Visit to Slovakia

Sunday service at Faith Baptist Church Bratislava

A few weeks ago we promised to write a short report on this blog about our visit to Slovakia, back in April.

Marja's book "Spirit of Truth" has been published in Slovak language and we were invited to the presentation. It was a very exciting and hopeful weekend.

We spoke about the theme 'truth' during a youth evening in the Faith Baptist Church in Bratislava. Around forty (!) young people were present and we discussed common lies and Biblical truth.

Later that weekend Marja spoke in the same church during the Sunday morning service about the attack on truth, just like in the time of Jesus.

Of course we visited the Teen Challenge drug and alcohol rehabilitation center in Sered and we spoke in the David Wilkerson Chapel about the importance of knowing the truth and about the lies that often keep people imprisoned for years.

Teen Challenge chapel Sered

"You always remain a user," "you need drugs or alcohol," "you will never be anything." Lies the enemy whispers. We prayed very personally with the men in the program and then used a meal together.

Radio Pokoj was present throughout the weekend to make recordings of our speeches and also to conduct a number of interviews. We supported Radio Pokoj last year with a gift, so it was really nice to work together again.

Lutheran church in Vrbovce

We also had coffee with Pastor Miroslav Hvozdara of the Lutheran church in Vrbovce, a small town on the border with the Czech Republic, about 100 km north of Bratislava. He works among homeless people and addicts, fantastic what this man is doing. We encouraged him and prayed together.

Not so far from there we went to look at a beautiful property that could perhaps become a second Teen Challenge location. We ended up praying together on the floor, asking for wisdom, insight and provision.

Prayer time

Well, sometimes people ask us what we do when we are traveling 😀 We never know  beforehand, but it is always exciting! The focus is always on prayer and encouragement for people working in the Kingdom of God, throughout Europe. (We travel on our own expenses, your donations will always go towards the projects.)

• Wednesday, June 5th we will host another MISSION NIGHT in Twinkeltje. We have Teen Challenge Sweden visiting us . They will share about the coffee house/secondhand shop that they have recently opened there! Evening starts at half past seven with coffee and tea.
• Financial donations for all our awesome projects are always welcome at IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U St. Traveling Light in Papendrecht.

European spring tour 2017 (3)

'Once I was blind, now I see...'

From Winiarczykowka in Poland to the Teen Challenge center in Sered, Slovakia is a beautiful drive through mountain scenery. We really enjoyed it.

The men's rehab center in Sered accommodates around 15-20 men who suffered from addiction or other life-threatening problems. We were a bit late for lunch, but they still offered us a large bowl of soup and homemade apple strudel .... how delicious!

Library in the chapel

The men in the program take care of the cooking, the garden, the cleaning, the animals and all other daily activities. And so they learn to use their talents in a good way.

Jan gave an encouraging message in the afternoon at the David Wilkerson Memorial Chapel (Traveling Light is one of the sponsors of this beautiful building). The worship was lead by two men from the program, it sounded heavenly. Those guys can really sing! After the service, we climbed the tower to check out the library.

Director Stanislav Kunak handed us the Slovak edition of the book 'The Cross and the Switchblade'. We felt so honored to see the name of Traveling Light in the back of book among the sponsors who helped to publish this book.

The proceeds of our second-hand shop over the month of January went towards this project. The story in this book has touched and changed thousands of lives and is still doing so, worldwide!

Bringing comfort and hope

We had the opportunity to pray with the mother of Milan, who worked faithfully at Teen Challenge for years and died suddenly last year. She misses her son enormously and feels sad quite often. She had a picture of Milan and us in her purse which was taken during one of our previous visits.

During dinner at an excellent local restaurant we became acquainted with Zuzana, who will translate my book Grace of Giving into the Slovak language (!). We also had a great and inspirational conversation with a local businessman who has been called to publish evangelical books in the Slovak language and will pick up this project. Yes, networking is something we love to do as well :)

Early birds

We slept in the house of Milan's sister and we had the opportunity to minister in prayer to the girls living there. The next morning we had a full house at breakfast as pastor Lubor & Danielle of the evangelical church in Galanta came along and we encouraged them in personal prayer... resulting in these smiling faces.

