Sagle boy gets a kick out of helping others

SANDPOINT — A Sagle youth recently set aside his birthday wishes in favor of helping the less fortunate in the impoverished nation of Swaziland.

Brock Browning celebrated his 10th birthday on Jan. 15, but instead of asking for gifts, he encouraged his friends to bring soccer balls to the party so thathe could donate them to The Luke Commission, a Sagle-based humanitarian group which conducts medical and spiritual relief missions in the African country.

“I said I had enough stuff and I didn’t need anything else,” said Browning, a fourth grader at Sandpoint Christian School.

The idea took root last year, when he was able to scrounge up 16 soccer balls for The Luke Commission to distribute on its journeys through the remote Swaziland bush.

The commission’s founders, Dr. Harry VanderWal and his wife, Echo, sent back photos of the balls bouncing into the hands of villagers.

“I was just really happy that the kids were happy with them and enjoying them,” said Browning, who is the son of Steve and Sonja Browning.

As his birthday neared, Steve said his son decided to put a twist on the birthday tradition of receiving gifts.

“He said he wanted to do something different,” Steve Browning said.

Brock had already begun saving his money and the spare change that a buddy shared with him to purchase more soccer balls.

Between that and his birthday haul, his dad said he was able to purchase more than 70 balls and five pumps for the commission to distribute on its next mission.

Steve Browning said his son’s gesture has he and his wife beaming with pride.

“He seems just as excited to do this as he is getting presents on his own,” Steve Browning said. “He’s wanting to do it again next year.”