After the camp for people with disabilities this summer, we haven’t written much. It is at last time to break the silence.
Summer 2008
After the camp we had a vacation. We spent most of it in Estonia, but also visited Finland’s Lapland and hiked to the place where the three countries of Finland, Norway and Sweden meet. In the end of July, I assisted Maks (I am his support-person) in a camp called “Brave to Live”. It is camp for children with physical disabilities and for their families, where they can take part in different activities, make new friends and have fun. Last year this camp was mostly martial art focused, but this year martial arts where only partly involved. Since last year, Maks has 
been practising his sword-fighting exercises and because of it, his physical condition has improved; he has much better balance and coordination. It is so good to see him progressing physically, but also to hear how much he has picked up from me, whom he has known 13 years already. It is just amazing how much I have influenced him without knowing it at all. I haven’t push Christianity for him, but he is really interested in theology, attending church and is asking lots of questions. He hasn’t made a personal decision to follow Christ yet, but I hope that it will come soon. This year we also took him to Hiiumaa; he hasn’t been there since our wedding. He calls my mothers’ apartment „home” (he lives in an orphanage) and it was so good to let him enjoy these last days of his summer vacation.
YWAM Riga
YWAM Riga is in an interesting season at the moment — we are pioneering it and helping to build foundations. All seven of our staff members took part in writing a vision statement for YWAM Riga, brainstorming about which ministries go, or can go, under this and narrowing these down for realistic goals. This process takes time, but it is so exciting to see all these things happening and to be part of it.
Vision of YWAM Riga: to be a Christ-like community who infuse Biblical principles that transfer, disciple and mobilize people to permeate all spheres of society in Latvia and the nations.
Surprise-surprise — I am getting more and more administrative work both from YWAM Riga and from the National Office. So far, I still do not feel to be back in the office full-time (especially since there is no actual office and I am working from home) – I still have time and strength for people with disabilities. It is not my dream to sit at the computer every day, but I have a gift in administration and where 
would it be better used than serving God?
Last week was Human Trafficking Awareness Week in Latvia organized by YWAM Riga and all of our staff were involved in it in some way. We had YWAM team called “The Freedom Project” visiting us from USA who are working in human trafficking awareness. We planned a really busy week for them — first they were sharing in DTS in Valdemarpils, had an awareness event in Talsi, then they spent some time in Liepaja visiting schools and meeting social workers; the week finished in Riga with a human trafficking awareness event. We hosted it in a “neutral” area (non-church), and had a half concert/half seminar type evening. Around 200 people came. We can’t say that it was a happy event concerning the theme, but it 
sure was eye-opening, informative and interesting. I hope that at least none of our guests will find themselves trafficked and hopefully they will also share this information with their friends. With an estimated 27 million people in the world living in some form of bondage, human trafficking is the second largest criminal industry in the world and many people haven’t even heard about it. For more information click here
Ministry for people with physical disabilities (still looking name for this)
Our ministry continues – our small group is still going and we have started to look for a new place for next year’s camp. At the moment there are two possible places, but both of them have some really bad disadvantages and we will keep looking and asking about a couple of more places. We need to make the decision very soon. It is not final, but at the moment it seems that camp will be from the 26th of June till 4th of July, 2009.
Last week we (me, Kaspars and Elise-the artist) went to visit Madara 
(the woman who painted by elbow in the camp). In the camp she tried painting for the first time and realized that she is an artist (thanks to Elise). After that she has been painting regularly, holding the brush with her teeth. During the last three month she has made amazing progress and Elise (as well as us, but we are not as educated in this area) had to say “wow” at almost every picture. At last she can express herself and have something new and refreshing in her life. We really made her day (and she made ours) — we had a nice conversion, a nice art gallery time, and she showed us around in her village. Since she lives really close to the highest point in Latvia (311m) we also visited this. We are looking for a computer for her, meaning we are looking for special parts for a computer, that can give her the ability to use it, and we tried out some different things. After some intense discussion with her family who thought that it wouldn’t be possible, Madara was demonstrating for us how she would be able to use a keyboard even if she would have just a pen in her mouth. Sure, it would be hard for her in the beginning, but who has ever had an easy time 
learning to use a computer? I remember hating it so much that I wanted to throw the computer out the window! Ironically now this is my everyday work. It just took time to learn to type and time is one thing that Madara has. It means our search is on — we need a head stick with which Madara could be able to type and something bigger then a normal mouse (yes, you could call it a “rat”) that she would be able to control with her elbow or with the head stick. We have a computer sitting in our home, but finding this special equipment is not an easy task in Latvia. If we can get this equipment, after some practice, she would be able to communicate without the help of her parents and it would give her more opportunities to be part of society. In Latvia for people like her, this would be a total miracle.
Blessings,
Evelyn&Kaspars Apinis
From the capital of Latvia