Godliness with Contentment is Great Gain

One of the highlights and definitely most humbling moments was our visit to Inga’s aunt’s Soviet-built “luxury” apartment. Her father drove us there. The roads leading up to it were in such disrepair that we slowed to bump-along-crawl. There were red and white markers all over the road warning of potholes. It is common for cars to have flat tires, car damage or accidents on these kinds of roads. Latvians have only been out from under Soviet oppression 33 years. It is hard for them to shift over to being responsible for the repair of roads, leaking roofs in apartments, etc. The government used to be responsible for all those things. As we drove along, Inga’s dad said that this road is much better than it used to be - that there used to be a very big hole that is now repaired.

The Soviet modernist concrete apartment was 5 stories high. Inga told us it was a luxury apartment and that she had never had one this nice. Inga had just left an apartment that required 6 buckets to catch water from a leaking roof, was heated only with wood and was heading to an apartment that was smaller yet than her aunt’s. These buildings were constructed between 1955 and 1990 when the Soviet Union effectively banned all significant architectural decor for ordinary buildings such as apartment blocks and shops. They were constructed according to the same used-and-reused designs, often built of prefab materials. Typically, people would only come home to sleep in these, working in the center or Soviet factories. 

Inga’s dad punched in the entry code and we entered the cement mail room. She pointed to the mail-boxes and said, “This is where we would mail the Call to Obedience (CTO) letters from your father.” We climbed the concrete stairs and walked down the pitted floor of the dark concrete hall. There was no elevator and no lights on in the hall. We were greeted in the tiny apartment with smiles and a hug from her precious aunt. There were two small rooms and a bathroom. Maybe 400 - 500 square feet total. The tiny galley kitchen included a clothes washer in the cabinet line-up. The other small room tripled as the bedroom with two twin beds, a “dining room table” not much bigger than a coffee table, and some stools and two or three chairs. And that was it except for the bathroom. The shelving in the bedroom was pretty much empty. Such a lovely absence of “stuff”. And such a presence of contentment. No television or computer in sight. This precious apartment is where several CTO home-meetings meet. Two had already met there that day. The atmosphere was one of authenticity and humility. I felt like I was on holy ground. A little forgotten place where lives are changed and God comes down like He did in the garden.

We sat down and soon the elderly aunt came in with a giant pot of borscht (beet/cabbage) soup. Then came the plates of dark and light rye bread with thin slices of cheese and/or thin slices of fatty salami. Inga’s father shared more about the CTO home meetings and their significance in the spiritual life of Latvia. With Inga translating, Jordan preached on the woman who anointed Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. We sang, “Show a Little Bit of Love and Kindness” and, “Have I Told You That You are Wonderful”! There was such a sweet presence of God there. I told them I didn’t want to leave. The elderly couple pointed to the mattress propped up against the wall and told me I could stay with them if I wanted to stay. Honestly, I would have loved to.