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!