A Miracle Unfolds in Amsterdam

Shirley and I spent some time in Amsterdam back in the late 1980's. The YWAM base is right at the edge of the "red light" district. We prayed for that city and for those ladies a lot (as many many others did). What wonderful news it is to hear of the following news. May God's love and the prayers of His Saints continue to make a difference in that city!!

For His Glory,
Joe


Courtesy of BCN (BreakingChristianNews.com)

Aimee Herd (February 19, 2008)

"Mayor Cohen…stated publicly that the legalization of prostitution in Holland seven years ago simply had failed..."

(Amsterdam, Holland)—Those who know the Bible will be familiar with the verse, "…with God all things are possible." In fact it is found written similarly in every one of the four Gospels. But Believers in Holland may be starting to really grasp that concept, perhaps more than they ever have, as they witness an amazing answer to long-term prayer unfolding in Amsterdam.

Reporting for Youth With A Mission (YWAM) in Europe, Jeff Fountain describes a sudden turnaround by Amsterdam Mayor Job Cohen, who is pushing through a plan to clean up the city's notorious "Red Light District." Cohen aims at closing down brothels and their trademark windows, replacing them with "fashionable stores, galleries, cafes, offices and inner-city housing." (Photo: Wikipedia)

Says Fountain, "Mayor Cohen…stated publicly that the legalization of prostitution in Holland seven years ago simply had failed. Instead of giving the authorities greater control over the industry, it had actually created more demand, and therefore more incentive for criminal networks to traffic women from Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Latin America and Africa as sex-workers."

He added that the miraculous news follows decades of prayer over the area by Christian missionaries and ministries such as the Salvation Army and YWAM.

Naturally, there are those opposed to the clean up, however, Mayor Cohen's deputy noted in a Newsweek article, "When Rudy Giuliani started to clean up Times Square in the mid-'90s, some people were warning that no one would ever again want to come to New York City. But as far as I know, it has had record tourist numbers each year since."

Fountain concludes his report by asking, "So where will the window ladies go to as business closes down? Most will probably be moved on to other European cities, while others not yet lured into the trade may be spared the hell of sex-slavery. We can only pray that Antwerp, Hamburg and other urban centers soon follow Amsterdam's dramatic lead."

Read the full article at the link provided.

Source: Jeff Fountain – YWAM Europe