How to HelpNewsletters |
November 2003Submitted by editor on Sun, 04/13/2008 - 01:12.
Looking over the past year we see trials but blessings, losses but gains. One of our older girls was adopted and left us to live in the USA. For us this was a loss since we had grown to love her dearly but for her it was definitely a gain to have what many of our children dream of, parents to call her own. Only three of the children that have spent time living with us at Hope for Children have been adopted and I still find it astounding the difference this makes to the child, the security it gives them makes them so much more relaxed and confident and somehow "whole". Soon, in March 2004, we will celebrate ten years of God's grace and provision since the day we registered Hope for Children, and we plan to really celebrate His goodness. It's truly amazing how much we have been able to do over these years to protect children, alleviate their suffering, guide them and prepare them for future independence! And not only children but parents in crisis too; it's hard for us to imagine what it is really like to be penniless but one lady who comes occasionally to our midweek meeting for parents once gave something of a glimpse of understanding. We were travelling to a Christian concert together with a group of parents when I noticed this lady was weeping as she fell behind the rest of the group. At first when I asked what the problem was her young son said everything was ok but when I pressed further he said that his mum was really worried because they didn't have even the little money it takes to pay for the bus ride home. It took less than the equivalent of a dollar to provide for their journey home but for some even asking for such a small amount takes too much courage.
Thank you so much for your support this last year, for your prayers and intercession and for the practical help which has put a smile on the face of many a child and brought relief to those struggling to survive. May God richly bless you!
Seeing the fruits of our labours To take care of a child, day in and day out over many years takes an enormous amount of energy and resources, not to mention the days of anxious prayer as your child works through the temptations along his path to take "the easy road". Over the past ten years we have battled to save the bodies and souls of many a lost child and it has not been easy but how true it is that "he who sows with tears will reap with songs of joy"!
Homes
This last June they successfully finished their final (twelfth) year of school as two other former children successfully finished their first year in university. Not all our children will end up in higher education of course and may not take up serving in church ministry but we are working hard to make sure they can get good professional training.
Adoptions This month one of our girls will leave to live with a wonderful Christian family in the USA who have adopted her. Although generally the children in our family-style homes are very secure, loved and happy they still suffer from not having parents to call their own, especially when staff they've grown very close to move on to other jobs. After all the frustration in the past with adoption laws in Latvia, at long last procedures have become clear and reasonable. With all the thousands of children living in big institutions in Latvia who are desperately wanting to have parents who will love them we are so glad that Christian families in the West who are prepared to give these children the care and attention they greatly need are increasing in number. Most wonderful is that families are coming forward to not only adopt babies and toddlers but older children as well, in fact it is possible that even two of our 13 year old boys who are legally free for adoption will be considered. We pray that as the economic situation in Latvia improves that more local families will adopt and foster children but for now most Latvians are still battling to survive themselves and cannot even think of taking on responsibility for another.
Staff Ilga who has been with us for nine out of the ten years we have existed and presently works both with our resident children and heading the family work has sadly left us this December to go and live and study in Denmark. We are happy to announce that she has already gotten engaged to a Dane and they plan to marry in Summer next year. We have so come to rely on Ilga in many ways and in the sense that she knows first hand our history and all the children and adults who have passed through our centres over the years - she is irreplaceable. However, we trust and pray that God will provide someone to pick up the good work she has begun in the family centre and in preparing the children towards independence.
Day Centres Last year we really suffered from cold as the old pipes in the building, where our central day centre is, gave up the ghost and crumbled. Our Christmas party plans were very nearly foiled when a second time the pipes burst filling the whole building with steam until the temperature outside rose enough for the authorities to turn off the centrally powered heating block to fix them. For any family living in our block it was a difficult winter, but you can imagine what it was like having to care for the many children we do.
Our newest day centre is just about to open now we've finished furnishing it. Already children are gathering around the building and we are afraid that when we open the doors we will be swamped. Far too many children in Riga are living in poverty and far worse are suffering rejection and abuse from parents who have given up the fight of trying to survive and have turned to drink.
 Family Support
If you were to sit at our reception time at the family support centre you would meet with so many mothers coming in for help in absolute crisis. One lady whose husband had left her for another woman came with a baby and toddler in arms saying she'd been left with absolutely no financial support and no one she'd turned to had been able to help her. We have found that no piece of furniture, no matter how old and battered should ever be thrown away. Another lady with two children who had just gotten a place to live after being homeless for years was so grateful for an old divan-bed which we had had to dissect and were about to throw away - the boards broken from many a bouncing child being of no importance if you put the seating straight onto the floor!
Prayer Requests
As winter sets in... We have the most costly time right now. Heat is expensive as is winter clothing and well, everybody hopes for some extra treat at Christmas. As Latvia becomes part of the European Union we fear great inflation, already some prices have gone up with a very high percent increase. Please do not forget the poor in Eastern Europe and remember that God smiles upon those who give to the needy. Also the opening of a new day centre for children for us is a real step of faith since we as yet do not have the funding we need for more staff and running costs. Additionally our central day centre badly needs renovating. We trust that as God prompts your hearts to remember and give to those who have so little all our needs will be met and many, including yourselves, will be greatly blessed. To see how to practically support Hope for Children, please see "how to give." We warmly welcome all of you who have been faithful in prayer and giving to visit us in Riga. |
Two of our older boys - Kolya and Uldis - recently left us to spend a year on a discipleship and outreach programme 'Urban Devotion' in Birmingham in the UK. Not only have they brought us much joy in helping at Hope for Children, doing repairs in the day centre and home and supporting with watching over the other kids, but they are now reaching out to other kids who find the street an easier or more welcoming place to be than at home. Both Kolya and Uldis know the life of the street well; before they came to live with us they had missed several years schooling and were familiar with living rough and the criminal side of life.
Two of our boys are right now training to be carpenters in a state technical college and will become equipped to live an independent life without resorting back to their former ways. But not all of our kids will have the time or commitment to do several years professional training and many no doubt will need to take up shorter training courses for which we need to find the fees.
Interestingly, even though it was cold and dark (everybody in the block had started using electric heaters and the supply of electricity to the block simply wasn't enough), the kids still wanted to be with us saying that it was just as bad, if not worse, at home. Enough was enough though, and off we went with our request to the authorities to be cut off from the blocks heating system and allowed to install one of our own. We faced a battle! Nobody in our large block had ever managed to get such a permit and the first official we met asked, "Do you want to take the answer 'no' now or put in a formal request and receive the answer 'no' later?" Undeterred we put our request in all the same and prayed for softening of hearts towards us, the result being that now we have a wonderful heating system of our own. Our God is truly good and provides for all our needs!