It was a wonderful slightly chilly June afternoon, and in a beautiful old manor near the village of Tūja there was a lively bustle. The forest around the guest
house resounded with bird songs; the sun played on the sky, painting it red and blue; and the joy could be felt in the air, along with the anticipation of the upcoming events. In Riga, not that far away, the rain was pouring down, but in Vecmuiža the participants gathered in the spacious garden, rejoicing over the surrounding beauty. The little houses of the estate received the names – “Prayer room”; the “Meeting Hall” was assigned; the rooms were marked with the labels bearing the names of their inhabitants; and when everyone had settled in, the first “Morning Dew” camp was opened with a speech and a prayer. Afterwards everyone enjoyed the meal prepared by the diligent cooks of Vecmuiža, and soon in the cosy atmosphere by the bonfire the leader of Youth With A Mission’s mercy ministry Wings for Wheels addressed the participants in his lecture “Being the salt of the earth and light of the world”.
Four days were spent in open air, fellowship, lectures, practical activities, worship and corporate and individual prayers. 26 people from Latvia, Finland and Norway had arrived for the camp: participants, their assistants, and one dog. They were encouraged to consider what it meant to be the salt of the world and how to be the light of the world. The following topics – “How to study the Bible”, “How to pray”, “Being in close fellowship with God” – were the milestones along the road of reflection and an encouragement for individual meditation and searching of heart in order to form more intimate relationship with Christ.
A highlight of the camp was a hike to the sea. The way was seemingly difficult – there was a need to cross a busy highway, to get the wheelchairs down the steep slope on the other side and to overcome the forest road that was almost 6 kilometres long – but it offered an excellent example of God’s power and unlimited possibilities. The elevated atmosphere was made of joy for the conquered obstacles, sincere conversations, warm sunlight despite the clouds in the distance, the fresh forest air, the sound of the rustling leaves, and a few sweet wild strawberries for the keen-eyed. Everything awakened the knowledge that all things are possible with Christ, and that the love of Christ is inclusive, multi-faceted and immeasurable.
As the waves of the sea touched the shore, so also the hearts of the participants were touched, as they were invited to spend time in conversation with God
and listening to what He wished to reveal to each one of them. After the individual time with God the participants had an opportunity to write a letter, thus applying the knowledge gained during the camp and evaluating the changes they would like to see in their relationship with God.
On the way back one more miracle happened. Three people went to get the cars, so they could drive all of the participants back to the camp, and when they reached the guest house, the rain began pouring down. There was great concern about the participants who were left waiting by the sea. But God IS good, and His grace is amazing! In a few minutes, as they returned to the sea with the transportation for the participants, the drivers found that the people by the sea had only enjoyed the sun and had had no clue about the existence of rain. Thanks to God for his provision! The drivers had their cars “washed”, but the people by the sea experienced the sunny fellowship with God. All glory to Him!
The time passed quickly – four days filled with encouragement and inspiration to seek for the presence of Christ in our everyday lives, and three evenings by the bonfire, sharing the testimonies, thoughts, singing worship songs, accompanied by the guitar.
“I feel welcome and accepted here, and my heart is glad,” one of the participants shared her feelings on the first evening. “This atmosphere of fellowship is so special that I don’t want to leave,” acknowledged another participant to one of the assistants on the last day of the camp. God cared for everything in a special way – for our hearts, as well as for everything around us. “How great are your works, O Lord, how profound your thoughts!” (Ps 92:5).
Thanks to the Lord for every heart that was opened and spoken to during the process of preparation and realization of this camp! Thank you for every prayer, practical help and financial support! Thanks to the Creator for the blessed ideas and loving hearts that helped to bring these ideas to life!