Results Weissensee 2015

Krijn & Henk before the 200 km race

We are looking back at an exciting skating event. Our project Weissensee 2015 has been successful in more than one way.

Both Krijn Donk and Henk Swijnenburg have broken their personal records on the 200 km speed skating AND they were able to raise a fantastic amount in funds for the completion of a shelter for girls and young women in Moldova, who are being rescued from human trafficking.

So far we have received more than 4,500 euro towards this project and gifts are still coming in.

Ice skaters in action

Krijn Donk did the 200 km in 7 hours and 21 minutes and crossed the finish line in 46th place on a total of 1372 participants. Henk Swijnenburg broke his personal record as well and finished the 200 km in 9 hours and 18 minutes! We are very proud of their athletic accomplishments and thankful that they can use their physical strength to raise awareness about the horrors of human trafficking of vulnerable girls and women.

We want to say thank you very much to every person who has sponsored Krijn and/or Henk with a gift, also on behalf of Johannes and Charlotte Petersen in Moldova and the girls they have taken under their protective wings. Your donations will ALL go towards their work.

Construction of girls home

If we have not yet received your pledge (or if you want to make a special donation) please do so as soon as possible. Within Europe you can make your gifts payable to: St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U. make sure to mention WEISSENSEE.

We will keep you updated on the construction progress in Moldova, which will continue as soon as spring time is around the corner.

If you do not want to miss our weblog updates, make sure to sign up with your email address (see top-of-the-page block in the column on the right).

Greetings from Berdychiv, Ukraine

Visit to women's home Simcha

At the beginning of this month our friends Henk & Adrie Swijnenburg (yep, the ones from the Weissensee fundraiser) went to Ukraine to visit some friends. We had asked them whether they could go and visit pastor Sergey Romanenko, if their schedule allowed this.

This past December the offering during our Christmas Eve service at the Hoeksteen church brought in a nice sum, which we fully donated towards the work of pastor Sergey among the homeless, addicted, poor and elderly people in the coffee and rehab homes in Berdychiv. With little means, this man accomplishes so much!

Look what a beautiful kitchen!

See here some pictures of our friends' visit. Pastor Sergey showed them around in the women's home which they opened up last year. The purchase of this house was also possible because of a financial gift Traveling Light sent their way. Do you remember the photo's of the house before anyone lived there? Well, it has had a good make-over!

home make-over

It is wonderful to see how our financial gifts have been used for the renovation of the house where women (and their children) can now live in safety. They have chickens, pigs and cows, so the women have their own supply of eggs, milk and meat. They even have a dog to guard the house!

pastor Sergey shows the office

Then our friends went on to see the men's rehab home. As in the other home, it was the pure simplicity that touched their hearts the most... to do such great work with little resources is something to be admired. Men are coming to faith in Jesus Christ, sometimes after years of struggling with addictions and violent behavior and a lonely life on the streets. Here, they can live and work and learn how to live a 'normal' life.

Dorm in the men's home

Pastor Sergey is a passionate man with a big heart and someone who knows the life... he was addicted to drugs in the past. Now, he has given his life to rescue people from death, forever! We are very happy and grateful that we can help him with financial support. Besides that, we are convinced that our friends' visit has been an encouragement to him and his team as well.

Please, pray for pastor Sergey and his work in Berdychiv.

PS: click on the photo's for enlargement

Project tractor parts Tuscany

That's him...

Our Weissensee 2015 fundraiser for the girl's home in Moldova is in full swing. In the meantime we will take the opportunity to present (as announced earlier) our next project, namely financial support for therapeutic community Comunita Brezzano in Tuscany, and well for the purchase of tractor parts.

The grader

Maria Meier runs this christian therapeutic community in Italy, where people with life controlling problems can live for a while. In 2013 and 2014 we did organize work weeks during which we came with a group of young and strong people to cut firewood for the winter.

Loading container

While we were there last September, we asked Maria if there was anything else we could help her with. She told us that for several years there has been a need for two big tractor parts: a grader and a loading container.

The grader is much needed to make road repairs. Comunita Brezzano is situated in the Tuscan hills and the three homes (men's home, women's home and guest house Casa Shalom) are connected by unpaved roads. During winter time the roads suffer from ice, snow and rain and are in need of repairs. The loading container will be used to transport firewood, building materials etc. etc.

