Week 1

Finishing the first week has been an accomplishment. We worked hard, played hard and have already made several new friends. Once we arrived here on Tuesday, and after we got to meet up with our old friends from last year we went and crashed at the flat. The next day was spent wandering around Cesis, showing the first timer (Landry) some of the old city. Wednesday was a relaxing day, used for our poor traveling bodies to catch up with us. A day well spent.

We hit the ground running by Thursday. We spent most of our day at the boys prison here in Cesis. My first steps into the prison didn't feel unusual to me at all. I remember reminding myself that they were boys, just like my little brothers. But when we were about to walk in to the area to meet them, fear couldn't help but show itself to me. The guard at the front gate was handing me a "panic button" sort of deal. that I needed to hide some where on me. It felt so uncomfortable sitting there clipped to my jeans underneath my shirt. The hard plastic hitting my hip bone every now and then. It felt stupid to me, how ever safe it was supposed to make me, it felt like too much. After we got let in to see all the boys we joined a group of other people that had already been let in to teach the boys. We were divided into groups, and told to make a "Good things about not using drugs" collage. The boys were distracted, either by me or by something else, but they did the job. We had fun, I was the only one in the room that couldn't speak Latvian. Figures.

That Thursday night was our first youth night experience. Landry sang a few songs, and the other kids would join in on little parts that they knew. I hope that we can make a huge difference in this group. They not only need leaders, but they need to learn how to be leaders. I hope we can show them. There were several new faces for me to meet at youth that night, and I can't wait to see them more often.
Friday we spent chopping wood and loading into on of the storage buildings at the church. It was hard work that we're all sore from! The rest of the day was really nice and relaxing. The three interns and a bunch of the Latvian kids went on a bike ride to the country for a picnic, where we taught them what a peanut butter and jelly sandwich was, as well as them teaching us what some of their food is.


Saturday was spent in Riga, laughing and wandering around with friends. A great opportunity to build new friendships, and continue growing closer to old friends. I enjoyed my time going to and from Riga more than I might have enjoyed Riga itself. Either way it was a beautiful day and lots of great pictures were taken!




Some of the most touching moments in the week had nothing to do with where I was. Yes, it's true that where I am has some of the most beautiful scenery is right out my window, but walking around in the rain with one of my best friends seeing them as humans and them seeing me, scars and all. I want them to know and understand my struggles from the past year, and that as much as it hurt me, it has made me vulnerable to a God amazing enough to love me. Let them see past the scars and the troubles to the core of my being, and see that behind the brokenness of my being, there is Christ. Not myself.
Amazing grace.
lets start week two!