RAINBOWS

Rain, snow, fog, drizzle, more snow, more rain...and now RAINBOWS!

These were taken from our apartment window. The rainbow seems to end directly on the water tower of Cesis.

 

 

 

 

 

SNOW DAY

Thursday was our third or fourth heavy snowfall. The weathermen always seem to predict snow 'showers' and we get a few inches. We are traveling to Riga today. I'm glad that I'm leaving the driving to the bus and leaving our van in Cesis.

Just a few pictures of the snow:

 

 

 

 

 

CESIS FALL

Even though we have had some snow, we are still enjoying some great fall colors. Here are a few random shots:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IT IS DOWN!

We have been spending a large amount of our time demolishing a 2.5 story building on the new church property. This building sat right in front of the future church building.

They built things to last when they constructed this monster. Huge nails (some were square nails), hand hewn beams, mortise and tenon joints...it was a bear to tear down.

Now, we have to get the surplus lumber sawn into chunks for the boiler, store the massive beams for future projects and finish with the general clean-up. If the heavy snow will just hold off for a while longer we may get it done.

 

Before....

 

After...

FALL, WINTER, SUN, SNOW

It is only October 12 but we have already seen our first snow. Here are a few pictures from the last few days, including the snow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VENTSPILS, LATVIA

Laura and I have actually done very little traveling around Latvia. We stay very busy and when we get a day off we usually head to Riga for a movie, some sightseeing and shopping for essentials.

One place that we have visited before that has quickly become a favorite destination is Ventspils. This is a port town that has a nice harbor area and great beaches. We decided to take a day to drive over and enjoy the sights before the weather gets too much cooler.

When we were here last (for a Christian camp) the city was fairly crowded with tourists. This time everyone is back in school and we had the whole place to ourselves. The beach was quiet, the eating places uncrowded and no traffic.

We spent a lot of time at the beach looking for amber and just enjoying the great creation that is God's. Here are a few of our favorite pictures:

 

 

Bob sled runners (pushers?)made out of flowers....

Ends of logs that are sunk in the sand for a walkway...

Lots of pebbles and rocks on the beaches here...

Don't know what I was thinking about but I seem to be lost in thought....

Storm is coming in...

Lighthouse at the end of the breakwater....

 

 

 

Latvian pine forest....

Bluffs....

 

 

 

 

Is she doing this on purpose?

KIRSU IELA

Work continues on the property that has been recently purchased by Cesis Baptist Church. While we are anxious to begin the remodel and update to the building that will become the church building, we must first demolish a large building at the front of the property.

This wooden, brick and stucco building is 2.5 stories tall and is well made. We really wish we could have kept it because of the huge amount of space it offers but there is just too much repair that needs to be done. However, it is not going to do down easily. It was constructed with huge beams using old construction techniques. There aren't too many 2x4s just nailed in.

The schedule is to get this building down and the foundation smoothed out before the fall rains and winter snow arrive. We are making progress but we can't slow down or we are going to get caught.

Here are a few pictures from last Saturday's work crew.

 

 

Almost to the bottom floor. Top 1.5 floors have been removed

Every piece of wood that is removed is cut up to eventually be used for heating.

 

Friends from Valmeira Church arrived to help...

The cut wood is housed where Emils is standing...

Vilma cooked up a good zupa for lunch...

 

Sawdust, coal dust and dirt was used for insulation. It is removed and dumped into the white bags for transporting.

SAWING DAY AT KIRSU IELA

Our church in Cesis is demolishing an older structure next to the building that will be our new church. We have taken down the second floor and chimneys but have had to stop for a few days to get all of the wood cut into useable lengths for the boilers (heaters).

The good wood is selected and stored while the rest is cut using an electric saw with about a 24 inch blade. It cuts the wood at a fast rate but it is just a bare-bones machine; no fancy safety switches or cut-offs. You'd better be paying attention to what you are doing are you will quickly lose the ability to dial a cell phone.

 

 

 

Trees behind Aivars and Arturs are already turning colors....

 

 

These boys don't need any eye or ear protection (or so they think!)

Wood shed had to be filled up before winter hits...

Lunch: 3 kinds of bread, meat and all the cucumbers and tomatoes...

GETTING READY FOR WINTER

Even though the middle of August is still a week away, Latvians are busy getting wood stored for the coming winter. We came across this wood yard deep in the country last week. A lot of work goes into cutting, splitting and stacking the wood so it ages correctly.

Even the bees know that cold weather is not far away.

 

I really don't know why some wood is stored inside and some in these pods.

 

Latvian-American Wheel-of-Fortune lady...

 

 

Daugmale Nometne - 3 PUNKT CAMP (3 Point Camp)

This year's camp is in the very small town of Daugmale. It sits close to the  Daugava River, about an hour and 45 minutes from Cesis.

It is always a challenge for me to find these places. It's one thing to find the larger cities but when you get the directions in a language that you are not that fluent in and they tell you to turn at places you never heard of, it creates quite a problem. Thank goodness for Google maps, which is fairly accurate in most place of Latvia.

The gym we are using is an old style, concrete beam structure that has seen a million games. There are no bleachers, just a balcony on one side that chairs are brought in for games. It is great for a camp and is well-kept even for its age.

I lucked out and I bunked by myself in the mathematics room. It is a hard floor but at least when I want to go to sleep I don't have to be concerned about a getting a bunch of the kids quiet. This classroom has 15 desks, a blackboard and that's about it. There is no way we would be able to fit a USA class of 22-25 students into this space.

This is the second year I've been invited to participate in this camp. It is not entirely provided by Matthew's Church but most of the staff is from there. We have about 50 kids total in both the soccer and basketball camp. Most are from Riga but we have nearly all of Latvia represented. We have the entire spectrum of talent levels...from a small 6 year old that isn't big enough for a regular size ball to a couple of older guys that have played in the Latvian Basketball League. One of our girls has signed a Div. 1 basketball scholarship in the states and we have two that play on U-20 Latvian national team.

We practice, eat, sleep and have recreation all in the pamatskola (this one goes to 9th grade). Meals are served in a small cafeteria (will not seat more than 50) and for an American, the food....well, it is interesting. I'm just glad there is an Elvi veikals not too far away.

Kids here are not perfect...they are just a little different than American kids (in a good way!). We don't worry about the little ones wandering off or about the older kids bullying the little ones. Everyone seems to take care of each other. Since Latvian kids can't even get their driver's license until 18, we don't worry about anyone driving off. For that matter, I don't think I even know anyone 18-20 years of age that has a car. We live, eat and sleep in close quarters for five days and we've never had anything stolen or a major problem of any kind. That is truly amazing when you think about it.

After each meal, the kids have to wash their own dishes and police the dining hall. All in all, they take care of themselves; treat us with respect and love to play basketball and other sports.

We have at least two sessions each day concerning something of a spiritual nature. It might be a testimony, a few words from the Bible or just a question and answer discussion group. These are always my favorites.

The greatest thing about the camps is that I get to know another group of young adults from throughout Latvia. Our network continues to grow at a rapid rate and it has already helped us to share the Gospel with more young people.

Thanks to all you at the 3-Punkt camp. It was a great time and we are already looking forward to next year's camp!

 

Evening shadows....

Sunsets are particularly beautiful in Latvia...

The floor is uneven, a few boards separated but I love these old gyms...

Some of our oldest group...

Waiting for their next training session; a card game breaks out...

Madara (TTT Juniors)...me (Athens Hornets '73)...Liene (signed scholarship with Western Illinois Univ)...Liga (TTT Riga...one of the best women's team in Latvia)

You'd better wake up ready to go every day!

The best brothers in the camp!

Typical breakfast...sausage and something like buckwheat...

Novus...sort of like miniature billiards....

Camp league games at night from 8:00pm to about 11:30pm...

Dunk off the great pass...

I think the school was built in 1926...the gym probably a few years later...

Ednica (dining hall)....waiting on the group prayer....

Brokast...some are more excited than others...

WEEKEND IN CESIS

The city-wide festival was well attended and as usual, gave us many good photo opportunities. Music, street vendors, craftsmen displaying their wares all contributed to nice view of the Latvian culture. The night was topped off by a big theatrical production in the park. It was well attended (by the number of people passing by our apartment windows) but we decided to pass on this one.

Restored radios from the 1940s, 50s, 60s...all in in good working order.

 

Smoked and salted fish for sale...we are still trying to acquire the taste...

Local Cesis choral group in the native costumes...

Pictures are taken of local people, enlarged and displayed in the windows throughout town.

 

I don't think these are Texas horses...

The cat from our building ...

Picking red currants...maybe she'll invite us for a dessert?

CAMP NUMBER 3

SECOND CAMP - UZAVA

The best thing about this camp is that during the down-time we can go to the beach. For two nights, the kids are staying on private property that is about a 5-minutes walk from the sea. Laura and I got to spend some time there on Wednesday while we were waiting for the kids to show up from their 18 kilometer hike.

It was our day to speak, so we presented a short lesson on 'endurance'. We used the movie 'Castaway' as the background since the whole team had been on the beach. We zeroed in on the ending of the movie where Tom Hanks stands at the crossroads trying to decide what do next with his life. Obviously, we tried to get the kids to understand they are at a crossroads and they must make some decisions. We even had our own little 'Wilson'.

The activity to go along with presentation was pretty fun. There is a small river (the Uzava) that empties into the Baltic Sea at exactly where we were. Each team had to build a small raft and we then had a raft race from up river to the sea. They could only use natural materials. The race ended up very competitive as the current either stalled the small rafts on rocks or swept them through the narrow channels.

This is a beautiful place. Much of it is very unspoiled and it is not like the beaches around Texas at all. We have certainly enjoyed our time here. We hope to come back in the late fall.

 

This is an old wooden bridge over the Uzava River to the beach.

The great 'Castaway' raft race is about to begin...

No betting, please....

The winners!

A view of the Uzava River from the bridge and the Baltic Sea in the distance.

The stakes are fish nets to keep the fish from being washed out to sea.

Seaside cliffs....

A nearby Baptist church. Still being used today...

Laura and Wilson waiting on someone to save us...

SECOND CAMP - VENTSPILS

The Americans have left Cesis and have all arrived safely back in Texas (with just a few unexpected delays). This is always one of the hardest times for us as they leave after a full ten days of basketball camp, youth activities and just having fun.

We were glad when we were asked to work this camp that is originating Ventspils. Laura and I came over a day early and have enjoyed seeing some of the sights. This is a beautiful sea-side town and is very different from our home in Cesis.

We are staying in the Olympic Training Center Hotel with a soccer stadium, basketball hall and hockey hall within just a couple of minutes walk. It has been a good way to spend a beautiful Latvian summer day.

Here are a few pictures from the area:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SUNDAY WORSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP

Cesis Baptist Church was filled with music Sunday as the choral chime choir made their first performance. The Latvian group has been practicing this week under the instruction of Steve Akin. The First Baptist Church-Athens hand bell choir made the donation of the choir chimes to their sister church in Cesis.

Latvians are known for their music and they have proved to be fast learners on the new instruments. They played several songs as well as Leanna and Steve performing their favorites.

The Latvians were very gracious hosts and we all celebrated the week with a strawberry and cream social afterwards. What could be better than fresh (very fresh!) strawberries, cream and waffles?

The day was finished off at a location in the country. All of Latvian and US kids had a place to run and play, fires were burning to roast sausages over and we topped the evening with some honey straight out of the hive.

What a great Sunday! God has richly blessed all of us this week. Paldies jums!

 

Steve leading the Cesis choir chimes....

Very good attendance....

Thank your to FBC for your donation of the choir chimes...

Our American friends will be missed...

Gaida (right) is one of our most faithful members enjoys the afternoon with her sister...

Rebecca, Klinta and Agnese....all three were blessed with musical talent...

The ladies sampling the strawberries before they get to the tables....

Inese getting everything ready...

Terry, Linda, Nicole, Emils and Thomas....

What a doll! Patricia...

Patricia and her dad...

DAY 5 & 6

The Cesis basketball camp finished up a great four days on Thursday. We had over 125 in the junior and senior divisions combined. The kids were very motivated and we did not have any major problems. I see a lot of these kids on the streets or in the gyms around Cesis but it was good to make friends with some of the newer ones. With the economy as low as it is in Latvia this will be the only camp many of these kids will be able to attend.

The 'Summer Slam' activities also finished up on Thursday night. Dominic, our evangelist, brought another great message. Our Latvian drama team finished up their skits in outstanding fashion along with the quartet of Latvian young singers. Steve G. and Leanna created a few moist eyes with "How Great Is Our God".

It has been a very good week for this mission team. Though small in number, they have worked extremely hard to reach out to the Latvian young people and adults. We consider it an honor to work along side of them.

Friday will be spent in Sigulda seeing some of the beautiful areas and Saturday will be in Riga.

Sunday will be a combination service of Latvian and American worship. Steve Akin will debut his Latvian handbell / choir chime choir for their first public performance. They have been rehearsing and practicing for only a week but they really sound great.

Some scenes from various activities follow:

 

Nicole sharing with the senior group...

Trying to make a point...

Latvian girls making some beautiful music...

Linda....what a great assistant she has been this week....

Sitting in the bleachers having a good talk...

Senior campers...

Singing at the 'Summer Slam'...

Autographed shirts....

Choosing up teams...

Reinis...best drummer in Latvia...

'Summer Slam'....

Focused attention...

DAY 4 & 5 -- LATVIA MISSION TRIP

Today (Wednesday) was the best so far. The camps ran a lot more smoother as Coach Terry and I are now on the same page.

We have had 91 in the junior camp and 28 in the senior division. With 119 kids, 2 coaches and 2 USA student helpers, we have definitely been busy. Some of our Latvian older students have been helping with translation and the basketball drills which has really helped. Thomas and Nicole have both done excellent jobs working with their groups.

