General makes historic visit to Guam
General makes historic visit to Guam
31 October 2016
General André Cox lays a wreath at the memorial in Guam for the US servicemen and Guamanians who died and suffered atrocities during World War Two.
General André Cox became The Salvation Army’s first serving General to visit the US Territory of Guam when he and Commissioner Silvia Cox (World President of Women’s Ministries) travelled to the Micronesian island, which has been part of the USA Western Territory since 1992.
Following officers’ councils, the international leaders toured some of the island’s historical sites and several Salvation Army facilities. The tour included a visit to the Asan Bay Overlook, whose memorial wall lists the names of 1880 US servicemen who died in the 1941 defence of Guam against Japanese attack and those who died retaking the island in 1944. It also features the names of 1170 Guamanians who died and 14,721 who suffered atrocities of war from 1941-1944.
“It’s very fitting that as part of our visit to Guam we can be here as a group of Salvationists to stop, pause and remember,” he said, during a wreath-laying ceremony at the Overlook. “The Salvation Army has a great history of service alongside military personnel.”
The General and Commissioner Cox’s tour included a visit to the local corps, which hosts weekly worship services. The international visitors were greeted by several children with “hafa adai” – a greeting in the Chamorro language spoken by the indigenous people of Guam. A youth band performed several songs, including This Little Light of Mine.
Nearby, The Salvation Army also operates a family services centre, which helps people facing financial crises, eviction or homelessness, and a lighthouse recovery centre (LRC) which hosts a six-month program to help men transition from homelessness, addiction or incarceration to self-sufficiency. The Salvation Army served more than 12,500 individuals in Guam in 2015.
Later that night, The Salvation Army hosted the “Hope and Honor” Gala at the Dusit Thani Hotel’s Grand Ballroom to recognise some of the most dedicated supporters of The Salvation Army’s work in Guam. Honourees included KUAM (Guam’s local television station), University of Guam professor Dr Michael A. Griffin, and Guam Memorial Park & Funeral Home. The USA Western Territorial Staff Songsters led worship with the Guam Territorial Band, a local non-Salvation Army band.
At the end of the event, the General reflected on the visit with words of challenge. He recognised the natural beauty of Guam but acknowledged that “there are many people in society here who are suffering”. Explaining that Guam is a microcosm for what is happening around the globe, he told his listeners: “It’s great to lead an Army that really is mobilised to bring change and transformation throughout the world.”
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