Visit to Teen Challenge, Romania

We promised you a report of our trip to Bucharest, which we made at the end of September.

In January of this year, Krijn Donk and Albert vd Graaf ice-skated 200km on the Weissensee. This sporting event raised over 8,800 euros in sponsorship money for the Teen Challenge women's home in Bucharest, Romania.

So it was the right time for us (Jan and Marja) to visit them again. At the end of September we flew to Bucharest. We stayed at the beautiful rehab center for men, where we were very well cared for and had the opportunity to spend time with the men in the program.

We had wonderful meals, slept well, and we were even able to use their passenger van to go to the women's home.

We provided Bible study during the 'chapel' time, had many conversations, and were able to pray with the students for personal needs.

We were also able to share encouragement from the Bible with the ladies and had nice conversations. We were really able to take the time for such personal minsitry. A delicious lunch was also provided.

At the back of the garden at the women's home, the completion of the classroom and studio has  progressed quite well.

It may be difficult to see in the picture, but the two containers (the classroom on the left and the studio lengthwise on the right) are connected by a roof.

There will also be a porch. In the classroom, the ladies receive their group lessons and Bible studies and in the studio, jewelry, soap and candles are made for sales in churches and at conferences (a creative source of income).

The sanitary facilities on the ground floor of the house still need to be renovated, that is definitely on their list of things to do.

But the home is completely full of women and girls who are dealing with life-threatening problems (drugs, alcohol, human trafficking, etc.) and currently they can't miss the use of a bathroom, to be honest. As soon as that work is done, we will show photos.

On Sunday we went to the church of Teen Challenge (Biserica 43) and there we were allowed to share a word, which was  a great honor. The church is full of ex-addicts and their families, which is a beautiful sight to see.

It was a very busy weekend but at the same time very encouraging to see how so many lives are being changed forever, how much love and attention staff and volunteers are giving to people who have sometimes lost all hope.

By the way, we saw that one of the passenger vans at the women's center really needs to be replaced. They often drive those things until they almost fall apart, because there is simply no money for something newer.

We would like to encourage them with a donation for another van.

If you want 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 ROMANIA women's home.

💳 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 ROMANIA WOMENS HOME.

Project and travel updates

September went by so quickly, have you experienced that as well? So, let's take time for some updates.

The September proceeds in our secondhand shops Twinkeltje and De Schor, together with several specified donations, were almost 2,000 euros.

We will double that amount and transfer a love gift of 4,000 euros to benefit the work of Teen Challenge in the rehab houses in Berdichev, Ukraine. A huge thanks to everyone who made this possible.

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In August we donated 3,000 euros to Teen Challenge in Iceland for their outreach and coffee house work among addicts and homeless people. They had been saving up for a long time for a 7-seater car with which they could pick up these people to take them to church and Group Studies, among other things.

And yes, we received a message that a car could be purchased thanks in part to this gift! Very nice.

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Last week we (Jan and Marja) visited Teen Challenge in Bucharest, Romania. A report about that visit with some more photos will follow soon. It was very encouraging, both for them and for us!

We stayed in the rehab center for men and also visited the women's house and the church.

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The project for October in Twinkeltje and the Schor is the work of Teen Challenge in Lebanon. Due to the ongoing war with Hezbollah, many people in South Lebanon, as in Northern Israel, have been driven from their homes. Garo Margossian of Teen Challenge offers humanitarian aid (food, water, medicine, etc.) where possible.

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Donations, large and small, are always welcome. 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 country/project or general.

💳 Give by card

👉You can also donate directly via our website!

Ice skating fundraiser brings in 8,800 euro for TC women's home Romania

A shout-out to our ice skaters! Both Albert and Krijn completed the 200 km ride on the Weissensee last week.

We can all look back with thankful hearts to their fundraiser that brought in eighty-eight hundred euros for the Teen Challenge women's rehab home 'House of Joy' in Romania.

The center offers a safe place for women who struggle with addictions, homelessness, prostitution etc. and it offers the opportunity to start a new life!

