Thanksgiving from the Ukraine

Happy student at Moscow University

This past summer we were able to help Andrii Soloviov with a donation towards his study. Andrii is the director of rehab center Istochnick (Sevastopol area). Together with his wife they are running a home where people with addiction problems can find recovery and new life.

In 1998 Andrii went through a Christian rehab program himself and he came to know the love and grace of Jesus Christ. Since then he has given his life to help the ones still living in darkness. He lets his light shine in a very practical way in Crimea.

Istochnick home

Andrii had a desire to study Organizational psychology and human resource management at the University in Kiev. However, after several interviews he got the news that he was not accepted. This was a big disappointment for him. On top of that we received word that the money we transferred did not arrive. Not a nice situation.

We have sent several emails back and forth and kept encouraging Andrii not to give up. And God is good! The money arrived safely and Andrii did get accepted at Moscow State University in Sevastopol (much closer to home). He writes: 

We are so proud of Andrii

"Dear friends! I am thankful for the help organized by Traveling Light! I am expecting that this study will be a good opportunity to create an effective system of training leaders in the ministry of Teen Challenge Ukraine, who can respond to current challenges in the work with addicted people. 

During this past year it has become quite difficult to sort out what is real and what it not. Crimea was annexed by Russia, there is military operation going on in the South-West of Ukraine and also in the media there is a massive information war ... In this dark reality of our current time your help became for me as a lighthouse in the night, reminding me that God and His people remain real in any circumstances. May the Lord richly bless you!"

Andrii and Sergey

On behalf of Andrii and Teen Challenge Ukraine we want to thank you very much for your support.

On the right a photo of Andrii together with Teen Challenge director in Ukraine, Sergey Glushko. This past year they were separated by politics and war as Crimea was annexed by Russia. However, Sergey writes:

Politics can separate us, but CHRIST unites us.

New beds in the dorm

PS: There is still money needed to finish the Istochnick home inside and out (although men and women are living there now), so specified gifts are always welcome! We hope to visit Andrii and his team in the future.

Project study grant Andrii Soloviov

The Soloviov family

We are always delighted and encouraged to hear that a member of our Teen Challenge 'family' wants to pursue a study. Last year we helped Magdalena Horjak from Teen Challenge Slovenia with a study grant, this time we want to support Andrii Soloviov.

Andrii is the director of rehabilitation home Istochnick, Ukraine. Do you remember project WeissenSee? This past February Krijn Donk & Henk Swijnenburg skated 200 km on natural ice and raised 2,500 euro towards plumbing, heating, electrical installation and kitchen in the newly built Istochnick home.

The new home, which they started building back in 2010, will have the capacity to house a large group of people in need of help.

Plastering walls and ceiling

The pictures (Click to enlarge) show how the men are working in the new home. The heating system, plumbing and electrical outlets have been installed. They are currently finishing the tile work. They also ordered a new kitchen stove, but delivery has been postponed due to the circumstances in the nation.

Windows, light, heating...

At the moment three men and two women (with children) are living in the rehab home. As in many places all over the Ukraine we see that addicted women and their children are seeking help. In Berdichev for example, a home for women and children has been opened this year.

All new....

As of August 1st, Andrii will start a part-time study Human Resources & Organizational Development at the Catholic University in Kiev. He wants to get his master's degree, mainly in preparation for the rapid growth of the work among homeless and addicted people in Ukraine. We support him in his decision and think this is an honorable thing to pursue, especially because Andrii has a past of addiction and crime.

The men at Istochnick

In 1998 he went through a christian rehabilitation program and discovered and accepted the grace and love of Jesus Christ. After the program he did a DTS training with YWAM in Kiev. In 2011 he received a M.A. in Intercultural Studies (Eastern European Campus Alliance Theological Seminary).