We were extremely lucky to have Ilze Leneau to present a public performance for the city of Cesis tonight. She is a professional basketball entertainer from the United States that just happens to be also be Latvian. She has been in Latvia visiting her parents and family. Through various connections in the USA and Latvia, God worked everything out so that she could share her witness in Cesis.

After an outstanding basketball career in the public leagues in Latvia, Ilze went to the USA to play collegiate basketball. After obtaining her degree she wanted to continue with basketball so she developed an entertainment show emphasizing ball-handling, spinning, juggling and tricks of all sorts. You can see some of her video at: http://www.basketballfamily.com/

We had a great crowd of almost 400 people! We were so pleased to see that many attend. Even though it was about basketball, it was advertised as being sponsored by Cesis Baptist Church. Oftentimes, the culture here tends to not attend activities of a spiritual nature. We so pleased that these adults and youngsters alike were able to hear Ilze's testimony, her path to salvation and how God is currently working in her life.

What a blessing this event was for the people of Cesis. Ilze connected with so many as seen by their intense concentration and the line of autograph seekers at the close.

Tomorrow is the last day of camps and 'Summer Slam' activities. We hope that we will have our largest crowd of the week as Dominic brings the message to close the night services. It's been a good week and we pray the God will use the remaining few hours of this mission trip to bring others closer to Him.

Here are a few pictures of Ilze's performance and some of the other activities in the gym:

 

Ilze explaining her faith...

Crowd participation...

 

Dribbling six balls at once....

 

Coach Terry, Ilza, Evangelica, Marika, Iliana, and some old American guy...

Dribbling three balls while on balance board....

 

Three of our non-basketball helpers that have helped the week go smoothly...

Patriks from Salspils....

Thomas directing traffic with the smallest ones...

Thomas giving his testimony...

DAY 3 - AMERICAN MISSION TRIP

Monday marked the beginning a very busy week that we know will enjoyable and successful for everyone.

The junior basketball camp began at 9:00am and we had 75 youngsters between the ages of 7-13. We are working with a staff that is a couple of coaches short this year so everyone really had to get going in a hurry. We are now beginning to use more of the older Latvians that have been to the camps in the past. They were a big help yesterday. The three Americans did an excellent job of adapting to so many kids and overcoming the language barrier.

Zupa Virtuve (soup kitchen) is held at 11:30-1:00 so Leanna, Steve G. and Steve A. went over and provided music and some good cheer for the people. They were later aided by a couple of our Latvian girls. They were very well received.

Steve A. started the handbell / choir chimes instructional classes in the late afternoon and had a good crowd. It seems like we may have enough interest to organize a handbell choir that will be composed of several denominations. Another class will be added on Tuesday so things are looking good there.

The senior basketball camp began at 4:00pm and we had 27 students. Most of the these kids are repeaters from previous years and we always enjoy working with them.

The 'Summer Slam' activities ended the day. Steve G. and Leanna led the music; we had a family music group from Salspils; drama directed by Amanda and performed by the Latvian girls; drum solo by Reinis (a rising star on a TV show similar to our American Idol) and a great message by our evangelist, Dominic.

The night's theme was "Who is God?". Dominic was born and raised in Nigeria, has a head full of dreadlocks, very much a man of God and speaks perfect Latvian. It is so humorous to see the Latvian's faces when this young black man begins to speak in Latvian.

What a great day and night. Everyone is tired, ready for some sleep and excited about an even better day on Tuesday. Thanks be to God for everything!

Thomas involved in a skit during junior camp....

Campers listening to some music....

Family band from Salspils....

Some of the crowd at the Pamatskola #1 event...

Drummer Patriks...

Aivers, Gatis, Steve and Olegs....

Lugsana....

Evangelist for the week: Dominic...

Pastor Olegs, Dominic, and Olegs' wife Iveta...

DAY 2 -- AMERICAN MISSION TRIP

Today was a full-day of worshipping at Cesis Baptist Church, catching up on old friendships, seeing some of the sights of Cesis and catching a glimpse of CBC's vision for the future.

The worship service was good in that it showed the Americans a lot of different aspects of CBC. There was a full two hours of preaching, singing and testimonies followed by the Lord's Supper. We finished the day off with a business meeting and discussion of future plans for the new church site.

After a good meal of pizzas, we toured some of the sights of Cesis and eventually arrived at site of building and land that are being converted to use by the Cesis congregation.

It was a great time of fellowship and worship for all.

Next up: basketball camp, music camp and youth activities tomorrow night.

 

Termo and Tabita providing special music...

 

Amanda giving her testimony with Pastor Olegs translating...

Steve G. and Gatis...

 

Gatis and Steve explaining the choir chimes...

It was Inese's eighteenth birthday...

A couple of happy local boys...

Pastor Olegs, wife Iveta and Patriks heading home after a good day Cesis Baptist Church...

THE AMERICANS HAVE LANDED

The seven member American team from FBC-Athens arrived on their weather-delayed flight from Munich. We are anticipating a great week of working together. Five members of the group have been here before but we know it won't be long before the two rookies will learn to love Latvia as we all do.

Just a few pictures of trying to get all of the luggage into Aivars car. Olegs eventually arrived with our van and we were off to the train station for a quick bite to eat (solanka, of course!). We caught the 9:00pm train to Cesis, got the luggage transferred to the Putninkrogs Hostel and got everyone a good place to sleep.

Next up will be the church services at Cesis Baptist Church at 12:00 and then an afternoon of sightseeing and publicizing the week's events in Cesis (basketball camp, music camp, Summer Slam night activities, etc.)

The biggest shock so far to the Texans has been the weather: today's high will be 63 with the low a crisp 45! I haven't heard any complaints because these guys have been baking in 100 degree Texas heat for the last few weeks.

 

My good friend Aivars...

Loading up the VW wagon...

Amanda, Nicole and Leannna

Thomas, Amanda, Nicole...

Aivars and Steve....

Coach Terry...

Steve G.....

BUSY WEEK!

 

 

JANI CELEBRATION

Ligo - Jani Day is a huge celebration in Latvia. The country basically shuts down for at least two days to celebrate and many people leave the towns and cities to go to the country-side.

We were invited to join some of our friends at their farm a few miles from Cesis. The house on this homestead is at least 150 years old. There is a huge stone barn and lots of great gardening plots. All of it is still used and much produce, beef and rabbit meat comes from here to help feed the large families.

At the celebration we had two grandmothers, one grandfather, at least 5 brothers and sisters, their many teenagers and a few kids down to the age of three. We spent a lot of time exploring, visiting, sitting around the bonfire, watching the kids swim in the pond and of course, eating. Sasliks ( a kind of kabobs), sausages, chicken and pork were roasted over the open fire. We had plenty of fresh vegetables straight from the garden along with special cheeses and desserts.

While the true Latvians stay out all-night, these two Americans had to call it a night much earlier. It was an interesting sight to drive back to town and see all of the bonfires burning across the landscape.

Thanks to everyone for making our Jani Day special!

 

 

One of many garden 'patches'...

Rita picking some fresh vegetables for dinner....

The scooter was finally fixed and provided lots of rides for the kids (and adults)...

Stone barn...

 

 

 

It always time to gather firewood in Latvia...

Just a small portion of the goodies...

Skaisti Latvian women...

Football, soccer or futbols...take your pick.

Try as I might, I just cannot develop a taste for Kvass. It is a root beer type drink that Latvians love. Non-alcoholic. It tastes a little like drinking Worchestshire sauce after you have strained it through moldy bread.

The swing is always occupied....

Almost midnight on Tuesday...

Davis....

My man Rudi....when in the country....

SOLDIERS

As so often happens here, we just seem to stumble upon something that we wish we knew more about. Sunday night we were out walking and came upon this military ceremony in downtown Cesis. After watching it for awhile, I think it was actually a dress rehearsal for some big event later on...maybe during the Jani holidays.

The dark green uniforms are from Estonia and the rest of the military are Latvian. There is a training base in Cesis so possibly this was some type of combined exercise. Even though it seemed to be a ceremonial event these soldiers had some serious weapons.

 

 

 

 

 

HAVE I GOT A DEAL FOR YOU!

On the way to the airport we battled torrential rains and wind and it looked like there was no way we would be able to fly out of DFW on time. Steve Akin was kind enough to take us to the airport and drive through the storm. Texas has been hit with lots of wind, thunderstorms and rain from Wednesday night onward.

As often happens, our four bags were stuffed with every item imaginable that we can't get in Latvia. Everything from winter clothes (cheaper in the USA) to American DVDs were crammed in and I knew we were going to be paying some overweight charges. From the look on Laura's face I knew that she was serious that we needed everything that was packed and I might as well pay the overweight allowance.

As we get up to the KLM window, I give the guy our passports and he starts pecking on the computer keys. After a couple of minutes, he looks at me brightly and says "Have I got a deal for you today!". Ding, ding, ding, my mental monetary alarm starts ringing. He says,  "For 25,000 frequent flyer miles and $450 you can upgrade to business (first) class." We have accumulated quite a few flyer miles in the past three years but not any money so I said "I'll give you the 25,000 miles but I won't pay any money." He said he would check with his manager and be right back. Next thing I know, he returns saying "Congratulations, you are flying business class today!".

For the past seven years I have been fortunate to fly several times a year but I have never been up in the front of the plane. I would always just get a glimpse of what was happening up there before the attendant snatched the curtain close. Plus, with my long legs anything would be better than the tight seats we are usually in.

We also found out that you get an extra 20 pounds per bag on a business class ticket so we weren't going to have to pay any overweight fees. How blessed can we be?

Business class was just as good as I had imagined. Seats that fully recline, the best service from the flight attendants, great choices of food. It was by far the most restful trip we have ever had on the nine-hour flight to Amsterdam.

Sometimes when I'm about to check-in at an airport I mentally have to prepare to be relaxed because you just know things are going to change (seats, flights, etc.) and usually not for the better.

But Thursday, wow, what a surprise. We were definitely being watched out for. From not even being sure we could take off in the storm, to being upgraded, to not having to pay overweight charges; everything was fantastic. The sun came out before we lifted off and the weather quickly became a non-concern. I was sipping fresh squeezed orange juice by the time we were over Texarkana.

I once saw a Seinfeld episode about Jerry flying first class. His comment was that once you've flown first class...well, you can never go back to coach. We can't afford to fly first class every time but God surely blessed us by putting us there on Thursday.

Have I got a deal for you! Yes!

 

(I think this is how Laura and I looked on the plane!)

 

MY SUMMER VACATION

It has been a great visit home for the past few weeks. We are wrapping up our trip and getting ready for the long flight back to Cesis, Latvia.

Several people, mainly our Latvian friends, have asked exactly how do we spend our time in the USA? I don't always know how to answer because it seems to evaporate so fast.

Here are a few things we got accomplished while we were in Texas:

- ate some Mexican food

- spoke to our FBC family on the highlights of the work going on in Cesis

- spoke at a college basketball camp

- had lunch with a real-live missionary from Nicaragua

- had a great visit with a Bible-smuggler from China

- got to express our personal appreciation to many of our supporters and encouragers

- ate some Mexican food

- spent a lot of time watching the NBA games and scratching my big dog's ears

- made two trips to Austin - one for visiting family, one for visa paperwork

- visited with 4 of my aunts, although 3 are in nursing homes

- planned activities for the summer team's visit

- removed the old dishwasher and installed a new one

- got some good tips from a former missionary to Brazil

- ate some Mexican food

- had a tooth extracted

- searched used books sales for the next few months reading materials

- bought a warmer parka so I won't freeze this winter

- new shoes!

- saw, heard and felt a huge electrical, lightning storm

- visited with some my oldest friends from as far back as junior high and high school days

- came within inches of being involved in huge wreck on the LBJ freeway

- had the best BBQ at the Salt Lick with my brother and nephew

- visited Rome (actually FBC-Athens' depiction of Rome for their vacation bible school-- very good)

- enjoyed catching up on our boys' lives and what is going on with them

- gathered up a few movies to take back for eventual viewing

- met my brother and family for a too short visit and meal

- TB tests ( I don't have it!)

- ate some Mexican food

Thanks to everyone for making our trip home enjoyable. It is always fun to see friends and relatives and to share what has been going on the past six months. Of the flip side, it is always hard to leave as there never seems to be enough time for family.

God has richly blessed us and we continue to thank him for family, friends and our supporters.

ENGLISH TEACHER

Toms (one of the few people that makes me feel small) is preparing for his high school final exams so I have been working with him on his English skills. These tests are important because they are used to help determine college readiness.

I believe he will do great but I have been adding a few Texas country idioms that I hope he will use when he takes the oral exam. Here are a few examples:

'That dog won't hunt.'

'You can take that to the bank!'

'Ya'll listning to me?' (Are you all listening to me?)

'Tell your momma and them hello'

'I'm fixin' to'

'Bob-war' (barb wire)

'Yew rekkin?' (you reckon?)

'You can just take that someplace else because I don't play that game!'

 

We have just a couple of more lessons before we have to leave. If I can get him speaking just a bit more like a true Texan he should pass with no problems. Can't you just see his Latvian teacher when he starts his speech with "I'm fixin' to..."and he finishes with "And you can take that to the bank!".

On second thought, I guess he'd better stick with regular English...but it won't be nearly as fun.

WIPEOUT

When working with young people, leaders can never have enough games and activities. Sometimes the best games are the simplest. For example, take tonight's newest games, 'wipeout'.

No fancy equipment is needed for this game. Cut off the legs from a pair of (clean) pantyhose, confiscate a couple rolls of toilet paper from the nearest bathroom and you are in business.

Each player slips one hose (with the toilet paper roll all the way to the toe) over his head. His competitor does the same. The joust is now on!

The object of the game is to get the hose wrapped around each other and then the winner is declared when the hose is pulled completely off of one player.

It is a little harder than it looks as you add in centrifugal force, differences in height and trying not to laugh as you make the hose swing around your head.

Our kids love to play this game. Even if you don't play...you can have a lot of fun just watching the goof-balls!

