Everything Must Go

I can not believe it is that last day of July. Wow! It seems it should be mid-June, rather than August. Life post-Latvia is going pretty well. I dove head first back into work, and that is quickly coming to an end (August 9th ish). If you haven't heard I'm sorry to be the one to tell you, but Borders (the book store) is going out of business. This is a real bummer, especially for us San Antonians because it is the major bookstore here. I even went for it and got the Borders + membership for 20 bucks a year about four weeks ago. Poop. Well everything must come to an end someday, and Joe & I (along with our family members) have been taking advantage of our perks for as long as we can. Our dinning table is now covered in new books! Yay! Who doesn't love to get a new book. We got novels, cook books, religious books, art books, etc. For the last time until October we spent the weekend in Houston. We chilled with family, ate dinner with good friends, and while Joe went to the art museum, I went to... Borders. My dad and I would go to the Barnes and Noble on Post Oak pretty regularly while I was growing up. Both my parents love to read, and I have thankfully inherited this trait. There are only a few things that bring me greater pleasure than getting lost in a good book.  Perhaps one of them is going to a book store with my parents.

This is only after our first trip. We have been back twice since.

Latvia 2011 Wrap Up

I have been back in San Antonio for nearly two days now. The time after Latvia is always an adjustment. I have experienced God in a mighty way, and thankfully my thinking is a little bit different as well as my actions. My biggest fear is that I will not change at all- that I will easily enter back into my comfortable American life and act as if nothing has occurred. This trip has caused me to really think about "what am I doing" for the Kingdom on a daily basis. When I look at some people around me and the decisions they are making I am finding myself thinking "I hope I don't come across that way". There needs to be no doubt of what God I serve.  Now, this could become a real stronghold if I allowed myself to judge them etc. "Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone".  So now begins the journey of change.  It was such a wonderful trip. I believe we had 10 salvations just in our two VBS groups. God is so good.   We were stretched, and are changed.


Here are some pictures from our week in Ziedkalne:

Huge bowl of beet soup.

 Our VBS group. Please notice the basketball in mid-air.

Liene came to visit!

Some men who my dad was speaking with after the Wednesday night service.

Sweet Aija. 

Latvia 2011 Day 13

Well we are back from Ziedkalne. We had a wonderful week there. I will write more about it when I get home on Sunday. Crazy. Some of my favorite girls are here: Agrita & Liene. We are going to be girls again. Seen you in the states!

Latvia 2011 Day 8

                            

I can't believe that we are already more than halfway finished with our trip. It is crazy how quickly time flies. Tomorrow we leave early in the morning for Ziedkalne. Unfortunately I will not be able to blog, facebook, twitter, etc. while there. It is a small town where we have also been working since 2001. I thought I would wrap up this past week in this blog post. I haven't shared many details because of how busy we have been.

 These are two girls at the youth night on Wednesday.

This is Ruta, the former pastor's daughter. Gotta love UNO!

Agrita made bracelets with the girls. They loved it!

 

 These are all of the girls from VBS. They are so precious to me. Six of them accepted Jesus as their savior on Thursday.

Parent's night. (Friday)

Some of our wonderful boys. Please pray for them!

 

 Just one of the beautiful kids we got to love on.

 

 The little girl above to this picture. I just thought it was funny.

 

Raimonds & Agrita's house. It looks amazing!!

 

It was such a wonderful week! God did so much in our hearts, as well as the kids. I know this week is going to be just as good. Thank you for your prayers and encouraging words. Talk to you on Friday!

                                                                                                                       

Latvia 2011 Day 7

Today was our annual trip into Riga to buy souvenirs. It is always fun to see what has changed, and what is wonderfully the same. We shopped till we dropped and met our dear Liene Svoka at the airport. She is just returning from a six month mission trip to Bolivia. I haven't seen her in two years (how has it been that long?) but it is like not time has past. This has to be one of my favorite things about Latvia and the people here. There is something so special about the bond you share with people whom you have served along side of. Tonight after we returned from Riga, we met Galina, Nora, Arturs, Arturs R., and his bride to be Inta for dinner. We had a fantastic evening full of great food, and lots of laughter (Liene- Agrita and I were so wishing you were there!). It was a very full day, and I'm so looking forward to being in our church and seeing the church body!

