25 July 2011

A woman holds bread received from the Baltic Bread Project in Riga, Latvia.

By J. Thomas Rogers | ResonateNews.com

 

RIGA, Latvia — Edgars, 20, wants "to be an assassin," he told volunteers from Cross Pointe church working in Riga, Latvia last week. The team of volunteers from the East Texas church were in Lativia working with the Baltic Bread Project, handing out loaves of bread as a sign of Godl's love when they met the young, would-be killer.

Edgars calmly described fights and murders that happened with his brothers against anyone that stood against their control of the neighborhood.

“If they didn't fight back, we let them live,” he explained. Edgars went on recounting in detail a nighttime brawl with policemen.

An hour-long talk with the volunteers revealed his reasoning: survival of the fittest, the futility of charity and the stupidity of the victims of poverty and violence.

The volunteers had already witnessed several homeless people with blood stained hands, fresh head wounds and purple facial bruising from recent beatings on the streets.

Edgars explained, “Eighty percent of the people are stupid. That is why they are like that (homeless). The other twenty percent believe in science.” Disagreeing with the idea of the volunteers' work, Edgars said, “I don't help people. If you do something good, then probably something bad will happen to you.”

Near the end of their conversation, Johnathan Ellison, a volunteer with the Texas team, offered to pray for Edgars.

“If that does something for you … if it makes you feel better, then you can pray for me. But I'm just followed around by bad luck.” Edgars replied.

“I almost died four times now,” Edgars said, “I think I will die soon. It is enough. I don't want to live long.”

The Baltic Bread Project provokes deep emotional responses from the people of Riga.

“For me?!” one local woman exclaimed.

“I got two!” another woman said after she sniffed her fresh baked loaves.

Some Latvians actually kissed the bread. Others scoffed. Many Latvians thanked the volunteers profusely.

A young Latvian, Martins, told one volunteer, “you are a good man … not many people do what you do.”

The Cross Pointe volunteer group gave 240 loaves during their 10 days in Latvia. To date, the Baltic Bread Project has given 4,000-plus loaves to the people of Riga.

 

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