Project Updates + Travels

A quick look back at October and ahead to November. Hopefully, it will encourage you to see how we are a blessing to many.

We were able to donate €2,000 to Centar Duga, the Teen Challenge's drug and alcohol rehabilitation center in Serbia. It will be used to purchase ten new piglets and whatever else is needed for the farm run by the men in the program. Thank you so much for your donations.

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The proceeds from our shops Twinkeltje and the Schor in October, were a record! We were able to donate €3,000 to the work of Alabaster Jar among prostitutes in Berlin.

On the website of Samaritan's Purse in Germany, you can read more about the outreach to these women and girls who are often victims of human tr*fficking. Just like last year, Hope packages will be distributed again in December, a little light in the darkness.

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This coming weekend, we (Jan and Marja) will be in Slovenija for the celebration of 20 years of Teen Challenge. There will be an official gathering on Friday, November 7th. We hope to see many familiar faces there and celebrate God's faithfulness and goodness together. On Saturday, we will speak at the church in Koper. Of course, we have an anniversary gift for them.

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Next week, we will also prepare to attend the European Teen Challenge fall leadership's conference, which will be held in Cluj, Romania, this year. We look forward to meeting many leaders from the various centers in Europe. A visit to the rehab center is also on the agenda.

Would you please join us in praying for safe travels?

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This Friday evening, there's another late-night shopping event and pop-up café at Atelier de Schor from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Come visit us! The shop  looks fantastic!

In November, the proceeds will be kept for the prison work in Albania.

In the last two months of the year, we always have various Christmas gift campaigns and other special projects. So keep an eye on this news blog.

Donations, large or small, for the projects we support are always welcome. You can do so in various ways:

• Make a donation to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U
• Give by card
• You can also donate directly via our website!

Visit to Teen Challenge Georgia

Last month, we (Jan and Marja) spent a week at Teen Challenge in Georgia.

The last time we were there was in 2018, but luckily, we were able to meet our dear friends Kuanish and Mada Akkuzova, the directors of Teen Challenge, at conferences along the way. And of course we stayed in touch via email and WhatsApp.

The amazing team of Teen Challenge Georgia staff and volunteers runs a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center for men and a women's home in Tbilisi.

Kuanish and Mada also pastor a vibrant church and Sunday school in Tbilisi. They oversee street work and are actively involved in children's ministry in refugee camps.

The couple is originally from Kazakhstan. Kuanish is of Muslim descent and overcame his addictions at a Teen Challenge center there. That's how he also came to know God!

We visited the women's home and saw the beautiful kitchen, which Traveling Light helped fund. We shared God's Word during the chapel services and spoke with the teenagers (refugees from various countries) about talents and gifts.

On Sunday morning, we preached during a packed church service about the importance of making choices. The service continued outside, as 14 people were baptized!

The international (rehab) center is a four-story building that the team has worked on for years to make it suitable for multi-purpose use. It looks so beautiful. It has apartments for staff members, rooms for visitors and students, mission teams, and it houses a church, a rehab, youth events, etc.).

We had the opportunity to pray for healing and deliverance with all the students in the rehabs, to prophesy over them, and minister to their individual needs.

Fortunately, there was also time to visit our friend Reza Nadirashvili (founder of CIC Mission) at the farm in Gardabani. We have also helped him in recent years with donations and earlier with visits.

The need for Christian recovery programs is growing!

It's truly beautiful to see and hear how God is reaching the nations and peoples in this region with His love and grace, despite political unrest, wars, a continuous stream of refugees, and so much more.

It was incredibly encouraging to see how the Lord is working among addicts, the homeless, teenagers, children, refugees, and the brokenhearted... well, among everyone, really. Lives are changing here, every day!

If you would like to contribute to the work of Teen Challenge in Georgia: you can do so in different ways:

• 💛Send a donation to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U and make sure to mention TC Georgia
• 💳 Give by card
• 💡You can also donate directly via our website!
• 👉When in the USA, make your tax-deductible gift payable to EEO Inc. Make sure to mention TC Georgia.

Project piglets for farm Teen Challenge Centar Duga, Serbia

Last year March, we donated money for the expansion of the farm at the Teen Challenge Centar Duga in Novi Sad, Serbia.

You can read that message HERE.

Pastor Dusan Beredji (known to us as Bera) regularly sends news updates about the drug and alcohol rehab center, where men and boys with life-threatening problems can go for a long-term rehabilitation program.

The rehab center is largely self-sufficient thanks to a moving service, a chicken farm, and vegetable greenhouses, but they also receive donations.