Roads in need of repairs

The purchase of these parts will cost 2,700 euro. Apart from some government support and client participation, this community (like many other christian initiatives) can only exist because of donations, the sales of jam and other products and rental income from Casa Shalom. Often there is no room to make big investments, like this one.

That is exactly the moment Traveling Light want to come alongside and help.

Bible study

This is a practical project, that will benefit us as well... We do have plans to organize yet another work week in Tuscany at the end of August/beginning of September this year. 

Lives are being changed here, forever! And that is something we like to invest in. You can help us by sending your gift to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U. Make sure to mention: TRACTOR.

Weissensee 2015 for Moldova

It is that time of year again! It's winter in Europe and many people are sharpening their ice skates. At the end of this month the 27th AEW (Alternative Elfsteden-tour Weissensee) will be held on the WeissenSee in Austria. Many marathon ice skaters from Holland will challenge the cold, snow and ice and enter the 200 km (!) long race. Each year the big question arises: will personal records be broken?

Moldova located in Europe

Our friends Krijn Donk and Henk Swijnenburg are getting fit and ready to enter this extreme ice skating race again, and well as sponsoring event for Traveling Light. We are really happy and thankful to have such faithful and strong volunteers/supporters. 

Krijn and Henk are planning to raise funds with their efforts on ice, for the completion of a shelter for girls and young women in Moldova, who are being rescued from human trafficking.

Johannes & Charlotte Petersen

The construction of the shelter is an initiative of Johannes and Charlotte Petersen, a couple from Denmark who have been living and working among the poor in Moldova for twenty years. They have set up a Teen Challenge rehabilitation center, children's work and activities, a church and they offer humanitarian help.

Johannes visiting the elderly

Each winter they visit about 500 families and old and lonely people and hand out coal and food packages. Make sure to watch this film. Despite the cold, their work among these families makes our heart warm!

Johannes and Charlotte are currently taking care of five girls (the youngest just being twelve years old) that have been rescued from horrible situations. The girls are living in a trailer until their home will be finished.

The shelter for the girls and young women

It is very cold in Moldova at the moment, so the construction will continue as soon as weather clears up. Funds are needed for plumbing, electricity, household items etc. It would be great if we could help them with a substantial gift, which will be a blessing and encouragement to Johannes and Charlotte, their team of volunteers and the girls of course!

You can sponsor Krijn and/or Henk as follows:

• pledge a certain amount for finishing the race
• pledge a certain amount per kilometer accomplished
• pledge a certain amount no matter what the result will be
• pledge a certain amount for breaking personal records

Of course all proceeds will go to this project in Moldova. You can send in your pledges by:

E-mail (krijncora@kpnmail.nl) or Facebook. You can also donate right now by sending your gift to IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U St. Traveling Light in Papendrecht. Make sure to mention WEISSENSEE.

We are looking forward to an exciting race on the Weissensee and your generous donations towards the work among these vulnerable girls and women in Moldova.

News-n-stuff

House of Prayer in Berlin

We wish you all a blessed 2015.

We are very thankful that Traveling Light was able to let her light shine in Potsdam and Berlin, Germany, during the New Year's weekend. A visit that certainly fits the description 'spiritual encouragement'.

From December 31 until January 4th we were invited to come to the Nehemia Gemeinde in Potsdam and speak on the theme reconciliation. A wonderful and powerful theme that we dug into from a biblical perspective and that we also made practical. Forgiving one another, confessing sins, praying for each other... we did it all.

Dancing with the flag of Israel

We also visited the Bethel House of Prayer in Berlin where we prayed for Germany and Israel. Afterwards we walked to the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin. Please, pray with us for expansion of our spiritual work in Germany.

Click HERE for more pictures.

At the end of January the 27th annual marathon ice skating event will be held at the Weissensee in Austria. As in 2014 and 2013 our volunteers Krijn Donk and Henk Swijnenburg will be skating 200 km (!) for Traveling Light. They want to raise funds for the construction of a shelter for young women and girls in Moldova. More about the Weissensee 2015 project is coming up in a next blog post. Let's pray that Krijn and Henk stay strong and healthy as they prepare for this monster ice skating race.

