Florence, SC – Dillon, Gresham, Nichols, Sellers. Each are small communities served by The Salvation Army of Florence. On the morning of the first day of the new month, The Salvation Army prepared for another day of service to families and individuals who had been impacted by flooding in the wake of Hurricane Florence. Two Mobile Feeding Units, one from Greenville, SC, and one from Shreveport, Louisiana, Emotional and Spiritual Care officers, and volunteers gathered for the morning devotion. Incident Commander Capt. Robert Long, from Beaufort, SC, looked at the gathered group and said, “What do they call you?” Pointing his finger at each person, he energetically repeated, “What do they call you?” “Jason.” “Christy.” ”Mike.” And on through the group, each responding in turn.
Capt. Long went on, “Each person you will serve today has a name. One that you don’t know but one that you do.That name is Child of God. Remember that today as you serve meals and distribute cleanup kits. Remember that when you pray with someone. Everyone you meet today has a name, Child of God.”
These are the people who serve for The Salvation Army during disasters. These are the people The Salvation Army serves during disasters. These are the people in every city, every town, every community. Each has a name that all share. As in Matthew 25:40, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
As the canteens left for their feeding assignments and the Emotional and Spiritual Care officers headed out with them to give comfort to all who might need it, Capt. Long had reminded them that while the people they served might be strangers, they already knew their names, “Children of God.”