The farm has now been expanded with more greenhouses, a chicken coop, and a pigsty!

They raise ten pigs a year, sell five, and process five for their own use (dried and fresh meat). The center has room for 30 men, so a lot of food is needed! Bera writes:

"We are especially proud that the boys took excellent care of the pigs this year, and that we have developed a great responsibility towards animals. Caring for animals shows the state of the heart in an interesting way."

We would like to help them at this time with a donation to purchase ten new piglets. If you would also like to help...

You can send a gift in different ways, please take note:

• Send a donation to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U and make sure to mention CENTAR DUGA.
• Give by card
• You can also donate directly through our website!
• When in the USA, make your tax-deductible gift payable to EEO Inc. Make sure to mention TC Serbia

Jan has visited the center and has seen with his own eyes how they run the center on a daily basis, and how lives are being changed there, every day.

Project heating boiler TC women's home Berdychiv, Ukraine

Dear friends, we would like to share the following message from our Teen Challenge friends, Sergey & Irina Romaneko, in Ukraine, with you.

"We are all good here. Praise God, there are many people now in rehabs, with many children. Spring and summer are times for field work, and we harvest vegetables and fruit for winter. In autumn, we’ll start the study process.

The war keeps going in Ukraine… It was always calm and relatively safe in Berdychiv up until now (only in the very beginning there was a missile strike once). But on the night of the 10th of September, there was another mass attack against Ukraine. And there were many drone hits and even missile hits in our town, and even in our neighbourhood, there were about ten of those. Praise God there were no casualties!

We have an unexpected problem at our women’s rehab. Our heating boiler broke down (it was old). It will soon get colder, and we really need to buy and install the new one as quick as possible. The cost for that is €600.

Another need is some repairs in the house. The floor is rotten and needs repairs, the wallpaper torn, and there are some issues with plumbing. We figure repairs will be another €1000. 

If you can help with anything, we would really appreciate it. Blessings to you! Shalom from the Teen Challenge conference here in Ukraine."

So far, the message from Sergey and Irina. They always keep smiling and being cheerful. That's one of the reasons we're always happy to help them when the need arises. We hope you want to help them as well.

You can send your gift in different ways:

Send a donation to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U and make sure to mention TC UKRAINE BERDICHYV

Give by card

You can also donate directly via our website!

When in the USA, make your tax-deductible gift payable to EEO Inc. Make sure to mention TC Ukraine Berdychiv.

Camp 2025 Teen Challenge Slovenia

We certainly hope you all know by now that  Traveling Light does so much more than merely fundraising.

It's actually too much to list. Coffee house work, Alpha, prison ministry, preaching, teaching, and encouragement... we do it all under the umbrella of the non-profit.

Back at the end of July, Jan hopped on his motorcycle on his way to Slovenia. He was invited to participate in a camping and hiking weekend in the Slovenian Alps, organized by Teen Challenge there.

It was a very special week. Men from the drug and alcohol rehabilitation center, staff members, and Jan (16 in total) enjoyed spending time with each other and with God. Jan led Bible studies and took the time to talk and pray with the men personally. So important.

And also: mountain hikes, roasting sheep, paintball, sports and games, more hiking, music, and worship. In short, a valuable time together in nature, despite the occasional heavy rain. Jan has been going to Slovenia every year for years to spend time with the men from the rehab center during the "My Brother's Keeper" conferences held in the Balkans.

This year, the conference did not take place, as a large evangelism event was planned instead. The men he meets each year are, of course, different ones all the time, as they stay in the program for an average of 12 months.

We hope to return to Slovenia in November for the celebration of 20 years (!) of Teen Challenge.

On the way there, Jan also visited Dirk and Meike Hellmann. For many years, they ran the Teen Challenge center Gutes Land in Germany. Dirk has been battling cancer for years, but he always appreciates a visit!

Last June, we visited them together. We've known each other for years and are grateful that we can maintain contact, always counting on a warm welcome. A visit like this certainly falls under the heading of encouragement.

We are grateful for the extensive international network we have!

Donations, large or small, for the projects we support are always welcome. You can do so in various ways:

• St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U and make sure to mention, in this case, TC SLOVENIA
• Give by card
• You can also donate directly via our website!
• When in the USA, make your tax-deductible gift payable to EEO Inc. Make sure to mention TC SLOVENIA

By the way, a really great video has been made of the camp in Slovenia.

Airport shuttles, visitors from Belgium, and fundraiser run

Besides financial support and spiritual encouragement,  Traveling Light also offers practical help where possible. This was the case last week during the visit of regional leaders of Global Teen Challenge in the Netherlands.

