Project news

Orges Hysenaj at the TC coffee house

Your gifts for project Radio Peace in Slovakia are coming in, thank you. Always nice to see that you react enthusiastically to our calls for action!

The proceeds of our secondhand shop Twinkeltje over the month of October will go to the work of Teen Challenge in Albania. So come and visit us or send a specified gift if you want to support that work.

We have highlighted the work of Orges & Blerina Hysenaj among the homeless and addicted in Tirana several times on this blog. In his latest newsletter Orges reports that three (!) new coffee houses have been opened, in Vlore, Elbasan and Cerrik. How wonderful is this?! At these locations addicts can come for a conversation, for coffee and a touch of God's love.

This is all the work of volunteers, but of course funds are needed for the rental of these locations and the purchase of materials. A suitable building for a Teen Challenge rehabilitation home in Albania has not yet been found, but that will certainly be the next step.

The children in Bertine House

Earlier this year, the Weissensee fundraiser brought in a beautiful sum for Bertine House in Ukraine. Last month they celebrated the 10th anniversary of Bertine House. What a blessing this house is for many mothers and children! A safe place, a place to grow, heal and recover.

You can show your support by liking the Bertine House FB page! Furthermore, financial support remains necessary to continue this work. We will keep you updated on this blog on any upcoming actions to help them. Of course your ideas are very much welcome!

In our own country there is also lots of action :) just look at the calendar of Twinkeltje. Furthermore, on October 15 we started with a study series about the person and the work of the Holy Spirit in De Hoeksteen church in Etten-Leur. Last Monday evening Marja and Cora kicked off because Jan is in Africa for his work.

This Friday night we will be hosting Prayer for the Nations again! You can start such a prayer event in your own town or country!

Donations and prayers for all those beautiful, special projects are always welcome. Please, send your donation  to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U.

Project Radio Peace, Slovakia

At the book presentation, Peter in the middle

In March of this year we (Jan and Marja) were in Slovakia for the presentation of the Slovak edition of Marja's book 'Grace of Giving'. Radio recordings were made during that presentation and this is how we came into contact with Dr. Peter Kamenec.

Peter and his wife Zuzana and son Tomáš live in Vranov nad Topľou, in eastern Slovakia. Peter grew up in a state orphanage (during communism) and was adopted at the age of five. God did not play any role in his life. He felt unwanted, rejected and abandoned.

"God and religion was for old women," he reasoned. After a wild student life in Bratislava, where alcohol abuse lead him to a state of utter desperation, he finally came to faith at the age of 30 with the help of his best friend.

Peter is the founder of internet Radio Pokoj, or radio 'peace'. With a team of volunteers he runs a Christian internet radio station. They broadcast music, sermons, lectures, interviews and background stories. The radio station is not connected to any specific church denomination, and that is quite special. It aims to preach the gospel through music, word and poetry.

Peter at work

When we were in Bratislava, we were also interviewed for a radio program, of course with an interpreter. To be able to broadcast certain music and programs, licenses are required. A lot of work needs to be translated from English as well. To be able to finance all that, Peter founded a non-profit organisation: Cum Mandato Eius. This non-profit is behind the radio station.

We promised him support from the Netherlands for this initiative. It is so necessary to broadcast a different message between all secular media, the message of the Good News that God loves people.

Set-up for internet radio

Those who have read this blog a bit longer know that we are happy to support evangelism outreaches. Whether it is study material for Living Free, Bibles in various languages, study books for prisoners or editions of the Cross and the Switchblade ... we are happy to help spread the Gospel through the various media outlets.

If you have a heart for the spreading of God's word in Slovakia, please, send your donation  to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U. Make sure to mention: RADIO.

Meanwhile, translators and editors are working hard on the Slovak edition of Marja's book 'Spirit of Truth', which will be published soon. We might be in Peter's radio programming again!

Visit to Teen Challenge, Moldova

Visiting the recently opened rehab home

Last week we (Jan and Marja) had the privilege of visiting the country of Moldova. We were staying in the town of Riscani with Johannes and Charlotte Petersen. They are a Danish couple and the founders of Pilgrims International.

