Baltic wrap up

The drive from Riga, Latvia, to Birzai, Lithuania, was more direct than the one in November. (Check that post if you want to know more. I won't be hurt if you don't). We avoided the roundabout vortex in Riga, and chose not to go visit the elderly lady whose driveway we thought was the way to Birzai. I owe the quick and easy exit from Riga to Sanita. She wasn't much help after that, but she got us out of the city and we were on our way.

I had reserved a standard size rental van because I knew that David, Courtney and I, and a couple of others, with my guitar, our bags, and some Chrysalis supplies would be making the journey. The couple of others became three others and a baby stroller. I had been concerned about bringing David into a Chrysalis without knowing anyone on the team except me. But God provided some serious bonding time on the road to Birzai.

While I drove and Courtney rode front seat shotgun, David sat in the second row of our VW van with Janis, Sanita and Sniedze. David had no choice other than to bond. After the two hour trip, he was an intimate part of the team.

For those readers who don't know what Chrysalis is, a brief explanation. Chrysalis is a Christian spiritual growth community for young adults, designed to strengthen participation in local churches. Participation in Chrysalis begins with a three day weekend apart from the world, during which there is sharing, learning, praying, worshipping, laughing, crying, eating, singing, and not much sleep. This was Baltic Chrysalis #6 for guys. We had 14 caterpillars (new participants) and a team of 27 or so.

The Chrysalis was great. Perfect. It is common in Chrysalis to say that the week-end is being led by the lay director, Gatis for BC 6, and the Holy Spirit. Gatis did his job well. He had the responsibility for pulling together a team from three countries, four counting David and me from the US. He did everything he could. There is a Spiritual Director for each Chrysalis. Grazina was our director for BC 6. She did her job well, as always. And the Holy Spirit did the rest. I really cannot describe the results. I can say we all were changed. I wish you all could have been there. We could have made room in the van in the front seat with Courtney and the Randall child.

The setting in Birzai was beautiful. A snow covered, small East European town. A new church constructed on the frame of a former Soviet military training building. The church was perfect for Chrysalis with the conference room downstairs, the kitchen and dining area on the second floor, and the caterpillars dorm on the third floor. The team slept all over the place. Our chapel services were held in the original church which was across the street. It was an old, basically one room building. The short walk through the snow in the cold air moved us seamlessly from the excitement and fun of the conference room to the meditative and prayerful atmosphere of the chapel.

Words do not do BC 6 justice. I just wanted you to know a little bit.

My own particular part in this was being on the music team. I had the joy of working with Liva, Sanita, and Jess, an American friend of Grazina's from the Duke years, and now a friend of mine. A song leader's job is to give the songs away to the people as quickly as possible and let them become their own,. Young men are young men, and they were a bit reluctant at first, but as our time together went on, they sang. And played guitars. And keyboards. And wrote songs. One of my favorite songs to lead with groups is Prince of Peace, because it sneaks up on you. You think at first, this is just a silly camp song, the guys singing against the girls. But after the second time through, the awareness of God's presence is raised somehow. Probably because the song is just a series of phrases invoking the Biblical names for God and Jesus. Anyway, I wish you could have been there for that. And Sing Alleluia, and How Great is Our God. Even, maybe especially for A la la la la la la le lu ia.

But song leading is hard work sometimes. Especially in the beginning of something like a guys Baltic Chrysalis where the song leader's job is to pull the music out of folks who have the song inside them but are a little afraid to let it go. I have to admit I was tired at one point early on, wondering if I could do this. Then the prayer vigil came out. So many praying for us. So many that I didn't know. But when you're far away from home, to see the familiar names of close friends reminding you that you are not in this alone is like a spiritual Red Bull. Thank you all for praying.

BC 6 was over as quickly as it started. Tearful goodbyes were said, several times, and we all left Birzai behind. We crammed our part of the team back into the van and headed back to Riga, where we once again said goodbyes at the Riga 1st UMC.

Back at the Randall home we ate another of Dan's meals. Courtney, sleeping for two, turned in shortly after we ate. David and Dan and I talked and dreamed about Wesley Camp. Then it was time for bed to catch four or so good hours before rising to get to the airport. The trip back was as easy as the trip over. And we were home.

I am thankful to get to do this kind of stuff. I am thankful to have been able to share this time with my preacher David. I am thankful to all of you in Alabama who have supported Baltic Chrysalis for these formative years and ask you to continue to pray for BC. It is vibrantly alive and well and is strengthening the Body of Christ in the Baltics in real and wonderful ways. I am thankful for all the friends I have because of BC, some old friends now, and some brand new. There is so much to tell.

But it is time to go to work.

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