Albert van de Graaf and Krijn Donk rode the grueling tour on the Weissensee in Austria on January 26 and 30 respectively. The 200 km ice skating tour wasn't an easy task, both skaters encountered a lot of hardships during the day due to falls and deteriorating ice as a result of temperatures just above zero.

After several hours, the ice turned into a slush in which the skaters found themselves stuck. Cracks were no longer visible and that, in addition to fatigue, was the reason for the many falls. Both men really wanted to finish the tour and not disappoint their sponsors and they eventually reached the finish line in one piece!

The support for their campaign was overwhelming and the amount of 8,800 euros will entirely benefit the Teen Challenge women's center 'House of Joy' in Romania.

Funds are needed for maintenance and expansion work, such as installing outdoor lighting, creating additional parking spaces for visitors and workers, expanding sanitary facilities, and completing the classroom and studio in the backyard.

On behalf of Traveling Light, the skaters would like to thank everyone who contributed in any way to this successful fundraiser. We will keep you informed about the work on the women's house through this blog.

By the way, donations are always welcome, for we have many projects on our waiting list that need sponsoring. 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

👉You can also donate directly via our website!

Project updates and activities

Kind regards from our Teen Challenge friends in Berdychiv, Ukraine.

On November 3rd, we wrote a message about the daily happenings in the various rehab centers there (you can read that message HERE).

We were able to send them a nice gift of 5,000 euros that will be used, among other things, for repairs and maintenance of the houses. Something that had been planned for some time, was repairs and renovation of the boiler room.

Thanks to your generous donations, they have been able to purchase materials and work can resume (always a useful part of the rehabilitation process, by the way).

Just before the end of the year, we were able to transfer another gift of 5,000 euros (THANK YOU!!!). This time for the purchase of a house that will serve as a home for staff, visitors, and volunteers. More news about that soon!

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Also warm greetings from Moldova. Our friends from Pilgrims and Teen Challenge organized their winter aid campaign for the 19th time.

The fuel and food packages meet a huge need, each package contains approximately 12 to 13 kilos of food!

The men set off again with the Steyer truck to distribute the packages. Thanks to your donations, we were able to bless them with a gift of 3,000 euros for this project. Thank you.

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We also received a newsletter and photos from Port Evangelist Alexander Eberson. We were also able to transfer a nice gift of 2,000 euros to his organization Living Water.

Especially during December, he visited many sailors on seafaring vessels in the ports of Ghent and Terneuzen... the men are often away from home for a long time. He handed out Christmas packages, was allowed to pray with crew members, read the Bible, and had many conversations.

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On Wednesday, January 24th, we will organize another mission evening in Twinkeltje. We are looking forward to have a visitor from Lithuania... a Dutchman, that will be. Willem Vandijk will tell his story of how he ended up from Holland in Ireland and later on in Lithuania, where he founded the Vilties Inkaras (Anchor of Hope) non-profit foundation.

It promises to be an inspiring evening. We look forward to your arrival. Entry from 7:30 PM. WELCOME!

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Project coffeehouse work Teen Challenge Albania is still a current project for fundraising and of course the Weissensee fundraiser for the women's house in Romania is up and running. So, you see, plenty to do and give away 😁.

PS: Click on the photos if you want to see larger ones!

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 fundraiser for Teen Challenge women's home, Romania

It's January again, the month of our most exciting fundraising campaign of the year.

Albert van de Graaf (Bleskensgraaf) and Krijn Donk (Papendrecht) have signed up for speed ice skating on respectively January 30 and 26,  on the Weissensee in Austria. They are planning to go for 200 km!

The skaters want to raise money with their performance for a great project: House of Joy, the Teen Challenge rehabilitation center for women with life controlling problems, just outside Bucharest in Romania.

👉They obviously hope that you will sponsor their fundraising campaign.

House of Joy opened up in 2015 (we visited in 2017). The home can accommodate nine women and four 'interns', which are women who have completed the rehabilitation program and stay on as volunteers to help.

