Motivation

Jorine Steen, a Dutch woman who has lived in Romania since 2009, started with outreaching in a province in Transylvania, in October 2015. In her own words:

 ‘During my first years in Romania I worked for an educational program with Romany children (also called Gypsies). Part of my work was leading an all-girls group, with whom we held sessions to discuss topics like relationships, identity, and sexuality. In this work I became closely connected with the local Romany community and built relationships with these girls.

Many of them marry at an early age. Then one day two friends married two boys from the same family within the same week. They moved in with this family and we were no longer able to have contact with them by phone. We suspected that this family intended to use them for prostitution. A long road followed to remove the girls from the situation. My eyes were opened to the vulnerability of these girls, who grow up in an environment with a low social-economic status.

It sparked a passion in me, to be there for those who are forced to prostitute themselves. After  years of praying for them, God confirmed that under His guidance I can devote myself to them.’