Get to Know the Valentukonis Family

Ministry Description

After nine months of intensive ministry internship in Poland, in June 2023, we moved back to Lithuania and started serving as missionaries. There are currently no other people on the staff, and we are pioneering the ministry work in Lithuania as a family.
Our ministry vision is:
1. Every young person in Lithuania would hear the gospel from a friend.
2. Every young person in Lithuania would grow in their work with Jesus.

Our ministry consists of:

– Personal Discipleship. My wife and I personally invest in and meet with 3-5 young guys and girls on a weekly basis so they can be future disciple-makers.
– Bible Clubs. We train and disciple local church leaders in the area of youth ministry, that is, we help them start Bible Clubs in their churches. Right now we are working with 5 churches, and we hope to reach 10 in 5 years.
– Bible Quizzing. Each year, we invite all of the teens from the Bible club for the National Bible quizzing competition. What a joy it is to see teens studying and memorizing God's word in large amounts!
– Summer and winter camps. We run and organize camps, which are a great opportunity to share the Gospel with teenagers and to provide discipleship and growth opportunities for our leaders and teenagers from the Bible clubs.

We invite you to partner with our young family in the ministry in Lithuania through prayers and finance!

Learn more about the ministry in Poland.

About Arnas

I was not born in a Christian home. When I was young my parents signed me up for an English Christian summer camp. I heard the Good News. The pastor explained that we have all sinned and that sin had separated us from God. He explained that “the wages for sin is death” and we either choose eternal punishment, or we can accept the free gift of salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. The pastor explained that Christ had died for my sins and that He had risen again on the third day. I immediately repented of my sins to God and turned to follow Christ as my new Lord and Savior. But the story only begins there.

I was 14 years old at the time. After the camp had ended, I started attending Vilnius Grace Baptist Church. It was tough to start going to church when most of my family were atheists. But my church hosted a youth group on Friday evenings. And it helped me a lot to find Christian friends who would support and pray for me. But again, it was not easy, and it is a constant spiritual battle to follow Christ every day.

Soon later, God brought Gabrielė into my life. We started dating intentionally to get married and serve Christ together. Six months after we got married, we went to Word of Life Bible School in Hungary. And while we were at Word of Life, we understood that God had called us to bring the Good News to the lost. We carefully examined God’s guidance for us, and we realized that He is clearly calling us back to Lithuania to serve as missionaries there.

About Gabriele

I grew up in a Christian family being the youngest of 5 children. from a very young age, I could tell most of the Bible stories and I never denied God’s existence. I went to church every week and had a prayer and bible reading time with my family. Living in a big family had its downsides. I remember cold winter days and not having enough food. It wasn’t that bad, because I had a loving family around me who supported and loved me, but at that time I didn’t see it. I was bullied at school because I believed in God. I didn't have many friends and my trust in people was broken. I realized that people didn’t like me because of my faith so if I quit they will start liking me and I will be “normal”... So I went to the church with my headphones on and my biggest dream was to turn 18 and never come back to church again. But running away from God made me depressed and even more lonely.

Then one day I came to an English Christian camp - the same one that my husband went to. I didn’t really listen to the sermons. I thought I knew everything already. But after that camp, my life started to change. On the last day of camp, one of the camp leaders wrote on my t-shirt “glorify God in all you do”. It is a reference to 1Cor 10:31 "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” When I came back home I was just constantly thinking about it. I couldn’t explain what was happening but I just wanted to have that something that people there had. That year I started going to church not because I had to, but because I wanted to. I understood that I am a sinner and I need Jesus. He died on the cross for my sins and then rose again on the third day. Therefore only God can heal me and only He can love me as no one will. I accepted Jesus in my heart and started living my life by the verse that I heard in the camp. Trying to take every step for the glory of God, I got baptized two years later with my now-husband Arnas. God healed me from my childhood wounds and instead gave me joy, confidence, an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, a loving community that is a great place to serve and grow, and most importantly He gave me a restored relationship with Himself!

There is none like you, O Lord; you are great, and your name is great in might. Who would not fear you, O King of the nations? For this is your due; for among all the wise ones of the nations and in all their kingdoms there is none like you. Jeremiah 10:6-7

Contact Information

arnasvalentukonis@wol.org
Arnas Valentukonis
Mažoji g. 3,
Joniškis
LT-84140
Lithuania

+37061375884 Arnas (Telegram, Whatsapp, Viber)
+3707456921 Gabrielė (Telegram)

Email Address: gabriele.valentukoniene@gmail.com