Stand in the Gap Ministries works with churches to form Kindred Spirits support groups for widows.

Kindred spirits is a term that describes people who share attitudes, beliefs, traits, and have become bonded, usually in a rather traumatic way. Stand in the Gap Ministries has Kindred Spirits groups for widows. Program Coordinator, Sister Mary Clare Buthod, says widows are kindred spirits that need great love, great understanding, and great affection. Buthod says they invite churches to find out from their congregation who might be interested in coming together to support widows. Buthod says, “We find out that when a widow first become a widow people bring food, attend services, visit, spend lots of time and love. But then they fade away. It’s later that the widow is devastated and she’s left with a house to fix, a car to run, with insurance and finances, and other things that perhaps her husband took care of for her.” Church members can help share the burdens of widows.

Stand in the Gap Ministries has a free program for churches to use for widows. Buthod encourages pastors and priests to contact Stand in the Gap to find out about starting a Kindred Spirits group in their church. Kindred Spirits are groups of widows that help each other work through the pain of grief and loss. Usually a Kindred Spirits group will meet for prayer and discussion every two weeks for about a year. Often times the bonds created form permanent friendships. Stand in the Gap Ministries phone number is 918-585-6112.

Widows can contact their church leadership about Kindred Spirits. Buthod says throughout the Old Testament scriptures emphasize helping widows. Also in the New Testament, believers are admonished to care for widows and orphans. Stand in the Gap’s Kindred Spirits program is a practical method to show how to care for widows.