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Setting lives free
His Ministries about rebuilding, transforming
people
His Ministries about rebuilding, transforming
people
Tidbit
His Ministries is located at 407 Wood Ave E in Big Stone Gap, Va.
24219. Contact Shirley Smith at hisministries@verizon.net for more
information.
By Tonya Whitaker
The Pew
In Big Stone Gap, Va., His Ministries is making a difference to help
men, women and children battling the effects of alcoholism and drug
addiction.
For the past 14 years, His Ministries has provided programs and
services for the prevention and intervention of substance abuse, said
Shirley Smith, president of the organization.
“His Ministries has always been a journey through faith for me. In
faith, I hope and pray that each individual will live and come to know
that a living Savior, Jesus Christ can set them free as I have come to
know this,” said the South Carolina native.
The organization, she said, combines counseling, referrals, activities
for prevention, education and training, along with emotional and
spiritual mentoring to combat substance abuse in the Big Stone Gap
community.
The beginnings of His Ministries date back to 1993 when Shirley and
her husband, Paul, who died in 2004, moved to Big Stone Gap, Va.,
believing that God had something for them to do.
“Even then, we had decided that whatever the ministry, we would
name it His Ministries because we believed He is our provider. Soon
after our move, I began a Bible study with neighboring children. Later,
we began to notice an addiction problem throughout our community
and the surrounding area.”
In 1996, His Ministries was founded after the concern of those with
addictions with no known knowledge of where help is to be found.
Shirley Smith said the ministry began the first referral service in their
serving area and began assisting local agencies with referrals for their
clients.
The children of the Bible study group were incorporated into a weekly
prevention program and its first working youth group. Growth came at
a fast pace for His Ministries. She said they outgrew two rental
buildings because of the number of children attending the weekly
program. In 1999, a larger building was purchased to provide a teen
center for area youths. The teen center later became The Edge Music
Venue: Music on a Mission.
The venue, under the direction of Shirley Smith’s son, David, provides
free concerts for area youth. Bands from all over the U.S. perform for
the young audience. On a weekly basis, Shirley Smith said more than
30 to 100 youth attend the event.
Another of the multiple programs His Ministries monitors is a 12-week
substance abuse program for those incarcerated that was created in
2005. In this capacity, Shirley Smith is able to utilize her certification
as a substance abuse counselor.
Success stories bring meaning to the ministry programs Shirley
Smith creates.
“One Sunday afternoon, I was at McDonald’s when a beautiful young
lady walked up to my booth and thanked me for giving the classes in
the jail. I did not recognize her. She was with her daughter and said
she had been clean for a year and has her family back with her. She
said the classes I taught in the jail, while she was incarcerated were
what helped her to stay clean after returning home. “
Based on Shirley Smith’s vision of a student training program, she
expanded the idea to include a thrift store that is designed to give
students training in small business skills, internet marketing and
assisting needy families through outreach projects.
At the end of the day, Shirley Smith realizes her role in the Kingdom.
“When people give me thanks, I am reminded that I cannot do
anything apart from God. He is the one who makes His Ministries
possible. I am His servant. I do what I do because of the love He has
for me. His love for me gives me the compassion to help others.”
His Ministries is located at 407 Wood Ave E in Big Stone Gap, Va.
24219. Contact Shirley Smith at hisministries@verizon.net for more
information.
By Tonya Whitaker
The Pew
In Big Stone Gap, Va., His Ministries is making a difference to help
men, women and children battling the effects of alcoholism and drug
addiction.
For the past 14 years, His Ministries has provided programs and
services for the prevention and intervention of substance abuse, said
Shirley Smith, president of the organization.
“His Ministries has always been a journey through faith for me. In
faith, I hope and pray that each individual will live and come to know
that a living Savior, Jesus Christ can set them free as I have come to
know this,” said the South Carolina native.
The organization, she said, combines counseling, referrals, activities
for prevention, education and training, along with emotional and
spiritual mentoring to combat substance abuse in the Big Stone Gap
community.
The beginnings of His Ministries date back to 1993 when Shirley and
her husband, Paul, who died in 2004, moved to Big Stone Gap, Va.,
believing that God had something for them to do.
“Even then, we had decided that whatever the ministry, we would
name it His Ministries because we believed He is our provider. Soon
after our move, I began a Bible study with neighboring children. Later,
we began to notice an addiction problem throughout our community
and the surrounding area.”
In 1996, His Ministries was founded after the concern of those with
addictions with no known knowledge of where help is to be found.
Shirley Smith said the ministry began the first referral service in their
serving area and began assisting local agencies with referrals for their
clients.
The children of the Bible study group were incorporated into a weekly
prevention program and its first working youth group. Growth came at
a fast pace for His Ministries. She said they outgrew two rental
buildings because of the number of children attending the weekly
program. In 1999, a larger building was purchased to provide a teen
center for area youths. The teen center later became The Edge Music
Venue: Music on a Mission.
The venue, under the direction of Shirley Smith’s son, David, provides
free concerts for area youth. Bands from all over the U.S. perform for
the young audience. On a weekly basis, Shirley Smith said more than
30 to 100 youth attend the event.
Another of the multiple programs His Ministries monitors is a 12-week
substance abuse program for those incarcerated that was created in
2005. In this capacity, Shirley Smith is able to utilize her certification
as a substance abuse counselor.
Success stories bring meaning to the ministry programs Shirley
Smith creates.
“One Sunday afternoon, I was at McDonald’s when a beautiful young
lady walked up to my booth and thanked me for giving the classes in
the jail. I did not recognize her. She was with her daughter and said
she had been clean for a year and has her family back with her. She
said the classes I taught in the jail, while she was incarcerated were
what helped her to stay clean after returning home. “
Based on Shirley Smith’s vision of a student training program, she
expanded the idea to include a thrift store that is designed to give
students training in small business skills, internet marketing and
assisting needy families through outreach projects.
At the end of the day, Shirley Smith realizes her role in the Kingdom.
“When people give me thanks, I am reminded that I cannot do
anything apart from God. He is the one who makes His Ministries
possible. I am His servant. I do what I do because of the love He has
for me. His love for me gives me the compassion to help others.”
Courtesy photo
His Ministries workers and volunteers from Stark, Fla., take part in building a thrift
store at the nonprofit's headquarters in Big Stone Gap, Va. The organization,
founder Shirley Smith said, combines counseling, referrals, activities for prevention,
education and training, along with emotional and spiritual mentoring to combat
substance abuse in the Big Stone Gap community.
His Ministries workers and volunteers from Stark, Fla., take part in building a thrift
store at the nonprofit's headquarters in Big Stone Gap, Va. The organization,
founder Shirley Smith said, combines counseling, referrals, activities for prevention,
education and training, along with emotional and spiritual mentoring to combat
substance abuse in the Big Stone Gap community.
