FROM THE EDITOR
TERRITORIAL LEADERS Commissioner William A. Bamford III Commissioner G. Lorraine Bamford CHIEF SECRETARY Colonel Philip J. Maxwell DIRECTOR OF INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS Joseph Pritchard EDITOR IN CHIEF / DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS Warren L. Maye MANAGING EDITOR Robert Mitchell EDITOR / HISPANIC CORRESPONDENT Hugo Bravo ART DIRECTOR Reginald Raines PUBLICATION CONTENT MANAGER AND DESIGNER Lea La Notte Greene GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Dave Hulteen Jr., Keri Johnson, Joe Marino, Mabel Zorzano STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Lu Lu Rivera CIRCULATION Doris Marasigan
THE SALVATION ARMY MISSION STATEMENT The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Its 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.
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SACONNECTS is published by The Salvation Army USA’s Eastern Territory. Bulk rate is $12.00 per issue for 25–100 copies. Subscriptions are available. Write to: SACONNECTS, The Salvation Army, 440 West Nyack Road, West Nyack, NY 10994–1739. Vol. 8, No. 2, 2022. Printed in USA. Postmaster: Send all address changes to: SACONNECTS, 440 West Nyack Road, West Nyack, NY 10994–1739. SACONNECTS accepts advertising. Copyright ©2022 by The Salvation Army, USA Eastern Territory. Articles may be reprinted only with written permission. All scripture references are taken from the New International Version (NIV) unless indicated otherwise.
When life puzzles you WARREN L. MAYE Editor in Chief
Recently, 80–year–old Denyse Holt of Illinois, a grandmother, failed to send her Wordle puzzle result to her daughter in Seattle, Washington, something she always does every morning. Her daughter was alarmed by the break in routine and asked the local Illinois police to conduct a “wellness check” at her mom’s house. Upon arrival, they discovered that she was dealing with a much more serious puzzle than Wordle—a deranged home invader had locked Holt in the basement for 21 hours and he was holding her hostage at knife point. In this issue of SACONNECTS, we include the stories of other grandmothers who are dealing with life’s puzzles. Some are having the time of their lives, like Ada Jarrett, 84, known as “The General” at her Salvation Army church in Pottstown, Pa., (see page 32), while others are going through tumultuous times, such as 80–year–old Pam Rivet of Rochester, N.Y. (see pages 20–21). Grandmothers like Rivet are being “held hostage” by poverty, tragedy, and uncertainty brought on by circumstances beyond their control. Those chronic problems have invaded the peace and sanctity of their homes. These courageous grandmothers are “holding the family together” as one observer describes it, but they’ve slipped through society’s loopholes and need help. Fortunately, you’ll also read how The Salvation Army is rescuing these families through its many care programs as it continues to “do the most good” for people who are in the greatest need. By the way, you’ll be happy to know that Holt survived her ordeal and is back to doing the many wonderful things that her family has grown to expect from her, including that morning Wordle puzzle, of course. Let us pray that the other grandmothers will see their problems solved too because they deserve it. Proverbs 16:31 reminds us, “Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.”
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