CESIS: A year in the life of . . .

NEW BLOG SITE ...

2011-10-14T10:40:00.001+03:00

New blog site:

www.wimberley.posterous.com

Thanks for updating your bookmarks!

-Mark-

2010-11-14T21:34:00.001+02:00

New blog site:

www.wimberley.posterous.com

Thanks for updating your bookmarks!

-Mark-

THE TOILET DOOR USING INSTRUCTIONS

2010-09-15T08:56:00.001+03:00

When you live in a foreign country, translations are sometimes a bit difficult.

Most public restrooms are 'pay' toilets. The following photo is from a door in Stockmann's, a department store in Riga.

I'm proud to say that I have not had to 'repeatedly' throw my coins!

LAST DAY OF JULY - 2010

2010-08-01T10:38:00.001+03:00

Here's a few pictures of friends and sights in Cesis, Latvia....

My best friend at our apartment complex...

A Latvian sling shot...

Castle of Cesis...

Everybody likes a free balloon...

Laura's middle name is actually 'Lavonia'...close enough.

A friend of ours from the streets of Cesis...

SUMMER INTERNS

2010-08-01T09:37:00.001+03:00

The last day of July is the first day of the summer that our apartment has not been filled with summer interns and their friends. While our neighbors might be glad for a little peace and quiet, we are definitely missing the activity and happiness that the interns brought us.

Amanda, Thomas and Landry decided to spend their summer in Cesis and we are so grateful for them. They have added much to the outreach programs for the youth in our city and have helped the members of Cesis Baptist Church in so many ways.

Weekly activities included a day camp for the younger kids, youth meetings, worship services on Sunday, individual friendship time and manual labor in helping with the church property remodeling. They assisted with VBS and the construction projects that the team from First Baptist – Athens completed.

They also attended several camps, spent a day at the Cesis Boys’ Prison, took part in a Latvian baptism ceremony, made numerous new friends, shared their testimonies, saved a woman from a railroad disaster, climbed to new heights on apartment roofs, tore down and built up and ate more potatoes than they ever imagined.

God has given each one of these young people many talents and through the work this summer, we believe their eyes were opened to what God may have in store for them in the future.

Throughout our stay in Cesis, we have tried to be aware of the best way to reach out and connect with people of all ages. We can have close friendships with the young people but there is nothing like another young person reaching out and explaining the Gospel to them. They were able to open doors that will allow us to continue the relationships long after they return to Texas.

We are indebted to the families of our interns that allowed them to stay and work with us. We also appreciate the support of Athens First Baptist Church for making this summer a reality.

God always seems to send just the right people, at just the right time to help us minister here. Amanda, Thomas and Landry were the perfect fit for the summer in Cesis. Where does he want to send you?

-Mark & Laura-

For the thoughts and impressions of the interns while they were in Latvia, here are links to their blogs:

Amanda: http://www.trainridesairplanesandboats.blogspot.com

Thomas: http://thomasmoore55.wordpress.com

Landry: http://retiredresistor.wordpress.com/

NIGHT ACTIVITIES - CESIS - July 2010

2010-07-19T19:07:00.001+03:00

The previous posts described some of our activities that our construction team and others from FBC-Athens were involved in. We also changed up how we presented our night activities this year.

In the past we have offered evangelists, bands, concerts, movies and other activities to further strengthen our bonds with the Cesis people. Some of these activities were successful and some weren't.

Since we now have our own facilities, this summer we were able to have very informal night meetings at the church. A light meal was offered, a few icebreakers to get the crowd warmed up and then we had our couples that came from Texas speak to the people. They weren't sharing great theological wisdom or explaining how great their lives were. They just shared their hearts, shared their triumphs and disasters, shared how God has blessed their lives.

We are so grateful that our friends from FBC were willing to open up and be so transparent. The Cesis people were able to see that we are all the same; we have the same problems and the same challenges. We also learned we have the same solution...God.

VASARA BIBLE SKOLA - July 2010

2010-07-19T19:04:00.001+03:00

As we noted in the previous post, we hosted a construction crew from FBC-Athens for ten days during the first weeks of July. Several of the ladies on the trip offered a Vacation Bible School for the local kids. Our summer interns, along with several of the Cesis Baptist youth helped the ladies to create an experience for the kids that they won't soon forget.

