‘Take care of those around you’

Bright Fame Newsletter

‘Take care of those around you’ – Isaiah 58:6-7

Long before Bright Fame began, God spoke to me through the words of Isaiah 58.

They kept coming back again and again: ‘Free people who are captives, loosen their shackles.

’ Release all slaves. Make sure no one is oppressed anymore. Share your bread with people who are hungry. Give poor people a place in your home. Give clothes to people who are naked. ‘Take good care of those around you.’ (Isaiah 58:6-7)

Justice. So central to the heart of God, and therefore also to the heart of our work. That calling still lives deep within us: standing up for those who are bound, caring for those who are forgotten, bringing hope where there is despair. At Bright Fame, we do this every day for women, men and transgender people who – often through circumstances beyond their control – have ended up in prostitution.

We keep repeating it because it is truth: ‘Nobody really chooses this.’

There is always a story, a cause, a vulnerability that has been abused.

Recently, I spoke to a young woman from Eastern Europe. She loved God, prayed daily, but felt condemned because of her work. In that conversation, I was able to give her Jeremiah 29:11. That God has good thoughts about her. That He has a hopeful future in mind for her – far away from the life she is now trapped in. The relief in her eyes was indescribable. We are now on the road together, seeking God’s dream for her life.

This is what Isaiah means. Freeing captives. Sharing spiritual bread. Naming and breaking oppression. Caring for others. Real, loving care – and we can only do that together. Because the legalisation in 2000 of prostitution in the Netherlands did not bring justice, but more injustice. Women still stand behind windows, as shop window products for a society that looks away. Many of them take care of family, children – at the expense of themselves. As a man, as a human being, I am sometimes deeply ashamed that we have collectively allowed this to happen.

But we do not linger in shame.
We move towards hope.
Towards justice.
Towards recovery.
And for that, we need you.

At Bright Fame, we believe that no one is meant to struggle alone. Your involvement makes a difference to one person, to many.

Heartfelt greetings,
Frits Rouvoet

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A peek behind the scenes at Bright Fame

Every day, our Amsterdam office is buzzing with meetings, conversations and prayers. More happens behind the scenes than you might think. Thanks to your support – in prayer, time and finance – we can be there for women, men and transgender people entering or leaving prostitution.

What do we do: We help with reading letters from agencies, applying for care or filling in forms. We offer a listening ear over a cup of coffee, or just a safe place to catch your breath. We give language lessons, support exit routes and guide women in finding work that suits them. And we pray. For strength, healing and new hope. For them and for each other.

We also work hard internally. Volunteers take care of various activities, think about projects together, write news and prayer letters, coordinate conversations and arrange practical help. It is a place of togetherness with all sharing the same goal.

To all our givers and prayers: thank you. Thank you for your open hearts.
Thank you for your faithfulness. You are indispensable in this work. Every smile, every step towards recovery, every woman daring to dream again – it happens partly thanks to your commitment. Together we stand shoulder to shoulder. We are so grateful for that.

p.s. Several times a year we hold ‘open house’ for anyone who wants to get to know our work better. (May 2025 has already passed.)

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Received your holiday money? Consider investing in hope.

As the holiday money comes in and plans are made for the summer, we want to invite you to also reflect on those who do not have time or space to unwind. At Bright Fame Foundation, we meet people trapped in the reality of prostitution every day. Many of them live in loneliness, fear and dependence. Holidays?

They don’t have one. But they do have a desire for change. With your support – especially now – we can continue to be present where it is really needed. Your donation helps us to: keep having conversations on the streets and online, guide women towards a new life, create safe meeting places and offer hopeful perspectives. Every contribution counts.

Big or small, one-off or structural – together we make a difference.

Thank you for your involved hearts. Together, we stand shoulder to shoulder for recovery, hope and a new future.