New Basketball Court Coming to St. Thomas!

“If there is basketball, I’ll be at camp every morning right on time… even early,” previous camper Jaquane said.

The one thing the kids at Seaside Adventure Camp love is basketball! The court is a place of competition, team building and a place where they can be a star!

“I love basketball! I am going to play in the NBA and help take care of my mom and sisters,” Jaquane explained. After his mom was diagnosed with cancer, Jaquane was determined to help provide for his mom and family needs. Right now, the 12-year-old cuts grass to help raise money to go to camp and help provide for his family. He and his sisters even share basketball shoes because they cannot buy two pairs.

Jaquane is currently saving up to buy a pair of Lebron’s, to help him prepare for the NBA.

Last year, the Sherwin family expressed interest in serving with Humbly I Serve (HIS) in a service project way. After discussion and seeing the needs for positive activities for kids the Sherwin and Lucas families signed up with Humbly I Serve to take on a much-needed basketball court project!

This court will be placed at Grace Baptist Church in the Fortuna community that HIS has been working in for five years.

Together, the families make the perfect team; the Sherwin’s have had experience in pouring concrete from previous missions trips and Ethan Lucas has worked multiple jobs in construction. They are excited to be able to use their past experiences to help expand the Humbly I Serve programs in St. Thomas!

This court will mean more than just fun for the kids. This project will enable Grace Baptist to have even more resources to reach out to kids throughout the year. Humbly I Serve is excited to offer sports outreach and youth ministry internships in conjunction with Grace Baptist Church starting this summer. These internships are in St. Thomas and last between six weeks to four months. Students will have the opportunity to make an impact in the lives of kids like Jaquane.

“We know Melinda personally and her heart for the kids of St. Thomas. This is something we want to be a part of. We want to impact the kids even though we can’t be there for camp,” Rene Sherwin said.

The team’s goal is to pour the concrete, paint the lines, and set up the hoops-all in one week! Youth outreach is one of Humbly I Serve’s focuses and since both families are involved in youth ministry here in the states, they understand the importance of impacting the younger generations.These families have captured the vision for long term relationship building and want to enable Humbly I Serve and Grace Baptist Church to make an even greater impact throughout the year.

“We love that HIS reaches people in a practical way to meet their spiritual needs,” Rene Sherwin said. “HIS has also made it easy to be a part of their organization and since we love what they do, we want to do anything we can to help spread the Gospel.”

The Sherwins and the Lucas’s leave June 8 for their week of impact! Pray for funding, supplies and safety as they prepare and go! This trip will give children in the Fortuna area the opportunity to be involved in sports, but they also spend time in a Christ centered environment.

If you would like to donate to the basketball court project, please click HERE. If you are interested in serving in St. Thomas long or short term, click HERE for our Caribbean Service Corps information.

HIS Vision Project Reaches Locals Through Sponsor Sight Program

Proper vision can be the deciding factor between a child getting a complete, healthy education or that same child missing out on everyday learning because s/he cannot see the board at the front of the room. The National Commission on Vision and Health states that “80 percent of learning occurs through the eyes” and “healthy eyes and vision are important to a child’s ability to succeed in school and later in life.”

Unfortunately, vision health has become a serious public health problem in the U.S. Not only are many children lacking proper eye care, but the concern for middle aged and aging adults is also rising. According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), 78 percent of aging adults are affected by vision loss. “The number of blind and visually impaired people is expected to double over the next 16 years,” Brenda Heinke Montecalvo, O.D., AOA Vision Rehabilitation Section Chair, said. It seems that, despite the continuous growth of science and technology, complications with vision are actually increasing. The issue is not going away.

However, it is not too late to create hope and be the change! The team at HIS Vision has been reaching local people with free eye examinations and glasses through the Sponsor Sight Program (SSP) since Fall 2012. SSP was created to help impoverished families in the Lynchburg Region 2000 area receive the needed eye care that they cannot afford.

