At the start of this new year 2024, we would like to inform you of a number of developments. Here is an overview:
- Growth of work
- Update on Hoeve de Binnentuin
- Information evenings/ Help the Hoeve on its way
- Strengthen networks - with annex to invite acquaintances
- Establishment of Friends of Esthers foundation
- Argos documentaries offline
- Financial state of play
Growth of work
The network of 'new family' around survivors is growing, as is the number of practitioners and coaches within Friends of Esthers. We shared more about this in the previous newsletter.
Now that the 'dark' October and December months are behind us, we can say with gratitude that there is also concrete progress on all fronts. Several survivors are making (big) strides to get out of the cult networks and are increasingly daring to accept help. During cult nights, the survivors we are in contact with receive help (or at least availability) from one or more practitioners and coaches, in person and via e-mail. In addition, a growing number of people pray, also precisely during those difficult nights.
We look forward to continued growth and the liberation and recovery of many survivors of s.r.m.!
Update on Hoeve de Binnentuin
As you know, a core team from Friends of Esthers is in the process of buying a special residential farmhouse in the middle of the country, with the aim of living, working, hosting survivors and building a centre of expertise of s.r.m. there.
In the previous prayer letter, we wrote that we are grateful for the location that has come our way. The owners have been very obliging to us by removing the property from sale and giving us four months to complete its financing.
When last 15 December it turned out that this had not (yet) succeeded, they again gave us an extra three months (until 31 March 2024). We are happy with that!
We are also grateful for the donations that have come in (around €45,000), which will allow us to finance more than half of the most necessary renovations.
At the same time, we adjusted our plan for financing: our course is now to bring in the value of two of our own properties and sell the property in Amsterdam to a reliable investor, who wants to rent it back to the current residents for a certain period at minimal rent.
If you know anyone who would like to help (invest in the property or give money) or if you have any other ideas or tips on how we can fund the farmstead, we would be very happy to receive them. Please feel free to contact us for that; also feel free to spread the link to friends, family and acquaintances: www.hoevedebinnentuin.nl
Retrieved from www.hoevedebinnentuin.nl is more information on the plan, including a PDF to download.
Information evenings/ "Help the Hoeve on its way"
To make more people familiar with s.r.m. and get involved in our work, we want to organise a number of meetings in 2024. In the short term, we will organise three meetings under the heading "Help the Hoeve on its way", in which, in addition to information about our work and the general invitation to get involved, we would like to concretely invite people to contribute for the Hoeve: for the remaining financial demand and search for an investor with a heart for this cause, for the Amsterdam property. These are the first dates:
- 31 January
- 9 February
- 19 February
You can sign up for these evenings via Lichtoplevens.co.uk under the contact page, via 'register meeting'. After registering, you will also receive the exact location of the meeting.
Strengthening Networks
Networking Friends Evenings
To get out of the cult, a survivor needs a network of friends in addition to a trauma counsellor. People with warm hearts, who sympathise and want to stand beside this person with perseverance, including practically and in prayer.
To attract new network friends, we are holding 5 information meetings this spring, always on the last Monday evening of the month. You are welcome to come yourself and bring someone along. Sign up via the contact page at Lichtoplevens.nl ('register meeting'). After registering, you will receive the exact address.
The dates are:
- 29 January in Enkhuizen
- 26 February in Gorinchem
- 25 March in Steenwijk
- 29 April in Almelo
- 27 May in Utrecht
Maybe you know people near one of the above places (in a radius of about 50 km). Would you draw their attention to these evenings? You will find a sample e-mail for this in the attachment. How cool would it be if you manage to approach 10 other people! Together, we can help the work of Friends of Esthers grow, on behalf of helping survivors. Would you take an hour to go through your list of friends and acquaintances? Thanks in advance!
(Bottom this newsletter, we will send you a sample e-mail that you can use to invite others. You can modify it, of course!)
