Evelyn posted a story (21-Jul-11) :

It is pleasure to announce that the YWAM Riga ministry, Wings for Wheels, had its summer camp called “Challenge 4“ at Raiskums’ boarding school 2nd – 9th of July, 2011. We had 23 Latvian and Russian speaking participants with mobile disabilities (and some with sight problems) from all over Latvia. We had 24 assistants/helpers from Latvia, Estonia and Finland to facilitate the camp.

It is already known for us that “Challenge camp” is not only challenging for participants, but also for us organizers. Raiskums Boarding School is the special school for children with mobile disabilities. It means we did not need to make food by ourselves, we did not need to bring in beds, did not need to worry if it is possible to use shower with wheelchair etc. But this camp was much more expensive to run than previous camps. Two weeks before we needed to make payment, we did not have the money and we already started to think that maybe we need to cancel the camp. Same day big amount of finances came in and it opened the way for small incomes and by the end of the camp we had all the finances needed. God was faithful, again!!

Having a camp in new place gave us also new possibilities and new ideas to add to our regular daily schedule. We had a quiz to challenge brain “muscles”, we had morning exercises to challenge sleepy bodies, photo game to challenge acting skills, orienteering with interesting tasks to challenge not to get lost in new area, sport and games to challenge physically and two physiotherapists to challenge participants’ bodies. We also had lectures to challenge people spiritually. This year we spoke about how to treat low self image, how to understand God’s calling in your life, what to do if life challenges your faith and how to use difficulties to get closer to God.

We also had new challenges and three different art workshops. In the first, participants were allowed to let their fantasy fly and to make a collage using their own photo and old magazines. We saw how everybody was able to give themselves a new personality and to become a hero, a knight, a model, a celebrity etc. We did get really interesting exhibition with all these collages. For a second workshop we invited a man who taught us glass blowing and how to make jewelry from glass. Every brave participant was able to make something from glass. It was not a problem if he/she was blind or was not able to use hands properly, because master was all the time there and guided hands to make something beautiful. During third art workshop everybody was able to use leather and pearls and to make their own jewelry. People really liked the possibility to make something with their own hands.

During evenings we had planned to have more peaceful events like movie night and funny games evening. We also did trip to Uganda (because of lack of transportation we couldn’t fly there, but with the help of Kaspars who shared photos and stories we visited Uganda). For the first time we were able to have a campfire evening. It became everybody favorite activity in the camp.

For the last three years we have had rope course to challenge people physically and to show for them that there is no limitation they can do. This year we were too far from YWAM Valdemarpils and were not able to go there. Instead of this we went for rafting on Gauja River. It was challenging already to get down to the river with 14 wheelchairs (adding other people with mobile challenges), to get divided into three rafts and to have two hour drive on the river. We were warned that it can be a bit hard for people in wheelchairs to get up to the mini Zoo where we wanted to go, but we decided to face this challenge and not to give up. It came out that we needed to do some ‘mountain climbing’ in sand in a very narrow road close to the deep ditch which for many of us seemed impossible to conquer. After hour of planning, carrying, pushing, aching backs and exhausted men, we had all the participants up to the hill and ready to go to the Zoo. One participant in wheelchair wrote in last day for a feedback paper: “Thank you for hard work during rafting day. You did indeed rise us up on wings, because you gave us possibility to experience everything other participants did”. After reaching the destination we met many llamas and camels and the day was complete and the memories will stay with us long.

It was the first year when we had worship leaders joining our camp. It was also the first time that we had Pentecostal pastor joining us for a week helping assist a participant, leading church service and helping to lead at least one participant to the God (there were maybe more, but at least one person came to us to announce it). God is great!

Even the weather forecast promised rain and thunder for all the camp week. However we only received a little rain and none of our outside activities needed to be cancelled. We were laughing that it is good we will not have longer camp, because local farmers would be very unhappy to have such a nice dry weather for all the summer :-)

We want to thank everybody who prayed, who gave financially and who came to help us. For some of the participants it is the only time in the year they are getting out of home and meeting other people. Many participants were Christian, but not able to visit church. This camp gave for them possibility to have fellowship with other Christians. Thank you so much that you made all of this possible.

God bless you!

Wings for Wheels team:

Evelyn, Kaspars, Rasmus, Ailita, Baiba and Sanita

Evelyn posted a story (25-Jan-11) :

The YWAM Riga ministry, Wings for Wheels, had its summer camp called “Challenge 3“ at Talsi Christian School (TCS) 2nd – 8th of July, 2010. We had nineteen participants with mobile disabilities from all over Latvia and even from Estonia. We had 21 staff/assistants/helpers from Latvia, Estonia, USA and Denmark to facilitate the camp. This was the largest Challenge camp to date.

The name “Challenge” reflects that everything connected with this camp is challenging. The challenge is to find all assistant/helpers, prepare the camp, find the finances, find transportation for participants to get to the camp, bring beds to TCS, make living as accessible as possible, run the camp, and to get participants back at home. Languages were also challenging, because everything needed to be translated into four languages – Latvian, Russian, Estonian and English. Everybody was challenged with the use of so many languages.

