The lives of children are being impacted positively in this small village of 900 people, thanks to the efforts of Seventh-day Adventist church members, a church-connected charity and local government.
The lives of children are being impacted positively in this small village of 900 people, thanks to the efforts of Seventh-day Adventist church members, a church-connected charity and local government.
On June 28, a renovated apartment was dedicated in the village, with the goal of serving young people left unattended by parents during the course of a work day. The apartment was offered to church member Lidija Mitrofanova after government officials saw the success of her initial effort. Donations and help from Paradaugava, an Adventist charity, helped with renovations to the facility.
Before gaining the apartment, Mitrofanova had opened her own home for the children, providing classes and a meal. Her resources were strained as 20 young people showed up daily, prompting both commendation from the village and the effort to open up more space for her program.
“I supported the establishment of a children’s center,” declared Vija Nesterenkova, chairwoman of the local village government. “If there were some parents in the beginning who were suspicious what happens in [here]—aren’t the Adventists some kind of a sect?—now they all have been convinced that children are taught what they have to know: that they have to respect their parents and all older people, that they shouldn’t steal or do harm to others. Here children learn basic things about God and the world.”
Added Paul Tompkins, youth and family ministries department director of the church’s Trans-European region, “The unique thing that we see here today is that the Adventist Church is cooperating with the local government in this village in caring for children. It’s inspiring to see what they are doing. It’s very good indeed.”
Located near Valmiera City in the northeastern part of Latvia, Zilaiskalns has faced challenges since the end of Soviet domination. Of the two local industries—a sawmill and a peat extraction facility—one was declared insolvent, reducing the number of employed persons from 350 to 100.
Half of the local population was Latvian, while the other half was comprised of people from 13 different nationalities. After Latvian independence, about 50 families returned to Russia, while others sent their children to Russian-language schools in Valmeira. This depleted the supply of students for local schools, and in 1996, the local elementary (or primary) school was closed.
The local government has since reopened the school, staffing it with student-teachers from a nearby college. But there is still a need for more educational services, and the Adventist-run community center will provide four days of lessons weekly and one free meal each day.
Church pastors are impressed by the reach that the project is having.
“I came here and expected to see many people, but not as many as I found,” said Valmiera Adventist church pastor Vilnis Latgalis. “I expected to see many children, but not as many as I see now!”
