By Meredith Chase, Director of For the Widow Ministries
The July trip to visit our widows was such an incredible experience for our team! Before, during, and after a delay in our plans due to Hurricane Beryl, God blessed the trip in so many ways. We had an awesome mix of younger and older participants which allowed us to reach the communities we serve in some unique ways.
The group consisted of several members of our leadership team, including founders Meredith and Peter Chase, who were able to bring their daughters Audrey and Kaleigh; and Board Member Shelbi Garcia, who brought her daughter Alyssa. In addition, friend of the ministry Barbara Seeds made her second visit to the island, and 2 other teenagers were able to participate in their first trip. All told, the ages ranged from 15-74…what a blessing!
Because of our group, we were able to serve a much larger part of the population. 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.
The trip got off to an inauspicious start as our flight from Miami to Santo Domingo was canceled 10 minutes after we sat down at our gate due to the impending storm. We ended up staying in Miami for a little over 30 hours, but even through that delay we were able to grow closer as a team while meeting new friends of the ministry that would not have been possible without that delay. God is always at work!
After finally reaching the mission house at 3 AM two days after scheduled, everyone on the team showed real resiliency by getting a quick “nap” and being up and ready to get to work at 8 AM. We could feel God’s hand on this trip from beginning to end and we saw real impact throughout the week.
The Impact:
- 6 days of sharing the love of Jesus with the people of the Dominican Republic
- 4 communities visited
- 1 new widow putting her faith in Jesus
- 117 women attended Bible study in 3 communities
- 370 children attended VBS in 3 communities
- 25+ hours spent visiting our 13 widows
- 120 Bibles and gift bags distributed
- New needs identified and ready to be met!
The Greatest Gift:
As a ministry, we strive to meet as many needs as possible for the widows God has put in our care. This includes food, house repairs, and medical help along with other needs as they arise. However, the ultimate goal for this program is to see every widow receive the free gift of eternal salvation through Jesus Christ. Our Program Director in the DR, Miqueas Julian, works tirelessly to meet with each of our widows throughout the month to share the Gospel and help lead them to recognizing their need for Jesus. What an incredible blessing it was to be able to be present with Nosilia as she put her faith in Jesus during one of our visits.
After Bible Study in Mena Arriba, we were sitting inside of her house and asked her about the Bible Study. She told us it was very good and that she appreciated it. Meredith asked her if she had been thinking any more about her own relationship with Jesus and putting her faith in him. She told us that a dream she had really affected her and that after hearing the word again in the Bible Study she knew she needed to make that decision…AND SHE DID!! In a matter of seconds, Nosilia’s eternal destiny was changed right there in her little living room. Praise the Lord!
The Mission Team's Impressions:
Barbara Seeds
“As we are driving away from Barahona to the Santo Domingo airport, I am once again trying to hold back my tears. Like my first trip in March, I am sad to leave all the people I have come to love so quickly. We met three new widows, and it is deeply emotional for me to visit with them, as well as the widows I met in March. Though they live in such impoverished circumstances, I can see the glimmer of hope in their eyes, even gladness & joy. They know they are not forgotten and that God sees them and loves them. It is a precious time with each widow as we sit, lingering unhurriedly, in her home or under the trees in her yard. Sometimes enjoying fresh coconut juice from a coconut tree or mangoes from a tree. Such a treat for us and a joy for them to see how we love these fresh foods.
One of the highlights was having five high school teens join this trip. To see them engage with the children was heartwarming, and I loved their enthusiasm, energy and sincerity. On my first trip in March, there were 8 women, five of us were widows. Before we left, I found myself wishing this trip could be similar. But, I quickly realized I wouldn’t want it to be similar. Having them with us was as rich and deep an experience as the first trip. I know the Lord is preparing each of them and has plans to use each one to bring many into His kingdom. For Jesus is building His church and this field is ripe for harvest. How blessed it is to labor together with them in this field this past week.”
Katie Parker
“I have loved serving on the For the Widow mission! Getting to know and be a part of this family has been a highlight of my year! The Dominican Republic is a perfect place to be with the Lord, and without the intrusion or distraction of technology. Just you, your brothers and sisters in Christ, and your mission field! It was such a blessing to see all the widows. To have the opportunity to talk, and build a relationship with them was so impactful. I will cherish every moment I had on this trip, and I can’t wait to go again!”
Shelbi Garcia
“This was my 2nd time on a mission trip with For The Widow and to my surprise I couldn’t imagine loving these people and this mission any more than I already did but alas it’s true. This trip was so incredibly special to my heart. I fell in love with each and every person I met on this trip and grew more in love with the work we do! Meeting the newest widows in our program and facilitating Bible study and VBS filled my heart to the brim!
Being with the community and serving alongside the others I came with made me realize what a BIG God we serve.
One of the greatest highlights for me was watching the teens that came with us interact with the children in each community! They all spoke the same language of love and play! Many times on this trip, I would pause and take in the moments watching the teens and children interact. The pure joy on each of their faces will be etched in my memory forever. I can’t wait to go back.”