The funds for project green houses Teen Challenge in Serbia came in. Wow, thank you all! Of course we will ask for some pictures as soon as they start the replacement of the plastic this coming spring. Thank you very much for your donations.

Work week Italy 2014 - offering practical help

This also means we can announce yet another project: the purchase of tractor parts for Comunita Brezzano in Italy. Yes, a practical project for the therapeutic community in Tuscany, that we visited with a group of men last year and the year before in order to help them with cutting firewood.

Please, keep an eye on our blog (or sign up with your email address)  for project details.

We are looking forward to co-labor with you all again in 2015. Together we can be a huge blessing to the nations around us!

Project green houses, Serbia

Green houses at Teen Challenge, Serbia

Some time ago we received a request from Sasa and Svetlana Ivanovic, the directors of Teen Challenge in Serbia... whether we wanted to raise some funds for the purchase of new plastic for the tomato green houses at the drugs- and alcohol rehabilitation center in Novi Sad.

The work of Teen Challenge in Novi Sad depends in part on donations, but also in part on the profits made of their tomato growing business.

Men's home in Novi Sad

Behind the men's center you can find several huge green houses that are covered with plastic. Every so many years the plastic has to be replaced. They are planning to do so (for at least four green houses) this coming January/February. After several years the plastic gets darker which prevents sunlight to come in and of course weather circumstances cause damage. In March 2015 thousands of tomato plants will begin to grow in these green houses.

The work in the green houses is therapy for the men in the program. They learn to work structurally and to take responsibility for the plants, the watering, the feeding, the picking etc. The fact that the tomato business brings in money to run the center, is often an extra drive to work hard and diligently.

Replacement of plastic is necessary

Of course we would like to help them with this practical investment. It takes about 600 euro for one green house to change the plastic covering. We would like to support Teen Challenge Serbia with this project by raising 2,400 euro, so they can totally renew four green houses.

If you love tomatoes ;) and the work of Teen Challenge, please help us out and make your gift payable to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U and make sure to mention GREEN HOUSES.

On behalf of the staff and students in Serbia, thank you very much for your help!

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

[Galatians 6:2]

December projects

Rehab home Berdychiv

Thanks to your fantastic response and generous gifts we were able to bless many people this December month. Read along:

The offering during the Christmas Eve service in our Church De Hoeksteen was held for our project Coffee house and Rehab homes Berdychiv in the Ukraine. We are happy to announce that we have been able to give a total donation of 3,000 euro towards the work among the addicts, homeless, prostitutes, lonely and elderly in Berdychiv.

Months away from home

We were able to sponsor Guus and Annemiek Peters with a gift for 70 Christmas goodie bags for the sailors in the ports of Belgium. Guus writes: "I had many good talks with the sailors during the distribution of the Christmas goodie bags. One in particular was with Sujith, a Hindu from india. he told me that he became a father 4 months ago and that he had not seen his daughter yet, because he has been on board of his ship for six months...

I told him dat I know someone Who did send His Son to us and then did not see Him for 33 years. The only contact between tehm was through prayer. Sujith asked me to explain more and I could share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with him. I always find it so precious that I can do this, making use of a sailor's story. There is always something in the Bible to connect his story with. Sujith was very happy with the New Testament in his own Hindi language. Thank you very much for your help!"

Beit Hallel

We also received a thank you note of Voice of Judah Ministries in Ashdod, Israel. We were able to sponsor the work of Messianic congregation Beit Hallel with a gift. "Shalom!!! Confirming we have received your wire for 1,000 EUR. Thank you for your generous gift! Many Blessings." 

What a great way to end another blessed year! Thank you so much for your faithful, surprising, periodic, one-time, general, specific, small, large, lovely and special donations.

As we are meditating on Gods blessings in this previous year, we are at the same time looking forward to a new year. We already have several practical new projects lined up:

• Plastic for green houses Teen Challenge, Serbia
• Tractor parts for Communita Brezzano, Italy
• Repairs Coffee House Teen Challenge, Belgium
• Shelter for young girls in Moldava

We are looking forward to co-laboring with you all again. Please tell others about Traveling Light.

