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Chuck Kelley's book
Surprised by the Father's Plan is now available. Please click here for more information. 
first saw a painting by Thomas Kinkade in 1994 in a tiny art gallery in Sacramento, CA. Astonished by the serenity that exuded from the canvas lithograph, I said to my wife, "I don't know who this artist is, but he's got to be a Christian. He communicates hope." Then I thought, "Some day, I would love to bring a high quality artist, like this guy, to Latvia to minister in a way that no one else can."
Fast forward to 1999. I wrote a letter to Kinkade, inviting him to paint in Latvia and to take part in special events designed for the artistic community. Thomas graciously declined, but I somehow felt that I wasn't supposed to forget about it. A couple of years later I wrote him again, this time without a reply.
But God's timing is infinitely better than mine. I had no idea that the Kinkade family would begin to attend Calvary Church in Los Gatos, CA in 2003, or that Thom and his wife, Nanette, would be in an adult Sunday School class when I shared an update about our ministry. After class Thom approached me and told me that he was interested in taking his family to Latvia to combine painting with Christian service. I was delighted, and we immediately began to design a program that would merge the worlds of art, children's ministry, outreach and influence.
Saturday, July 10
After recruiting additional staff and volunteers, and making the final preparations for this unique week of ministry, we met the Kinkade party (Thom, Nanette, two of their four daughters - Merritt and Chandler, and Bob Davis, President of the Kinkade Foundation) at the airport with a customary large bouquet of flowers. Thom's brother Pat, a university professor from Ft. Worth, TX had arrived five hours earlier.
Sunday, July 11
We began the day with a walking tour in Riga's Old Town and then arrived at Calvary Church's sister church, Salvation Temple, where the Kinkades were warmly welcomed by pastors Janis Smits and Petr Samoylich. During the service, Thom greeted the people and shared a brief testimony. He spoke about how he learned to use his talent for God's glory and encouraged the congregation to use whatever talents they have as service to the Lord. Then, in the name of Calvary Church, he gave a fine lithographic canvas of his painting of the cross looking over eternity, "Sunrise." This is the same painting he had given to Presidents Clinton, Bush and Ulmanis and Pope John Paul II. Pastor Smits reciprocated and gave Thom a lovely framed piece that commemorated the church's 75th anniversary.
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In the afternoon our party headed for the country home of former President Guntis Ulmanis. His ten-acre picturesque estate consists of a new log cabin styled lodge, a garage where he displays his many hunting trophies and a splendid log sauna house close to a small lake. While the rest of us relaxed and enjoyed one another's company, Thom set up his easel on the president's small boat dock.
After helping Thom set up, several of us gathered in a circle to pray for the painting. It is remarkable that Thom's practice of praying before each painting surprised me. For years I have prayed over my sermons both before writing them and delivering them. Why shouldn't an artist do the same when engaging his God-given talent and calling?
As Thom brushed in the background on his canvas several of us took turns going for rides in the row boat. Later, the men in our group decided to experience the exhilaration of the Latvian sauna. After three rounds in the 190 degree sauna, with cool showers and refreshments between, we girded ourselves with towels and headed down to the boat dock where Thom continued to paint. He broke into laughter as he witnessed four men dive into the frigid lake.
Back at the house, we awaited the finished masterpiece. Soon, Thom came hurrying across the meadow, balancing the fresh painting on his fingertips. President Ulmanis was thrilled with Thom's rendition of the sunset over the lake.
Monday, July 12
While Thom's main assignment in Latvia was to paint, Nanette, Merritt and Chandler, ministered at the art camp at the Barbins Christian School. (The Kinkade Foundation had provided wonderful art kits for each child at the camp.) Each day about 70 children, including 25 from a local orphanage, not only developed their artistic skills, but they learned about the greatest Artist of all, the Lord God who created the beauty of the world. It was also a great week for the nearly 20 volunteers who came from all over the US to help.
On Monday afternoon at the Art Camp, Thom gave the kids a drawing lesson. Each child copied Thom's work mark by mark. Toward the end of the session Thom told his life story and shared the Gospel.
After the drawing lesson, Barbins School founder and administrator, Vija Ludvika, hosted Thom and Nanette for coffee and goodies. Ainars Bastiks, who is currently a Member of Parliament and the Minister of Children and Family Affairs was also present and shared about Latvia's profound needs related to some 10,000 children growing up in institutions. We discussed various ways that proceeds from the prints of Thom's paintings of Latvia can be applied to make a significant difference in thousands of children's lives.
Tuesday, July 13
The Kinkades stayed on the 9th floor of the Radisson hotel with a splendid view of the skyline of Riga. Painting for hours on the hotel balcony, Thom captured the skyline at dusk on canvas, amid questions from visiting radio, TV and newspaper reporters. The painting that emerged is breath-taking in terms of composition, light and detail. It even includes a tiny rendition of me walking my mini schnauzer, Chica.
Wednesday, July 14
Birinu Palace was built in 1860. During the Soviet years it was used as a health rehabilitation center, and as such, it was neglected terribly. When freedom came to Latvia, descendants of the legal owners of the palace were given the opportunity to reclaim it. Today it is an extremely popular place for weddings, receptions, parties and conferences. In fact, our ministry used it in February 2004 for Prayer Days, the annual event that brings pastors and leaders together for three days of prayer, worship and fellowship.
On Wednesday the art camp children came by bus to take a tour of the palace and grounds. Thom was there as well, and set up his easel on the bank of the small lake across from the palace. Again we prayed for the process and the painting. All over the grounds children and teachers alike drew, colored and painted their renditions of the palace. When we brought all the children together, Thom told them about his painting and answered their questions. It was truly beautiful.
