Project Teen Challenge men's rehab Sluknov, Czech Republic

It's been a while, but at the beginning of January, we (Jan and Marja) visited the Teen Challenge men's center in Sluknov, Czech Republic.

The center offers space to about 12-15 men who are struggling with addictions. It is a beautiful old country house on a large property. The house has a community kitchen, study room, staff housing, and a vegetable garden.

For the expansion (dormitories, toilets, showers, etc.), the rear part of the house had to be renovated. Traveling Light helped with an amount for this in the summer of 2021.

👉 This time we were able to see the result of that renovation with our own eyes. It all turned out very beautiful! How cool to see how well the donations have been spent.

During our visit, we extensively discussed the theme of  'New Beginnings' with the men during a number of Bible study sessions and of course there was also time and opportunity for personal prayer. And all this with the patient help of an interpreter.

We also explored the area and spent time with Petr & Mira Kral (the directors of TC Czech Republic) whom we know personally from the many conferences we attended in recent years.

We also took a look at the old factory hall (purchased a few years ago) that is increasingly taking shape as a multifunctional center.

A large wood workshop has now been set up and a space has been determined for a coffee house. The remodeling of the factory provides employment for the men in the rehab program.

Oh yes, we also went to see the renovation of a shop in the village where a coffee house is going to be established, geared towards the youth in town.

Such great initiatives. The idea behind a Teen Challenge rehabilitation center goes much further than just getting men off of their addiction.

Vision for the future and for the surrounding communities are also being developed. We love that.

If you have a heart for offering new beginnings to men who thought there was no hope for them  and if you want to invest in their lives, please direct your gift at:

• St. Traveling Light in Papendrecht, IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U and don't forget to mention: TC CZECH SLUKNOV
• 💳 Give by card
• 👉When in the USA it is also possible to make a tax-deductible gift payable to EEO Inc. Make sure to mention: TC CZECH SLUKNOV

Project Roma Ministry International, Bulgaria

We have been following the work of Radko and Nevin Kratsov from Bulgaria for years and support them regularly.

In collaboration with YWAM Sliven they are active on many fronts within the Roma community, which extends across the whole of southeastern Europe.

Radko provides education and leadership training in Bulgaria and surrounding countries and helps Roma people develop a biblical vision in every area of life: relationships, work, health, finances, etc.

From April 13 to 17, they will be in Germany, near Frankfurt, for a conference aimed at the Roma population there. A number of churches are committed to bringing together about two hundred Roma migrants and refugees.

The topic Radko will talk about is victim mentality (the orphan spirit) which is a major problem among many groups and societies in Europe and has a very toxic influence among the Roma.

Often, he travels alone (or with other leaders from the Roma community) and visits many countries in Europe. However, the plan is to visit this conference with the whole family. They haven't been out of the country for ministry since 2019, so they're pretty excited!

Several more meetings and conferences are planned in the coming months, including a trip to Hungary (early June). An international meeting of Youth with a Mission will be organized.

A great opportunity to meet workers and staff from other countries, spend time together seeking God, and reflect on the next common goals.

We would like to support them in their important spiritual work within the Roma community and also help to fund these trips. Sometimes there is a speaking allowance, but travel and accommodation costs are increasingly expensive (we know that from our own experience!).

If you would like to support the work of Radko, please make your gift payable to: St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U and make sure to mention: ROMA BULGARIA.

👉You can give by card as well.

Prayer is needed for the impact of the gospel and the transformation it will bring to the Roma community.

Project news

Thanks to your response, we were able to send donations in order to support a variety of projects. Thank you very much for that.

The suffering as a result of the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria is indescribable. It is beyond comprehension when you see the images. Emergency aid efforts are being offered everywhere, but are also rather difficult due to the aftershocks and, well... where and how do you start clearing the rubble?

We transferred 5,000 euro to Samaritan's Purse. This Christian organization has set up a field hospital in the earthquake area. Their stories are heartbreaking, yet hopeful at the same time! Check out this VIDEO.

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The Weissensee fundraiser brought in 7,500 euro. We have been able to donate that amount to Teen Challenge in Armenia. A huge blessing for the work among the homeless and addicted there.

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The proceeds in Twinkeltje and de Schor over the month of February were more than 1,800 euro. That amount goes to Teen Challenge in Belgium for their work among homeless people and the addicted in Charleroi.

We visited Frédéric & Natacha Hensgens from Teen Challenge Belgium at the end of January. They currently have the opportunity to rent a property in one of the main shopping streets in the city where they could move their shop with second-hand clothing and perhaps also start a kind of coffee / community center.

It is an area where many drugs are trafficked and used... we will keep you informed of the developments.

That Sunday we were in the Christian Center in Brussels, an international church that is home to many nationalities.