Here are a few pictures of evidence:

The old guys have to show 'em how it is done...

The girls are going....

An American vs Chilean...

The brothers....

Swing and a miss...

FRIDAY PICTURES

It was a beautiful day in Cesis on Friday. A friend of ours was visiting from Riga and we had several errands to run so these are just a few of the sights.

The first one is of Ainars and shows his carpentry skills. Cesis is hosting an expo for local craftsmen and he is trying to get his enterprise off the ground. We staked him in this exposition so he is allowing us to use his 'outhouse' (just kidding around, of course). He really is a talented guy. We are hoping he picks up some good projects from the publicity at the expo.

A small outhouse that Ainars constructed. Outhouses in the country are a common here.

Seems to be well-constructed.

 

Another exhibitor displayed a unique stone mailbox.

 

Nice BBQ on wheels. Great for shashliks.

 

Laura and our friend Reinis. Local celebrity drummer, paintball course owner and Iveta's son.

 

Flintstone weight equipment?

 

On the other side of Cesis at the Kultura Nams, the local students were involved in a traditional dance contest.

New renovations at the Russian Orthodox Church

STOCKHOLM TO BARCELONA

Two of our young friends, Steven and Peteris, are taking off next Monday on the ride of their lives. Literally, the ride of their lives.

For the next two months (at least) they will be riding their bikes from Stockholm, Sweden all the way down to Barcelona, Spain. No easy tourist route for these guys. They will sleep under the stars (most of the time) and just live life on the road.

You can follow their progress at www.letitriderideride.com.

We had a farewell coffee with them today in Riga. It sounds like a great trip and these two guys are smart enough to make it happen. Let it ride, ride, ride!

 

STILL PLAYING HOOPS IN LATVIA

One of the great things about living in Latvia is that basketball is played competitively almost year round. There are several different leagues and even a men's and women's pro league.

Here it is April 16, and the games are still going on. We traveled to Riga yesterday to watch one of our good friends, Liene, play in the final game to determine the third and fourth position in the women's league.

Liene is about as close as an adopted daughter for us. She lives in Riga so we only get to see her a few times a month. She was a camper at one of the basketball camps I instructed in last summer and the three of us have just kind of hit it off. She is a new Christian that has a great testimony.

The TTT juniors did not win the game but we had a good time watching and cheering for Liene and her team. It was a game that went down to the wire but Liepaja won in a squeaker.

Latvia has some very nice gyms but the majority are the old style. A million practices and games have been held in them. The floors are dark from varnish and sweat but are kept shiny by the use of a good oil mop. Bad acoustics, strange scoreboards and illogical window placements all add to the charm of those old courts. I have probably spent 80% of my lifetime in these places and I still enjoy the sights, smells and sounds. I hope I get to spend a lot more.

Here are a few pictures from the game. With the lighting being a little dim, some are not as good as I would like. Anyone want to buy me a nice, new camera?

 

Guarding the post...

Ouch....

Shooting free throws...

It's comeback time...

APRIL 11, 2009 PICTURES

Here are a few pictures from around Cesis. Most of these were taken at the local market.

 

Fresh meat delivery...

Swing ride for local kids

How high can we go?

A big wooden shoe...yes, it is real...hand carved.

Two skaisti women...Iveta and Laura

One of my friends...with a Hard-Rock hat!

Traditional Latvian dress and dance...

Leg warmers...

Smoked meats and sausages...

The market in front of St. John's Lutheran Church...

Castle Park...it's spring but the trees are still bare...

"Fresh Farm-Style Milk" for sale at market (no pasteurization?)

Hand woven baskets made from a type of reed...

From ice skates to inline skates...

 

My buddy, Roberts...

MOMENTARY PLEASURE!

We’ve all done it. We’ve all looked at a chance that seemed full of pleasure, promised a thrill and seemed just like the scratch for our itch. Even while putting the opportunity on the scales of consequences, we knew we were going to seek the pleasure, take the shortcut, cut the corner and eat of the forbidden fruit.

When we arrived at the Boys’ Prison on Tuesday, we were informed that six boys had escaped early Sunday morning. Out of those six young men, two were regulars at the weekly chapel service we help provide. What were they thinking?

That’s the problem. They weren’t thinking. At least, they weren’t thinking logically. What makes all of this even more maddening is that at least two of the young men only had about two weeks remaining on their initial sentences. Two weeks! We have since found out that the escape will cost all six of them an additional three to five years added on to their time. The authorities are serious in the Latvian justice system.

Why would they do it? The prison officials tell us that spring time always brings an increase of break-out attempts. I assume the combination of warm temperatures, boredom and the rising of the proverbial sap all played a part in this ill-fated adventure.

But realistically, aren’t we the same? It really doesn’t matter if it is food, drink, money, sex, possessions or power. Don’t we all make those decisions that are truly just not wise? Don’t we do things that later we just look back and moan, “What was I thinking?”

All six of these boys were quickly caught and are now back in segregation in the prison. The price of a few hours of freedom is steep: additional years added to their sentences; harsher treatment for the entire prison from the guards that have been reprimanded for letting this happen; increased security and surveillance for all that come and go.

Hopefully, most of us will not face the temptation to break out of prison. But, what will we face? Mid-life crisis? Illegal business deals? Sexual temptation? Get rich quick schemes? The list could go on and on. How do we deal with all of these?

How about going back to the words of the Word?

Proverbs 3: 5-6 says it best: Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

Those six boys are sitting in a prison cell wondering, “What was I thinking?”

I’m sitting here praying that God will help me to learn the lessons of the Proverbs so that maybe, just maybe, I can lessen my own times of moaning, “What was I thinking?”

924,050 REASON WHY I SHOULDN'T GO TO LAS VEGAS (Ever!)

 

This is proof positive that I will never be a gambler. Just for fun (no money involved!), I entered the CBS NCAA Basketball 'Bracket Challenge' game. As you can see below, I came in 924,049 spots behind the winners.

Weekly Standings (FINAL)

Challenge Standings through Championship Round

Rank            Team Name          Round Score     Overall Score

1                  MMinMidwest           32               183

1                  Slipper05                   32               183

3                  Domination               32               182

924050         NCAA #1                     0                 66

 

That's me, Mr. NCAA #1, sitting pretty in 924,050 place.  I was SO close!

TRUTHS FROM THE SOUP KITCHEN

TRUTHS FROM THE SOUP KITCHEN

Laura and I just finished up the month as the lead workers at the Zupa Virtuve (soup kitchen). This is an outreach to the citizens of Cesis and it is staffed by four churches. Originally, soup was only served two days a week, but this month, a Monday through Friday serving schedule began. This was definitely needed, and throughout the month, we saw new faces almost daily.

The zupa is purchased from the cafeteria of a factory that makes wooden coffins. Most of the time it is some type of cabbage based concoction and we hardly ever see any meat flavoring it. To go along with the soup are a few loaves of black bread, maybe two slices per person.

The customers at the kitchen come in all shapes, sizes, ages, ethnic groups and nationalities. Some are completely dependent on this meal for their only hot meal of the day. Others come because they want some social activity or just human contact. A few are a little better off economically than their table partners and they are there to take servings home to shut-in friends.

We have tried our best to give them as much dignity as possible for the hour or so that we are with them. Handshakes, smiles, kind words and unlimited coffee are appreciated as much as the soup.

Not a single person in the entire group can speak English. This is one of the few places where my Latvian speaking ability is better than their English speaking ability. They will surprise you, however. I was serving coffee one day and one old guy (he must have been a movie fan) just blurts out, “Atta boy!” as I finished filling his cup. Those two words might have been his entire English vocabulary.

This month has been one of work, of humility and of thanking God that we could help just a little in a bad situation. Some of these people are the highlight of our days as we see them around Cesis. I think every one of these people is appreciative of what is being done for them. We never feel that we are being taken advantage of or that they resent us…usually it is quite the opposite.

So, with all of that being said, here are a few things I have learned from serving at the Zupa Virtuve:

1) The people that need the zupa the least are always the ones at the front of the line. Now isn’t that a pretty good metaphor for some of the economic bailouts we are seeing? It doesn’t matter if it’s a well-fed soup lady clamoring to get to the front so she can get the first bowl or a well-fed Wall Street investment banker getting his million dollar bonus. The desire to take care of number one is healthy in all of us.

2) You just can’t beat a good cup of coffee (especially the traditional Texas bottomless cup of coffee). It seems everyone is more talkative, in a better humor and just has a better lunch if they have a cup of coffee in their hand. They tend to linger a little longer and spend time just talking to one another. Maybe we all need to slow down some, call up a good friend and spend a few minutes sharing a good cup of kafia?

3) It is hard to listen to the Gospel when you are hungry. We usually have one of our church people give a very short devotional and then lead everyone in the Lord’s Prayer. Today, our speaker got a little carried away reading to them about Jesus’ death and resurrection. They were hungry, they wanted food and they wanted it now! Let’s try to take care of physical needs before we take care of spiritual needs.

4) True character comes out in stressful situations. It can become quite hectic trying to feed so many hungry people at once. Several times we have been undermanned (as in just the two Americans!). Every single time a few of the men just stood up, came over and began to help serve their fellow diners. These are people that have had little experience in taking the lead in any sort of operation. These are people that are usually told to sit down and don’t do anything because you will mess it up. What a blessing to see them stand up and help us.

5) Prayer can still fill up a soup can. Without going into details, we have met with resistance when we have offered to pay for more food. The lady-in-command has told us that there is enough soup to feed everyone and that settles it. The only problem is more people show up each day. What do you do when you have the same size soup can but more hungry mouths?

We pray that we don’t have to turn anyone away. We pray that Laura can ladle it out so that everyone can get a fair portion. We secretly pour some hot water into the can to try to make it go a little further. It is not loaves and fish but we have never had anyone to be turned away. It has been touch and go a few times but their needs have always been met. As the numbers increase God will have to touch some hearts for more soup or keep on miraculously dividing the portions. Or better yet, maybe I should quit telling God how He needs to handle the situation.

As I write these truths, I have begun to understand that I have learned a lot more than these five ideas. I’ve learned that these people are God’s children, no better and no worse than I am. I’ve learned you don’t have to always know how to say ‘thank-you’, ‘please’, ‘paldies’ or ‘ludzu’. Sometimes you can just see it in someone’s eyes. I’ve learned that we all should be doing more to help those that are beat down by the circumstances of this world.

I’ve learned that the good news of Jesus is not only written in the Gospels.

It’s in a bowl of greasy cabbage soup.

It’s in a cup of black coffee.

It’s in the smile of a little Latvian lady that finally returns your greeting.

A BEAUTIFUL SUNNY DAY

We had a beautiful sunny day in Cesis on Wednesday. While it was still very chilly, it was a nice day to get outside for a few hours. Our friend Ainars took us to a couple of local spots of beauty. One is the site of an old mill with a bridge over the cascading waterfall. There is a tradition in Latvia that as people get married they take a trip to a bridge and secure a lock on the railing, signifying that the marriage will last. In the photos below some of the locks are visible.

The second spot we visited was a location deep in the woods where two rivers come together. The water was incredibly cold but clear as glass. I've got my eye on this place for some good wading and fishing this summer.

Ainars' car is just regular two-wheel drive but we were going down some pretty rough terrain. The ground is still frozen so solid that you don't have to worry about getting stuck in the mud. Now, getting stuck in the snow is a different story.

It was a great afternoon, we still have clear skies tonight and the low is forecast to be 16F.

 

 

 

 

 

Ainars and Laura

NO HOT WATER

 

The article below is from a good blog - Latvian Abroad . The financial problems are hitting everyone hard, even the college students.

Signs of crisis in everyday life

A Latvian college whose funding has been cut by 30-something % cuts off the hot water in the student dormitories:

Translation of the sign:

"Attention! From now on, hot water will be supplied only on Wednesdays from 15:00 to 23:00. Administration of [name of the institution]"

There are multiple reports of this happening in different places. And there are many more reports of heating turned off/down in classrooms and students sitting in classes in coats.

POSTED BY LATVIAN ABROAD AT 6:58 PM 0 COMMENTS LINKS TO THIS POST

LABELS: SIGNS OF CRISIS

ENCOURAGEMENT

State Basketball Tournaments, Spring Break, lousy weather, NCAA basketball tournament, Laura battling the flu; all of these combined to make us homesick and a little depressed this week. We’re not talking about can’t-get-out-of-bed depressed; just a little down and feeling sorry for ourselves.

Then, as God seems to always do, he put three things together that just touched our hearts, lifted our spirits and sent us on the way we need to go.

I was out Saturday in downtown Cesis and one of our elderly soup kitchen (diners?, clients?, eaters?, attendees?) ladies stopped me on the sidewalk. Now, this is really strange because in Latvia, even though you know someone, that doesn’t mean you are going to be acknowledged. She speaks no English but with just my basic Latvian I understood that she was going to the hospital; would not see us at the soup kitchen on Monday and would we be sure to pray for her. It seems like a small thing, but so many times we are ignored or get a blank stare here, that it was a great breakthrough that she felt comfortable enough to talk to me on the street and ask me to pray.

The next encouragement came on Monday and it involved almost the same thing. A lady that we have not seen in over 8 months stopped us and initiated a conversation. Her daughter has stopped coming to our youth group (neither she nor her mother are members of our church). She wanted to know if we knew why because she really wanted her daughter involved with what was going on with the youth. We were able to walk with her over to where Laura meets with the women’s Bible study and invite her to the meetings. Her daughter just emailed Laura to tell her how happy her mother was that she met us and to thank us for the kindness we showed. We will tell the daughter that her mother was the encouragement that we needed.

