by orphanage.  At first, the director and workers were suspicious and allowed very little contact with the children.  They were allowed to bring presents and children 's Bibles but were not permitted to witness to them.  But that began to change as New Testament Baptist Church members began to repair the orphanage 's leaking roof, replaster and paint the crumbling ceilings and walls, replace 30 year old light fixtures and repair and refinish the weathered, water damaged wooden floors.  Instead of having to sleep in corridors, 30 orphans can now sleep safely and comfortably in the two large bedrooms that have been remodeled.  A preschool classroom has also been repaired and plans are to soon begin work in the kitchen.  Temple Baptist Church in Wolverhampton, England as well as other Baptist churches in Great Britain are currently raising funds to put a new roof on the orphanage.  With the help of Baptist missionaries, Ron and Melanie Peedin, the orphan's medical needs are being taken care of each month.  Eye glasses, medicine, shoes and clothing are being given as God provides.  New Testament Baptist church members who are public school teachers provide tutoring to the orphans who are struggling with their grades.  When orphans turn 18, they are turned out into the streets by the government.  Plans are already being made to help these teenagers find schooling, a safe place to live and good jobs.  As a direct result of all this labor, the director now allows the orphans to come to New Testament Baptist Church's summer camps and Sunday church services.  Almost 20 have made professions of faith and are coming to church faithfully each week.

The distribution of Bibles and tracts continues as always.  Mark and Michele are confident that God's word will not return void or empty. 

God performed a miracle on behalf of New Testament Baptist Church.  Within 13 months, $158,000 was raised to purchase a two story office building not far from the center of Vilnius!  The congregation remodeled the building at great sacrifice both financially and physically, but joyfully did the work.  The building dedication took place in January 2001 and was attended by over 200 people.  It was a time of great rejoicing and praise for the Lord who made it possible.  The congregation is humbled by the sacrifices of God's people all over the world.  They understand their responsibility to reach others with the gospel and to start new Baptist churches in obedience to the command of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The congregation now consists of almost 100 each week with souls being saved on a regular basis.  Mark and Michele are humbled to see God mightily working in the ministry in Vilnius and are thrilled to be a part of this growing, vibrant church. (Click picture for a closer look.  Use your browser's back button to return.)

New Testament Baptist Church Congregation
(this photo posted February 2003)