Who We Are | Won By One To Jamaica

Our History

Won By One To Jamaica was founded in 1989 by Henry Shaffer, who came to Jamaica to help with hurricane relief. He unequivocally states that God led him to the remote community of Harmons. Back in the early years, most people couldn’t have found Harmons if they had tried due to the nonexistence of passable roads. By simple word of mouth, and through friends joining him, Henry began to lead two groups per year to Harmons. Now WBOTJ welcomes over 800 volunteers from the United States each year. We believe that proximity provides the most lasting impact, so all of our volunteers live, eat, and sleep within the community they came to serve. The ministry desires to consistently show Jamaicans and Americans, through words and actions, that they are loved and that they have worth and value as ones who bear the image of God.

Statement of Faith

We believe in the one true God who lives eternally in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
He created, sustains, rules, judges and redeems the people of the world made in His image yet corrupted by sin.
Through divine inspiration, the written word of God, both the Old and New Testament,
gives us a fully trustworthy account for faith and conduct.
Jesus Christ, who was incarnated and born of the Virgin Mary, lived a truly human life, yet without sin.
His atoning sacrifice of dying on the cross in our place reconciled us with God and defeated evil.
Only by God’s grace, through faith in Jesus Christ, can we as sinners, be justified.
The Holy Spirit leads us to repentance and unites us with Christ through new birth.
The church, the entire body of all believers, is given life and gifts by the Spirit to worship God, proclaim the Gospel,
and promote justice and love until the personal and visible return of Jesus Christ
when all people will be raised to judgment and a new heaven and new earth will be established.

Core Values

Helping Those in Need – Take a Mission

Trip to Harmons, Jamaica

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news.” Isaiah 52:7

Won By One To Jamaica exists to glorify God and make disciples by empowering lives. For more than
three decades we have offered short-term mission trips where you can plant the seeds of the gospel
through education, medical assistance, building houses, and building relationships with the people of
Harmons, Jamaica. The ministry desires to consistently show Jamaicans and Americans, through words
and actions, that they are loved and they have worth and value as ones who bear the image of God.

What Do We Do?

Our mission is to make disciples by empowering the lives of the people in Harmons through home
building, education, medical assistance and economic development. Our goal is to empower them so
they cannot only take care of themselves and their families but also of those around them, as well as
grow in their Faith. During a week in Harmons, we have multiple serving opportunities:

● House Construction
● House Repairs
● Refurbishing Projects
● School Service
● Reading Pals (one-on-one reading with with Primary School students)
● Faith Walks (guided by a local Jamaican, small groups will walk in the community and have the
opportunity to meet people, pray for them, share with them and also learn from them.
● Medical Assistance (on specified trips)

Take a Mission Trip to Harmons with Won by One to Jamaica

Join us for a week-long trip where you will get to eat, sleep and serve within the community of Harmons,
build lifelong relationships and enjoy a local destination excursion. Won By One To Jamaica Staff
coordinates each trip so that Group Leaders have the opportunity to serve alongside their Team.

Get in touch with our trip coordinator to learn more about our mission trips, or to book one.

Love to be involved in our work but can’t join us?

While we love to have you with us on the ground, we understand that not everyone is able to do so. We
have a couple other ways you can partner with us:

1. Prayerfully: we covet your prayers! To find specific ways to pray, visit our ministry page.
2. Financially: with a one time gift, recurring monthly support or through school sponsorship.

Why Take a Mission Trip to Harmons?

Harmons is a small, under-resourced community in the Manchester region of Jamaica where two out of
every three people are under-employed. Won By One To Jamaica strives to help bridge this gap by
employing locals when teams are present, educational assistance and support, as well investing in
economic development through home building, training and resources. Won By One To Jamaica
acknowledges that education is essential in breaking the cycle of poverty and our School Sponsors play a
huge role in our effort to achieve this- as do team members investing in reading and school assistance
while in Harmons.

Partner with us as we serve God and love others!

Visit us online or Call us at 866-376-9289 to learn more or join us on a Mission Trip.

Image Credits
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash