Here is the last newsletter of 2025. What a year we have had and so much has happened to us, our organisation and those who seek our help. We have seen wonderful, beautiful steps forward and have gone through difficult periods (and there are still more to come). But how grateful we are that we can do this together with our God!
We would like to thank everyone very much for their support. Whether in prayer, financially, in energy and time, or simply by being involved with us by reading this newsletter. This is how we work together to help survivors recover!
Farm news
Winter has also arrived at the farm. The trees have shed their leaves and the lawnmower has been put to rest for a few months. A new flock of chickens has arrived, although sadly one of them served as a snack for a magnificent falcon. This may have been the result of a disruption in the natural balance, as we have unfortunately lost four cats within the space of two weeks. This has been a great sorrow for us and our children!
Equipment day
In conversation with churches
Host family wanted
There is a need for a place where survivors can relax for a short while, for example for a short weekend, with people who are willing to make room for them. This provides some relief for the survivor's own family and/or network.
If this could be your contribution, we would like to get in touch with you to discuss it further. We would be happy to discuss what it does and does not entail and whether it might be suitable.
The vacancy for residents is also still open; see the information about this in the July 2025 newsletter.
Christmas Eve prayer
In our society, Christmas is a time for getting together and enjoying ourselves while it is dark and cold outside. This is especially true for those who have money and good relationships. For many, however, it is a very difficult time due to a lack of these things. For survivors of SRM, it is anything but a ”merry Christmas”. The cult has its own way of ‘celebrating’.
This year, we will hold our first Christmas Eve prayer evening with a group of Friends of Esthers. This change took some getting used to for those who wanted to participate. Out of love for survivors, we want to do this as a sign of hope, of light in their darkness. If you would like to know more about Christmas in combination with SRM and what you can pray for, please read our December prayer letter.
New on the sites
We regularly post new articles and blogs on our websites. There are two new blogs on www.lichtoplevens.nl, both of which deal with the enormous struggle survivors face in learning to trust, to some extent, the people who genuinely want to help them. Do's and don'ts when dealing with someone seeking help provides very practical tips on how you can help build bridges between yourself as a helper and someone who is trying to leave a cult. Do not trust her! is about the cunning and very dangerous arrows that cults fire at the growing confidence of a survivor, for example through videos and photos. Both are worth reading if you help survivors, if you are a survivor yourself, or if you want to understand more about the enormous struggle that survivors have to fight on many fronts.
Information evening and mini-course
The next information evening in the Amsterdam region will be held on Tuesday, 3 February 2026.
For those who have already attended an information evening, there is a mini-course entitled ‘I want to know more about that’ on 3 and 10 March in Utrecht.
You can register via Contact
Mary, who had the privilege of becoming the mother of the long-awaited Messiah, lived
with God. She knew His heart: ‘He gives honour to the humble’ (Luke 1:52).
In line with this, our commitment and prayer for the survivors is that they know they are seen and loved.
The board of FriendsofEsthers wishes everyone God's peace,
first and foremost in your heart,
and from there into your family and where you live and work.
www.lichtoplevens.nl – our site with basic information, blogs, newsletters, for gifts and contact
www.lichtopsrm.com – our site with backgrounds
English 
Dutch