Lastly, today at the soup kitchen, Laura and I were working together filling the soup containers. A guy that eats quite often was in line. I spoke to him and tried not to stare at his face. He had dark sunglasses on (I don’t even remember what the sun looks like!) and I could tell someone or something had done a very good job of re-arranging his face. It was not a pretty sight. When he gets up to us, he starts talking to Laura and is trying to hand her something. We stop what we are doing and we can see that he is trying to give her a picture. A picture of Jesus. A very old black and white picture of Jesus, which is actually a post card. Laura at first didn’t know if he was showing it to her or giving it to her. He made it plain he was giving it to her. Wow!

Now this guy hasn’t seen too many sober days recently. You just have to wonder, why?

Why did he have this picture of Jesus?

Where did he get it?

What did it mean to him?

He has no money, he has no home, he has no car, and he has no other possessions that I can see.

Yet he chose to give that picture to her. Talk about bringing a lump to your throat.

What was God trying to tell us? Was it just encouragement? Was it a small sign that maybe this guy is thinking a lot more about Jesus than we give him credit for?

I don’t know but I do understand that each of these three situations ended up with both parties being blessed. Five people brought together in unique circumstances. Each seeking encouragement; each receiving encouragement from the small acts of kindness of others. Just a word on the street, just a kind voice, just an old wrinkled picture of Jesus.

How about you? Who do you need to encourage today? How much encouragement would a phone call, an email or an old-fashioned letter bring to someone today?

You might be the picture of Jesus to someone today.

 

A DAY OF FIRSTS

Today, Saturday, March 14, 2009 was definitely a day of firsts:

• First day in a l-o-n-g time that the temperature was near 40 degrees
• First day since we have been back from the Christmas trip home that the sidewalks are completely clear of snow and ice. It sure makes getting around easier.
• First day since we returned that I haven't worn my long handles (thermal underwear) outside.
• First day since we returned that I haven't worn my biggest coat...switched over to my fleece.
• First day that I actually just went outside to walk in the sun...without a knit cap, gloves and scarf.

I don't know how long it will be before there are more signs of spring but today was surely a great day.

It looks like we have some snow forecast for the end of next week but why look ahead?

Tough Questions

In Cesis, we live literally a ‘rock’s throw’ away from the entrance to the grounds of a restored castle. The actual building we live in is a house that has been converted into eight small apartments. In the eight apartments there are several older residents and a scattering of other ages. A couple of apartments have at least three generations living there together.

There is only one entrance; no lobby, just a small hall and stairway to the individual doors. As far as outside looks, it is about as uninviting and unimpressive as they come.

Across from our apartment door is an older lady that is nice and was a former organist at the Lutheran Church. Next to us is a lady that has a dog for her companion and he is quite vocal when we walk in front of her door. Diagonally from us are a couple of men that have a bit of an alcohol problem to say the least. I’ll never forget the look on Laura’s face when we stepped out of our door one day and there was one of them passed out on the floor. She looked at me and quietly said “What do I do?” I said “Don’t wake him up!”. Thankfully that only happened once but we always check the door before swinging it open.

Through the thin walls I can often hear the lady next to us as she sings, hums and sometimes even plays the piano. The singing often reminds me of my grandmother who would sing hymns as she worked around her house and garden.

The other lady on our floor seems to be a good cook. On weekends, we can often smell potatoes, chicken and fish being cooked. Most of it smells appetizing but some seems to not agree with our American sense of smell.

The third apartment is a different story. There is a constant smell when we walk by but it is never a pleasant odor. Cigarette smoke, mixed with alcohol, combined with wood stove smoke flows out of an apartment that hasn’t seen a clean floor in long, long time.

We have little contact with most of the people in our building, mainly because not a single one speaks any English. They know we are missionaries, they know we are Americans and they know we are different than them. We have tried to break the ice and it has thawed somewhat, especially since we gave small gifts to each apartment at Christmas. We nod and smile and give a few greetings in our beginning Latvian.

I have formed my impressions of each of them by what I hear (even though I don't know the language), what I see, what I smell and what I perceive their attitude to be.

I wonder what impression they have of me? What does the lady next door hear through her walls? When I come upon the two guys across the hall what type of attitude do I give off? How does my American way of life smell to the others in this building?

Do people know by our lives that we are Christian? We can’t tell them but do they see it? Do we smell like we follow someone different than the world follows? Does our daily voice sing a type of song that would make others want to know the words?

Tough questions.

WORSHIPPING IN A BAR

Our good friend, Sams, is a Latvian pastor that also just happens to be from India. He is one of the most dynamic, God-inspired and God-led preachers that I have ever met. He started a new church about a year ago in Riga so Laura and I decided to visit him today.

He had told us that the church (House of God) was meeting between two casinos, of which there are numerous ones in the cities of Latvia. As we found the right entrance (next to the Las Vegas Casino) we were directed to the back of the building. The usual banquet room they rent for Sunday services was actually being used for a banquet so the House of God had to move. Yes, it moved to the bar...actually two bars joined together to get the approximately 125 worshipers into one place.

I have always heard that the church is not the building and that was proven today. Sams preached from Matthew 15:21-28, the story of the woman with the demon possessed daughter. He did a great job of relating the lady's history and where she came from to what many Latvians feel today. Most new Christians in Latvia have no other Christians in their family. Many come from divorced families, or alcoholic relatives and the suicide rate for Latvia is always in the top 5 of the world. His point was that we can't keep making excuses for our  problems today from what happened in our past. We have seen the same thing happen in some of the people we witness to. They feel that God cannot accept them because of what they have done or the generations before them have done. He zeroed in on 2 Corinthians 5:17 to prove his point. (Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!)

We always enjoy Sams' enthusiasm for worship, his desire to give all the recognition to God and the special way he can relate the scriptures so that everyone can understand God's messages. He is doing a great job of helping a new generation of young believers see the light. We pray that God will continue to bless him and the new church.

My parents always told me to stay out of the bars and get into the church. Today I did both.

WINTER IS STILL HERE

Even though we saw a little sun today, it is still a long way from spring. It snowed most of the night so we have about 8-10 inches on top of a solid sheet of ice. Forecast is for a gradual warm-up this week but I'm not going to bet any money on it.

It was a great afternoon as the sun was adding its beauty to the snow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BIRTHDAY PARTY

Today Toms and Reinis celebrated their 18th and 19th birthdays. It was our pleasure to join in with the fun for a while.

For some reason, they had baked their own cake (which was very good by the way). Another Latvian tradition is pitching the birthday boy into the air for the number of years he is celebrating. Since we were inside they decided to let them sit in a chair before tossing in the air.

One thing about Latvian teenagers, they always find ways to entertain themselves. They don't sit around and act bored. Here are a few pictures of the party:

 

 

 

Novus - similar to pool

 

 

Some the celebrating group

 

 

 

Toms and his cake

SITTING IN PRISON

It's 2:30pm on a Tuesday so that means I'm sitting in the Cesis Boys' Prison.

In front of me I see the backs of 10 boys in their blue uniforms, sitting in the uncomfortable pews of the small chapel.

Why are they here? They could have made the choice to go to the gym for recreation, could have volunteered for some clean-up and snow shoveling duties, could have been picked for some more psychological testing but they decided to come here.

I spoke a few minutes earlier on having a relationship with God, using my lack of Latvian as an illustration of how to talk to God. Most of the boys were attentive but really, most were ready to see today's video.

As I closed my devotional I asked if there were any questions. One of the boys questioned, "Why do you come here to just speak a few words each week?" I just told him that we felt that was what God wanted us to do. Any more questions?

That was one of those moments that I wished I could turn back the clock. Why didn't I ask HIM "Why do you come here each week to hear my few words and watch a video"?

"Why do you come here instead of going to the gym? Why do you come to chapel rather than getting outside and sweeping snow for a few minutes? What are you looking for when you come here? What do you hope to find here?"

Why do I go? To do what God has led me to do. To share God's love. Is it doing any good? I really don't know.

Why does he come? He's trying to find God, he's trying to find if there really is a God, he's coming because he's seeking.

I pray that we will both successful.

BIG MAN LOSES IT

So, there I was just walking along; not paying attention and talking to Laura and our friend Linda. Then WHAM! The next thing I know I am looking up at the sky and thinking: wow the sky is sure blue today. Then, I realize I am flat on my back and I can feel that creeping sensation of losing your air when the breath has been knocked out of you.

I've been walking the icy sidewalks of Cesis for two winters now and I've never fallen. Friday was the first. One second everything is do-da and the next thing my feet were in the air, my back was on the ground and my mind was clicking through my anatomy: legs-ok, arms-ok, hands-ok, hips-ok, skull-ok. After that quick check-up I scrambled to my feet and tried to act like it was no big deal. (After all, I was with my wife and a 16 year old girl ... I had to keep up appearances.)

I know that this whole event was my fault. I was walking too fast, talking too much and paying too little attention.

Later, as I was thanking God for landing me on the exact spot so that I wouldn't break any of the important body parts mentioned above, it occurred to me how often God provides me with a wake-up call. I start drifting in the wrong direction and He puts a certain scripture in front of me. I start feeling too self-important and He brings me down a notch or two. If I need to hear a certain encouraging message He sends a messenger who by word or deed explains to me exactly what I need to know.

At other times, He has to knock me completely off of my feet to get my attention. I know that it is in my best interest but it is not very enjoyable. So, my goal this week is to slow down on my walk with God; talk less and listen to Him more and pay a lot more attention to where He is trying to lead me.

BLANK PAGES

My friend in Cesis has only been a Christian for a couple of years but what a different man he has become. It is almost as if he is making an effort to reclaim those lost years of prison and alcohol abuse by his commitment to his new life.

He is a great carpenter, especially on interior projects. He has been working on the Davana for us, building shelves, counters and finishing out the trim work. I noticed a paperback notebook one day and picked it up to thumb through it. It was my friend's journal and on some of the pages he had written certain scriptures or questions he might have about what he had read that day in the Bible. I was so impressed with how devoted he was to his daily time with God and the Bible.

Last week at the Men's Bible Study, he shared with the group that he still struggles with his alcohol problem but that it was getting better. He felt that he was getting a better handle on the temptation but that it was a daily struggle. He then shared with the rest of the group about his little notebook. He told them about the things he wrote in it but also how it made him ashamed sometimes.

When he flips through the book and sees an empty page, he knows that was a day that he was drinking. He knows he wasn't able to beat the temptation that day, he wasn't able to spend the time with the One he needs for his strength in this battle.

I just sat there ashamed and humbled by this man's words. How many pages of my life-journal are blank? How many days does God not write a single word on my pages because I don't spend the time with Him like I should? How many wasted days have caused blank pages to appear in my journal?

My friend has drinking problem; I have a laziness and self-discipline problem. Would you pray for us both?

COLD THURSDAY IN RIGA

We usually go to Riga on Thursday for meetings, a little shopping and if lucky, we will catch a good movie. With the weather changing so quickly (meaning from no snow to snow) we usually ride the bus or train.

Today, the forecast was for light snow. It has snowed most of the day and with the temps well below freezing for a couple of weeks everything sticks. The roads crews were sanding the highways and streets as we caught the 7:30pm bus back to Cesis. We even had a couple of slick, sliding moments pulling away from some of the stops. I'm really glad I didn't drive today.

As we were headed to one of our meetings, we came across a big ceremony at the Latvian Freedom Monument. From the flags on the diplomatic cars, the VIPs were from Turkey. I will have to dig a little further to find out the rest of the significance.

Here are a few pictures from the ceremony and surrounding area. These guards are on one hour shifts. Notice how red his ears are. The mother in Laura made her comment that they should give the soldiers ear muffs before sending them out to stand guard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SATURDAY IN CESIS - SNOW RACING

We finally are getting a slight warm-up today (around 33 degrees) so we enjoyed getting out and about in Cesis. Most of the stores close no later than 3:00pm on Saturdays so shopping can't be postponed too late.

We heard motorcycles and a loudspeaker system towards the local running track and went over to investigate. I had heard about these snow races but had never seen one.

Basically, you have a motorcycle and driver pulling a skier on a rope for one, two or three trips around a quarter-mile jogging track. Of course, the track is covered in snow and ice.  Each race can have between 2-4 teams competing against each other. It is very competitive racing and the skill of the driver is as important as the skill of the skier. Just as you might imagine, there are plenty of crashes, spills, and wrecks. It is amazing how fast these guys get going.

Here are a few pictures:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course, some people have more important things than to watch the races:

 

 

ALCOHOLICS

It is no secret that alcoholism is a huge problem in Latvia. Whether its roots are found in tradition, culture, hopelessness or dark winters, the fact remains that many people suffer from the grip of addiction.

Wednesday is our regular men's Bible study time. We are reading through "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren. Last night we had a couple of regular attendees gone but we picked up two new ones. One of them I knew from the Soup Kitchen but the other one was a new face (and he even spoke some English).

As we began discussing prayer requests I realized that all of the men at the table (except for me) had severe drinking problems at one time or still suffered from the effects of alcohol. Included in the group was one guy that has been to prison several times, another that was severely beaten up (and still shows the scars) by his drinking 'buddies', a former alcoholic that now counsels others and one guy that has turned his life around and now has a wife, family and is a steady Christian.

It was a neat experience to watch and hear (the words I could understand) as the men talked to each other about the problem and how with the help of Christ they had conquered their worst enemy. The two new guys are on the losing end of the battle right now. The others were trying to use their own history to show them that it could be done. One of the new guys has some strange ideas concerning God, the Bible and who Jesus is. The others did not back down at all and showed him in the Bible where his errors were. He finally turned to me and wanted my opinion. It was great to be able to say that what my Latvian brothers had told him was absolutely correct and I couldn't agree more with them.

Maybe this is a start for these two new guys. They are in their late 40's and if something doesn't change they will not survive much longer. Latvian winters, poor access to medical care, and easy access to cheap alcohol will cause them to become old men very quickly.

May God bless these two that are struggling and bless the men that have reached out to help them through their sickness.

SUNDAY-TO-SUNDAY

Yesterday was our first Sunday back. I thought I'd compare my last Sunday (Jan. 18) in Athens with our first Sunday in Cesis.