There is usually one kid in particular I get attached to. This is Brunis. Please pray for his salvation. I wish I could hide him in my suit case.

 

Latvia 2011 Days 5, 6

Wow! The past two days have been quite full! VBS ended well, parent's night went pretty good, and we had awesome pizza tonight for dinner with Billy, his wife Gita, Agrita, and Raimonds Locs. I am exhausted and promise I will do at least one more blog before we head to Ziedkalne on Monday. Love from Latvia.

Latvia 2011 Day 4

Wow. Today was exhausting. I don't have much to say tonight (or pictures to share), but please pray for the strongholds on these youth to come down. They are so hardened. Tonight we had youth night, and it ended with the boys acting the fool. I can't really explain, but eventually we got them to go home. They need Jesus so badly. It is good. We are good. God is stretching us. Praise, glory, and thanks to the One who is able.

Latvia 2011 Day 3

Today was our second day of VBS. It is going really well for the most part. My dad and I are working with the youth and most of them are in the middle school age range. So it goes without saying that they require patience and unconditional love... especially the boys. I have to say though, it is much easier for me to do these two things now than a few years ago. Today after VBS we had a prayer time with all of the workers and I had a good cry. My heart (more than ever)  is breaking for the life our kids are choosing. I have no words for them, but thankfully God does. After preparing for tomorrow's lesson, we took a walk around Jelgava. There are lots of new and renovated things to see and it was great. I got some awesome 'Jelgava souvenirs', and we had a very good meal at Cili Pica (a pizza type place). God is good and neither of us have been experiencing serious jet lag. Although I'm quite awake for it being 11:23 in the evening. Oh well. I will sleep on the plane. We miss you all and speak of you often. We talk about the 'old days': staying up till 2:00, walking to the phone booth, getting sugar high off LV Coke-Colla, Jo-Jo marshmellow, showers stopping and walls falling... the question game... I could go on and on. Enough nostalgia, it is time for bed. Here are some pictures from today.

Latvia 2011 Day 2

Numa, the entertainer.

Snack Time

Crafts...

Fellowship with a dear friend :)

Too tired to type more. Much love.

Latvia 2011 Day 1

We are finally here! It is nearly fifteen till 10 in the evening here, and this is my last stop before bed time. All of our flights went great, with the exception of our flight from San Antonio to Atlanta. We were nearly 30 minutes late and were those people running through the airport. Praise the Lord we made our flight just in time, as did our bags! We arrived in Riga around 2:15 and headed strait to Jelgava for the VBS carnival that began at 5:00. It was so wonderful to see familiar faces and meet & love on some new ones. Tomorrow is our first day of VBS and I'm super pumped. When you think of us pray: that we would not think of the number of kids we are ministering to, rather that we would be like the angels &    celebrate over one, for physical energy & emotional strength, and of course that the Lord would do a mighty work here. It is wonderful to be back. My heart is too full for words. Here are some pictures from this afternoon:


Of course we had to get ice cream asap. Notice Agritaš brand. :)

My dad with Pastor Peter. He was the pastor at Jelgava Baptist when we first began our trips.

Carnival Games

My mom has a picture with this little boy on her shoulders in 2005 (at  the   orphanage, mom).   It is amazing to watch the kids grow up.

I will do my best to post again tomorrow. Thank you for your prayers! We can feel them.

In His Service,

Travel Day

The day has finally arrived. We (my dad and I) leave today at 1:09, and after three 'short' flights we should be in Latvia around 6:30 am central time (2:30 pm there time).  I am so excited and so thankful to the Lord for allowing me the opportunity to go to Latvia again. I wish I could push the fast forward button and stop at tomorrow at 6:30, but alas I can not. I hope to post every day while I'm there. At least a picture or two. We shall see.


