The Grass Is Greenest Where You Water It 

by Colonel Richard Munn

Among the ranks of The Salvation Army, there are people who enter a living and personal relationship with Christ at a young age — who grow from grace to grace and never look or fall back. They are bright and beautiful gems in our midst, a source of missional fruitfulness and genuine encouragement. 

Raissa Di Caterina from the Queens Temple Corps in New York City is such a person. She is immersed in all aspects of USA Eastern Territory life. At every level, from territorial to divisional and the local corps, she has embodied our highest values since childhood. 

Today, besides her local corps involvement, a rich legacy of arts and music, and representing colleague soldiers on Express Councils, Raissa is also on the very front lines of the Army’s anti–human trafficking work (AHT) as an employee responsible for the dynamic P.E.A.R.L. Essence ministry of the Greater New York Division. The team visits locations where individuals are at risk for exploitation and trafficking, such as illicit massage parlors, strip clubs, and nail salons. Additionally, Raissa recently took the initiative to organize and convene a successful preaching seminar for soldiers at the Star Lake Conference Center. 

So, let’s meet a very special soldier, as SAconnects conducts an in-depth interview to give you, our faithful readers, the story behind the Raissa Di Caterina story. Get ready to be encouraged. 

You come from a loved and respected Salvation Army family. Can you tell us about your upbringing and family oforigin? 

Wow. Hard to describe the privilege I feel for the family that I was raised in! I come from a household where love andjoy were expressed boldly and where both of my parents were intentional about sharing and living out their faith insidethe home and outside the home. I was raised in a family where it was encouraged to go out of your way to serve others,to show up for others, and support others through all the highs and lows that life can bring. My parents came from different places and different backgrounds but found their perfect fit in The Salvation Army. They always prioritized embracing all the different ministry opportunities and responsibilities in the Army. So, I grew up truly believing and being taught how to live out my faith in my alone time and in my community, in my community of faith, with my friends and with my family.  

What stands out to you as a formative, impactful moment or season in your Christian journey? 

I will always remember the first summer I volunteered at Long Point Camp [in New York]. I came back from that week so fully convinced and filled with love for God that I never looked back. During those preteen and early teenage years, Idug into my faith and did everything I could to learn and grow my relationship with Jesus. What I remember the mostabout that time and what I think made that season so formative is how my parents encouraged me to seek a deeprelationship with Jesus. I was never made to feel that I had to wait until I was older to seek and serve God. It didn’tmatter that I was 12 or 13 and not even in high school. I truly believe that period shaped the trajectory of my life.  

You participate in and contribute to the anti–human trafficking ministry of the territory. How does your faith inform and impact that special role? 

Being so involved at the corps allowed me to witness, experience, and participate in all different kinds of ministry froma young age. All of those experiences taught me that social justice and faith go hand in hand. I cannot love God andnot love my neighbor. I cannot serve God and not serve my neighbor. All those moments and opportunities impactedme and convicted me of seeking justice however I can. It is because of my upbringing in The Salvation Army and the teachings of having a missional and active faith that I feel so passionate about anti-trafficking and standing up for human rights. My work in AHT is my expression of living out Imago Dei and bringing that message to others.  

How is your soldiership expressed in this season in your life?  

In this current season [I have] a solution-focused lens. I want other soldiers to experience The Salvation Army like I did.I want others to have the same opportunities to grow, participate, lead, and embrace all that the Army has. I do this by participating in the Territorial and Divisional Soldiers Express Councils, volunteering in planning committees for retreats, attending events, leading worship at the corps and leading a young adult Bible study. I like to express my soldiership in any way that I can and feel so grateful for the opportunities that have been given to me to do so. 

Any further insights or gems of interest that will encourage our readers? 

I cannot emphasize enough the privilege that I feel for having grown up in The Salvation Army. I look around at my lifeand see how so much of it comes from the involvement of the Army in my life. I found Jesus, learned to serve, and found my passions through The Salvation Army. I even found my husband through the Army! It is not perfect, but I know it is the community of faith that God has called me to love and serve in. The grass is greenest where you water it, and it is up to me to water the place God has me in. I truly hope that young adults in The Salvation Army continue towater the places where they are planted. 

Thank you, Raissa, how we delight in you and give thanks to God for the beauty of your life and ministry. You are a channel of grace and blessing to many. Believe this, the SAconnects team is cheering you on.