“Challenge 3” daily schedule contained different challenges. We had quiz to challenge people minds, we had photo game to challenge people to act, we had art workshops to challenge people to create something with their hands, we had sport games, orienteering in Talsi to challenge physical body, lectures to challenge brain, rope course to challenge psychics etc. All participants had the opportunity to visit dentists from USA and get their teeth fixed.

It was first year when camp took place on Sunday and everybody had opportunity to take part from service in Talsi Baptist Church. For many participants it was highlight of camp to be able to visit church. Churches in Latvia are mostly not accessible for people in wheelchairs and for some people it was first time at all to take part from service. We were able to give a testimony and challenge the church to reach local people with disabilities. In Latvia these people belong under unreached people group.

During lectures, we spoke about Christian marriage and how to see yourself as God sees you. House of God (a local non-denominational church) pastor Samuel Thomas Valuathadathil shared on theme “When God Weeps – Why Our Sufferings Matter to God”. Last day lecture was on how to deepen relationship with God. Last lecture brought us active discussion and questions how to get saved, how to listen God and how to understand when is God speaking.

This year art workshops where different. First one everybody was challenged to use artificial clay to make a cup and second workshop was to paint all these cups. It was amazing to see how creative participants were and how beautiful and interesting pottery they made.

For a third time in the Challenge camps history, we took the campers to the “YWAM Valdemarpils Ropes Course”. The participants impatiently looked forward to this time, but new people were a bit scared if they heard all the stories from the previous years. This year God blessed us with beautiful warm weather and little rain. Every participants and staff were able to be launched 20m into the air (and act to be squirrel). There were no physical limitations to learn to fly. It was the place in camp where literally every person in wheelchairs got wings for wheels and learnt to fly. Second element “huge swing” was more challenging and only people who where able to use their hands took part of this. At first they were pulled up to 9m platform and then let them jump to huge swing. It took courage to make this step to emptiness. Sadly we were not able to use quad cycle this year to drive around, but we loaned a buggy and most participants were able to get ride with this. After challenging pulls, jumps and drives we had tasty picnic. For a second year we had so good chef that participants agreed that the best activity in camp is food :-)

During evening campers had possibility to enjoy Christian magician show, to watch a movie “Joni” (Joni Eareckson Tada) and to hear concert from “Vestnieciba” (Embassy in English) – a Christian band from Riga Prieka Vests church. After concert everybody was able to join in and to worship God together. The camp finished with Love Feast and testimony night where everybody got chance to share.

Daveski posted a story (27-Apr-10) :

For Such A Time As This

When I first came to Latvia and sat down to talk with Maris Dzelzs ( the founder of YWAM in Latvia ), we spent most of our conversation on one topic: creating a movement. It was an idea burning inside him that Latvia would see a House Church movement transform the Christian landscape of his nation. For me, I had the skills to start a house church, but I didn't quite see what he did, at that time

That has all changed. My eyes have been opened to not only starting House Churches in Latvia, but that this was something burning on the heart of God for Latvia. Last September, Santa and I started the Breakfast Club as an experiment. It has been a great success. It is clear to me now that the strengths of a House Church are just what so many people are really looking for these days: Eating together and intimate Christian community, teaching not preaching, comfortable couches and great coffee .... and all of this done for a ridiculous little amount of money.

So far, we have been very successful. By success, I don't mean many people coming each Sunday. That is old thinking. By successful I mean that people are being challenged and are changing, an excitement for God is growing, and a vision of a community of people loving one another in a personal way is being realized. We are only beginning, but we have seen God answering our prayers ... financial provision for large needs, jobs for people needing jobs, and even help with teething babies.

I am excited to be apart of something I know Jesus is all about. I look forward to writing future stories about the faithfulness of God to his people.

Elise posted a story (12-Mar-10) :

Amidst one of the coldest winter on record in Latvia, approximately 250 people, local and from around the globe, gathered in Riga to attend the Mission Days 2010 event. People from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Canada, USA, UK, Brazil, Sri Lanka, China, Korea, Argentina, and Netherlands, among others, were represented there. People from different denominations gathered to worship, pray, learn, and understand their part in fulfilling the Great Commission. Indeed, God was up to something bigger than we could imagine, and over the three days of this event, it would unfold before our eyes.

On the opening night, our keynote speaker, Dr. Lindsay Brown, International Director for the Lausanne Committee on World Evangelization, challenged us to be open to take up the call to Missions. The barriers that serve to hinder our 'going' were matched with truth. The testimonies that followed served to inspire us to go and caused us to see that we are without excuse if God calls.

Throughout the event, God's heart for the nations became more evident. We saw the extravagant love of God toward Latvia, as He called a young Brazilian to come for 3 days. His purpose was to encourage people, and remind Latvians of the treasures that exist in them - treasures needed by other nations, that will bless the nations, and serve to build His Kingdom among the peoples.

We experienced the power of God to do the impossible as a young mainland Chinese girl shared in a seminar about her family, 5 generations of Christians, who were 'missionaries' within their own nation. God called her to study to be a missionary in other lands, provided finances and visas, and ultimately brought her to Latvia to share His love, tell of His faithfulness, challenge us to walk in the reality that nothing is impossible for Him.

