Esther House: New Hope For Women
You’ve probably seen the Peoria Rescue Ministries building on Adams Street; or perhaps you saw the organization’s television spots during the holiday season. Either way, you’re no doubt familiar with the name, but you may not be familiar with the agency’s five outreach and residential programs-and its newest program for women, The Esther House, currently in development.
The Umbrella of PRM
Rev. Jerry Trecek, executive director of Peoria Rescue Ministries (PRM), has been with the Christian-based organization for 35 years. PRM was organized in 1955 by Helen Durdle, Florence Holzchuh, and area business leaders and pastors, he said. "The object of the Rescue Mission is to conduct a nondenominational mission to aid, assist, and care for destitute men; to furnish a temporary home and job placement for them; and to contribute to their uplifting by preaching the Gospel and affording them opportunities for mental, moral, and spiritual advancement. Provisions include warm beds, hot showers, nutritious meals, clean clothes, chapel services, Bible studies, and individualized support."
Another PRM endeavor, Women’s Pregnancy Center, was established to counsel pregnant women who are deciding whether to carry a pregnancy to term. "In connection with this function, the corporation distributes pregnancy test kits, trains volunteers to act as counselors, maintains telephone and office counseling facilities, and assists pregnant women in obtaining support services," Trecek said.
Services include sonography, pre-natal support and decision making, abstinence information, support for those who have terminated a pregnancy, positive parenting classes and mentoring, resource library information, baby and maternity clothing, baby food, furniture, legal and financial assistance, and birth coaches.
Victory Acres, at 9015 McCullough Road, is a facility where men commit to a three-month program designed to teach them to live spiritually and to develop basic life skills needed to rejoin society, Trecek said. "Away from the snares of city life, these men are able to reflect upon life’s priorities in an atmosphere of peace and security. There’s encouragement for spiritual, physical, and mental development."
Since many issues stem from problems with familial and personal relationships, Trecek said the Barnabas Center was established to provide Bible-based counseling. "Clients who are mentally, emotionally, and spiritually discouraged can openly share their fears, hurts, and difficulties. Counseling services deal with pre-marriage and marriage counseling, family and parenting issues for all ages, and business and interpersonal relationships."
Since 1989, the Riga Bible Institute in Riga, Latvia, has been a sister ministry to PRM. "The purpose of the ministry is to reach people in the former U.S.S.R. and to train nationals to proclaim the gospel," Trecek said. "The ministry includes feeding street children, providing services for the needy and elderly, providing medical services as supplies allow, evangelism in the streets and prisons, military ministries, radio broadcasts, and a Bible Institute to train national pastors."
With the exception of the products for sale in the agency’s thrift shop, the organization provides its services and goods at no charge.
Building a Better Way For Women in Need
New to the umbrella of services provided by PRM is Esther House, a proposed long-term residential program for women and women with children. "Currently, we’re in the process of making necessary structural changes, beginning the process of interviewing for employment and volunteer opportunities, and beginning the process of determining programming," Trecek said.
He said there’s no concrete date when the facility will begin to accept residents, but they’re hoping for a spring opening.
The mission of Esther House is to present the Bible as the way to spiritual and emotional wholeness and to assist residents in acquiring the educational and vocational skills necessary to become functioning members of society, Trecek said. "Any woman or woman with children will be welcome at Esther House if she embraces the mission as her goal. Each woman residing at Esther House will make an individual plan as to how she’ll move from where she is today to a measure of spiritual and emotional wholeness and a functioning member of society."
Though program development is still ongoing, Trecek said some areas will include Bible study, life skills, educational enhancement, job training and placement, domestic skills, dealing with specific life struggles from a Biblical perspective, and parenting training.
He said even with all of PRM’s other services, there was a need for Esther House because many women who access other programs struggle with juggling children, schooling, and/or a job. "Many of these women want a better life, but the pressures seem insurmountable. The Women’s Pregnancy Center also facilitates a program at Lincoln Correctional Center, and many of these women don’t want to fall back into old habits and lifestyles. The Esther House will provide a safe, yet challenging, environment to ensure these women have the opportunity to function well in society."
Many existing programs offer recovery, which Trecek said is certainly necessary and is the first step to lifestyle changes. "However, many relapse after leaving the intensity of a recovery program because they return to the environment in which their struggles began. The Esther House will offer a safe place for these women to continue the process begun in their recovery program. Often in recovery programs, the participants are cloistered, with little opportunity to interact with the outside world. We desire to offer a continuum of the safety net as they begin integration back into society."
