Today we’d like to introduce you to Linda Reichart.
Hi Linda, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Sister of Grace Ministry originated from a calling from God placed on the heart of the founder and
Executive Director of Sisters of Grace, and herself, a domestic abuse survivor.
Linda Reichart’s experience of abuse was physical, emotional, and sexual. Little or no resources were
available in the 1970’s, and therefore she suffered alone. She was eventually able to escape her abuser.
Linda says: “I realize now that I carried not just the hurt but also the trauma that was only healed through
many years of slow redemption and restoration provided by Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior.”
Linda’s path took her on a journey to offer care for women, first through prison ministry, and then as a
Stephen Minister, providing one-on-one Christ-centered emotional and spiritual care to individuals
experiencing a life crisis.
A pastor at Linda’s church, knowing her backstory, began referring women who were suffering from
domestic abuse to Linda. As Linda became more aware of the large numbers of women in this suffering,
she realized the need for help was far greater than what she alone could provide.
Sisters of Grace Ministry was formed in January 2022 to provide more help for more suffering women by
providing trained volunteers to come alongside hurting women. The Board of Directors was formed, and
documents were filed to become a 501(c)(3) organization.
The first activity and program of Sisters of Grace Ministry was to walk one-on-one with women
experiencing domestic abuse of any kind, whether physical, verbal, emotional, sexual, financial, spiritual,
digital, or a combination of any of the forms mentioned.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
In the beginning (and ongoing), one of the first challenges was finding qualified volunteers with the compassion to work with hurting women. As we talk about our ministry, we continually invite those who have compassionate hearts who want to serve to contact us.
The next challenge was to train them so they could know how to walk with these women. Because my husband and I had received and taught Stephen Ministry training, we saw the similarities in the necessary skills. A 30-hour training program was developed. This training continues to evolve.
As we began to speak to and minister to hurting women, we saw the need to assist some to escape their current situation when their stay became unsafe. That meant being able to provide short-term emergency shelter and, often, some of the bare necessities, like clothing and hygiene items. Some of these women had children, too. The need for funding was and continues to be a challenge and, at times, an obstacle. Our desire is also be able to provide some funds to help pay for legal fees, as almost always these women have little or no money.
Making connections with other resources, including shelters, food pantries, free clinics, attorneys, etc., has and continues to be a priority so that we can partner with them to meet our clients’ needs.
The same challenges persist, but we have been able to secure funding from individuals, businesses, and churches to offer limited assistance. Our goal for these women is to help them become self-sufficient through our emergency assistance and to partner with other organizations.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am the founder and executive director of a non-profit ministry called Sisters of Grace Ministry. I lead a team of women who are compassionate about helping women through a journey of domestic violence. This topic of abuse in itself is not an easy topic to talk about, much less serve a woman who is enduring abuse.
My passion comes from understanding too well what it feels like to be on the other side. Most of the responses were not too helpful and sometimes hurtful when I went through domestic abuse. I am very proud that today domestic abuse is taken more seriously than in my days. I am proud of the women who walk alongside me in this ministry—the difficulty of understanding the circumstances of women and children when they suffer silently without support.
What sets me apart is the drive and determination to ensure no woman has to go through this alone. Helping them understand they have a voice and there is hope for themselves and their children.
What makes you happy?
What makes me happy is being with my husband today, not my abuser. I remarried 15 years after my abuse to a wonderful man and have been married for 30 years. What I hold precious is simply holding hands with him, being together, traveling when we can, and cooking together, as simple as that. My husband was diagnosed with multiple myeloma cancer in 2023. It was a very difficult time for me with the thought that I could possibly lose him, but after his stem cell transplant, he is doing much better. I love watching Hallmark shows together and holding hands. I know that may sound corny, but it is the simplest things we sometimes take for granted that I want to cherish and hold close to my heart.
Pricing:
- All services are free
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sistersofgraceministry.com
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sistersofgraceministry/
Image Credits
Picture of artwork created by Erin Sparks