The congregation prayed for Teen Challenge and Traveling Light and Jan had the opportunity to share a short word. It turned out to be exactly the word the pastor was going to speak about, always great when that happens of course 😁

If you have a heart for street evangelism and work among addicts in Charleroi, you can still transfer a donation, we will ensure that everything ends up at Teen Challenge.

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As far as the month of March is concerned, all proceeds in Twinkeltje and de Schor will be donated to the Teen Challenge rehabs in Berdichyv, Ukraine. Great to see and hear how the work there continues unabated, despite the war.

We would like to continue to encourage them and also help them to cover their daily costs. The hopelessness resulting from the ongoing war situation has prompted many women to start drinking and/or using drugs.

How nice when, despite difficult circumstances, they manage to find their way to one of the rehabs in Berdichev, where they often (if not always) have an encounter with Jesus Christ.

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Your donations are always welcome. You can send a gift in different ways, please take note:

• Send a donation to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U and make sure to mention 'general' or otherwise which country or project.
• 💳 Give by card

Project Living Free materials for Slovenija and Sweden

As most of you know by now, a large portion of the projects we support has to do with faith-based drugs and alcohol recovery programs. In rehab centers across Europe, the addicted find new life and freedom in Jesus Christ.

Unfortunately, only a very small percentage of people struggling with addiction issues actually enroll in a residential program. After all, you will be away from home/work for months.

Fortunately, there are also other possibilities to lead people to true freedom, for example, the Living Free group lessons that are offered in churches.

We have been able to donate several times in the past for the translation of those lessons into various languages. Jonatan & Valentina Vlaisavljevic from Teen Challenge Macedonia are the representatives of Living Free in the Balkans. The intention is to train participants so that they can give the training themselves in their church or organization.

We would like to contribute to a healthy spiritual climate in all countries of Europe! 👉 We believe that is part of the great commission to go into the world and make all nations disciples of Jesus Christ.

Funds are currently being collected for Teen Challenge in Slovenia and Sweden to enable the translation of the video subtitles and the translation and printing of the workbook, and personal and group lessons. Once that job is done, they can start offering the lessons!

If you have a heart for practical Biblical education and freedom for people who struggle with all kinds of problems, send your donation to IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U St. Traveling Light in Papendrecht. Make sure to mention: LIVING FREE.

Project updates

Back in November, we wrote about the work of Teen Challenge among the homeless and addicted in Albania and the need for new beds and mattresses, among other things. (You can read that post HERE).

This week we received a message from director Orges (Gesi) Hysenaj that the beds and mattresses arrived. The men now all sleep in a good bed and that is very nice!

Attached is a photo of the men in the program carrying the mattresses into the house.

As Traveling Light, we always try to show you (the donors) as much as possible how your donations are being used. Sometimes through our visits, sometimes by sharing photos and thank you notes.

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In January we wrote about the food parcels project in Serbia. You responded quite quickly to that, several donations came in and we were able to give them the nice gift of 3,000 euro.

Erika Sablyov of the team 'Ruka za Druga' ('Hand for a Friend') wrote to us this week:

"This Saturday we had a whole day of socializing with the homeless. It was extremely cold outside and more people came than we expected (about 30). All the food we prepared for them was served and eaten. On Saturday, they could bathe again, get their hair cut, get clean and warm clothes, and a hot meal with a salad. We bought medicine for two. We also showed a movie in the church hall."

On behalf of Erika and the team, thank you very much for your donations. For the time being, they can buy and distribute weekly food packages and also organize such special Saturdays!

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Last Tuesday, it was an exciting day for our ice skaters at the Weissensee. Krijn finished the 200 km and Henk (together with his son Kees) finished the 100 km. So, top performances by the men. We take our hats off!

With their sponsoring campaign they raised (so far) more than 7,000 euro for the work of Teen Challenge in Armenia. Donations are still coming in, so we will wait a little longer and then announce the final amount.

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The proceeds of Twinkeltje and De Schor in January (including specified donations) were 1,800 euro and that goes entirely to the work of Teen Challenge in Slovenija. For the month of February, we have chosen the work of Teen Challenge in Belgium. We (Jan and Marja) visited them last weekend. They work among the homeless and addicted in Charleroi!

Your donations are always welcome. You can send a gift in different ways, please take note:

• Send a donation to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U and make sure to mention 'general' or otherwise which country or project.
• 💳 Give by card

Project 'Ruka za Druga', Serbia

It's been a while, but at the end of September/beginning of October of last year, Jan was in Novi Sad, Serbia during a Teen Challenge training.

We already wrote a post about his visit to Restart (the coffee house work among addicts).

During his stay, Jan slept in the drug and alcohol rehab center 'Centar Duga', which is led by pastor Dusan Beredji (known to us as Bera) of the Protestant Christian Fellowship.

