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!

New kitchen for Teen Challenge home, Armenia

During the recent Europe Teen Challenge conference in Albania, we spoke extensively with Gagik and Lusine Mkrtchyan, the directors of Teen Challenge Armenia.

In the past ten years (!) they have set up various Christian rehabilitation centers. A house for men with addiction problems and a women's and children's home. They have a special place in their hearts for children; they have adopted ten war orphans while having six children of their own.

Gagik and Lusine also came up with the idea of ​​a housing complex where refugees from both Russia and Ukraine live and work together. It is still going great! We have written about their work throughout the years in our news blogs.

Teen Challenge Armenia also provides hospice support to patients who are at the end of their lives. They help orphans who lost their families in the war with food, clothing, and school supplies. And they also care for children with HIV and AIDS.

Well, we could go on and on. As Gagik himself says: "We have a unique place in the worldwide mission of the Armenian people and Armenia, which is to become an example in humanism and Christianity."

Despite their busy lives, Gagik and Lusine are also regularly on the road to raise funds for their work, which can only continue thanks to donations. Money is always needed; that much will be clear, but at the moment, the women/child home has an urgent need for a new kitchen.

As you can see in the photos (click to enlarge), that is not an unnecessary luxury. How wonderful would it be if we could bless them with a substantial donation for a beautiful kitchen? Especially in a country like Armenia, the kitchen is the central place in the house where a lot of delicious food is prepared.

If you would also like to help... You can send a donation in different ways:

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

💳 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 ARMENIA.

Project refugee housing Teen Challenge Armenia

In recent years we have supported the work of Teen Challenge in Armenia on different occasions. Directors Gagik & Lusine Mkrtchyan run a drug and alcohol rehab center there.

In addition to their own five children, they have taken in ten orphans and are active in humanitarian work among the poor, widows, and orphans.

Last year they started a new initiative. During the Europe Teen Challenge conference in Milan last November, we had time to catch up with the Mkrtchyans. They have taken in several refugees from both Ukraine and Russia on a piece of land where they have built a small home.

These people have been living there for a while now. In addition to helping them with recovery from addictions, Gagik & Lusine also share the gospel. A real eye-opener for the guests. If we have the peace of Christ in our hearts, we can live in peace with each other. Yes, even as neighbors.

The residents work the land, look after each other, help Gagik where necessary, and will build a second floor on the existing house (!) so that even more refugees can be accommodated.

We would like to encourage them with a gift that can be used to purchase building materials. If you want to join us in raising funds for them, you can send your donation in different ways:

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

Project news

Thanks to your response, we were able to send donations in order to support a variety of projects. Thank you very much for that.

The suffering as a result of the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria is indescribable. It is beyond comprehension when you see the images. Emergency aid efforts are being offered everywhere, but are also rather difficult due to the aftershocks and, well... where and how do you start clearing the rubble?

We transferred 5,000 euro to Samaritan's Purse. This Christian organization has set up a field hospital in the earthquake area. Their stories are heartbreaking, yet hopeful at the same time! Check out this VIDEO.

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The Weissensee fundraiser brought in 7,500 euro. We have been able to donate that amount to Teen Challenge in Armenia. A huge blessing for the work among the homeless and addicted there.

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The proceeds in Twinkeltje and de Schor over the month of February were more than 1,800 euro. That amount goes to Teen Challenge in Belgium for their work among homeless people and the addicted in Charleroi.

We visited Frédéric & Natacha Hensgens from Teen Challenge Belgium at the end of January. They currently have the opportunity to rent a property in one of the main shopping streets in the city where they could move their shop with second-hand clothing and perhaps also start a kind of coffee / community center.

It is an area where many drugs are trafficked and used... we will keep you informed of the developments.

That Sunday we were in the Christian Center in Brussels, an international church that is home to many nationalities.

The congregation prayed for Teen Challenge and Traveling Light and Jan had the opportunity to share a short word. It turned out to be exactly the word the pastor was going to speak about, always great when that happens of course 😁

If you have a heart for street evangelism and work among addicts in Charleroi, you can still transfer a donation, we will ensure that everything ends up at Teen Challenge.

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As far as the month of March is concerned, all proceeds in Twinkeltje and de Schor will be donated to the Teen Challenge rehabs in Berdichyv, Ukraine. Great to see and hear how the work there continues unabated, despite the war.

We would like to continue to encourage them and also help them to cover their daily costs. The hopelessness resulting from the ongoing war situation has prompted many women to start drinking and/or using drugs.

