{"id":1811,"date":"2022-08-13T12:53:07","date_gmt":"2022-08-13T10:53:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ywam.lv\/apinis\/?p=1811"},"modified":"2022-08-13T12:57:34","modified_gmt":"2022-08-13T10:57:34","slug":"last-letter-from-riga","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ywam.lv\/apinis\/last-letter-from-riga\/","title":{"rendered":"Last Letter from Riga"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Greetings from Riga!<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is quite possibly the last newsletter with this opening line, because within this month, we will be moving to Hiiumaa. But first, I will tell a bit about Wings for Wheels.
\n
\nWings for Wheels<\/strong><\/p>\n

Wings for Wheels celebrated 15 years of ministry<\/strong> this year. For the whole pandemic, we have lived more or less in isolation, and met just with the Wings for Wheels team now and again, so this summer we really longed to see our friends face to face. Unfortunately, we were unable to organise a camp, but we hope to do it again in the next summer(s).<\/p>\n

On 25 June<\/strong> we celebrated the birthday of Wings for Wheels<\/strong> by planning a special day in Raiskums, where we used to have our camps. Rasmus, who was quite young when we held camps there, thought he remembered the place just from the pictures, but as soon as he stepped into the school hall, he remembered the time spent there \ud83d\ude0aWe had a great day. You can read more about it here.<\/a><\/p>\n

Wings for Wheels continues with regular small group meetings<\/strong> on Zoom (right now we\u2019re on a summer break), visiting care homes, recording a podcast, individual meetings, and physiotherapy<\/strong>. Most of the work will continue as before even after our move because Kaspar can lead everything from a distance. Once a month he will spend a week in Riga to do the things that need his physical attendance, as well as visit his elderly parents.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Evelyn<\/strong><\/p>\n

Starting from 11 May, I work full-time and remotely as a product specialist\/copywriter for kingitus.ee (an Estonian online service selling gift cards and holiday packages \u2013 an English version: www.tinggly.com). In January, I started applying for different jobs, and by the time I saw this job announced, I had realised that it isn\u2019t easy to find a position that meets my criteria. I decided to apply for the job nevertheless and within less than two weeks, I was hired. I am very content with the job, and it fits me perfectly. In the first weeks, I checked my Estonian grammar very often, and I still regularly use the thesaurus, but my Estonian skills are slowly coming back, and I have always been fond of writing.
\n
\nChildren<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rasmus (13)<\/strong> graduated from the 6th grade in the Riga Estonian School this spring. In September, he will continue learning in his class in the Palade Primary School in Hiiumaa. He has friends in the class, knows the school and will most probably manage well. <\/p>\n

Karola (6)<\/strong> and Rebeka (4)<\/strong> went to the Riga Catholic Gymnasium kindergarten \u2013 Karola attended the oldest, preschool group. Half of Karola\u2019s group graduated from kindergarten this year, so for her, it\u2019s easier to change kindergartens. Rebeka might lose her excellent Latvian without special attention to it, but we hope to keep it. Both girls will continue kindergarten in K\u00e4rdla in the autumn. For Karola, this will be the last year before school.<\/p>\n

Kaspar<\/strong><\/p>\n

Moving countries will probably be the hardest for Kaspar. Although we have spent a lot of time in Hiiumaa, this will be a change of culture and language, and the beginning won\u2019t be easy. For years, he has suffered from depression. It was controllable for a while, but is now showing itself again as anxiety. Sometimes he gets overwhelmed by the feeling of responsibility when it comes to issues of moving and our Latvian home.<\/p>\n

Kaspar is also looking for a part-time job in Hiiumaa. There is always need for physiotherapists and masseuses, but Kaspar\u2019s Estonian skills have yet to catch up with his professional skills \u2013 also this is a source of anxiety.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The move<\/strong><\/p>\n

When it comes to moving, we have good news \u2013 we know where we are moving<\/strong> \ud83d\ude0aThe closer the moving date, the more stressful it became to be in the dark. Over the course of the last two years, we were well informed on all properties being sold in the area that we were interested in, but due to different reasons (mostly lack of funds) we were not able to buy any. At the same time, we had been following along with the story of a house by the sea that would be ideal for us size-wise. It was up for sale first, then auctioned, sold to a new owner, rented to long-term tenants, there were plans to build it into a guest house, then new tenants came\u2026 through it all, we kept up with what\u2019s happening, and even without our initiative, we got to know the new owner. He always knew our situation and our interest for the house, and in the beginning of July, he made us an offer that we hope to be able to manage with God\u2019s help. We have signed a reservation agreement, paid 5000\u20ac in advance, and we have to find the rest of the funds during the next year.
\n
\nStarting from September<\/strong>, we can live in the house. It\u2019s in good condition, most of it has brand new isolation (it\u2019s missing boarding) and before our arrival he hopes to change all the windows. The downsides of this house are the logistics (school and kindergarten are 4 km away, so not easy walking distance); the iron-rich water, since the K\u00e4rdla central water system hasn\u2019t reached it yet (but perhaps I will finally get rid of my iron deficiency anaemia and proudly sport orange hair and previously white clothes that will be rust-coloured now \ud83d\ude0a); and the Internet, or rather the lack of it \u2013 the village is in a spot with no mobile coverage.<\/p>\n

