Project Teen Challenge study material, Slovenia

Teen Challenge Slovenia

Last June, Jan visited the Teen Challenge drug and alcohol rehabilitation center in Slovenia. It is always great to see how men enter that home, usually from totally hopeless situations, and receive new life.

It is important to come to a point of surrender, that is step 1 in every recovery program ... acknowledge that you have no power over your addiction and that your life has become unmanageable. And then there is our loving God and Father! In most cases the men change so much when they get to know Him, that you do won't hardly recognize them 😀

Study material TC Slovenia

In addition to Bible study, work and household duties, the men also follow individual and group lessons, the so-called Teen Challenge curriculum. The lessons cover all kinds of topics, such as dealing with anger and disappointments, but also about how to live as a Christian in daily life (relationships, marriage, work, etc.).

There is a huge amount of (Teen Challenge) teaching material available in the English language, and that material is being translated bit by bit. The question for Traveling Light is, whether we can help with part of the costs for translation and printing. Of course, we just LOVE to come alongside. It is so important (for every Christian, for that matter) that good education is available!

Group studies at TC Slovenia

Teen Challenge in Slovenia was the first program we visited, even before Traveling Light was founded in 2011. We have a special bond with the staff and students.

Do you want to help us help them? They still need about 1,500 euro to cover the costs.

Please, send your donation  to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U and make sure to mention: SLOVENIA.

Project news

Orges Hysenaj at the TC coffee house

Your gifts for project Radio Peace in Slovakia are coming in, thank you. Always nice to see that you react enthusiastically to our calls for action!

The proceeds of our secondhand shop Twinkeltje over the month of October will go to the work of Teen Challenge in Albania. So come and visit us or send a specified gift if you want to support that work.

We have highlighted the work of Orges & Blerina Hysenaj among the homeless and addicted in Tirana several times on this blog. In his latest newsletter Orges reports that three (!) new coffee houses have been opened, in Vlore, Elbasan and Cerrik. How wonderful is this?! At these locations addicts can come for a conversation, for coffee and a touch of God's love.

This is all the work of volunteers, but of course funds are needed for the rental of these locations and the purchase of materials. A suitable building for a Teen Challenge rehabilitation home in Albania has not yet been found, but that will certainly be the next step.

The children in Bertine House

Earlier this year, the Weissensee fundraiser brought in a beautiful sum for Bertine House in Ukraine. Last month they celebrated the 10th anniversary of Bertine House. What a blessing this house is for many mothers and children! A safe place, a place to grow, heal and recover.

You can show your support by liking the Bertine House FB page! Furthermore, financial support remains necessary to continue this work. We will keep you updated on this blog on any upcoming actions to help them. Of course your ideas are very much welcome!

In our own country there is also lots of action :) just look at the calendar of Twinkeltje. Furthermore, on October 15 we started with a study series about the person and the work of the Holy Spirit in De Hoeksteen church in Etten-Leur. Last Monday evening Marja and Cora kicked off because Jan is in Africa for his work.

This Friday night we will be hosting Prayer for the Nations again! You can start such a prayer event in your own town or country!

Donations and prayers for all those beautiful, special projects are always welcome. Please, send your donation  to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U.

Project Radio Peace, Slovakia

At the book presentation, Peter in the middle

In March of this year we (Jan and Marja) were in Slovakia for the presentation of the Slovak edition of Marja's book 'Grace of Giving'. Radio recordings were made during that presentation and this is how we came into contact with Dr. Peter Kamenec.

Peter and his wife Zuzana and son Tomáš live in Vranov nad Topľou, in eastern Slovakia. Peter grew up in a state orphanage (during communism) and was adopted at the age of five. God did not play any role in his life. He felt unwanted, rejected and abandoned.

"God and religion was for old women," he reasoned. After a wild student life in Bratislava, where alcohol abuse lead him to a state of utter desperation, he finally came to faith at the age of 30 with the help of his best friend.

Peter is the founder of internet Radio Pokoj, or radio 'peace'. With a team of volunteers he runs a Christian internet radio station. They broadcast music, sermons, lectures, interviews and background stories. The radio station is not connected to any specific church denomination, and that is quite special. It aims to preach the gospel through music, word and poetry.

