After hearing a missionary speak about her work in teaching English in Romania, Jackie Bartz felt that she was being given a message about gifts she had to share as an instructor of English for more than twenty-five years. Her journey has taken her to Klaipeda, Lithuania, teaching English as a college professor and international language instructor at Lithuania Christian College. She instructs students in college level writing in English and community members in English literacy. As part of the staff, she mentors a young woman in her faith journey. Lithuania is a relatively flat land on the Baltic Sea.
Winters are cold and snowy and summers are mild.
Much of the land is agricultural with some forestland in the northeast section of the country. One-third of the country s income is from the business of the port facility in Klaipeda. Having attained independence in 1991, the country is emerging politically and is open to Christian leadership. The purpose of Lithuania Christian College is to prepare leaders with a Christian worldview. The region is struggling economically because of its recent emergence from Soviet occupation and the dependence on Russia as a consumer of agricultural products.