WHEN I START TO TALK. I CAN KEEP TALKING FOR TWO DAY’S
By Frits Rouvoet on Sep 22, 2020 07:27 pm
Dear people, I would like to get some things off my chest that have touched me greatly this past
period. Like the story and situation of a young Eastern European woman I have known for years and once said to me:
“When I begin to talk, I can keep on talking for two days, only being able to do it crying. I don’t want to talk, maybe that will come later. My life is one big disaster”.
Regularly, I wave at her when I pass her window and now and then we make conversation. A few times I told her I have a lot of patience and I would wait for her. She clearly showed me that she appreciated that.
During the Lockdown she came to our office regularly and we had a few short conversations. She told me she would like to leave prostitution, but every time she took a step, she would block. It had never gotten her anywhere or anything but disappointment. Her faith and hope that her situation would ever be different had slowly faded. What touched me was her remark that she would constantly block and didn’t have faith anymore. I told her this a few days later and we agreed to sit down for this matter soon. Will you pray that these woman’s blockades will disappear and that she will have faith for a different future? She has so much to offer and deserves much more!
Ever since the sex workers got back to work on 1 July, hardly anything can be earned. Customers try to bargain and she will make an offer for a cheaper price with more services. The customer will then just walk away laughing. It happened to a colleague of a girl we were talking to. The young lady hardly earned enough money to pay the rent for her window, let alone the high rent of her apartment. Like her, there are more and more women distraught how to make ends meet. Regularly we get asked the question about a loan, because that’s what lessors of the windows and apartments offer. These people get their money, but the women will only get more debt. Daily, we hear how tired and stressed they are, but also about their depressed moments.
It is a very sad situation and unfortunately we have to keep using our emergency fund for a few
ladies to help them at least buy their groceries. Consequently, I would like to call for a donation to our emergency fund. Regularly, the conversations in the street are about Corona, the consequences and measures. What keeps amazing us and the women is that the measures hold everywhere, enforced and sometimes checked upon. This to protect ourselves, others and to prevent the virus from spreading. Regularly, we read about contact research and the closing of the food service industry. Keeping distance in restaurants, at home, in the streets and mouth masks in public transport. When you use a food service, you have to leave your name, phone number and the time, so, if necessary, they can reach you.
At the red light, customer don’t have to meet any measures, not even distance. Mouth masks are not necessary all of a sudden and, of course, customers would never leave their personal details.
Customers come from all over the world, often entering the country without a corona test, giving the women an unsafe feeling. Not working isn’t an option, because the fixed costs remain. An income supplement isn’t possible with a high rent, so what can you do? For these women it is almost mandatory to work in an unsafe environment.
A week ago, we talked to her in the street, 22 years old and incredible sad. No income, rising debts, stress, exhaustion and insecure she admitted she might return to her home country. This week we made an overview of her situation and soon she will return to her home country. I gave her a book, Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers, in her own language. She saw another book of which the topic appealed to her, which she took with her, too. All of sudden she asked us if we also had a Bible for her and luckily we were able to give it to her. I wrote something in it and asked her if I could pray for her. She stood there next to me, small, fragile, insecure and anxious. While I was praying for her I put my arm around her and the tears came. To take care of her family and child she came to the West and eventually prostitution. So young and then such a responsibility with increasing debts. It was special to help her make the right decision under these circumstances.
We are still busy in many areas. There has been a lot of commotion concerning the income supplements; should or shouldn’t they pay this back? A lot of women are behind the windows again even though they would like to quit! Not much can be earned while during Lockdown they were working on a different future. The trainings at the office are still attended often, resumes are still being written and job applications are being send. Like I wrote earlier, our emergency fund has been empty for a while and we have to support the women from our reserves. Still, it is needed for several women to help them get through the week.
Hence my frank question again to donate to our emergency fund so that we can keep helping andfacilitating trainings. Your donation can be transferred under the headline ‘Emergency fund
coronavirus’.
Donations can be transferred to:
NL53 INGB 0004 1039 12 in the name of Stichting Bright Fame, indicating ‘Omwenteling’
Will you pray and carry with us?
Bright Fame is an ANBI acknowledge foundation.