Most kids here have no spiritual background whatsoever. Many have never even been inside of a church. As they came to CBC, each day they learned about the basic truths of God and how those truth relate to their life. It was enjoyable watching toddlers working along side of teenagers as they created their crafts, sang songs and just enjoyed being free to enjoy themselves.

We thank everyone that worked on behalf of these youngsters. Here are a few pictures from the week's activities:

CESIS CONSTRUCTION CREW - 2010

2010-07-19T19:00:00.001+03:00

Instead of bringing over a predominantly youth team to help with the basketball camps, this year we decided to host a construction team. In the past year we moved to a new location for our worship and church activities. While we have a lot of space and room to grow, most of the buildings are in need of repair.

This year's team was composed of men and women that have construction skills of various trades. They were able to re-surface the exterior of a storage building, begin the erection of a new fence, prepared a Sunday School room for sheetrock, organized our Clothes Closet ministry and repaired several electrical problems. The men of Cesis Baptist Church very ably remodeled the church kitchen with new cabinets, counter space, sink, faucet, stove and oven.

It was a blessing for us to see the members of Cesis Baptist Church working side-by-side with members from First Baptist Church-Athens. A great amount of work was completed and moves us closer to being able to offer the various ministries to the Cesis community. Many, many thanks to everyone involved.

TOMS' BAPTISM

2010-06-28T21:16:00.001+03:00

We met Toms during our first Cesis basketball camp in 2002. I remember him distinctly because we were writing name-tags and we finally had a name that we knew. Actually his name is not pronounced like Tom but like Twoumms. But, since that time he has been a friend each summer and a great help since we moved here over three years ago.

He now works with his father in Norway but makes it back to Cesis about every 2-3 months. We have watched him mature through the youth groups, camps and just daily living. It is always great when you can see a young boy develop into a young man.

Toms professed his faith in Christ several months ago and was ready for believer's baptism. Yesterday turned out to be a beautiful day and it could not have been a more perfect event.

Toms had many friends, family and church members show up at Araisi Lake for this important celebration. Most churches in Latvia do not have any facilities for baptisms, so when the weather warms up enough, you travel to the lake or river. After singing several songs, Pastor Olegs said a few words and explained the meaning of being baptized and why it is important in a Christian's life.

As Toms and Olegs went into the water, Landry joined them with his guitar and the two sang 'Amazing Grace'. Olegs performed the ceremony and then Landry and Toms sang the chorus again. I had never seen that done before and it really added a lot.

After the presentation of flowers and good-wishes, the entire troop headed over to another beautiful spot for a picnic and relaxing fellowship.

We are sure that Toms will continue to grow as a Christian and spread the Gospel as he works and lives in a foreign country. We need many more young men in Latvia to step up and be the type of Christian that Toms aspires to be.

God bless you Toms.

Araisi Lake...

Olegs addressing the crowd....

Landry and Toms: 'Amazing Grace'...

Pastor Olegs, Toms and the traditional flowers...

I love these trees....

Gaida - my all time favorite Latvian beauty. She is picking these to make a tea for 'nerves and sleep'.

Fellowship picnic...Latvian food and the all the trimmings.

JANI DAY

2010-06-24T10:52:00.001+03:00

Due to the weather, wedding and other unavoidable circumstances the Jani Day celebration was moved to Inese's house instead of the farm. We still had a good time and enjoyed the Latvian traditional food and a few of the customs. We had a good fire and finished the early morning off with Tom's hot-air balloon. Thanks to our good friends for including us.

Annija weaving the traditional flower head bands...

Inese and Iveta...

Inese, Iveta and Iveta...

Food, fire, friends...

Almost 11:30pm...

Laura and her fashion statement...

Ready for launch....

Take off!

This flew for at least 15 minutes, until we couldn't see it anymore...

