From second to third generation: the joy of entrusting truth to others

Editor’s note. One of the goals of any Entrust training is that the learners pass along new understanding and skills to additional groups of learners. We’re delighted to introduce Daila, a second-generation learner, and her experience of equipping a third generation of women in Latvia.

Together with my sisters in Christ, Ilze and Agnese, I worked on detailed lesson plans for Discovery Bible Study in Latvian.

What is special here is that DBS happened for the first time in our language. It is difficult to properly use the inductive Bible study method [in Latvian], but it is twice as difficult if you have to do it in a foreign language. English is very often the third or even fourth language for Latvians.

What’s more, our group of three facilitators and seven students was, unfortunately, not able to meet in person. The second wave of COVID spread in Latvia, causing us to cancel physical meetings in October 2020. We were hoping to come together in person within 3-6 months, but it was not possible. As the situation remained quite unpredictable and even though it seemed really hard and not very comfortable, our training continued on Zoom.

The Holy Spirit was with us despite long distances between participants using this online platform. We could still pray for each other, cry and laugh together, give our testimonies, and study the Bible with great passion. The best part of all is that our seven participants finished the course the weekend of July 3-4.

I’m so full of gratitude for the way God is using our weaknesses and showing us the way in every situation. In spite of our frustrations with not being able to meet in person, God gave us strength, passion and wisdom. I’m grateful for an amazing experience of facilitating the course. It’s completely out of my comfort zone, but it turned out to be the most fascinating and fulfilling learning time for me.

I was always amazed as I learned the real love of Christ through my own facilitators [Trish Barrett and Laurie Lind] when I was a participant in DBS [in English, in Latvia]. They were loving, but also giving honest and straight-forward feedback in the same way that Jesus once did. Now I experience the same unity, the same support, the same love from my co-facilitators Ilze and Agnese, and that’s something I value so much. I thank God for all the things he let me experience and all the things he let me do for his glory. For all things I believe I cannot do, he guides me through them.