Project news and prayer points north-western Europe

Last week we shared news about projects in several countries in south-eastern Europe. Now, let's take a look at some projects and prayer points in north-western Europe.

Teen Challenge Netherlands in Heerhugowaard will start a discipleship school later this year. Last month they hosted an open house for anyone interested. Do you know young people who would like to invest a year of their lives in discipleship training? More information can be found HERE.

Earlier this month they hosted a training for Teen Challenge workers from rehab centers throughout Europe. There was a good turnout. The TC building in Heerhugowaard is a beautiful accommodation for a training center and ministry institute.

Last week the freezer broke down. Quite inconvenient when you have a house full of guests. Director Stephan Barendse immediately called out for help and pledges started coming in. Traveling Light will also contribute towards the purchase of a new energy-efficient freezer.

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Last Friday we visited Frédéric & Natacha Hensgens, the directors of Teen Challenge in Belgium. In early February they lost their son Nicolas to suicide. An unimaginable tragedy for them, their daughter Mahora, and further family and friends.

At their center 'Maison Betser' they currently care for a number of people who are in the process of reintegrating into society, a kind of re-entry program. Prayers for comfort and support are much needed.

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Last summer we visited Teen Challenge Iceland. They are active in coffee house work and street evangelism. They have the desire to start a Christian drug and alcohol rehab center in due time. For now, they are looking to open a thrift store, which will offer work opportunities and generate some income.

Let's face it, funds are always needed to pay for rent  (coffee house, day program, etc.), to purchase materials (coffee, tea, study materials, etc.), and to pay for other expenses. Please pray that their efforts to reach people with addictions will be effective and bring forth fruit.

Donations 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 'general' or otherwise which country or project.

💳 Give by card

👉You can also donate directly via our website!

Project and travel updates

September went by so quickly, have you experienced that as well? So, let's take time for some updates.

The September proceeds in our secondhand shops Twinkeltje and De Schor, together with several specified donations, were almost 2,000 euros.

We will double that amount and transfer a love gift of 4,000 euros to benefit the work of Teen Challenge in the rehab houses in Berdichev, Ukraine. A huge thanks to everyone who made this possible.

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In August we donated 3,000 euros to Teen Challenge in Iceland for their outreach and coffee house work among addicts and homeless people. They had been saving up for a long time for a 7-seater car with which they could pick up these people to take them to church and Group Studies, among other things.

And yes, we received a message that a car could be purchased thanks in part to this gift! Very nice.

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Last week we (Jan and Marja) visited Teen Challenge in Bucharest, Romania. A report about that visit with some more photos will follow soon. It was very encouraging, both for them and for us!

We stayed in the rehab center for men and also visited the women's house and the church.

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The project for October in Twinkeltje and the Schor is the work of Teen Challenge in Lebanon. Due to the ongoing war with Hezbollah, many people in South Lebanon, as in Northern Israel, have been driven from their homes. Garo Margossian of Teen Challenge offers humanitarian aid (food, water, medicine, etc.) where possible.

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Donations, large and small, are always welcome. You can send your gift in different ways:

💛Send a donation to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U and make sure to mention country/project or general.

💳 Give by card

👉You can also donate directly via our website!

Visit to Teen Challenge Iceland

We (Jan and Marja) went to visit and encourage Teen Challenge in Iceland from June 7-10. It was the first time they organized a conference and we were invited to speak there.

TC Iceland does not (yet) have a rehab center, but it is possible for people who struggle with addictions and want to get rid of them to follow a day program.

We were already aware of this through the meetings with Katrinn, who started the Bible studies for this group of people a few years ago. We already donated the proceeds from our shop Twinkeltje in December 2020 for the benefit of that work.

The group lessons for New Life from Teen Challenge are used in the day program. Yes, the same lessons we are currently using in our hometown Papendrecht with a group (Highly recommended for your church or home group of new believers).

Jóhann and Svava were our hosts during these days. Svava is now the director of Teen Challenge Iceland and during the Europe Teen Challenge conference in Warsaw, last May, we agreed to come and visit them.

They looked after us very well and also showed us beautiful tourist highlights. We enjoyed it, even though it was a very busy weekend.

Friday evening we went straight from the airport in Reykjavik to Vegurinn church where they can use the coffee room for studies and meetings.

The TC team regularly takes it to the streets to talk with addicts and invite them to the 'coffee house' and participate in the group lessons.

It is very encouraging to hear the testimonies of those who have accepted Jesus into their lives and the changes they have gone through. It's not just about addicts, by the way. We also heard testimonies from (young) people who came to to Jesus from New Age and Satanism. Oh, that gives so much HOPE!

👉On Saturday we spoke during a morning, afternoon and evening session about the importance of knowing and communicating with the Holy Spirit. We received many grateful responses to our simple and practical teaching.

Sunday morning we went to a church in Selfossi where Svava spoke. We were asked to invite the Holy Spirit to speak through people so that they could encourage and build each other up!

If you are ever in Iceland, there are plenty of churches you can go to!

We were extremely encouraged by the stories and people we met in this remote country where addiction is a major problem. There is a hunger for the truth, people are open to the gospel and God is working... always and everywhere!

We should remember that Jesus sends His followers to the ends of the earth with the assignment to make all nations His disciples 💓. What a blessing to be part of that.

If you also want to sow seeds in the fertile soil of the Teen Challenge work among the hopeless and desperate in Iceland...

Then send a donation in one of the following ways:

• 💛Send a donation to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U and make sure to mention TC ICELAND
• 💳 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 ICELAND.

They are currently raising funds to purchase a van with which they can transport students to and from church services, Bible studies, and meetings.

Looking back at December blessings

Dear friends, first of all, we want to wish you a blessed, beautiful, and above all healthy 2021.

Project-wise, we can look back at an awesome month of December in which, thanks to your generous gifts, we were able to make many people happy.

• We were able to donate 2,000 euro for Operation Christmas Joy from 222 Ministries, they handed out Christmas packages to Iranian refugee children in Turkey.
• We have also been able to donate 2,000 euro for the food and fuel packages that have been distributed to the poor and elderly in Moldova.
• We were also able to donate 3,000 euro for the renovation work of Atelier Café De Schor, in our hometown Papendrecht. A quotation has now been received and hopefully work can start soon.
• We donated 2,000 euro for the coffeehouse work of Teen Challenge among the hopeless and addicted in Iceland. With that, we have planted our flag (so to speak) on Icelandic soil just before the end of 2020. We believe that when we sow seed somewhere, we can expect a harvest as well.
• Another donation came in for the Christmas packages for the sailors in the ports of Ghent and Terneuzen, so we were able to help evangelist Alexander Ebserson with a total of 3,000 euro.

We know, it's just numbers and figures and they are not the core of the ministry. But it is still good to mention how many initiatives and projects we have been able to support, just in the last weeks of 2021 alone. December is the month of giving, after all!

Isn't it wonderful to make a 'tour' of Europe in this way? We are entering the new year full of hope and expectation. Hopefully, you will do so as well!

"So, let your light shine before men ..."

[Matthew 5:16]