Jan and Cora left for Heerhugowaard on Sunday evening, where they stayed at the Teen Challenge Netherlands building. Along with a few other volunteers, they had signed up as drivers to welcome guests at Schiphol Airport and take them to their hotel.

The drivers then transported the guests in vans to the various meetings and visits (including the Corrie ten Boom House) that were planned. Jan did this on Monday, and Cora all four days! She was ready early Thursday morning to take guests back to Schiphol. It was an honor to be of service this way.

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Then, on Friday, we were honored with a visit from Frédéric and Natacha Hensgens from Teen Challenge Belgium. It was their first visit to Papendrecht.

On Saturday, we took them to Atelier de Schor and Twinkeltje, where they could see firsthand how volunteers are busy connecting with the neighborhood and are very creative in raising money for Teen Challenge programs throughout Europe.

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On Thursday, September 4, we will partake in the 'Lukassen & Boer sponsor run' again (as we do each year) with an enthusiastic group of hikers and runners. This event will bring in cash for Traveling Light.

During the event, you run a maximum of two (if you are younger than 15 years old) or a maximum of four (if you are 15 years old or older) rounds through sports park Oostpolder. One round is about 2.5 kilometers long. You can run or walk. Each round is good for 2 euros.

The youth will start at 6:30 PM and the adults at 7:30 PM. Start at AV Passaat's athletics track, Andoornlaan 38. Hopefully, we'll see you there. We have entrance cards!

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We are currently raising money for the Communita Brezzano project in Italy and Teen Challenge Lithuania, and in Twinkeltje, we are raising money for the Crossroads rehab center in Serbia.

Donations are always welcome. You can send a gift in different ways. Please take note:

When in Europe, you can send a donation to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U and make sure to mention 'general' or otherwise which country or project.

💳 Give by card

👉You can also donate directly via our website!

Visit to Teen Challenge Lithuania

We promised a report on our visit to Teen Challenge in Lithuania, which took place at the end of June.

As a non-profit organization, we provide not only financial support but also spiritual encouragement. We do this by visiting, leading Bible studies, listening, and praying with people. Intensive, but so important!

We (Jan and Marja) drove to Lithuania, which was a relaxing way to go. Friday morning, we were expected at the women's center in Slienava.

👉The theme we would be teaching on all weekend was "Staying free" based on Galatians 5:1.

In a morning and afternoon session, we reflected on this important topic. Jesus offers true freedom, but safeguarding that freedom is our responsibility. It's crucial to prevent relapse.

The first step towards freedom is, of course, the decision to turn your back on addiction and seek help. The next important step is inviting Jesus into your life.

Many people responded to our invitation to do so. It was overwhelming; we forgot to count, but there were a total of 12 or 13!

The next day, we were welcomed at the men's center in Pikeliai, where a tent had been set up for the meetings. We enjoyed delicious food, listened to testimonies, shared important teachings, and once again, we were able to pray with many people!

The conversations, prayers, fellowship, music, food... everything together created a wonderful atmosphere that we all found encouraging. God is at work in people's lives, everywhere!

On Sunday, we spoke at the church in Kaunas, Kauno Krikščionių Bažnyčia. A church led by Pastor Rytis Berūkštis, who has a great heart for the work of Teen Challenge!

After the service, we spoke and prayed with people for a long time, thanks to our interpreters. Afterwards, we enjoyed a delicious, traditional lunch together.

A lovely woman from the congregation hosted the book table and made sure that many took home English and Russian editions of Marja's books.

The sermon can be viewed HERE (starts around 1:13).

Fortunately, there was also time to go out with directors Edvardas and Rasa Kleinas and visit some beautiful areas in the country. We look back on several wonderful days during which we were able to inspire and build each other up.

On the way back, we also visited fellow Dutchman Willem van Dijk from Vilties Inkaras (Anchor of Hope), who has visited Twinkeltje twice for a mission night.

Running the two (full to capacity) rehab centers and a re-entry house involves significant costs. Teen Challenge's work in Lithuania relies partly on donations.

Would you also like to invest in transforming lives? Then please send a financial gift. You can do so in various ways:

• St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U and make sure to mention TC LITHUANIA.
• Give by card
• You can also donate directly via our website!
• When in the USA, make your tax-deductible gift payable to EEO Inc. Make sure to mention TC LITHUANIA

Go, and make disciples of ALL nations!

Milestone!

We often say that Traveling Light does so much more than just fundraising. And that's certainly true.

Our motto is "Let your light shine," and we do so within the church, through teaching and preaching, but certainly also outside the church, for example, at our coffeehouse/store Twinkeltje, De Schor, prisons, and rehabs.

