Although we are constantly learning about Latvian language and culture, this month we intentionally planned a few family activities to help us understand more about this place and these people to whom God has called us.
One Friday evening, we headed into Rīga to observe a mass in one of the Catholic churches in the center of the city. The majority of people in Latvia would say that their background is either in the Catholic or the Lutheran church, so it was very interesting to see what this type of service was like. It was very somber and liturgical, with a great deal of chanting and responsive recitations. The service centered on the body and blood of Christ, but (with our limited language knowledge), we were not able to detect much mention of the joy or the hope of the resurrection.
On another occasion, we took a Saturday morning to tour Rīga’s railway museum, as well as the National Library. The girls had a great time learning about the history of transportation around Latvia, how it changed during Soviet times, and what it is like today. They also enjoyed all the interactive exhibits and climbing in the trains!
The National Library of Latvia is quite an impressive place! It is actually known as the “Gaisma Pils” or “Castle of Light” due to the architectural usage of mirrors and windows. The girls especially loved the children’s room on one of the top floors and its beautiful view of the frozen Daugava river and the old city of Rīga on the other side.
