I love autumn 2 (still over!)

Mezotne Castle and grounds - see commentary in last posting.









Bauska corps: 1. corps officer Ruth with translator Ruta 2. this corps has more traditional programs. One of the things I like (really) is that we sing songbook songs. Here are the songsters singing while I hummed along!



And here's what was outside my window on Thursday morning, even more snow on Friday!

I love autumn (but it's over now)

Last Sunday I visited Bauska and Iecava to observe the cadets preaching. Veronika went along to 'whisper' translate. Cadet Arturs went with us to Iecava and for the afternoon before his meeting in Bauska. Between the 2 towns and the 2 meetings we found a beautiful castle and grounds to keep us occupied for an hour or so.

Here we are in the castle. Note the lovely slippers on our feet.






Here we are in Iecava: 1. and 3. A nice sausage after church 'because we have special guests from Riga!' Evie, Edvins (works at RHQ) and Arturs enjoy it. 2. The woman in the middle is one of my favorite - I love that face and she has a sense of humor, too!



The view out the window of our classroom - made it hard to concentrate!


More pictures later...

a giant and God's love

Do you know that God has a sense of humor? I have no doubt about that. Take today for instance...I started out reading about David slaying the giant, Goliath in 1 Samuel. I was reminded of a sermon that Lyndall Bywater preached last year at our mission and prayer conference about identifying and slaying the giants in our lives. I realized I've been trying to kill a great big giant that is affecting our lives at the training school, in my own strength and wisdom. So, I decided to walk up to it in God's power and kill it! (that's a metaphor, not literally kill anyone or anything!) I mean David even cut off Goliath's head, surely I can be brave enough to face our giant(s) with God on my side. So, I'm ready for battle and I move to my New Testament reading for the day. Yep, it was all about...love! 1 John 4 which says I'm supposed to love others. Hmmm slay a giant and love others all in one day? And you think God wasn't smiling at me as I was trying to sort that out? the truth is that if we would really love each other, the giant would die on it's own.

Today I met with our new regional commanders for several hours. It was their first day at work and they are trying to meet with everyone to get things figured out. I had my own long list of topics to talk about and so did they, thus the long meeting. As well, we all like to talk! Fortunately we had planned to finish our meeting with dinner, so we just kept it going at the restaurant and then the coffee shop. Chris and I plan to try out as many coffee shops as we can so that's going to be fun!

2 Peter 1:3 "His divine power has given me (us) everything I (we) need for life and godliness..."

I've seen the truth of this statement during the last week:
Powerful worship
Responsive people - 9 to the call to officership (that's publicly, a few more in private) and 11 for corps planting
In doctrine class as we finished our lesson on sanctification
Getting to know our new regional commanders, Goran and Chris Larsson
As I found energy and strength renewed each day

I've also held on to the promise of this statement:
Saying goodbye to Henrik and Lisbeth (for them and for us)
Several conflicts occurred at the training center
Lots of miscommunication resulting in me canceling a visit to Daugavpils
Lttle frustrations which added up and left me feeling overwhelmed and ineffective

It was this promise - I have been given everything I need, not just to live but live a godly life - that carried me through and gave me peace and joy. Thank God for His gift!

More pictures from the Mission and Prayer Conference and the farewell:


Darta, important member of worship team


Thanks to Wandsworth team



The Farewell meeting: Prayer and thanksgiving!


And lots of flowers and gifts
The Bauska gang!

A view of the Mission and Prayer Conference I

Just a taste of our wonderful and blessed weekend. I'm not ready to put it into words, that will come later with a few more pictures. (click on pictures for better view) So will the report of the Andersens' farewell...


Worship Team - Cadets Andrejs and Sergejs, Ilona (also conference organizer), Vita and Karina

Sarah - powerful preacher with Dace, master translator

"Latvia for Christ" prays Janis
Ugis, Latvian pastor and another powerful preacher
Wandsworth guests and English-speakers getting translation from Guna

Lukas gets into the worship but Davids has had enough
They even let me be part of the worship team
Evie and Everita
Evie and Vicki from Wandsworth, UK

The tornado called Latvia

I feel like today is the calm in the midst of the tornado. Since Helsinki life has been moving very quickly. Henrik and Lisbeth are less than 2 weeks from leaving, I'm teaching doctrines 9 and 10 (holiness this week), the cadets started individualized field training programs and we have our annual mission and prayer conference this week. That's just the big stuff!