On to Slovenia!

PS: Click on the pictures for an enlargement

Gifts (large and small) for the various projects are always welcome! St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U.

Project news and thanksgiving

Traveling Light ice skating team

Tuesday, January 26, 2016 will be the big day, ice skating team Traveling Light will start in the early morning for the 200 km long race on the Weissensee in Austria.

Donations are pouring in, more than 3,500 euro has been pledged if the men finish the trip! That amount will be much higher if personal records are broken. So it will be a very exciting day!

The entire proceeds of this action will benefit the construction and installation of a kitchen in the boys home of Teen Challenge juvenile program in Kazakhstan.

Finally, it's there....

There is a webcam and on www.weissensee.nl you can follow the skaters. Their registration numbers are as follows: 5005 Henk Swijnenburg Henk, 5369 Henk Vlot and 5393 Krijn Donk.

Last week Sasa Ivanovic, the director of the Teen Challenge rehabilitation centers in Serbia, sent us pictures of the new tractor lawnmower that they were able to buy, thanks to your donations.

Thank you all on behalf of TC Serbia

Sasa writes: "It's finally here!!! We are so exited and happy, as you can see on the pictures, it looks really amazing! Real, good stuff. I want to thank you and Jan, Traveling Light, as well as all people who supported this project, on behalf of our students, staff and our personal name!"

In December's seafarer's evangelist Guus Peters visited the ports of Gent, Antwerp and Terneuzen. He gave away 188 Christmas goody bags. We were able to sponsor sixty (!) bags thanks to your donations.

Guus with the sailors

Guus writes: "I visited a ship with Filipino, some Romanian and Ukrainian sailors and  the captain called the whole crew together so that I could explain the Gospel. I then handed out the Christmas gifts and the men were so happy.

The sweaters are really a hit and of course the woolen hats are also very much appreciated. Thank you very much for your great contribution."

Isn't it great to make so many people happy? Currently we also raise funds for the rehabilitation program of Teen Challenge in Sered, Slovakia. They want to employ their current teacher also in 2016. They will need about 2,400 euro for this.

GIFTS are always welcome at IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U St. Traveling Light in Papendrecht.

Thank you very much for your comments, emails, pledges, donations and prayers!

Project Teacher Teen Challenge Slovakia

Teen Challenge Slovakia

The Weissensee fundraiser is up and running (keep an eye on the thermometer!) and the donation for Teen Challenge Georgia has been transferred. That means there is room to announce a next project ... because we never stand still.

As most of you know by now, a large part of our projects involve support for Teen Challenge programs in every corner of Europe.

These Christian rehabilitation centers for people with life controlling problems offer the Teen Challenge curriculum which consists of group and individual lessons.

It is not sufficient that someone is simply 'clean'. An empty and tidy house must be filled with truth! [Herein Christian and secular rehab programs often differ in their approach.]

Group and individual studies

Sometimes the curriculum is being taught by people who have gone through the program themselves (graduates) and now have become staff members in a center. Sometimes however, as with Teen Challenge Slovakia, there is a need for an  external teacher.

Good education is of course an essential part of the program. The men and women often used to live many years without structure, morals or principles and do not know much about Biblical truths and guidelines.

Vladimir Príbelsky

Since last year, Vladimir Príbelsky has been teaching in the rehab program in Sered. He receives a compensation for his services. Most Teen Challenge programs receive no (or little) government funding and depend on donations. If possible they will also use it to pay their employees a salary.

On this blog we wrote about the construction of the prayer chapel in Sered. Currently they are working on a much needed replacement of the roof of the rehabilitation home. Fortunately they received funding for it. Hallelujah!

Teen Challenge Sered, Slovakia

As much as we possibly can we offer the Teen Challenge programs prayer and encouragement (by visiting or writing emails and letters) but also some financial help to overcome the many daily challenges.

At the beginning of 2016 we want to help Teen Challenge Slovakia to continue the use of the services of Vladimir Pribelsky for at least another year. They need about 2400 euro.

If you have a heart for EDUCATION, please send your donation to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U. Please make sure to mention EDUCATION SLOVAKIA.

Thank you, also on behalf of the men in the program!

Opening chapel Teen Challenge, Slovakia

Guests are arriving

Do you remember it? On December 6th, 2012, we announced project chapel Sered, Slovakia.

It started with a drawing of a small chapel that was going to be constructed on the premises of ​​the Teen Challenge rehabilitation home.

We were able to bless them with a generous gift in three phases for the construction of this house of prayer.

On September 5th and 6th we were in Slovakia for the official opening of the David Wilkerson Memorial Chapel, which is the full name of the chapel. They also celebrated the 20th anniversary of Teen Challenge in Slovakia.

The chapel fills up!

It is great to see how beautiful the building has become. It already serves as a church to the neighborhood! The men in the rehabilitation program have co-labored with the construction workers to build this beautiful chapel and they're proud of the work of their hands.

It was a great honor for us to be allowed to give a speech on behalf of Traveling Light and to bring greetings from all of you.

The chapel is located right next to the rehab home

Finally, the men in the program have a quiet place, a place for prayer and reflection and that surely is a blessing when you share a room with several other guys on a daily basis.

With the help of your generous gifts this project has been realized.

THANK YOU on behalf of the staff and students of Teen Challenge Slovakia.

Follow-up project chapel Teen Challenge Slovakia

Traditional wooden beams for the roof

This past April we visited Teen Challenge Slovakia again, this time together with volunteers Jim & Lynda Hayes from our church De Hoeksteen. We visited the men's drugs- and alcohol rehabilitation center in Sered and the children's home in Hlohovec, where children and teenagers are living who can no longer live at home.

Last year we were able to help Teen Challenge twice with a donation towards the construction of the David Wilkerson Memorial chapel at the grounds of the men's home in Sered. It is very inspiring to see how this building is taking shape. Every euro is being used twice :)

Part of the work is being done by the men in the program. Some of them have never worked in construction before and they are excited to see this happening, while recovering from drugs- and alcohol addiction. They are building their spiritual house (as our bodies are the temple of God) as well as a physical house of prayer.

The Teen Challenge men are helping

In the meantime the roof construction is being completed, all in traditional architectural style. The construction of the chapel has drawn the attention of the people in the neighborhood and even of the mayor of Sered, who comes by regularly for a visit and coffee.  The chapel will be used by the men in the Teen Challenge center for regular prayer-and church services and other activities of a spiritual nature. It will also provide ministry for the people in the surrounding area.

We are very happy with the way director Stanislav Kunak is managing this project. That is why we would like to help again with a gift of 2,000 euro. There is still a lot of work to be done before the outside of the chapel is finished and then the work on the inside will start (floors, ceilings, window, doors, electricity etc.)

It's going to be beautiful!

If you love such small scale building projects, executed by local craftsmen and the men who are in the Teen Challenge program, you can show support by sending a donation to: St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U

We are looking forward to your support!

• Click on the photo's for a bigger view
• Sponsoring summer camp Ukraine is still open!
• We just returned form a visit to Winiarczykowka Teen Challenge in Poland. More about that in an upcoming blog post.

PS: we always travel on our own expense, all donations go towards the projects.

News and events

The beautiful city of Potsdam

It has been quiet at the digital home front for the last few weeks. At Traveling Light this means people are working very hard behind the scenes :) Just to mention a few things:

We (Jan and Marja) were invited to speak at several places in Germany: at Full Gospel Business Meetings in Berlin and at the Nehemia Church in Potsdam. We are looking back at precious and very special meetings, seeing old friends and making new ones. A very special moment was a talk we had with a Jewish lady from Ukraine. She was so happy with our teaching on Law & grace; it was the very first time in her life that she saw Old and New Testament come together, like folded hands!

Visiting Teen Challenge Slovakia

After we picked up volunteers Jim & Lynda Hayes at Bratislava airport, we visited Teen Challenge Slovakia. In Sered the construction of the David Wilkerson Memorial chapel at the grounds of the men's rehab home continues. In 2013 we have helped them twice with a donation, and we will certainly do so again this year. The construction of the chapel has already lead to great conversations with curious people from the neighborhood.