SIGULDA

2010-06-21T23:10:00.001+03:00

After a good service at Cesis Church, we spent the afternoon in Sigulda. Only a short train ride from Cesis, it has a easy, gentle feel. Our group included our interns, four young people from Cesis and an additional four from Sigulda. Sightseeing in historic churches, ski-lift rides and eating at our favorite cafe kept us busy throughout the day. Landry, our bravest intern, decided to end the day by bungee jumping from the cable car over the Gauja River. Great day with good kids...

LATVIAN GRADUATIONS

2010-06-21T23:04:00.001+03:00

USA graduations: cap and gown; pomp and circumstance; tassels; speeches; marching in and out; tossing caps; hugs and kisses; the banned beach balls; yelling when a family member's name is called; standing up and getting that picture no matter who else you are keeping from seeing their child....

Latvian graduations: formal dress; traditional music (lots of music); traditional dance; drama and music aimed at explaining the theme of graduation; flowers; flowers; flowers; no beach balls; nothing loud, just quiet dignity.

Several of our student friends from our church or that we have coached were graduating this past weekend. Latvian ceremonies are completely different than USA. There are no gowns, just nice dark suits and new dresses. Instead of marching in to the football stadium, the students enter as different classes and then it completely loses any resemblance to American celebrations.

The students in Latvia in most schools keep the same group of students in each class. In other words, if you are in class 'B', then your schedule is the same as all of the other students in 'B' class. The good is that you become very close to your classmates because you are with them several hours each day. The bad is that you really do not know many students very well from the rest of the school. But, for graduation, there seems to be a real closeness with each class and its 'home' teacher.

The graduation on Saturday had four classes - 'A' to 'D'. They each come separately into the large Sports Halle. They all end up on the gym floor where they form a circle. They walk around the gym a few times, adding teachers and school officials on each circle.

At the beginning they also have a short drama depicting the senior class motto. It was odd to see a small boat, a ship's captain in full uniform and his band of sailors doing a traditional Latvian dance. Other dancers in full costume soon entered and joined the dancing accompanied by Latvian folk music. It was odd to us but was certainly enjoyed by the Latvians.

Eventually (about 1.5 hours later) the awarding of diplomas began. Several students names are called, they receive their diploma and then they walk to different areas of the gym floor. At a signal from the director, music begins playing and people pour out of the bleachers bearing bouquets of flowers. Every kind of flower imaginable can be seen. We aren't just talking about the girls; even the boys receive flowers from other boys. Some the students received so many flowers they have to lay them beside their chair just so they can receive more. Along with the students receiving flowers, the teachers also were given many bouquets by the teachers and parents.

It is great watching this tradition but it is just a little bit on the slow slide. The festivities began at 4:00p and they finished right at 8:00pm. There were 144 graduates and each enjoyed a few minutes of glory and plenty of flowers.

We always enjoy seeing culture in action; it was a great afternoon but a couple of things really stood out during the ceremonies:

1- There was absolutely no security present. No policeman, no guards, no school police. Who would even attempt to hold something like this in the USA without armed security. It is sad to think that we can't even have an event celebrating graduation without a dozen policemen around.

2- The graduating seniors acted exactly as you would expect young people to act. No "hey world, look at me!", no embarrassing their parents by their antics, no disrespect to their teachers and administrators. Even after four hours they were still quietly enjoying themselves and displaying the dignity one should have at a service like this.

3- The parents acted better than the students. No pushing or shoving to get that special picture. No screaming and yelling when their baby's name was called. It was just quietly being proud of their child. A very refreshing change, indeed. We heard no air horns, clanging cowbells or 'woo, woo, woo'.

Congratulations graduates of 2010

RIGA PHOTOS

2010-06-14T23:46:00.001+03:00

Here are a few pictures from beautiful Riga. We were visiting the capitol of Latvia while showing the summer interns the major sites.

Puzzled....

Maps...

Smoking frog...

Got a light?

Our favorite bakery and coffee shop....

The legend of the cat house...

Dirty windows...

Funny Russians...

Street musician...

Wedding traditions...

BACK IN THE SADDLE

2010-06-13T20:10:00.001+03:00

We have returned to Cesis from our May trip home. We are rested and ready for the summer work to begin.

Our schedule will be a little different this year. We normally have a team from FBC-Athens come over the first of week of July to help with summer sports camps, youth activities and many other projects. While those activities have been well received we have decided to go in another direction for this summer.

Our emphasis with our youth will be directed by three summer interns from Texas. Two of these, Thomas Moore and Amanda Owen, have been to Cesis previously on the short term mission trips. The third intern is Landry Humphries from Tyler, Texas. These guys will be with us until at least July 12, possibly longer

They will reach out to the Cesis young people through weekly camps, youth fellowships, music instruction, English lessons and just building relationships. We are here to help them and assist them but they are responsible for how the activities will be presented, what is offered and follow-up plans. We have been impressed so far with their work ethic and how strong they are in their own Christian faith. The first week has been great with them and things are going really well.

In early July, we will have an adult group from FBC-Athens visiting in Cesis to work with the Cesis Church on construction projects. They will use their skills to improve the appearance and usability of the Cesis church facility. Finances are extremely tight in all of Latvia and this team will help relieve some of the burden on the Cesis Church.

It's going to be a great summer in Cesis. I will keep you updated as time allows.

--Thomas (Baylor University soph)

--Amanda Owen (SMU soph)

--Landry Humphries (Belmont University junior)

RICHARDSON FBC SENIOR DAYS

2010-05-07T01:31:00.001+03:00

It was our great pleasure to help host a seniors conference this week in Cesis. Richardson FBC has a long history of commitment to the people of Latvia. One of the areas they work with are the senior citizens. They do a great job of reaching out to the most neglected strata of Latvian society, the elderly.

It is hard being old in any country but here a senior is likely to be trapped between economic problems, a changing culture, healthcare that is spotty and expensive as well challenges that have hung on as a result of the oppression years.

The main goal of the conference was to provide hope through Jesus Christ. Personal testimonies were shared, practical advice given and many new friendships were made.

A Texas Celebration was held on Monday night complete with hot dogs, cowboys and lots of ya’lls, howdies and yee-haws. The crowd was entertained with Texas music and a few tall tales. Pastor Ellis concluded the night with a short devotional that was well received.

We hope that the conference becomes an annual event and will grow in numbers as well as scope. It was an honor to help fellow Texans as they reached out to some of Cesis older citizens. We have extended an invitation and hope they return soon. This group was extremely organized and it was evident they had worked hard long before reaching Latvia. The Baltic Pastoral Institute allowed several of their students to attend the conference and they were a huge help.

Pastor Ellis kept a day-by-day account of the Richardson group’s activities and you can read his blog here: http://kerooso.blogspot.com/2010_05_05_archive.html

Next up for us: home to Texas for a few few weeks. Check back soon!

Each day began with music and devotionals…

Tabita provided her expertise on the piano…

Karlis and James spinning a yarn with truth…

Morning conference…

They spit tobacco in Texas?

You couldn’t keep this sweet lady away…she traveled a couple of hours to get to Cesis.

Smiles and laughter…

One of our Cesis men that was involved…

Tommy and Karlis…

Cesis Baptist Church ladies chorus entertained on Tuesday. Great!

AMANTA UPE

2010-04-12T08:19:00.001+03:00

After a good day at church, three of our friends (Ieva, Inese, Agris) took us on an excursion to the Amanata Upe. This river is about 30 minutes from where we live. The snow has just about completely melted which has caused high water and flooding in some areas. This makes for some good river running and there were plenty of people on the Amanta.

The river had actually dropped a few feet from earlier in the week but there were still plenty of rapids, white water and hidden granite boulders to cause trouble. The water temperature was about 3-4 C (around 35 degrees Fahrenheit) and we saw quite a few people go into the water.

Our church is planning a rafting excursion late in the summer. I'm hoping the water will be warmer and a bit smoother by then but the rivers in Latvia are beautiful year-round.

Ieva, Inese, Agris....

ENGLISH LESSONS

2010-04-03T12:26:00.001+03:00

English is the universal language in Europe. With so many different nations as members of the European Union there is an ease of traveling and working among the countries that have varied languages. Most of the Latvians see an advantage of learning to speak English if they are going to work in Norway, Sweden, Iceland or Ireland. If you are seeking a job in a foreign country you almost have to know the native language or understand English.

