2025 Annual Report

A Single Drop Creates a Ripple

When you share the love of Jesus with others, there is a ripple effect that can change the lives of families, communities, and beyond.

A Message From Leadership

On behalf of everyone at For the Widow Ministries, we want to express our deepest gratitude for your committed support and generosity throughout this year. As we reflect on 2024, we are humbled and inspired by the profound impact your time, resources, and prayers have made in the lives of the widows, families, and communities we serve.

This year, we have seen lives transformed because of the grace of God and the kindness and dedication of people like you. Your donations have enabled us to provide vital assistance to widows facing unimaginable challenges. We’ve been able to extend our reach, grow our programs, and deliver services that meet the real needs of those who are grieving and rebuilding their lives. You have helped to create a community where these women can find hope, healing, and a renewed sense of purpose through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

As we enter a new year, we are excited about the continued work ahead, knowing that with His direction and your partnership, we will be able to reach even more widows in need of God’s love and care.

Thank you once again for your incredible support. We could not do this important work without you, and we are truly blessed to have you as part of the For the Widow Ministries family.

With heartfelt thanks and blessings,
Meredith and Peter Chase

What Do We Do?

Our mission is to honor Jesus Christ and spread the Gospel through serving, providing for, and making disciples of widows in need.

At For the Widow Ministries, we envision a world where every widow is not only supported but empowered to thrive. Our comprehensive approach combines practical assistance with personal development, all rooted in the message of Christ’s love. Our Gospel-centered focus is designed to help the women in our program navigate the challenges of widowhood, discover a renewed sense of purpose and joy through Jesus Christ, and to share that joy with others, creating a ripple effect of God’s love.

Our widows and Communities

For the Widow Ministries provides essential aid to widows in the Dominican Republic by addressing their immediate physical needs while also sharing the love of God with them and their community.

widows
0

with more coming in 2025!

In-Home Visits & Prayer

We visit each widow monthly for fellowship and prayer. Food is provided to each widow that will last them roughly 30 days. Photos are taken and a report is completed after each home visit to address prayer requests and specific needs.

Evangelism & Bible Study

The eternal salvation of a widow is our top priority. We regularly share the Good News of the Gospel with each widow in our program, as well as coordinate group bible study with other women in similar circumstances to study God’s word together.

Home Repair & Basic Needs

Many of our widows live in less than ideal circumstances. We identify home repair and basic needs in each widow’s home and coordinate projects with ministry volunteers and/or local contractors to address those needs and improve living conditions.

Featured Widow

Impact Story: Jungara

As we bring new widows into the program, we work to identify the skills and interests of each woman so we can help them build toward self-sufficiency. Jungara is an amazing example of a widow who desires to be an entrepreneur and find purpose outside of widowhood.

Jungara’s husband was an animal farmer and they were partners in both life and business, as they worked together selling goat’s milk. However, her world took a challenging turn when her husband tragically passed away due to a heart attack, resulting in the loss of their joint business.

From the first time we met her, it was obvious that she was a woman of determination and resilience. She expressed her desire to regain her financial independence and support her family by returning to work by selling coal/kindling or operating a small stand to sell juice, a popular trade in the Dominican Republic.

Recently, Jungara’s received a new refrigerator/freezer through the ministry. In an incredible example of her ingenuity and resilient spirit, she is using her freezer to make and sell ice to people in her community. On our recent trip, we saw her make a sale, and she showed us her process for making the bags of ice. She is an entrepreneur at heart and is making a profit on her new business.

EVANGELISM

Sharing the Gospel is at the core of everything we do at For the Widow.

It is the pebble that starts the Ripple!

The primary goal of For the Widow Ministries is to ensure that all of the widows, as well as their families and the community at large, find eternal salvation through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Our program director, Miqueas, makes monthly visits to the widows in their individual communities to provide regular Bible studies, sing worship songs, and discuss the difficulties they are facing in their lives. When our mission teams visit, we conduct larger-scale Bible studies for the community, VBS for the children, and spend one-on-one time with each widow to share the Gospel.

Through this intentional focus on the salvation that can only be only found through Jesus Christ, our desire is to see lives changed, relationships healed, and a community come together to support the widows and each other.

individuals
0

have put their faith in Jesus (including 4 of our widows)

women
0

reached through local Bible study and fellowship

children
0

reached with the Gospel through Summer Bible study

MISSION TRIPS

We believe that the best way to be a part of this ministry is to go on a trip and see everything firsthand. Pictures and videos are great, but when you meet the people, experience their culture, and see how God works in their life and yours while you are there, you become a changed person.

mission trips
0
families represented
0

September 2023 - 6 participants

This trip served as a “kick-off” for the ministry, as it consisted of our entire Board of Directors and was our first trip as For the Widow Ministries. During the week, we visited 5 communities and spent 29 hours visiting and assessing the first 10 widows that would become a part of our program. Along the way, we delivered 425 pounds of rice and beans to the various communities and shared the Gospel with 45 people.