We also visited Teen Challenge Slovenia. The program at the men's rehabilitation center is running well. Again and again new men in desperate need of help and healing are entering the center. It is so encouraging to see how God heals and delivers them from a life of addiction. We are thankful for the staff and students who organized a huge bbq for Jan's birthday.

bbq at Teen Challenge Slovenia

One of the neighbors came for a visit. He joins the Bible studies regularly. He has cancer and is undergoing chemo therapy. When we prayed with him he literally felt God's love and peace enter him, as he later described!

With Jim & Lynda we participated in the Europe Teen Challenge conference in Rimini, Italy. We were inspired and encouraged and made several new contacts, for example with people from Lebanon, Georgia and Latvia.

After the conference we spent several days in Comunita Brezzano, in Tuscany. Again, lots of interesting meetings, good talks and much prayer with people in need. It brings such joy and satisfaction to be able to shine our light in all corners of Europe, sometimes in dark or difficult situations and to experience that praying together really makes a difference!

Our faithful volunteer Jan Visser

In the meantime in Rotterdam: our friend Jan Visser ran his first marathon in a time of 4:23:11. Such a great accomplishment. He raised about 1,200 euro for the Teen Challenge men's center in Castanheira, Portugal. If you are looking for a small scale project to sponsor, don't hesitate to contact us...

This coming Thursday the annual Rabobank Run for non profit organisations is being held in Papendrecht. If you want to join and run/walk for Traveling Light, please contact us for more information.

Saturday April 26, 2014 we will celebrate KINGSDAY in The Netherlands. We will have a stand with second hand stuff at the free market. So, if you're in the neighborhood, come and visit us and say hi. We have lots of cool things to sell. All proceeds will go to Traveling Light projects.

Next project: water treatment installation for Winiarczykówka Teen Challenge in Poland.

Seder meal at Comunita Brezzano, Tuscany. Nine nations represented at the passover meal!

HOORAY, 2,500 euro for project chapel Teen Challenge Slovakia!

The Teen Challenge men are working hard

HOORAY! As the result of a quick and effective Facebook post we received the last gifts for follow-up project chapel Teen Challenge Slovakia. In just a few weeks the wonderful amount of 2,500 euro (3,300 dollars) came in for this project. Thank you all who gave towards this, your enthusiasm and generosity is appreciated very much.

As you can see in this picture the construction of the David Wilkerson Memorial Chapel at the grounds of the men's rehabilitation home, continues. How awesome that these men can work on a physical house, while the Lord is working on their inner souls. He forgives their iniquities, softens their hearts and heals their wounds from the past. This house of prayer will be a living monument of God's unending love for people in need. He is able to restore and renew broken lives, no matter how deep they have ended up in the gutters of addiction and shame. It is such an honor to be part of this through our finances, through personal contacts and visits (we've been there twice already). As soon as we have new pictures we will share them on this weblog!

For all of us it is true: Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain [Psalm 127:1]

May we remind you of Project Code Red in Amsterdam, we want to sponsor this outreach event in the red light district with a gift of 500 euro. Elaine MacKay mailed us, on behalf of Victory Home, this week with the following: "I really see the faithfulness and favor of God in this. We continue to pray for financial breakthrough in sponsoring... In the meantime we are almost daily on the streets, reaching out to the women. We do see an enormous open-heartedness, many women (prostitutes) give their lives [to God] when we tell them the Good News. We can see the hopelessness and emptiness in their faces...

I want to thank you for your willingness to participate in our efforts, we appreciate this very much!"

Your gifts (large or small) for this practical and loving outreach event in the red light district in Amsterdam are welcome. Within Europe make gifts payable to:

Rabo bank nr. 1185 82 275

IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275

BIC: RABONL2U

We want to use this time to announce some of our upcoming projects. We have many plans for the next couple of months. We hope you will join us in our efforts to make this an exciting, challenging and encouraging time!

• Sponsoring of the annual Teen Challenge conference in Kiev, Ukraine. 30 euro's will help someone (from Ukraine, Belarus, Kazachstan or Georgia) to attend this powerful and uplifting conference.
• The purchase of a tractor lawn mower for the Teen Challenge men's home de Spetse Hoeve in Groningen, The Netherlands. Costs: 1,000 euro.
• A very practical project at Teen Challenge Poland.

