Work week Italy 2014

Working hard and always smiling

As we did last year, Traveling Light again organized a work week in Italy. Offering practical help with a group of volunteers in Communita Brezzano, a Christian Therapeutic community in beautiful Tuscany.

[click on the pictures for an enlargement]

Camfire

Communita Brezzano consists of three old Tuscan homes in the mountains. Maria Meier (a German widow who has been in charge of the community for many years) lives in one of the houses and receives women with emotional, psychological or addiction problems.

Her long-time helper Boris lives in one of the other houses and receives men with similar problems. The third house, Casa Shalom, is being rented out as vacation or groups home, which brings in some income to keep the work going. We rented Casa Shalom for a week.

pizza from the wood oven

Each day the guys disappeared into the woods to cut trees and chop wood. They did a tremendous amount of work and stacked enough wood for the upcoming winter in the cellar of the men's home. A very labor intensive job, that would cost Boris weeks and weeks to accomplish.

All three houses are being heated through wood heaters, and so they need a huge supply to survive the cold months. Thanks to the help of David, Jan, Menno, Nick and Teun this job was done in several days. Thumbs up for our faithful volunteers!

The theme for this week was 'spiritual warfare', we did Bible studies on this subject every night. Those were precious evenings, sitting together talking, praying, discussing, and singing songs. Teun brought his guitar and was leading the group each night in worship. He did an awesome job!

Sunday brunch with Maria and Boris

Thank you very much David, Menno, Nick and Teun for your endless energy, humor and enthusiasm. Together we were able to let our light shine in Italy and it is our prayer that our time given will bring forth much fruit in the lives of the people there, as well as in our own lives.

It is indeed so much better to give than to receive.

Check out our photo album on Facebook.

Project Homeless Honeymoon

Jim & Lynda Hayes

Traveling Light is blessed with sporty, generous, creative, and loving supporters and volunteers, who keep coming up with new ideas to raise funds for the small scale projects we support throughout Europe. Such people are Jim and Lynda Hayes...

At the end of September they will celebrate their 30th (!) marriage anniversary and they want to do so in a very special way. No, not by giving a big party, buying more stuff or going on vacation, but by spending a homeless weekend on the streets of Amsterdam... (yeah, really!)

30 years ago

Jim & Lynda have a heart for the poor, homeless and addicted. By spending a weekend in Amsterdam without taking money, extra clothes or a sleeping bag, they hope to be able to identify with the life of a homeless person. They hope to get a feeling of what it means not to have a bed, a hot shower, and a refrigerator full of food at hand.

With this action they want to raise funds for the Teen Challenge Izhod rehabilitation home in Slovenia. About 8-12 men are living and working in that house (which Jim & Lynda visited on several occasions), mostly men who struggled with addictions and often know more about street life than about healthy family life.

Slovenia visit in April 2014

Getting off of drugs and alcohol does not take that long, but the phase that follows does! The men in the program receive a lot of love, grace, patience and prayer and often hear for the first time that God loves them and that He has a better plan for their lives.

Each life is so precious and we are very thankful for all the people who are giving their time and energy to help these men, to rescue what was lost, to bring light into dark situations.

If you want to encourage Jim & Lynda (and thus support the work in Slovenia) you can do so by sponsoring their homeless honeymoon. All proceeds will go to Teen Challenge Slovenia.

You can send your gift to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U. Make sure to mention: HONEYMOON.

Project minivan Restart, Serbia

The projects Traveling Light supports and the contacts we are always making, are part of a growing network. For the next project we will 'take' you to Serbia again. If you go to the side bar on the right and scroll down to keywords, you can click on 'Serbia' and find out what we have done there in the past.

Boris & Jelena Strbac

In the picture you see Boris and Jelena Strbac with their daughter. They are the founders of Restart, a non profit organization with the mission to raise awareness about the dangers of addiction and to help addicts and former addicts and their families. The are trying to motivate people to go into one of the rehabilitation centers in Serbia or surrounding countries. Boris & Jelena have good contacts with the various rehab centers and over the past three years they were able to send more than fifty people (!) on their way to recovery.

Boris & Jelena know what they are talking about. As a young teenage kid Boris started to use marijuana, extacy, lsd, pills and at last heroin. Heroin took complete control over his life, even after he met Jelena. For ten years they were heroin addicts together, until 2008 when they went to the Teen Challenge rehab center in Serbia. They received deliverance through Gods love and power!

