A Helping Hand from The Salvation Army
“It sounded like a bomb went off, right next to us was a four-car crash,” recalled Captain Rachel Johnson, an officer at The Salvation Army of Eagle Creek. “Luckily, we were not injured but we felt it was a divine appointment that we should intervene.”
Officers of The Salvation Army are often called upon to be there when people need a helping hand. It could be helping families after a natural disaster or simply offering a reassuring presence in a moment of crisis, the mission is one of service.
Captain Rachel Johnson of Eagle Creek recently experienced this firsthand in an unexpected and powerful way. While picking up Red Kettles with her husband, Captain Aaron Johnson, they were suddenly jolted by seeing a car crash right next to them, nearly striking them.
“It was very startling for us even though we were not involved,” said Captain Rachel Johnson.
Without hesitation, the Johnsons got out of their vehicle and began checking on the victims. Moving from car to car, they offered reassurance and assessed the needs of those involved. Four individuals required to be put on stretchers, a reminder of the severity of the crash.
Among those affected was a woman who had been hit with such force that an object from the back of her car was propelled to the front, barely missing her. Shaken and disoriented, she found solace in Captain Rachel’s calming presence.
“She was very shaken up after the crash,” said Rachel. “I spent a lot of time with her coaching and calming her down after the crash.”
With her vehicle being towed and no way to get home, the Johnsons offered her a ride. As she climbed into their van, something unexpected caught her eye, the familiar sight of Red Kettles.
“Her eyes got big after noticing the Kettles and asked if we were The Salvation Army,” said Rachel. “She mentioned that she had been part of youth programming at The Salvation Army of Eagle Creek and was even in a Salvation Army shelter at one point during her childhood.”
During the short but meaningful drive, the woman talked about how The Salvation Army had been there for her family when they needed it most; just as it was again in this moment. When they arrived at her home, her family expressed deep gratitude to the Johnsons for their kindness.
“A big part of The Salvation Army culture is to drive into a crisis when others are driving away,” Rachel reflected. “It was impossible to just leave the scene and not try to help these people who were affected.”
The Salvation Army officers have answered to God’s call to serve anyone in need, without discrimination. Whether through disaster relief, shelter or a simple act of kindness on the road, The Salvation Army stands as a place of hope and compassion.