The visits to the projects, the prayers with people, the Alpha courses we give, the help we offer... It's priceless. 👉Encouragement is our trademark!

But we've now reached a milestone that we'd like to celebrate. Our treasurer, Martin de Haas, announced that since our founding in 2011, we've been able to donate one million euros to projects in more than thirty European countries.

Isn't that fantastic? We've raised one million euros together. Your donations, the campaigns, the shops, the sales on Ebay, the sponsored events, and so on. Whether you donate €5 or €500 monthly, it matters!

Our gratitude goes out to you. Rest assured that you are part of something much greater. Thanks to your help, lives have been changed throughout Europe, forever! There is no better investment.

Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations. Baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to always do what I have commanded you (Matthew 28:19).

Project extra bath and bedroom Comunità Brezzano, Italy

The first post we wrote about Comunità Brezzano in Italy on behalf of Traveling Light goes back to 2013.

We have financially supported the Christian therapeutic community in beautiful Tuscany on several occasions and have also visited many times. We organized work weeks to cut wood for the winter with the help of volunteers. Everyone (!) always enjoyed staying at the Casa Shalom guesthouse.

After our dear friend Maria Meier (who led the residential community) suddenly passed away, it has been quite difficult for the board, based in Switzerland, to gain momentum again.

Over the past few years, the board, together with Boris Michin (Maria's coworker who has lived in Brezzano for years) and many other friends,  prayed, listened, and sought God. In October 2023, we joined them in such a prayer session week. The question was how the Christian community, which has been such a blessing to many people from Europe and Israel, could continue.

First and foremost, a caretaker couple was needed. God answered their prayers and opened the hearts of Yoseph and Roberta Cuoco last year to lead Comunità Brezzano. Yoseph and Roberta have a passion for discipleship and, as native Italians, want to firmly anchor Comunità Brezzano in the region.

Comunità Brezzano is a place for people seeking reflection, peace, and reorientation toward Jesus Christ. Through strong connections with Messianic congregations in Israel, they were able to offer retreat time (especially these past two years) to church leaders and their families at Casa Shalom.

In April 2024, a group of us spent a week in Tuscany to offer a helping hand in making repairs on the dirt road leading up to Casa Shalom!

Starting in August 2025, the new caretakers (and their three children) will live with Boris at Casa Nuova. This new beginning will also require some practical adjustments at Casa Nuova, such as an additional bathroom and bedroom. We are grateful that this very special place will continue to exist and pray that many will find peace, rest, and healing in Casa Shalom. We would like to contribute to this renovation.

If you would also like to help, please send a donation. You can do so in various ways:

💛Send your financial gift to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U and make sure to mention BREZZANO

💳 Give by card

👉You can also donate directly via our website!

Project updates

With the summer vacation just around the corner, it's good to recap what we've been up to lately. It's so encouraging!

The proceeds for June in Twinkeltje and de Schor (plus specified donations, internet sales, and PIP25) totaled €2,600, which went entirely to the work of Teen Challenge in Slovenija.

A huge thank you to everyone who helped raise such a wonderful amount. At the end of this month, Jan will be going to Slovenija for a hiking trip in the Slovenian Alps with the men from the rehab program.

We'll write a report later on and give you an update on everything happening at TC Slovenija.

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We were also able to donate a generous €5,000 to the kitchen project at the Teen Challenge women's home in Armenia.

At TC in Armenia, there is always a constant stream of children, women, and men in need of help. We'll let you know as soon as we receive an update from Gagik and Lusine Mkrtchyan.

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Donations have been coming in for the Teen Challenge street outreach project in Sweden. How wonderful! We will soon be able to offer them a substantial donation for the coming fall and winter season, during which they will visit various cities with a traveling evangelism team.

Please pray for this plan as well, as the larger cities in Sweden are facing many challenges.

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We (Jan and Marja) visited Teen Challenge in Lithuania last month. We were invited to give a seminar on "Freedom and standing firm in freedom" for the students at the various rehab centers.

It was a very special time, and we will share a report on it soon.

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The project for the months of July/August in our secondhand stores Twinkeltje and De Schor is the work of Teen Challenge in Moldova. De Schor is closed during the school vacation period, while Twinkeltje is open as usual, so come visit us on Saturday or Monday afternoon.

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Donations are always welcome. You can send a gift in different ways. Please take note:

When in Europe, you can send a donation to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U and make sure to mention 'general' or otherwise which country or project.

💳 Give by card

👉You can also donate directly via our website!