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Here are the highlights from recent reports.
Carelinks | Riga ~ Feeding Scheme
T
here is the possibility of continuing the
feeding scheme throughout the year - if
enough volunteer workers can be found.
Hopefully these reports will help you under-
stand the nature of the work and encourage
you to come over and help:
“I have to admit to being intimidated by the
prospect of functioning in a location where I
could not speak or read the language. When
I actually arrived I was faced with several
situations on a regular basis.
First challenge was the large supermarket
where I had to purchase groceries for the
feeding scheme at the Hall. In many ways it
was much the same as any store in my home
town. The produce department was familiar:
potatoes, carrots, onions, beets no problem.
Canned goods like kidney beans all had
pictures on the label ... no problem. Tomato
paste, sour cream, seasonings were more of
a challenge but with Duncan’s help I
managed. On future trips I found there was
English on some labels, similar root words
that were familiar, and helpful store staff
who spoke English or could find someone
who did. My best resource was a helpful
young man in the dairy aisle. The best
discovery of all was an App for the iPhone
that you speak in English and it would
display the translation in Latvian. We could
find all sorts of things after that.
At the hall I met brothers and sisters who
had a variety of language skills. Sometimes I
just couldn’t make out what they wanted and
turned to others for help. Sometimes
gestures got the message across or someone
was available to translate. All it took was
patience on both sides and some creativity -
sort of like playing charades or pictionary.
Many young Latvians learn English in school
so they are usually the best ones to ask. I just
wanted to share my experience so that
others considering coming to Riga won’t let
language hold them back. Some things just
don’t need translation, they are universal.
Ladies walking their dogs in the park, boys
playing hockey on the ice, children making
snowmen and parents walking with their
children. The opportunity to meet brethren
and sisters from all over the world is an
added bonus.”
Sis Anne Barton
Brother Jim and other speakers type out their
talks into Google Translate and print them
out or get them on the screen - and then a
local brother or sister can read them out
correcting the errors, in the local language.
You can see how Jim and Maxim managed to
thus give a series of talks on the letter of
James, with neither of them understanding
each others’ language. The recording is at: