Artūrs Limanis (see profile) is BPI first year student. More than half a year Arturs has worked in Vidzeme – with Valmiera and Cesis youth uniting the resources, training disciples, preparing them for life.

Tell us about your childhood!
I was born in Riga. Until I was 6 I only spoke Russian, went to Russian kindergarten. My dad is Latvian, my mom is Russian. Dad decided to send me to a Latvian school so before school for one year I attended Latvian kindergarten where I learned Latvian language.
In my last year of kindergarten my parents got divorced. Since I was 8 I lived with my grandparents, I spent only weekends with my mom or my dad. Now when I am 26 I greatly appreciate my life with grandparents. If I had stayed with one of my parents, I would not be at BPI.
I am very thankful to my grandparents. I am who I mainly because of them. They are my real parents. My grandmother was very kind. I argued a lot with my grandfather who was a former colonel. He was very strict. In my teenage year he did not let me go outside to play with friends before I had done my homework. But I am thankful that he was so strict because largely my friends were airheads. When he died three years ago, I realized that because of him I am so goal oriented, and because of him I had such good results at school.
My grandparents are godly. Grandmother was Lutheran, grandfather growing up was Catholic, after that convinced Communist,  but 15 years ago he came to God and became passionate Christian. He called all his friends, and told them about God. Every time somebody came over, he told them about God. He was a good example. It was very difficult for me that my grandmother died 4 years ago. Grandfather did not live even a year after that, it was so hard for him to loose grandmother. I was taking care of him and buried him.

How did you come to God?
My way to God is largely connected with my father’s search for God. He came to God when I was about 11. At that time he was alcoholic, and did not see any point to life. Then he started attending Matthew church where he experienced God who healed him of TBC and alcoholism. My dad became a new creation and he was very passionate. Sometimes he embarrased me because he testified about God to all and everywhere – to people on public transportation, store. I also attended Sunday school at Matthew church, and youth group. That is where I accepted Jesus.
My dad stayed at Matthew church for three years. Then he and his wife started attending Russian Pentacostal church „Laba Vests” in Science Academy. I went with him. It was a fantastic time –warm, opened, godly young people, best place to spend your teenage years in. In this church I got spiritual foundation for my faith.
My dad was looking for more radical expressions of faith. After awhile he understood that God was calling him to Christian church „ Prieka Vests”. Even though I did not want to leave the church we were attending, I went with my dad because he was my spiritual authority. Our time at „Prieka Vests”  was also very good. I participated in worship team, developed my talents, started playing drums. God had given me good communication skills, I became friends with many. Now I regret it that one day I severed all my contacts with friends in this church because I decided to follow my dad on his search for something.
This time dad joined a house group which talked about some kind of prophet. It turned out to be false teaching which offered seemingly very Biblical but actually very false teaching. My dad believed it and convinced me, too. I was seriously involved there for about a year and a half. God miraculously took me out of there. I understood that I cannot rely on people but have to turn to the Bible. A camp „Test Regime”  helped me. At this camp I saw how God speaks to people. When there was an invitation for people to come forward if they wanted to receive Jesus, half of the camp stepped forward. I was shocked. Because in our house group we were taught that since the end of the world is so near people are not coming to God anymore. That night God broke me. I understood that God is alive, that He still works. I understood that the place I had been in, everything I had believed is false. God confirmed His love for people, for me.
Looking back at that time I can conclude that I followed a person, my dad, and not God. Maybe it was because at that time I did not have real relationship with God. I realized that this is my problem – I am easily influenced by other people, friends, that I am ready to sing along but do not have sufficient backbone. I remember what Valdis Indrisonoks said at one of the camps, ”Never, never look at people.”
After that was the renewal of my relationship with God. God gradually healed me from the lies, He is still healing me. In my mind I still have a dialogue going on with the false teaching. The old ideas are trying to convince me of the opposite. This is why I dig much deeper in theological issues. False teaching captures a person so strongly, it destroys lives, minds. It is so strong and crafty, it is almost unrealistic to get out of it. I realized that God took me out of it in miraculous way. My dad is not out yet. It has been very hard to communicate with him during these five years. He still is my authority. I have to have very strong faith when I speak with him but I believe that God will bring his family out as well.

You have tried your hand in many different areas ...
I am constantly looking for my calling. First I worked as a bookkeeper, then I could work in table game business. It was an interesting job. I went to many schools in Latvia, organized events, games. I like working with youth. I feel them, I know how to approach youth. I put all of me in this but did not see any results. I burned out.
My cousin suggested that I send my CV to European basketball clubs. This idea did not seem real to me because I have not even graduated from a sports school. But I sent my CV, got a response from Luxemburg, spent my last money to fly there and showed myself well. In order to play on a team I needed to spend a year working in Luxemburg. I was offered a job as a coach in youth club. I remember that I had prayed for God to give me an opportunity to work with youth. God blessed me in miraculous ways – private home, free lunches, gym every day. I did my job well. The easiest and most enjoyable for me was working with a team of teenage boys. I also had to train 13-14 year old girls without any motivation whatsoever. I also had a totaly unmotivated B class womens’ team that lost their first game by 78 points. I asked God why I had such a team? For me as a trainer it was so humiliating! This is what I started working on – motivating them.
At the end of the season God blessed me in a great way – all of my teams had great results. My terrible womens’ team even won one game in the season! But the main reason why God gave all of it to me was to have better relationships with people. At the end of the year the parents of my students invited  me to a banquet at a restaurant to thank me for my work. I was interviewed for central television of Luxemburg. At the end of the season I gave athlete’s Bibles to the girls, and told them I was a Christian. People saw that I always try to do what is right, do not gossip, and respect people. They felt that my attitude was not hypocritical, that I was different. Maybe little bit strange, but it was better than the culture of greed and gossip that they saw in this little country of Luxemburg. I believe that God has plans for this country.
After Luxemburg I went to America for two months to work as a trainer, as it turned out in Jewish youth camp. For me it was a trial – depravity, lewdness, nobody was interested in training. On the first night I had left my Bible on the window sill. I was told not to do that – this is a Jewish camp. On the next night there was hypnotizer show. Next night – bowling where bowling was just a cover for inviting over the girls from the camp next door. Satan said to me,”There are so many good looking girls here, take whichever one you want. All of my principles were tested in a real way. I walked out and prayed, and came back after three hours. I fought every day, there was no relief. But even there I could be a light for Christ. I gave Bible to one of the guys. They knew that I am a Christian, that I do not drink in the evenings, do not look for easy entertainment. God was very faithful to me during this time, and I am very thankful to Him.  
I came back to Latvia because I did not have the right registration in the US. I was offered work at Christian Basketball Academy of England but had a feeling I had to stay here because I had started ministering to youth in Cesis. I told God that if it is His will for me to stay here, that my flight would be cancelled. My flight was first moved, then cancelled. I went after all, did a good job on the trial training but never felt quite right. I thought to myself – do I just want to work and earn money or do I want to do other things as well? I told the leaders that I want 1-2 free days a month to fly to Latvia to visit Cesis youth. They said that they cannot promise me that ­– they did not need a person like me.
God blessed my choice. I sold my flat in Latvia within a week, and invested the money in my friend’s business. I entered BPI because when I saw such God’s guidance in my life, I could not do otherwise. Since I am here, God blesses me and heals me every day, every month. Of course, I fall, I struggle with my character, my doubts, is this what I need to do? I fall, of course, struggle with my character, doubts, is this what I am supposed to be doing? BPI challenges us often – to trust God but at the same time to think. God can fulfill all our dreams and He can do even bigger things than we can dream of. I would like to keep believing this.

This summer something important happened in your life – you asked a girl’s hand in marriage.
I will tell you my side of the story. I noticed Marta 2 years ago at „MissionNet” congress in Germany. Before we had played in children’s orchestra together but she was very young then. For the first time I heard God say that Marta could be a girl for me. In February during Alpha course I noticed Marta’s godliness, the fact that she is seeking God, sharing about God with her friends. All of her friends came to Alpha course with her. My friends also noticed that Marta is a very mature Christian. She supported and keeps supporting me. Pastor Peteris Eisans joked that I will be one of the many guys who do not deserve it, but God still keeps blessing and blessing.
Since Marta did not respond to my attempts to court her, several times I tried to let go of this relationship but as I woke up every morning I felt that she is still in my heart. I could not let go of her, and I felt that this relationship is from God. Marta’s prayer for her future husband was that he would be tall, that he would notice her first, and that her future husband does not have a previous experience of long term relationship. So far I am an answer to her prayers – all the relationships I had before fell apart after first few dates. Until now I thought that I am just out of luck but now I thank God that He protected me just like Marta was protected. Marta is the first girl I fell in love with because of her inner beauty. She gives me her love, she puts an order in my life. I am so happy that God has blessed me with somebody as special as Marta!

How can we pray for you?
I ask God for trust, discipline, I pray that my relationships with my parents would be better. I pray that He would keep leading me, and that I could trust Him completely, and go all out for Him. May God bless work in Vidzeme with youth, and, of course, also my relationship with Marta.