Field training in Seda, Drusti and Liepa

Last weekend was our first extended field training experience. 4 cadets, Solveiga and I drove through horrible Riga Friday afternoon traffic (with someone giving me directions for the quick, back route in Latvian - it wasn't quick and while I do know left and right - pa kresi, pa labi - I don't know many more Latvian driving words!) Finally, we were on our way to Skangal, where we were staying for this weekend of meetings in Liepa and it's two outposts, Seda and Drusti. Lieutenants Inga and Janis are the corps leaders and have been asking me since the day I met them, to come to their outposts. First, a bit about the trip. The cadets wanted to practice singing the worship songs they would use for the various meetings - 3 in Latvian and 2 in Russian. Singing wouldn't be at the top of their giftedness - yet! Solveiga and I listened and smiled, I pounded rhythms on the steering wheel until I finally had to stop the CD and give them a little voice lesson. The great thing is they listened and immediately improved! Wish that had worked for me at CMI. They really want to be able to sing well and to lead congregational singing. They try so hard. Here they are practicing that evening at Skangal (they practiced for hours until I told them 'enough!') We laughed and had a really nice bonding experience.

Saturday morning we were up for united breakfast. They don't understand those of us who aren't morning people and would rather be alone for the first hour of the day - so I had to pray for a joyful morning spirit! And again, we did have good fellowship. We set off for Seda on very bumpy back roads. I followed Inga and would never be able to return on my own. As we drove into Seda, it felt like a movie lot. All of the apartment buildings looked the same. Not the big Russian style, but 3-4 story yellow stone buildings. And the town felt empty. I felt darkness and sadness there. We went to one of those buildings and into a first floor flat which Pestisanas Armija uses for soup kitchen and weekly services. Anna (picture below) lives there and cares for the program. Inga and Janis do the services. There were about 20 people seated around 2 long tables. One mom with 3-4 teenage children and the rest mostly older people or people who looked old because of alcohol and a very hard life. But, they wanted to be there and not just for food. When the cadets sang the Russian songs, many of them tried to sing along and several were weeping. I wished I could have talked with them and prayed with them. Most of the people in this town came from Russia hoping for work, but there is no work in this village. So, they are stuck there with no hope and no future. The cadets are still very disturbed about what they saw and heard. Hopefully, they will get a vision for what can be done to provide hope and salvation in that town and the many, many more like it in Latvia.

After a hard 2 hour drive we arrived in Drusti. These outposts are not in suburbs of Liepa, the corps leaders make a real sacrifice to keep these going. Drusti is a much more hopeful place. The Army has an old building, which has possibilities if money could be found for repairs. And when we have more officer/leaders in Latvia, this could be come a full-time corps. The people are lively, bright and there are some who are committed to help. They just need a leader. Saturday was a long day and on the way back to Skangal, it was quiet. That morning I had read from Psalm 143 "Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning" and we had been singing all day in Latvian about God's mercy and love which is new every morning. It wasn't morning, but evening and God didn't speak audibly but he spoke visible through the most beautiful sunset and surrounding sky - the colors were bright and awesome. I could only thank God for the visible evidence of His love and faithfulness through his creation. An 'aha' moment for me. When we got to Skangal, all we could do was sit around a table and eat junk food. I brought Uno Attack hoping we could play, but that required too much energy! And the time was changing, so we had to get up an hour earlier. Fortunately, Sunday's drive was only 15 minutes. We had such a nice time with the Liepa corps people. The cadets led a great meeting and at the end many people came and prayed, some asking us to pray with them. After the morning service, the kids arrived for Sunday School. Since the cadets haven't had much experience with children, I took that assignment. We had fun acting out the story of David being chosen by Samuel and then meeting Goliath. Then we were on the road, after a quick lunch in Cesis, home for a quiet evening before classes on Monday! Thank God for His presence and His blessing!