There’s a certain weight that settles in by Thursday of camp. The adrenaline from Day One is long gone, and the finish line isn’t quite in sight. For our team in Sabile, that reality showed up in sniffles, sore muscles, and slower steps. It’s the kind of day when you’re reminded that ministry isn’t just about energy—it’s about endurance.

Fitting, then, that today’s Bible story was about being outnumbered.

We spent time in Joshua 10, where five enemy kings unite to attack Gibeon, one of Israel’s new allies. Joshua responds not by retreating, but by rallying. He marches his army overnight to defend his neighbors. The Israelites are outnumbered, but God is not. And when Joshua prays for help, God responds—not just with victory, but with extra time:

He makes the sun stand still.

That’s not the kind of thing you forget.

We told the story to the kids, helped them learn key English words—enemy, ally, overwhelmed, conquer, rescue, prayer—and tried to help them connect the dots. “Sometimes life feels too big,” one leader explained. “But that doesn’t mean God is too small.”

For some of these students, this was the first time they’ve heard that kind of hope expressed clearly. It’s one thing to learn vocabulary—it’s another thing to learn that God listens when you’re scared.

Today’s craft brought the theme home in a different way. The students made stained glass crosses using colored tissue paper and clear film. Simple materials, but the results were striking. As sunlight poured into the classroom windows, these little crosses caught the light. Some were bright and symmetrical. Others were chaotic and messy. All of them were beautiful.

It was a reminder to us too: God shines through our weakness, through our overwhelm, through our patchwork efforts. The cross still speaks—even through glue sticks and torn paper.

Our conversations today weren’t just about camp logistics. Several team members quietly admitted that they’ve hit the midweek wall—nothing serious, just the usual wear-and-tear of travel, translation, and teaching in a new place. Please continue to pray for quick recovery and stamina. We’d love to finish strong tomorrow, both in body and spirit.

One bright spot on the horizon: tonight, some of us have the opportunity to travel to a nearby village and connect with a local youth ministry gathering. It’s a chance to worship, pray, and encourage local teens alongside a growing movement of faith here in Latvia. Please pray for open hearts and good connections—this might be the beginning of something longer-term.

As we reflect on Joshua’s story and what it means for us, this truth sticks: God doesn’t expect us to pretend we’re fine when we’re overwhelmed. He simply invites us to trust Him when we are. That’s courage. Not charging ahead in our own strength, but stopping—praying—asking God to stretch the day, stretch the strength, stretch the grace.

Some battles don’t look like battles. They look like tired eyes in the lunchroom, quiet moments in the classroom, or the choice to speak one more word of kindness when you’re running low. And sometimes, that’s when the most important work happens.

If Joshua had waited until everything was perfectly aligned before asking God for help, that moment never would have come. But he didn’t wait. He prayed while the battle was still raging.

We’re learning to do the same.

Thanks for being part of the work—through your prayers, encouragement, and support. We may be a small team in a small town this week, but the story of what God can do when His people ask for help? That one just keeps going.