Sending Mary to Eastern Europe | A Global Update

The mission of Citylight Global is to empower Citylight Omaha to faithfully join Jesus’ Kingdom movement of multiplying disciples and churches among all peoples. One way the Global team does this is by sending those called to GO to the unreached. Mary Jantz was sent last year on a short-term post to Eastern Europe. Mary is using her teaching gifts to come alongside missionary kids and their families to help with their educational needs and goals. Recently, Mary sat down with Citylight to share updates and what God has revealed to her the past six months as a global worker and how we, her Church family, can be praying and supporting her.

DESCRIBE THE PAST SIX MONTHS AND WHAT YOU HAVE COME TO REALIZE?

“It was a blessing to be a part of Citylight Church and in community. I was fed there, and I was known by others. I have realized now how much of a consumer I was and the great need I have for a church community and all the community outlets. Now, what I am left with, is only Jesus. I’ve told anyone and everyone that my heart has been stripped. The gracious thing about Jesus, that in the stripping and as He takes, He gives more of Himself! Today, my prayer life is big and amazing. The most beautiful thing I have noticed as someone who naturally struggles, is the opportunity to trust. Citylight’s Global Director, Luke Manna has been a good sounding board. I have also realized the blessing of trusting your team and have had to practice reaching out to them. During the holidays this past year, I felt like the families here on my team already do so much, that they have their own families, and so I didn’t want to burden them. I’ve learned to trust them and to invite them into a space. I remember one evening I was struggling, so I called one of the women on my team. Before I knew it, two women on the team showed up on my door. They prayed and listened to me. They understood me deeply. Our friendship has grown because of me being vulnerable. Satan loves to isolate but when I let others in, it becomes harder for him. I still must make a conscious effort to be vulnerable.

Also, for the first time in my life, I really experienced the true meaning of Christmas. Everything I associate with Christmas was missing. I loved wrapping gifts, decorating the house, and buying gifts for my loved ones. Most of all time with my family was missing. In America everything stops on December 25th. Here, the show went on. We celebrated part of Christmas morning without power. Despite that, we still had great fellowship. I had to begin and see and taste that the baby born in a manger was so much more than the gifts, trees, and even memories with family.

Another realization has been my perception of the unreached. I thought the unreached people group existed in the jungle. Here, Islam roots date back to the 12th century during the rule of the Ottoman Empire. For example, in my Facebook memories, a picture popped up with ten people from high school ... of those ten that I know today, 4 are believers. That number astounded me. On a good day, there are only 15 people in total that go to my church here in Eastern Europe. I pass the mosque, only men can go, and the weight my spirit feels is something I have never felt. To combat that I have realized that I must press into who Jesus is and what he has overcome. I have had to pray continuously against the darkness and this dire need spurs me on. I know where my victory lies. My heart is for my neighbors and for the darkness to break."

WHAT ARE YOU CELEBRATING THE PAST SIX MONTHS?

"I teach third culture kids three mornings a week. (Third culture kids are children who spend a major part of their childhood outside of their parents' culture or country of origin.) As an adult I have had to maneuver a lot here, and these kids are doing it as kids. Their hearts refresh me! I want school to be the place where we pray for anything and anyone and I want the kids still to be kids without being the adult missionary. Every now and then, the kids want to pray for someone because they shared the gospel while playing with their neighbor.

Second, December was a busy and beautiful month of ministry for me and for our team. For the global team here, we were given opportunities to extend hospitality to neighbors. For instance, a friend of one of our ministry partners here reached out and donated money toward an event to share the gospel. A space was created to serve Christmas dinner and present a message to people with disabilities. People and a few families stayed and heard the gospel and the good news of the Christmas story. Another event was because of an American church who offered to rent a hotel space for local believers so that we could all gather and worship on Christmas Eve. One of my teammate’s had been investing time and care to a local man and invited him. He came to church and heard for the first time Christmas carols and the Christmas story. The holidays were hard for me, but these events were an encouragement of why we are here.

Lastly, those stories of Jesus appearing in dreams happen here and because of it, I have caught the vision for the global church! God has been parting a sliver of my heart and given me a taste of Him, and His love for His people. His heart is for the world! I have heard of two people who have encountered Jesus in a dream or vision. My pastor here was studying to be a ranking member in Islam and was drawn to a person in a vineyard singing songs. The song they were singing drew him in. He asked what it was about. They shared it was about Jesus. He began to ask questions and ultimately accepted Jesus as his Savior. He had the good news now and knew it had to be shared with his family. He also knew the risk. He could be shunned from his family or beaten. Early in my time here I began to ask Jesus if He was worth it. I wanted to know why the global worker chooses to stay when the weight of what you're missing can feel like a lot. God used this man’s testimony to show me He is worthy. If my pastor couldn’t contain himself from sharing and at a great risk, Jesus is worth it. His dad spared him.

Another woman here was praying for her brother in jail. While in jail, he dreamed of his sister praying for him and converted. He said, “Jesus is really alive.” He now is a believer and a faithful servant of Jesus."

WHAT ARE YOUR NEEDS AND HOW CAN WE BE PRAYING FOR YOU?

"Please pray for endurance. That I would keep seeking God to run this race. And of course, language. I just wanted to get by or fit in but now I see how a heart language resonates with my neighbors. To those I am serving. It’s impactful to them. Paul from the Bible says to become like them and speaking their language is a good start.

Please pray for my language teacher. She is Muslim by heritage and one of my few local friends. We both love each other. When I told her my mom was coming to see me last month, she hugged me. When I was sick and coughing, she asked if I had all the things and then made them for me. She wanted to take care of me and our friendship is growing. Pray for her salvation.

Lasty, please pray for a place to do ministry. Our global team’s main ministry is people with special needs. Our country is one of the poorest countries in Europe with the typical person earning 500 euros/month. There is no government aid and definitely not for the disabled person. There are no regulations nor compliance for those with special needs. The disabled are marginalized and seen differently. You are not viewed as the same. Our global team wants to serve the marginalized with the gospel and our prayer is for a building and to make it compliant. Last year, the global team hosted Tim Tebow’s A Night to Shine ministry event in our city. It is counterculture and was impactful. We again hosted it this past February 7th. It was a big ministry opportunity. The global team has built relationships with these families. People in the community recognize the global team and are still talking about it. We want to love them, and we pray that they know why we love them and that’s because of Jesus’ love. Please pray for connections and to share the gospel. Another reason we desire for a center, and a compliant one, even more."

WHAT’S AHEAD FOR YOU AND FOR YOUR GLOBAL ASSIGNMENT?

"I am feeling a call to long term global work. I am so honored, and I can’t believe it. When I step back and see what God is doing, what he has imparted to me, blows me away. But, on the other hand, it grieves me a little. There are parts in America and in my life that were good, easier, and didn’t require as much work. I want only what God has for me. I had been praying for an eternal perspective and have been working through this with God. Wrestling with it and in the end, considering that I am going to meet Jesus. So the questions are “Do I want to tell my maker, because I didn’t want to do the call, or it was too hard and lonely?” or do I want to fall on my knees and worship Him with all I have and do what He asks of me? He is so worthy! I think of that moment a lot when I get to Heaven, I know this will be all worth it. His heart longs for others to worship Him. God called me into this work. He gave me this direction in February of 2024, and He brought me here in August and has done such a work!!! Some days, and on the good days at school, I know that He has created me for a moment such as this. And on the other days, the hard ones, this holds true too. It’s just harder to see with my eyes."

Please join Mary by reaching out to her and signing up for her newsletters. She would love to hear from you! Email luke@citylightomaha.org to receive her newsletter.