Captain Carmen Colon | Willimantic Corps
Captain Carmen Colon, corps officer of the Willimantic Corps in northeast Connecticut, shares the rewards of ministry.
What excites me about ministry is the love of God. It’s that simple. God showed me grace and mercy when I didn’t think I was worthy. When I finally understood forgiveness, that was an awakening for me.
In 1996, I turned my life over to the Lord. That happened right before I found out I had colon cancer. I’m like, “OK, God, I can’t cook, what am I going to eat for dinner?” But neighbors stepped up and gave me dinner. The prayers, the phone calls, the emails were overwhelming. I am so grateful.
I wanted to thank God, and the only way I could do that was by giving the love back.
So I worked for The Salvation Army in Coatesville, Pa., where I’m from. I became a member of the Heralds of Grace session that graduated in 2015.
It’s difficult for me to try to get in the shoes of the people who come to the corps, to understand where they’re at. There’s a real learning curve involved, whether they’re from the U.S. or elsewhere. Language barriers are there too. Gaining trust—that’s a huge deal.
When challenges come, prayer is my No. 1 go-to. Then there is the corps council, for sure. I’ve learned not to do things on my own. As a single parent for over 30 years, I did that, but now, I’m in ministry. Mentors are part of my support system. I’m not afraid to reach out to leadership at divisional headquarters. They are open and I have trust and confidence in them.
My greatest blessing in ministry is when others see and acknowledge that the help they received came from God. When I asked a believer, who was shaking, if I could pray with her, she said yes. I said, “Not only am I going to pray for you, but you really need to follow up with your doctor.” A week later, she came back to testify that her primary doctor didn’t even recommend she see a neurologist because the shaking had completely stopped. She was giving God the glory. To me, that is satisfaction. She acknowledged that God did it.
Don’t wait for a season to thank me; make it an ongoing acknowledgement. I’m grateful to God that I get it throughout the year.
“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” —Romans 10:14
October is Pastor Appreciation Month, and we’d like to thank our Salvation Army officers — pastors — for their faith, their dedication, and the hard work they do for their communities and the Lord.