Establishment of Friends of Esthers foundation
Currently, the work of Friends of Esthers takes place mainly through a number of individuals who have made a commitment with each other. Around this is a large(er) group of people involved and praying. Gerard van der Schee, as treasurer, is in charge of the finances and we currently make grateful use of the account of Foundation 4 Justice. We intend to establish the Friends of Esthers Foundation at the notary in 2024, in order to set up the work and finances in a more appropriate way and increase the base.
Argos documentaries offline
The documentaries by Argos/ VPRO that caused a lot of controversy in 2020 in particular have, to our chagrin, been taken offline by the broadcaster since 9 December last.
The explanation on the VPRO's website states that 'conspiracy thinkers' would have made too much of the broadcasts. Specifically, it refers to the libel conviction of Lisa's mother on 8 December 2023 (one day before the removal). It is worth noting that this Lisa never received a fair trial despite repeated requests.
It goes on to say, "This verdict, combined with the critical view of today with which the chief editors of HUMAN and VPRO view the episodes, made us decide to take the broadcasts on ritual abuse and the accompanying file completely offline. With the wisdom of today, despite the convincing witness statements in this broadcast, we should have set higher standards for hard evidence." (see the website from VPRO)
In our opinion, the broadcasts were very soundly and reliably made, and did contain compelling evidence. But the above -somewhat cryptic- sentence sounds mainly like an excuse: after all, providing 'hard evidence' is not the job of journalism. Rather, it is to ask questions, point out and bring issues to light and spark a social debate. This is exactly what these journalists have done.
The broadcasts can still be found here:
– Glass shards and dark rituals
The broadcast: "Should Hague judge judge child abuse?" was not removed by VPRO, see link.
If you haven't listened to these documentaries yet, do it now. It is good investigative work by courageous journalists, which should never be swept under the carpet.
Although sad, this event (in our view, an extremely curious move by a broadcaster), confirms the importance of our commitment to survivors.
Financial state of play
For the work of Friends of Esthers, over 37,000 euros in donations were received last year (2023). How happy we are about that! The chart below shows the income and expenditure per quarter.
Spending is growing, this is for good reasons:
- more practitioners and coaches have started (receiving modest compensation)
- more kilometres are made to meet survivors and to have introductory meetings with new ''friends of Esthers'' (travel kilometres by coaches and practitioners are reimbursed)
- Esthers' own commitment and passion, to help survivors from her experience; she does this for part of the hours put in for financial compensation. As the overall workload became too high, she has surrendered paid hours with an employer and therefore has to declare more hours worked for Friends of Esthers to support herself and her family. The desire is that over time she will be able to give her full working hours to helping other survivors
In short, we expect expenses to remain high and even increase. With the current buffer, we will be able to cover another 3 months at this point. This means we need additional funds. We are looking for new givers for this, or existing givers who still want to give a bit more!
Thanks for your support!
With warm regards,
On behalf of the Friends of Esthers team
Aline Terpstra, GZ-psychologist BIG
Esther, survivor satanic ritual abuse
Gerard van der Schee
Annex - sample e-mail invitation networker(s)
Dear ....
For some time now I have been following with interest the developments of Friends of Esthers, a Christian network dedicated to a special group of victims in the Netherlands, namely survivors of satanic ritual abuse. For me, this was completely unknown territory until I started reading about it, including on the Friends of Esthers website - www.lichtoplevens.nl.
I could not believe that it would exist in the Netherlands; gradually, that image changed and I gained a heart for people who want to get free from a deeply dark situation and recover from acquired traumas.
This spring, Friends of Esthers is holding a series of information evenings across the country with the theme: "s.r.m. does that exist in the Netherlands and, if so, what can you do?"
There is room for questions and we hope more people will want to learn to volunteer, e.g. for babysitting, chores, transport and for prayer. You will be well guided in this.
I would like to invite you to the meeting at [date] in [location]. Applications run through the contact form of www.lichtoplevens.nl. In a confirmation email you will hear than the exact time and place of the meeting. You might enjoy going to such an evening together go?
Happy to hear from you,
Friendly greetings!
English 
Dutch