A young Latvian girl, impacted by participating in a missions training course and outreach to Albania, obeyed the call of God to gather a small team of Latvians to go there to minister in that nation on a short term outreach.

On the final evening, opportunities to take all we'd learned and heard, and all our inspiration and put feet to it. Several groups shared of the many opportunities that exist from Latvia. One group of young people lined the front of the church whilst passing loaves of bread, which were piled up on either side of the pulpit. It was 200 loaves all together. A message was being shared about how this bread was representative of Jesus' love. We've freely received His love, we've experienced it, and can therefore give away what we've received. Then, each participant was encouraged to come up and receive some bread to either keep or give away. The Mission Days event, marked the beginning of what has become the Baltic Bread Project. Many who attended have continued to participate in this and other projects.

Mission Days 2010 was a great success as so many are taking seriously the call of God to go, and saying "here I am, send me", instead of "here I am, send him".

Marnie posted a story (13-Oct-09) : This summer I staffed a DTS (Discipleship Training School) outreach in The Netherlands, 5 students, 3 staff. We represented 7 Nations ( Burundi, Eritrea, Iran, Nigeria, Curacao, Latvia & USA) and 8 different mother tongues. Together we spoke more than 16 Languages! 4 of the students/men in the DTS are Asylum Seekers in The Netherlands and so the focus of the outreach was working in the different Asylum Seeker Centers (AZC) across The Netherlands. Most of the people we met had to flee their country because of political & religious reasons as well as escaping tribal wars ext.. and arrived in the Netherlands with only what they could carry. We worked along side locals who are already working in the AZCs, mostly with women and Children, they asked for help reaching the young men, so that was our focus. Single men make up more than half the population on the AZCs. We organized sports games, small bible studies, we hung out every day at the AZC building relationships, drinking tea & coffee, eating with them and praying with them. It was an amazing time! If you would like more information please email me marniehoo@gmail.com

Daveski posted a story (17-Sep-09) : YWAM Riga House Church Experiment: Santa and I have started a 12 week experiment called the Breakfast Club. It is a house church in our home for an invited set of people. It's purpose is to learn about house churches in the content of Riga and to met Spiritual needs that are not being met in people who occasionally go to church.

We have completed two Sundays and the group is doing well, growing together, learning and being challenged. As the leaders, we are certainly learning alot of what it takes to lead a house church in an urban center and post-modern generation. Stay tuned for more updates.

Santa posted a story (07-Sep-09) : XENOS has released a new song called "IN YOUR ARMS" The author is our bands' electric guitar player Maris Veliks. It is a love song to God which talks about His mighty power and finding refuge only in Him. At the same time, the song shows God as a loving Father, who wants to embrace all of us as his loving children. We are encouraged to look at the cross where all our scars are healed, fears disappear and we are offered complete freedom. You can hear the new song here: http://www.draugiem.lv/xenos

Daveski posted a story (27-Jul-09) : The end of a great week together came today as Santa, Elise and I saw off the St. Johns team from Sheffield, UK. On Friday, they completed both of the outdoor meeting areas at our training base in Valdemarpils. For the next 2 days, the team got to enjoy Riga along with a trip to the Lido Restaurant and Indian Raja.

We want to acknowledge the hard work and incredible generousity they showed to all of in the mission that they encountered.

Daveski posted a story (25-Jul-09) : XENOS had a concert at the Valmeira Lutheran church days. It was an incredible 30 minute set off most of our lively songs. The crowd of 400-500 people enjoyed it. We had about 150 of them up on the large stage with us dancing away and having a good time.

Daveski posted a story (24-Jul-09) : On Thursday the team embarked on a very large task - to short through donated clothes. YWAM often is the conduit of aid from which items from giving people flow to those in need. At the moment, the loft to the shed is full of clothes and shoes that have been donated. The team jumped in an began the needed sort of these items.

Construction also continued. David the carpenter and Sam the apprentice, where busy building the roof sections. Others in the team, wheel-barrowed in some sand to make up the bottom of the meeting area.

Daveski posted a story (23-Jul-09) : On Wednesday, the team from St. John's got their hands dirty. The construction of the outdoor meeting areas progressed to the point of getting the outer structure complete. Other parts of the team prepared the first floor windows for painting by sanding all of the surfaces. The team also completely cleaned out one of the shed's on the base. The refuse from that shed, along with a large pile of branches, become a 20 foot inferno. Many of the young guys had been trained through Scouts the art of managing a fire, so they made sure things were kept under control.

Daveski posted a story (22-Jul-09) : The team from St. John's Chapeltown ( Sheffield , UK ) arrived at our Valdemarpils training center to start a week of service. The team is made up for 4 adults and 9 youth. This trip is the first missions experience any of them have had. They will be doing a variety of projects including building 2 outdoor meeting areas.

They started off the day by doing the ropes course. This is a team building experience where most of the activities get people to work together to overcome some kind of obstacle.This was a great way to start the week off.