In his 35 years of work with PRM and its missions, Trecek said the best part has been seeing change in the lives of others. "The most challenging is seeing so many who are in need with so little time and resources to help so many. However, I’m reminded of the elderly gentlemen standing on the beach throwing sand dollars back into the ocean. A young man watched him for a while and then commented that there were too many for him to throw back into the ocean, so why did he bother? The older and wiser man smiled graciously and said, ’But it matters to the ones I’m able to throw back.’ We’re able to help some, and for those, we pray that what we do will make a huge difference in their lives now and for eternity." TPW
The Umbrella of PRM
Rev. Jerry Trecek, executive director of Peoria Rescue Ministries (PRM), has been with the Christian-based organization for 35 years. PRM was organized in 1955 by Helen Durdle, Florence Holzchuh, and area business leaders and pastors, he said. "The object of the Rescue Mission is to conduct a nondenominational mission to aid, assist, and care for destitute men; to furnish a temporary home and job placement for them; and to contribute to their uplifting by preaching the Gospel and affording them opportunities for mental, moral, and spiritual advancement. Provisions include warm beds, hot showers, nutritious meals, clean clothes, chapel services, Bible studies, and individualized support."
Another PRM endeavor, Women’s Pregnancy Center, was established to counsel pregnant women who are deciding whether to carry a pregnancy to term. "In connection with this function, the corporation distributes pregnancy test kits, trains volunteers to act as counselors, maintains telephone and office counseling facilities, and assists pregnant women in obtaining support services," Trecek said.
Services include sonography, pre-natal support and decision making, abstinence information, support for those who have terminated a pregnancy, positive parenting classes and mentoring, resource library information, baby and maternity clothing, baby food, furniture, legal and financial assistance, and birth coaches.
Victory Acres, at 9015 McCullough Road, is a facility where men commit to a three-month program designed to teach them to live spiritually and to develop basic life skills needed to rejoin society, Trecek said. "Away from the snares of city life, these men are able to reflect upon life’s priorities in an atmosphere of peace and security. There’s encouragement for spiritual, physical, and mental development."
Since many issues stem from problems with familial and personal relationships, Trecek said the Barnabas Center was established to provide Bible-based counseling. "Clients who are mentally, emotionally, and spiritually discouraged can openly share their fears, hurts, and difficulties. Counseling services deal with pre-marriage and marriage counseling, family and parenting issues for all ages, and business and interpersonal relationships."
Since 1989, the Riga Bible Institute in Riga, Latvia, has been a sister ministry to PRM. "The purpose of the ministry is to reach people in the former U.S.S.R. and to train nationals to proclaim the gospel," Trecek said. "The ministry includes feeding street children, providing services for the needy and elderly, providing medical services as supplies allow, evangelism in the streets and prisons, military ministries, radio broadcasts, and a Bible Institute to train national pastors."
With the exception of the products for sale in the agency’s thrift shop, the organization provides its services and goods at no charge.
Building a Better Way For Women in Need
New to the umbrella of services provided by PRM is Esther House, a proposed long-term residential program for women and women with children. "Currently, we’re in the process of making necessary structural changes, beginning the process of interviewing for employment and volunteer opportunities, and beginning the process of determining programming," Trecek said.
He said there’s no concrete date when the facility will begin to accept residents, but they’re hoping for a spring opening.
The mission of Esther House is to present the Bible as the way to spiritual and emotional wholeness and to assist residents in acquiring the educational and vocational skills necessary to become functioning members of society, Trecek said. "Any woman or woman with children will be welcome at Esther House if she embraces the mission as her goal. Each woman residing at Esther House will make an individual plan as to how she’ll move from where she is today to a measure of spiritual and emotional wholeness and a functioning member of society."
Though program development is still ongoing, Trecek said some areas will include Bible study, life skills, educational enhancement, job training and placement, domestic skills, dealing with specific life struggles from a Biblical perspective, and parenting training.
He said even with all of PRM’s other services, there was a need for Esther House because many women who access other programs struggle with juggling children, schooling, and/or a job. "Many of these women want a better life, but the pressures seem insurmountable. The Women’s Pregnancy Center also facilitates a program at Lincoln Correctional Center, and many of these women don’t want to fall back into old habits and lifestyles. The Esther House will provide a safe, yet challenging, environment to ensure these women have the opportunity to function well in society."
Many existing programs offer recovery, which Trecek said is certainly necessary and is the first step to lifestyle changes. "However, many relapse after leaving the intensity of a recovery program because they return to the environment in which their struggles began. The Esther House will offer a safe place for these women to continue the process begun in their recovery program. Often in recovery programs, the participants are cloistered, with little opportunity to interact with the outside world. We desire to offer a continuum of the safety net as they begin integration back into society."
In his 35 years of work with PRM and its missions, Trecek said the best part has been seeing change in the lives of others. "The most challenging is seeing so many who are in need with so little time and resources to help so many. However, I’m reminded of the elderly gentlemen standing on the beach throwing sand dollars back into the ocean. A young man watched him for a while and then commented that there were too many for him to throw back into the ocean, so why did he bother? The older and wiser man smiled graciously and said, ’But it matters to the ones I’m able to throw back.’ We’re able to help some, and for those, we pray that what we do will make a huge difference in their lives now and for eternity." TPW