Resekne & Liepa Trips

Here is my report for this week.  We were asked if we wanted to go see a part of Latvia we might not otherwise see. Saturday, two of the pastors from the Riga 2^nd Church were taking a mother and her son up to see another son, Edgars, at a juvenile justice school near Resekne, close to the border with Russia.  They were taking a van so had extra room.  We said sure we would go.  It was a 3 hour trip each way.   The juvenile justice school was across the road from a very large lake and near a national park visitor’s site.  A couple of the things we did with Edgars was to go to the visitor’s site and to play the card game Uno. Uno is a game we play in the US also. Good thing we had learned our colors in Latvian.

The visitors site was a castle fortress build in the 1200’s, that was destroyed in the 1380’s. It was built on the top of this very large hill.  In 1875, Napoleon’s army was in the region and his painter painted a picture of the castle ruins.

Myself, Clarence, Rev. Kristine Rozefelde, Edgars mother, Edgars, Edgars brother & Rev.Abdris Vainovskis at Volkenberg Castle Site

Volkenberg Castle Ruins - only wall left

Yesterday, we made a quick trip to Liepa to see two flats that the church has use of.  One is used for small church services and Sunday school.  The other is use for an after school program for kids, where they can play and do their homework.  Liepa has lost half is population since 1991.  The major employer is a brick making plant.  During soviet times it made bricks around the clock – three shifts a day.  Today, it only runs one shift a day.  

Sarkani Church Flat

Their old stove, in the picture, is giving them trouble.

 

 

 

Sarkani Church Flat Building

 

Liepa After School Flat - Pictured Rev. Ilzita Ozola, Ilze the English teach and our interpreter and the couple that run the after school program

Liepa After School Flat Building

The train that brought us back from Liepa

Tomorrow we are taking a 7:05 bus to Liepaja to see the Wesley Camp and the space the church is renting at Paplka.  We will stay over and help them do spring cleaning and maintenance at the camp on Saturday.  Check back for more next week.