06. Jul 2025

Photo 1: The St. James stamps for the pilgrim passport from the two churches in Dobeles.

Photo 2: The Lutheran Church in Dobeles. The building was built in 1495. From then until now people have gathered here to worship God. That impresses me.

Photo 3: I am staying at the Community Center in the village of Krimūnas. It was once a school and now serves as a library. Kristine is the director of the place and also is part of the team that is developing the Camino Latvia which started five years ago. I asked her if there might be a church nearby where I might be able to go to for a Sunday service. There has not been a church in the village since the end of World War II. She offered though to take me to the Lutheran Church in Dobeles.

Video: The service started with the hymn "How great Thou art". These words really mean a lot to a pilgrim...

"When thru the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees,
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze,

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!"

This time I was doing the crying.

Photo 4: Taking communion was another special moment. Afterwards I went back to the balcony where I was sitting. I thought of the many generations of Latvians who had come to this place to encounter God. I prayed for a new generation of Latvians to rise up in the power of heaven who will proclaim the truths and sing the praises of God.

Photo 5: A big butterfly in the garden of the Community Center.
I thanked Kristine for taking me to the church service today and prayed a pilgrim blessing for her and her family. She could speak a bit of German and said: "Ich könnte heulen!" / "I could just cry!" I think did as she drove away. God really wants to touch people’s hearts...