Part of the team at the restart office

In 2011, after they came out of the program, they established Restart, a ministry form the Holy Trinity Church in Novi Sad, where Boris is pastor. With a team of volunteers they go into the streets of Novi Sad and Subotica to make contact with the homeless and addicted. They also give prevention classes in elementary and high schools.

A while back Boris contacted us and asked if Traveling Light was able to help them with the purchase of a minivan. His own car ended up at the junk yard and currently they have no means of transportation. This past June, Jan met with Boris at My Brother's Keeper Conference in Bosnia and he promised that we would help them.

Restart logo

Between 3,000 and 4,000 euro is needed to purchase a good and reliable second hand minivan in Serbia; a Citroën Berlingo, VW Sharan, Opel Zaphira or something similar. Traveling Light is aware of the huge need in the streets of Serbia and we are thankful for people like Boris and Jelena who have given their lives now to help people in darkness, to share the gospel and to motivate people to change the direction of their life.

If you have a heart for street work, outreach, drugs prevention and evangelism, then you will love this project. Please send your gift to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U and be part of the change that Europe so desperately needs!

When we sow in fertile ground, we can expect a fruitful harvest!

Photo's port of Gent, Belgium

Haha, he who has ears...

A few weeks ago we announced project fruit & vegetables for sailors.

Seafarer's Evangelist Guus Peters asked Traveling Light to come alongside with financial help, so that he could buy fresh food for the Ukrainian sailors aboard two sea ships that are being held in the port of Gent, Belgium, for several months now.

Your reactions came in fast and they were heartwarming. We were able to help Guus with a gift of 870 euro!

Happy faces

Guus visits the port of Gent and the sailors a few times a week now, to bring fresh fruit & vegetables. A 82 year old man from his town came with a few boxes of groceries as well. Isn't if wonderful to see how people come into action? In the meantime the kitchen area is overflowing with good food!

In the pictures (click for a larger picture) you can see how happy the men are with this help. And we are happy with our supporters. Small scale, practical help, quick action, direct contact... that works best.

Abundance on board

Let us pray the sailors will be allowed to set sail soon and return to their families. The situation in the Ukraine is very unstable and dangerous, and they long to be with their families.

Thank you very much everyone!

• We received about 1,000 euro for project study grant Andrii Soloviov. If you still want to send in your gift, you can do so to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2
• We owe you a few pictures from the trip our church youth made to La Rocca, Italy
• From September 1-8 we are organizing a work week to Casa Shalom in Tuscany. There is still room, so if you want to come: email us.
• For a next project we will go to Serbia again.

Jewels of the Ark

In many countries the Teen Challenge rehabilitation centers for people with life-controlling problems (such as drugs- and alcohol addiction) run small businesses in order to generate some income for daily living. The small businesses are work projects where the students can practice their skills and develop their talents. In Slovenia they have a moving business, in Serbia green houses with tomatoes, in Slovakia they breed dogs and in the women's home in Israel they make jewelry.

This creative work project is called Jewels of the Ark.

Students (as we call the men and women in the programs) often stay for a year (or longer) and participate in Bible studies, group counseling sessions and individual counseling. Each center has a weekly schedule showing who will do the cooking, the dishes, the cleaning and the gardening. In the afternoon there is time to participate in the work projects. Yes, it is community living, and that is not always easy. Especially when people were used to doing their own thing (no rules, no boundaries) for a long time.

A few months ago we announced project jewelry from Israel. For a gift of 50 euro or more supporters of Traveling Light received a beautiful necklace made by the women and volunteers in rehabilitation home Ark in the Negev. Recently we were able to donate 550 euro towards the home and... we still have some necklaces in stock.

Jewels of the Ark now has a great Facebook page where you can view their jewelry. It is possible to order a necklace through their FB page or the website. This is a great way to support the work among the desperate women in Israel. They are learning the craft of jewelry making and from the sales the day-to-day living expenses in the house can be paid. This gives them all a healthy feeling of confidence.

The wonderful thing about the Ark is, that all Israeli's are welcome, whether Jew or Arab! Let us pray for this small scale work and for peace in the hearts of all people in Israel.

Donations we receive for Israel will go to Ark in the Negev, unless otherwise specified, for example Brian Slater or Beit Hallel.

Project study grant Andrii Soloviov

The Soloviov family

We are always delighted and encouraged to hear that a member of our Teen Challenge 'family' wants to pursue a study. Last year we helped Magdalena Horjak from Teen Challenge Slovenia with a study grant, this time we want to support Andrii Soloviov.

Andrii is the director of rehabilitation home Istochnick, Ukraine. Do you remember project WeissenSee? This past February Krijn Donk & Henk Swijnenburg skated 200 km on natural ice and raised 2,500 euro towards plumbing, heating, electrical installation and kitchen in the newly built Istochnick home.

