I was recently added to Gleaning the Harvest a ministry oriented site helping you to minister to the needs of widowed and single home school moms.

WHY GLEANING THE HARVEST?

Through different events over the past several years, we have become burdened for our dear friends who are living without a husband or father for their children, either through divorce, bad choices or widowhood and still keeping to the Titus 2 admonition to remain a Keeper at Home and home school Mom. We have also felt a burden for those who wish they could stay home and home school but see no way to do so.
In Spring of 2008 we were very saddened to find a post on a blog that the dear husband and father of some of our friends had been tragically killed in an accident. This loving husband and father, grandfather, Believer, friend to many, had been taken away by a drunk driver. It was heart-breaking.
In addition to the unbearable pain this family was experiencing missing this wonderful father and provider, my friend, who is in her fifties, still had two daughters at home to care for, a home to pay for and the desire to keep her home, home school and train her daughters to be keepers at home, and be a Grandmother. She did not want to send her daughters out to the workforce, but rather, she desired to start a home business and stay home.
We had the opportunity to meet them and visit with them in the summer of 2008, and at that time, she asked if we could think of anything that they could do to earn money to live as Yah- God desired them to. We promised to do anything we could to support them and help them if we could. They continued to see his hand and the community of Believers pull together to help them.
We have felt for some time that it is the Body’s responsibility as much as we are able to help these moms financially, physically, and by encouragement, remain in the home, continuing to keep their home and train their children up as a home school mom. We understand that sometimes the burden is so great that moms must go out and get a job, but, as a wife and mom who is staying home, following what we believe to be Yah’s plan for women, we asked ourselves why it should be different for a single mom. Why can’t we lessen the burden?
In searching Scripture, we found that Yah’s people are to take up for the fatherless, the widow, and the stranger. (Deuteronomy 24) Though there are several classifications for widow, we do believe we are to help these moms – these children- and save them from a life without mom at home and them in the public school system. Many times, that is the only option these moms see.
There are also single mothers who home school their children and desire to bring them up in the Scriptures, keeping them home to school, teaching them the ways of life as she walks with them and talks with them. It isn’t that they don’t want to work for what they have or get, it is that they desire to keep their children home and keep their home, working in their homes, training their children.
Many young moms, single and married, honestly have not been taught how to do this.
In addition, the world does not agree with that philosophy. It is said to be so much easier to get a job and put your children into the government schools rather than stay home with your children, no matter what situation you are in, single or married.
Some single moms desire to bring their children home from the government schools and see no way of doing that. As a wife and mother, I am so thankful for a husband who works to support his family, allowing me to stay home with our children. I desire for other moms without that opportunity but the same desire to be able to do so. I agree with Scripture that it is where a woman lives best – in her home, caring for her husband and/or her children.
Since buying the domain and setting up this site, even before its release to the public, we have seen several more families who have become widowed or fatherless families where the mother desires to stay home, keeping her home, training her children up in the Scriptures, keeping them home to home school. This is not a rare thing, and it is not too much for us to support them in any way we can.
We have also learned the importance that Yah placed on his people to remember and care for the widows and fatherless and strangers. It is very important for us, his people, to keep this in our hearts. The Scriptures speak of nations who forsake their widows and fatherless as those who are not doing as they should.
Real-Life Support
For some families, there will be a great need of support and for others, there may be only some small things they need, such as home school resources or just advertising for their home businesses. We also expect there to be one time needs for some families, but we hope to be there for any of these needs as we are able and the Believers support them.
Even a few dollars sent will be abundant when Yah multiplies it to his people. A caring word on this website to say you are praying for these moms means a great deal to them. It is not too much for anyone to give.
We invite you to catch the vision that we have here at Gleaning the Harvest to fulfill what James calls “pure religion”.
James 1:27
“The religious observance that God the Father considers pure and faultless is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being contaminated by the world. ”