The women who come to Teen Challenge have often struggled with life-threatening problems, such as drug and alcohol addiction, prostitution, crime, homelessness, and physical and psychological challenges, for a long time.

In House of Joy they not only find a safe place to live, but for many, it is also the first time they are introduced to the love and grace 💗of Jesus Christ.

House of Joy continues to exist thanks to donations from loyal donors. Funds for daily operations are always needed, but several things have been on their wish list for a while.

Practical things in and around the house, that benefit living and working conditions, such as:

• the construction of two official parking spaces at the house (for the workers)
• the renewal and expansion of sanitary facilities
• installing outdoor lighting and
• finishing the rooftops of the two container units in the back yard that serve as classroom and studio, and a canopy and seating area all around.

Albert and Krijn want to raise the necessary funds to make these home improvements a reality. It is possible to sponsor them individually with an amount per kilometer, with an amount for reaching the finish, or with a general amount

👉If you decide to participate, send an email stating the amount you want to give to krijncora@gmail.com. We then keep track of the pledges, which is always exciting!

You can also send a donation directly:

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

🠈Georgiana Dragan-Moldoveanu is the director of House of Joy. Georgiana grew up in a violent environment, with an alcoholic father. Although she was an incredibly smart student, as a teenager she started to look for love and acceptance in the wrong places. At the age of 20 she started to use heroin.

From being an incredible student with a career ahead, she ended up sleeping on the streets, stealing, begging, and even selling her body for money. In 2009, she ended up in detox, completely hopeless, to the point of having her leg amputated due to heroin injections. That was the moment she cried out to God for help. 

After she regained her life and went through a rehab program, God planted in her heart a strong desire to help other women going through the pain of addiction, trauma, and abuse. In 2014, she was blessed to marry the love of her life, Mihai, a former rocker who had an interest in satanism.

WE BELIEVE AND INVEST IN CHANGED LIVES! WE HOPE YOU WILL JOIN US.

Project news

Just before the end of the year, we would like to share several project updates with you. In recent weeks, donations have come in from here and there and everywhere, it seems. THANK YOU!

Let's take you on a quick tour of Europe  :)

We have been able to donate 2,000 euro to project Teen Challenge women's home in Romania. The proceeds in our 2nd hand shop Twinkeltje over November, combined with your donations added up nicely. We know for sure that this gift will be used for a good cause.

Safe place for girls

We can also donate 2,000 euro to project Pilgrim House in Moldova. The proceeds of Twinkeltje over December combined with your donations... again! Pilgrim House is the shelter for young girls who were trapped in human trafficking and/or other horrible conditions.

We do not have to emphasize what a blessing that amount will be for the work there!

And then project youth coffee house in Ukraine, some 1,000 euro came in already! Natalya will surely be happy to hear about your generosity. As far as we are concerned ... investing in youth work throughout Europe is a huge encouragement for the young people, the teachers and ourselves, of course!

Natalya (right) at the summer camp 

What a nice ending of a great year. Without your help, it would not have been possible. We really hope that you will continue to follow us in 2018 through this blog.

The Weissensee event 2018 is also coming up! More about that soon. What we can tell you now is that the Traveling Light ice skating team will skate the 200 km for ..... tatarata: project Bertine House in Poltava, Ukraine.

Donations are ALWAYS welcome at bank account St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht, IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275, BIC: RABONL2U. 

We are looking forward to a new year full of great projects

Project Teen Challenge women's home, Romania

Recent graduation at the women's home

The month of November brought in  more than 900 euro in our second-hand shop Twinkeltje. Thank you for your visits and purchases! That amount will go to the Teen Challenge women's rehab home, House of Joy, in Romania.

Click on the pictures for an enlargement!

Last September we visited the facility. The ladies had just moved from a temporary location to this beautiful house, assisted by the men of the rehab center in Grădiştea, about twenty minutes away. Women who are bound by prostitution, homelessness, drug and alcohol addiction or emotional and psychological problems are welcome here.

House of Joy

The Teen Challenge program uses a plan in which the ladies go through five phases on their way to recovery. An authentic belief in God and a life based on Biblical truths and principles are essential for success.