This trip was also a great opportunity to test out our process of international travel as an organization and laid the foundation for future trips.

March 2024 - 8 participants

Our March trip served as our first “official” trip with a team that is not part of the FtW Organization. This trip was incredibly special as it included eight women, five of whom are widows themselves, serving the widows of the DR. It was a beautiful picture of everything we hoped this ministry would be.

During this trip, we visited four communities and spent 30 hours visiting the 10 widows in our program. We provided over 50 dresses, 100 dental kits, 75 pairs of reading glasses, and 400 pounds of rice and beans. We were also able to provide chairs, a stove and propane tank, a bed frame and mattress, and mosquito nets, among other items.

July 2024 - 9 participants

The July trip to visit our widows was such an incredible experience for our team! It included a mix of younger and older participants which allowed us to reach the communities we serve in some unique ways. The ages ranged from 15-74…what a blessing!

While the adults led a Bible Study for the widows and other women of the community, the teenagers served the kids with Bible stories, songs, crafts, and a lesson on salvation through Jesus. We were also able to visit each of our 13 widows individually.

During this trip, 117 women attended Bible study in 3 communities, 370 children attended VBS, we distributed 120 Bibles and gift bags, spent over 25 hours visiting 13 widows, and saw one of our widows give her life to Jesus.

The Team

One of the best parts of serving in this ministry is how much of a family the US and DR teams have become. We serve together as members of the body of Christ and truly love each individual who is a part of our team.

The For the Widow team is made up of two groups, one based in the US and one based in the Dominican Republic. Our US team is led by Executive Director Meredith Chase and supported by a group of board members that includes Peter Chase – Board President; Shelbi Garcia – Treasurer; Christine Chase – Secretary, Beth Childs, and Stacey Stanford. The US team raises funds for the organization, recruits new mission partners, and makes critical decisions on how and where the funds raised are used.

Our Dominican Republic team is led by Program Director Miqueas Julian and supported by members of his family and church. Miqueas identifies potential widows for the program, and once they are brought in, he visits them regularly to provide food, check on their health and living situation, and share the Gospel. The rest of the DR team assists Miqueas with these visits and then supports our US travel teams while they are on the ground serving the widows. This support includes translating, driving, cooking, and housekeeping.

team members
0

have been hired part-time in the DR

team members
0

volunteer in the US

OUR Partners

Church partnerships are vital to our success as a ministry.

It is through these partnerships that we receive essential support, make new connections with people interested in being a part of the ministry, and are able to expand our reach. We are always seeking new church partners who believe in our mission and desire to be a part of what is happening in the lives of widows around the world.

First Baptist Midlothian Midlothian, TX

The Way Church Ridgeland, MS

Summit Lake Community Church Mancos, CO

Highland Colony Baptist Church Madison, MS

FINANCES

Revenue vs Expenses

Program Expenses

Sources of Revenue

Revenue Categories

HOW CAN YOU get involved in 2025?

For the Widow Ministries relies on the generosity of donors and church partners to carry out its mission. Your support can make a profound difference in the lives of widows.

  • Sponsor:

    The key to this ministry’s success are the supporters who choose to sponsor an individual widow. When you sponsor a widow, you commit to a regular monthly donation of $100 that will provide food, home repairs, regular visits, and Bible study materials for her.

  • Give:

    Your financial contributions help us fund essential services, support programs, and outreach efforts. Every gift, big or small, has a direct impact on the lives we serve.

  • Pray:

    For the Widow is a ministry based on Faith. While we believe in the importance of intentional planning, financial prudence, and wise choices, we also trust that the Lord is leading this ministry. That is why prayer partners are an essential part of supporting For the Widow.

  • Go:

    We believe that the best way to be a part of this ministry is to go on a trip and see everything firsthand. Pictures and videos are great, but when you meet the people, experience their culture, and see how God works in their lives and yours while you are there, you become a changed person.

  • Share:

    Share our mission within your community and encourage others to get involved. Awareness and advocacy are powerful tools for expanding our reach and support. Follow and share our social media posts, and talk to your Church, small group, and friends about what we do! {form to sign up for our monthly newsletter}

  • Partner:

    Churches and organizations can join forces with us to extend our reach. Through joint events, volunteer efforts, and collaborative projects, we can amplify our impact.

Carry each other’s burdens,

and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
– Galatians 6:2