We’ve made it to Sabile. Sunday we worshiped together and spent the rest of the day setting up camp at Sabile Primary School, a four-story building that will give us plenty of exercise by Friday. There were first-day jitters this morning, which surprised some of us. We’ve all now done English Bible Camp before. But every place is its own place, and Sabile, while familar to some is new ground for this team and these students.

It doesn’t feel like new ground for The Lord, though. That’s the thing we keep relearning. The Father sent the Son; the Father and the Son sent the Spirit; and the Spirit has been at work in this small Latvian town long before any of our 54 missionaries stepped off the bus for Summer 2026. We aren’t bringing God to Sabile. We’re joining what He’s already doing here, alongside partners who’ve been faithful to it.

Chief among those partners this week are Pastor Maris Gross and his wife Ilze. We’re only at the beginning of getting to know them, but we’ve already seen the fruit of the relationships Maris has been patiently building in this community. Here’s one small picture: rain threatened to push our daily sports time into a school hallway, until—at the last minute—we were given permission to use the indoor community sports hall next door. That kind of door doesn’t open by accident. It opens because someone has spent years being a good neighbor.

We’re renting a large house this week, which means we get to do our own cooking for dinner—a welcome change, even if it adds a few dishes to the day. Our first meal in town was at a traditional Latvian restaurant, a good way to begin.

So here is what we’re asking God for, and what we’d love you to ask with us: that the children who walk into that four-story school would meet the hope we’ve come to share—the hope we find in the life of David, our theme this week. Pray for Maris and Ilze. Pray for our team’s energy and unity. Pray that we’d have eyes to see what the Spirit is already doing and the humility to follow.

Thank you for sending us and for praying us here. None of this happens without you.

Blessings, Mark