Project farm rehab 'Centar Duga', Serbia

It has already been a year since we were able to send a donation to the food parcel project 'Ruka za Druga' (which means 'Hand for a Friend'), part of the Protestant Christian Fellowship in Novi Sad, Serbia.

Pastor Dusan Beredji (known to us as Bera) regularly sends news items about his church's homeless project and also about the drug and alcohol rehab center 'Centar Duga'.

What started 15 years ago as a small shelter to help addicts, has over the years expanded to a center with 30 beds!

Men with life-threatening problems can go there for a long-term rehabilitation program.

The rehab center is largely self-sufficient thanks to a moving van service, a chicken farm, and vegetable greenhouses. They also gladly receive donations.

Bera would like to see the farm expanded with more greenhouses and chicken coops and a pigsty.

The farm has multiple objectives:

• It enables a reduction in food costs for the beneficiaries - by improving their nutrition and through the sale of surplus products.
• It contributes to the path of self-sustainability, which is the goal, by reducing overall costs.
• It serves as a therapeutic work component for the center's beneficiaries.
• It provides beneficiaries with a sense of self-worth, as their work contributes to the center's operations.
• Beneficiaries acquire new skills that can benefit them in their future lives.

We would like to help them with a donation to expand the farm, to build new greenhouses, buy seeds and plants, etc. etc. If you also want to help....

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 CENTAR DUGA.

💳 Give by card

👉You can also donate directly through our website!

We really like these kinds of practical projects. Jan has visited the center and has seen with his own eyes how they run the center on a daily basis, and how lives are being changed there, every day.

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

Project Restart Detox Clinic

From September 29th to October 3rd, Jan visited Serbia. He attended a Teen Challenge and Living Free training seminar that covered topics such as rehabilitation, relapse, and addiction.

The training was given in Novi Sad in the church of Pastor Dusan Beredji Bera who runs a men's rehab center, where Jan also received great hospitality and a bed to sleep in! He visited New Life women's rehab home and the coffee house of Restart, an organization that we have been supporting for a long time.

With a team of volunteers, founder Boris Štrbac is committed to helping people start a new life, free of addictions and other life-controlling problems.

They do this through outreach, drug prevention lessons at schools, and a mentoring program for ex-prisoners.

During the visit to the coffee house, Jan spoke with visitors and also had the opportunity to pray with people for restoration and healing and the courage to take steps toward recovery. The photo on the right shows the new expansion that Restart was able to build in 2021 thanks to a gift from Traveling Light.

There are currently plans to open a Restart Detox Clinic and support center. Boris is in contact with the city council about this, in particular about finding a suitable location.

Many addicts are hesitant to sign up for a long-term rehab program, often because they are still working and have a family and can therefore continue to function more or less. Detoxing, a discipleship program and therapy can help this group.

Most of the work Restart is doing can be carried out thanks to donations. Boris asks for prayers and funds to open a detox clinic. As Traveling Light, we would like to contribute to the lives that are about to change in Novi Sad!

Your 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 RESTART
• 💳 Give by card

Project expansion Restart coffeehouse, Serbia

Last month we received an email from Udruženje Restart in Serbia. A Christian organization that works among homeless people and (former) addicts and supports them in their return to society.

With a team of volunteers initiator Boris Štrbac is committed to helping people on their way to start a new life. They do this through outreach, drugs prevention lessons at schools and prison work.

During the European Teen Challenge conference in Zeewolde (2019) we were finally able to catch up with Boris in person and following that meeting Traveling Light helped him with a donation for the opening of the coffee house in a new location in Novi Sad.

In the meantime, the coffee house is in full use, with weekly meetings that are well attended, as you can see in the photos. It's time for expansion :)

The back part of the building is currently not being used. They now have a plan to make the back of the building suitable for office space and rooms for individual counseling.

It will be quite a job, but they have a permit to start. They need funds for the following: knocking down the current wall, the building of a new wall, the purchase of windows and a door, wall and floor work, furniture, airco, and electrical work.

The main work will be done by a professional worker who is willing to do it as a donation, all other works will be done by members of Restart and the Church.  

So, Restart needs about 2,500 euro for materials, furniture, flooring etc. We hope you want to help with a donation, so they can begin this work soon!

GIFTS (large and small) are awelcome and can be directed at St. Traveling Light in Papendrecht, IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U. Make sure to mention RESTART.

Project Restart Coffee house, Serbia

Boris gives drugs prevention lessons

It has been a while, but early September we received a message from Udruženje (foundation) Restart in Serbia. A Christian organization that works among homeless people and (former) addicts and supports them in their return to society.

