The Salvation Army opened the Patvērums Childrens Day Centre in March 2002 to provide a safe environment for underprivileged children from the local community in Riga.
Friday, March 10, 2006
This week...
It's been a busy week in many ways even though we've not had that many children attending the centre due to ill health.
On Tuesday we had some shocking news that the dad of one of our boy's died suddenly 2 Sundays ago. At first we were unsure if this was true, as the lady who told us is not always the most reliable, but on Thursday we had it confirmed by social services. The dad is one we have mentioned in a number of blog postings as he was the man who was abusing his wife who we helped get a one months placement in a crisis centre back in September.
Information about what happened is still patchy but we understand that the mum has temporarily lost custody of her 2 children and that she has locked herself in at home and is drinking heavily. We are obviously very concerned for her. We are trying to work with social service but it depends on how much they can officially tell and what they can let us do. We have tried to get in touch with the mum but haven't be able to do so at present.
Please pray for her as she is a good mum and she needs to get herself together so that she can get her children back and begin her new life with them. Also please pray for the children Janis and Rebeka. We don't know where they are and whether they are together or not.
Also this week we have had one mum spend a lot time at the centre again because of her husband abusing her. She has 2 children and this violence has been going on for sometime. The dad does not live with them all the time but comes and go's as he pleases and this week the dad returned home and beat her up again. She is in the process of trying to divorce him and so guaranteeing keeping her flat and belongings but these things take time.
Since her children have been coming to the centre she has also started attending Riga 1 corps, helping with the Friday breakfast they serve and attending Bible studies and one of the lieutenant's called Aldona at the corps has spent a lot of time listening to her and praying with her. Today she turned up to help with breakfast with bruising on her arm and face. After a conversation between Aldona and an employee and member of TSA here in Riga, she has been offered a room in a flat together with her children. As I type she should be moving in! This has all been arranged very quickly and for a while it was hard to keep up with events, but we sincerely hope that this will be the break she has needed. To be able to finalise her official documentation and be able to get work is potentially a long process but we hope that by all of us working together will be able to help her get a new life, free of domestic violence.
So again, please can you pray for her that she will have the courage and strength to see this through so that she and her children can live in safety. Also thank God for this opportunity of a safe place to live and that together we will be able to help her.
posted by Patverums Childrens Day Centre @ 2:46 pm