This extraordinary couple has been living in Moldova for more than 22 years ... in a trailer!

They provide humanitarian aid, planted various churches and helped with setting up Teen Challenge drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers. In 2015, the girls' home Pilgrim House was opened.

In front of the new dairy kitchen in Falesti

Immediately after our arrival at the airport, we visited the recently opened rehab home for men in Soceleni, just outside the capital Chisinau. It is a very old country house, which has served as a decor in several movies. The house was donated by a mother of one of the boys who went through the existing Teen Challenge program and got a new life!

There is room for a few bunk beds, a small kitchen and the toilet is outside. Yes, it's pretty primitive, but what a great safe place for men who want to change their lives. It made us so happy to see the work of Teen Challenge expand. The guys live mostly from what the land and animals yield. We tasted fresh goat milk!

Filling the store rooms with produce

The next day we visited the Teen Challenge men's and women's home in Falesti. In the past we have given them a gift for the purchase of dairy cows, we counted four cows now! They have also built a small dairy kitchen where they make cheese.

We prayed with the women who were there. One girl was only nineteen and very worried about her court case coming up. Another woman had worked temporarily in the Netherlands, but her drugs and alcohol abuse had almost destroyed her.

"Fortunately, I had a good employer," she said. "He paid for my trip back home."

Church in Falesti

We prayed that the time at Teen Challenge will bring her healing and hope for the future.

On Sunday we spoke in the charismatic church in Falesti. It was a wonderful, enthusiastic service in which there was plenty of time to pray with and for each other.

We enjoyed a scrumptious lunch at the home of Ivan & Ilona Velinchuk (Teen Challenge director). What a warm welcome and what a delicious food, everything tasted so good!

Sharing a meal with the Teen Challenge family

We then went back to Riscani, where we spoke in the church that was also founded by Johannes & Charlotte. Many young people here, beautiful music and (again) great food.

In the same building where the church is located, they are currently working hard on a new to open center for girls. It will be a place where they can live in safety and learn some useful skills.

Charlotte, who is always full of ideas, recently opened a little shop with secondhand clothes in Riscani. She was inspired by our pictures of Twinkeltje on Facebook and our enthusiastic stories 😉She showed us around. How nice to inspire and encourage each other this way.

Church in Riscani

We could tell you a lot more, but let's keep some stories for our Prayer for the Nations on October 19th. It was certainly a very interesting visit and we had such great conversations with Johannes and Charlotte about their work in Moldova and the future of the country.

Everyone showed a lot of gratitude for the support they receive from Traveling Light for various projects. We extend that thanksgiving to you all.

In the secondhand shop

There is so much more to supporting good causes than just giving money. We want to build sustainable relationships, we pray for one another and we bring hope for the future of each country.

Donations and prayers for all those beautiful, special projects are always welcome. Please, send your donation  to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U.

Project Teen Challenge Netherlands

Visiting Life Store at Teen Challenge Netherlands

Earlier this year we visited the Teen Challenge Life Center in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands.

Various services and activities in the area of ​​care and welfare come together in this beautiful building. Life Center houses it all: Life Care (care and counseling rooms), Life House (shelter and support for people who are in trouble), Life Café (meeting place and community center) and Life Store (secondhand shop).

We received an extensive tour of the building, we watched a film about Teen Challenge and of course we brainstormed about activities, campaigns and fundraising activities.

Life Café, a great meeting place

Part of the work of Teen Challenge Netherlands is called The Gate, which are youth centers connected to local churches. This outreach work focuses on prevention ... reaching teenagers with the gospel before they get into trouble because of drugs and alcohol. A much, much needed ministry.

Through meetings and personal conversations, but also through films, flyers and books, people are reached daily with a message of hope.

Teen Challenge Netherlands is currently working on a special edition of the world-famous book The Cross and the Switchblade by David Wilkerson. These books will be ideal as hand-outs and conversation starters. 

