Testimony
Robert Mitchell
Darnell Nixon received grace from both a judge and Christ on his way to being the man of God he is today.
He spent his time in prison finding God. Now 61, he is the founder and leader of the basketball program at the Manhattan Citadel, a Salvation Army corps in Harlem, N.Y.
Warren L. Maye
"I have learned how to listen for the voice of God and say ‘yes’ to the Holy Spirit. That is what’s been leading me on this journey,” said Paul A. Jordan, a former firefighter and Emergency Disaster Services employee for The Salvation Army in Pennsylvania. “I never thought that I’d end up in prison, but I am here. But while I’m here, I’m hearing the voice and reading the word of God.”
Warren L. Maye
Sterling C. Green Jr. is one of several concierges who graciously help guests find their way around the sprawling Hershey Lodge, part of Chocolatetown and Hersheypark in Hershey, Pa.
Robert Mitchell
Hundreds of asylees from various countries in Africa are showing up in Portland, but the housing market is tight and there are few prospects for work. The Salvation Army officers here make it clear to the press that they are not interested in discussing the “how” or “why” of the situation. They are simply focused on helping people through the love of Christ.
Hugo Bravo
"My body has been broken, through addiction and other ways. I have committed crimes and lost years in jail. The book of Revelation would call me “lukewarm water,” only good for being spat out. If I had been alive 100 years ago, I would have been one of the guys in town who had ruined his life, was shunned from society, and not allowed to enter any church. You would have seen me on the steps of The Salvation Army, calling out to William Booth for help."
Hugo Bravo
BY CINDY WALTON, as told to Hugo Bravo
"There’s a phrase that says, “Boys: Less drama than girls, but harder to keep alive.” Ben Walton, my son, has proved those words to be right all his life. When my son was growing up, he was always that boy who was somehow getting hurt. So, when I got a call last July that something had happened to him while he was out bike riding, my first thought was, “Of course it did.”
Robert Mitchell
“I am not supposed to be here. When I woke up, even though it was a stressful situation, I remember being at peace and having this sense that God was with me,” Correa recalls. “From that moment on, I have been on a journey towards better health. It was a rude awakening and I think God used that to bring me closer to His presence.”
Robert Mitchell
In 2019, The Salvation Army Old Orchard Beach Camp Meetings were in full swing, but Benji Sawyer was drunk again. He was so intoxicated, police told him that, if he got back on his bike he would be arrested.
Warren L. Maye
Grace Vandecruze immigrated to the United States from Guyana, South America; endured homelessness; and became a successful entrepreneur. Today, she is an author, motivational speaker, and strategic advisor to more than $25 billion of transactions in the insurance industry.
Hugo Bravo
For Harold D’Souza, the opportunity to come to the United States from his home country of India was like being awarded a ticket to heaven. “In 2003, when I told my friends and family that I would be going to the U.S., they said I was going to swarg, or paradise. They called me God’s chosen,” says Harold.
Robert Mitchell
Massood still tears up when he recounts last year’s harrowing struggle to get his family out of Afghanistan and into the United States. “It is very emotional to leave your home country,” he says with profound sadness. Massood worked with U.S. and Afghan military forces in his homeland, which made him a prime target of the murderous Taliban.
Robert Mitchell
It’s not uncommon to see Honesty and Brittin teach in the after–school program, pass out free coats, or volunteer in the soup kitchen at The Salvation Army in Oil City, Pa. “The Pathway of Hope program helped to get me and my sister new beds,” says 18–year–old Brittin, a senior at Oil City Senior High School. “They also gave us winterwear. They helped my parents when we didn’t have enough money for the mortgage. We’re grateful.”
Robert Mitchell
Michael Vandenburgh likes to say he “belongs” at the Salvation Army’s Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC) in Providence, R.I. Someone recently challenged Michael and said he probably has just grown comfortable at The Salvation Army facility. But he was having none of it. “No,” Michael said. “I love being at The Salvation Army. I’m where I belong—among God’s people where all of us put our trust in Christ and grow.”
Thrift Store Finds
Hugo Bravo
Every purchase you make at a Salvation Army thrift store helps fund local Adult Rehabilitation Centers, where people who are struggling from a variety of social and spiritual problems can find help and hope.
Hugo Bravo
Looking to decorate the walls of your home, dorm room, or rental space? Your local Salvation Army thrift store is a great place to start. You can find unique and interesting paintings, artwork, photography, and framed posters for a fraction of the cost you’d pay at art galleries or antique stores.
Warren L. Maye
Ideas on a Deadline: How to Be Creative When the Clock is Ticking, is written by Dr. Phil Cooke, a renown Christian media entrepreneur. This is his 10th book, another informative and inspiring piece. In it, Cooke writes, “This book is about how to raise your game when it comes to meeting those deadlines, without losing any of your creativity—or sanity—in the process.”
