How One Person’s Suffering Led to Hope for a Country

by Helen T. Goody, BBI Advisor and Freelance Writer

    LOVELAND, Colorado – It was an extraordinary event caused by the power of God. No one expected that the difficult situation of one family member might start a chain of events leading to an unprecedented training program for an entire country. But when Bridge Builders International president Chuck Kelley witnessed the weeklong training workshop of more than 100 students for alcohol and drug addiction counseling in Latvia, he knew that

Providence had guided him all the way.

    One of Chuck’s family members was in need of addiction counseling and, in the process, Chuck met the founder of an Oregon branch of Celebrate Recovery (CR), a program developed by Saddleback Church in California. This person was Bill Specht, who openly shares his own journey as an alcoholic and drug addict for 26 years. Through his interaction with Bill, Chuck soon realized the potential for Celebrate Recovery’s ministry to help alleviate the serious addiction issues in Latvia. This past October, Bill helped train pastors and counselors at Latvia's Baltic Pastoral Institute, where Chuck teaches and serves as Dean of International Relations.

    Bill taught several topics including sharing his own experiences with addiction...and how he’s stayed sober since 1994. He told about how the addict perceives life and how the brain reacts to addictive stimulants and depressants. The students were an interesting mix of pastors, pastoral students, physicians, social workers, wives of alcoholics...and addicts themselves.

    Students engaged in lively Bible study activities, focusing on 2 Corinthians 5:17, 2 Corinthians 12:10, Ephesians 4:20-24, and Ephesians 6:10-18. One Scripture in particular, Romans 5:3-5, resonated: "…we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the

Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."

    Students then divided into sample Celebrate Recovery small groups. The session closed with the Serenity Prayer, a prayer known by most Americans but unfamiliar to the Latvians, who embraced it.

    The success of the initial training program is already evident as several small CR groups are beginning throughout Latvia. Bill plans to return to Latvia several times over the next few years for deeper training.  The Archbishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia has asked for his leaders to be included in future sessions, knowing that addiction and alcohol problems in Latvia are extensive, and only little support is currently available.

    The CR training program a highly effective biblically based program that is spreading worldwide. The growing addiction problem in Latvia has motivated BBI involvement. This is another door that has opened for BBI to reach out to a large group of God’s people who are hurting. The next steps to grow the CR program in Latvia are:

1. • Continued training sessions by Bill Specht in the next year.
   

2. • The launch of at least a dozen CR groups in Latvia via Baltic Pastoral Institute, the Latvian Baptist Union and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia.
   

3. • Translation and printing of the five CR training manuals and workbooks into Latvian ($12,000 needed).
   

    God can use all experiences of life for his glory. Please pray for the above goals for BBI and consider supporting this program to transform the lives of Latvians and help them heal with Christ’s hope. Also pray for Chuck's family member, who is in active recovery and relying on God for long-term victory.

    To view the photos of Celebrate Recovery training event at Baltic Pastoral Institute in Latvia, visit the Bridge Builders International Facebook page.

    Maybe you would like to read about other BBI expressions of mercy and recovery?