Laura has recently begun teaching English lessons again. We offered the lessons when we first came to Cesis but for a variety of reasons they got pushed to the side. After numerous requests, the activities schedule was altered and we now have the lessons on Wednesday night at the church.

Two classes are offered. Vocabulary training is given for the most basic learners with an emphasis on increasing the students' basic word comprehension. The second class works a little deeper and gets into the complexity of English grammar.

After being in the classroom for almost 30 years, Laura is a natural teacher standing in front of her students. (Have you ever practiced learning the days of the week by singing the Addams' Family theme song?) The students range in age from an upper high school student to a lady in her fifties that just wants to improve her speaking ability.

The classes are a great way to foster church fellowship and cooperation among the members. We are thankful we have our own building now so that we don't have to plan everything around someone else's schedule and pay a rental fee. English lessons from a private tutor can be quite expensive for someone already on a tight budget. We are glad to be able to offer this instruction at no cost.

Here are a few pictures of the grammar group in action from last week's lesson:

The ladies seem to be interested in what the men are doing...

The door prize winner!

Word games and intently using the dictionary...

These are very motivated students...

Everybody gets involved...

BIRTHDAY

2010-03-22T19:22:00.001+02:00

It was our good fortune to be able to help Lukas celebrate his 11th birthday on Sunday. As usual, his mother Inese served a nice meal and a beautiful cake.

While I was hoping for some TV viewing of the NCAA basketball tournament action, we settled for the biathlon and some curling (I'm not kidding!). We had a great time and enjoyed the company of good friends.

Happy birthday, Luke!

Agnese, Emija and Inese with the birthday songs....

Cake, salad, pork cutlets, mushroom gravy, potatoes, cream ... just part of the meal.

The chef getting it all ready...........

There is no blowing this candle out!

WINTER IS STILL HERE

2010-03-06T21:07:00.001+02:00

March is on the calendar but we are still 'enjoying' the fruits of winter in Cesis. We had a lot of snow earlier in the week but today was bright and sunny. Sunny days don't mean warm days as it only got to about 25 degrees.

All of these shots came from our apartment window or on the short walk to our church.

Full size baby carriages are still used almost exclusively...

Heavy, wet snow...

Ski-walking....

Making a trip to the grocery store...driving can be tricky if you are from Texas.

Snow formations...

Frost crystals...

St. John's Lutheran Church - Cesis

Finally....some sun!

Snow on the hedges...

Beautiful Latvian girl from Texas...

MISC.

2010-03-02T18:21:00.001+02:00

Due to the weather we aren't getting a lot accomplished. So, here are a few random pictures from the last few days:

Tabita and Agnese working with the children's choir....

There are some good voices in this group....

I wish I could sing....

Another storm moved in last night...lots of blowing snow...

Laura headed to the veikals (store)....

SUNDAY SNOW

2010-02-21T20:36:00.001+02:00

Lots of snow on Saturday so we had to walk to church on Sunday. Here are a few pictures:

Yak-Traks...never leave home without them.

If you don't dig out your car every day or so, this is what happens.

I tried to get Laura to pull me but she wouldn't go for it.

Local sled hill for the neighborhood...

The street to our church...

Three of my favorite women in Latvia...

Sisters...

This is NOT our church...but it is a beautiful building.

WHEN THE ROLL IS CALLED UP YONDER

2010-02-21T20:33:00.001+02:00

Today was another one of those times that causes a shake of the head.

One of my grandmother's favorite songs was "When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder". I can still hear her singing and humming along as she went about her daily chores when I visited her home. Sitting next to her in the little country church of New York, Texas I heard that old hymn sung with a lot of gusto.

Today we sang that same hymn in Cesis, Latvia. The words might be translated slightly different in Latvian but the tune is identical. As I gazed out the window on a very different landscape than Texas, I couldn't help but realize how fast my life has sped by.

What happened to that little boy sitting with his Mam-ma in church and listening to the grown-ups sing? Where did the years go?

