Friday, February 28, 2014

Project Tamimi family, Israel

Beautiful day in Jerusalem
In the picture on the left you see Naem and Faten Tamimi. We came in contact with them through a dear sister in a church in Germany. She has helped ans supported them for years and she asked if we were willing to visit this family and encourage them. So, here we are, enjoying a beautiful day at the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.

Naem was born in a Palestinian Muslim family in Jerusalem and Faten in an Arab Christian family in Bethlehem. Their different back grounds could not keep them from falling in love, and against all odds they decided to marry. Over the years they were blessed with five healthy children. A romantic story, right? But there is more...

Naem and Faten did not do much with the faith of their parents, but several years ago they both came to a living faith in Jesus Christ. We do not want to go into details on this blog, but their decision lead to problems in their families and neighborhood.

After an accident Naem lost his job and at the moment he works only a few days per week, doing jobs here and there. That is not enough to provide for his family. He would like to make extra hours (and income) as a cab driver. He has all the necessary paper work to do this, all he need is a good reliable second hand car. He is looking out for an affordable car (for example a 7-seater Skoda) that can serve as a family car as well. 

The family wants (and needs) to move to another neighborhood in Jerusalem in the near future, but they do not have the money at the moment. We would love to help them. Why? Because we believe that we should help each other as believers. In the Middle East political and religious relationships are very complicated. But really, we would like to keep it simple :) It is the faith in Jesus Christ that binds people together and that brings peace, whether you have a Jewish, Arab, Palestinian or Gentile background! We need each other now more then ever.

We would be really grateful if you decided to stand with us and help this family. You can send your gifts to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U, make sure to mention Project Tamimi.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Thanks from Teen Challenge Serbia

Men's home in Novi Sad, January 2014
As a result of your generous and quick response we were able to donate 3,000 euro towards the work of Teen Challenge in Serbia.

Last month we announced Winter project Raskrsce Teen Challenge, Serbia. We wanted to encourage them at the beginning of 2014 with a gift to cover the day-to-day expenses of the men's and women's home in Novi Sad

class room in men's home
In the picture on the right you will see the group of men that is currently in the alcohol- and drugs rehab program. The other picture is one of the class room where groups and Bible studies are given. On behalf of the men and women in Teen Challenge we want to thank you all for your gracious gifts towards their recovery.

In the women's home they are also working on a new series of awesome bracelets. It is always good to do creative work and, besides that, the selling of this jewelry will bring in some funds as well.

Creating beautiful bracelets in the women's home
Greetings from Serbia!

  • If you still want to give a donation for our current project Bibles for sailors, please do so quick! You can send your gift to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U We still need a few hundred euro's.
  • Soon to come: more pictures and news about women's home in Berdichev, Ukraine
  • For the following two projects we will take you to Israel...

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Men's group stepping up for Teen Challenge Czech

Men's monastery retreat
A few weeks ago we received an email from a men's group in Dordrecht. They wanted to take up an offering for Traveling Light during their annual retreat weekend. They were looking for a practical project.

In that same week we received an email from Teen Challenge Czech Republic, asking us whether we could help with financing a generator, batteries and heater for their mobile coffee bus. Could there be a better and more suitable project for a men's group, or what?

The mobile contact center
Last year we helped Teen Challenge Czech with the purchase of a bus, a mobile contact center, for street outreach purposes. It is being used to reach the homeless, addicted and prostitutes of Brno and Prague.

The outreach team of Teen Challenge takes the mobile contact center into the streets several times a week. They park at designated places and hand out soup and coffee, trying to establish contact with the hope- and helpless. 

Reaching the hopeless where they are
Winters are cold in Czech, so they have to run the engine for hours at the time to keep the heater going. That is not a good situation, so they want to purchase a generator, some extra batteries, maybe a heater and anything else needed to stay in operation.

During the weekend retreat (in an old monastery) the men collected the awesome amount of 2520 euro for this project!

Fantastic, we are so thankful for their generosity. What a great thing to do. On behalf of Teen Challenge Czech we want to say thank you for your gifts. The money has been transferred and as soon as we have some pictures of the new generator in operation, we will post it on this blog or on our Traveling Light Facebook page.

