Brno Corps: Korbel’s Legacy Continues

It’s Tuesday night at the Brno Corps, and Corps Officer Lt. Premek Kramerius leads the weekly Bible study…punctuated this evening by the sounds of clinking baby food jars and rustling jumbo packages of toilet paper coming from the back of the hall.

The cause? Local citizens–Czech good Samaritans–responding to the pleas of radio announcers and TV anchors to drop off donations of food, water, canned goods and clothing for The Salvation Army to take to flood ravaged Ostrava. Other churches in town even donated money.

It’s a new partnership for both the good people of Brno and the Czech Salvation Army. “The Salvation Army hasn’t done relief work here, because there are very few disasters of any kind,” explains Lt. Charity Kramerius. “This is a first for us.” You’d never know it by the piles of supplies that fill the back of the hall. “We’re so thankful for all of the support,” Charity says.

While that emergency has been a new experience for many, the assistance was simply a loving act of kindness from Salvationists who work and worship at the corps known to many as “the corps from which Brigadier Josef Korbel was arrested and sent to prison.”

The corps meets many needs: a second hand store provides badly needed clothing at an affordable price for those who cannot keep up with skyrocketing cost of living; a day care center is open five days a week to meet the needs of seniors over 60, with fellowship, a hot meal, and spiritual support available to all.

In addition, the corps supports a program initiated and led by a Senior soldier that provides gypsy youth with a children’s club on Saturdays–all the more remarkable because of the great prejudice by many against Gypsies.

Other programs include English lessons, youth programs, and a moms and toddlers class slated for the fall.