Coming next on The World and Everything in It : a story that you may want to come back to later if you have young children around. Lausanne, Switzerland sits on the shores of Lake Geneva. With the wind chill, the temperature is 17 degrees Fahrenheit. Lausanne has a long history of street prostitution. The Covid crisis has shown just how much of a sham the system is. Randewijk says vagueness around their legal status is convenient for the local government. You know? But so has been prostitution for ages.
It was always the last resort for a woman. Randewijk first reached out to the women in Lausanne after attending a seminar on showing compassion in your own city. She had no experience with this kind of ministry, but she knew God was calling her. She loaded up thermoses of coffee and hot chocolate and bags of snacks. Most of the women were receptive and happy to have someone to talk to.
Many say they are Christians and are grateful for prayers.. Out on the street tonight, the roller bag containing the thermoses echoes loudly from the warehouses in this part of town. At first volunteers wondered if they should carry the bag instead, to be quieter. Then they realized the women welcome the sound announcing their arrival. A group of young women appear and gratefully take steaming cups of tea. They accept the snacks and hats that friends of the ministry have crocheted for them.
When they dash off again, one stays behind. She says her name is Anna, and readily accepts when volunteer Olivier Raess asks to pray for her. Raess makes sure she knows about local assistance to help victims of human trafficking. They have a trailer set up in the next street. Women from different countries stick together: Romanian women on this corner, Bulgarians one street over, Africans further up the main street, and women from Latin America across the boulevard.
So that is the limit, that red thing. Across the street we meet Camille, who accepts the offer of a drink and conversation. She takes a yellow hat, then asks if she can have one for her daughter as well. She has three young children who stay with her mother in Romania.