Thank you men!
We truly hope this story will be an inspiration for other groups/churches/organisations.

Are you looking for a project to sponsor... a practical, small-scale project maybe? Don't hesitate to contact us, we will do our best to match your offer with a current need.


Sunday, February 9, 2014

Photo's women's home Berdychiv, Ukraine

The three Sergey's in front of the new home
As promised some news and pictures regarding our Project Women's Home Berdychiv, Ukraine. It is absolutely wonderful to see how the money Traveling Light donated this last December, is being used and put into practice.

In the photo on the left you can see the three Sergey's involved :) And well (from left to right) pastor Sergey Romanenko of the Jewish Messianic congregation in Berdychiv, Sergey Glushko (director of Teen Challenge Ukraine) and Sergey (director of the rehab homes in Berdychiv).

The first inhabitants of the home
It has been pastor Sergey's dream for quite some time to open a rehabilitation home for women and their children. Saturday December 14th, 2013 was the big day.

Pastor Sergey Romanenko and his team celebrated the tenth anniversary of the rehab program they started from within the congregation. They have been able to help many people to start a new life and they currently operate three men's homes and a re-entry home.

New sinks and plumbing
And now finally, as a result of your donations, also a women's home. A home where mothers, who want to end their addiction, can live with their children. We hope and pray this house will be the first of many women's/children's homes.

We are happy to announce that knowledgeable staff is in place and that several women and children are already living in the house. In the picture above you can see two of the women with their children. We are so thankful that they have been offered a safe place to live and recover.

Sabbath celebration
Christian rehabilitation means so much more than taking people off of drugs and alcohol. It means that they will also encounter the love and grace of Jesus Christ. That they come to know Him for who He is: the Son of God, who came to the earth to set people free from sin, darkness and death.

The ex-addicts learn more about the Judeo-Christian faith. In the picture you can see a Sabbath meeting at pastor Sergey's congregation.

On behalf of pastor Sergey and the women in the new home, we want to thank you all very much for your gifts that enabled them to purchase this house.

new windows installed
It is definitely a confirmation and encouragement for them, and us, to experience how we can make such projects happen in a relatively short time when we unite in generosity! We hope to visit the home later this year.

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Project Bibles for sailors

Do you remember our special December project? We wrote about Guus and Annemiek Peters who, for many years, have been visiting sailors in the ports of Antwerp, Gent and Terneuzen, giving Bible studies and talking with the men about Jesus. We were able to sponsor 60 Christmas goodie bags.

At the beginning of January we picked up volunteer Jim Hayes and we drove to Terneuzen to visit the Peters family. It turned out to be a wonderful and inspiring visit. This couple has some stories to tell. But more than words, they know how to put things into practice, and that is what we love of course! Please, read the following snippet of their latest news letter:

“In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety." (Psalm 4:8)

The year of 2013 was a year of leukemia and six chemo treatments for me. But the good thing is that, apart from some weight loss and tiredness in the evenings, I had no problems at all. I have not felt sick once. The Bible verse above has given me such encouragement. I have felt completely safe in God's hands. Annemiek and me feel so thankful and we acknowledge that this is pure grace, grace, and grace alone. I even visited 92 more ships than in 2012!

In total I have visited 843 ships. 53 of these ships had a crew from a Muslim nation, mainly men from countries as Turkey, Pakistan and Bangladesh... Furthermore I was able to give away 407 Bibles and 202 New Testaments to the sailors. Also 501 Jesus DVD's, 69 DVD's about the life of the apostle Paul, 140 God of Wonders DVD’s, 58 More than Dreams DVD’s, 87 worship CD’s, 131 books, many correspondence courses and thousands of flyers...

Well, do we need to say more? It is clear that no one can stop Guus! At the beginning of 2014 he needs to re-stock on Bibles and other materials. He needs at least 400 Bibles (in various languages) and the cost for that alone is about 800 euro. We would love to help him again. If you have a heart for evangelism as well, please join us and make your gift payable to:
St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht
IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275
BIC: RABONL2U.
Make sure to mention BIBLES SAILORS