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by Captain Robert L. Rudd –
For years The Salvation Army has provided winter ac-commodations for the homeless in a London city center, which is no longer available. Therefore an unused part of International Headquarters is operating as a cold weather shelter. The whole area has been sealed off so that those using the shelter will not have access to the rest of the building. The project, aided by funding from the government’s Rough Sleepers Initiative, is providing beds for up to 24 men during the coldest four months of the year.
CONCERT OF PRAYER
The Day of Renewal kicked off the nine weeks of the Concert of Prayer series at the San Francisco Turk Street Central Corps. The center of the chapel was set up in the shape of a large cross, and all were invited to come and pray, and sign a new covenant recommitting themselves to God and keeping prayer as their first priority.
“We see this as the beginning of a real growth time for our corps and its soldiers and friends,” said Major Neil Timpson, corps officer. “We are praying for growth in numbers, but more than that we are praying for the spiritual growth of each and every member and friend of the corps.” Week two will see a survey of how to become more committed to the corps.
DANIELSON COMPLETES DEGREE
Congratulations to Captain Doug Danielson, now serving in Costa Rica, who has received his Master’s of Arts degree in Missiology from Fuller Theological Seminary.
SPREADING CHEER
The Belvedere Gardens (Los Angeles) Corps reaches out with an after school program each Wednesday. Donations from a private company provided presents for the children at Christmas. Lt. Oscar Juracan, corps officer, tells us that League of Mercy members have an outreach to a nearby nursing home. Members worked very hard getting warm blankets ready for the patients, who were quite pleased with them.
ARMY RESPONDS
An earthquake has hit the Yunnan Province of the People’s Republic of China. The Salvation Army has a number of community projects in Yunnan and a project office in Kunming is almost at the province’s center.
Envoy Simon Wong, our Public Relations Director in Hong Kong, reported that relief officials from the Army arrived on the same day the disaster occurred to assess needs.
Yao’an County, a poor area, was badly affected. A recent flood had left residents vulnerable to cold and hunger. Warm clothes, food and tents are desperately needed.
The Salvation Army plans to deliver 2,000 sleeping bags, cotton quilts and more than 1,000 warm coats to Yunnan. There are also plans to purchase rice in the province to provide food.
