News & prayer

The guys at the men's center in Novi Sad, Serbia

Many people are enjoying a good vacation right now. Even in Holland the sun finally came through! Summer or not, the work at Traveling Light keeps going. We would like to share some refreshing news items with you:

• Did you know that, apart from the gift of 4,500 euro, we donated more than 1,500 euro to Teen Challenge Serbia during the 2nd quarter of 2012 through our project Stepping up 4 Serbia. We recently received a long e-mail from Sasa Ivanovic, the director, here's a snippet: "Thank you for your gift of 4.500 Euro's, it came in last moment, but right moment (God is never late :)), so we could pay our heating and electricity bills. This was so important for TC Serbia ministry because there was great threat that our centers were cut off from heating and electricity and, of course, we wouldn't be able to continue this important ministry. I want to thank TRAVELING LIGHT and all good people and supporters who helped TC Serbia to continue its work and keep 21 boys and 9 girls who are currently in both of our centers, Men's and Women's, where they are receiving help, love and care, discipleship and training that hopefully one day they become Christ disciples who will be another Traveling light in country of Serbia sharing great message of the Gospel of Jesus..." Gifts are still pouring in for Serbia, so we will continue to support them on a monthly basis. Please pray for the staff and students there and for more support from churches, businesses and individuals in Serbia.
• Did you know that we are receiving general gifts from Teen Challenge centers all over Europe? As you may remember at some point we helped Teen Challenge Slovenia with finances so they could buy a chainsaw. Now they can make some money chopping down trees. How awesome to see that they have blessed Traveling Light with a gift! This reminds us of the first believers in the book of Acts. They shared their belongings/income and if someone was in need they would help him. If you never invest your money in the lives of others, how are you going to get a return in due time??
• Talking about money, did you know that we were able to give away nearly 20,000 euro in the first seven months of 2012? How wonderful is that?! Thank you very much for your generosity. Let's pray that more and more supporters will join our efforts.
• We still need 120 euro for the dental work on Marjan's teeth (Teen Challenge Slovenia). If you want to see him smile, please give a small gift today.
• We have a Facebook page, it is mainly in Dutch, because most of our supporters are in Holland (and that is changing rapidly!!), but if you hit the LIKE button we will make it a bi-langual page :)

Project soup kitchen, Israel

Brian shares food and tender loving care

For our next project we will go again to the soup kitchen in Netanya, Israel. Do you remember Brian Slater? He works for Chosen People Ministries and every Tuesday he opens up a soup kitchen in Netanya. About 150 people gather there each week to receive a good home cooked meal, prayer and free clothing. Of course Brian makes sure they will hear about the love of Yeshua too! Each week this crowd is waiting for the doors of the soup kitchen to open.

New food bank in the center of Netanya

Last year Traveling Light donated 3,000 euro for a new to open foodbank in the center of Netanya. This is not a place where meals are being served, but a place where packages of dry food are being distributed to the poor and needy. As you can see at the picture we took last October the brand new shelves were waiting to be filled!

We have contact with Brian on a regular basis because we translate his news letters into Dutch and distribute them among his supporters in Holland. Besides that we like to think and brainstorm with Brian about  ideas that will generate some income for the soup kitchen and food bank. He is always trying to come up with creative ways to fundraise. It is one of his ideas he shared with us lately, that we would like to take on as our next project: the designing and printing of t-shirts that can be purchased as a souvenir by volunteers.

The t-shirts will carry a slogan about the soup kitchen. Traveling Light wants to donate 1,000 euro for the purchase of these t-shirts. We expect that Brian would be able to buy about 200 shirts (made in Israel) for this amount. He will then sell them at the soup kitchen for about 15 or 20 euro a piece, where hundreds of volunteers from all over the world come each year to help. This should bring in a few thousand euro's. Money that will be used again to buy supplies for his work. Simple idea, great result!

Project soup kitchen is more than just financing the t-shirts. We would also like to donate 500 euro to sponsor a dinner for Holocaust survivors. Brian has done this recently, he invites about 10 elderly Holocaust survivors for a nice dinner. These are people who have escaped the horrors of WWII and have often lost many family members. The purpose of the dinners is to offer them a special meal, to listen to their stories and to share the love of Yeshua with them. We can make that love practical by sharing a meal.

We need 1,500 euro in total to bless the people in Israel. We are planning to go to Israel in October and we will certainly help in the soup kitchen again. Hopefully we will be able to attend this special dinner as well and have a chance to let our light shine in the lives of these people who are often way up in age and do not know God. If you want to join in blessing Israel, do not hesitate and send your gift to;

Rabobank number 1185 82 275, St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht, the Netherlands
IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275
BIC: RABONL2U

More information about Brian's work in Israel can be found by clicking on the label Netanya in the sidebar at the right or by visiting Brian's blog Yeshua's Fresh Bread.

