This month's Volunteer Spotlight is on Gail
Burneyko! Gail has been a dedicated Salvation Army volunteer since
Hurricane Sandy hit New Jersey. Right after the storm, Gail took a
friend to a Salvation Army canteen in Union Beach for a cup of coffee. The rest is history! Gail jumped right in, helping our Emergency Disaster Services team serve meals over the next week.
“Having taught in Union Beach, I had become connected to so many
students and their families,” said Gail. “Volunteering with The
Salvation Army gave me the opportunity to give back to the people who
had given me so much over the course of my career.”
Gail
continued to volunteer as a Client Assistant at our Hazlet Emergency
Assitance Center from February 2013 until June 2013. More recently, she
has helped with food set-up and childcare, while also preparing to Chair
this year’s Christmas Committee in Monmouth County. Gail will secure
locations for Angel Trees and help coordinate the collection and
distribution of gifts.
“The Salvation Army’s Christmas kettles
and bell ringing have so much more meaning for me now,” said Gail. “I
have seen first-hand amazing amount of assistance the Army provides to
those in need in our local communities.”
Interested in volunteering with The Salvation Army? Apply today!
The Salvation Army is an international organization, operating in more than 125 countries around the world. One of its little-known ministries is the Missing Persons Bureau. The Eastern Territory-USA, of which the State of New Jersey is a part, has its Missing Persons Bureau at our Territorial Headquarters in West Nyack, NY. The latest statistics (for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2012) show that 137 applications were received. Each case was opened and 113 persons were found.
Can you just imagine the joy of those reunited families? Because of our unique internationalism, family members have connected with each other all over the world through modern technology. Let me tell you one story.
Mary Jane Shaw is a retired officer who lives in Ocean Grove and worships at the Asbury Park Corps of The Salvation Army, just as I do. As an active Officer, she was Director of Missing Persons for 16 years. While she was Sirector, an inquiry came from Sweden. A recent widow went to The Salvation Army’s Missing Persons Bureau in Stockholm to ask about a brother living in the United States. She had had no contact with him for more than forty years.
This brother, Eskil Strom, was born in America to Swedish immigrant parents. When he was just a child, the family returned to Sweden. Eskil and his next younger brother were born in America, but two more brothers and the only sister were born after the family returned to Sweden. Eskil was raised and educated in Sweden. Then, at age 25, Eskil decided to travel to the land of his birth for a visit. He fell in love with the country and never returned to Sweden. Through the years, contacts diminished and eventually all contact was lost. Now, recently bereaved of her husband, his only sister went searching for Eskil. She had an old letter, and through the return address and the work of the Missing Persons bureaus in Sweden and New York, Eskil was found, living in a small nursing home in Brooklyn Heights, NY. Major Mary Jane Shaw visited this aging gentleman and told him of his relatives seeking contact with him. The invitation was given: "Would you like to go to Sweden?"
At first, this perfect gentleman declined the offer, fearing the unknown and the long-distance travel, but the Major continued to visit him. This sister wanted to offer a home for Eskil. Finally, when Major Shaw promised to travel with him, Eskil agreed to the trip.
A new suit was purchased for him and a new hat, too. Major Shaw recalls that she knew if the hat fit her, it would fit him as well. With the airline tickets provided by the Swedish relatives, the pair took off - this was Eskil's very first airplane trip – all the way across the Atlantic at that.
When this unlikely pair, a Salvation Army Major and an aging gentleman, arrived at Stockholm airport, a large crowd awaited them. All of Eskil’s siblings, The Salvation Army Major-Director of the local Missing Persons Bureau and representatives from the Stockholm newspapers, who had heard of this fascinating reunion. They exited the plane with Eskil holding tight to the Major’s hand. Major Shaw remembers that she felt like arriving royalty as they presented her with flowers and grasped her hand and said, "We will never forget The Salvation Army for what you have done for us." Eskil lived several years with his sister until his death. He never regretted "coming home" and living out his remaining years as part of a loving family.
The Missing Persons Bureau of The Salvation Army is a unique international social service. Its purpose is to help facilitate successful reunions between family members who have lost contact with each other. Searches are conducted utilizing a variety of methods, including government offices, credit institutions, social service agencies and law-enforcement personnel. Should you be interested in this service, please contact your local Salvation Army offices.
Written by Gloria Hohn
Asbury Park Corps
"I needed something in my life that
would make me feel I was making a difference. I enjoy helping people in
need. I feel as though that is what I was put here on this earth to do,
to help the hungry and make someone sad feel happy. If I can help
someone in need every day when I come to the Salvation Army, I feel as I
have done my job. This is what the Lord wants me to do with my life. I
enjoy doing volunteer work!"
Adam
Braziel has been a volunteer at Bridgeton Corps for 7 years. He can be seen at the Drop-In Center, weekly
Bread & Soda event, and as a Maintenance Worker. Some of his
responsibilities include preparing coffee and distributing donuts to
local workers and those in need.
Follow Alex's lead! Apply to become a Salvation Army volunteer at salvationarmynj.org/volunteer
"Being a volunteer with The Salvation Army, I have seen how it is one of the most reliable resources for people needing emergency assistance right away. I see each family's struggle, every child we are servicing, and knowing they have somewhere to turn that won't give them the run around or ask too many questions is so comforting to them. That is why I am proud and honored to be a volunteer; The Salvation Army allows me to be the helping hand of each struggling family during their time of need."
Anna Vasquez has been a Service Unit Volunteer in Hightstown since 2011. She supports clients seeking emergency utility and prescription medication assistance.
Apply to become a Salvation Army volunteer at salvationarmynj.org/volunteer
Luke 17:11-19...
11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
The Samaritan Leper whom Jesus healed praised God in a loud voice to give testimony to those within his hearing of Jesus work in his life. The original word used for loud means “Large/great”. When we know that God has done a work in us, we can’t help but glorify him by sharing our testimony with others. Our faith in God is evidenced in our public thanks.
Psalm 22:23 “You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!"
Do you unashamedly praise God in testimony to others of what he has done for you? Your public praise is a measurement of your faith. It says to others that you have personal experience that bears witness to the fact that you believe that God is who he says is and that you believe that God will do what he says he will do.
Jeremiah 20:9 “But if I say, I will not mention him or speak any more in his name, his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.”
Acts 4:20 “For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
If you have something to praise God for, do it! In so doing, you are giving testimony to God’s work in your life. This Thanksgiving season, let’s remember to praise God.
Written by Major Cheriann Stoops
Asbury Park Corps