In Athens, I checked the weather forecast to see how WARM it was going to be (I believe it was about 70 degrees for a high). In Cesis you check to see how COLD it is going to be. (Yesterday...about 29, which is actually a little warmer than usual.)

In Athens, you know that if you make it the few steps from the parking lot to the church, you will be plenty warm. In Cesis, there is no parking lot. You aren't going to be too much warmer in the church (usually it is about 55 degrees inside) unless you get a seat near the wood burning heater.

In Athens, the first smell is that of freshly brewed coffee (from the Global Cafe). In Cesis, the smell is of wood smoke. Depending on who built the fire and how good they are, the smell can be a pleasant reminder of the heating system or a smoky distraction.

In Athens, we have an excellent multi-piece praise band (guitars, drums, keyboard, piano), great sound system, multiple cameras and PowerPoint slides. In Cesis we have an outstanding musician, Tabita, that plays the keyboard.

In Athens, it requires six people to take up the offering. In Cesis, we have one young man that passes the collection box.

In Athens, we had many, many people express that they would be praying for us, God's work and the Cesis people. In Cesis, we had many, many people express that they would be praying for us, God's work and the Athens people.

Two cultures of worship, two completely different facilities, two distinctive climates but people of one mind, worshipping the same God. What a privilege for us to be able to be a part of both worlds. Thank you!

WE MADE IT!

After a very l-o-n-g flight, we were picked up by Olegs for the final leg of our trip back to Cesis. I don't think either of us got much sleep on the planes so we weren't very good guests on the ride. We started out catching Olegs up on all the latest Athens news and he was updating on the Cesis activities. Before I knew it, I was drifting off and the last thing I heard was "Maybe we should wait until tomorrow to tell you the rest." I was hoping that Laura would be able to chime in from the back seat and pick up my slack but I'm afraid she was out also.

Thank you to all in both Latvia and the US that were praying for our safe return. Also, a special thanks for our drivers, Dwight and Olegs. You're the best!

GOING (to our second) HOME

In just a few hours we will begin the journey from Texas back to Cesis, Latvia. We always have very mixed feelings as we pack and say good-byes. We miss our family and everyday life while we are in Latvia but we are looking forward to seeing our Latvian friends and getting back to doing the work we were sent there for.

While we have been in Texas the weather has been absolutely beautiful. Yesterday we had a high temp of around 74 degrees. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky … lots of sunshine.

When we arrive in Riga it will be quite different. Highs in the upper 20’s and I’m sure we’ll see a lot of snow.

Different culture, different weather, different lifestyle BUT the ONE God is as much alive in Latvia as in Texas. We look forward to serving him.

See you soon, Cesis!

THANKS FOR 2008

There is no way that I can list all of the blessings that have been showered on the two of us in Cesis, Latvia. But, these are just a few that have popped into my mind as I think back on the year. Thank you God…

• Olegs and family moving to Cesis
• The 41-hour train trip to Arkangelsk, Russia. What a great experience!
• The Cesis youth group
• Ainars: his talent of woodworking and his witness as a new Christian
• The ‘Davana’
• Health
• Our family in Texas…they sacrifice so we can stay on the mission field
• Inese, Peteris and boys for making us feel (and feeding us) like family
• A special lady in Canada that is so encouraging to us
• Our ‘Soup Kitchen’ friends
• The support from FBC-Athens and all of its members
• A Chrysler Town & Country van
• A wood shed full of wood
• The 3-punkt camp team at Valle
• Brother Samuels
• Liene’s friendship and growth as a Christian
• Pastor Michail and the ‘colony’ boys
• Elvi grocery store
• New friends Joe and Robbie
• The literally unknown number of people that support us financially and spiritually
• Seeing, hearing and feeling God’s encouragement when we need it
• What-A-Burger when we arrive back in the States
• Pastor Kyle’s vision for his church and our life in Latvia
• WorldConneX, Bill Tinsley and Walter Justl
• The people of Cesis Baptist Church
• Man-hu
• and the list goes on and on….

BACK IN TEXAS

We have been back in Texas for a couple of weeks. Christmas was celebrated with our family and we have enjoyed our time with friends and relatives.

A trip to Dallas and one to Austin has kept us on the road for a few days but we are now bringing in the New Year back at our home in Athens.

I have watched a lot of football and NBA basketball and next week will try to catch a few high school games.

Laura has been busy cooking, shopping and spending time with her family (and as far away from the football games as possible!).

Next week we will begin meeting to plan the 2009 activities, especially the summer work in Latvia.

It has been good to be home, to enjoy 70 degree temperatures, to visit with some of our family that we only get to see once a year and to tell people how God has blessed us this year.

Here are a few pictures from our celebrations:

 

Laura, Jordan and Jacob happy with their presents…

My three aunts (all over 90 years of age)…

 

Has Santa come yet?

 

Guess what the Princess got?

SWEET 16 CELEBRATION

Davis is the son of two of our best friends, Inese and Peteris. They have always treated us as one of the family so we were invited to Davis' 16th birthday celebration. It was a big party with nearly all of the extended family there. Aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and the two Americans all had a great time.

Things are done a little differently at a Latvian party. Instead of a birthday 'spanking' you get tossed in the air for the number of years you are celebrating. (Good luck on them trying that for my next birthday!) We also had several songs, a cello special, quartet by some of the cousins and of course, enough food to feed an army.

Probably the most interesting part of the night was when they played the game 'charades'. Have you ever tried to play this in a foreign language? Talk about not translating....

We are ever so grateful when we are allowed glimpses into the culture and especially family traditions. Plus, we are now being treated more like family and less like guests. I certainly prefer to be family. Paldies jums!

 

 

Inese and her cakes...

Mother and son (Davis)...

 

Mom and Dad (Peteris)...

Maybe the light is finally coming on...

 

Cousins Emils and Rudolphs (Rudy)

 

Two excellent singers: cousins Emijia and Toms...

 

Most of the birthday celebration crew...

CHRISTMAS TIRGINS

I think that Tirgins is translated as 'fair'. Yesterday we had our final opportunity to buy some last-minute Latvian presents before we leave on the 18th. There was a big craft sale set-up in the new park directly in front of St. John's Basnica. One of the city's Christmas trees is right in the middle and we had a good day shopping. The only problem I saw was that everything that Laura bought was for herself. Of course, if she buys much more to take home, we will have to buy additional weight allowances for our luggage.

 

 

 

 

YOUTH MEETING; GIFT PACKAGES; TREE TRIMMING

We were asked to provide gift packages for the local boys' prison and of course, we were happy to help. Laura and I went to a couple of stores to buy the favorite candies and also piparkūkas. Piparkūkas are a traditional Latvian cookie similar to gingerbread.

Our youth wanted to help out  so we meet on Friday night at the "Davana" and made 120 gift bags of candy and cookies. We will also attach a small Christmas message. It was good to see them so willing to help...especially for this good cause.

The gift packages will be handed out to the boys on the 24th. There will be a religious service available for them if they choose to attend but it is not mandatory. We hope many will attend to hear the Christmas story from Olegs and Michail.

After the bags were finished, it was time to trim the tree. Eduards brought us a tree (I'm not asking where it was growing before it became ours!) and we made ornaments and strung the lights.

Here are a few pictures of the night's activities:

 

 

 

 

ANOTHER SNOWFALL

We have had two more days (Saturday and Sunday) of snowfall and cold temps. This was a wet snow that created some unusual accumulations. We are expecting a few days of close to freezing temperatures so it really gets slick when everything re-freezes.

The first photo is what parents use when the snow gets too deep for a baby stroller. This type of sled is used to transport the small kids around. Laura keeps begging for me to get one so I can pull her along. Maybe I'll tell Santa...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

Buying Christmas gifts always is a challenge. You need just the right size, the right color, match the present to the personality, etc. When you are doing your Christmas shopping in a foreign land, it can even be more challenging.

Not only are we trying to find the perfect gift...they all have to fit into our luggage, can't be easily broken and obviously they'd better the correct size because they aren't going to be exchanged.

So, those of you out there that are expecting gifts from Mr. and Mrs. Santa Wimberley, don't be too surprised if you get a small, generic gift made of something that is very hard, easy to get through airport security and unbreakable.

Here are a few shots today from the Lido, a large restaurant and entertainment complex as well as a few pictures of the decorations around the train station.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.....

(by the way, the last two pictures were taken at 5:00pm)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KEEP LOOKING UP!

We haven't had any snow for a few days. With temperatures beginning to climb, the danger turns to icicles. There have been people severely injured or killed in the past years when icicles or snow slides off the roofs land on them.

Here are a couple of examples of what to watch for:

 

 

 

 

ITS A BLIZZARD!

While it has been cold for the past few days, we've really had the snow and wind today. It was below freezing, the wind was from the north at 25 mph and the snow was whipping everywhere.

We did not see this type of weather much last year but it looks like we are in for a tough winter.

We decided to walk to church today and not risk the streets as almost no cars were moving. We live close to the police station and even the police were staying indoors.

We got home around 3:00p and I was about to stretch out for my customary Sunday afternoon nap when Inese called and invited us to her house. She said they would send someone for us. If we get stuck out there at least they have a good heating system and she is a good cook. Ata!

 

12:30p on Sunday: Snow is really blowing...

 

My picture model (Laura) is impatient ...

 

 

 

The snow has just about blown into every part of the old church door...

 

I'm sweeping snow but it's a losing battle...

FIRST SNOW

This week marked the first big snows of the winter. Wednesday provided a good dusting and then today (Friday) we got a few more inches. The snow flakes here can be so large that it piles up very quickly.

Since the snow ushers in the winter weather, I thought I would provide my Top-Ten Winter Hints for Texans living in Latvia.

1. Never leave home without your warm cap, thermal long-johns and scarf. It only takes one time for your ears to become ice-cubes and you will never forget again.
2. Just because an old lady can move really fast over black ice doesn't mean you can. She has 70+ years of walking on ice and snow, you have five months.
3. If a group of kids starting gathering around fresh, wet snow ... move away! They will bomb anybody within range with snowballs (and they are accurate).
4. A bus or tram can sling icy slush at least 1/2 of its total length (or where ever you are standing...which ever is further).
5. Don't forget to bring the firewood in every day ... or your wife gets really aggravated walking through snow at night to the woodshed.
6. Snow is soft, its the concrete underneath that is hard.
7. Snow tires, snow tires, snow tires
8. Get over the idea of having a big, steaming hot, spicy bowl of Texas chili. It just isn't going to happen.
9. If your wife is not sure-footed, go with the Yak-Traks.
10. Be ready for strange looks when you say "I've never seen this much snow in my life."

 

Here are a few pictures from today's walk:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WINTER IS HERE!

It will be a cold week for the celebration of Latvia's birthday.

Here's the forecast for Riga; in Cesis we are usually a little colder:

Monday

Hi: 3°Lo: -1° Frozen Mix

Tuesday

Hi: 0°Lo: -3°Flurries

Wednesday

Hi: 1°Lo: -1°Light Snow

Thursday

Hi: 1°Lo: -2°Snow

Friday

Hi: 1°Lo: -1°Flurries

Saturday

Hi: 1°Lo: -2°Flurries

Sunday

Hi: -1°Lo: -4°Flurries

NOVEMBER 11

I'm not sure of the exact translation of the name of today's celebration but obviously it has to do with the ending of WWI. After that point in history, Latvia began its longest time period as a free country.

Tonight, the soldiers that train at a local army school led a torch-lit parade to a monument memorializing a rifleman serving in WWI. After the soldiers came many citizens of all ages with their own torches and candles. It was an impressive sight. Several hundred people eventually made their way to take part.

Losing and winning this country's freedom is still very much on the Latvian citizens' minds. Most can still remember when they did not have the freedom to march down the street or speak out against corrupt politicians.

At dinner on Sunday, one of our friends just sighed and said "I don't want to ever live like we did during the  'occupation'." Even after being here for quite a while, I still cannot even begin to know how much these people have suffered, how much they have lost and how their lives will always scarred because of their loss of freedom.

 

Here are a few shots from the night:

 

 

 

 

YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BELIEVE THIS!

On November 18, Latvia will celebrate its Independence Day. It is not unlike July 4 for the USA in some respects but obviously Latvia was not able to stay independent during those 90 years. That fact hasn't diminished how important November 18, 1918 is to them. The entire country will be celebrating this 90th anniversary of freedom for the next two weeks.

We knew that the Latvian president, Valdis Zatlers, was going to be in Cesis today. He was scheduled to speak in St. John's Church at a service to begin the country-wide festivities. Even though it was going to be a big deal, we had decided not to go mainly because we would have to get into the church very early to get a seat. Around 11:00 we bundled up to go out for a while and went to town center.

There we came upon a huge parade with lots of Latvian military bands, soldiers marching, dignitaries, etc. It was a very impressive display but we had evidently missed the remarks made by the president. Security was tight with Secret Service on the top of the buildings, guys talking into their wrist radios, etc.

Everything had started to break up and people were leaving. Laura and I were just milling around, acting kind of lost like we usually do, when we looked up and here comes Mr. President! I'm snapping pictures and then we realize he is shaking hands and we are in the line!

I'm trying to think of whether I should address him in the three words of Latvian that I know or just come out with some type of Texan phrase like "Hey, how ya'll doing?" or "How's your momma and them?" or even "Me and the missus here are shore glad to meet ya".

In the end, Laura just said "Hello" and shook his hand. I said "Labi Dien" (good day) while shaking his hand and then I managed to say that we were Americans. He replied saying Latvia was a great country to visit. I wanted to engage him in a little chit-chat about the world's economic problems, Latvia and Russia relations or even Obama but he was gone to the next hand-shake before I could mutter anything.

Wow, that was pretty neat! Now I know a bunch of you might be thinking "yeaahhh, right, sure you did", so here are the pictures:

 

 

Here he comes...Latvian President Zatlers, agents behind and to his right...

 

  A little closer....

