A survivor of satanic ritual abuse still trapped in the cult network needs a strong group of people around him. People who can support practically and with prayer. This could include driving home from work, babysitting children, visiting on difficult nights and praying along on cult nights; but also think of practical things like fixing broken cameras or other things. We are looking for people who persevere and do not give up; who (increasingly want to learn) to understand the enormous battles the survivor has to fight and that moments of relapse are almost inevitable. People who are loving, committed and loyal. We are looking for adults with sufficient emotional maturity of their own to deal with the deep brokenness of the survivor; adults who live a life from a living relationship with Jesus Christ. This is (after extensive introductions) a long-term commitment, think 5 years or more. From Friends of Esthers, we support network friends from our knowledge and experience.
- Mature people who want to learn from others and are not afraid to be called to account for mistakes.
- People who want to give their time and attention and love to others, without expecting anything in return. A little time (but on a structural basis) is enough.
- People who want to make a long-time commitment to a survivor, possibly including his or her family.
- That a partner (if any) supports the choice.
What do we offer?
- Support in the form of guidance and knowledge transfer (course and meetings)
- Support with prayer (from prayer groups, among others).
- Joy by being closely involved in the recovery process of a child of God; getting to know a person in all their aspects: the intense pain and injuries, but also the fun and beautiful sides and to see the latter flourish.
- Expense allowance, if necessary.
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to sign up. When we invite you to an introductory evening, you can ask all your questions.
Answers to your questions
''I might want to get involved as a networker, but what exactly does that mean for me? And what does participating mean for my family, am I at risk and what if ...?'' Important questions that we consider in the introductory process.
If you really get involved, we will have regular team meetings with the group of network friends where you can put your questions.and discuss dilemmas with each other.
How does the introduction go?
We will ask you some questions by e-mail after receiving the completed contact form. If you have a partner, we ask you both to answer the questions and to come to the introductory meeting together. We think it is very important that a couple stands behind the choice to help together, even if only the husband or the wife wants to help.
After receiving the completed questions, we will send you an invitation for an introductory meeting, unless the answers give reason not to start working together (at the moment) (in which case we will of course let you know).
Mutual exploration of the task
During the first meeting, some of our team members will introduce themselves, explain how we work and why we follow careful procedures. Together, we will look at possible tasks and discuss possible obstacles there might be to being a network friend and see if there is a solution to them.
If, after this orientation meeting, a 'yes' is received from both the help-giver and us, we will make a home visit to talk about any remaining questions and to see if we can make a match with a help-giver/survivor. We also make some collaborative agreements, such as agreements around safety, support and commitment.
After this second appointment, you are (officially) a Friend of Esthers. We will discuss what your task will be as a network friend. Naturally, you can indicate your limits and preference for sub-tasks. We will remain involved and provide training where necessary and are always open to your questions.
Does it take a lot of time?
We are already happy if someone wants to host a survivor one weekend a month, for example, or be available by phone one evening a week if needed. We are also looking for a driver to take a survivor to a host family once a month. So there are all sorts of tasks that suit some and not so much others. As a network friend, you do not have to have hours/days of time for every task. We are happy to look for what suits you; prayer for survivors can also be a (part of your) task. Many hands make light work.
In short
So our introduction process is careful and takes time. In doing so, we ask a lot of openness from you as a person, but this is important because the survivor also needs to feel the space to be able to openly indicate what is needed to take further steps into the light.
Seeing the steps a survivor makes gives joy and hope. It enriches your life. Will you help build valuable lives?