Since 1999 he has been working at the Istochnick center. As in most christian rehabilitation centers this is a labor of love, a calling. Andrii and his family depend on donations coming in for the work they do. The study (plus travel and other expenses) costs about 3,000 euro. We really want to help him on his way and encourage him with a study grant of minimal 1,000 euro. If you want to come alongside and help, please make your gift payable to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2

Marathon skating for rehab home Ukraine

Krijn up front, snow storm at the Weissensee

What a great and challenging event it was! We are so proud of Krijn Donk and Henk Swijnenburg, who both skated 200 km on the Weissensee in Austria to raise funds for Christian Rehab home Istochnick in Ukraine.

They were able to raise more than 2,000 euro. This money will be used for the new Teen Challenge rehabilitation home Istochnick in the south of the Ukraine. This new home will be able to house about 22 men who are ready to quit their addiction and start a new life.

New rehab home Istochnick

At the moment they need quite a sum of money to continue with the last stage of the construction project. Mainly for plumbing, heating, electrical installations, etc. etc. You can see the new home in the picture. Most of the work is being done by the men in the program. Yes, it's more than Bible study, group therapy and counseling, they do awesome work with their bare hands!

Krijn Donk finished the 200 km in 8:09 hrs and Henk Swijnenburg in 9:30 hrs. Both of them beat their results from last year! We are very thankful for all the people who helped to make this event successful. We received many heart warming notes and donations. Needless to day that Andre Solovyev, the director of the men's home, is also very thankful for your help.

Praying for their food, the men at the old rehab home

PS and more news:

• Krijn Donk had a bad fall on the ice at km 175. He ended up with a shoulder injury. Please pray with us that he will recover soon. 
• Winterproject RaskrsceTeen Challenge Serbia is going very well. We have already received 2,400 euro in donations.
• MIB (Men on the Move) in Dordrecht decided to take up an offering for Teen Challenge Czech Republic. More about that in a next post.
• Harbor evangelist Guus Peters needs  to order new Bibles and we want to help him with the funds. More about that in a next post.

200 km ice skating for Traveling Light

At the end of this month the 26th annual Marathon Ice Skating event at the WeissenSee will be organized. That means skating 200 km on natural ice in the cold Austrian winter weather.

Last year our friend and volunteer Krijn Donk finished this extreme ice skating event in good time, about 8 hrs. and 45 minutes. He did it as a fundraiser for Traveling Light and was able to collect almost 1,500 euro's. We donated the amount to the work of Sokrat & Lena Apostolovski among the Roma children in Skopje, Macedonia.

Krijn Donk, last year at Weissensee

This year Krijn wants to do it again for a good cause. Another friend, Henk Swijnenburg from Bleskensgraaf, wants to join him in this effort. We are very happy with this super team! The two men want to bring in funds for the new rehab home Istochnick in Ukraine.

New rehab home Istochnick, Ukraine

The construction of this new rehab home is almost finished. The house will offer room for about twenty men who are willing to quit their addiction. The program is part of Teen Challenge Ukraine. This means the men will not only get help to end their addiction, but that they will encounter the love and grace of Jesus Christ as well. THIS will be the foundation of their new life. And you know what is the best thing? The changed lives of these men have great, positive impact on their families, it is like a dominoes effect.

At the moment they need quite a sum of money to continue with the last stage of the construction project. Mainly for plumbing, heating, electrical installations, etc. etc. The men are doing the work themselves. It would be fantastic if we could raise money through this ice skating event to help them.

The men at work

You can sponsor Krijn and/or Henk as follows:

• with an amount per kilometer
• with an amount for finishing the race
• with a general amount,
• with any amount for beating last year's time, or
• with whatever idea you can come up with

If you want to sponsor them, please send an email with the amount you want to donate to krijncora@gmail.com or send your gift directly to NL91RABO0118582275 Traveling Light. Make sure to designate it: WEISSENSEE.

We will keep you updated on this weblog and our Facebook page. This is going to be so exciting! Who wants to join us in the fun?