On May 10th, 2023, Jerry Holsopple and members of the cross-cultural group embarked on their 6-week-long trip to Lithuania. Now this was nothing new for Holsopple, who had done this trip for the past 20 years, but there was something different about this trip. Everyone could sense it. There was a looming heaviness all of us tried to avoid as we arrived in Lithuania: It was Jerry’s last trip. Not only had he brought students to the eastern European country for 19 years, but he had made connections and friendships that would last a lifetime. I think that changed everyone’s experience on the trip, knowing we were going to be the last group to have this experience with Holsopple, and how fortunate we were to be able to be there. Holsopple had a different energy about him when landing in Lithuania. He was happy and energetic, different from his usual, more solemn self. Even with this joy and excitement he had, that we all had, there was this fog of sadness about being in this new place. It would be Jerry’s last experience sharing Lithuania with his students. 

When the group was first able to settle into our living quarters and go out to see this new place we had just arrived at, we were all exhausted. Not only was there a 7-hour time difference, but the group had just faced an 8-hour flight, a 7-hour layover, another hour-long flight, and an hour-long bus ride. We even attempted to unpack our things in our new living spaces. We were practically sleeping on the floor, but you couldn’t tell when you interacted with Holsopple. He was happy, smiling, and ready to show us all the amazing things about Lithuania and all it had to offer. In the coming weeks, we explored the city of Klaipeda where we attended classes and learned about the painful history of this strong country. We visited places that were difficult to process like World War II death camps, where thousands lost their lives. We also went to places of great joy, where the air seemed different and we were surrounded by beauty like the Hill of Crosses and Orvidu Sodyba. 

The six weeks were transformative for everyone in one way or another, but it was altogether an amazing experience with amazing people. By the time we were all making preparations to go home, Holsopple was saying his goodbyes to people he had known over all of these years of coming to Lithuania. Relationships that had been established with the beginnings of this adventure 20 years ago for Holsopple were now going to be forever changed with his absence. When talking with Holsopple about his thoughts on this being his last cross-cultural and the relationships he had there, he read me an entry from his notebook he wrote: 

“The oil sits on my forehead, reminding me of the blessings during the Saturday night vespers. Father’s shoulders tilt to the right under his gray and white hair that touches the top of the gold robe. Mary, of course, interrupts the service to remind me: be brave, be true to your call. She never lets up, although she carries the sign of hope. The whiskers on his cheek are rough as we hug and I can see the age on his face. The candle wobbled as he held it for prayer and his voice didn’t have the power I remember. [Father] showed me the icon of all the Lithuanian saints, those born in Lithuania on an icon he wrote. ‘I am so glad to see you,’ he says. It is amazing what our relationship is after all these years, way beyond language. Tears come as I walk to the bus, I had shared that this was my last trip and he said, ‘I will miss your visits,’ I will too.” -Jerry Holsopple

This trip left everyone in tears, emotional and raw beyond our greatest imagination. Everyone felt the pain, the love, and the strength that Lithuania had to offer. Our group also felt the pain of leaving this wonderful country, but Holsopple felt it most of all, but there is no regret. Only love and memories.