How nice when, despite difficult circumstances, they manage to find their way to one of the rehabs in Berdichev, where they often (if not always) have an encounter with Jesus Christ.

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Your donations are always welcome. 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 'general' or otherwise which country or project.
• 💳 Give by card

Project updates

Back in November, we wrote about the work of Teen Challenge among the homeless and addicted in Albania and the need for new beds and mattresses, among other things. (You can read that post HERE).

This week we received a message from director Orges (Gesi) Hysenaj that the beds and mattresses arrived. The men now all sleep in a good bed and that is very nice!

Attached is a photo of the men in the program carrying the mattresses into the house.

As Traveling Light, we always try to show you (the donors) as much as possible how your donations are being used. Sometimes through our visits, sometimes by sharing photos and thank you notes.

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In January we wrote about the food parcels project in Serbia. You responded quite quickly to that, several donations came in and we were able to give them the nice gift of 3,000 euro.

Erika Sablyov of the team 'Ruka za Druga' ('Hand for a Friend') wrote to us this week:

"This Saturday we had a whole day of socializing with the homeless. It was extremely cold outside and more people came than we expected (about 30). All the food we prepared for them was served and eaten. On Saturday, they could bathe again, get their hair cut, get clean and warm clothes, and a hot meal with a salad. We bought medicine for two. We also showed a movie in the church hall."

On behalf of Erika and the team, thank you very much for your donations. For the time being, they can buy and distribute weekly food packages and also organize such special Saturdays!

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Last Tuesday, it was an exciting day for our ice skaters at the Weissensee. Krijn finished the 200 km and Henk (together with his son Kees) finished the 100 km. So, top performances by the men. We take our hats off!

With their sponsoring campaign they raised (so far) more than 7,000 euro for the work of Teen Challenge in Armenia. Donations are still coming in, so we will wait a little longer and then announce the final amount.

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The proceeds of Twinkeltje and De Schor in January (including specified donations) were 1,800 euro and that goes entirely to the work of Teen Challenge in Slovenija. For the month of February, we have chosen the work of Teen Challenge in Belgium. We (Jan and Marja) visited them last weekend. They work among the homeless and addicted in Charleroi!

Your donations are always welcome. 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 'general' or otherwise which country or project.
• 💳 Give by card

Weissensee 2023 fundraiser for Teen Challenge Armenia

Three years ago, our ice skating team raised a nice amount at the Weissensee in Austria for the new men's rehab center at Teen Challenge in Armenia.

Later this month, Krijn Donk (Papendrecht) and Henk Vlot (Oud-Alblas) are going to put on their ice skates again 💪in order to raise funds for the further completion of this rehabilitation center. The center offers a home to men who want to turn their backs on their addictions and other life-controlling problems while getting a chance to build a new life with God's help.

👉 Of course,  the ice skaters are hoping that you want to sponsor their athletic efforts again!

Last summer, Krijn and Cora Donk visited the center in Yerevan, Armenia. A special journey in itself, because they drove there in their own car! On the way, they climbed Mount Ararat.

Once in Yerevan, they saw with their own eyes how practical and spiritual help is being offered to men, in seemingly hopeless situations. Great to see how previous donations were spent to make the house habitable.

However, the house still needs to be completely finished, it could use a good kitchen, etc. That's often how it goes... the centers are already fully occupied while there is still a lot of work to be done.

To this end, Krijn and Henk want to raise the necessary funds. They will be ice skating long distances on January 31. Krijn will go for 200 km, Henk probably for 100 km.

It is possible to sponsor Krijn and Henk as a team or individually:

• with an amount per kilometer,
• with an amount for reaching the finish or
• with a general amount

If you decide to participate, you can send an email stating the amount you want to give to krijncora@gmail.com.

Or you can send a donation directly:

• to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U. Make sure to mention TC ARMENIA
• 💳 Give by card
• 👉When in the USA, make your tax-deductible gift payable to EEO Inc. Make sure to mention TC ARMENIA

We eagerly await your response!

Gagik and Lusine Mkrtchyan are the directors of Teen Challenge in Armenia. They run rehabilitation centers where men with addiction problems can start a new life. They also have taken in orphans in their own home.

We (Jan and Marja) met with them again recently at the Teen Challenge conference in Italy, this past November.

Project children's home Teen Challenge, Armenia

For those who have been reading our news blog for a while, the work of Teen Challenge in Armenia is not unknown. In 2020, our ice skating team raised a nice amount towards the purchase of a second drug and alcohol rehab center.

The war situation and political unrest in the country led Gagik and Lusine Mkrtchyan to also establish a ministry for orphaned and at-risk children.

