Handi*Vangelism Ministries International (HVMI)

Handi*Vangelism Ministries International (HVMI) H*VMI exists to share the compassion of Christ by
walking alongside individuals facing life’s challenges
and equipping others to do the same.

Handi*Vangelism Ministries International, also known as H*VMI, provides support, programs, resources and training so the people we serve may be included as growing and serving members of the Body of Christ. Our ministries include:

DISABILITY:

* Discipleship - clubs and studies for people with disabilities of all ages living in rehab centers, residential facilities, nursing homes or the community

.

* Handi*Camp - for children, youth and adults with physical and/or intellectual disabilities.

* PIP - for parents of children with disabilities.

* Bible teaching resources and curriculum - for teaching individuals with intellectual disabilities. GRIEF:

* BASIS - for bereaved parents and their families.

* Support for people grieving over many types of losses such as the loss of a spouse, parents, siblings and other significant people; divorce; employment; health. TRAINING/EQUIPPING:

* for Individuals, the Church and the Community, locally and around the world, in areas such as disability; grief; mental health; abuse; divorce.

Day Camp 2026 - session 3 already!Our CHALLENGERS-3 session campers arrived this morning and will come today, tomorrow a...
06/08/2026

Day Camp 2026 - session 3 already!

Our CHALLENGERS-3 session campers arrived this morning and will come today, tomorrow and Wednesday (adults ages 21-35 with mild or moderate intellectual disability with or without a physical disability). Just 10 campers - 7 gals (Clara, Misty, Katheryn, Emily, Sara, Joycelyn; Kylie isn't here today but hopefully Tues and Wed) and 3 guys (Dustin, Ray; Jaden is a first-timer).

Counselors are Larry, Joyanna, Madeline, Lydia, Jacqueline, Rebekah, Andrea, Annabelle, Gloria, Kimberly and Chloe (her first session with us this summer). We continue having staffers coming and going as their schedules match with our needs. Dawn and Patti are Bible teachers (although Patti is a bit under the weather today, so Meghan will sub in for her; pray Patti can join us for Tues and Wed).

Keep praying for Tara as she teaches chapels in our "Ho-Ho-Ho Rodeo” theme - lessons focus on learning about HOpe, HOliness, and HOme with Jesus!

Thanks so much for your prayers as we continue serving the campers the Lord sends us each day of each session.

Day Camp 2026 continues with CHALLENGERS-2 session today through Saturday (adults ages 21+ with mild or moderate intelle...
06/04/2026

Day Camp 2026 continues with CHALLENGERS-2 session today through Saturday (adults ages 21+ with mild or moderate intellectual disability needing additional support for mobility and/or communication).

Our 14 campers are all veterans - just 3 gals (Jennifer, Laura, Rachel) and 11 guys (Caleb, Lon, Vince, Davin, Gary, Leif, Daniel, Todd, Josh, Dwight, Rico). Half of them are wheelchair users.

Some counselors are joining us for the first time this summer (Ruth, Bud, Larry, Devin, Joyanna) and others were with us for session 1 (Madeline, Lydia, Jacqueline, Rebekah, Annabelle). We'll have staffers coming and going as their schedules match with our needs. Dawn and Patti are Bible teachers. Shannon (Thurs/Fri) joins Leah and Jessie as our nursing team.

Check out some pics of some of our Country/Wild West theme scenes (campers can actually get to sit on the saddle for a photo op!). And here's a group photo from session 1 - lots of smiling faces!

Pray for chapels in our "Ho-Ho-Ho Rodeo” theme - lessons focus on learning about HOpe, HOliness, and HOme with Jesus!

Thanks for your prayers as we continue on with today's schedule and then the next two days. Weather is getting warmer so pray for staff and campers to be safe and well-hydrated.

Tara Kelley's latest "Step by Step" Prayer Letter and Ministry Update is newly posted on her missionary page of our webs...
06/04/2026

Tara Kelley's latest "Step by Step" Prayer Letter and Ministry Update is newly posted on her missionary page of our website (https://www.hvmi.org/tara-kelley) - use the link below her photo there to open and read it.

Can you tell our Day Camp 2026 theme is the Wild West? Check out the graphics on Tara's letter. Page 1, she recaps some impactss of Bible Clubs, Support Groups and Training that happened over the past program year. Page 2 shares details about Day Camp including the schedule, fun facts and items for prayer. She closes with some post-camp events on her calendar and a note about the resumption of construction later this summer - our next building to go up!

Today was the end of our first camp session - all three days went well and we look forward to starting session two tomorrow morning. Pray for Tara as she directs camp and teaches chapels daily through the first six sessions plus the three Explorer Days. Drop her a note to let he know you're praying for her ([email protected]). And thanks for your prayers for her and for every aspect of Day Camp 2026. YEE HAW!!

Hey, friends. Check out our recent BASIS RENEW newsletter email that was sent in the last week or so to email subscribe...
06/02/2026

Hey, friends. Check out our recent BASIS RENEW newsletter email that was sent in the last week or so to email subscribers (it was also mailed to over 400 bereaved parents/couples).
https://mailchi.mp/hvmi/summer-2026-renew

We hope you find comfort in the words written in this quarterly newsletter as well as in the resources we have to share.