While visiting he got into a conversation with Erika Sabljov of the church team 'Ruka za Druga', which means as much as 'Hand for a Friend'.

Every week, the team of volunteers receives about 30 homeless people for a meal, but they also distribute clothes, shoes, and blankets.

The homeless can shower and get coffee in the church and once a month a special day is organized for them.

In addition to those practical matters, people also come into contact with God's love this way.

Following conversations and prayers, some of the homeless/addicts have chosen to go to the rehabilitation center next door.

The team has also been able to help homeless elderly people find a place to live and, for example, place them in a nursing home.

The Ruka za Druga team would like to give out a food package per person each Friday, so that the homeless have food for at least a few days.

We would like to support them in their plans and work to reach, serve and help people, however hopeless their situation may seem, to find the way to the loving Heavenly Father.

Your donations for the work in Novi Sad are always welcome. You can send a gift in different ways, please take note:

• Send a donation to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U and make sure to mention RUKA ZA DRUGA.
• 💳 Give by card

Weissensee 2023 fundraiser for Teen Challenge Armenia

Three years ago, our ice skating team raised a nice amount at the Weissensee in Austria for the new men's rehab center at Teen Challenge in Armenia.

Later this month, Krijn Donk (Papendrecht) and Henk Vlot (Oud-Alblas) are going to put on their ice skates again 💪in order to raise funds for the further completion of this rehabilitation center. The center offers a home to men who want to turn their backs on their addictions and other life-controlling problems while getting a chance to build a new life with God's help.

👉 Of course,  the ice skaters are hoping that you want to sponsor their athletic efforts again!

Last summer, Krijn and Cora Donk visited the center in Yerevan, Armenia. A special journey in itself, because they drove there in their own car! On the way, they climbed Mount Ararat.

Once in Yerevan, they saw with their own eyes how practical and spiritual help is being offered to men, in seemingly hopeless situations. Great to see how previous donations were spent to make the house habitable.

However, the house still needs to be completely finished, it could use a good kitchen, etc. That's often how it goes... the centers are already fully occupied while there is still a lot of work to be done.

To this end, Krijn and Henk want to raise the necessary funds. They will be ice skating long distances on January 31. Krijn will go for 200 km, Henk probably for 100 km.

It is possible to sponsor Krijn and Henk as a team or individually:

• with an amount per kilometer,
• with an amount for reaching the finish or
• with a general amount

If you decide to participate, you can send an email stating the amount you want to give to krijncora@gmail.com.

Or you can send a donation directly:

• to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U. Make sure to mention TC ARMENIA
• 💳 Give by card
• 👉When in the USA, make your tax-deductible gift payable to EEO Inc. Make sure to mention TC ARMENIA

We eagerly await your response!

Gagik and Lusine Mkrtchyan are the directors of Teen Challenge in Armenia. They run rehabilitation centers where men with addiction problems can start a new life. They also have taken in orphans in their own home.

We (Jan and Marja) met with them again recently at the Teen Challenge conference in Italy, this past November.

Project updates and travels

Greetings to you all from the Teen Challenge drugs and alcohol rehabilitation Center 'Hope of Generation' in Zaporozhye, Ukraine.

As a result of the war situation, large parts of the country are often without power. Thanks to your quick response, we were able to send the center in Zaporozhye a gift of 1,000 euro for the purchase of a small generator and a few heaters.

Fortunately, they were able to purchase everything quickly and they can light and heat their space somewhat for now. You can read our initial message about this project HERE.

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We have also been able to send a gift of 2,000 euro to Sergey Romanenko's rehabilitation center in Berdichyv. We shared that story HERE. We understand that there is now a waiting period of several weeks before the generators and heaters can be delivered. The demand for these devices is huge.

We will keep you informed. In any case, they are very happy with your generosity. See the video here!

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At the end of November we participated in the Europe Teen Challenge fall leadership's  conference in northern Italy. Directors from about twenty countries were present. They all had the opportunity to give updates and there was also a lot of room to pray with and for each other.

For us, it is always a great opportunity to catch up with many. In the picture, we are with Sergey Glushko (TC Ukraine) and Gagik & Lusine Mkrtchyan (TC Armenia).

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After the conference, we visited Francesca Spataro (the Italian translator of Marja's books) who took us to her church, the Christian Evangelical Community Issacar, in Rivoli.

We received a warm welcome by the pastor. We were given a tour of the church building where homeless people and the elderly without family are housed and where there is also a food distribution point.

We also went to look at their new construction project, a multifunctional building, closer to the center of Rivoli. A year ago we wrote about this and made a donation of 5,000 euro. You can read that message HERE. Construction is progressing steadily. Every time money comes in, they go ahead.

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And just like that, almost a year has passed! Do you have it on your heart to end 2022 with an extra gift? Then don't hesitate any longer, we can use it, especially for the Christmas packages projects that we support every year! As you can see, everything always ends up in the right place.

If you would like to make a donation, you can do so in different ways, please take note:

• Send a donation to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U and don't forget to mention project or country
• 💳 Give by card

Israel, Twinkeltje, and Christmas packages

At the beginning of November we (Jan and Marja) were in Israel for a vacation. We took the opportunity to meet with Ilya and Janet Bantseev. They are the directors of Teen Challenge Siberia and recently moved to Israel.

They lived and worked in Russia for twenty-nine years and set up a wonderful work there, including drug and alcohol rehab centers, churches, children's work, etc. A few months ago, as a result of the war, they had to leave everything behind.

In Israel, they are now trying to find their way. There are a lot of Russians and Ukrainians who need help and are also open to the gospel. We had fellowship, prayed together, and visited a church service at King of kings in Jerusalem. An active international church that has embraced the Bantseev family. We were able to encourage each other, and that's what it's all about!

Of course, we also visited Brian Slater's food bank in Netanya. With his organization Abundant Bread of Salvation, he is busier than ever, especially with the new wave of refugees coming in.

Together with a few other volunteers we prepared and distributed food packages and we were also able to pray with various people. When all the work was done, we enjoyed a delicious meal and had time to catch up on current happenings.

The project for the month of December in Twinkeltje in de Schor is therefore the work of Brian Slater. All proceeds will go there. If you don't have the opportunity to visit our shop/coffee house, you can also make an specified donation if you want to support his work.

We saw a nice video come by on FB which Brian made the day we were there!

👉 Oh yeah, the Christmas packages projects 🎄 Donations are currently coming in, thanks for that. If you haven't considered it yet, don't hesitate any longer and make someone else happy today!

If you would like to make a donation, you can do so in different ways, please take note:

• Send a donation to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U and don't forget to mention project or country
• 💳 Give by card

Christmas packages 2022

Every year, Traveling Light supports a number of Christmas package projects from various organizations. It is a blessing to be able to give to people who are less fortunate because they are refugees, addicted, homeless or just far away from home. Surely, one of these projects has your heart!

Christmas bags for sailors

For port evangelist Alexander Eberson, the Christmas season is the opportunity to show seafarers in word and deed that God loves them as well. He wants to give a Christmas goodie bag to the sailors he visits in the ports of Ghent and Terneuzen. Each bag contains: a hat, a pair of socks, a game, a notebook with a pen, a roll of Mentos fruit, a bar of chocolate, a bottle of shower gel, a homemade Christmas card, and a Christmas devotional. A bag costs approx. € 6.00.

Operation Christmas Joy 

Operation Christmas Joy brings the joy of the birth of Jesus to children in need, many in refugee camps. Last year, more than 1500 children in seven countries, including Iran, Turkey, Armenia, and Pakistan, received a nice package! A package includes clothing, shoes and educational supplies, but also toys and sweets to give them that little bit extra. Whenever possible, the children are gathered for celebrations, this is also an opportunity for their families to hear the gospel firsthand. A Christmas package costs approx. € 75.

Winter packages Moldova

For the 18th time, our friends from Pilgrims and Teen Challenge are organizing their winter aid campaign. Last year they delivered 35 tons of coal and more than 400 food packages to the poor and widows. The food packages do meet an enormous need, each package contains about 12 to 13 kilos of food!

We have been sponsoring this project for many years and we will certainly do it again in 2022. If you want to stay warm this winter, give warmth to someone else! Give... and it will be given to you 😁

Bags of Love Athens

We don't always realize it, but in Athens many people live on the streets, including many refugees. The Passage to Live team takes care of them throughout the year with the distribution of food, but the 'Bags of love' project has been set up specifically for this winter.

They want to provide 1,000 people with a package containing a blanket, a woolen hat, socks, croissants and the gospel, all within the coming months. A package costs approx. €20.

Generator and heaters rehab Berdichev

And finally, and this is not a Christmas package but an emergency call, a request from our friends at Teen Challenge in Berdichev, Ukraine. The drug and alcohol rehab center is full, everything is running at full speed. As a result of the war however, they are often without electricity (and gas).

Just like the center in Zaporozhye (of which photos will be posted soon!) they would also like to purchase a good generator, fuel and a number of separate heaters to get through the winter. Shall we surprise them with a nice gift for that?

If you like to sponsor a Christmas package, you can

• send a donation to St. Traveling Light, Papendrecht IBAN: NL91RABO0118582275 BIC: RABONL2U, or 
• 💳 Give by card 

Don't forget to mention for which project!