Latvia Mission

Dearest Friends,

Sorry, I see that I do not yet fully know how to use this page. I hope that the rest of you will post some things on here. If you go to the bottom of this page, there is a comments page and I seem to have posted my message on there instead of here. So, forgive the duplication. I thought I added pictures, but they have not appeared.

Thank you, thank you dear friends for your prayers, yourselves and the wonderful look you gave us of the Body of Christ. It still amazes me how God knew how much we would need you, way before the need here crystalized as dramatically as it did. You were all a part of a very, very exciting time in the life of the Hope Center and the Liepa Church. I think that you too became players in this incredible journey of Faith which God has invited us all to play. In our modern business oriented world, God certainly knew how to get our attention by pushing us into these unplanned, unfunded yet desperately needed projects.

On a personal note, I feel so blessed by each and every one of you. I never could have imagined that at this stage in my life, I would be given such wonderful and inspiring friends to enrich my life. WoW! God is so great. I think working for God is a wonderful way for all of us to show the very best that is in us -- a chance to step out of our every day existence and be the hands and feet of Christ. What an honor we have been given.

I will try again to post some pictures of the girls and their babies and the different facilities.
THe Straupe house is almost ready for occupancy. We are just waiting for God to send us funds for the heating system. The girls have decided that it is important for them to continue their education(GREAT).

There is a special program in Riga for young mothers. They will travel once a week to school and then do the homework at the Straupe house. All of the girls will go to school except Christina. She is having pains regularly and the Dr. feels it would be too taxing for her. The girls have become friends and help with each others babies. As soon as we can move to the Straupe house, things will be more normal.

The Liepa congregations and Hope Center is hoping to have a new roof put on this fall as well as electric work, plumbing and heat. We will prioritize as best as we can with the available funding. The apt. that the VIM worked on cleaning out and refreshing has an anxious buyer. However, we just found out that the paperwork could be more complicated than we had anticipated. Everything is happening. God is listening to our prayers and moving hearts to help us.

Hope to have further updates soon. If you have trouble posting, please send me an email and I will put you on as adminstrators.

Blessings to you all, Gita

VIM teams at Straupe and Liepa

Dearest Friends,

I know of no adequate words to even remotely convey to you how much your presence, hard work, prayers and Spirit-filled presence meant to the Hope Center and to the Liepa congregations.

I truly pray that God will equally bless you all for all of your sacrifices. The money was also a God-send, coming exactly when I had no idea how to proceed with God's assignments.

The last VIM team member left yesterday morning on that early plane. I am amazed at how quickly summer is coming to a close. I remember that when I picked up Holt at 5:30 am to take him to the airport, I was so happy that it was already light outside. With each trip, it became less and less light. Yesterday morning at 5:20 am it was already pitch black. The short summer nights are rapidly disappearing and the long winter nights rapidly approaching.

I have much news to update you on, but am still trying to catch up on all of the church related items I put on the back-burner. I want to use this post to update you a little with some pictures that I have of the girls and the facilities.