Meet Elina

For the last two years Elina has been living with the Aylwards in Peoria AZ and attending Southwestern College of the Bible. This May was her graduation and she then returned to Latvia. Elina completed her degree in Marriage and Family Studies graduating Suma Cum Laudi. Her goal is to establish a Christian family counseling ministry in Latvia in the long term. Her short term goals include returning to the states to complete a Masters degree in Counseling. Currently she is back in Latvia working with this years English Camps.

On this recent trip to Latvia I was able spend some time with Elina and help with orientation for a great group from the states, Red Mountain Community. She dove head first into ministry as soon as she returned to Latvia. After the camps this summer she will be applying at Mathew's Baptist Church in Riga to start a work in their Family ministry.

We also recieved some great news a few days affter I returned home. The Runzos have a Vonage phone that allows calls to the states for a flat rate and Elina called with news that she had been accepted to Denver Seminary. We are all praying that God will work out the details to allow her to attend either this Fall or in the Spring. Please be praying for this as well as her dream of starting a Christian Family Ministry in Latvia.

Saying good bye again as I was leaving Latvia this time was a very difficult experience. Since I had to be at the airport at 5:30 AM and leave Kosdonga at 3:00 we simply stayed up all night and talked and hung out with some of the JV interns. It was another tearful goodbye and I was worried about her being all alone and the American interns will be leaving soon. They are the ones she has spent most of her time with since returning home and it will be hard when they leave. But God is in control and lets face it. It takes about 3 minutes after people meet Elina for them to fall in love with her, so I know that HE will provide a network of people to surround and support her in the future and if it is His will then she will return soon to attend Denver.

Please pray for Elina and her dream of starting a Christian Family Ministry