News items & prayer

At the women's home, sharing love

Well, it may be vacation time here and there, but Traveling Light has plenty of new stuff going on! We just returned from a short trip to Poland. We were invited to join the celebration of 25 years Teen Challenge in that country. We visited two locations: the rehab men's center in Lekini and the women's home in Broczynie. Wonderful to see what a great work is happening there. We will write more about it soon, because we have a good and practical project coming up there. Please pray for an increase in supporters, so we will be able to accept more small scale projects all over Europe.

Casa Shalom

We received a long thank you letter from Maria Meier in Italy on behalf of Comunita Brezzano, as a response to our gift of 5,000 euro. She writes: 'We want to thank you from all our heart for your generosity and love to us - even if we did not know each other personally. But Marja and Jan described our community and social work in Tuscany marvelous to you, we must add no more... We want to say that your offers are a great help for us to finish and bring two projects forward. Both projects have to do with our production and with self-financing our work: the marmalade kitchen and Casa Shalom....' In the first week of September we are planning to go to Italy with a group of five young volunteers to help Maria with work on the land and around the community. We will stay in Casa Shalom and make many pictures of course. Please pray for that this trip will be fruitful.

Artist impression of interior prayer chapel

The construction of the prayer chapel in Sered, Slovakia keeps going, as do the gifts that come in towards this project. We still need 500 euro's to reach our goal of 2,500 euro. it is very encouraging to see how you are all responding to this. Thank you so much. Here is an artists impression of the roof construction on the inside of the chapel. It is so great to realize that we can be part of this house of prayer, all work is being done by the students who are in the Teen Challenge program. Please pray that the men who come to faith here will let their light shine in all corners of their country!

And then there is project Code Red in Amsterdam. We would love to support this event organized by Victory Home and Victory Outreach to reach abused, mistreated, homeless and addicted women with the love of Christ, with a gift of 500 euro. Your gifts are certainly appreciated and welcome.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these. [Mark 12:30-31]

Rabo bank nr. 1185 82 275 St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht

IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275

BIC: RABONL2U

Follow-up project Chapel Teen Challenge Slovakia

Preparing the foundation

Towards the end of 2012 we announced Project Chapel Teen Challenge, Slovakia. We were able to donate 2,500 euro to Teen Challenge so they could make a start with the preparations and construction of the David Wilkerson Chapel on the gounds of the men's rehabilitation home in Sered. When the building permits came in and the snow melted, they started with the foundation of the building.

The Teen Challenge Slovakia men

The cool thing about this building project is the fact that the labor is being done by men who are in the program.

Men that used to be bound by addiction, problems, criminal behavior and an overall sense of hopelessness. Now, they are actively participating in the construction of a prayer house that will be a blessing to themselves, to all the future men in the program and to the people in the neighborhood (who are really curious)! A small sanctuary where they can come and cry out to God, say their prayers, sing a song or just be silent....

Building the outer walls

It is very encouraging and inspiring to see how hard they are working. The biggest and most difficult job so far was the digging (by hand) of the 80 cm deep foundation and the pouring of a concrete floor. The men did everything, even the bar bending.We are so proud. For some of them this is the first time they really do something constructive with their hands and of course this gives a sense of satisfaction and healthy pride... Look at what we are doing with our bare hands. Such living proof that all things are possible with God. Yes, ex-drugs- and alcohol addicts building a prayer chapel, how awesome is that! Let's pray that their light will shine until the out-most corners of Slovakia. That they may be a blessing for their nation.

It starts to look like a building!

Teen Challenge Slovakia can be trusted with their finances. Traveling Light received an orderly list (and receipts) of all the materials purchased with the money we donated at the beginning of this year. We would love to follow up on this project and raise another 2,500 euro for them. That money will be used for the purchase of further building materials, for example for the roof construction.

We are so excited to be able to support the construction and realization of the David Wilkerson Chapel in Slovakia. We hope you want to be a part of it too.

If you have a heart for Teen Challenge and such building projects, please send your gift to

Rabobank nr. 1185

IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275

BIC: RABONL2U

By clicking on this Facebooklink you can see more photo's of this project.

