Travel and project updates

Last week we (Jan and Marja) attended, on behalf of Europe Teen Challenge, an official event in the Kreuzkirche in Ergolding, Germany.

Our friends Dirk and Meike Hellmann received an honorary prize from the Sinn statt Sucht foundation as an appreciation for their years of work among the addicted.

For more than 28 years, they opened their hearts and home in Gutes Land, a farmhouse in the countryside of southern Germany, to men with addiction problems. The work was part of Teen Challenge Germany.

We have visited them several times over the years and always received a warm welcome. We were also given the opportunity to encourage and teach the men from the Bible.

Dirk has been battling bone cancer for a number of years now. It was therefore good to spend time together, pray with each other, and encourage them.

Gutes Land is currently no longer a rehab center, but who knows, maybe that will happen again in the future.

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In April we sent a donation to the Teen Challenge drug and alcohol rehabilitation center in Zaporozhye, Ukraine. We previously helped them with a donation for the purchase of a generator and heaters.

The staff and students had come up with the idea of ​​starting a cleaning company and using the income to open a coffee house.

With our donation, they were able to purchase various professional vacuum and pressure cleaners which they will use to clean out the stairwells of apartment complexes.

We like such practical ideas to generate income. And to rent space for a coffee house where they can reach more people is always a good idea! Moreover, working is part of the therapy. We wish them many blessings.

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Our friends from the Teen Challenge rehab centers in Berdychiv, Ukraine, are busy renovating, expanding, and refurbishing the men's and women's centers.

Partly thanks to support from Traveling Light, they were able to thoroughly renovate the kitchen in the men's home (where we have been several times). It looks beautiful and the extension creates much more space!

(In the photo at the top the old situation and below the new situation. Click on the photo to enlarge.)

The floor in the women's center has been partly replaced and cabinets were purchased and installed, much to the delight of the mothers and children who live there.

Despite the challenges, difficulties, and frustrations the war brings, the team continues to do their work. They see often that pain and loss bring people to the feet of  Jesus where there is healing and restoration.

In addition to the spiritual encouragement we provide during our visits, we can also provide financial support thanks to your help. We love combining the spiritual with the practical!

We also love to provide you with regular updates about our visits and the projects we support. This way you will stay informed.

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We are always happy with your donations to support all these wonderful projects and programs. You can send a donation in different ways:

• 💛Send a donation to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U and make sure to mention which project or country
• 💳 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 which Teen Challenge center in Europe you want to support.

My Brother's Keeper conference, Serbia

About 300 men attended the conference

Like last year we received an invitation from pastor Steve Telzerow (ICF, International Christian Fellowship) in Ljublijana, to attend a special conference: the My Brother's Keeper Conference in Beograd, Serbia. That is a church conference for men (spiritual leaders and pastors) from all Balkan nations. Traveling Light has good connections in most of these countries and it is an honor to be part of such an event. And again a volunteer, from the Hoeksteen Church in Etten-Leur, came with Jan. His name is Jim Hayes.

City centre Beograd

At first they drove to Slovenia where they slept at the Teen Challenge men's home. The next day they all left for Beograd. During the conference a group of six men was set apart (Jan being one of them) for confession purposes. Many men took the opportunity to confess their sins and to pray with a man from this group for forgiveness and healing. Wow, a wave of forgiveness, reconciliation, deliverance and healing came forth. What a blessing for Traveling Light to be able to participate, and be of service, at such an historic event, as personal and international relationships were being restored.

All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him (Psalm 22:28).

Fixing the Teen Challenge moving van

At night Jan, Jim and the Teen Challenge Slovenia team went into the streets to talk with the homeless and addicts. They actually were able to take one desperate guy with them to the center in Slovenia, where he has the opportunity to start a new life, with the help of God. For Jan there was no time to relax, the Teen Challenge moving van needed repairs. The perfect job for a good mechanic, offering practical help when possible :) The blond lady in the middle is Bianca, she obviously has an eye for technical stuff and cool guys.

