The keys to the city.
We arrived by ferry coming from Finland to Latvia on April 9th.
The first afternoon we arrived the weather was nice and warm. Something we all have been without since experiencing winter in France and even spending some colder past weeks in Sweden and Finland.
We checked in to our hotel and dropped our bags on the 6th floor. (what a hike with the stairs) We then all shed our winter clothes and walked over to our contact's (Anna's) apartment where we were greeted with dinner and a whole history lesson on Latvia.
It was incredible just learning about this whole nation the first day we arrived it really helped me gain a bigger understanding and a heart for Latvia. Hearing about all that has gone on in the last 100 years, Latvia being taken over Russia and then Germany coming and over taking the country from Russia during World War 2.
Many of the native people of Latvia were forced out of their own homes and farms never able to return to their own land.
We even heard about how once the World War was claimed as over Latvia wasn’t even really able to celebrate with the rest of Europe because of communist Russians still residing in the country so much. Even to this day many of the people that live here in Riga Latvia speak mostly Russian..
{If you're like me and love learning about world history I would defiantly read into all that happened in Latvia just during the last 100 years}
We have been so welcomed here in Riga with so many opportunities in this city each day has been fulled with evangelism or ministry.
Our contact Anna has been wonderful at getting us connected with different opportunities as she herself is apart of "YWAM Riga".
Backstory on how God speaks through prayer.
Before coming to Latvia we prayed as a team and asked God for a strategy on what we should do once we arrived here. (The YWAM base in Paris has never sent a team out to Latvia before, So we didn't have connections where we were going.)
While we were praying one of the girls got a vision of a big key ring, with many keys on the ring. She explained that she felt like God was saying that we would have many options with ministry and He would show us one person with all the keys to the city..
The next thing we know my sister Emily finds out one of the guest speakers from her DTS a few years ago is currently living in Riga and was apart of YWAM. Anna has been able to connect us with SO many of theses amazing opportunities during our time here.
Proverbs 16:3
Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.
Ministry in Latvia!
We have been able to work with a ministry called “Freedom 61”
They have a cafe and housing ministry for women that are involved in sex trafficking.
They have a cafe that they invite the women to come in off the streets and get free coffee and have conversations with them. They also offer housing to some of the women who want it where they have programs and community and a safe place for the women to grow in.
One of the nights we were able to partner with them in prayer walking around the area when the cafe was open, and praying over the conversations that they were having with the women during one of the nights.
We were also able to work with them in making cookies and soup for cafe.
It's really inspiring what these women do who work full time in Freedom 61. They have been able to really impact many lives of women working on the streets and see complete transformation in some of them. I am so touched at the work that they pouring out light into such darkness.
We have done lots of street evangelism as well, we have been lucky to have a lot of sunny spring days here so lots of locals have been out in the parks.
One conversation that was really eye opening for me was meeting some locals in front of the “freedom monument” in Riga.
I noticed them from a far because they were holding Latvian flags and taking a group photo.
Once I approached them I actually ended up taking more of their group photos and afterwards had asked them why they were doing it.
A younger girl approached us from the group and she translated from another elderly lady. Saying that they were sending these flags and the photos to Ukraine.
The young girl then continues to tell me some about the history of the country of Latvia and about their freedom monument we were standing in front of and how its survived even through lots of war in this city.
She then was translating more of the elderly lady’s story.
She shared with us that when she was a very young. Russians killed her father and they beat and kicked her mother. I don’t remember much after that because this story of the war in Latvia was coming to life for me as she shared about growing up during the occupation. I started to cry a lot not meaning to do so. I started to see the city the way that she was describing it. I couldn’t begin to imagine what living though some of the things this lady has experienced in her life.
She noticed I was crying hearing her story and reached out an gave me the biggest hug. Saying in broken english it’s okay its okay but I really hate Russia.
She was so honored and touched that I was so moved by her story. I was able to ask them if I could pray for both the young translator girl and the older women, and they both allowed me to.
Afterwards I handed them both verse’s we had written in Latvian of scripture.
I was able to share with the young girl some of the gospel on how God didn’t create this world for war and destruction.
This just some of the stories I have encountered here on the streets in Riga. I really love the people here, they mostly keep to themselves but once you engage in conversation with them they are pretty open to hear what you have to say. Most of the time they just want someone to talk with or someone to just listen to them.
We have also been able to help partner with some bible studies and youth groups.
ministries called "campus crusades" and "agape ministry".
As well as "wings for wheels" spending time with people with disabilities and handicap needs. We have also helped out in local churches with feeding soup to the homeless of Riga.
My team even got an opportunity to bless the "YWAM Riga" base in providing a video and photography for them to use and better promote on their website.
{Check out the video below}
Prayer Requests
-For our travel into the country of Belarus this coming Monday.
-The people of Belarus, that they would be open to whatever evangelism we do.
-Financal support. I am still fundraising for supporters as I am now in missions full time.
Thank you for all you're prayers, love and support!
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