Leaders at Chatham Salvation Army celebrate new life in England

The new leaders of The Salvation Army in Chatham say they have been made to feel incredibly welcome in the first two months in their new role.

Lieut-Colonels Rodolfo and Sally Salcedo took over at the church and charity at Church Street last month. Arriving from The Philippines, Rodolfo said he and Sally have had to learn to adapt quickly to their new environment.

He said: “During our time here, we have had to tackle things like the language barrier, climate change, culture, tradition, food and we are now driving on the other side of the road of course! Initially people kept asking us how we were settling in and whether we were okay. These questions may sound simple but they made us feel so welcome and comfortable.”

As well as settling into a new country, Sally said she and her husband have also had to understand a different culture.

She said: “We have our own culture, tradition and language which we cannot impose here. Instead, we need to learn and adapt so we can work effectively because we believe that to understand people we need to first understand their culture. 

“No matter where they are from all officers have a clear understanding of the mission of the Salvation Army: our message is based on The Bible, our ministry is motivated by the love of God and our mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in his name without discrimination.

“It is our hope and prayer that more people will come to know Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, get involved in the life of our church and invite more people to attend. We look forward to welcoming you here.”

Rodolfo and Sally have been Salvation Army officers for 35 years and moved to The United Kingdom to be closer to their children who live nearby.

The Salvation Army in Chatham offers a number of activities throughout the week including a coffee shop, nursery for mums and toddlers and Employment Plus, tailored support from The Salvation Army to help people become job ready. Rodolfo and Sally also plan to introduce Worship Group for Sunday Meeting and the International Fellowship every quarter.

For more information, go to www.salvationarmy.org.uk/chatham