Project 'Ruka za Druga', Serbia

It's been a while, but at the end of September/beginning of October of last year, Jan was in Novi Sad, Serbia during a Teen Challenge training.

We already wrote a post about his visit to Restart (the coffee house work among addicts).

During his stay, Jan slept in the drug and alcohol rehab center 'Centar Duga', which is led by pastor Dusan Beredji (known to us as Bera) of the Protestant Christian Fellowship.

While visiting he got into a conversation with Erika Sabljov of the church team 'Ruka za Druga', which means as much as 'Hand for a Friend'.

Every week, the team of volunteers receives about 30 homeless people for a meal, but they also distribute clothes, shoes, and blankets.

The homeless can shower and get coffee in the church and once a month a special day is organized for them.

In addition to those practical matters, people also come into contact with God's love this way.

Following conversations and prayers, some of the homeless/addicts have chosen to go to the rehabilitation center next door.

The team has also been able to help homeless elderly people find a place to live and, for example, place them in a nursing home.

The Ruka za Druga team would like to give out a food package per person each Friday, so that the homeless have food for at least a few days.

We would like to support them in their plans and work to reach, serve and help people, however hopeless their situation may seem, to find the way to the loving Heavenly Father.

Your donations for the work in Novi Sad 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 RUKA ZA DRUGA.
• 💳 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.