How can you let your light shine?

Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter, when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn...

[Jesaja 58:7]

3,500 euro for Spetse Hoeve!

Hooray, at Traveling Light we have a reason to party again :)

Thanks to your generous gifts we are able to donate 3,500 euro to Teen Challenge Netherlands for the mens home The Spetse Hoeve in Groningen. Beginning of next month we will go there for a weekend visit and we will officially hand them the cheque. However, our project passenger van isn't finished yet, it still needs some practical help.

Jan has put the van, they currently use, up for sale on the internet. The money they will receive for that van + our donation + a small amount already set apart, will hopefully be enough to purchase a decent new (2nd hand van) with low mileage. Jan is searching the internet for just the right passenger van. As soon as a deal has been made, we will announce it on this blog.

Thank you very much everyone, from us and also from the staff and students at The Spetse Hoeve.

Don't forget: September 8h, 2012 OPEN HOUSE at The Spetse Hoeve.

Project Teeth for Marjan

May we introduce someone special to you? This is Marjan, and it is possible that his face looks familiar to you... because we have posted his picture on this weblog before. In the report about our visit to Teen Challenge Slovenia last April we mentioned him.

Marjan did not live the average comfortable life. Traumatic experiences, addictions, homelessness, psychiatric  hospitals... Marjan has seen it all. According to the world's standard he would be considered a hopeless case. But according to God's standard he was just a person in dire need of salvation and a new life. So, 18 months ago he came to the Dennis Griffith House in Nova Vas, Slovenia, and entered the program of Teen Challenge. It was there that he experienced the love of the Father, the grace of Jesus and the fellowship with the Holy Spirit. He is a new creation now and has hope for a future. This is very much visible in the picture Jan took a few weeks back: he shines!

During the visit of Jan and Steven to Slovenia Marjan told them he was getting  ready to graduate the program, which is a big deal. Together with Matjaz (the director of Izhod Teen Challenge Slovenia) he went to see his former employer who offered him a job, hallelujah! They are also helping him finding a place to live and going to church and Bible study.

Marjan would love to have new teeth before he starts his job. The cost for his dental work will be around 420 euro. And you know what is so cool? The other men in the program have scraped together their money and offered him 140 euro, a true love offering. So, there is still 280 euro needed. We would love to help him and encourage him, we hope you will do so too!

Donations can be send to:

Rabo bank nr. 1185 82 275 St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht, The Netherlands

IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275

BIC: RABONL2U

Make sure to mention: TEETH MARJAN

PS: As soon as we have received the required amount we will announce it on this blog. Any money that will come in after we have reached the goal will be kept for upcoming projects... and they are all good, so don't worry :)

Visit to Serbia and Slovenia

Men from different Balkan countries, changed by God

As we have mentioned before on this blog, Traveling Light received an invitation from ICF (International Christian Fellowship) in Ljublijana, Slovenia, to attend a very special conference: the My Brother's Keeper Conference in Subotica, Serbia. About 350 men from all Balkan countries (former Yugoslavia) came together for Bible education which often results in reconciliation and forgiveness.

Once divided by war, now united by faith

Such a request is always a good reason for us to plan a short mission trip. So, Jan headed for Slovenia together with Steven Bakker (a youth leader from our church in Holland who has a great desire to get out of his seat). They stayed overnight at the Dennis Griffith House in Nova Vas. The next day they met with pastor Steve Telzerow and they left with a group of 27 people for Serbia. During the conference they witnessed a move of God as He broke down the walls, there were many tears of joy. A band of Christian Roma gypsies took care of the music during the conference, which was awesome!

After the conference Jan and Steven went back to Slovenia and stayed another two days in the men's home. They had lots of opportunities to further build friendships, to encourage the men, to pray with them and to soak up some much needed sunshine :) It is really encouraging for us to see that the center is very well maintained, the vegetable garden well watered and the men working hard. Their small moving business brings in some income that helps them pay for the rent of the house, which is a blessing!

Staff and students Teen Challenge Slovenia

On their way back to Holland Jan and Steven stopped by Teen Challenge Gutes Land in Germany. They always have a bed and some food ready for visitors. Jan had the opportunity to share the Word during the evening service and morning Bible study. It is always a joy to see the staff and students at Gutes Land and to encourage them.

Making personal visits and encouraging people in ministry to keep going, that is really the heart of our non profit.