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BY LORRAINE SIMON –
A crowd of 200 filled the Tucson South Corps chapel to watch as Auxiliary Captains Hector and Emma Orellana were promoted to the rank of full captain. Lt. Colonel Olin Hogan, Southwest divisional commander, presided over the ceremony.
The Orellanas have served in The Salvation Army for 18 years and are in-charge of the ministry and programs of the Tucson South Corps, which reaches out to the Hispanic population.
They moved to the U.S. from Guatemala in 1983, and began their journey with the Army when they joined the Hollywood, Calif., Corps. Feeling God’s call into the ministry, they worked as volunteers at the Santa Fe Corps, soon becoming envoys. They next became auxiliary captains. Now, five years later, they have taken another step in their spiritual journey by being commissioned as full captains.
“I thank God for helping us get where we are now; in seeing another victory in our lives and taking another step towards God’s ministry, we consider our lives to be very blessed,” said Captain Emma Orellana.
The Tucson South Corps provides a full range of programs and services: emergency food, shelter, clothing, youth programs, holiday assistance, and more. During “Operation Deep Freeze,” the corps opened its doors as an overflow shelter to accommodate Tucson’s homeless needing protection from the cold. The “Senior Citizen Project” serves breakfast twice a week to the elderly. They also offer Spanish prayer services and Bible study, and a women’s outreach ministry.
In addition, the needs of at-risk youth are addressed through summer day camps, community service, fellowship, field trips, Bible studies and a new after-school feeding program.
