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Who We Are

Widows Harvest Ministries is a Christian based non-profit service organization based in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Responding to the Biblical mandate in James 1:27 to visit the widow in their distress, we have been assisting widows in a number of areas (including home repairs) since 1987.

For widows in urban America the outlook can often be quite bleak. Government agencies as well as local churches are often limited in the types of assistance they are able to provide to help meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of widows in their particular area.

It is therefore the mission of Widows Harvest Ministries to:

plead the case of, provide assistance to, and promote the spiritual growth and ministry of widows.

Pleading the case of

Based on Isaiah 1:17, Widows Harvest Ministries strives to fulfill the Biblical mandate to "plead for the widow" in a variety of ways, including:

• newsletters
• speaking in churches
• conducting seminars
• short term mission trips
• volunteer recruitment
• raising mercy fund

Providing Assistance To

The widows with whom we most frequently work are:

• at least 60 years old
• feel lonely and abandoned
• endure multiple health problems
• live on fixed incomes of $450 a month or less
• own their own homes
• have been neglected by immediate or extended family
• live in high crime areas
• are prime targets for con artists

Based on James 1:27, Widows Harvest Ministries programs of assistance try to meet these very needs through: friendship and companionship; legal, financial, and personal counseling; assistance with utility and medical bills; transportation for groceries and doctor appointments; and home maintenance and repairs (plumbing, roofing, painting, electrical, lawn care, etc.).

Promoting the Spiritual Growth and Ministry of Widows

Weekly discipleship Bible studies are conducted at several locations around the city. These groups not only provide opportunities for widows to study the Bible, but also help break racial and cultural barriers. The widows are able to meet one another's needs through mutual encouragement and prayer. It is our ultimate desire to see the widows who attend these Bible studies disciple the growing number of younger widows (including single mothers).

It is our belief that widows play a crucial role in the life of the church and society through the ministry of prayer (I Timothy 5). We further believe that Anna the prophetess, who's life as a widow was spent in prayer and fasting (Luke 2), serves as an excellent Biblical role model for any widow who is seeking to answer God's call of a life devoted to prayer.

Since 1987, this ministry has sponsored a monthly widow's prayer luncheon. Widows from across the city have recognized this very vital calling on their lives and gather to pray for the unity of God's people in Chattanooga, many of the missionaries serving locally and abroad, and for God to raise up other widows prayer groups to help establish a national prayer network.

Who we consider to be a widow

Our definition for a widow is any woman that has been married and now finds herself in a "bereft" (meaning of the original Greek word for widow in I Timothy 5:5) situation because of the loss of her husband. There are virtually no limitations on age or circumstance. In other words, we respond to the needs of women of all ages whose husbands have either died, divorced them,abandoned them, or perhaps are in prison or in a nursing home.

The responsibility for the care of widows

I Timothy 5:4 states: but if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to practice piety in regard to their own family, and to make some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God And in verse 8: but if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those in his household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever. The household that is spoken of here would also include widowed mothers and grandmothers.

Even though the Bible uses some very harsh language about families not taking care of their widowed family members, we do not believe that a widow should be penalized because she has been neglected by her family. We do feel, however, that a family that is neglecting its widowed member should know how severely our heavenly father regards this.

Widows who qualify for assistance

Often we are asked by widows, "What do I have to do to qualify for help?" and "What do you charge for your services?" The answer to the first question is simply that you must be a widow, but the answer to the second is a little more involved. We never actually charge for any of our services. Because we are primarily a volunteer organization most of the work done on widow's homes is done by volunteers, and therefore the labor is free. Generally the only cost involved is the cost of materials. Even though we are usually able to pay less for most materials, there are still costs to us in all of the construction projects that we do.