Dear Family,friends & partners in prayer,
Spring greetings from Striki & Saldus Latvia!!! Finally! After 4 months of short days, long nights & bitter cold winter snow, Spring has arrived! Now the days are getting longer (right now the sunrise is at 5:30 am & sunset is around 9 pm) and the weather is getting warmer. I have been looking forward to not have to wear layers of clothing to keep warm
Now I need to buy spring and summer clothes since all I have is winter clothes with me.
Celebrating Easter in Latvia
Since November 17th, I have experienced , Latvia birthday, Christmas, New Years,Valentines day, "Women's Day, Spring break & now Easter.
The one thing I have been learning from my Latvian friends is many of the "Christian" holidays (Christmas, Easter) have been celebrated even during the Soviet occupation but with more of the secular or pagan influence ( Christmas-Winter Solstice, Easter -Eggs, Bunnies rabbits or the old believe in the goddess "Eastre"-thus where the term "Easter comes from")
I sometimes forget that Latvia is a very old country and
has had many different believes before Christianity came here. And unfortunately as one person shared with me, "Christianity came by the sword". Meaning that the Roman church "forced you to become a Christian".From what I have been told, people are not closed to Christianity, but they are some what leery about it since all they knew about it is that it was forced upon them many many years ago. Let's say there is a somewhat a "stigma" of how the Gospel message was presented to Latvia back in the 13th century that still lingers today.
Daina the head master at Striki School was kind enough to share with me a little of Latvian long history.
Resurrection Sunday
This Resurrection Sunday (I prefer using this term then "Easter" since that has more of a pagan roots, were Resurrection Sunday has a Biblical root) The Lord has open the door for me to preach at St John Lutheran Church in Saldus on "Easter Vigil". It is a very big formal worship service. The service starts at 10pm and ends after midnight celebrating Resurrection Sunday. Later on Resurrection Sunday, I'll be doing an out reach ministry in Latvia and on Resurrection Monday I'll be doing another ministry event.
I know back in the states there are pastor's who don't believe in the Resurrection of Jesus (which makes me wonder why are they pastor's if there version of Jesus is still dead) So far Latvia has been spared the so called "progressive Christianity" (which to me is not progressive, but regressive as they drift far from God's Word and embrace the words & philosophy of man)
Would you please pray that the Lord will empower me with His Holy Spirit to boldly and passionately proclaim the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus that many will come to faith in Jesus.
This will be my first time "preaching " on Resurrection Sunday. For years I just sang, but this is way different. Please pray that I just keep it simple (since I will also need someone to translate for me) But at the same time lift up Jesus that through the message, they would see Him Risen & Glorified.
Gearing up for Bible Camp
This year I will be doing two Bible camps. One in Striki and the other in Riga, Latvia.
The theme is "Hope" and we are onc
e again centering on the Life of David. (This was the same theme we used when I first came to Latvia in 2008.)I am excited to be reunited with my missionary friends from the states. Please pray the hearts of both the students and the teachers would be open to the Gospel message and that many will come to faith in Jesus.
This was one of the reasons I came back to Latvia, to mentor and disciple those who may come to faith in Jesus.
Become a prayer & financial partner
You can learn what the Lord has me currently doing in Latvia by going to this link "My Call To Latvia"
Would pray and consider becoming a partner with me in missions?
Prayer partners:
I can not even tell how much it means to me having people praying for me. Just recently I brought a prayer need up to some friends and the Lord answered it the next day. Now I'm not saying every prayer r
equest will get a fast answer, but just knowing there were others praying really builds my faith.I need pray for
1) Wisdom & guidance in how to reach out to the teachers & students of Striki & Druva school.
2) The hearts of the students and teachers would be open to the Gospel
3) My partnership with St Gregors Mission Center in Saldus, Latvia & East European Mission Network in the states, in how I can better serve them both in reaching Latvia, Eastern Europe and beyond.