 

 

Almost to us....

 

 

Getting close...don't panic!

 

 

 

Our time is over, on to the next handshake...

 

 

 

Here are a few other pictures regarding the event:

 

Secret service....

 

Parade in front of the Boys' Monument...

 

Secret service sharpshooters...

 

Security .... very unusual in Latvia to see a handgun...

 

Helicopter fly-over...

BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE!

Fall has about fallen and winter is here. We had a big frost last night and predictions are for mid-to-upper 20's for lows the rest of the week. (But, I notice Latvian weathermen are not much better than American in predicting correctly.)

Anyway, most of the people have their wood in the sheds, such as these near our house:

 

NOT MUCH TO SAY

Here are a couple of shots that I've been playing around with.

The church-looking building is actually in a cemetery and was used for funerals. It would be a great 'new' church if someone had the money to restore it. The building is in need of lots of repair but has much character (like a lot of people I know!).

The other shot is of two iron crosses that have lost their foundation and now sit leaning upon a tree. These crosses are quite common for older graves here in Latvia.

 

 

OUTSIDE THE BOX

At our home church in Athens, Texas there has been a recent series of messages concerning thinking and being outside of the "box". Pastor Kyle Henderson always seems to come up with some memorable aids to help us remember basic truths.

At this week's Youth Meeting, Laura taught a great lesson using the same concept. She challenged the kids to not to rely on doing things in their spiritual life 'just because that's the way we've always done it". The kids really picked up on the main idea and had a good discussion.

Below is her visual aid. The kids made a box using all of the excuses for not thinking and acting outside of the box.

Freedom or imprisonment?

The choice is ours.

 

HOW TO EAT NACHOS

Last night at our regular weekly Youth Meeting, Laura served nachos for the first time. We had found some corn chips that were semi-good and she topped them with melted cheese and browned hamburger meat. She also whipped up some great salsa from tomatoes, onions, garlic, etc.

When the kids had the chips and melted cheese on their plates, they just kind of froze. Some looked like they wanted to use a fork to try to eat with, others just didn't know what to do. Finally, I showed them how to spoon some salsa over the whole mound of chips and cheese and then munch away using your fingers.

That loosened them up (who doesn't like eating with their fingers?) and they were into the nachos like we were sitting in Athens at Taco Bell. I tried to get a couple of the boys to try the jalapeno peppers but that was asking too much for one night.

I'm thinking of the whole affair as just a teachable moment in culinary culture!

 

  [The way nachos are supposed to look ... not the way our Latvian homemade nachos actually looked!]

WE ARE TEMPORARY LATVIANS ONCE MORE!

After a few trips to Riga, quite a bit of money and almost two months time ... we have been APPROVED for another year of temporary residence in Latvia. Yes, sir! That's what I'm talking about!!

Yesterday we got our official Temporary Residence Permit that will allow us to stay here until September 1, 2009. Almost every foreign citizen can tell a difficult story about the immigration process. Rules change suddenly, papers are not accepted and papers without correct seals/stamps all play a big part in acceptance or rejection.

We are already planning when we should start the next application .... maybe in a week?

We thank God we have the permit, that we are legal and that we can continue to concentrate on helping the people of Cesis and Latvia. Thanks also to many of you that have been our prayer warriors in this episode. We always appreciate your prayers.

THE NBA -- IT'S FANTASTIC

 

Today was a very good afternoon to stay inside (rainy and cold) and watch the NBA.

That's right ... our friends Inese and Peteris have a new TV (Japanese) and satellite system (Russian). They pick up a gazillon channels (with two being in English) and it's fun to flip through and try to figure out what the Russian words mean.

Of course, my favorite stop was the NBA channel. Today's game was vintage NBA: Chicago Bulls vs Utah Jazz (1998 finals). It is rather unique hearing a Russian sportscaster commenting in an highly excited voice as Michael Jordan slams one home.

I'm hoping I get a few more invitations to come watch some games as the season progresses. It would be nice to watch a few games rather than read about them on Internet.

Loti paldies Inese and Peteris!!!

GREAT NEWS FOR OUR LATVIAN FRIENDS

President Bush announces Latvia's preparedness for Visa Waiver Program

On October 17 President George W. Bush invited ambassadors of the 13 candidate countries (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, South Korea, Greece, Cyprus and Malta) of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) to a White House ceremony to announce the US Administration's decision to admit seven of these 13 countries to the Visa Waiver Program.

Latvia was represented by Ambassador Andrejs Pildegovics.

President Bush officially announced the addition of Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and South Korea to the Visa Waiver Program.

Most likely in approximately one month, travelers from these countries will no longer require a visa to enter the United States. The program currently includes 27 countries.

The President stated that the seven countries agreed to share information about security threats to the U.S. and that their citizens would use a new system that requires travelers to register online ahead of their visits to the United States.

President Bush emphasized that Latvia and the other 6 countries have fulfilled all requirements related to admission into the US VWP. Admission to the VWP will open new possibilities for interpersonal contacts, tourism and business development. The removal of US visa requirements is yet another example of the dynamic development of the Latvia-US strategic partnership.

WE HAVE THE BEST KIDS

Last night was the first youth meeting since we returned to Cesis. It was great to see some of the kids that we haven't seen in a while. A couple attend school out of Cesis, one is now working in Norway (visiting last night) and a few we just not seen in the week since we have been back.

We are about to start the study 'Purpose Driven Life'. It is one of the few books we can find in both Latvian and English. They seem excited about the challenges we put before them last night. We will now order the books and hopefully get started next week.

We also had a request from a parent to move our meetings to Friday nights. It certainly doesn't matter to us but I was skeptical the kids would give up their Friday nights to spend them at Youth Meetings. They never cease to amaze me as all but one said Friday night was great with them.

The only problem is now they can stay at our small flat as long as they want ... "NO SCHOOL TOMORROW!"

 

Here are a few pictures of last night's game - Lifesaver On A Toothpick relay. You have to pass the lifesaver between the two people using only a toothpick each, no hands allowed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE TO COME 'HOME' TO CESIS

We feel like we now have two homes -- one in Athens, Texas and one in Cesis, Latvia.

When we arrive back in Cesis from a trip to Texas it can take several days before we really feel 'adjusted'. Some of that adjustment is due to jet-lag but most is just due to the differences in culture and our life-style. Some of the more noticeable changes might be:

 

-- Availability and selection of food products -- Now you can look at either of us and know we are not on the verge of starvation. BUT, coming from a small town where there are restaurants, fast-food places and grocery stores on every corner, the change is striking when you reach Cesis. There are about 5 places to eat in Cesis but they all serve the same type of food (Latvian). Unlike Texas, there are no Mexican, hamburger, Chinese, Italian, deli or any of the other myriad types of food choices. Accordingly, the grocery stores have a limited selection as well. A couple of choices for your main, everyday products and that's it. When you are used to Wal-Mart or Brookshires with all of their choices, the Universal Veikal just doesn't have the same appeal.

 

-- Lack of television -- We firmly believe that we accomplish more in Cesis because we don't have a TV to monopolize our time. After we return from the TV occupied world of our Texas home it is a big adjustment to go cold-turkey on the TV watching.  It probably takes us a couple of weeks to forget about flopping down in front of the TV to waste an hour or two on the latest Cops/CSI/Dirty Jobs/DIY network/reruns of Andy Griffith shows. Now if I could just get a remote control to carry around and click then maybe my addiction could be contained more easily.

 

 

-- Loving on our dogs -- As hard as I have tried I can't get Laura to let me have a dog in Cesis. In Texas, we are crazy about our dogs and enjoy being with them.  I shouldn't tell this but Laura actually lets them have a small scoop of Blue-Bell Ice Cream on special occasions. We can always email and phone the boys but even though we have the smartest dogs in the world, we can't get them to send email regularly. It looks like I will just have to continue bugging Laura until she gives in so I can have a Latvian dog as a pal. [Zoe on the right and Jasmine on the left.]

 

-- Weather -- The Indian Summer was really nice (80's as highs / 60's lows) when we left Texas. When we arrived back this time it was  late fall. It just seems like we had put up our winter clothes yesterday and now we are wearing coats, scarves and winter caps again. We have had a couple of nights close to freezing and only into the low 50's during the day. It is kind of like missing a couple of months...going from very warm to very cool overnight. Plus, we have already begun to build daily fires for heat in our stove.

Don't take any of the above in the wrong manner.

We enjoy the cultural differences, we enjoy the difference in people and we enjoy trying new things. We are blessed to be be here and experience all that we have.

God has made it clear He doesn't want His church to be just one culture, one race, one color or one nation. Living here has helped us to understand that idea on a daily basis.

BACK IN CESIS!

We are back in Cesis after a spending the month of September in Athens, Texas. We had scheduled this trip home so that we could spend time with our family and more specifically, attend our son Adam's graduation from the Art Institute of Dallas. We had to leave Latvia a little earlier than planned because of visa difficulties but the extra time in Texas was great.

What did we do while we were in Texas? Here is a partial sample:

1] Survived one hurricane (Ike)

2] Braved the traffic of Austin, Houston and Dallas on several occasions

3] Ate Mexican food 13 times.

4] Ate several cartons of Blue Bell Ice Cream (is there any other kind?)

5] Had a major operation performed on one of our dogs. (Everything turned out great!)

6] Attended a college graduation (Yea Adam!)

7] Spoke at Mission Emphasis at FBC-Athens

8] Attended a 50th Wedding Celebration (congratulations to the Finchers!) and a Texas BBQ

9] Worked on our boys' cars to get them ready for winter

10] Watched a couple of Dallas Cowboys games (on TV!)

11] Networked with college coaching friends on trying to get some of our Latvian players scholarships

12] Went on a great barge ride one night around Lake Athens. (Thanks to our friends Lee and Susan)

13] Met with the good folks at WorldConneX to update their involvement in our activities

14] Worked a few hours on our lawn to try to overcome some of the neglect inflicted upon it while we have been away

15] Scoured every Goodwill Store that we came across in search of cheap books to bring back for our enjoyment (English books are hard to find here and expensive)

16] Packed, re-packed, and re-packed again trying to get everything crammed into our baggage. (We still left some things behind.)

Whenever we get discouraged in Cesis, God always helps us to focus on something that recharges and fills us with enthusiasm. This time, that encouragement came from our family, our friends and our church at FBC-Athens. It is always a thrill to again be a part of a church that is so mission minded and generous with God's blessings.

Thanks to everyone for a great trip. You always help us to realize how important Cesis is, not only to us, but also to you.

WE SURVIVED IKE !

 

As most of the world knows, Texas was hit hard by Hurricane Ike.

Ike came ashore in Galveston which is about 250 miles from where we live in East Texas. Most hurricanes or more likely, tropical depressions will make their landfall and then weaken significantly before they make it as far as our home in Athens.

Ike, however, was different. At one time, it appeared he would come straight up from Galveston, through Houston and right over Athens.

My brother and I spent Friday cutting limbs and getting our house and yard ready for high winds and the certain rain.

Due to the wonders of modern television, we were able to watch as Ike came ashore. It wasn't long until our weather changed and we started getting quite a bit of rain and wind. To our good luck, Ike's path changed to the east and it looks like we missed the worst part by about 35 - 40 miles. There were lots of trees uprooted, power lines down and damaged roofs just a few towns away. We are thankful we were spared.

We were glad that it worked out that we were able to be here with our boys to ride out the storm. It would have been really hard to have been trying to keep up with how things were going in Texas if we had still been in Latvia.

Thanks for all of the prayers and concern from our friends in Latvia. We really thank you for remembering us. Please continue to pray for the people of the Texas Gulf Coast and others that have been affected by this huge storm. There is much clean-up, repair and rebuilding that will be taking place as Ike has left his mark on a huge area of Texas.

HOME TO TEXAS

 

A couple of small visa problems encouraged us to move our flight home up a couple of weeks. I assume all countries' visa regulations are cumbersome but sometimes in Latvia it would be humourus if it wasn't so serious. The agents we are working with do not know the English language as well as they think they do and that complicates matters even more. As their guests, we try to be non-confrontational as we discuss the documents but ultimately it is entirely in their hands whether they accept our documents. New regulations seem to have a way of popping up without anyone being aware they have been added.

We had one date that was incorrect on a visa document so we have had to delay our submission. We will get that corrected and submit the documents from the US. I would like to say that next year we will know better (we said that last year!) but I think it ultimately just comes down to how business is done. We must expect delays and new requirments and live with it. We will enjoy the  extra two week with our boys and other family.

Olegs picked us up at 3:00am in Cesis for the trip to the Riga Airport. It was a very nice 44 degrees....low humidity; great jacket weather.

We had no problems until we started to leave Amsterdam. After we had settled in our seats and adjusted ourselves for the 10.5 hour trip to DFW, the pilot informed us that the cargo hold door had a malfunction. I don't know jack about planes but I do know that an open door could create a small problem when you are at cruising altitude.

We deplaned, loaded up on free water, waited for three hours and then boarded the replacement plane. After that, it was a great flight.

We arrived at DFW at 4:00pm and the pilot informed us it was 97 degrees. When I stepped off the plane I think it was close to 218 percent humidity.

Steve picked us up and we headed to Whataburger for our first American burger fix to feed our addiction. Mexican food is next on the wish list!

The boys had done a fairly good job of keeping the house presentable this time but all of us spent the Labor Day holiday working in the yard getting it trimmed up.

We are glad to be home. We have a lot to accomplish and are looking forward to visiting with friends and family.

Adam (our next to oldest) will graduate at the end of the month from Art Institute of Dallas. We will be there for that big accomplishment.

Stay tuned as we update what is going on in Texas.

Paldies!

3-PUNKT CAMP Day 6

Last day of camp!

We were scheduled to start our skill challenges early today but we decided to postpone for an hour or so. The USA men's basketball team is playing Spain in the Gold Medal round at 9:30am so we are going to watch the game on the one (and only) TV that we have.