For many years now, we have been involved in the work of Teen Challenge worldwide and it is still awesome to see how broken and hopeless lives are being completely restored through the power of God's love. Often we see that not only the student involved recovers, but also whole families are changing for the better.

This is clearly visible in the church that Teen Challenge has planted in Bucharest, Biserica 43. Not only the students who are in the program are attending, but also their families, friends and acquaintances. Such is the impact of a changed life on other people.

House of Joy is operated by graduates of the program. They know the ins and outs and can relate to the problems the ladies are going through. The house depends on gifts and donations. There are plans for next year to build a greenhouse and studio in the backyard where the ladies can work therapeutically.

Traveling Light wants to raise the amount of Twinkeltje to at least 2,000 euro. A nice blessing for the program at the end of the year.

The garage has been transformed in a chapel/class room

If you want to help, make a donation to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U and make sure to mention: TC Romania, womens home.

When in the USA you can make your tax-deductible gift payable to EEO Inc. Make sure to mention: TC Romania, women's home.

Update current projects:

• We have been able to donate 1,000 euro for the dinner show of Victory Outreach in Amsterdam.
• We were able to donate 2,000 euro for the  follow-up project shelter/rehab in Belarus.

Thank you for your generosity!

Visit to Teen Challenge, Romania

Catalin & Oltita Baciu

Early September we visited the beautiful country of Romania at the invitation of Catalin & Oltita Baciu. They are the directors of Teen Challenge in that country and the pastors of Biserica 43, a young, fast-growing church in Bucharest.

Our contact with them was established many years ago when we were still living in Southern California. We met them there at a conference and heard about the work they started among the addicts and homeless. Up till this year we did not succeed in planning a visit ... but finally the time was right :)

Men's rehab center in Grădiştea

We stayed in the rehabilitation center for men in Grădiştea, a village outside Bucharest. This center has been established with support from Southern California. The men who live there all have a different background and all have their own story ... sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes difficult to imagine or comprehend, but through it all there is always God's love and grace.

With Stefan and Joseph

We had all the time to listen to the guys in the program and pray with them. We were very grateful for the help from young men such as Joseph (translation, percussion) and Stefan (guitar). We felt so in tune with them and they had the gift to (literally) touch the right tone which made prayer very effective. So precious.

A few years ago teen Challenge opened a women's home as well. During our visit they just moved to a new location, assisted by the men from Grădiştea. Behind some of these beautiful faces are stories of pain and suffering, but victory is often within reach.

Women's House of Joy

What a wonderful work to welcome ladies from all walks of life in this beautiful and warm home where they can slowly and safely recover and heal. The women who work in the house are often graduates themselves and they know the ins and outs of rehabilitation.

Street outreach is still the basis for any Teen Challenge program: seeking addicts and homeless people in their living environment, telling them that there is hope, that there is always hope! With Robert and Cristiana we hit the city back roads, talking to people in the parks, on the streets, in crack houses and alleys. Such a misery, but also ... such an encouragement to know that there are people going out to look for that one lost sheep, that one addicted prostitute and tell her about God's love

With street workers Robert and Cristina (right)

The street work bears fruit. From time to time someone makes a decision to go into rehabilitation. Every woman and man must get that chance!

In the church founded by Teen Challenge, Biserica 43, we were given time and opportunity to listen to people's stories and pray with them (until late in the night). It was a huge encouragement for us to see so many young people ... with passion and great enthusiasm!

Bible study with the men

It was no coincidence that in that same weekend a team from Southern California came for a visit. They were making a documentary about the work of Teen Challenge in Romania. We had such a great time together and really enjoyed tourist trips, tasty food and beautiful nature.

The work of Traveling Light is so much more than fundraising for certain projects. We get to be an encouragement and share God's love, grace and words with people. Also, by visiting different countries and programs we get a clear picture of the miracles God is doing throughout Europe, and we're happy to share that good news!

Check out this special video and see how the work in Romania started!