The YWAM Riga ministry Wings for Wheels (W4W) history page has been updated with a new event – “Challenge 2” – camp for people with physical disabilities. It took place 5th – 10th of July, 2009, in the Talsi Christian School (TCS). After our 2008 camp, the W4W team travelled throughout Latvia to look for a place to hold future camps, with rooms and buildings which were better suited for people in wheelchairs. We found none better than TCS. So, once again we were in TCS and it felt like home.
Preparation Continue, Challenges Come, God Meets Us
There are many challenges that came in preparing and running the camp. Even if we would come up with some other name for future camps, the challenges would still be there. Although our staff are getting more experienced, we are never faced with the same situations from year to year. This year God was reminding us that if we want to see His work happening in the camp, we have to stay in unity and fellowship with Him, concentrate and focus on Him and wait for help only from Him. As God’s children, secret of happiness is addiction to God.
After many months of praying and preparation work, co-ordinating countless details, looking for participants, staff, volunteers and assistants etc, at last we were able to see how God answered for our prayers. We got the exact amount of beds that were needed. We got a vehicle to transport people from Riga to Talsi. We found sympathetic volunteers and assistants. Not long before the camp we had enough finances to pay just for rent and only a few days of food. Just a few days before the camp we received all the money we needed. God is faithful!
Another one of these „challenges”, was that Evelyn left to go to Estonia for maternity leave and was able to help just with the camp preparation. We were praying that the baby would not be born before the due date so Kaspars would not need to leave camp and rush to Estonia. God heard our prayers and Rasmus was born the 16th of July! 🙂
„Challenge 2” Begins – Art and Dancing, God Meets Us
Participants were from various places throughout Latvia – Balvi, Rezekne, Liepaja, Ventspils, Riga, Saldus, etc. Most of our staff was from Latvia, but some staff came from the UK and Holland. For many of the participants it was their 
second or third year of W4W camp, but God also gave us new people. This time we also had Russian speaking people and all of our activities and lectures had to be translated into three languages – Latvian, English and Russian.
Each day of camp was really full. The program contained activities done in the past, and also new activities, such as quiz and devotional time. During free time participants had opportunity to use the physiotherapy „service” which was given by Kaspar and Shiona. Jorspeis – a band from Riga, created harmony with their songs. Our knowledge of geography in Middle East was tested and Shiona lead us into a „journey” to Iraq. We had three lectures, during which time we learned about the Father Heart of God, how to listen and understand God’s voice, and how in our weaknesses appears the strength of God. Guest lectures were Samuel Thomas Valuthadathil (or simply pastor Sam) and YWAM Riga leader Dave Lozinsky. (There was a participant who many years ago lost interest in going to church. Pastor Sam’s lecture touched her and after camp she began visiting „House of God” church led by Pastor Sam.)
This year the art workshop was divided into beginners and advanced groups – for those who did art for the first time, and for those who already knew basics 
and wanted learn something new. The most important thing in the art workshop is not one’s drawing ability, but their ability to go out from our mind frames and to allow „emotions in colours”, like one of our participants, Gatis, said.
There was a new activity called dancing workshop, where participants learnt a special art of dance. If we are speaking about people who are in wheelchairs and whose hand and leg movement are really limited, you can think – “what dance and what movements to music can they do? They are not hopeless!” We had a time during our Love feast, when the two teams demonstrated what they have learnt during the dancing workshop. If your legs are not moving, move your hands! If your legs and hands are not moving, move your head! If your legs, hands and head are not moving, just smile to honour the God!
Adventures Outdoors and in the Ice Age
There was an interesting and entertaining orienteering challenge in Talsi, where we needed to look for different objects and fulfil tasks. The last object was the cinema from where spontaneously got the idea to organize a „cultural event” and see the movie „Ice Age 3”. Fortunately the cinema, although it was not adapted for wheelchairs, was not an unconquerable castle and this day cinema hall was full of people with wheelchairs! It was really special event for some of participants who for years had not been in cinema.
The YWAM Valdemarpils Training Centre „ropes course” and the quad cycle driving day happened again. The participants impatiently looked forward to this time. We were praying that God would give good weather and protect us from accidents. The day started with good weather and a ready training centre staff waiting for us, with our safety belts in hand. You can’t judge people with disabilities from the outside, because these people who in everyday life looks really limited, cautious, and reserved are ready for all kinds of craziness. We saw them ready to conquer psychological barriers so much that they would be able do the element „flying squirrel” and rehearse a play for others from the altitude of 20m! It was so stirring to see how much joy they got from the „flying squirrel” element – people who are so limited in everyday situation and movement abilities.
Unfortunately we did not get to do the „huge swing”, because it began to rain. Kaspars was able to give for some a ride on the quad cycle, but the rain was too strong and we had to turn back to Talsi.
Something really fascinating and fun, was the sport games, where different competition elements were worked out so that every camp participants can take part of it. Physical limitations were compensated for with creative thinking and sincere cooperation and help between team members.
Joy and…a little sadness
Of course camp finished, and at least in heart of the people, it ended 
too early. Even if people started to feel tired from not enough sleep, from different situations they were not used at home, and from a busy daily schedule, they wanted more and more. On the last evening, after the Love feast camps participants, staff, volunteers and personal assistants came together and share their thoughtsfrom camp. Before that, everybody was able to fill out a feedback form about camp weak points, but during this sharing time we heard only positive feedback. A sincere atmosphere in the camp made the biggest impression on everybody. People were thankful that they were invited to the camp. For them it showed care and attention and their special needs were considered. Many went home with mixed feelings – joyful for experience they received and sad because they needed to leave friends. For some of them the days after camp will be like arriving back to a „home prison” and for others, they face the possibility of their health condition getting worse – it is not known whether they can take part in our next camp. But W4W team is happy and satisfied about this – that during this short camp time we were able to give them something special from the God’s Father heart, and we believe that He continues His started work.
Like Kaspars loves to say – it was not perfect, but it was good. 🙂 We are thankful to God for His faithfulness and encouragement during these moments, when we had no idea how we would be able to make it all happen. And we are really thankful for all of you – for your prayers for this camp, for your financial support, for your service to the camp, in all the ways you lovingly invested in the Wings for Wheels camp participants lives. And not only the participants, but also the staff and volunteers were really blessed. We’re already really looking forward to the camp next year!
More photos are here
Wings for Wheels team:
Ailita, Baiba, Kaspars and Evelyn