We have been speaking to banks<\/strong>, and there are three or four banks that are willing to lend us money (in the future) \u2013 hopefully the whole sum that we need. At the moment, I am still on my trial period at my job, and the banks would like to wait a few more months before discussing a loan. Soon, the child benefits we\u2019ll be getting from Estonia, as well as the job Kaspar is hoping to get, would aid our situation.<\/p>\n

You can see more pictures of our future home here.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Latvian home<\/strong><\/p>\n

After we move, we will end our lease at the place that has faithfully served us for the past eight years. This house is too costly and large to keep. Kaspar will spend a week in Riga once a month, and we plan to visit Latvia as often as possible in order to maintain the children\u2019s Latvian skills, Latvian roots and friends there. However, we are too poor to stay at hotels, so now we are looking for a two-room apartment that would become our Latvian home.
\n
\nHelp needed<\/strong><\/p>\n

Throughout all our missionary work, we have been saying that every Christian can participate in missions in three ways \u2013 prayers, financial support and voluntary work. Our help request right now is very similar.<\/p>\n

We ask all interceders to pray for us<\/strong> \u2013 packing up, moving, finances for the process; getting a loan from the bank; Kaspar\u2019s anxiety, his job and Estonian skills; the children getting used to the new life; the apartment in Latvia, maintaining the children\u2019s Latvian; continuing W4W work remotely.<\/p>\n

In connection with the move, we have a lot of extraordinary expenses<\/strong>. Every little bit of support is very welcome. Most of our regular supporters that we have met, are planning to support Kaspar\u2019s missionary work as long as he works for Wings for Wheels. This is a great help. In addition, it\u2019s possible to support four special projects<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

1)\tThe move \u2013 it\u2019s not cheap to move countries;
\n2)\tDown payment on our new home;
\n3)\tExpenses at our new home \u2013 firing wood, water filter, Internet connection etc.;
\n4)\tApartment expenses in Riga.<\/p>\n

If you find that in addition to prayers and financial support \u2013 or instead of them \u2013 you would rather use your hands<\/strong>, there are many opportunities for that as well \u2013 cleaning, packing, loading the moving car etc. <\/p>\n

You can also help by giving us good advice<\/strong>. Having said that, you don\u2019t need to tell us that we\u2019re taking too big of a risk financially. We are very well aware of that, and we think that 20 years of full-time missions seemed less scary than the step that we\u2019re about to take. However, during this time we have learned that when we give our worries over to God, He will take care of us, and if something is not God\u2019s will, or if we wouldn\u2019t be able to pull it off, God will intervene before we lose everything we have. We are constantly praying not to make mistakes and we hope you are too. God does not perform miracles just for us to doubt in Him. Sometimes we just have to take a big step of faith, knowing that our Heavenly Father Himself is taking care of us. People often confine God\u2019s power to their own measure, but God\u2019s help has no boundaries. He is Almighty.<\/p>\n

If you have questions, suggestions, a wish to help, please don\u2019t hesitate to contact us<\/strong>! We are continuing our wonderful life together with God and we are very happy if you want to be a part of this as well. <\/p>\n

Wishing you blessings,
\nEvelyn, Kaspar, Rasmus, Karola and Rebeka<\/strong>
\n<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Greetings from Riga! This is quite possibly the last newsletter with this opening line, because within this month, we will be moving to Hiiumaa. But first, I will tell a bit about Wings for Wheels. Wings for Wheels Wings for Wheels celebrated 15 years of ministry this year. For the whole pandemic, we have lived … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1797,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1811","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsletters","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/ywam.lv\/apinis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Apinis-Family-June-2022.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ywam.lv\/apinis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1811","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ywam.lv\/apinis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ywam.lv\/apinis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ywam.lv\/apinis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ywam.lv\/apinis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1811"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ywam.lv\/apinis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1811\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1814,"href":"https:\/\/ywam.lv\/apinis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1811\/revisions\/1814"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ywam.lv\/apinis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1797"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ywam.lv\/apinis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1811"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ywam.lv\/apinis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1811"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ywam.lv\/apinis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1811"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}