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.
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
What's been happening...?
Sorry for the absence of any post but I've been away n holiday! I returned to work on Monday knowing that I had a lot to find out about and a lot to do!!
My first job was to find out who had applied for Dace's job unfortunately no one! We've not had one application, this was that the start I'd hoped for!! So after talking with Ilga, our director of social work, we decided that the best idea is to look for a student who can cover the summer months and then advertise for a permanent member of staff in September. We're all a bit worried as we have a busy summer planned and staff holiday to fit in so your prayers for this would be appreciated.
Next week we have a first summer playscheme together with Riga 1 corps. There's much organising and preparing still to do but things are on track! At the moment we are expecting 25-30 children which is not a bad number although there aren't many new children in that total so we do hope and pray that we will be able to make contact with some new families this week! I'm really looking forward to the week and we have a very experienced team and for Patverums children I pray that it will not only be a time of fun but one where they are spiritually challenged again!
This summer we have 2 interns from the States working with us - Ian and Jon. We met them on Monday, they seem really good guys and we're looking forward to working with them. They are helping us with the playscheme and then the following week running a 'boy's week'. This is another first for us. It has the potential to be a brilliant time of fun, friendship & encouragement for the boys as they have positive Christian role models to meet and get to know! I pray that God will use this week powerfully in all the boys lives!!
Whilst I was on holiday the staff did a great job running the centre (almost too good!). It was midsummer festival while I was gone and this is celebrated as much Christmas here in Latvia. So this year instead of our usually BBQ at the centre the staff took the children and the BBQ on an outing to a lake and listening to the stories they had a great day.
So as you can see we've got lots to do! I'll post some more entries over the next few weeks with some pictures so you can see how things are going.
The staff and I have just finished our weekly small group and out of it came some really good conversations. We're slowly making our way through 'Purpose Driven Life' and at the moment we're reading about temptation and how to deal with it!
As this is the day after Dace handed in her notice we all met knowing that soon she'll be leaving us but from this came the opportunity for me to challenge her about finding a church when she leaves. Dace's faith and relationship with God has developed incredibly over the past 3 years and she herself said today that she sees Patverums and The Salvation Army House where we work alongside Regional Headquarters, Riga 1 corps etc has been like a church to her but that soon she'll be leaving that. So I said that now is the time to seriously think about finding one where she can belong. I hope and pray that she will and that God will be able to do great things through her life especially as a Christian working in our Social Services.
Another thing that came out of today was a prayer request from Inese and Vinete and I promised them that I would put in on this blog. Both of them are in the final stages of finishing their degrees, they both need to complete their final dissertation soon but they are struggling! So please if you could pray for strength and focus for them both I know that they would be very grateful. Thanks
This is just a quick post to ask you one more time to pray for a new member of staff for Patverums!
Today Dace came to me and handed in her notice! She has been offered a job at one of the Riga district social services working in the 'Family and Children's support dept.'. It's pays more and it is a 'step up ' professionally.
This evening I'm filled with a mixture of emotions as of course after 3 years of working together I'm going to miss her and I know that the centre is losing a great person but she is moving on, I respect that and pray that God will truely bless her!
We'll start advertising again on Monday but as I go on holiday for 3 weeks on Sunday, interviews will have to wait.
Once again I am trusting in God to provide for us and support us through another time of change!