Aneesa Crowley and her two sons of Madison Heights, VA is one of many families that has benefited greatly from the Sponsor Sight Program. Before having eyeglasses, Aneesa’s son, Avrett, had a difficult time seeing the board in class. “Every time the teacher would write something on the Smartboard, I always had to get up out of my seat and then walk up to the board to write it down.”  Avrett said. He was constantly squinting, tilting his head from side to side, leaning forward and straining to get a good look at what was written on the board. His education experience was suffering. Aneesa said her boys’ classroom experience improved greatly after SSP and their passion for reading was also revamped due to proper eye care.

“Their self-esteem had improved (and) being able to be a part of the classroom atmosphere as well as participating in class. They could respond to questions that were being asked or respond to something being read on the board. I’ve seen a big improvement with them, especially as far as grades … They enjoy reading, so it’s hard to read when you can’t see.” Aneesa said.

The benefits are endless.

Qualified single parents and children are able to accept examinations for free because of people like YOU. For only $30, you can sponsor someone in need of an examination and pair of glasses. You could be the change to help with a child’s education. You could be the change for a parent looking to provide for his/her child. Whatever the circumstance, there is an ever growing number of people in need, and Humbly I Serve is looking to reduce that number. Help us reach others with vision!

To see Aneesa’s full story, to apply for the program, or for more information about becoming a sponsor, check out our website HERE.

Camp Counselor Positions Still Needed for Seaside Adventure Camp

We need YOU to contribute to the work God is doing through Humbly I Serve in St. Thomas

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Are you looking for a new and exciting adventure this summer? Do you want to be a difference maker? We want you to partner with Humbly I Serve on our mission trip to Seaside Adventure Camp this summer and help bring needed change to the island of St. Thomas! Much work still needs to be done to point these people to Jesus every day; we must not only help through spiritual provision, but physical as well.

As one of the Virgin Islands (located in the Caribbean), St. Thomas is a beautiful, exotic, and breath-taking place to live. However, most of natives have never heard of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Many of the children are forced to bypass the normal pleasures of childhood in order to provide financially for their families. Rather than playing with their friends or doing homework, they spend their weeknights and weekends soliciting to strangers simply to help put dinner on the table.

For two weeks of the summer, Humbly I Serve’s project, HIS Kids, brings Seaside Adventure Camp to the shores of St. Thomas. We strive to bring uplifting activities to relieve children and teens from the pressures of life such as teen pregnancy, broken families, gang violence, drugs, and alcohol. Whether it’s working in the kitchen, playing kickball with the youngsters, leading Bible studies, or waking up just five minutes earlier every morning to pray for the thousands of lost souls, we need your help! Whatever your passions or skills, you will be able to use them to further the kingdom of God and show Christ to the people of St. Thomas.

If you are interested in being a camp counselor for Seaside Adventure Camp this June 18-July 5, you can check out our website for more information or to apply!

Create hope, be the change, join the movement.

Third Annual Golf Tournament

We are thrilled to announce HIS Vision’s Third Annual Golf Tournament, to take place September 26, 2014!

This is an exciting time for Humbly I Serve and the HIS Vision Project, as we embrace the local community, as well as our neighbors among the nations. All proceeds of this event will go towards providing eye care to those in need as a means for education and to eradicate poverty.

The tournament will take place at Ivy Hill Golf Course in Forest, VA. Tee time will be at 12:30 pm following lunch at 11:30 am. Cost is $75 per person, or $300 per team of four.

HIS Vision is a project of Humbly I Serve that is dedicated to helping children and young adults see a brighter future through eye examinations, medical treatment, and prescription glasses.

We can’t wait to see you there!

Help Local Children See a Brighter Future

The Sponsor Sight program is a unique opportunity that allows children who have no means of affording regular eye care the chance to do so by contributable donations and us working with our partner providers. Simply put, someone donates $30 to help a child in need, and this money gets partnered up with a child, who then receives care from the doctors we work alongside, and a child is able to see better.

This is a cheap alternative for those who can’t afford eye care for their children, and can also help prevent misdiagnosis of other problems such as ADD, when really the child has been struggling to see. This can lead to children receiving better education because they can see the board in class and be able to read properly.

This is just one easy, affordable way that we can all come together to help aid in our local Lynchburg community. Will you be part of the change?