Listen to this article
Salvation Army youth worldwide participate in I’ll Fight Day.
I’ll Fight Day—an International Salvation Army youth servant evangelism day that originated in the Central Territory—takes place across the world on the first Saturday in December. It’s a way to share the gospel through practical acts of kindness: giving out free hot chocolate, returning shopping carts or cleaning up at a mall food court. These acts are done “in Jesus’ name” for the purpose of sharing God’s love in a way that leads others to ask “Why are you doing this?” This event is a local initiative allowing youth to decide how to serve others in the community. The opportunities are endless for young Salvationists to show the love of Christ in practical ways and help identify the kingdom of God right where they live.
Many corps across the West went into their community on December 4, 2010, serving in a variety of ways. Douglas Hammit reports that Sacramento Citadel Corps offered free face painting at the Elk Grove Old Town Christmas Night shopping event. They painted 39 faces in just two hours.
Bay Communities Corps Officer Captain Sabrina Tumey shared that the corps cadets rang bells in Waldport, Oregon for three hours, singing Christmas carols the whole time. Tumey said, “The kids did really well! We sang through the Carolers’ Favorites forwards and backwards.”
The Whittier Corps, according to corps member Cynthia Garcia, joined the Santa Fe Springs Corps and a team of cadets for servant evangelism at Walmart in Pico, Calif. They pushed carts, picked up trash, handed out flyers for upcoming events, and helped people load shopping bags in their cars.
Regina Verdugo from Chico, Calif., reported that their corps cadets and Sunbeams organized a warming center, where they gave out soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. After dark they distributed sandwiches and coffee to the homeless on the streets. Several of the young people also rang bells at the red kettles to raise money for the Christmas efforts.
While I’ll Fight Day is an organized event held every December, Salvationists can look for ways to reach out in their communities every day, practicing practical acts of kindness and love.
