Mercy and Recovery

Serving those struggling with destructive ‘hurts, hangups and habits’ through Celebrate Recovery and blessing orphans through the ministry of New Hope Latvia and our BBI missionaries.

    Latvia is a needy nation with deep social struggles. Alcoholism is the nation’s #1 social problem and drug addiction is rapidly growing. About 10,000 children live in orphanages/boarding schools, even though they have may at least one living parent. But addictions, crime, home violence or extreme poverty have forced the removal of these children.

    Over the years, BBI has addressed matters of Mercy and Recovery several ways. We have connected social care ministries in the US with Latvians. The best example is the relationship between Buckner Orphan Care International and numerous agencies in Latvia.

    BBI missionaries have worked especially close with orphanage/boarding schools in Tilza, Ergli and Riga. Many orphans have attended summer camps and some have given their lives to Christ.

    BBI has helped facilitate the adoption of a few Latvian orphans (though this is not BBI’s specialty).

    And most recently, with the addition of Jaycee Jensen to the BBI family of missionaries, a ministry to teenage orphan girls has begun. She has established ‘New Hope Latvia’, which is a residential transitional living program for girls between 14-18. It is designed to help equip these girls who have grown up in institutions to make successful transitions into productive adulthood.

   Through BBI’s connections with specialists in the fields of mental health, addiction and recovery, extremely important courses and seminars have been provided for BPI students and many other leaders throughout the nation.

    BBI missionary Katie Roth is now the leader of the Latvian expression of Celebrate Recovery. It is called “Ista Briviba” which means “True Freedom” in Latvian. BBI coordinated its establishment in the last couple of years.  Five training and participant books have been produced in Latvian, as well as 25 training videos.