If you think of it please lift us up in prayer while we are there. I will post specific needs I'm sure when I know them. For today: that we would have safe and care free travel.







In His Service,

Theme Song

This song has been ringing in my ears when I think of our trip to Latvia. 

Preperations

My trip to Latvia is drawing near. Four days to be exact. Naturally I am beginning the process of packing, making lists, and checking them twice. One aspect of a mission trip that is different than say, a vacation to the Keys, is I have to think of something to say to the youth I will be working with. Thankfully I have nothing (really) to do with what I say, the Lord has everything to do with it. Usually it is very easy for me to share where I'm at, because I'm at where they're at. Not so much this time. To them, I will be an adult. Weird. I was thinking and praying about the verse I would focus on, and I felt this is where God is leading me:

Proverbs 4:23

"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." NIV

More later. Hope you had a terrific Tuesday!

Memories were Made

Like they say, "All good things must come to an end." This past 'spring break' was one of the best yet! My dear masa (sister) Sandra and her husband Time came to Texas for the week. I will blog more about it and post more pics later, but one of the highlights was our annual 'Latvia get together' at Janie Neighbor's house. My dear friend Agrita was also in from Latvia. It was the biggest get together we have had in a while, and I loved catching up with people (some of whom I hadn't seen in years). God is good! Of course it was the last thing of the week and was followed by a tearful goodbye the next morning. I always cry.  Joe and I got our new camera so we were able to take lots of pictures at the party. Yes, we are now those people. Looking forward to a beautiful (hot) spring here in San Antonio.


Happy Spring,

I have an announcement!

About two or so weeks ago a friend from Latvia contacted me and expressed that our home church there, Jelgava Baptist, was in need of assistance for VBS. Immediately my heart leapt, but I didn't think it would be possible for me to go this summer. Of course it was on my mind and I told my dad and we both began to pray. After a bit of deliberation, flight checking, etc. we made our final decision: we are going to Latvia this summer.  I still can't believe it. I couldn't be more overjoyed! If you know me at all, you know that at any given moment a corner of my mind is in my sweet Latvia. We could of course use more help so if you feel the Lord calling, join us! 

 "Then I heard the voice of the lord saying, 'Whom shall I send, who will go for us?' and I said, 'Here am I, send me!' "

Isaiah 6 v 8

Isaiah 6:8

This blog post has been brewing inside of me. So, I thought it was time to pour. It makes me a bit nervous, because these are my inner, most venerable thoughts; however, it is part of my story. Isaiah 6:8 says, "I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send, who will go for me?' and I said 'Here am I, send me!". The summer of 2002 this became my 'life verse'. My dad a year before went on his first mission trip to Latvia, and to say he came back a different man would be an understatement. My family was called to Latvia, and my dad was the first on God told. I wouldn't get the message until the next summer. My dad took another trip to Latvia, and this time our church was able to bring back a few Latvians for one month. I got the opportunity to serve with all of these Latvians on a mission trip to San Marcos. On that trip I really felt God calling me to missions, specifically to Latvia. I don't know how or why, but I knew it in my gut. Maybe it was the slight glimpse I got of this wonderful country. I was in love. Immediately we were planning our trip in 2003. My mom was the last to come around. Being the caring, loving mom she is, it worried her a bit. However, God worked a miracle and got us there in July of 2003. It changed all of our lives. The minute I stepped out of the sliding doors into the airport, I was home. After this trip my dad really felt my family should move there, obviously this didn't happen. I guess if I were to tell the honest truth, I think it was God's perfect will for us to mover there. This was a very rough time for me. It was my freshman year of high school, and I just didn't want to be there. Thankfully, God grants grace and we were able to heal as a family. The following summer only strengthened my love of the 'singing nation'. Every trip held some kind of growth, of course. I have been at my lowest and highest there. One of the biggest blessings was having the opportunity to love on kids. Of all ages. My last trip I was given the opportunity to pray with a teenager that I had known for several years, and lead her to Christ. It was a huge blessing. I am so humbled to have been a part of God's work. The stories are virtually endless. Every year I would go in wary of the new team, and every year it was perfect. This summer I was not able to go to Latvia. I have know since November I wouldn't be. Joe and I were at our pre-marital counseling and the leader stressed the importance of the 'first year'. I remember he said, if you are really involved in something (even some kind of ministry) without your spouse, consider dropping it for the first year, and really focusing on your new ministry. Oh man that stung, but I knew. I knew I couldn't go. (I have never told anyone this before). It broke my heart. It is still breaking my heart. One of the most significant blessings from 8 years of travel/service with a lot of the same people, is they become your family. One of the hardest things is not knowing I have a Galina hug coming sometime soon. Galina is a women that has cooked for us, served with us, and loved on us. She is an amazing women. I wish I could adequately express how much I love everyone. Right now, two people are there from our church. They are great, great guys, but it is killing me to not be there. Whenever I get an update email, I cry. Whenever I see a picture, I cry. I have a small, constant ache. This may seem obsessive. I really am trusting God. I'm not depressed or anything, it's just I want to be there so badly. I can't really think about next summer yet. I'm not shutting the door. If it is God's will for me to be there, I will be. Here are a few pictures from our travels.