We started a new month of BASIS Support Group meetings last night. The Lebanon group, led/hosted by volunteers Bob and Claudette, met and will take a summer hiatus until October. Tonight is the group meeting at Garden Spot Village, led/hosted by Dan, Phyllis and Nancy (7 pm). Next Tuesday is the Paradise group at Dan and Phyllis's home. Stay tuned for anotehr post about groups the rest of ht month in various locations. Thanks for praying for bereaved parents who are part of the groups and newly bereaved parents who may consider coming for the first time - not an easy thing to do for some. Pray each parent who attends may find comfort in the sharing, caring and devotional thoughts that are part of each group meeting. THANKS!

Day Camp 2026 has BEGUN!!We're jumping in with our largest session of the 11 sessions we will have - 15 campers arrived ...
06/01/2026

Day Camp 2026 has BEGUN!!

We're jumping in with our largest session of the 11 sessions we will have - 15 campers arrived this morning - 6 gals (1 first-timer - Sidney) and 9 guys (1 first-timer - Bobby). This is our CHALLENGERS-1 session (adults 35+ with mild or moderate intellectual disability and with or without a physical disability).

We're excited to welcome back two LONG-TIME campers to their first Day Camp session. Mark started camp in 1998 and Jon in 2004, but we haven't seen either of them since our last overnight camps in 2019. The other veteran campers are Ashley, Alyssa, Katelyn, Monica, Liz, Brooks, Kevin, Micah, Jeff, Lukas and Mitchel.

We have a good mix of veteran counselors (Lydia, Bill, Kaelie, Rebekah) and first-year counselors (Andrea, Gloria, Annabelle, Madeline, Jacqueline, Kimberly). Chris's new Activities Assistant is Brian. Leah's veteran nurse assistant is Jessie. Veteran Dawn is a Bible teacher. And the rest of our camp leadership team is in full swing along with other HVMI staffers pitching in as needed (Tara, Meghan, Lauren, Tim, Kathy, Kyle, Brian, Steve, Dan).

This year we have a Country/Wild West theme – with activities and Bible curriculum weaving that theme throughout each session. Our Bible lessons book is entitled “Ho-Ho-Ho Rodeo.” Lessons focus on learning about HOpe, HOliness, and HOme with Jesus! We’ll have some unique new activities as well as western twists on some of our favorite camp activities and electives.

Thanks for your prayers as we continue on with today's schedule and then the next two days. Weather is great and it's wonderful to be at CAMP!

STARTING VERY SOON - Staff Training weekend for Day Camp 2026. We're excited that God has provided the staffers we need...
05/29/2026

STARTING VERY SOON - Staff Training weekend for Day Camp 2026.

We're excited that God has provided the staffers we need so that all 122 campers who completed their applications will attend one of the 11 three-day sessions starting June 1 and ending July 15. God is GOOD!

Pray for this weekend - for good learning as sessions are presented - for good team building as staffers get to know each other and interact in hands-on training, activities, free times and meal times - and for God to prepare staffers spiritually for the roles they will serve in starting on Monday.

Thank the Lord for each veteran and new staffer and for the Camp Leadership Team members who will do the presenting throughout the weekend and then be leading and encouraging in all aspects of the Day Camp program.

Stay tuned for another post on Sunday evening or Monday morning as Challengers session 1 gets going to kick off our summer.

05/21/2026

One last BASIS Support Group meeting this week - our daytime group meeting here at our Akron office led/hosted by Dan and Phyllis Steinman.

Three meetings on Tuesday, one last evening in Delaware County (Rutledge, PA) and now today's meeting. Thanks for praying for the ministry of BASIS as these leaders and groups share the compassion of Christ with bereaved parents who attend.

TONIGHT - RIGHT NOW - Three BASIS Support Groups meeting in three different states.Tim, Kathy and Tara are leading/hosti...
05/19/2026

TONIGHT - RIGHT NOW - Three BASIS Support Groups meeting in three different states.

Tim, Kathy and Tara are leading/hosting the group at our Akron office.

Volunteers Alan and Ellen are leading/hosting the VIRTUAL group from their Rock Hill, SC home.

Volunteers Fran and Carol are leading/hosting the group at their Cape May, NJ home.

Pray for each person attending a group this evening - that all the sharing will be a blessing as each one continues on in their grief journeys.

THANKS for your prayers for these bereaved parents and this special HVMI grief ministry.

Handi*Camp Day Camp is starting TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY! I just changed our COVER PHOTO now that camp registration is no l...
05/18/2026

Handi*Camp Day Camp is starting TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY! I just changed our COVER PHOTO now that camp registration is no longer open. We are still processing the last of the arriving camper apps, conducting a few more new-camper interviews and finishing off the final staff apps that have just come in.

Lots of prep happening here in the office. We had our second good clean-up day on Saturday and volunteers helped get some more projects and cleaning and painting done to help us be ready for the start of camp.

We still have FOUR openings on our MEAL TRAIN for staff suppers at the end of each camp day. Check out the dates and maybe you can fill one or more of them: https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/geor1e

ALSO - check out our various WISH LISTS on our website including Amazon and Walmart: https://www.hvmi.org/wish-list Donating these items is a big help!

Keep praying for all the final details over the coming days before Staff Orientation begins on Friday evening May 29. THANKS SO MUCH!

Address

P O Box 122
Akron, PA
17501

Telephone

+17178594777

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Handi*Vangelism Ministries International (HVMI) posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share