With a team of volunteers, initiator Boris Štrbac is committed to helping people on their way to start a new life. They do this through outreach, drugs prevention lessons at schools and prison work.

They recently received from the City of Novi Sad the acknowledgment that Restart is an organization of public and social value, which is great.

Discussion with municipality officials

They have also been chosen to be partners in a European project which revolves around post-penalty support, reintegration into society and employment of teenagers leaving correctional educational center Kruševac (prison for youngsters). The team had to do a training for this.

About a year ago the team started a social enterprise "Restart Home Service" for cleaning, washing furniture and moving. It would be nice if some of these young people could actually come and be employed there.

Reintegration of young people

For long, Boris had the desire to move to a larger location. The office of Restart is very small. His prayer has been answered! The municipality pointed him to a beautiful location where there is enough space to also start a coffee house.

Renovation of the space is now in full swing. A lot has already been done, but funds are still urgently needed for electrical installations, kitchen, flooring, paint, furniture, new doors, etc. Volunteers from the church are helping to get everything in order, it is truly a joint effort. About 2500 euro is needed to make the building ready for use.

At work in the new location

👉We have noticed that the opening of coffee houses is on the rise. We see that in various countries and also in our own Twinkeltje. It is a nice way of getting in touch with people and having conversations. The coffee houses are also used for all kinds of activities, from Bible studies to workshops to film events and common meals.

Traveling Light wants to help realize the coffee house in Novi Sad. We have an invitation to attend the opening when the time comes 😁

GIFTS (large and small) are always welcome and can be directed at St. Traveling Light in Papendrecht, IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U. Make sure to mention RESTART.

News and photo's

ETC conference 2019

Last week we were present at the annual Europe Teen Challenge conference (this time in The Netherlands) with a book and information stand. Staff, students from the rehab programs and volunteers from Teen Challenge from 43 countries were present (around 450 participants).

Always a wonderful opportunity for us to catch up with everyone, meet new friends and encourage people! We have received several invitations to visit TC programs all over Europe. Keep an eye on our calendar.

Opening TC coffee house Croatia

Among others, we spoke with Ico Matulić from the Teen Challenge Croatia team. They recently opened their coffee house in Split. We helped them in 2017 and 2018 with a gift for street work and the translation of Living Free study material. They now officially have a coffee house location where conversations and Bible studies can take place. On behalf of them, thank you very much everyone.

Ready to travel

We also spoke with Igor Budanov from Church Novi Sad. At the end of last year we wrote about the new church community that a group of believers (TC graduates) started in Serbia.

We were able to help them with a donation for the purchase of a passenger van. Recently they were able to purchase a nice second-hand Nissan van. Thank you everyone for the help.

Twinkeltje welcomes our guests

Kuanysh & Madina Akkuzova from Teen Challenge Georgia visited our secondhand shop / coffee house Twinkeltje before and after the conference. We had a very inspiring and above all encouraging mission night together. They shared their personal testimonies. Both were born in Muslim families in Kazakhstan. It is wonderful to hear how God has changed their lives (as well as the lives of family members). We prayed with them and everyone gave words of encouragement. It was awesome.

We took up an offering for the work of Teen Challenge, which came to 1,500 euro! Wow, thank you all very much.

👉 Donations are always welcome at St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U.

Project van for Church Novi Sad, Serbia

As we wrote earlier on this blog, there is also some good and encouraging news to report from Serbia.

The work of Teen Challenge in that nation has produced a lot of fruit over the years; many addicts have found freedom and new life in Christ.

Often these people have a big heart 💗for outreach (bringing the good news to a world in need), street work and rehabilitation. It is great to see that new initiatives emerge from an existing ministry; that people feel inspired to reach other people with the good news as well. Truly, there is no competition in God's Kingdom, just multiplication and network enlargement. In Serbia new churches are being planted and ministries have been started.

Through Teen Challenge conferences we have been in contact with a group of people who have founded Church Novi Sad. For the time being they are meeting in an office of Eus Serbia, an evangelical student organization.

They meet several times a week, organize meetings like a women's breakfast in the neighborhood, search after addicts and homeless people, visit other churches and conferences, evangelize in their own and surrounding countries, share their life stories and give worship concerts ... music is their gift!

Because they are usually on the road as a team, they have a need for a passenger van, one in which all instruments will fit as well :) In cooperation with the Norwegian organization Euromission (who has been supporting and encouraging them for some time) we want to help them to buy a good van.

Would you like to see the good news spread in Serbia, where not even 1% of the population is evangelical Christian? Do you, like us and Jesus, have a heart for nations and people?

Then send your gift to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U and don't forget to mention: CHURCH SERBIA. Make sure to check out this video!