News items & prayer

Cora Donk

A non-profit organisation can only operate with the help of supporters and volunteers. Every now and then we put one of our volunteers in the spotlight on this blog. This time it is Cora Donk (who is also one of our board members). Cora is quite handy with garden tools and painting brush and she often helps family, friends and neighbors with their chores. She doesn't do this to make money, but to collect money for Traveling Light. Recently she surprised us with a generous gift from which she wanted 2,500 euro  to donate to the Teen Challenge women's home Ark in the Negev, in Israel. Wow, we are so grateful, what a generous gift and what a blessing for the work in Israel. We have sponsored the Ark in the Negev several times over the past few years and we are planning to visit them again this fall. Thank you Cora for your hard work and generosity. Let's pray the money will be used where needed most.

Visiting Joran Stoilov in Tetovo

Jan and volunteer Krijn Donk are currently traveling in Macedonia. The idea to travel to Macedonia together came after Krijn's ice skating fundraiser that resulted in a gift of 1,450 euro for the Saraj church in Skopje. It is a blessing to give, but that is not the end of a project, it is the start. Visiting the people behind the projects is part of our vision too. Such visits, we call them encouragement trips, strengthen relationships and are very inspiring (for all parties involved). Of course such visits will often result in new project ideas. Jan will speak in several evangelical churches over the weekend as well. Please pray for good travels and for the effective spreading of the gospel in this country.

Creative workshops at ZIP 2012

The 500 euro for project sponsoring ZIP festival in the Netherlands came in. To our great surprise we even received a gift from a couple in California. These dear people have Dutch forefathers and gladly wanted to invest in the spreading of the gospel in the Netherlands. They were happy to hear that such events are being organised in our small country. We hope that our sponsoring project will inspire others to do so as well: non profits, churches, businesses, families. If ten give 500 euro it will make 5,000 euro. If twenty give 500 euro it will make 10,000 euro. If we put our hands together we can do so much more! Will you pray for the organisation of this festival and of course for nice weather and many people with hungry hearts for God's love?

The 5,000 euro for project Casa Shalom in Italy is almost there (still 150 euro short). Who helps us out?

This means we have room to announce the next two projects: 1) project study grant Teen Challenge Slovenia and 2) follow-up project chapel Teen Challenge Slovakia.

Thank you very much for all your help, donations, support, kind words and emails. Together, we can do so much more to change Europe and the Middle east for God's glory!

News & prayer

It is time again for some news, updates and prayer points. Read along and, please, tell others about us. Share, Like, Tweet and Favor our blog posts. With your help we can do so much more.

Jordan Stoilov

Hooray! The 1,000 euro for Project Playground Tetovo, Macedonia, came in. This means Jordan Stoilov can continue to plan this event (with the help of the evangelical church in Shtip). We will keep email contact with him and as soon as there is any news or pictures we will share it on this weblog. Please pray for Jordan that he may experience the wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit. And in the meantime: thank you all for your gifts. Oh yes; Jan and one of our volunteers (Krijn Donk) are planning to visit Jordan some time in June.

Waiting for the sun :)

The flea market sales on April 30th (Queens, or should I now say Kingsday in the Netherlands) were good for a total of 625 euro, all for Traveling Light. Awesome! It was a wonderful day, lots of fun, and thanks to a group of faithful and hard working volunteers we were able to sell lots of stuff and tell many people about the work of Traveling Light. Please, continue to pray for new supporters.

At Teen Challenge Sered, Slovakia

Last week we made a short trip around Europe. After the Europe Teen Challenge conference in Prague we visited Teen Challenge Slovakia. They are working hard on constructing the prayer chapel, which will be named the David Wilkerson Memorial Chapel. Did you all know that David's mother was born in Slovakia? What a tribute. She probably never expected the calling of her son to turn into a worldwide network of christian rehabilitation programs... yes, even in her country of birth Slovakia! We'll show some more pictures on this blog soon.

Comunita Brezzano, Italy

Our next project will be in Italy. We will share a bit about the work of Maria Meier, a widow who lives in Comunita Brezzano, where she offers a home and help for people with life threatening problems, especially people from Israel.We visited her last February and we were impressed with the hard work and love she shows the people that the Lord sends her. She offers amazing practical help. Well.... more about that in our next post.