4) More open doors of ministry opportunity
5) Financial provisions.
Financial partners:
I am also deeply grateful to those who have given financially.
As with any missionary ministry, it does take funding. It is expensive to live in Latvia. Case in point, I bought grocery's and the total came to Ls 20.00 (twenty lats) I went to use my card (I try not to carry cash).
A day later I went to update my bank account and saw that with the exchange rate in US dollars I am really paying $40.00.
So please know your love offering not only helps with the food but housing & other personal expense . The ministry expense includes, traveling (remember my car is back in Indiana) office supplies , guitar strings, CD duplication, printing and web site maintenance.
As a missionary in Latvia, I must at lest raise $500.00 per month the minimum required by the Latvian government to stay here as a missionary. Any love offering of $5, $10, $25, $50 or $100.00 per month or as a one time gift does make a difference to the lives of the children and the families we are reaching here in Saldus & Striki Latvia.
If you feel lead by the Lord to make a donation, my friends at East European Mission Network has a special page on their web site (www.eemn.org) where you can send your online donation. Or you if you like you may send your donation by check made out to
"East European Mission Network"
1443 Southfork Dr. SE
PO Box 277
Hutchinson, MN 55350
On the memo write "David Michael Carrillo"
Many of you have asked if you can give directly to me . My ministry "GentleWind Ministries International" has also set up an online donation. Just go to gentlewind mission giving.
You may also send your love offering by check made out to
GentleWind Ministries International
PO Box 44601
Indianapolis,IN 46244
On the memo put " Latvia Missions"
Now booking "For The Love of Latvia Tour" Summer 2011!!
Booking August 11th to October 16th
I will be back in the states from August 8th to October 18th to raise mission support through my speaking and musical ministry. I am looking at covering the Midwest, Northeast & Southeast regions as well as southern California. I have set up a new web page which tells you a little about this tour. Go to
"For the Love of Latvia Tour". Would you please pray and consider having me come and share in what the Lord is doing in Latvia? God is doing a great things in Eastern Europe.
New Recording, Digital Down Loads & Book
For those of you who don't know I began working on a new album called "Before Your Throne" in North Plainfield NJ in June/July of 2009 with Steve Dickerson and May, June & October 2010 with producer arranger David LaDuke in Elwood City, PA.
Musically it has stretched me beyond my own musical comfort zone. With David's keen direction he has had me try new things I did not think I could even do. I forgot how fun and challenging it can be working in the studio again. I am now waiting for David to send me one complete finished song at a time.
And when I get them I will make them available for digital down load.
But in the mean time check out my recent release "The Live Concert Collection" 2010 featuring a collection of my favorite concerts I had performed at from 1997 to 2008.
You can also digital down load "A Pilgrims Progress"(The best of GentleWind Music 1988-2008),
"Hymns for the Quiet Moments", "Fearfully & Wonderfully Made" (Living with ADHD through Stories & Songs) & "The Carols of Christmas". You can buy each digital album for $9.00 or pick and choice the songs you want and make your own collection for your MP3 player.
Also if you or a loved one struggles with A.D.H.D, may I recommend my book,
"Fearfully & Wonderfully Made"(My Christian Journey with ADHD). Since it's world wide release in November of 2006, I am amazed how it touched so many people even to this day. This book has open wonderful doors for me to travel world wide to share about my struggles with ADHD.
Your purchase of the book or digital down load goes towards my mission ministry in Latvia.
Stay in Touch
Well that it for now. On behalf of everyone here at St Gregors Mission Center in Saldus Latvia, and also from My Latvian family in Striki the "Mihailishini" We want to wish you the Blessing of Resurrec
tion Sunday as we remember "Christ is Risen"! He has Risen indeed Alleluia!!Click on stay in contact with me to learn how to reach me by twitter, Facebook or Skype.
Have a blessed Resurrection Sunday.
In Him
dmc
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