The YWAM Riga ministry, Wings for Wheels, had its summer camp called “Challenge 3“ at Talsi Christian School (TCS) 2nd – 8th of July, 2010. We had nineteen participants with mobile disabilities from all over Latvia and even from Estonia. We had 21 staff/assistants/helpers from Latvia, Estonia, USA and Denmark to facilitate the camp. This was the largest Challenge camp to date.
The name “Challenge” reflects that everything connected with this camp is challenging. 
The challenge is to find all assistant/helpers, prepare the camp, find the finances, find transportation for participants to get to the camp, bring beds to TCS, make living as accessible as possible, run the camp, and to get participants back at home. Languages were also challenging, because everything needed to be translated into four languages – Latvian, Russian, Estonian and English. Everybody was challenged with the use of so many languages.
“Challenge 3” daily schedule contained different challenges. We had 
quiz to challenge people minds, we had photo game to challenge people to act, we had art workshops to challenge people to create something with their hands, we had sport games, orienteering in Talsi to challenge physical body, lectures to challenge brain, rope course to challenge psychics etc. All participants had the opportunity to visit dentists from USA and get their teeth fixed.
It was first year when camp took place on Sunday and everybody had opportunity to take part from service in Talsi Baptist Church. For many participants it was highlight of camp to be able to visit church. Churches in Latvia are mostly not accessible for people in wheelchairs and for some people it was first time at all to take part from service. We were able to give a testimony and challenge the church to reach
local people with disabilities. In Latvia these people belong under unreached people group.
During lectures, we spoke about Christian marriage and how to see yourself as God sees you. House of God (a local non-denominational church) pastor Samuel Thomas Valuathadathil shared on theme “When God Weeps – Why Our Sufferings Matter to God”. Last day lecture was on how to deepen relationship with God. Last lecture brought us active discussion and questions how to get saved, how to listen God and how to understand when is God speaking.
This year art workshops where different. First one everybody was challenged to use artificial clay to make a cup and second workshop was to paint all these cups. It was amazing to see how creative participants were and how beautiful and interesting pottery they made.
For a third time in the Challenge camps 
history, we took the campers to the “YWAM Valdemarpils Ropes Course”. The participants impatiently looked forward to this time, but new people were a bit scared if they heard all the stories from the previous years. This year God blessed us with beautiful warm weather and little rain. Every participants and staff were able to be launched 20m into the air (and act to be squirrel). There were no physical limitations to learn to fly. It was the place in camp where literally every person in wheelchairs got 
wings for wheels and learnt to fly. Second element “huge swing” was more challenging and only people who where able to use their hands took part of this. At first they were pulled up to 9m platform and then let them jump to huge swing. It took courage to make this step to emptiness. Sadly we were not able to use quad cycle this year to drive around, but we loaned a buggy and most participants were able to get ride with this. After challenging pulls, jumps and drives we had tasty picnic. For a second year we had so good chef that participants agreed that the best activity in camp is food 🙂
During evening campers had possibility to enjoy Christian magician show, to watch a movie “Joni” (Joni Eareckson Tada) and to hear concert from “Vestnieciba” (Embassy in English) – a Christian band from Riga Prieka Vests church. After concert everybody was able to join in and to worship God together. The camp finished with Love Feast and testimony night where everybody got chance to share.
Thank you so much for everybody who prayed, who gave financially and who came to help us. For some of participants it is only time in year they are getting out of home and meeting other people. For one person it was first time in his life to hear something from God. Many participants were Christian, but not able to visit church. This camp gave for them possibility to have fellowship with other Christians. Thank you so much that you made all of this possible.
Wings for Wheels team:
Kaspars, Evelyn, Ailita and Baiba
More photos are here