If you are generous with the hungry and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out, your lives will begin to glow in the darkness, your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight..... [Isaiah 58:10, The Message]

Start construction chapel Teen Challenge Slovakia

Construction prayer chapel has started!

A few months ago we donated 2,500 euro to Teen Challenge Slovakia. That money was  designated for the building of a chapel at the Teen Challenge grounds in Sered, where there is a men's rehabilitation home.

Well, they have made a start with the construction. Teen Challenge Slovakia opened a special page on Facebook where you can follow the building process (even if you don't have a FB account). They have already posted several great photo's showing the preparations, for example the removing of an old structure. By the way, the chapel will be called David Wilkerson Chapel, after the founder of Teen Challenge.

You can help and encourage the guys by visiting the David Wilkerson Chapel Page, and if you have a Facebook account you can leave a comment and clicki on LIKE of course. The construction of the chapel is a great work project: the guys in the program are helping! We hope to support them again, later on in this construction process, with a financial gift, so keep an eye on this weblog as well.

Isn't it wonderful to see how our gifts are being used? Once the chapel is finished, you will all be able to say: 'wow, I contributed to the realization of this prayer house...'

PS: we are about halfway our desired goal for Project VW Sharan Europe Teen Challenge. We want to get them going (literally) as well!

Update project Chapel Teen Challenge Slovakia

We received a warm e-mail from Stanislav and Alica Kunak from Slovakia. We would like to share part of it with you:

"We praise Lord Jesus for everything that you have written about and for what you are doing. We deeply appreciate your attitude, help and your service for God. The article is written in a very high standard. Thank you for dealing with our internal problems together with us, we are truly encouraged by this."

Blueprints of the chapel

Such an e-mail makes us very happy, and we hope it does the same to you. Encouraging people in their work and plans is something we just LOVE to do. We meet believers all over (Eastern) Europe and we often find that they are discouraged because of troubles, criticism, financial problems etc. Traveling Light wants to tell them: you are not alone, we'll be happy to help where we can! The Bible makes it clear: And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:24-25).

Stanislav further writes: "Likewise we appreciate your active approach in the chapel building and your financial offering. We will use the 2500€ to purchase bricks and cement. I believe that the amount will be sufficient for building the main walls without the roof construction."

Many gifts have already come in, we still need 1,000 euro for project Chapel.

Project Chapel Teen Challenge Slovakia

Each new project at Traveling Light starts with introducing the people (the initiators) behind it. The small scale projects that we support in various countries are local initiatives, started by local people. It is our goal to encourage them, whether that is financially, practically or spiritually. In this way each project gets a face, a story... This time we would like to take you to Slovakia.

The Kunak family

In this picture you'll see Stanislav Kunak and his family. From left to right: Bibiana (the oldest daughter), Sabina (the middle daughter), Nina (the youngest daughter) and Alica (his wife). Stanislav is the director of Teen Challenge Slovakia. Yes, thank God there is Bible based care (childcare and rehab) in Slovakia!

During our visit, last month, to Slovakia we were able to take a look behind the scenes of the work of Teen Challenge in that country. We visited the children's home Compass. Alica is in charge of this house where about sixteen children in the age of 12-18 are living. The children have various behavioral problems and are often there because of a court order. We also visited the men's home Restart. Currently about twelve men are living in this home where they will hear and experience the love Jesus has for them. During the one-year program they will learn how to live free from addictions with the help of the Holy Spirit. On the same property there is the after care home Progress. This is the place where men, who have successfully finished the program, can live in preparation for their return into society.

Drawing of the chapel

Recently they started a project called Chapel. They are planning to build a small-scale construction, which will be used by the men for prayer and worship. They also desire to use it for other spiritual activities and events in order to reach the people in the neighborhood. The chapel will be a beacon of light in the area...

Traveling Light loves to shine a light in dark places, also in Sered, Slovakia. The good thing about this project is that the men in the program will help to build this chapel, so it is a practical work project as well. We would like to help them by raising 2,500 euro which we will donate towards the building of this chapel. Will you help us too?