LKSB (IFES) Latvia is looking for men to get involved in international ministry

 

We are looking for men who

- are ready to build relationships with international guys –men who are outgoing and are not afraid to initiate contacts / friendships

- can do discipleship with Christian guys involved in international ministry

-can help with creative and bold ideas to reach out students.

It would be good to have a team—one male leader and 1 or 2 people to help him – men or woman 

The leader should have previous experience in international ministry.

We are looking for someone who is already equipped and can be a help for us, not someone who needs training

 

We want primarily men because

- we have often international guys who come to events and with whom we have established contacts/ relationships. We already have some local girls and one international medical male student involved. Volunteers are mostly girls too. We only have a few guys showing interest in this ministry and in building relationships with international guys

- Latvia is not naturally a warm and inviting culture. Latvian men mostly do not look to build male friendships. If we have 2 men come through IFES InterAction, they could support each other as they build friendships with Latvians.

- we are growing, but still lack mature experience with international ministry in Riga

- another important factor is that in Riga people are not used to interacting with internationals. They look at them from distance and don’t feel like they want to talk to them. This is slowly changing, but there are still prejudices.

 

IFES volunteer ( - s) in the international ministry team

Their role  is to be in a full-time team focusing on international ministry.

Commitment: 2-3 years

International ministry would be the main responsibility of the team.

(For the first year, the leader of international ministry might be a national girl who has been volunteering in international ministry for several years.  She will now be an official volunteer for 16 h per week)

 

How IFES volunteers will be taken care for

They would meet with Latvian LKSB general secretary and / or IFES Baltic region travel staff

Some American and English missionaries are ready to meet up with IFES volunteers occasionally to support and welcome them.

They would need to raise their own support

 

The context of ministry

Latvia – Riga (a few facts)

Latvia is small country on the Baltic Sea with an area of 64,589 sq.km or 24,937 sq.miles

Capital city: Riga

National language – Latvian

Ethnic composition: Latians 59,3% Russians 27,8% Belorussians 3,6% Polish 2,5% Ukrainian 2,4%

Population: 2 261 294 (these days many thouthands live abroad to earn income there)

Latvia gained independence from Soviet Union in 1991

Latvia is part of European Union, NATO, United Nations Organisation

Latvia is a democratic, parliamentary republic

Latvia has all four seasons (summer – appr 17°C, winter – appr – 4°C)

More info: http://www.li.lv

 

International students in Riga

There are about 2000 students in Riga, not including short-term students who come and go frequently.

International students can be divided in 3 types:

- those who come as long-term students and (mostly) study medicine. Most come from Sri Lanka, Germany, and Norway

- short-term students – exchange students who come for 6 months to a year. Most of them are European.

Today students often rent apartments rather live in university accommodation.

 

National staff team

In Latvia there are 5 staff workers. 3 of them are working in Riga. Staff workers meet once a month, and we organise camps together.

We have a retreat for the team in August, January and May

Each staff worker is responsible first for their city group leaders, and maybe few a more students.

Brief history of International ministry in Riga

From about 1996 to 2000 missionaries in Riga International Church were praying that ministry would begin with international students in Riga

2002. J (Pakistan, Christian man) arrived in Latvia to study medicine. He thought there must be a way for churches to reach out to students from abroad. He started to invite his Asian friends to church

2003. Three IFES volunteers (two from the United Kingdom and one from Switzerland) arrived to start international student ministry. They started with small group Bible studies every Friday. Out of Friday Bible studies different events started to happen. Events with talks about life, spiritual questions, talent nights, international nights, Olympic games etc.

It became known among internationals as “International Café” every Friday at 7pm.

2005-2007 International ministry is handed over to a local woman after she trained in England as a volunteer with Friends International ( http://www.surrey.ac.uk/Chaplains/Friends-International )

“International Café” continues

2006-2008  We begin to face more resistance about “religious things”.  In 2007 we decide that for the first semester we’ll focus more just on relationships before “religious things.”

International attendance begins to wane, and the team gets smaller as well.

2008-2009 “International Café stops because students don’t seem to be responding in the long term, the capacity of the staff team shrinks with fewer staff, and the location for “International Café” does not suit students in the centre of town, as it is a bit out of the way.

Since then we run about one event per month on Friday evening and one activity on Saturday. Also we do a “welcome week” and hold discussions, though they are not that well attended.

Local people are ready to open their homes for events with international students

 

On 1^st of August of 2010 Ilona Krieva, staff worker of international ministry will step down from her position and leave the work of LKSB (IFES) Latvia.