Alyssa Garcia
“This was my first time going on a mission trip and I loved it. Getting to meet all the kids and just seeing how friendly and loving they were was truly amazing. They would just walk right up to us and instantly become friends. Before this trip I felt my passion for the Lord start to burn out, but seeing how some of these widows lived and still had a heart for God I was immediately lit back up again. Getting to witness their unwavering faith was truly inspiring. Planting seeds of the Lord’s love in each of the kids’ hearts fills my heart with so much joy. I have finally found a place that I feel complete in and can call home. I cannot wait to go back and see all of my friends again!”
Cole Cuellar
“What I loved most about this trip was getting to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the people of the Dominican Republic. From the family we served with to the widows and children that we spent each day with, it was amazing to get to know so many great people. The whole experience was eye-opening and it was a great opportunity to grow in my faith and live out the Great Commission Jesus gave us.”
Kaleigh Chase
“This trip was one of the best trips I’ve ever been on. It really reminds you not to take things for granted and to be grateful for what you have. These kids and women didn’t have much, but that didn’t stop them from having big smiles on their faces and worshiping God. they were just happy to be there, and they didn’t need a bunch of stuff to be happy and learn about the Lord.
One of my favorite parts was hearing the widows stories and hearing how much their lives had changed and that even though they’ve been through a lot they still put their trust in God. i also really loved the worship, even though i couldn’t understand what half of it said, it still felt so powerful and amazing. My other favorite thing was hanging out with the kids and getting to teach them about Jesus. They loved all the stories and songs and it was so amazing to see. I will be going on this trip as many times as I can because it was that amazing. I think this is a trip that anyone would 100% love and you can learn so much no matter what age you are.”
Audrey Chase
“This trip was absolutely AMAZING. Getting to see all of the widows and children is a feeling I will never get tired of. I loved getting to know everyone on the team and truly becoming a part of their family. One of my favorite parts of the week was getting to lead the bible study part of our VBS, getting to bring something that I love (theatre) into the trip and seeing how much the kids enjoyed it made my heart so happy. I also just loved getting to spend time with all of the people on our team and their families. We grew such a close relationship over this past week that it was almost impossible to leave them. I genuinely think every person should go on this trip because God moves in the most fantastic ways. Everyone can bring something to the table and be used by God, even if it’s not what they’d expect or see themselves doing. I loved this trip so much and can’t wait to go back!”
Peter Chase, Co-Founder and Board President
“Love God, love people. The Great Commandment. What a wonderful opportunity to do both on this trip. It is so amazing to see the Lord continue to work through this ministry. From the people who decided to go with us, to the ministry friends made while stranded in Miami, and of course the incredibly meaningful and special time with the widows and people in the community, It was obvious that His hand was on every part of this trip.
Looking for purpose? Feeling like God is far away? Want to do something to help others but don’t know what? Go be his hands and feet by serving those who need to know the same salvation you’ve found! You will never feel more purpose, you will never feel closer to Him, and you will see so many ways you can help. Each trip with For the Widow is special, and each one is an opportunity to love God and love people.”
Meredith Chase, Co-Founder and Executive Director
“I love Barahona, Dominican Republic for so many reasons but the number one reason I love it so much is the people … Our team, the widows, the children … everyone! The people here are so kind, loving, giving, and joyful. Even though I have the honor of coming here 3 times a year I can’t help but to cry every time I have to leave. It’s like I am leaving a part of me behind each time I get on the bus to go back home. This trip was extra special because my husband and two girls were able to join me. Seeing my girls develop tight bonds with all the people I love was such a blessing and fills my heart with joy!!
The moment I will never forget is when we were sitting in Nosilia’s living room and she told us she wanted to put her faith in Jesus! I have not personally experienced one of our widows making this decision but the happiness, excitement, and relief I felt in that moment is hard to describe in words. I desire so badly for all of our widows to know Jesus in a deep, personal way because life with him is everything! Also, when you serve widows who are older there is always the reality that you may not see them again this side of heaven (it has happened 3 times now in the past 6 years) or have another opportunity to share God’s love with them. Knowing that Nosilia’s eternity is secure gives me a hope and peace that can only come from God!”
Miqueas Julian, Program Director
“Sometimes we have the expectation of something but it is overcome because it happens better than you can imagine.
A great team was with us during this week and I cannot say anything other than it was a week of great experience and a great blessing to see God’s work, especially because one of the widows put her faith in Jesus. Showing the love of God is our mission and our duty, and that includes sharing his love with women and children and teaching them the word of God to help lead the next generation to him.
We were sharing with our widows spiritual, emotional and physical affairs, always with the aim of doing what the Word of God tells us. The love of God is what the world needs. Sharing the word of God with women from different communities was a great blessing as we had more than 150 women, 400 children, and especially our 13 widows was great. I am grateful to God for those blessings.”
Ready to join us for a trip?
Our next For the Widow Ministries mission trip to Barahona, Dominican Republic will be November 30 – December 7. We already have a great group of people signed up to participate and we would love for you to join us! Learn more about this great opportunity and sign up today.
Stay tuned for our 2025 Mission Trip dates coming in September!