Milu, Milu.

2003: with Amy and Carrie. We have shared so many sweet, funny memories.

2003: With the Straume triplets!

2009: We were about to leave for the airport. I have watched these sweet girls grow up. I hated have to say goodbye, instead of see you next summer. They walked with their dad to tell us good bye. They drew pictures for me, the one that put me over the age was a picture of an angel, saying "May God guard your way". There was not a dry eye in the room. I was a bit emotional.

2009: We watched these boys grow up as well. They were so sweet, and unfortunately they seem to be lost in the word. Pray for them.

2009: This is sweet Galina. She has been through too much to say here, but she is faithful. This was one of the evenings when were all staying in Ziedkalne. We do this every trip. We live together, eat together et cetera. We become a family. Every night we would cry out to God together. It was amazing. To be completely open and accepting of each other. Too many times Christians are hardest on other Christians. Love people, love. (Ok, I'll get off my soap box). I am always so convicted because I don't know one Christian family that fervently cries out to God together. Including my own. When was the last time you cried out to God with someone? I hope I can learn to do this more.

2009: This is a perfect depiction of our time in Latvia. At the end of the day we always meet and eat together. We fellowship like we as Christians are meant to.

2008: This little guy is my buddy. His name is Vaidims. Pray for his salvation.

2008: My Ladies!! Every year we take pictures here.

2007: This is right after I got my tattoo, and right before Joe got his. It was too funny. My mom was all worried about it then. All crying and everything, & now she totally loves it. She thinks it's a great story. I nearly passed out, not from pain, but from just the fact I got a tattoo. I'm sure this comes as no surprise ;). The guy had to give me alcohol to sniff. Serving with Joe in Latvia has been my greatest joy, well almost. I would not have married him unless he felt called there as well.

2007: The greatest 4th of July ever! Ever! With the exception of 2008, this will be my first 4th of July in the States since 2003.

2005: Me and Carrie's Girls. How I love and miss them.

2005: Serving at the orphanage. I wanted to take them home. Joe and I are really thinking/praying about adopting from LV.

2004: She was in my VBS group. We still keep in touch. She is precious.

2004: My Mommo & Tetis. We are all our best selves there. We are truly our selves.

2004: This is one of my favorite pictures of my mom. She looks so happy and at peace. She is the most sacrificing person I know, and I have loved serving with her in Latvia. I'm so thankful to God she loves Latvia.

2006: Our feet look like this at the end of everyday. It's awesome. I love walking everywhere. I love that if I close my eyes I can see the courtyard at the church, walk out of the gate, turn left, then right, to go to the store. I love that I can smell it. I love how it looks and feels the same when you fly in. It feels like coming home.

'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news...'