Last Sunday Anna Kate and I had the opportunity to serve at Svētki Tev, or Celebration for You! This was a beautiful prom/banquet event for people with disabilities and their families. It was put on by our friend Katie Leatherwood who runs a ministry here in Latvia called Designed to Live. You can find out more about Katie’s ministry here, but she is an orthotics/prosthetics specialist who provides these services here in Latvia at no cost, and also provides several other services and opportunities for people with disabilities of all kinds. Accommodations and opportunities in Latvia for people with disabilities are quite subpar, so this is a very needed ministry. Her hope is that Svētki Tev will become an annual event for the purpose of honoring and blessing many, and sharing the hope of the gospel with all people. All that to say, she invited us to come and help and we were so blessed in return. Anna Kate found many ways to serve, but her favorite was welcoming each honored guest and giving them a rose as they entered the ballroom. She jumped right in with her Latvian skills, telling them how happy we all were that they were here and asking if she could escort them to their tables.

The rest of the evening consisted of a professional hair/make-up studio, a lovely dinner, high quality music, creative live visual sand art on the big screen, and a clear presentation of the gospel and God’s love for all people. It was such a blessing to share this opportunity with Anna Kate and to watch her step out boldly to serve those around her.