Hope in Every Step
How Beaufort’s Widows Are Finding Healing, Purpose, and Each Other
story by ANNE BLANCHETTE photos by SUSAN DELOACH
“Sometimes life is so hard you can only do the next thing. Whatever that is — just do the next thing. God will meet you there.”
— Elisabeth Elliot
This powerful quote comes from a woman who knew suffering intimately. Elisabeth Elliot lived these words during her darkest days as a widow, and her testimony continues to resonate with countless women who have walked through similar valleys heartbroken, devastated, and feeling deeply alone. Yet Scripture reveals God’s tender heart toward widows and calls us — not merely to sympathize — but to act. In Beaufort, two groups have emerged from this very place of sorrow, formed by women, Vonna Allen and Carmen Marflak, who chose to do “the next thing.” For them, that next step was gathering with others who shared their grief, creating spaces of comfort, connection, and hope. Their message is clear: You are not alone.
Vonna Allen has called Beaufort home since 1968, when she moved with her family, who was serving in the military. Known affectionately as the “Tea Lady,” she first opened the Tea Room in historic Port Royal with a heartfelt mission: to bring people together over tea and meaningful conversation. Years later, that same passion was rekindled, but this time, through the sorrow of widowhood. In her darkest hour, Vonna found the strength to do what Elisabeth Elliot once encouraged: the “next thing.”
After a brief season in Oklahoma, she began hosting tea gatherings again, and it was there that a dear friend — also a widow — reached out, longing to share her grief with someone who understood. In that moment of shared heartache, Vonna discovered a new calling. What began as comforting one friend over tea blossomed into a ministry. Her friend continues to host Widow’s Tea gatherings in Oklahoma, while Vonna carries on the mission in Beaufort. In a true redemptive turn, Vonna remarried after 17 years of being a widow — a testament to the healing and restoration that can follow faithful steps. Today, at Praise Assembly, her group meets monthly, offering widows a place of comfort, connection, and yes — tea. It’s a sacred space where sorrow is met with warmth, and healing begins one sip at a time.
Praise Assembly, Vonna’s home church, has been a faithful advocate and care partner in the ministry of Widow’s Tea. Pastor Jamie Gardner, who has since passed away, and his wife, Kim, were among the earliest supporters of the gatherings, standing alongside Vonna in her vision to create a nurturing space for widows. Kim offered her heart generously to these women, never imagining that she would one day walk the same path of loss. Now, as a widow herself, Kim continues to do the “next thing” — walking beside these women not only in fellowship, but in shared understanding. She now serves alongside Vonna in hosting Widow’s Tea and has also been led to begin her own ministry, Hope Beyond Scars. Kim brings more than tea to the table; she brings compassion, shared stories, and the quiet strength of someone who has discovered God’s next step in the midst of sorrow.
Carmen Marflak has called Beaufort home since 1988, faithfully serving as an anesthetist at Beaufort Memorial Hospital. From childhood, her deepest desire was to live on mission for the Lord — and that is precisely what she has done. Though the path wasn’t always as she envisioned, Carmen’s unwavering faith led her to trust each step as divinely guided. Over the course of her life, she has completed more than 70 mission trips, using her medical skills and compassionate heart to serve those in need. Carmen puts it this way, “I was able to serve using my skills as a nurse anesthetist to share the love and word of Christ to those who have never heard the name of Jesus, while providing anesthesia for mission hospitals, teaching the National Anesthesia providers to provide safe and compassionate care.” Her childhood dream became a reality, but it was through personal heartbreak, the loss of her beloved husband, that Carmen discovered a new and unexpected mission field: widowhood. Even in grief, she did not hesitate to take the next faithful step, fueled by her enduring passion for serving. As she continued her work abroad, Carmen recognized that serving others was not only healing for herself, but also a powerful way to unite women walking a similar path. Out of this vision, she formed a group in Beaufort called Warm Wise Witty Women — a community of widows who gather for fellowship, Bible study, field trips, and service opportunities. What began in public spaces back in 2021 with seven widows has now expanded to sixty-three widows from all over Beaufort County. They now gather in homes for community service and Bible studies, and at churches, including regular gatherings at Cross Community Church, where Carmen continues to lead with grace and purpose.
Among the Warm Wise Witty Women is Kelly Marcy, who became a widow over seven years ago. She describes those early days of grief as “like standing on an iceberg, with no real solid ground to stand on.” That sense of isolation slowly gave way to healing as Kelly leaned into her faith and found comfort in the reminders of God’s promises — especially through the Bible studies led by Carmen Marflak. Though she’s unable to attend every event, Kelly treasures the spiritual depth of the studies and the joy found in shared laughter during Game Nights. Another cherished member is Jeanette McGee, who has been part of the group since its inception. Jeanette now serves as a Shepherd, a role that allows her to nurture close connections among the women as the group continues to grow. Her ministry includes checking in, offering rides, sharing encouragement, and extending her gentle spirit to those around her. These are just two of the many women who make up the heart of the Warm Wise Witty Women. Though each came through the door carrying the weight of loss, they have found their next step in the embrace of community — a place where sorrow is met with strength and healing unfolds one relationship at a time.
These two remarkable women, Vonna and Carmen, have united their groups not only for Widow’s Tea but also for a special shared gathering known as Anna’s Meal — a heartfelt event that brings widows together in fellowship, reflection, and hope. The inspiration for this gathering comes from the prophetess Anna, whose story in Luke 2 offers a powerful example of faithfulness in the face of loss. Widowed at a young age, Anna did not retreat into despair; instead, she devoted her life to worship, prayer, and service in the temple. Her steadfastness was rewarded with a sacred moment: She saw the Messiah with her own eyes.
Anna’s story is a powerful reminder that God sees the brokenhearted and honors those who remain faithful in sorrow. Like Anna, many of the women in Beaufort have found themselves in the unthinkable place of widowhood — carrying broken hearts and the heavy weight of loneliness. Yet God, who is near to the brokenhearted, does not leave them there. He gently calls them to take just one more step with Him. Anna’s Meal is more than a shared table — it is a living testimony of that next step.
Through laughter, tears, Scripture, and conversation, these women find comfort in one another and strength in the presence of God. The communities led by Vonna and Carmen are radiant proof that God has not abandoned these women. On the contrary, He has surrounded them with love, renewed purpose, and the kind of joy that blooms even in the soil of sorrow.
Every step, whether the first or the next, is taken in trust. For these women, widowhood brought unimaginable heartache, but they’ve come to understand that healing isn’t about “moving on;” it’s about faithfully taking one step at a time. Vonna and Carmen have shown that those steps are never taken alone. They are guided by the loving hand of God and walked out in the companionship of a community that truly understands the sorrow of losing a husband. Through their lives and leadership, these women have become living proof that God is faithful to comfort, restore, and care for the widow — through a community where grace flows, purpose is renewed, and hope takes root in even the most tender places.