The new home, which they started building back in 2010, will have the capacity to house a large group of people in need of help.

Plastering walls and ceiling

The pictures (Click to enlarge) show how the men are working in the new home. The heating system, plumbing and electrical outlets have been installed. They are currently finishing the tile work. They also ordered a new kitchen stove, but delivery has been postponed due to the circumstances in the nation.

Windows, light, heating...

At the moment three men and two women (with children) are living in the rehab home. As in many places all over the Ukraine we see that addicted women and their children are seeking help. In Berdichev for example, a home for women and children has been opened this year.

All new....

As of August 1st, Andrii will start a part-time study Human Resources & Organizational Development at the Catholic University in Kiev. He wants to get his master's degree, mainly in preparation for the rapid growth of the work among homeless and addicted people in Ukraine. We support him in his decision and think this is an honorable thing to pursue, especially because Andrii has a past of addiction and crime.

The men at Istochnick

In 1998 he went through a christian rehabilitation program and discovered and accepted the grace and love of Jesus Christ. After the program he did a DTS training with YWAM in Kiev. In 2011 he received a M.A. in Intercultural Studies (Eastern European Campus Alliance Theological Seminary).

Since 1999 he has been working at the Istochnick center. As in most christian rehabilitation centers this is a labor of love, a calling. Andrii and his family depend on donations coming in for the work they do. The study (plus travel and other expenses) costs about 3,000 euro. We really want to help him on his way and encourage him with a study grant of minimal 1,000 euro. If you want to come alongside and help, please make your gift payable to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2

Project fruit & vegetables for sailors

The Major and Aversa in the port of Gent

This past weekend we received a phone call from Guus Peters (yep, the one from the Christmas goodie bags!). He asked our help with a situation in the port of Gent, Belgium, where he visits sailors regularly. 

In the seaport of Gent two ships are being held in custody, which basically means they are not allowed to set sail. The Russian owner has not paid his bills for a long time. The ITF (International Transport Workers Federation) has been involved in this case for quite a while now.

Guus (right) hands out food

The Major has been there since this last January and the Aversa since March. The ships each have a crew of 12 sailors from the Ukraine on board, in total 24 men.

The crew has not received their salaries for several months now. They have a supply of dry food, but for the past few months they have not eaten any fresh vegetables or fruit. Guus Peters and his wife Annemiek have been visiting the crew regularly and a while ago they started to bring them fresh fruit and vegetables, enabling the men to eat something healthy. They buy the supplies at a local farmer who gives them a special price.

There is not much the crew can do about this situation, they have to wait for an official notification before they can leave. The current situation in their homeland Ukraine is very troubling as well, which makes it extra difficult for them to be away from home for such a long period of time. Guus and Annemiek offer a listening ear whenever they can.

Healthy food for 24 crew members

By visiting the sailors and bringing them fresh food they hope to make their life on board a little more bearable. That is practical help! That is shining your light where the need is!

Guus and Annemiek are asking the Traveling Light supporters to help them with a financial gift (they have used their own resources until now), so they can continue to buy healthy food and bring it to the crew... as long as the ships are stranded.

You can make your gifts payable to: St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U.

Make sure to mention: FOOD SAILORS.

Greetings from Tbilisi, Georgia

Group lessons

A few weeks ago we announced project Teen Challenge Tbilisi, Georgia. We want to encourage and help the directors Blair & Althea Greive to continue and expand their work among the addicted and homeless. We want to do so (for now) by offering financial support.

We already received most of the 2,200 euro chunk that we promised them. For one thing, they will be able to employ an extra worker with that gift: Giorgi.

The work of Teen Challenge in Georgia has been established by Doug and Anna Boyle. They were also the ones that pioneered the work of Teen Challenge in Kazakhstan. It is wonderful to hear (and we have heard many exciting stories firsthand from Doug!) and see how they set up a center and program with such enthusiasm, energy and love. And sometimes (after several years) they hand it over to a next generation.

In the meantime in Georgia... Blair and Althea are running the home with that same enthusiasm, they have many plans for the future. One of the men that graduated the program last winter is Giorgi. He started to work at the center and helps guys that are in the same situation he was in, when he entered the program. Here is part of his testimony:

Giorgi

'My name is Giorgi, I am 34 years old. I was addicted to drugs and alcohol at age 14, my life had been completely destroyed and no one could help me. Then at age 32, I came into the program in despair and hopelessness. In the program I met Jesus and He helped me to be free from my addictions. With God's help, I finished the program and now I serve in this program as a worker. I have joy in my heart and hope for the best in each day.'

