LATVIA TEAM – That’s a Wrap!

June 21, 2024

Last Day and Closing Celebration at Sabile

The final day of any camp seems to go by so fast. This first camp in Sabile really seemed to zoom by faster than most, as the newness of our being there was still very much on the hearts and minds of our hosts and the community. Final English lessons and run-throughs of each of the dramas dominated most of our time, before we gathered to celebrate what God has been doing in our midst, all week.

The kids rehearsed songs during their music rotation with DMC and we made crosses in crafts to remind us of God’s promise through Jesus Christ and the high price He paid for our sins, on the cross.

The dramas were, all, truly memorable and were received much to the delight of family and friends gathered to see what their children learned in camp. The kids also enthusiastically sang the worship songs and performed the motions for each song. A highlight of our time together was Pastor Maris greeting those gathered and sharing about the ministry he and his wife, Ilsa, are leading in Sabile.

This is an important component of our partnering to host Bible Camps – that the connection be made to the host ministry and the community they serve.

Following camp, our hosts, Pastor Maris and Ilsa Gross and their 3 boys visited us at our guest house for conversation and an amazing cake baked for us by Ilsa’s mother. We feel truly blessed and loved. Plans are being made for a return to Sabile in 2025. Stay tuned…

Jennifer’s class
Gary and some of his students
Craft time!
Nehemiah’s class is ready for their drama!
Lunch was hosted each day be a local restaurant. The food was really good!
David’s class moving their “set pieces”
David’s class set pieces (with only four boys in the class they needed a few more actors!)
There was really great support from family and friends gathered for the closing celebration.
Gary’s class presented Moses as a baby
Jennifer’s class presented the 10 Plagues
Nehemiah’s class presented the escape from Egypt and crossing of the Red Sea
Pastor Maris greeting the whole crowd
Final songs of praise!
The cake made by Ilsa’s mother
We will always remember the first camp in Sabile!

After spending a leisurely Saturday morning at our host house, the team will move into Riga for some sightseeing and debrief before boarding airplanes, on Monday, for the long journey home. Thank you for your prayers and support!

Here’s how you can stay involved and what you can do!

Pray Continuously: Set aside time each day to pray for the mission trip. Pray for the team’s stamina and health. Pray for the people we will serve, and for the work God will do in and through us in Sabile. Pray especially for the Roma children and their families. We hope many will join us and be impacted by the camp. Pray for people to grow in curiosity toward Jesus and His Good News.

Stay Updated: Follow along on our ministry blog for more updates and inspiring stories from the camp. Your comments and encouragements are greatly appreciated and help us feel connected to our church family back home.

Get Involved: to learn more about the Spiritual Orphans Network, navigate to: https://sonetwork.org/learn/connect/ and fill out the form to request more information.