PS: click on the pictures for enlargement

Project Coffee house & Rehab homes, Berdychiv

Pastor Sergey Romanenko in coffee house Berdychiv

It is already a year ago that we introduced pastor Sergey Romanenko and his work in Berdychiv, Ukraine on this blog. We raised 5,000 euro towards the purchase of a house for women and children. That was such a blessing for them!

Women's home Simcha is running fine, many women and children have found this place of refuge. Pastor Sergey is also running a coffee house in Berdychiv. For many poor, homeless and addicted people a visit to a coffee house is often the first step towards seeking help. Volunteer workers of the coffee house go out into the streets to seek people who need help and invite them to come over for a visit.

Women's home Simcha, Berdychiv

Such a visit is a big step towards recovery. For many it is the first time to come in contact with believers and to experience God's love for them. They have a chance to meet people who have been set free from addictions and destructing lifestyles and who have started a new life. In the coffee house visitors get food and drinks, there is time to talk, to make music and to listen to people giving a testimony about what God has done in their lives.

After several visits (sometimes even after only one!) some people make the decision to turn around and to enter a rehabilitation home where they often stay a year or even longer.

Coffee house in Berdychiv

Pastor Sergey and his team are doing a marvelous work in Berdychiv. They really take care of the down and out and lonely... they are letting their light shine in dark corners of the Ukraine.

There are several needs at the moment: renovation work in the rehab homes, car repairs and expansion of the coffeehouse work.

We like to share good news from Ukraine! Human lives being changed, for eternity! There is no better investment to make.

You can send your donation towards the work in Berdychiv to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U. Make sure to mention: COFFEE HOUSE

PS: See sidebar on the right for an overview of our December projects.

Project Voice of Judah, Israel

Toys for children in hospital

For many people December is the month of giving (well, we think that's every month!) We remember how God gave His Son Jesus Christ to mankind... and more and more people realize that, in response to that great gift of love, it is so much better to give than to receive.

Each year we have seen an increase in donations during the month of December. And to keep the generosity ball rolling, the organizations, churches, ministries and projects we give to are being generous wherever they are. That is awesome!

Visiting the elderly

We would like to give a special love gift of 1,000 euro to the Voice of Judah in Ashdod, Israel. This organization proclaims the Good News to the people of Israel, reaches out a helping hand to feed and clothe the poor, plants and cultivates congregations, and raises up a generation of servant leaders. Pastor Israel Pochtar started the Messianic congregation Beit Hallel in 2005.

They are very active in their city and surrounding area. Their activities include: street outreach, humanitarian aid, gospel outreach tours, pro-life ministry, visiting hospitals and the elderly. They also organize Alpha courses and conferences for Hebrew, Russian and Arab speaking people. The voice of Judah is active in many spiritual and social areas of life.

The Voice of Judah is a group of believers that shines her light in Israel. We want to encourage them to keep doing so, despite the political unrest and ongoing violence.

If you have a heart for Israel, please send your gift to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht, IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275, BIC: RABONL2U. Make sure to mention ISRAEL.

Pastor Israel Pochtar will be coming to the Hoeksteen Church in Etten-Leur this January 2015. If you want to hear more about the work and life in Israel, please come.

Christmas gifts for sailors

Guus with his sailors

As we did last year, we want to help seafarer's evangelist Guus Peters with his Christmas gifts project again. For many years Guus has been working among sailors in the ports of Terneuzen, Gent and Antwerp, sharing with them the good news about Jesus Christ. 

Each year Guus and Annemiek Peters head down to the cold and windy ports on December 25th and 26th to hand out Christmas goody bags to the sailors. A small token of love, but with a huge impact in the hearts of these men, who are often far from home for months at the time and feel lonely... missing their families.

Each year this project is made possible because of gifts from people like you! For 8,50 euro you can sponsor a Christmas gift. This year the men will receive a warm sweater, a hand knitted beanie, a booklet (in their own language) and some sweets.

If you would like to bless the sailors this Christmas, send your donation of 8,50 euro (or a multiple) to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht, IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275, BIC: RABONL2U. Make sure to mention SAILORS as we have several projects come up in December.

Let your light shine light in a dark world!