On the way back to Holland Jan and Jim stopped at Teen Challenge Gutes Land in Germany. There is always room for one more person there. The theme of forgiveness and reconciliation came up again during prayer and Bible study. It turned out Jim (an English men by birth) still had some unresolved anger towards the German people, deep down in his heart.

Jim & Markus, one in Jesus Christ

The Holy Spirit prompted one of the staff members of Gutes Land to do something very special and precious. Early in the morning of Wednesday June 12th, 2013 he bowed down and washed the feet of Jan and Jim. While doing that he asked the English people and the Dutch people for forgiveness on behalf of the German people. Again, a very special historic and symbolic moment, needless to say that tears flowed and emotions could no longer be kept inside. And what a confirmation that the work of Traveling Light can and will impact the nations... changing hearts, one person at the time..

He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:9-10)

If you desire to support our work in Europe... please, do so!

Make your gifts payable to:

Rabo bank nr. 1185 82 275 St. Traveling Light

IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275

BIC: RABONL2U

PS: We ALWAYS travel at our own expense. ALL gifts go towards our current projects.

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. 

Visit to Gutes Land, Germany

Bright colors in the after care house

We owe you a few photo's from our recent visit to Teen Challenge Gutes Land, Germany. From Novi Sad, Serbia, it was almost 1000 km to Vilsbiburg... a beautiful drive past Budapest and Vienna into Germany.

We were welcomed warmly in Gutes Land. Sunday morning we went to church in Landshut. In the afternoon Meike showed us the new after care house that they are currently building and we took some photo's. At the moment there are three men in the program who are almost ready to graduate. They are preparing to take the next step: independent living, but still having the safety of Teen Challenge nearby. The guys already picked their rooms :) The 5.000 euro we were able to donate is being used to further complete the construction of this house. The men are really looking forward to have their own beautiful room in a safe environment!

Professional workmanship

In the evening we had time to talk and catch up on the latest happenings. We played board games with the men, Jan went for a run with Dirk and later that night we took some time to pray with each other and bless each other. As always we noticed how demanding, yet rewarding, the work in a rehabilitation home can be. Both staff and students need encouragement, all the time. We are always happy to bring some!

Monday morning, before we were heading back home to Holland, Jan shared a word from the Bible and we had the chance to pray with each man personally. That was very special, because we prayed in different languages: German, English, Dutch. They were short and simple prayers. But you know, sometimes we don't need a

Bible study under the sun!

lot of words, sometimes a hug says it all!

5,000 euro for Teen Challenge Gutes Land!

HOORAY! We have barely recovered from the commotion caused by the fundraiser for Teen Challenge Ukraine, that resulted in a total gift of 2,500 euro and a haircut for Jan, and it's party time again! The 5,000 euro mark for Gutes Land, Germany has been reached.

The money will be used for the construction of a so called after care house, where students who have completed the program will be able to live for a while, before going back to the world. That way they can get used to daily life step by step and still enjoy the safety of the Teen Challenge family and grounds. We are planning to visit Teen Challenge Gutes Land in April, so we will post some more photo's later.

Thank you all for your faithful gifts, gifts that contribute to a better life!

For our next project we will travel to Serbia...

Photo's Gutes Land, Germany

Teen Challenge Gutes Land

As promised some photo's of the building project at Teen Challenge Gutes Land in Germany.

When we first visited the center we were in awe, because of the beauty of the buildings that are literally hundreds of years old. The Teen Challenge staff and students all live there.

after care house

The farm is located in the beautiful countryside of South Eastern Germany (nearby Munich). There are several men in the program right now and they are learning that 'once an addict, always an addict' is not true! Jesus can set people totally free from a life of bondage!

