Meeting in Riga II corps

A report from Sven Ljungholm travelling in Latvia (from fsaof.blogspot.com)

We did not dare to breathe a prayer,
Or give our anguish scope.
Something was dead within each of us,
And what was dead was Hope
Oscar Wilde

Those words seemed uniquely apt and could well be applied to each of the one hundred and seventy five 'homeless' persons who met to worship for three hours today at The Salvation Army Riga II Corps, Latvia. The service in the capital of Latvia was conducted entirely in the Russian language which is the mother tongue of more than 30% of the Latvian population. These are a people living in exile, a diaspora population abandoned by both their country of origin and the country where they were born, raised and reside.

Subsequent to the Russian invasion of the Baltic states 100's of thousands of Russians were transported to every corner of Latvia and the other conquered nations to indoctrinate the people in ways Russian. Now, some six decades later and following perestrokia, the people are second and third generation Latvians without any rights. They have no possibility to gain citizenship in Latvia, and their homeland Russia, don't want them either as they would only add to the unemployment and social problems already so prevalent in Russia.

They are a people without a country and without a home. The majority are unemployed and are on a constant search for a place to rest their head each and every night. The most recently enrolled soldier shared that he sleeps in the trolley station during the day but when the doors are locked at 8.00pm he wonders the streets in sub zero weather until dawn and then repeats the process. Today however, he moved into a flat with four other recently enrolled soldiers a stones throw away from the Corps were he and his colleagues spend all their time assisting the CO in providing social services. The costs are assumed by salvatio9nist griends in the 'west'. Ought this become a FSAOF project ?

The hopes of these worshippers are not for a middle class life or to auto ownership or vacations abroad. Their hope is simple just one more hot meal, a warm place, and a loving heart and listening ear; they have found them.

Were you to visit their worship service you would find that pungent smell so familiar to every SA Officer from days working with the homeless that visited your Corps or institution. These are the people Jesus said we ought to 'see as better than yourself". These are the people for whom Jesus died to give hope and erase anguish. Had only one of these downtrodden souls ever lived Jesus would have come for them. And He comes yet today thanks to the selfless loving embrace extended by these Salvationist heroes.

The singing was electric - the prayers moved us to Heaven - the testimonies gripping - the preaching powerful and compelling; resulting in queues waiting to kneel at the mercy seat. It was the Army at its most authentic and I was humbled to think that God has a place in it for you and me.

Tomorrow we set of to see the children for whom you and all in our fellowship provided winter clothing and funding for their school meals through the end of the school year. We will bring greetings on behalf of you all as I know you lft up our Salvationist comrades in Latvia in prayer.

'And what was dead was Hope"... however, here we saw a new flame of hope lit again, and again, and again, and ...