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Ceremony held on Thanksgiving Sunday
by Stefanie Vrapi –
While busy preparing Thanksgiving meals for hundreds of hungry families, the Oakland Chinatown Corps also enrolled several new soldiers on their first Thanksgiving Sunday in the new corps building.
Nine new soldiers were enrolled—five teenagers and four seniors. All of the new enrollees came to know Christ through various community activities and Sunday worship provided to the Oakland Chinatown community.
“To our new soldiers, our church is not just a place to go to worship, it’s an open home in which they can come to see friends and be helpful at the same time,” said Major Grace Tse, Chinatown corps officer.
The teenage soldiers attended Chinatown’s after school program, youth councils, a Friday fellowship and summer day camp as campers and then again as trained leaders. It was through these activities and the guidance of the Major and other corps leaders that these young people learned about Christ and decided to accept him as personal Savior.
The senior soldiers attended weekly Bible study, Sunday worship and various other community outreach activities—volunteering for feeding programs, attending Christmas and Thanksgiving luncheons or by lending their voices to the choir.
“It is through these means that The Salvation Army impacts people’s lives. These nine people love The Salvation Army and what it does, not only for the community, but for themselves as individuals,” said Tse.
Because The Salvation Army touched the lives of these nine individuals they became members of the Army and part of its ministry. Tse said she hopes that others will follow as many more individuals and families come join our Army.