We would like to help them with a donation for the printing costs and publication of this book; on the condition that we get a box for our coffee house / shop  of course 😀

Life Magazine 1958

We had this project application on our desk for a while (yes, we have a waiting list) and earlier this week director Stephan Barendse called us with the announcement that the book is almost ready to go to print.

So, if you have it on your heart to help, please do so! Send your gift to IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U St. Traveling Light in Papendrecht. make sure to mention TC Netherlands.

Teen Challenge Netherlands will celebrate 50 years in 2019!

New season prison ministry

Krijn & Cora in front of the prison

Earlier this year we wrote about the prison ministry of Traveling Light. Board member Cora Donk, who also runs the secondhand shop, is involved in this ministry in the penitentiary prison in Dordrecht.

She serves as a volunteer in the interdenominational team that organizes the church services and she is also involved in giving the Alpha course.

With the new winter season ahead, we are thankful to announce that her husband Krijn Donk (who oversees our sports team) has signed up for prison ministry as well.

Together they will be involved in the church services in the prison in Dordrecht. In addition, they will also give the Alpha course in the penitentiary prison in Rotterdam, location Hoogvliet (formerly City Prison Rotterdam).

For the Alpha course that is coming up, we have bought a large stack of books. While going through these books, the men and women in prison will learn that there is a Heavenly Father who loves them and has a much better plan with their lives.

It is great that in addition to all the countries we visit and the dozens of projects we support, we can also be a blessing in our own country in different ways.

Changed lives. It keeps us going, because we believe it is always possible!

If you want to support this work, please do so. You can make your gifts payable to IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U St. Traveling Light in Papendrecht.

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This Friday night there will be Re-Store again (healing room). The door of our shop will be open to those who need a touch of God's love. There are people present to pray with you for healing, recovery and deliverance. Door open between 7:30 and 9:30 pm.

Tonight (Wednesday, September 12) the Discipleship course will start again in our shop. We will dive into the Bible to see what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ in the world today. We meet every other week on Wednesday. Door opens at 7:30 pm.

Report work week Tuscany

The Italian editions of Marja's book are a blessing

We are looking back at a very special time in Italy. The weekend prior to the work week in Tuscany, we (Jan and Marja) visited the city of Genoa.

We took a tour of the sea aquarium and the old city center and on Sunday morning we spoke at Chiesa Ev. della Riconciliazione.

We have known Pastor Daniele Marzano for many years through our Teen Challenge network. With a team of volunteers he runs the street and coffee house in Genoa.

Team work

As we drove back and forth between Genoa and Recco (where we stayed with friends), we noticed how centrally located the bridge is that collapsed on Tuesday, August 14th. Wherever we went we passed it.

The disaster has had a huge impact on the city, somehow also for the better ... hands are being put together to help the hundreds of people who had to leave their houses (under the bridge).

On Monday we continued our journey towards Tuscany. We met the rest of the group in the medieval town of Massa Maritima. From there we drove together to the therapeutic community Comunita Brezzano.

Another great job done!

For the fifth year we organized a work week there.

With great enthusiasm we chopped a huge amount of wood, sawn it, split it and piled it up. In the evening we sat outside (by a campfire) to think and talk about our theme: Hope for the Future. The scripture we used for that was Romans 15:13.

We had a wonderful time together, a week in which we learned a lot from each other, not to mention from God himself who gave us the words through the Holy Spirit to pray for and with each other.

Sunday morning Bible study

Thank you Adrie, Anja, Henk, Jan, Marja, Teske and Ynse for a great job done. It was nice to spend a week together. Who knows what we are going to do next year ...

Donations for our projects are always welcome at St. Traveling Light in Papendrecht, IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U.

We are currently fundraising for project Teen Challenge rehab center in Lebanon.

Activities & news

Creative workshop at Sela home

After the summer break our secondhand shop Twinkeltje opened up again last Saturday. We had a great crowd and were happy to meet old friends as well as new comers.

The proceeds from sales in the months of August / September will go towards the work of Teen Challenge in Belgium, to the women's home Sela. There is a renovation / construction coming up, so they can use any extra help.

TC Belgium newsletter

In the last newsletter we received from Belgium, you can read more about the developments in the women's home and the opening of a new store with second-hand clothes!

This week Marja and Cora were guests at a women's event during the vacation tent week in the nearby town of Bleskensgraaf. About two hundred (!) women came to the evening.

Marja spoke about the source of living water that Jesus wants to give to everyone who believes in Him. Later that same evening all women made a mood board about the message, very creative!

Great women's event in our region

Of course we had a book table and information about Traveling Light and Twinkeltje. In addition to many positive and enthusiastic responses, we also received a nice donation for our current project. How wonderful to be able to bless each other, locally and far away!

This Sunday we we will be somewhere else, we speak in Chiesa Ev. della Riconciliazione in Genova, Italy. Everyone has seen images of the disaster that took place there, when a highway bridge collapsed. Would you please pray with us that we can share a message of hope and encouragement?

Cutting, sawing, stacking wood

From Genova we will drive on to Comunita Brezzano where we will stay in Casa Shalom for a week. Our group (7 people) will help chop wood and stack it for the winter. This is the fifth time we've organized such a work week.

Donations for our current project (project rehab center Lebanon) are always welcome at St. Traveling Light in Papendrecht, IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U and do not forget to mention: NFD.

👶PS: We congratulate Garo and Gabriela Margossian in Beirut with the birth of their daughter Adelina Grace!

Project rehab center Lebanon

Garo & Gabriela Margossian

Our network continues to grow, as is shown by the projects we recently supported in Lithuania and Latvija. Particularly during the Europe Teen Challenge conferences we meet all kinds of people who feel called to share the love of God with the addicted, homeless and poor.

One such person is Garo Margossian from Lebanon, we have been in contact with him for a number of years.

Garo is the founder of  No For Drugs, a non-profit organization in Beirut that aims to bring awareness to the drug problem. They participate in awareness campaigns and programs, visit prisons and provide legal assistance.

For years, Garo had this dream to build a rehabilitation center in Lebanon. Preparations for this started as early as 2013. A piece of land outside the city was made available and drawings were made.

Artist impression by Maya Bechara & Majed Abou Fadel

Last year the construction of the center started. It is quite a big project as you can see in the pictures. A lot of work needs to be done before this wonderful facility will be put into use.

NFD is affiliated with Global Teen Challenge. A good move, because there is a lot to learn from each other. The drug scene is growing enormously in Lebanon, especially among young people (some users are only 11 years old!) Prevention work is therefore an important part of NFD's work.

Traveling Light encourages and supports such new initiatives on a regular basis. We would therefore like to make a contribution to the construction of this center in Lebanon and we will definitely visit Garo at some point in the near future!

Construction of the new rehab center

NFD depends on donations and Garo has assured us that even the smallest gift is a blessing and a gentle push to continue. Every time money comes in, construction can continue. How wonderful is it to invest in human lives in the Middle East?!

If you want to help, please send your gift to St. Traveling Light in Papendrecht, IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U and do not forget to mention: NFD.

Below you can view a short video about the construction work of the center.

Visit to Teen Challenge Lithuania

Teen Challenge women's home

Last weekend we (Jan and Marja) were visiting the country of Lithuania. At the end of May we presented project Teen Challenge women's home on this blog and we have now been able to transfer a donation of 6,000 euro for renovation of the roof.

By the way, that is only half of the amount calculated for this job. [Should anyone have a good idea to raise more funds ....]

We had an open invitation to come to Lithuania for years. Finally, the time was there. We received  a warm welcome from Edvardas & Rasa Kleinas, the directors of Teen Challenge Lithuania. They were our guides for the weekend :)

Edvardas & Rasa

We paid a visit to the women's center where we got a tour of the entire property.