Over the past few years, they have been able to remove numerous children and women from burning villages and very dangerous places.

Many children are at risk to use drugs and alcohol and being out on the streets. To this end, the couple wanted to establish a school. We were also able to make a gift towards that initiative in 2021.

Last May, at the Europe Teen Challenge conference in Prague, we had time to catch up with the Mkrtchyans. They told us that, in addition to their own five children, they have taken in ten orphans.

It will come as no surprise that there is an urgent need to build an addition to their house so as to create extra (bed)rooms. The plans are there, and now the funds need to be raised.

In the month of July, the proceeds of our shops De Schor and Twinkeltje will go towards this project. But of course, it is also possible to make a specified donation for this purpose if you feel prompted.

Let's bless this special family with a substantial gift so they can start with their construction work.

If you would like to make a donation, you can do so in different ways, please take note:

• Send a donation to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U and mention TC ARMENIA
• 💳 Give by card
• 👉When in the USA, make your tax-deductible gift payable to EEO Inc. Make sure to mention TC ARMENIA

THANK YOU in advance for your donations and prayers! The situation in the country is still unstable Gagik and Lusine would like to see children grow up in a safe and loving home environment.

Project school for children-at-risk, Armenia

In January 2020 our ice skating team raised funds for the work of Teen Challenge in Armenia. TC was able to purchase a big property and opened up a second rehab center. You can see their thank you video HERE.

The rehab centers are running, the work continues. Praise God. But because of the current situation in Armenia (war, political unrest etc.) Gagik and Lusine Mkrtchyan decided to also start a ministry for orphans and children at risk.

They will be opening up a school for spiritual, educational, and professional skills teaching, depending on the children's abilities. Because of the war, there are at least ten thousand orphans and widows in the country at the moment.

Gagik and Lusine already took away almost a hundred children (see pictures) and women from villages on fire and from very dangerous places. Many children are in the risk zone to use drugs, alcohol and to be out in the streets. That's why they want to have this school for them. 

As a Christian nation, Armenia is surrounded by hostile groups and countries and experiences a war of terror attacks and persecution.

Teen Challenge Armenia fights this war without weapons, because they realize they are not fighting against flesh and blood, but against forces of spiritual darkness. 

They wrote us a letter, asking for our participation. They will need funds to set up the school, to purchase materials, to feed the kids etc.

If you want to help to give these kids hope and a future, please send your donation to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht, IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275, BIC: RABONL2U and don't forget to mention: TC ARMENIA.

👉When in the USA you can make your tax-deductible gift payable to EEO Inc. Make sure to mention: TC ARMENIA.

Let's do it! Let's follow up on God's Word and take care of the widows and orphans.

THANK YOU for your donations and your prayers!

Update fundraiser for Teen Challenge Armenia

Krijn (black and orange) in action

Last Tuesday Krijn Donk and Henk Swijnenburg showed up at the start of the 200 km long ice skating tour at the Weissensee in Austria. Their goal was to raise funds for Teen Challenge in Armenia.

Unfortunately temperatures were just above freezing that day and there was a lot of water on the ice. The skaters did their utmost to prevent falling down on the wet ice, because further skating with wet clothing can lead to hypothermia.

Krijn reported that he had fallen three times, the last time just 700 meters before the finish, after which he got a severe cramp in his calf. Yet, he was able to finish the tour in an astonishing time of 7:38 hours, with an average speed of 26:15 km per hour. Unfortunately, Henk had to stop the fight against the weather and ice conditions after 150 km, after more than eight hours of skating.

Krijn and Henk at the end of a long day...

Although the lack of good quality ice and freezing temperatures were disappointing, the fundraising campaign certainly was a success. The two men raised 8,200 euro so far with their action, an amount that will go entirely to the work of Teen Challenge among the homeless, addicted and desperate in Armenia.

"A good sum has been raised for Armenia," said Krijn. "Such a good cause is a great incentive to skate the 200 km and suffer through the pain. The assistance and care that we receive from Adrie Swijnenburg is indispensable!"

We contacted Gagik and Lusine Mkrtchyan from Teen Challenge Armenia. They were completely taken by surprise to hear about the funds coming their way. "With that gift, we might be able to buy a piece of property with a larger house (where electricity and sanitary facilities are already present). There is a property for sale close to where we are currently working. We did not dare to dream that this could be a possibility."

