Growing up in the home of Salvation Army officers, I have seen our Community Care Ministries (CCM) lived out every day. It’s a part of my parents’ calling from God; it’s part of their mission. They were charged, in addition to being ordained pastors, to care for the needs of suffering humanity. Because of their training and direction, this ministry naturally became part of me too.
CCM has taught me about missions—not world missions, but those in my own backyard. Every summer my youth group went to minister in the trailer park up the street or the forgotten little park on the wrong side of town. We began to build relationships with people in those neighborhoods by running a Vacation Bible School for the children, and getting to know the families and understanding their needs. We often invited them to the corps (local Salvation Army church). Eventually, they became our friends, part of “our community.”
CCM has also taught me about not just respecting my elders but also caring for them. As a young girl, I would go with my parents to nursing homes, where we would give out gifts and talk with residents. It was astounding to me how showing compassion can change someone’s attitude.
In high school, we visited a nursing home once a week. We brought games, books, nail polish, and model car sets, and we sat for hours visiting, sharing, and learning from amazing people. We soaked up their wisdom, listened to their stories. In turn, we also shared about ourselves and witnessed to many. For some, we realized, that encounter might be their last chance to hear the Gospel.
CCM has helped me see the need to embrace those who give us our sense of community and our freedom. While attending university, I began volunteering with the Marion, Ind., Corps at a local veterans’ hospital. We would share in activities and lead worship, but more important, we brought smiling faces and listening ears. Those men and women taught me about self–denial and true sacrifice. What I was able to give back to them seemed small in comparison to what they gave to me and to our country.
When I moved to the Chicago area after college, an opportunity to work with CCM on an administrative level at the Salvation Army’s Central Territorial Headquarters came up. As I looked at other positions in the area and reviewed my passions, the choice was clear: This job was a fit for me. Although it entailed working with CCM in a different capacity—pushing papers, creating promotional material, and making phone calls—the heart of the mission was still the same. It continued to fulfill the need in my heart to care for people.
Whether we clean up a neighbor’s house after a flood, help an elderly person get to the doctor, lead worship at a local veterans’ hospital, or promote community caring on a broader scale, we can make a difference. Through our compassionate service, we can be witnesses. The needs in our communities are endless; so are the opportunities to show God’s love—even in our own backyard.
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