More unsung heroes shinanigans….
Alright, to start off, I’d encourage all of you to check out my other teammates blogs to find out more posts about unsung heroes this past month. It’s been an insane adventure. Alright, so…
Kuldiga, (fun fact: its actual name used to be “Jesus-berg,’)
This town was an answer to prayers, literally. We’d been in Riga for some time and felt a pull to look outside the city to somewhere else in the country. As a team, we spent a morning praying about where God wanted us to go, in the end, we felt called to this city, having no idea what to look for or who to talk too.
Once individuals we knew heard we were going to Kuldiga, we were given a couple of contacts to find and meet with. Katie, Amanda, and I got on a bus and headed down.
In two days we found two amazing contacts. (…funny how prayer works)
Ivo and Christina, and this guy named Matiss
These people are moving for the kingdom in Kuldiga. Ivo and his wife met us as we got off the bus. They took us to a christian rehab center that both of them work full time at. This rehab center uses huskies to help post addicts take responsibility for an animal and allows them to take on a new hobby/trait. Dog sledding in Latvia is a tourist attraction. This can provide a source of income for the center and engages individuals in conversations of life choices and responsibilities they need to have. This couple wholeheartedly love God and the people that are here. Together, they lead bible studies, counseling, and through their own testimonies, empower the people to see the world in a new perspective.
The next day, we met up with a man named Matiss whose heart was for the youth of his city. He is a local from Latvia, who was called to be a missionary within Kuldiga. Those were never his plans, but God brought him there. And through him, a movement has started in Kuldiga that has empowered the youth of the city to rise up and pray for their country, people, and town. Matiss is helping to organize other youth groups within the country to gather and pray for their nation and people. His heart is for the youth, and being a young life leader, I could completely relate. God has burdened his heart with a vision of revival through love and serving.
I left feeling empowered. It was an incredible two days. Please keep Kuldiga in your prayers and these ministries! If you have any specific questions, please let me know, I’ll do my best to answer then.
