Meetings at the Europe Teen Challenge Conference in Albania

In our previous news post, we already mentioned the meetings we had during the Europe Teen Challenge conference in Albania earlier this month. We would like to go back to that, briefly. Especially because those meetings are so important in the support and encouragement we provide.

On behalf of Traveling Light, we maintain international contacts in more than thirty countries in Europe. We do this via email, social media, and (preferably) in person.

Meetings are precious, like with Orges & Blerina Hysenaj, the directors of the Teen Challenge program in Albania. We have known them for years and have a good relationship.

They now run two rehab centers, a church, and a coffee house. Furthermore, they also organize special evenings for family members of the men who are in rehab.

Last week, they held a baptism celebration. What a wonderful fruit of their work. Yes, it is God who changes people's lives, but that does not happen automatically. He makes use of believers who share the gospel with those who have never heard it! We are grateful for what God is doing in Albania!

Furthermore, we had time to catch up with Sergey & Irina Romanenko from Ukraine. They are the directors of the rehab centers in Berdychiv.

Together with one of their daughters and their daughter-in-law, they spent twenty (!) hours on a Flixbus to Warsaw to catch a plane to Tirana from there.

Despite the tragedy of the ongoing war, they remain in high spirits and trust that better times will come. The rehab centers are full, and there is an enormous amount of work to be done, especially among soldiers returning from the front traumatized (and addicted).

They have made a beautiful promotional video about their work. Watch it via this LINK. We have been supporting that work for years. 👉The work in Berdychiv will be the project of the month for June in our secondhand stores Twinkeltje and de Schor.

It was also nice to catch up with Niklas & Heidi Furu, the directors of Teen Challenge Finland. A visit to them has been on our to-do list for a while! It is amazing what they are doing in terms of street and coffee house work and evangelism to reach people with the gospel.

And of course, we spent time with Kuanish & Mada Akkuzova, the directors of Teen Challenge Georgia. It is always good to hear what is going on there. We were there for a week, last September.

And furthermore:

• Teen Challenge Iceland will soon open its first women's house.
• Teen Challenge Romania recently opened a new rehab center in Baia Mare.
• Teen Challenge Sweden has a chance to open a rehab in northern Sweden.
• Teen Challenge Denmark is going to open a location in Roskilde.

We hope to visit the Teen Challenge programs in Belgium, Slovenia, and Lithuania in June. As you can see... there is a lot going on! That requires prayer, work, finances, and good relationships.

How wonderful that we can continue to support the life-changing ministries in so many countries, thanks to your generous donations.

If you have a heart for the supporting work we do, you can send a donation in different ways:

💛Send your financial gift to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U.

💳 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 TRAVELING LIGHT.

Project community center Teen Challenge Neubruch, Germany

Earlier this month, we participated in the Europe Teen Challenge conference in Albania. We spoke with many people there once again and also received updates on various current projects.

For instance, Teen Challenge Germany had the opportunity in the director's meeting (and later during the main program) to present their plans for the expansion of the Neubruch center in Sonneborn.

Teen Challenge Germany operates drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers in various locations throughout the country, and is also active in prevention and street outreach work, with the help of volunteers.

Teen Challenge Neubruch is such a residential center where people find new perspectives, experience community, and where staff feel supported and appreciated.

Every day, workers dedicate themselves wholeheartedly to people struggling—youth, families, and people dealing with addiction, crises, and hopelessness. Staff and volunteers listen, support, encourage, and take responsibility. This work deserves not only gratitude but also supportive spaces where training, rest, and community are possible.

To this end, TC Germany intends to convert an existing barn (see photo) on the Neubruch grounds, currently used as storage space, into a training and meeting center. It will be a beautiful place where Teen Challenge workers and volunteers from Germany and other European countries can attend training sessions, but also unwind for a few days. The intention is to also create apartments within the barn for this purpose.

It is a substantial renovation project, but the demand for such a meeting and community place is high. During this latest international conference, we noticed once again how great the need is for fellowship, catching up, attending training and topical studies, praying together, and listening to each other's stories, etc.

Teen Challenge Germany is largely dependent on donations. We are incredibly grateful for the work they do and would like to support them in this construction project.

If you have a heart for this work, 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 GERMANY

💳 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 GERMANY NEUBRUCH