I've gone out on the streets four times now. With my role here in Riga primarily focused on the transition center and getting that ready to open in April, I haven't done a lot of street ministry, but Thursday nights I do get to go out. And those nights make this all so worth it.
The remarkable thing about starting to get to know the girls on the streets is that really, they aren't that different than me. They are humans who have been hurt in their life and circumstances have led them to where they are now. So on the outside they may look different, but deep down their needs and desires are no different than my own.
My first night going to the cafe Chloe was one of the few girls I met. She came in and the other volunteers were so happy to see her, since apparently she had been away for a few months, and they didn't know where she had been or what happened to her. Another night she chatted with us for quite awhile, and painted my nails and gave me some of her nail polish. She speaks quite a bit of English, but Russian is her first language. Some nights she pretends to only know Russian and when we ask her things in English or Latvian she acts like she doesn't understand or just responds in Russian. Each week she wears brightly colored barrettes in her hair, bright blues and pinks and purple. Such a little thing, but so noticeable.
Another girl, Julia, so beautiful and sweet and happy. One night she came back to the cafe four times, always so eager to see us with hugs and smiles abounding. Sometimes I try to practice my Latvian with her, but she just laughs at me or gives me a funny look. Clearly, I need to keep practicing.
The last two weeks going to the cafe, Shawna has been particularly on my heart and mind. Two weeks ago now, she came into the cafe with scabs all over her face, apparently she had a seizure earlier in the week and fell and scraped up her face. As soon as I saw her, my heart cried out and I felt so much love and care for her. We spent the next hour or so just making silly conversation. I would point to my hat and say it in English, she would say it in Russian and I would try to repeat it but severely struggled and she would just laugh at me. After she left the cafe I went and did dishes and all I could do was pray for her that she would feel God's love and peace that night as she was in so much pain. Then last week when she came in her face was almost completely clear. She was completely full of joy and was so incredibly glad to see me and she told us how last week we prayed for her then two days later she woke up and her face was completely clear. It was incredible. Then that whole night she talked with two of our volunteers who knew Russian, telling them how when she came in to the cafe she didn't feel the need to smoke anymore and how it was so peaceful and loving and that she knew God was here, even though she didn't understand it at all. At one point she turned to me with tears in her eyes saying that I was like an angel and was amazed at how I looked at her like she was a human and didn't shun her. She jokingly said that I was her little cutie and told me that I must never lose my happiness. All I could do was thank God that he was touching her and that I had the opportunity to show her his love.
The last few days I actually spent in Lithuania, visiting a teen challenge center there for women. Again, at that center I was struck by the women and how really their lives aren't that much different than mine. It was so encouraging to see them on the other side of their addictions though. So much love, joy, hope, and life that they carried and shared with everyone around them. To see that center that has been running for over ten years and see the fruit and changed lives that have come out of it, it made me so much more excited for our own center to open. These four weeks in Riga have been good, but I don't feel like I am really doing that much right now. I am so looking forward to the day that we open the center and I have the opportunity to really walk alongside the women who choose to leave their life on the streets and show them the hope and life that they can have in Jesus.
