SHE IS VERY TALENTED AND SHE WANTED TO QUIT
By Frits Rouvoet on Dec 06, 2020 06:34 pm
End of 2019, beginning of 2020 she told me there was nothing I could do for her even though she wanted to get out of prostitution. Knowing about a good educational programme in her home country, I found her a contact person who could help her here in the Netherlands. She is very talented and she wanted to quit, so I thought this would be a nice opportunity for her to prepare herself, step by step, for when she was ready to leave the Red Light District behind. But no.
Corona came and we helped her with the income supplement that she could receive as a self-employed person. We also supported her with grocery vouchers, so that she could buy her groceries. Something that would have been difficult due to her high rent. This was also essential because of her family situation. More and more regularly, she dropped by for a cup of coffee or to meet others. Other times she would come in with a question about her administration. Through the months we built up trust and a friendship with her. This week she told us that we are like family to her and were really helping her through tough times. In several areas in her life there are decisions to make to turn over a new leaf. Before she left, we took the time to pray together and bless her.
Shoulder to shoulder is something we have always said these past 16 years. We need each other and everyone needs someone next to them, because together we can accomplish more. A few days back we received a message from a woman saying that she saw me as the father she never had and the social worker as the sister she had always wanted. These are of course very special messages you receive. And of course there are also misfortunes, but this truly helps us to keep going and stand shoulder to shoulder with everyone who needs it. Many women are already lonely because their family and friends do not know what kind of work they do. During the lockdown in March a woman admitted that that was when she realized how truly alone she was. Working and sleeping was the only thing she did and now all of a sudden she was stuck alone in her apartment. She visited the office almost daily to have some kind of structure in her day and she enjoyed the contact with the team. A few women are forced to work on Christmas hoping to earn something. Just because of the holidays, it makes them feel even lonelier to work in a deserted Red Light. That is why we are open on Christmas night for a nice and happy Christmas dinner. Relationships and community are things everyone needs, especially those who are far away from their loved ones through circumstances and have to do work they never dreamed of.
Every shoulder is needed, yours too. You can pray for us and the women, but you can also support us financially with a Christmas gift.
“SHOULDER TO SHOULDER”
Will you pray and carry with us?
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