Salvation Army Serves at 'Camp Unity' Pentagon

Their shifts are physically and emotionally grueling. Scores of search and rescue workers, digging through the rubble at the Pentagon crash site, have been working long, intense days. But thanks to the Salvation Army, they are able to sit down for a hot meal and kind word in the midst of the insanity.

The Salvation Army is there in the trenches with them, serving up thousands of meal daily at four Pentagon perimeter locations, Fort Myer, Reagan National Airport, the Salvation Army supply warehouse and a roving unit near the White House. In addition, says Lt. Colonel Danny Morrow, the Salvation Army supplies changes of socks and underwear for the rescue workers, and ministers to their emotional needs. In effect, they are the relief workers for the relief workers.

"What we do here with the feeding, it isn't just feeding," says Morrow. "We have had the opportunity here, at the mobile feeding station, to witness even to media people who we never usually have the opportunity to talk to."

Some of the Salvation Army officers provide ministry simply by walking around Ground Zero. They are able to talk to the rescue workers and, if need be, to pray with them and comfort them. Their attempt is not to evangelize, but to engage in meaningful conversation. "For us it is ministry," explains Morrow, "for some of them it is therapy. Sometimes they need to exit feelings - they are processing what they are seeing and what they are experiencing and we try to facilitate that."

Even the officers find the experience overwhelming at times. Angela Engleman, a Salvation Army social worker who is posted in the south Pentagon parking lot food tent, told Religion Today, "You see this on TV, but when you are here, it is a whole different ballgame. When we first came, I'd look at it and then I would have to get away, because it makes you stop and think about what happened."

She shares that the hardest part has been "looking at that hole and thinking about the devastation and knowing that hole is really a grave."

With tears welling up, Engleman adds, "But what we do, we do because we want to be here, we want to serve. It's from our hearts and we care. It doesn't matter how hard the work is. Our reward is not here on earth anyway."

Yet, she's also been blessed right there at the site. "The greatest blessing has been the guys themselves," says Engleman. "They thank us for everything and we thank them for being here. They are so appreciative, although most admit they never knew we did this kind of service."

According to Morrow, that is not unusual. He says that 98 percent of the American people know the Salvation Army rings bells at Christmas, but that's it. "We have the highest name recognition of any charity in the world, and we probably have the lowest knowledge base among our supporters."

The Salvation Army is a denomination with close to a million members world-wide - about a quarter million of those are in the United States. All Salvation Army personnel are ordained ministers, but because of the military motif, they go by military titles rather than "Reverend."

In his role as "Reverend," Morrow conducted two services last Sunday - one at the press staging area and one at the impromptu victim memorial area across from the Pentagon. "There were about 250 people there," says Morrow. "And people were just so open to hearing the words of hope from the Bible and seeing hope in the faces of the Salvation Army officers.

"This is the unique ministry of the Salvation Army," Morrow continues. "Other faith groups, other churches have various ministries of 'helps.' But it is cultural with the Salvation Army. It is what we do and I believe that is why God raised up the Salvation Army. Not to be a big denomination, because we are not. And not to have large congregations because we don't."

Instead, the Salvation Army acts as the hand and feet of Christ to a hurting world. "It really is a New Testament ministry," Morrow adds, "... doing the practical things that Jesus did."

If you feel led to help ...
Salvation Army Captain Rob Vincent, a warehouse manager for the Pentagon site, says physical resources such as food and clothing, are "just pouring in, and we are quickly reaching the saturation point."

A statement released last weekend from Lt. Colonel William Crabson, Salvation Army National Capital and Virginia divisional commander, indicates that supplies are sufficient to meet present and anticipated demands.

"Materially we need nothing," says Vincent. But financial needs exist. "Funds are expended presently for various special-need items. It is premature to identify long-term needs, which are anticipated to extend into years," Vincent adds.

Monetary donations may be directed to 1-800-SAL-ARMY, your local Salvation Army office, or you can donate online at www.salvationarmy.org.