This has really worked out great. Each coach spoke one day during camp to the entire group about a topic. My talk on Wednesday was on team work. I went into what a makes a great team, sacrifice, goals, team-player concept, etc.  I also spent time comparing and contrasting this year's USA basketball team with the 2004 Olympics team that we sent to Greece. I had a few video clips prepared that we could watch and the kids enjoyed seeing them. It was good to see that what was emphasized for the 2008 team led them to success (team work).

I also spoke on how God wanted them on His team. We run into so many different ideas here about who and what people think God is. I shared with them some of God's real attributes and I hope I was able to encourage them to seek Him. A few of our campers are Christians but only a handful.

As we watched the game, the USA team didn't let me down. It was a great game and the kids enjoyed seeing some of the players that we had talked about on Wednesday.

After lunch, skills challenges and award ceremonies we are headed home. It was a great camp and I know the kids enjoyed themselves. For the first time in a long while, I did not have to worry about taking care of all of the details. I could concentrate on coaching and let someone else take care of all of the other things that go into holding a successful camp of this size. It was definitely nice for a change of pace.

Now, it is good bye to the kids, exchanging emails address and heading home.

An hour by bus to Riga, get to the train station, then two hours by train to Cesis. I'll be home by 8:30pm and maybe Laura will have some good homemade Latvian food for me!

 

Watching the USA - Spain basketball game on Sunday morning...

3-PUNKT CAMP -- I'm Going Pro, Baaabbbbyyyyy!

What a great day!

The Riga Barons men's basketball team is the best pro team in Latvia and compete very well throughout the Baltics (Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania). We knew they were going to send some coaches and players out to the camp on Saturday.

The original plan was for them to come to the camp and demonstrate using their players and coaches. I happened to be working with the oldest and most skilled campers when they arrived. We were running our drills and the pros and coach just stood and watched. After a few minutes one of the camp organizers came over and said that the pros were NOT going to run their drills. I'm shaking my head and said that just doesn't make sense. He said no, YOU are going to take the pro players and our campers and run YOUR drills with them.

It didn't take much convincing to get me to coach pro players! One of they guys was the MVP of the league and is a really good player. The others were good guys as well.

We brought our entire groups of campers to the gym from the other locations and had them watch the skills and drills. Our campers that were running the drills with the pros were, of course, impressed that they were on the same court with the pros. The intensity level picked up to say the least!

We ended the practice segment by scrimmaging using a combination of pros and campers.

Afterwards we were able to play some shooting and dribbling games for smaller kids and then the players addressed the group. I don't know what they said but the kids seemed to enjoy it. Thanks to the Barons for taking time to do this. We appreciated it so much.

I've had the opportunity to coach good high school players. I've even had a few Div. 1 NCAA players that I've been lucky enough to coach. Today was the first time I've had the opportunity to coach pro players on the floor. As I've always said -- "Great players will make an average coach look pretty good!!"

Barons player

Speaking to the campers...

 

Three of the Barons receiving their camp shirts....

 

Latvian professional league trophy...

 

Campers, pros, trophies....

We're practicing celebrating winning the championship!!!

3-PUNKT CAMP - Day 2 & 3

Everything is going fine in Valle. We are beginning to settle into a routine and the campers are picking things up well.

Wake-up is at 7:30 and then we all meet on the soccer field for a game of 'American Bulldog'. It's a good way to get the kids moving and the blood flowing. Basically, the 'dogs' try to catch the 'non-dogs'. If you are caught, you become a 'bulldog'. For an old guy like me, I did plenty of watching. I don't want to have to go to the slimnica for knee surgery!

Next is breakfast in the school cafeteria. Breakfast is different in Latvia but usually good. A 30-minute time for a devotional, encouragement, etc. follows breakfast.

For the rest of the day the players are working on a rotating basis in 5 different areas: 2 trainings, 1 discussion, 1 free sport and 1 physical development. Each session is 1.5 hours so the campers are worked hard.

The older campers stay in a dorm like setting (2 stall bathroom for the entire group -- no showers here, must use the ones in the gym). The beds are former steel army cots but the mattresses are ok if you stack about three together. I've got a couple of soccer coaches as roommates. Limited English, limited Latvian...lots of short sentences and head nods. They don't snore and I'm hoping I don't snore TOO loud!

The younger campers are staying classrooms in the school buildings attached to the gym. The other American here has a young group of 14 campers all in one room. They sleep on the floor. Lots of giggling, farting noises and toothpaste pranks. I think we will work them quite a bit harder tomorrow so maybe they will settle down and sleep tonight. They are really good kids though. We don't have to worry too much about them. In fact, the organizers have brought 16-ounce boxing gloves to settle disagreements!

A few pictures of some activities:

(Liene - plays on girls under 18 Latvian national team)

 

(Daily devotional time)

 

 

Some our younger campers battling it out...

 

(Valle Vidusskola)

3-PUNKT CAMP - Day 1

We have made it to Valle (about an hour from Riga) for the first 3-Punkt basketball camp.  This is a very small, rural community with just a couple of small stores and the rest is the ever-present apartment complexes that are so prevalent in Latvia.

It seems like we will have about 45-50 players from age 10-23. There is also a soccer camp being conducted at the same location and we are sharing training and dressing facilities.

First up for the entire group will be team-building exercises. Each group is given a task and they have to work as a team to successfully complete the activities. It looks like we have some good kids and the leaders have done a good job of organizing.

After supper, my job will be to organize the entire group of basketball players into  try-out sessions so the coaches can evaluate them and put them into the proper skill level groups. I'm off to chow down on potatoes and meat gravy...ata!

 

 

COACHING AT THE PUNK(T) CAMP

I never really thought I would be involved with a 'punk' camp but yes, I am. Actually in Latvian, 'punkt' means point. Next week we start on the last camp of the summer called "3-Punkt Nometne" or "3-Point Camp". I'm really glad to be working with this group because it will allow networking for some athlete/coaching projects that we want to get started in the future.

The camp is hosted by St. Matthews Church but there is also involvement with the Barons, one of the top-division men's pro teams. They will send some of their players out to speak to our campers. As usual, I'm the old guy on the staff but we have 3 or 4 younger coaches that have played or currently play in the Latvian or other European leagues. We have an out-of-the way school that is set-up for this type of camp activity with gyms and outdoor courts.

There's nothing like spending a week working with kids on basketball skills. Basketball: morning, noon and night. I'm looking forward to it; I know it will be a good week in preparing young people physically and most importantly, spiritually.

If we have an internet connection there, I will try to send some updates next week.

 

THE END OF FREE TOILETS

 

In the US, one hardly ever thinks about having to pay to use public toilet facilities. Of course, that is not so in most parts of the world. In Latvia, there are many public water closets (WC) that are pay...usually either 15 or 20 santimes (about 30-40 US cents).

It was with much consternation that when I went to my favorite WC today in Riga that I found it was now a pay toilet. You've got to be kidding me! Not only was this previously a free WC but it was also clean and fully stocked with all of the essentials that a person needs when doing their business.

This WC happens to be in Stockmann's, a large Swedish upscale store that is centrally located between the bus and train stations. There is a also a great grocery store as well as our favorite movie theater. One of our favorite things to do on our day off is to take the train to Riga, sightsee and then take in a movie. Of course, that also includes a quick trip to the fourth floor of Stockmann's for the use of their restrooms. It was free, it was clean, it didn't smell too bad...well, I guess we now have two of three left.

What makes Stockmann's WC better than the bus or train station? A couple of reasons stand out. First, at least in the men's room at the stations, is that the janitorial staff is all women. It doesn't matter if every urinal is occupied and there is a waiting line, the ladies just go about their mopping and cleaning. For me, that just doesn't seem right....I assume after you work around men using the urinals for a few months you just go about your job, but is is still strange for me. The first time I walked in, went to the urinal and then looked up and there stood a lady, I was just kind of like "Whhaaaatt, uh am I in the right room?".

The second part of the whole deal that is strange is that when you pay the lady to go in, there is a roll of toilet paper sitting there on the counter. If you are going to need to use the paper, you unroll the appropriate amount and take it with you. It is sometimes funny to see a 'rookie pay bathroom customer' ahead of you and they are obviously needing to get to the toilet quickly. They throw their money down and head off to the stall and close the door. About a minute later, the door busts open and they go running back to the pay counter to get some toilet paper as there will be none otherwise.

Now the question is whether I continue my loyalty at Stockmann's even though I think they are gouging me...or do I go to the stations and have to avoid the clean-up ladies while I do my business?

Life is never boring in a foreign land....

MACEDONIAN TV - My new best friend

The Olympics...biggest sporting event every four years and here I am with no TV! I can pick up a few free channels on my internet connected computer but I was about to resign myself to read about the Olympic highlights instead of watching them.

Through another blog I found this site: Macedonian TV

It's free, fairly good video stream and I just turn off the sound. So far this morning (Saturday), I've watched some women weightlifters, shooting (do we need to debate if rifle-shooters are athletes?), women's volleyball and men's cycling. I even saw an interview with a Latvian cyclist (but of course, it was dubbed in another language).

So, I'm set for the next few days as long as the internet stays connected and Laura doesn't run me off to check her email.

And the best part? No commercials!!!

COLD SNAP!

This is for all of my Texas friends:

Let's see now, record number of 100 degree days... Austin--105 ... Dallas--101 ...and it's just getting warmed up for August. Yes, I feel your pain!

Tonight at 8:00pm, as I was walking through town the local bank thermometer was pegged at +13! Can you believe 55 degrees on the 5th day of August? Tonight's low is expected to be 47 with a high on Wednesday of 67. It has been a mild summer so far but this is even strange for Latvia.

Stay cool!

WOW...We're buying a car!

Through the incredible thoughtfulness of our friends back in Athens, Texas we are about to buy a car (or van). It is amazing the way that our friends (and even people we don't know very well) have supported us. Loti, liel paldies to all of you!!

We have been here a year and two months without our own car so we know we can survive depending on our own feet. But, it will be so much better if we can help supply rides for others instead of us having to rely on someone else to transport us. Very few of our church members drive to church. With the availability of our car, we can now help transport those that need a lift.

We usually go to one of the three nearby small grocery stores almost every other day. If Laura is cooking for the youth or ladies' Bible meetings, it might be an everyday trip. We can only buy what we can carry, so having a car that we can go to the larger grocery store and buy a week's worth of food will be a time-saver. Also, going to the grocery store every day just offers a temptation to pig-out on the Latvian junk food. With a car, maybe we won't succumb to the tasty (but non-nutritious) food items. Of course, we might just buy MORE since we now can carry it home in one trip!

Next comes the car-buying process. We can't go by ourselves or we will run into the 'rich American' problem very quickly. A couple of the church men have offered to go with us and we have been looking online for a good buy.

Buying used cars anywhere is always a complicated process because everything is negotiable and nothing is guaranteed. For us, it is even more of a challenge this time as we have to try to translate the language, calculate the price not only in lats but also US dollars and convert kilometers to miles. The prices of cars in Latvia are quite high and a large number have been brought in from other countries of the European Union. I'm confident we will find the right vehicle, we just can't get in a hurry or we could be stuck with a lemon.

Here is a typical ad from an online car selling service. This is similar to what we are looking for:

 

Marka : Chrysler Grand Voyager  Izlaiduma gads: 1998 septembris  Motors: 2.4 benzīns  Ātrumkārba: Mehāniska 5 ātrumi

Nobraukums, km: 133 588 Krāsa: Zila  Virsbūves tips: Mikroautobuss  Tehniskā apskate: 07.2009

Aprīkojums: Stūres pastiprinātājs, El. logu pacēlāji, Kondicionieris, Salona gaisa filtrs, Kruīza kontrole

Jumta reliņi, Vieglmetāla diski  Gaismas: Miglas lukturi, Papild. bremžu signāls, Regulējams lampu augstums

Spoguļi: El. regulējami, Apsildāmi, El. nolokāmi  Salons: Roku balsti, Tonēti aizmugurējie logi

Stūre: Regulējama, Daudzfunkcionāla

Drošība: ABS, Centrālā atslēga, Imobilaizers, Air-bag Hi-Fi: FM/AM

Cena: 
4 323 Ls [$9588 US dollars if my calculations are correct]

 

CESIS FLOWER FESTIVAL

Cesis is increasingly trying to lure more tourists to the city. The latest effort was the Flower Festival. Flowers are definitely in bloom here and some of the creations are unbelievable.

Since the city is 802 years old, they also take any opportunity to highlight the castle and its historical importance.

Here are a few pictures from the most recent festival:

 

 

Flower competitions....

Downtown Cesis...

 

Grinding wheat for a noon meal...

 

Three Cesis beauties - Inese, Iveta, Laura

 

There are some big beer bottles in Cesis...

 

Lady Laura in costume....

 

Inese at the Castle...

 

Lucky me...I get to take the fair Lady Laura home!

RUSSIA Day 5

We had originally planned to take the train from Archangelsk to St. Petersburg and then continue  back to Riga, our starting point.

After a few calculations we determined it would take about 26 hours to go by train from Archangelsk to St. Petersburg. Twenty-six hours! Next we figured out that we could fly almost as cheap as we could go by train. Lastly, we determined we could fly for 1 hour and 15 minutes or we could go by rail for 26 hours. I never was very good at math but we quickly decided to forgo a night's stay in St. Petersburg (we'll have to see all of the great sights at some later date) and put the money on the plane ticket.

We had a good flight out of Archangelsk, rode the Metro subway to our train station and then boarded our train for our next to last segment of the trip.

We had two cabin mates this time. The first was a Latvian named Aivars. He is a chief engineer on a refrigerator ship that sails between South America, Russia and Europe. Bananas and other fruit are his main cargo. He had been at sea for 9 months and was looking forward to having 6 months off. He lives in Jurmala, a very pretty sea-side town outside of Riga. He was very interesting guy and could speak a little English so we had some good conversations.

