SALVATION ARMY

Tis the season, for......... fundraisers!

What a great time!  Today a friend and I attended the Salvation Army Women's Auxiliary Christmas Luncheon & Fashion Show, downtown Tulsa.

This has been going on for years, this was my first experience.  It was fabulous!

The silent auction was fun, the convention center beautifully decorated, the tables festive, my table mates delightful, the style show "interesting," and the CAUSE: PRICELESS.

I learned so much about this incredible organization. They do marvelous things here and abroad.

Local efforts include emergency shelters, Angel Tree, meals, financial assistance to needy families, a Boys & Girls Club, an adult rehabilitation center, etc.  The list goes on and on!

I spoke with one young couple that shared their knowledge of the work being done in the brothels of India.  The "Army" goes into a brothel there and actually buys young girls and women for the sole purpose of freeing them from that awful slavery.  The young women are taken to a safe house where they are counseled, cared for and taught a meaningful trade. Their products are sold and they become self-sufficient! (No war on women here!) GREAT STORY!  And that is just a "drop in the bucket" as far as good deeds.

Story after story of salvation, redemption and restoration were shared.  A moving testimony given by one brilliant young man brought a hush over that huge crowd of women.  He was successful, highly educated, talented, employed, a father....AND a heroin addict. He credited the Salvation Army with his recovery and his very life!  He proudly announced that he, as of today, is 11 months "clean."

Today was their annual fund-raiser and the Tulsa ladies came to give, BIG. During the year the organization is mainly funded by donations of furniture, clothing and household times that are repaired (giving many people jobs) and then sold in the thrift stores. The money (93%) of it goes back to help needy people.

There are SO many wonderful organizations that truly lend a hand-UP , this just happens to be one of the best!

The "church" knows how to do it folks!  And Americans  are extremely generous and giving.
They simply need to be educated as to what goes on behind the scenes, the stuff that never makes the national news cycle.

IF/WHEN the "church" rises up and returns to it's calling, people are rescued from all sorts of evil from without and from within.

 The "church" is not the enemy of democracy, the state, or the people.  It is the tool that is SUCCESSFUL in SO many places. Who loves ALL of humanity like the church?

The Salvation Army is a very good thing!  I'm thinking I'm going to clean a closet or two or three!

What a great opportunity to support an ARMY that is committed to the welfare of all sorts of folks. They're doing it RIGHT!