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Update from December 2024: To see pictures, click here to view pdf.

Dear friends,

For a few years now, we had been hearing things about LCC’s plans to expand the campus, but nothing had happened. The plan is to build a new library and student center; we have seen the plans and drawings of the potential for the new campus, but no progress had been made. Things like pandemic, war, and increased lumber prices have played a role in the delay of these plans. Then one seemingly average day, trucks showed up to campus. I made a mental note to tell the boys when I returned home from work that I not only saw an excavator(!), but it was working! Any time we see construction vehicles around Klaipėda, the boys are quick to point them out. Look, Mom! It’s a bulldozer! And it’s WORKING! Look, Dad! It’s a cement mixer, and it’s spinning! Check out that bobcat!  I knew the boys would be excited upon hearing the news. In just a short time, there was an announcement of a groundbreaking ceremony. Speeches were given, shovels were distributed, and ground was broken. There was a lot of excitement at this sudden yet long-awaited change.

Protective fences went up, signs announced the construction plans, and dirt was moved. There was a steady stream of machines coming and going on campus, but…nothing seemed to change after the groundbreaking ceremony. Now, I understand that the project is still on target and progressing, but much of the progress at this point is unseen. Wells are being dug; ground is being leveled. All important things to do, but it is a stark contrast to the visual excitement as the university president announced this next phase of building! Changes are continuing beneath the surface, changes that can’t always be seen or noticed to the untrained eye from one day to the next.

Recently we celebrated Levi’s first birthday. Levi has grown so much; it astounds me how much happens in the first year of someone’s life! Josiah and Reuben like to ask, “Remember when Levi was in your tummy, Mom?” Yes, I most definitely remember! Thinking back to the early stages of pregnancy when all I felt was sick, I knew that big changes were happening inside, even though not much was visible to the naked eye at that point. Even now looking back at all of the growth that has occurred in Levi’s life, it can be easy to miss if you aren’t looking closely. When I take a step back and observe him walking running through the house, I remember that it was just a few weeks ago that he started taking his first wobbly steps. It was just a few months ago that he started crawling! When we facetime friends and family back in the United States, people are quick to point out the changes that they have noticed since the last time we spoke. It’s not just Levi that is changing, either! Josiah’s Lithuanian is really progressing. Now when we pick him up at school, it’s not uncommon to hear him conversing with his teachers or classmates in Lithuanian! Reuben has really made a lot of progress with riding his bike and with building different structures out of magnetic tiles.

As we are nearing the Christmas season, I also think of Mary and how big changes were happening beneath the surface for her. Those months of waiting before finally seeing physical changes and then giving birth to a long-expected baby. Thinking of all the events that led up to the birth of Jesus, it can seem like such a slow process for such a significant event! In fact, one of the books that we read to our kids is about how waiting is hard. And it IS! Even for adults. Waiting and longing for something can be so difficult to do, but when the thing (or person!) finally arrives, the joy can be so, so sweet.

So much growth happens even when it isn’t seen. I feel that this is true in the lives of our students, too. In my classes, I primarily teach freshmen students. Throughout our classes, I am able to get a glimpse into their lives about what is going on under the surface. Throughout the years, I have come to realize that the topics that students choose to research can shed a lot of insight into what is going on in a student’s life. Students write about topics that may be difficult to talk about, and it offers insight into what is happening in their inner world.

While some of the topics that I read about are heartbreaking, I see other evidence of slow growth happening in the hearts and lives of students. This semester, I have run into several former students, and they have shared joyful new. One student whom I taught in our first year here reported that she became a believer. Thinking back to a conversation we had with her over pizza, she had shared then that she was thinking about getting baptized, but she wasn’t sure just yet. Changes had been happening in her heart for quite some time to lead to such a significant change. Other times I am surprised to run into different students at church, praying, and singing along. This gives me such hope that the work that is being done at LCC is slowly making an eternal difference for the kingdom!

Reflecting back on how sometimes change is small and slow at time, I feel more excited for the future. I pray that the Lord would point my eyes toward the unseen more and more, to notice the small, yet significant changes, and to be able to speak truth in the classroom. Would you join us in praying for our students, that change would come for them and that when we feel the nudge to say something or ask a question, that we would listen to that still, small voice?

We are so thankful for the evidence of growth and change here – not just in the lives of our children, but in the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ as well. Your support of our ministry allows us to continue to do this work here. We are so thankful for each and every one of you for your prayer and financial support. In this season of thankfulness, we truly see how the Lord has blessed our work here. We would love to add to our team of monthly donors. If you feel so led, please click the link below to join our financial support team.

Blessings to you this holiday season,
The Bronsinks