Life on this earth is so short; the Bible says it's just a vapor. We struggle daily to amass fortunes, build empires, manipulate circumstances and worry about where we are going to get enough money to buy the next new I-gadget.

The real question is "When the roll is called up yonder will YOU be there?"

When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound, and time shall be no more,
And the morning breaks, eternal, bright and fair;
When the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.

Refrain

On that bright and cloudless morning when the dead in Christ shall rise,
And the glory of His resurrection share;
When His chosen ones shall gather to their home beyond the skies,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.

Refrain

Let us labor for the Master from the dawn till setting sun,
Let us talk of all His wondrous love and care;
Then when all of life is over, and our work on earth is done,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.

Refrain

When the roll, is called up yon-der,
When the roll, is called up yon-der,
When the roll, is called up yon-der,
When the roll is called up yonder I’ll be there.

FRANKLIN GRAHAM

2010-02-20T15:55:00.001+02:00

WINTER WEATHER

2010-02-20T07:46:00.001+02:00

The snow and winter weather have really slowed our activities. With nothing new to report, here are a few more pictures of Cesis and the winter weather.

CESIS vs ATHENS

2010-02-15T19:43:00.001+02:00

Our hometown of Athens, Texas had a snow day last week. We thought we would post a few photos for comparison. All of these are from Cesis, Latvia.

From last Friday...snow showers.

Always beware of the icicles!

Front of Sports Halle....

Snow dog of Cesis....

Our favorite outdoor cafe (in the summer!)...

The road to our apartment...

The sidewalk to our apartment...

Who is this beautiful Latvian-American woman that keeps showing up in my photos?

ECONOMIC CRISIS

2010-02-08T13:17:00.001+02:00

Here's a very realistic view reported by the BBC of the current economic crisis in Latvia.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8496925.stm

[Thanks to Latviagirl for the link!]

WEATHER CONDITIONS

2010-01-19T04:56:00.001+02:00

We will return to Latvia around the first of February. Along with trying to get everything accomplished in Texas that needs attention we are also keeping an eye on the Latvian weather.

Here is the forecast for the next few days:

Tuesday

Hi: 10° Lo: 7° Very Cold

Wednesday

Hi: 16° Lo: 9° Very Cold

Thursday

Hi: 10° Lo: 1° Very Cold

Friday

Hi: 5° Lo: 0° Very Cold

Saturday

Hi: 7° Lo: -2° Very Cold

Sunday

Hi: 7° Lo: -2° Very Cold

Monday

Hi: 10° Lo: -2° Very Cold

By the way, as we were driving back from Austin today it was 68 degrees!!

Am I ready for a big change?

LATVIANS IN TEXAS

2009-12-18T06:59:00.001+02:00

It has been our great pleasure to host three of our friends from Cesis, Latvia for the past 10 days. Pastor Olegs, Tarmo and Tabita have had a great time seeing the wonders of Texas. They often hear us talking about events in our church or town, but by experiencing these things in person they understand the uniqueness of small town USA.

We kept on a non-stop schedule while helping them to experience a variety of activities. Tarmo and Tabita participated in the ‘Christmas In The Park’ presentation as well as providing music for a Sunday School Christmas party. We made trips to Dallas, Waco, Georgetown, Tyler and a few points in-between. They rode four-wheelers, shot skeet, toured a working ranch, ate fajitas, shopped outlet malls, visited Baylor University, participated in church services, viewed a Christmas parade and enjoyed the hospitality of the greatest people in Texas.

The point of the visit was not to just brag on what we have in the USA. It was designed to further strengthen the relationship between Cesis Baptist Church and First Baptist Church-Athens. We know that was accomplished, and we look forward to continued cooperation between Athens and Cesis.

None of this could have been accomplished without the great support of First Baptist Church-Athens and the numerous people that shared their homes and lives with the Latvians. We send many, many thanks to those that allowed these three to stay in your homes. For those of you that provided meals, we were so glad they had an opportunity to experience home meals and not have to rely on restaurant food to experience the taste of Texas.

The Latvians will never forget your kindness and friendship during their visit. Thank you for helping to make their trip so rewarding.