The other member of the group takes this rail connection often as he works in the finance business with banks in Riga and St. Petersburg. It works better than flying for him as he gets into Riga about 9:45am, attends to his business and is on the late train back that same night.

In our conversations, the inevitable "How will Obama do in the presidential race" came out fairly quickly. They didn't understand all of our political procedures but had a fairly good understanding of the presidential selection process. The Russian especially felt that a better two-party system would help his own government and the political process. It is amazing how little we sometimes know about other nations but how much they know about ours.

An interesting note was that we were asking him about the new Russian president. He said he didn't really have an opinion about how good a president he was but that he was a good man. He claimed that his mother and Medyev's mother were good friends and he had known the Russian president since they were small boys. I'll take his word for it.

We arrived in Riga, Latvia at 9:40, caught the 10:00 train to Cesis and I was back in my flat before noon.

I'm tired and a little queasy from the hours on the train but really happy  that I went on the trip. It gave me another look at this culture and how some countries (Latvia) have changed greatly after their years of Communist rule ended, while Russia still has a very long way to go. Parts of Russia are very modern with a high standard of living but there are many other areas that still lag behind on many basics of life.

We were also able to spend time planning with Nicolay about future projects we could possibly help him with and how he is tackling some of the same issues that continue to plague our church and its efforts here in Cesis. He is a committed pastor that works so hard in a place that has to be hard on a person, both physically and mentally. I will write more on my friend Nicolay at a later date.

We give thanks to God that everything went so well on the trip. We had great weather, no sickness, no problems and we know we were strengthened just by our meetings with Nicolay. We hope we were able to help him and we look forward to a great relationship in the future.

Here are just a few random pictures from the trip:

Train cabin #1

 

Red Square

 

Lenin's tomb

 

A fresh grave in the churchyard in downtown Moscow

 

Escalator in Metro (Moscow)

 

Train #2

 

Raking hay,by hand...

 

Don't mess with the policija in Russia...

 

On a warm, sunny day be sure to put your fur coat out to air out.

 

Favorite form of Archangelsk transportation...

 

 

Lenin...

 

 

 

Three good friends sharing a meal together...

RUSSIA Day 4 (Best day yet)

Nikolay asked us to help take a bunch kids to an outdoor museum. Of course, we were delighted to help.

These kids are not in an orphanage but their families are having a hard time coping for a variety of reasons. The kids are removed from the homes and placed in this shelter. They may or may not return back to their homes.

The children were extremely well-behaved and had a great time being outdoors. We were in an open air museum area that had a hundred different types of log cabins, barns, churches,etc. The kids could roam around the area and we also brought volleyballs, soccer balls and a few Frisbees. Steve led the group in the international hit song "Dum Diddy Dum". After a good lunch (see pictures) we loaded up on the trusty number 3 bus and sent them back to the shelter.

Instead of me writing I thought you'd probably enjoy seeing the pictures more:

On the way...seems they are still wondering what we are about.

It was a very cool, rainy day...probably in the mid 50s.

Here we go...beginning to warm up to us a little.

 

 

 

 

 

The entire group.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Getting ready for lunch and telling tall tales...

 

Lunch is a potato, a tomato, a boiled egg, bread and cucumbers (every one has an enameled bowl and cup)

We brought some sausage and cheese.

 

 

 

Here's bus #3, ready to go...

A last prayer and God's blessing on these young people and their teachers....

 

A last handshake....and goodbye. What's next for him?

RUSSIA Day 3

Nicolay picked us up and we headed through Archangelsk to his church's Prayer House. Basically, a Prayer House is a church building that was or is also a private home. Since they have someone that lives on the property they can't call it a church, it has to be a Prayer House. Because it is not a house, the government can tax the property and house. The tax is steadily going up and Nikolay has been able to prove that no lives in the House but to no avail.

We spent the rest of the morning helping to tear out the floor in area that needs foundation repair. It was work that went quickly and we enjoyed being able to do something after sitting so much the previous few days.

The area around the Prayer House is filled with a big garden. The growing season here in very short but with such long days and short nights, they get really good growth. The reward for working the morning shift was a great lunch prepared by Tija and her friend. It was supposed to be like a picnic (we ate outdoors) but we had some great garden fresh food.

Here are a few pictures from the Prayer House and surrounding area:

Prayer House

 

Side view...

 

Tearing out old floor...

 

A friend helping to work on the floor....

 

Nikolay

 

Tija spooning up the soup.....

 

Sausages finished off the main course....you might want to take those casings off before you eat the sausage.

 

Announcement of Sunday service times....

 

Prayer House garden...

RUSSIA Day 2

Finally, we are in Archangelsk. Twenty-two hours on the train. No TV, no lounge car, nothing but some good reading material and a loaded mp3 player.

The world may run out of oil but I can't imagine Russia running out of trees. For literally hundreds of miles you see nothing but forests on both sides of the tracks. I'm talking dense forests. No roads, no barbed-wire fences, no nothing...just trees.

Along the way you might see some small villages but nothing I would really call a town. The train comes through these small hamlets with maybe 10-15 houses. Very few cars, lots of bicycles, no satellite TV receivers, not even anything that looks like a school. It does seem they have electricity close to the tracks but a few blocks away, I can't tell.

The police presence at each stopping point seems to be some type of army personnel. I think it might be hard to keep a policemen in these areas unless you were forced to be stationed here.

A lot of the area is beautiful, especially around the small lakes. Except for cutting wood, I don't know what type of occupations these people would have.

We eat a lot of junk food, drink a lot of tea (they have free hot water!) and keep figuring up how many more hours we have left. You can walk in the hallway outside our cabin but two people can't walk side-by-side.

F-i-n-a-l-l-y, our car attendant comes and tells us our stop is next. Whether our friend Nicolay is waiting or not...I'm getting off this train!

 

Of course, Nikolay is waiting and we jump in his car for a short ride to his apartment. As we ride into town, I'm hit with the realization that I'm a long, long way from Athens, Texas. I've been overseas for more than a year now and have traveled to Latvia each summer for the last six years but Archangelsk, Russia is so much different from what I'm used to.

Archangelsk is very near the Arctic Circle. I know the  winters can be brutal and it shows in most of the infrastructure. The roads are really poor, with lots of pot holes. Most of the people live in 1950 and 60's built large apartment complexes. It is quite literally like stepping back into the 1960's in a lot of ways. There are very, very few private homes and they have a different philosophy about keeping communal or city property mowed. Basically, it doesn't get done.

While the conditions of Archangelsk are tough, the people were great to us. We were treated exceptionally well by Pastor Nikolay, wife Tija and their family. We stayed in his daughter Roxanna's (actually Oxanna?) and her husband Vladamir's apartment. She was a great host and excellent cook! She lives on the eighth floor and if everyone holds their breath, three people can get into the elevator at the same time. We could not have been treated any nicer than by these two young people.

We had no problems when we went out walking around and exploring but I'm sure we stuck out like two Texans in Russia.

Here are a few pictures of some of the people mentioned above:

Nicolay, Steve, Roxanna, Vladamir

 

Wednesday breakfast....good sausages and hot mustard.

 

A good example of most of the housing in Archangelsk.

 

Small playground for the children in the complex.

RUSSIA - Day 1

Steve and I headed out to Riga at 3:00pm Saturday to catch our train to Moscow. We know we will be on this train for about 18 hours....and sharing a compartment with possibly two other people. We've loaded up on food and water, plenty of reading material and I've got a new battery in my mp3 player.

Our compartment mates turn out to be an elderly lady and her son. They speak less English than I do Latvian or Russian. So, we spend quite a bit of time just sitting and wondering what the other person is not-saying.

We really can't go to bed yet (our bench seats are our beds) because the border crossing will be coming up around 11:00 or 12:00. We don't know because we are the only ones that can speak English in this whole car, possibly the entire train.

First, you come to the Latvian border guards. They check passports, papers, etc and are fairly straight forward (of course, we are leaving Latvia). After they have taken care of the entire train (about an hour stopped on the tracks...no one is allowed to move around the train), the train continues onward for about another 45 minutes (just long enough to get drowsy).

We are now ready for the Russian border guards. Same drill but just a little more intense. They take your passport, check everything (visa, etc.) and then radio your name to guy on a laptop computer at the end of the car. First, it was kind of freaky hearing my name in Russian and then I was straining my ears trying to hear what reply came from the computer guy. I was ready to move into Jason Bourne mode at a moment's notice but the guy just said 'Da' and handed me the passport back. He might have seen me tensing up...I don't know but I'm glad an international incident was avoided.

With the paperwork out of the way, we bed down. Top bunks for Steve and me and the Russian/Latvian duo took the bottom. I really didn't think I was sleeping too soundly but sometime in the early morning hours, our suite mates left the train at one of the stops. At least, that's what Steve says.

We made it into Moscow by about 12:45pm on Sunday (around 19 hours if you are keeping score) and of course, our next train does not leave from that station. We tackle the Metro (subway) and head out to Station #2. It is one thing to be in a country and you don't speak the language. But when that country uses an alphabet completely different from your own, you can't even use context clues. Amazingly, we found the next station without too much trouble and stowed our luggage.

After a quick trip by taxi, we we were standing in Red Square. Lots of tourists and we were able to see a few sites on our few hours  off the train. Beautiful scenes in every direction. Lenin's tomb was closed for some reason (do you remodel tombs??) but the State Museum was really nice. Besides Steve, I did not hear one English word spoken until I was in the museum and one of the museum ladies came over and started talking to me. She was upset about something but I thought she maybe just didn't like Texans. I'm just shrugging and grinning at her until a Japanese lady tells me in English, "You can't take pictures in here unless you buy a special ticket." I looked at the Russian lady and said "But everybody else is doing it." I felt like I was back in school making excuses to the teacher ... but she wasn't buying it. I put my camera up.

We made it back to the station, picked up our luggage and got onboard. This train was slightly nicer but for a big man, still a little confining. We kept waiting for our new roomies to show up but we were giving high-fives when the train pulled away and it was just the two of us in compartment #8. It's only about 22 hours to Archangelsk....can we make it?

BACK IN THE USSR

I leave today for several days of travel in Russia. I was approved for my visa on Friday, so we are ready to roll.

My traveling partner this time is Steve Akin and we will be literally rolling to Arkhangelsk, Russia. Rolling as in riding on the Russian railroad.

My Latvian language skills are improving but still have a long way to go. However, when we were buying our tickets I know I heard the lady say something close to "divdesmit piecas stundas" which is 25 hours (one-way). We will be in a compartment that will be shared by two other people for the trip from Riga, Latvia to Moscow and then on to Archangelsk. (click here from Russian map) Arkhangelsk is actually fairly close to the Arctic Circle.

Twenty-five hours in one small space on a train loaded with people that do not speak English. The brochure mentioned microwaves, video TV, dining cars, turn-down bed service, fresh fruit and concierge service. Of course, that is the first class section. Steve-O and I will be back with the common (just like us) people in carriage car number 8 (exactly where the old caboose car would have been). A small bench seat for each of us and then a fold-down bunk will be our home. We've loaded up on hard cheese, cup-of-soup, coffee packets, potato chips and chocolate bars. Steve also bought some salami. I don't know if that will make him a friend or foe with our fellow riders.

So now I'm thinking about what I should hope (and pray) for concerning our compartment sharers. Do we want Russians so we can learn a few words and a little of their culture; but then you have those long awkward pauses where no one knows what to say (or how)? How about a grandmother type that has stocked up on some great food and she is willing to trade some of her home-made delectables in exchange for my fix-in-a-cup soup? It's kind of selfish of me, but I really would like for the young babies to all be in another car but I could certainly enjoy having some cute kids. If my room-mates turn out to be anti-social I've got a few paperback novels to pass the hours. I'm positive we'll have a great time, no matter who we are paired with. (How many other people on the train are hoping they don't get paired with two old guys from Texas???)

Anyway, it will be quite different than an usual airplane flight, stay tuned for details.

We are heading to Arkhangelsk to see if Pastor Nicoli needs help and encourage him in any way possible. The Baptist church in Arkhangelsk has been a sister church to Athens-FBC for quite some time and we value the relationship. Originally, we had intended to make this a joint Latvian-American trip but that will have to be rescheduled for next year.

Please remember Laura as she stays back in Cesis and takes care of the Soup Kitchen, church activities and all of the other daily business requirements.

Labi cau!

I SEE MADONNA LIVE AND IN PERSON!

After planning for several months to travel to Madonna (actually it is spelled Madona), we finally made it yesterday. Steve, Laura, Olegs and I went to look at a church building that Madona Baptist Church is constructing.

They are currently in a two-story house and are erecting this building adjacent to the existing house. Most of the labor has been performed by the congregation themselves. They do not have electricity or restrooms operational but they are already meeting in this new building.

Cesis Baptist Church also has a dream to be in their own building (they currently meet in a Lutheran church). We have had many conversations with both Americans and Latvians on how this congregation can accomplish their dream. They have been meeting in the Lutheran church since 1973 so even though they do not own it, there is still a long tradition of worshipping there.

Can our small church financially support constructing their own building? Should they buy and remodel or build entirely new? How much should American Christians support them and in what way? (funding?; funding, labor and materials?; a combination of these?) The Latvians are seeking these answers as well as answering the biggest question: "Is this what God wants done at this time?" Secondly, which philosophy do they follow? Build it and they will come or they will come and then we build.

The trip to Madonna helped all of us better understand  the technical ideas that will have to be examined. It is going to be a big, big step for this church in which ever direction they choose. Please pray for our entire congregation to have inspired wisdom and to be of 'one mind' when the final decisions are made.

Here are a few pictures from the project at Madona. They still have to finish the interior walls, add flooring, lights, and stucco the exterior. Still they have made really good progress. Unless you have been here, It is hard to imagine how difficult even a project of this size is for a church in Latvia. They are to be commended and admired for their hard work.

Interior (pews can be moved and re-arranged).

This facing where the pulpit would be located.