Peter at work

When we were in Bratislava, we were also interviewed for a radio program, of course with an interpreter. To be able to broadcast certain music and programs, licenses are required. A lot of work needs to be translated from English as well. To be able to finance all that, Peter founded a non-profit organisation: Cum Mandato Eius. This non-profit is behind the radio station.

We promised him support from the Netherlands for this initiative. It is so necessary to broadcast a different message between all secular media, the message of the Good News that God loves people.

Set-up for internet radio

Those who have read this blog a bit longer know that we are happy to support evangelism outreaches. Whether it is study material for Living Free, Bibles in various languages, study books for prisoners or editions of the Cross and the Switchblade ... we are happy to help spread the Gospel through the various media outlets.

If you have a heart for the spreading of God's word in Slovakia, please, send your donation  to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U. Make sure to mention: RADIO.

Meanwhile, translators and editors are working hard on the Slovak edition of Marja's book 'Spirit of Truth', which will be published soon. We might be in Peter's radio programming again!

Visit to Teen Challenge, Moldova

Visiting the recently opened rehab home

Last week we (Jan and Marja) had the privilege of visiting the country of Moldova. We were staying in the town of Riscani with Johannes and Charlotte Petersen. They are a Danish couple and the founders of Pilgrims International.

This extraordinary couple has been living in Moldova for more than 22 years ... in a trailer!

They provide humanitarian aid, planted various churches and helped with setting up Teen Challenge drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers. In 2015, the girls' home Pilgrim House was opened.

In front of the new dairy kitchen in Falesti

Immediately after our arrival at the airport, we visited the recently opened rehab home for men in Soceleni, just outside the capital Chisinau. It is a very old country house, which has served as a decor in several movies. The house was donated by a mother of one of the boys who went through the existing Teen Challenge program and got a new life!

There is room for a few bunk beds, a small kitchen and the toilet is outside. Yes, it's pretty primitive, but what a great safe place for men who want to change their lives. It made us so happy to see the work of Teen Challenge expand. The guys live mostly from what the land and animals yield. We tasted fresh goat milk!

Filling the store rooms with produce

The next day we visited the Teen Challenge men's and women's home in Falesti. In the past we have given them a gift for the purchase of dairy cows, we counted four cows now! They have also built a small dairy kitchen where they make cheese.

We prayed with the women who were there. One girl was only nineteen and very worried about her court case coming up. Another woman had worked temporarily in the Netherlands, but her drugs and alcohol abuse had almost destroyed her.

"Fortunately, I had a good employer," she said. "He paid for my trip back home."

Church in Falesti

We prayed that the time at Teen Challenge will bring her healing and hope for the future.

On Sunday we spoke in the charismatic church in Falesti. It was a wonderful, enthusiastic service in which there was plenty of time to pray with and for each other.

We enjoyed a scrumptious lunch at the home of Ivan & Ilona Velinchuk (Teen Challenge director). What a warm welcome and what a delicious food, everything tasted so good!

Sharing a meal with the Teen Challenge family

We then went back to Riscani, where we spoke in the church that was also founded by Johannes & Charlotte. Many young people here, beautiful music and (again) great food.

In the same building where the church is located, they are currently working hard on a new to open center for girls. It will be a place where they can live in safety and learn some useful skills.

Charlotte, who is always full of ideas, recently opened a little shop with secondhand clothes in Riscani. She was inspired by our pictures of Twinkeltje on Facebook and our enthusiastic stories 😉She showed us around. How nice to inspire and encourage each other this way.

Church in Riscani

We could tell you a lot more, but let's keep some stories for our Prayer for the Nations on October 19th. It was certainly a very interesting visit and we had such great conversations with Johannes and Charlotte about their work in Moldova and the future of the country.

Everyone showed a lot of gratitude for the support they receive from Traveling Light for various projects. We extend that thanksgiving to you all.

In the secondhand shop

There is so much more to supporting good causes than just giving money. We want to build sustainable relationships, we pray for one another and we bring hope for the future of each country.

Donations and prayers for all those beautiful, special projects are always welcome. Please, send your donation  to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U.