The miracle of redemption

Dear Friends,

We have been praying for much fruit from our summer English camps. But no one on the Latvia team expected that when just 22 young people came to camp, there would be 30 professions of faith!

Laimnesis, the pastor of the Latvian church we partnered with, wanted to keep the cost of the camp down so he could attract unbelieving young people. Taking a map, he began looking for a small village with a school they could use for the week. The town of Dzuksta caught his eye, because the name shows up in a famous Latvian fairy tale.

But the first night he wondered if it had been all a mistake. Young people from the village started to gather at the school, making fun of the camp program, drinking, and trying to pick up the girls. It looked like the week was going to be a disaster.

Kenny, the leader of the JV camp team, decided to try and befriend the leader. Then he took the initiative and opened up the evening program to the local youth. The response was overwhelming – the first night they came, two of them gave their lives to Christ.

By the end of the week, many more had responded to the message of salvation. The final morning they made a book to send with the team. “You have transformed our town,” it said. “Thank you for showing us the way”.

That’s better than any fairy tale!

The good news of salvation has transformed many lives this summer – in Latvia alone, out of 7 camps, with 220 campers, 86 of them made professions of faith. Thank you for your prayers!

I’m rejoicing again in the miracle of redemption,

Dave Patty
President, Josiah Venture