We need you | Mission trip | Be the Living Proof | Holidays …
newsletter
WE NEED YOU!!!
Earlier this week, a video was filmed of me for our social media channels with the words: “WE NEED YOU.” It immediately reminded me of a young Romanian girl I met a few years ago. Dana was just 18 years old. There she stood, in the middle of the night, behind the window. Surrounded by the stares of men scrutinising her body.
We got talking. She told me that her mother had died a few years earlier because there was no money for a necessary operation. Now her father urgently needed medical help… and once again, there wasn’t enough money. Dana saw only one way to raise the remaining amount: to stand behind the window. Not because she wanted to. Not because it was her dream. But because she felt it was necessary for her father.
I asked her: “What is your dream?” Her answer touched me deeply.
“I want to become a doctor… so that I can help people who can’t afford healthcare.”
We agreed to meet up again and see what we could do for her through our network.
But I never saw Dana again. Her number was no longer in service.
Fortunately, today we are able to welcome many other women to our office. Together, we discover their true dreams and help them take steps towards recovery, education, work and a new beginning. In the Netherlands or in their home country. And we cannot do this alone. That is why we say again today: YOU are needed. Just as Dana felt needed by her father, so may we be needed by our neighbours. For omen who long for recovery, hope and a future. Would you like to help? Support the work of Bright Fame with a one-off donation or become a monthly partner.
Together. Shoulder to shoulder. For those who seem to have no one left.
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Mission trip with Bright Fame
We are Ardjan and Jolande Eckhardt from Kapelle, Zeeland. Through the Bible school of our church, Hope4You in Vlissingen, we were given the opportunity to go on a mission trip. We decided to carry out that mission close to home and that is how we ended up at Bright Fame.
The world of prostitution was unknown to us. Yet we felt moved by the fight against injustice and were allowed to spend a few days shadowing Frits and the team. We visited the hotel project in collaboration with the Elroi Foundation and went into the Red Light District to meet women, hand out gifts and have conversations.
What touched us deeply was not only the pain and loneliness we saw, but also the way people view these women. At the same time, many prayed for us that we might see these women and their circumstances through the eyes of Jesus, and that changed everything.
It was a privilege to see up close how Bright Fame sees, loves and reaches out to people just as Jesus did.
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Be the Living Proof
On 9 May, we were guests at Brenda Toet’s Women’s Day, themed: Be the Living Proof. A wonderful day centred on how we can be a reflection of God’s work in our lives and make His love visible to those around us. Visitors were asked to bring toiletries. These will later be distributed by a team from Brenda and Bright Fame in the Red Light District, as a sign of love and care. A small gesture with a big message: You matter. We see you.
Jacqueline also had the opportunity to share a little about the work of Bright Fame. For many women, this work was still unknown. We are grateful that we were able to tell them about the women we meet and the hope we are able to bring.
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Holidays and more…
In the coming weeks, many people will be receiving their holiday pay again. Perhaps you’re looking forward to a lovely trip, a few days away, or that one purchase you’ve been thinking about for a while. It’s all understandable. It’s good to enjoy yourself and recharge your batteries. At the same time, we’d like to ask you another question: What if (part of) your holiday pay could be of lasting value to someone else? At Bright Fame, we meet women living in conditions of exploitation, dependency and often deep-rooted trauma.
Many of them are also mothers. What to the outside world sometimes looks like a choice is, in reality, often a consequence of hardship and a lack of prospects. These women long for something different. For peace. For safety. For a fresh start.
We are privileged to stand by their side. To listen to their stories. To build trust. And to search together for the right support and a way forward. With your support, we can continue this work. Perhaps your holiday pay means relaxation or something new for you. But (part of it) can also be the start of hope for someone else. DONATE LINK