Helsinki was a really good break for me. I met with 5 other training officers from Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark. They are people I have known for a couple of years now and really value their friendship and support. We met to plan a Northern European Cadets Training Course for January. It was tough work, trying to find themes and speakers that would meet all of our needs. What we need in Latvia is not exactly what the cadets in Norway or Sweden need. It would take a long time to explain that but basically it has to do with the difference between a 100+ year old Army and a 15 year old Army. Also, the availability of quality teaching and teachers. In between meetings we also took some walks through Helsinki. We went to one of the most amazing and powerful church buildings I've even seen. It is built into the side of a rock and all of the walls are natural stone. Every part of if is natural - copper, wood or stone. And the acoustics - I would love to play with the CSB in there. We didn't go for a service, just walked around but the atmosphere was moving. I could picture Jesus talking with his disciples or teaching in a place like that. On Friday I met a lovely retired officer friend who I got to know during Brengle in the spring. Osmi is a bundle of energy. We walked, talked and toured through Helsinki (see pictures below) and I enjoyed our time so much. She even graciously walked through the art museum with me, even though she couldn't figure out why some of it was identified as art (me, either!)

The next day we had a day of teaching and prayer. 37 people showed up and it was a great day. I taught a seminar on 'praying around the world'. Of course I had too much material and we didn't pray enough, but still I think it was helpful, for me anyway. Henrik taught about ministering through the Holy Spirit and Ieva and Graeme did a seminar about the Human Trafficking issue. These regional leadership development days are fun for me and people seem enthused about them. I wish we could do them more often, but I just can't fit them in.

I've been out visiting the cadets at their assigned field training corps. Arturs is at Bauska, which is a pretty traditional corps with lots of potential but a small and limiting building. He is one of very few men and certainly one of even fewer young men. The corps officer, Ruth, is very happy to have him there and I expect he will learn a lot from her and the experience will give him a vision for corps development. I like visiting there and really love the young people they do have. Arturs is working with them on Friday nights. Ilona is at Riga 2, where she was for the summer. I believe this is a corps on the verge of something special - Ieva and Ilona (another one) are great leaders and have a real vision for their corps ministry, especially an integrated mission approach. Ilona loves being part of their team and is so excited about what she is learning. I don't think I've ever worked with a cadet so eager to learn all she can and willing to face her own 'issues.' She is a joy to work with. And I also love being at Riga 2 so that's an easy one for me, besides it's just downstairs from my office. Sergejs is continuing his work witht he Russian speaking ministry at Riga 1. They are in transition and Sarah is depending on his help. I went to his Bible Study group, with Dana translating. It was great! There were 7 of them and most actively participated. Some are new Christians, others veterans and then a couple who are seeking. The others tried to help and encourage them. Sveta was my favorite. She works at the corps so I see her every day but not like this. She shared her testimony so passionately that if I wasn't a Christian I would have become one right there. My favorite line "I'm only sorry that I didn't say yes to Jesus sooner." Velta is in Iecava with Aldona. Lisbeth is done with her leadership there and Velta will be helpful to Aldona. I haven't been to visit them yet this fall.

Along with all of this, there are some exciting personal announcements coming out of Riga. Hanna and Patrik have been accepted as cadets in Sweden but are waiting to find out where they will do their training. Sweden doesn't have a traditional training program, so they have to go elsewhere. AND Graeme is applying for training, too, in the UK. Amazing, what the Lord is doing. AND...Zoe is going to have a baby!!!! due in April. That will be fun!

Enough for today, didn't even tell you about all the wonderful things the Lord has been teaching me personally. This week will be our Mission and Prayer conference and Andersen's farewell and the Larssons arrive. Not too much happening. Oh yeah and I'll be teaching about sanctification, too! So, if you think of us - a little prayer would be appreciated.

Pictures from Helsinki

1st a visit to Riga from the Clarks (Tartu, Estonia) - Elizabeth and Peter posing

State Church - Orthodox
State Church - Lutheran

Narrative later...

Can we pray for you?

Next Saturday I'm leading a workshop titled "How to Pray around the World". I'd like to share specific requests for our prayer time. Do you have something specific regarding your ministry, your city/nation, or a personal need that we can pray about on September 30?

Mikos and Edvins are having too much fun!
Best friends (like the Army hat?!)
Linda flys off to Finland and everyone watches!