Arrival at DFW

Sunday School party…

Tarmo and Tabita…

At the fish hatchery…

Visiting Baylor with Thomas…

The Bear…

A benefactor provided cowboy boots…

Thanking two of their hosts…

Sunday performance…

Shirley and Tabita four-wheeling…

Visiting with one of Texas’ finest…

RAINBOWS

2009-11-16T23:28:00.001+02:00

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

2009-11-15T15:30:00.001+02:00

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

2009-11-01T23:42:00.001+02:00

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

IT IS DOWN!

2009-10-13T09:37:00.001+03:00

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

2009-10-12T16:31:00.001+03:00

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

2009-09-12T20:29:00.001+03:00

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

2009-09-06T21:10:00.001+03:00

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

2009-08-15T20:24:00.001+03:00

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

2009-08-08T21:06:00.000+03:00

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)

2009-08-03T10:08:00.001+03:00

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

2009-07-26T23:47:00.001+03:00

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

2009-07-23T07:27:00.001+03:00

SECOND CAMP - UZAVA

2009-07-17T21:26:00.001+03:00

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

2009-07-15T22:38:00.001+03:00

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

2009-07-13T06:49:00.001+03:00

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

2009-07-10T21:32:00.001+03:00

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

2009-07-09T06:48:00.001+03:00

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

2009-07-07T07:08:00.001+03:00

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

2009-07-05T22:53:00.001+03:00

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

2009-07-05T09:19:00.001+03:00

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!

2009-07-02T21:39:00.001+03:00

JANI CELEBRATION

2009-06-24T23:37:00.001+03:00

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

2009-06-23T12:49:00.001+03:00

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!

2009-06-14T20:57:00.001+03:00

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

2009-06-14T06:44:00.001+03:00

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

2009-05-08T10:00:00.001+03:00

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

2009-05-01T23:22:00.001+03:00

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

2009-04-25T09:51:00.001+03:00

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

2009-04-23T22:25:00.001+03:00

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

2009-04-17T17:27:00.001+03:00

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

2009-04-11T22:30:00.001+03:00

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!

2009-04-08T23:26:00.001+03:00

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!)

2009-04-07T11:39:00.001+03:00

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

2009-04-04T10:44:00.001+03:00

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

2009-03-25T21:58:00.001+02:00

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

2009-03-18T18:31:00.001+02:00

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

2009-03-18T01:18:00.001+02:00

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

2009-03-14T14:34:00.001+02:00

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

2009-03-10T00:08:00.001+02:00

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

2009-03-01T23:04:00.001+02:00

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

2009-02-28T22:13:00.001+02:00

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

2009-02-28T21:52:00.001+02:00

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

2009-02-24T22:53:00.001+02:00

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

2009-02-23T00:14:00.001+02:00

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

2009-02-12T23:58:00.001+02:00

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

2009-02-12T23:03:00.001+02:00

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

2009-02-07T14:48:00.001+02:00

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

2009-01-28T21:26:00.001+02:00

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

2009-01-26T19:39:00.001+02:00

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!

2009-01-26T19:01:00.001+02:00

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

2009-01-22T17:26:00.001+02:00

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

2009-01-04T05:05:00.001+02:00

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

2009-01-02T23:59:00.001+02:00

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

2008-12-14T20:44:00.001+02:00

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

2008-12-14T20:18:00.001+02:00

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

2008-12-14T20:03:00.001+02:00

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

2008-12-08T16:14:00.001+02:00

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

2008-12-06T22:28:00.001+02:00

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!

2008-12-01T17:57:00.001+02:00

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!

2008-11-23T16:33:00.001+02:00

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

2008-11-21T14:36:00.001+02:00

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.

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.
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.
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).
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).
Don't forget to bring the firewood in every day ... or your wife gets really aggravated walking through snow at night to the woodshed.
Snow is soft, its the concrete underneath that is hard.
Snow tires, snow tires, snow tires
Get over the idea of having a big, steaming hot, spicy bowl of Texas chili. It just isn't going to happen.
If your wife is not sure-footed, go with the Yak-Traks.
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!

2008-11-16T23:47:00.001+02:00

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

2008-11-11T20:43:00.001+02:00

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: