Hope Despite Everything
Hope Despite Everything. Shoulder to Shoulder for Freedom.
In Exodus 6, we read how God wants to lead his people out of Egypt, away from slavery, toward the promised land. Moses is given the task to bring this good news. You would think: what an honor, what a moment! But it turned out differently. The Israelites did not want to listen. They were too discouraged, too tired, too broken by everything that was imposed on them daily. Sometimes the work we do at Bright Fame resembles that encounter between Moses and the people. The women we meet also tell us that they never wanted this work. They long for something else, something new — but the daily pressure is enormous. The financial burdens, the dependency, the fear, and exhaustion make it almost impossible to even show up for an appointment.
Behind the windows, we often hear:
I am so tired.
I sleep poorly.
I feel stressed and depressed.
Like the Israelites, they see no way out — only the present, the surviving. But we believe that God has a different destination for these women, men, and transgender individuals. We believe that no one is born by accident, but that every person is meant to be. And so we don’t give up.
A woman who has since found her purpose recently said to me:
“Frits, please don’t give up. I too could only see my circumstances back then. But you kept coming. You kept telling me there was hope. That I was worth fighting for.“
And that’s what we continue to do. Every week again. On the streets. In conversations. In our prayers. With training, coaching, and practical help. That’s what Bright Fame is: a movement of hope, recovery, and belief in a new future. Keep praying. Stay involved. Keep seeing.
Regards, Frits Rouvoet
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Changes in the Team
Recently, we said goodbye with a mix of gratitude and a bit of nostalgia to two special colleagues: Rosalin and Marilyn. They dedicated themselves wholeheartedly to Bright Fame this year. At the office, in street work, and in supporting various tasks. Their involvement, commitment, and love for the women have been a blessing to us. We are incredibly grateful for who they were in our team, and we wish them all the best in whatever comes their way. Rosalin and Marilyn: thank you. You will be missed!
At the same time, we also welcome someone new: Marriët has joined us since July as a supporter within social work. With her experiences and warm heart, she is a valuable addition to our team. We look forward to continuing to build hope, recovery, and a future together for the women we meet.
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Summer Greetings from Bright Fame
On behalf of the entire team, we wish you a good and blessed summer. A time of rest, encounter, reflection — and perhaps also space to dream (again). We want to sincerely thank you for your involvement, prayer, and support for the work of Bright Fame. Thanks to your support, we can be present for women in prostitution week in, week out — on the streets, behind the scenes, in conversations full of hope. Together we bring light. Together we may continue to believe in change.
This summer, our activities will continue, and the street team will visit and encourage the women. We will keep you updated through our social media channels.
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Summer Campaign: Give a Book, Give a Dream
Perhaps you ve already seen it on our social media: This summer, we are distributing the book The Dream Giver to women in the Red Light District — in Romanian and Spanish. A book full of hope. Full of perspective. A book that invites women to dream again about their future. Because many women we meet have lost sight of their own dream. Due to circumstances, pressure, or because no one ever told them: “Your life can take a different direction.“
The book The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkinson illustrates in a vivid way how a dream can come to life.
It encourages, challenges, and speaks exactly at the level where these women are now. A key, an encouragement, a beginning. Thanks to your support, we can already surprise some women with this book this summer. But we would like to distribute many more. Would you like to contribute to this campaign? Then sponsor one or more books and give women the chance to dream again.
Give a book.
Give hope.
Give a dream.
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LIVE on Radio 1
Last week, our team members Tineke van Vulpen and Frits Rouvoet were interviewed by Radio 1 in a series 5 Days of Sex Work. Listen here. Starts at 5:00.