Finishing the inside

A few years ago they started building a small house on the premises, meant to be used as an after care house, where men who have finished the program can live in preparation for their return into society, but still be under the protection of Teen Challenge. Due to lack of finances and all kind of other issues the work was never finished. Currently they have a contractor working on the house and it starts to look great, as you can see in the pictures. The total cost for this building project will be around 20.000 euro and we offered them our help in paying part of the bill by raising 5.000 euro. We want to see this house finished!

basic rooms

As in most places the work of Teen Challenge can only continue thanks to gifts from churches, individuals and organisations, like the one we recently started :) It is just wonderful to be able to encourage staff and students at Gutes Land: 'you are not alone, we are standing behind you. Keep going, do not give up.'

We can only do it if you decide to help us! Thank you for your support and faithfulness. 

Project Gutes Land, Vilsbiburg, Germany

The fun thing about a new project is that we have a chance to introduce the people behind it. In doing so every project gets a face, which makes giving much more enjoyable and less impersonal... Well, that´s how we see it.

Dirk and Meike Hellmann

For our first project of 2012 we need to go to the south eastern corner of Germany, to the little town of Vilsbiburg. Our friends Dirk and Meike Hellmann live there on a centuries old farm, Gutes Land, where they offer a residential program for men battling addictions. We met Dirk and Meike a few years ago during a Europe Teen Challenge conference in Prague and we have stayed in contact ever since. We visited Gutes Land and later invited them to stay with us for a few weeks in our house in California. Last summer Jan visited Gutes Land again.

What we love about Dirk and Meike is that they both have a very powerful testimony about how God changed their lives in the past. They really have a heart for lost and broken people and have given their lives to help them. Gutes Land is part of Teen Challenge which means that the program is based on biblical principles and values and dependent on the power of the Holy Spirit. There are currently 5 men in the program and the staff is praying for 5 more men to come in within the next 2 months. After finishing the program Dirk and Meike want to offer the graduates the opportunity to live in an after care house, this semi independent living will prepare them for re-entry into society.

Teen Challenge Gutes Land

A few years ago they started building a small house on the property. Much of the building material has been donated, but it turned out to be very difficult to find volunteers with building skills. They finally decided to hire a contractor to do the work, the expected costs will be 20,000 euro. That is a lot of money if you don´t have it and we would love to help them by at least paying part of that bill. We desire to raise 5,000 euro (6,300 dollar) to help them out and in the meantime we will pray that the rest of the money will come in as well, so that Dirk and Meike do not need to worry about it anymore.

Outdoor lunch during our visit in 2010

Nothing touches us more than to see human lives changed by the power of the gospel, that is still the biggest miracle there is. Working in this kind of ministry is not easy and we hope to be an encouragement to the staff of Gutes Land. If they can do their work with joy, the men in the program will benefit too!

We will start joyfully, the gifts thermometer is already at 1,000 euro.

Visit to Vilsbiburg, Germany

One cannot stay angry when singing before God!

Teen Challenge Gutes Land

After Jan's visit to Teen Challenge Slovenia he left for Germany. A five hour drive brought him to the small town of Vilsbiburg, in the vicinity of Munich. Last year we visited Teen Challenge Gutes Land there, upon invitation of the directors Dirk & Meike Hellmann. They showed us around the beautiful farm and told us about the work they do there: bringing hope to the hopeless! The farm gives room to men with life controlling issues. Often it is the first time they truly hear the Gospel and they can experience the life changing power it brings.

Too cute to eat, right?

The centuries old farm currently houses 7 men who are in the Teen Challenge program and two families who work as staff. The program receives part of their income from the pigs they farm and from a kinder garden school they operate and of course from gifts! Local supermarkets and stores that are in favor of the program donate a lot of food which is really wonderful, because feeding 10-12 people three times a day is costly. Dirk travels around the schools in the region to teach drugs and alcohol prevention. In cooperation with Teen Challenge Landshut (a youth center) he is also involved in street evangelism.

Sing & make music for God!

Jan was invited to share a word from the Bible during their Tuesday night meeting. This is always a great way to bring encouragement to both students and staff! As always they started with singing several songs for God. When we do that, something wonderful happens: problems, anger and difficulties disappear during praise and worship. Jan really experienced this in both Slovenia and Germany, one cannot stay angry when singing before God!