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by Captain Charles Fowler –
The Kona Corps, Hawaii, recently enrolled the Big Island’s first Hispanic soldiers as Fransisca Zamudio and Rosa Maria Loeza joined the Army’s ranks.
Family members, friends, and people from the English-speaking congregation attended the ceremony in support of the new soldiers. Envoys George and Juliet Bordoy, Kona Corps ministry leaders, have been working for more than a year to develop a Hispanic ministry.
Rosa came to The Salvation Army through a Sunday school outreach program called Club 3:16. She came to the program to see if her children could become involved. Later, both women began attending a women’s ministry focus group that was geared towards Spanish-speaking women. They are very grateful to the Army for beginning ministries in their native language because such opportunities are very rare on the Big Island.
The enrollment service was supported by an English-speaking worship team who did their best to lead worship in Spanish. After conducting the enrollments, Envoy George Bordoy gave a message on “gratitude” using the story about the 10 lepers in Luke 17. He exhorted the audience to always be grateful to God for the work he has done in our lives.
As a result of the enrollment service a number of family members indicated a desire to become involved.