Thursday, July 15
The Latvian Academy of Art was founded around the turn of the century by famous Latvian landscape painter, Wilhelms Purvitis. Today the vice-rector, Dr. Alexijs Naumovs, is one of Latvia's most well-known artists. Several months earlier I visited Dr. Naumovs. We discussed art, artists and Kinkade's proposed visit. The professor was intrigued, and suggested the notion of painting side by side with Kinkade. I loved the idea. So did Thom.
The motif would be the Dome Cathedral - the most prominent spiritual symbol of Latvia. Late Wednesday night Thom, Bob and I walked around the Dome examining it from every angle, especially thinking about where the light would be in the late morning and early afternoon. Thom selected the vantage, we called the professor, and first thing in the morning both masters had set up their canvases side by side.
The tiny street adjacent to the Dome Square was buzzing with activity. There were deliverymen, Japanese tourists and an official motorcade of a Scandinavian president. Two television cameras crews and a newspaper reporter showed up to cover the story. I decided to add a bit more atmosphere, so I recruited three wonderfully trained street musicians to come and play classical music. After about an hour it was clear that two great paintings would emerge. Thom's would be a brilliant impressionist piece with muted colors suggesting the majesty of the cathedral. It is destined to be a classic work. Naumovs' painting would be a bit looser and brighter, more reminiscent of post-impressionist fauvists like Raoul Dufy. The professor took more liberties with composition and the results were splendid.
Five hours later we all sat down to a light lunch. One of Dr. Naumovs' proteges, who had been taking pictures all day, joined us. We discussed the day and the world of art, but then the conversation changed to deeper topics, topics of eternal significance. The prot駩 told us that he was studying for Christian ministry many years ago when the KGB began to question and intimidate him. To his own shame he broke and denied his faith. To this day he felt that he couldn't be forgiven for denying God. Thom and I shared that there is hope and grace for someone like him. The next evening, at the reception in the historic Blackhead House, Thom and Nanette prayed with the artist as he received God's forgiveness and recommitted his life to the Lord.
After lunch Thom came to our Partners office where he met with our Latvian and American staff teams and presented our ministry with a copy of the "Sunrise" painting. We ended the session with a wonderfully deep season of prayer.
An hour later the sanctuary of Matthews Church was packed with more than 600 people, including many artists. Thom shared a bit of his story, of growing up in a poor and broken home. He then spoke about the important difference that Christ has made in his life.
Friday, July 16
Just outside the city limits of Riga, on a beautiful lake in the pristine forest, is the Ethnographic Museum. It is a place where Latvians have brought and reconstructed old wooden buildings of Latvia from the previous 300 years.
For years Thom has enjoyed painting old cottages and manors from the Cotsfords region of England. This would be his chance to paint something similar in Latvia. After searching for just the right motif, Thom set up his easel in front of a tiny sauna house.
As Thom painted the picturesque scene, something exciting was going on in other sections of the park. About 125 Latvian and American young people were working on the grounds, cleaning debri, picking up trash and clearing undergrowth. They were part of 'teRiga', another BBI/Partners project, and this was their final day of serving the city. During the week they had worked at nine needy places simply serving the communities in the name of Christ. They had picked up countless tons of trash, cleared acres of underbrush and renovated several large playgrounds. And then in the evenings they had staged two major outreach concerts in Riga.
On Friday afternoon, officials from the Riga City Council came to the Ethnographic Museum to say "thank you" to the young people. They were truly grateful that so many young people had given 5,000 man-hours to simply serve the city. After the special ceremony, several of the teRiga kids gathered around Thom just as he was finishing his painting. He asked the small assembly if any of them were artists. When one girl raised her hand, he put his paint brush in her hand and brought her to his painting where she added several brilliant blue flowers. She was beaming!
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Friday night was truly memorable. We finished the week with a VIP reception at the House of the Blackheads, a restored 14th century merchants palace in Old Town. We invited government leaders, artists, pastors, ministry leaders and those who had come to work at the art camp and teRiga. Almost 100 came. Up until the last minute things were hectic in the main ball room. While the strings played their prelude, Thom scurried to set all five of his still-wet original oil paintings in frames while several beautiful volunteer ladies from Texas scrambled to make sure that the easels were properly placed and lighted. I can still see Kim Akers, Shelly Pierce and Rebecca Lee in evening gowns on their hands and knees applying duct tape. But finally everything was in place. Thom's Latvian paintings were each displayed as was Naumovs'. Also on display was Kinkade's "Sunrise" painting of the cross.
Several guests of honor were present. Ojars Kalnins, former Latvian Ambassador to the US and current Director of the Latvia Institute, welcomed Thom to Latvia and thanked him for creating these beautiful paintings of Latvia.
Ricard Norland, the Deputy Chief of Mission of the American Embassy in Latvia expressed delight that Americans and Latvians can come together over the bridge of art. Professor Naumovs spoke about the surreal painting experience the day before.
Thom described his week in Latvia and then presented copies of "Sunrise" to both the Latvian government and American embassy. (Actually, it was somewhat of a virtual presentation because several of the "Sunrise" paintings were still in customs in Moscow and didn't arrive until a few days later.) Ainars Bastiks accepted the painting on behalf of the Ministry of Children and Family Affairs. His remarks were short and powerful. He said that "during this week we have seen great talent and great light but especially we have been pointed to the Light of the world and that is truly what Latvia needs."
The next morning when I bid farewell to the Kinkades at the Riga airport we all stopped and prayed again, thanking the Father for such a wonderful week. Everything that we hoped would happen happened, from good weather and positive media coverage, to interesting motifs and splendid paintings, new friendships, spiritual impact and visions of future possibilities. I said to Thom, "You know what? This week was an answer to a ten-year prayer. No wonder it went so well."
He answered, "Unbelieveable!"
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