We will keep you informed of the developments via this blog. We would like to thank everyone who has, in any way, contributed to this fundraiser. If you have not yet transferred your pledge or given a gift, please do so as soon as possible at St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht, IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275, BIC: RABONL2U stating: WEISSENSEE.

Weissensee 2020 fundraiser for Teen Challenge Armenia

Adrie, Henk and Krijn

It's January again, the month of our most exciting fundraiser of the year! On Tuesday, January 28 the Traveling Light skating team is planning to skate the 200 km tour on the Weissensee in Austria again.

Krijn Donk (Papendrecht), Henk Swijnenburg (Bleskensgraaf) and Adrie Swijnenburg (support & care) want to raise money for Teen Challenge Armenia and well for the renovation of a second men's center.

Gagik & Lusine

Gagik and Lusine Mkrtchyan are the directors of Teen Challenge in Armenia. They run a center where men with drugs and alcohol addictions have a chance to start a new life. (We supported them back in 2017 (read here) with a gift for the daily operations of the center.)

Much work to be done!

The center is actually always full and last year they started a second center in an old house on a large piece of farmland. The acreage that belongs to the farm makes it a good location for a rehab center, animals can be kept and crops can be grown.

The farm in Yerevan is very primitive, there is no running water, electricity or sanitary provisions. However, the need is so big that several men are already living and working there, some of them are not that young anymore.

The farm offers many opportunities for work/therapy

A substantial amount is needed to renovate the house and outbuildings. We believe that with your help it can become a beautiful center where many men can find a safe place to live and work and ... to have an encounter with God!

You can sponsor Krijn and Henk as a team or individually:

• with a donation per kilometer,
• with a donation to finish,
• with a general donation, or
• with a donation according to your own idea (for example for breaking a pr or last year's time result)

👉If you decide to participate, please send an e-mail with your pledge and encouraging words to krijncora@gmail.com.

Of course, you can send your donation right now if you like 😁St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht, IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275, BIC: RABONL2U.

What do you think, will personal records be broken?

We are looking forward again to your heart-warming reactions and we wish the skating team lots of success and perseverance.

Project Teen Challenge Armenia

Mkrtchyan family

The coolest things we do on this blog are: 1) introducing the people behind the projects, 2) supporting new initiatives, and 3) getting acquainted with a "new" country. Take a cup of coffee and read along .....

In the picture on the left you see Gagik & Lusine Mkrtchyan and their children. They live in Armenia and are the directors of the Teen Challenge rehabilitation center. This work was set up in 2014 by Doug & Anna Boyle (who are also behind the work of Teen Challenge in Kazakhstan and Georgia).

Teen Challenge communiy

It's really amazing what Gagik & Lusine are doing to make God's love known to people who have no hope. Gagik says:

"God does miracles. Our administrator Artush got in our program almost dead because of drugs and alcohol. He was living a criminal life, his father was a mafia guy. Artush got in jail because of murder. God miraculously changed his life in the TC Armenia program. Today he is humbly serving God."

Karate class

In the Teen Challenge center time is spent on prayer and Bible study, but also on sports. In addition, there is also a variety of work projects as part of the therapy. Building, carving, shoveling and digging, it helps the men to use their strength and skills in a good way.

With very little resources a lot of work is being done! The team organizes sports events and competitions and try to involve as many young people as possible. Football, karate, judo ... just name it and they do it. Gagik & Lusine also give Alpha courses to these young guys who often hang out in the streets.

Blessing from the church leaders

Teen Challenge Armenia is an interdenominational organization. Their team members come from different churches like the Armenian National Traditional church, Evangelical and Pentecostal churches. They are happy to have the blessings of the bishops of these churches. There is power in unity.

The Mkrtchyan family also regularly visits needy families in the region. They offer prayer and food packages. Lusine also started a women's ministry.

"There are a lot of people who want  to  get into the TC Armenia program, but our resources are limited", says Gagik. Like most Teen Challenge programs in Eastern Europe, they are fully dependent on gifts.

Visiting families in need

Traveling Light would like to help them with a general gift for the work they do among addicts, young people and poor families. There is so much need, just think about food, shelter, utilities, transportation and evangelism materials... any kind of help or amount is welcome. Please, pray with us that we will succeed in planning a visit as well.

Armenia is a beautiful country, the first country to adopt Christianity as a state religion in 301 AD. A country with a rich history. Are you willing to help and give the Armenian people a hopeful future?

Gifts for this project are welcome to IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U St. Traveling Light in Papendrecht. make sure to mention ARMENIA.

When in the USA, you can make your tax-deductible gift payable to EEO Inc. Make sure to mention: TC ARMENIA.