Well, that makes us really happy! Rescuing people out of darkness and bringing them into the light, so they can live the life that God had planned for them. There are thousands of men like Giorgi, who desperately need help and salvation. There are currently big plans to start a women's home as well. YES!

If you desire to support their work, please make your gift payable:

When in Europe: St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U

When in the USA: You can send your donation for Teen Challenge Georgia directly HERE.

We are looking forward to receive your gifts. We still need 400 euro!

My Brother's Keeper conference in Bosnia

Camping with 250 men in Bosnia

As in previous years, Jan went to the My Brother's Keeper conference a few weeks ago, on behalf of Traveling Light.  Last year it was held in Serbia, this time in Bosnia. It is an annual inter-denominational conference for men (spiritual leaders, pastors etc.) from all Balkan nations.

Traveling Light has good contacts in many of these countries and through pastor Steve Telzerow from ICF in Ljubljana we again received an invitation to come. Such a conference is a great opportunity to learn more about the (historical) problems these nations are dealing with. Emotional, spiritual and social problems, often the result of a period of bloody war.

Sharing meals

Meeting people, building relationships, listening, talking, asking questions, praying... it all helps to learn to understand each other better. And that helps us to choose projects wisely. It is also very encouraging to see that various churches in that area are working on reconciliation through forgiveness and healing.

As in previous years a Traveling Light supporter and volunteer went with Jan: Henk Swijnenburg (yes, the one from the Weissensee skating event).

Building friendships between the nations

They first drove all the way to Slovenia where they spent the night at the Teen Challenge men's center. The next day they drove on to Bosnia. About 250 men came to the conference, men from former Yugoslavian countries.

They camped out in small tents for four days and nights. The days and evenings were filled with music, prayer, Biblestudies, teachings, sport, games and of course food and drinks. After the conference Jan and Henk spent some more time with the team from Teen Challenge in Slovenia and gave several Bible studies.

Always an encouraging word...

On their way back they stopped at the Teen Challenge men's home Gutes Land in Vilsbiburg, Germany. They were just in time for a huge BBQ. Jan shared the Word in the evening and the next morning.

After driving 4,500 km and meeting many people, we can say that this was yet another typical encouragement trip that we believe Traveling Light has a calling for!

We always travel at our own expense and so do the volunteers that come along. So, all donations that come in will go towards the projects. Currently we are fundraising for Teen Challenge in Georgia. If you like what we do and you have a heart for the kind of projects we support, please make your gift payable to:

When in Europe: St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U

When in the USA: You can send your donation for Teen Challenge Georgia directly HERE.

Project la Rocca Ministries, Italy

Pastor Mark & Denien King

Project Teen Challenge Tbilisi, Georgia is going full throttle, we have already received more than 1,200 euro! This gives us great joy, thank you all. Besides the current project in Georgia we want to inform you about a project that is being organized by the youth of the Hoeksteen church in Etten-Leur and for which they will be traveling to Italy later this month.

From July 22-28 a group of about twenty young people (age 12-25) will travel to Northern Italy. They will go and help to fix up and repair the building/grounds of La Rocca Ministries in Asti. La Rocca is the evangelical church that pastor Marc and Denien King have planted many years ago. The church meets in an industrial building, which they own (see picture below).

Building of La Rocca Ministries, Asti

Pastor Marc and Denien definitely have a heart for the weak, the homeless, the poor, the immigrants... well you name it. For anyone who cannot survive without an extra portion of loving care and support. They are always busy with food and clothes distribution. They organize great meals and help people find housing and work where needed.

We (Jan and Marja) have visited the King family on several occasions, while traveling through Italy. They are very hospitable and open their home for anyone passing by.

The Hoeksteen youth group wants to let its light shine in a practical way, and of course we want to encourage and support them. They're all busy collecting funds for the trip, which is their own responsibility.

The Youth group of the Hoeksteen church

La Rocca also needs an amount of money for tools, paint, building- and other materials, needed for the task. The youth group will work together with the folks from La Rocca. Together they can and will succeed in fixing up the building within several days.

The Hoeksteen youth group has taken the lead in organizing this mission trip. Traveling Light wants to help them collect donations which will be sent directly to La Rocca Ministries. All building materials and other necessities can be purchased locally which will give a boost to businesses in the area.

If you want to encourage this group youngsters and bless our fellow believers in Italy, you can send your donation to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U. make sure to mention: LA ROCCA.