Visit to Teen Challenge, Lithuania

The summer vacation has started for most people. Whether you are staying at home or traveling, we wish you a good, relaxing time.

We (Jan and Marja) also went on a trip at the end of June, and well to Lithuania. We were invited by Teen Challenge to give a seminar on the 'Meaning of Life' at the women's and men's rehabilitation centers, and also to speak at the church in Kaunas (the second largest city after Vilnius, the capital) on Sunday.

It is approximately a 1,600 km drive to Kaunas, and we divided it into two days, with an overnight stay in Poland. It was incredibly hot everywhere in Europe at the time, so it was very pleasant to be in the car's air conditioning 😀

On Friday morning, we visited the women's center in Slienava. In a morning and afternoon session, we reflected on the theme using various Bible verses. We asked the ladies to write down their thoughts on the meaning of life. It turned out to be very good and useful to seriously reflect on this, as you can see in the photo.

We came to the conclusion that there is no meaning to life outside of God. It is He who gives us life and also a purpose to live for. Fortunately, there was also time reserved to talk and pray with all the women and girls individually.

At the end of the afternoon, together with our hosts and directors of Teen Challenge, Edvardas and Rasa Kleinas, we sought the shade to cool off a bit in a very beautiful castle park just outside Kaunas.

The next day, we were expected at the men's center in Pikeliai, an hour's drive from Kaunas. Just like last year, a tent had been set up for the meetings.

We continued with the theme. First, Pastor Rytis Berūkštis gave a Bible study on the search for meaning. He used several texts from the book of Ecclesiastes, which we were able to connect with beautifully!

We always find the personal conversations with the students, who are in rehab, to be the most precious time. Together with an interpreter, we listen to their stories, ask the Holy Spirit to speak, and pray very specifically for deliverance, healing, and revelation. 

They often have so many sincere questions. It is just wonderful when we can shed light on the matter together, guided by the Bible.

On Sunday, we spoke at the church in Kaunas, Kauno Krikščionių Bažnyčia. Yeah, try pronouncing that. The church, led by Pastor Rytis Berūkštis, has a big heart for the work of Teen Challenge! Unfortunately, something went wrong with the live stream technology, so the sermon is not online.

After the service, we had time to minister to people individually, with the help of our interpreters. Our Dutch friend Willem Jan van Dijk (from Vilties Inkaras) was also in the church with his Lithuanian wife and sons, so we were able to speak with them as well. Willem Jan has already hosted a mission evening at Twinkeltje twice.

It is wonderful that we, as Traveling Light, have good contact with Teen Challenge as well as the evangelical church in many countries, and that we, as AG pastors/ministers, are welcome in many places and are invited to preach together.

It got quite hot, so after lunch, we drove with Edvardas and Rasa towards Trakai, a beautiful nature reserve with about 200 lakes. Lake Galvė is world-famous because of the medieval Trakai Island Castle located in the middle of it. We took time to swim and relax, we went for a walk, had dinner, and enjoyed ice cream.

Running two (full) rehab centers and a re-entry house is costly. The work of Teen Challenge in Lithuania depends largely on donations.

If you would like to invest in changing people's lives in Lithuania, you will be sowing a seed in the discipling of the nations! You can send a donation in different ways:

💛Send your financial gift to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U. Make sure to mention: TC LITHUANIA.

💳 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 LITHUANIA.

Project updates

It is time to report once again on where your donations have gone and how they were (are being) spent.

Some time ago, we were able to donate 2,000 euros to the Restart Foundation in Serbia for the purchase of a professional coffee machine for the coffee house in Novi Sad.

The machine has since been purchased and installed. They are very happy with it. The coffee house is very busy. Initiator Boris Štrbac sent a number of photos earlier this week.

We hope to visit Serbia later this year and will certainly be visiting the coffee house as well.

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Furthermore, we also donated 2,000 euros to the aid organization Vilties Inkaras in Lithuania to support a family that had become homeless due to a fire. It concerns a Roma family with eight children.

The initial idea was to place a sea container as a temporary home, but fortunately, a prefab house could be placed at short notice. Willem Jan van Dijk of Vilties Inkaras was, in turn, able to provide items such as mattresses, clothing, and household goods.

The family has a roof over their heads again, thanks in part to your donations. Thank you very much.

Just last weekend, we spoke to Willem Jan and his family in Kaunas! In addition to the humanitarian aid they provide in the countryside, they have also started a house church.

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The proceeds from Twinkeltje and the Schor, plus a number of specified donations, in June, amounted to 2,600 euros. That will be going towards the work of Teen Challenge in Berdychiv, Ukraine. Sergey Romanenko and his team operate rehab centers for men, women, and children there, as well as a coffee house.

The money is needed to renovate a house where a woman from Zaporozhye has been living for some time. She fled from the bombs and drones that keep hitting that area. Fortunately, she found shelter at Teen Challenge. She now helps out at the centers and is also part of the Messianic congregation.

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We can also donate 3,000 euros to the Teen Challenge juvenle home in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Maxim and Jenja Buzinovskiyi are in charge there and provide daily care for young people who, for whatever reason, do not receive that at home.

They will use the money to renovate the kitchen and set up an outdoor space where they can hang out as a family with the young people.

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And finally: the project in Twinkeltje and De Schor for July and August is the work of Radko & Nevin Kratsov in Bulgaria. In collaboration with YWAM Sliven, they are active on many fronts within the Roma community, which extends across all of Southeast Europe.

Radko provides education and leadership training in Bulgaria and surrounding countries and helps Roma develop a Biblical vision in every area of ​​life: relationships, work, health, finances, etc. They are currently preparing a ministry trip to Azerbaijan!

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Isn't it beautiful that together we can be a blessing to the countries of Europe? It is all possible thanks to your donations, support, and purchases in our shops.

If you have a heart for the projects we support, 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.