The King will reply, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."           Matthew 25:40

Last Thursday we spent an enjoyable evening at The Salvation Army annual banquet. It was an evening in which they gave thanks to The Salvation Army's staff, volunteers, and supporters. We've always known the good The Salvation Army does but certainly not to the extent that was reported at the dinner. It's obvious that captains Debbie and Gordon Knight of The Salvation Army of Lenawee County have done amazing work for the past year with the help of their staff and volunteers.

Some of the facts that were shared for the ministry for the local Salvation Army for 2012 are astounding. A few of the services they provided are as follows: 

Persons Served for the First Time               13,753
Meals Provided                                            13,498
Grocery Orders                                            10,878
Clothing Items                                               3,201
Nights Lodging Provided                              1,463
Volunteer Hours                                          10,619

The Mission Statement for The Salvation Army is: "The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church. It's message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination."

The entire evening was very God honoring from the presentation of volunteer awards to the keynote speaker, who used illusion to emphasize his points about the ministry of The Salvation Army.

We have a tender spot in our heart for this ministry as Paul's Uncle Charles, his dad's brother, served as captain in The Salvation Army in France most of his adult life and with a short time on Devil's Island off the coast of French Guinea in South America.

May this be a challenge to each of us to look for ways we can serve mankind and to make a difference in our corner of the world.  Also, let's remember to pray for The Salvation Army and do what we can to help.

Just a note:  The have already placed on The Salvation Army website how they plan to help the families impacted by the bombings at the Boston Marathon.  They are obviously very intentional with their ministry.

Blessings and Encouragement,

Paul, Gail, Patsy, and Penny