There are currently 19 women and 6 children in this residential program. Actually, they are two houses. A large house (on the right, in the picture) where everyone sleeps, also the workers and volunteers, and a smaller house where the dining room, recreation room and the classroom are located.

Sharing testimonies

We met with the women and children, listened to their testimonies, shared a practical life lesson from the Bible and prayed with and for each other. Most women are here because of problems with alcohol and drugs, homelessness, crime and/or because they are tired of the street life.

For many it is the first place where they get to know God's love, mercy and forgiveness. Slowly but surely they receive hope for recovery!

Teen Challenge men's center

Later that day, after a scrumptious lunch, we went to visit the men's center. A beautiful farm where 19 men are currently in the program. We spent a lot of time with them, listened to their stories and prayed with each one of them. One man decided to invite Jesus Christ into his life, something he had not yet come to do.

The stories were intense, as always: alcohol, drugs, prison sentences, criminal activities etc. What a joy that there is a place where these men can recover, make a new start and be prepared for healthy participation in society.

Encouraging one another

The director of the center, Andrej Bersenovas, went through this very program 15 years (!) ago!

The men's center also offers help for boys who, at the age of 18, come out of orphanages and have no place to go. There are ideas to build a house for them on the property (perhaps a project we can support in the future).

Sunday morning we were invited to speak in Kauno Krikščionių Bažnyčia, a church with a big heart 💗for the work of Teen Challenge. Great to see the women and men from the rehabilitation centers here again.

Sunday morning service

We are grateful for the kindness and trust of pastor Rytis and Valda Berūkštis with whom we spoke extensively while enjoying excellent meals. We endorse the importance of good relationships with local churches.

You can view the Sunday morning service HERE.

Edvardas and Rasa also showed us around Kaunas and the capital Vilnius. Fantastic, such beautiful cities, well worth a visit!

Sharing God's love (+ Teen Challenge cards)

It is also a good time to pray for a spiritual revival in the Baltic states. From August 30 to September 2nd, Awakening Europe Baltija 2018 will take place in Riga (Latvija) ... and it is no coincidence that we also support a project there :)

The projects we support as a Traveling Light offer the opportunity to visit nations (at our own expense) and see what God is doing around Europe!

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

We are grateful for your support.

Project news

Great to meet with Irina and her son

It is about time we share some project news from the various European nations with you again. We regularly receive e-mails, photos and newsletters with thanks for the donations, prayers and support.

Good to know that your gifts actually arrive at the designated places and are used for the intended goals!

During the summer camp in Ukraine we got to talk and pray with Irina. She recently joined the Teen Challenge team in Kiev. She told us about her time at Bertine House in Poltava, how the program had been a blessing and how she had experienced the love and grace of God at a dramatic low point in her life. We shared with her how our ice skating team did a fundraiser earlier this year for Bertine women's home. 💖Heartwarming to be face to face with someone who found new life there!

Happy Boris :)

In May of this year we sent a donation towards project Udruženje Restart in Serbia. We received a short video from Boris Štrbac in which he shows the office equipment purchases, made possible through your generous donations. Thank you so much!

Jan visited him briefly at the Restart office in Novi Sad in June, while in transit to Macedonia.

In April we sent a donation towards project garlic farm in Georgia. Last week we received a newsletter from CIC Mission in which Reza reports that they harvested the garlic and are now drying has some 9,000 kilo which will be sold as cloves and powder.

Reza during garlic harvest

Praise the Lord for this harvest, also for the spiritual harvest ... seven people were baptized in the front yard of the Iranian Bible School!

Oh yes, we also recently received a request to support the children's work at the Iranian Conference, which is being organized by 222 Ministries in the Netherlands, early August. We have done that before, namely in 2015 (click HERE for that blog post).

Do you have a heart for the Iranian children in The Netherlands, many of them refugees? Then, please send your donation  to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U. Make sure to mention 222 Children's work.

They will need approximately 600 euro in order to purchase materials and some extra ice cream with this extremely warm weather 🌞

Current projects:

Project Casa Shalom, Italy

Project truck Teen Challenge, Latvija