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The Army's involvement
in Latin America has now extended over 110 years , and at
present covers eighteen of the twenty "traditional"
republics.
On November 25, 1889, Colonel and Mrs. Henry Thurman were
dedicated by General Booth under the Argentine flag, for service
in that republic, and embarked five days later. By the end of
December, a hall had been secured. Tile first years were stormy,
a revolution the very first year; an officer stabbed; smallpox
and other dangers assailed them but the seed was planted, and
flourished.
Within a very short time, Swiss comrades in Uruguay - "a
little troop of soldiers who received the War Cry", and had
obtained "S's", asked for officers to command them BY
the end of the year, Captain John McCarthy arrived, and premises
were. obtained - these. were very soon packed for meetings, and
within three months three corps were established shed in
Montevideo.
Whilst the Panama Canal was being built thousands of labourers
were employed on the project and a West Indies Territory officer
asked if the S.A. could commence work amongst the men. By the
end of 1904, Adjutant and Mrs. Jackson opened the first corps,
in Cristobal; a few months later, the work started in Panama
City.
Costa Rica was the next country to receive an S.A. presence, in
1896, three Salvationists from Hadleigh Farm Colony arrived in
San Pedro, to manage a large market and flower garden. They
hoped that the SA would start work in their adopted country, and
in 1907 Major John Clifford called, and conducted a Salvation
Army meeting at their request. Towards the. end of the year
Captain Eduardo Palaci, a Peruvian and Lt. George Stewart, a
Jamaican, officially ally commenced operations at Port Limon,
and the work was well received by the President of the Republic.
In September 1909, Brig. and Mrs William Bonnett were appointed
to commence work in Chile, and the first open-air meeting was
held in Santiago, on November 26. Within two years, 131 soldiers
had been enrolled.
S.A. activities commenced in Paraguay the following year, by
Adjutant Thomas Frisch. a native of Uruguay, and be, too, was
welcomed by the President of the Republic. As in many other
South American republics, the Army helped to care for the
wounded avid homeless during a revolution in 1912,
In the Spring of 1910, Adjutant and Mrs Thomas, with Lt Zacarias
Ribeiro, commenced S.A. work at Callao, in Peru A suitable hall
was secured, in one of the poorest areas of the town; the first
open-air meeting was held at the end of August, in Lima, the
capital, and the work quickly spread to other towns,
Cuba was the next republic to host The Salvation Army. Brother
Alexander Hay a Jamaican, started meetings in his own home at
Santiago, Later, he conducted Sunday meetings, with 'a friend
translating his testimony into French. which the Cubans,
understood. In due course lie got permission to hold meetings in
the United States naval yard at Guantanamo. Adjutant Elmer
Johnson, of the United States, did pioneer work in Havana in
1912, but official operations were not commenced until 1918.
when the local people bought a dwelling, and opened it as---The
Salvation Centre'". Shortly afterwards, Adjutant and Mrs
John Tiner, working in Panama were appointed to Cuba as C.O.s.,
based at Santiago. The first ten years were very difficult, but
many relief agencies were established. and the work stabilised.
It is worthwhile to note that, with Fidel Castro in power, the
work continues. though open-air activities have been forbidden.
Two years later, Adjutant arid Mrs Ahlm (Swedish) and Captain
Gregersen (Norwegian) were appointed, to start the work in
Bolivia and two corps were opened in La Paz one Spanish and tile
other Indian. Following this latter success, a new S.A.
Territory was formed, of Chile, Peru and Bolivia.
Brazil proved to be fertile soil in which to plant new S.A.
seed. On May 8, l922, Lt. Col. Miche arrived in Rio de Janeiro
and, with later arrivals, was able to establish a meeting hall,
and to start open-air work. Within five years, nine corps had
been opened, with 175 soldiers and 99 recruits.
In 1929, a Japanese couple received a call to settle in Columbia
and Genshiro Tanaka was commissioned as Envoy to commence the
Army's work there. After some years Tanaka felt that the time
had come to retire, but when the Territorial Commander arrived
at his home with a certificate of merit, the housekeeper would
not let him in: he was unable to gain admission and so the work
lapsed. It was not until April 21, 1985 that this was
recommended.
Mexico had long been considered for The Salvation Army's work -
as Iona ago as 1898; but nothing took
root until October 5, 1937, when an Army flag presented to
Alejandro Guzman, for use in Mexico City. The early soldiers
their own uniforms flags, and ribbons, collar S's, and even
miniature cap crests. The work has prospered, and in 1998
there were in the country 80 centres, with over 2,000 senior and
junior soldiers and adherents.
The tiny republic of Haiti became the next to welcome the S.A.
to its shores. In 1941, a married
evangelist established a mission in Port au Prince and after
eight years cabled the S.A. in New York:
"We wish to affiliate with you. We have 350 members. Reply
urgently. Carrie Guillaume" International HQ was notified
and after an inspection Colonel and Mrs arrived to open the
work. French and Creole Articles of War were printed, and Creole
choruses were prepared, and the first meeting was held on
February 2nd 1950, in a hall full to overflowing. The following
day, 200 of the mission's member signed their Articles, and
were, as one would expect given their Cartridge envelopes for
their free will offerings!
Early in the morning of February 4, 1976 a violent earthquake
shook Central America and Guatemala was devastated, Sixteen
officers from Mexico tile Caribbean and the United States, with
many helpers, were rushed in to help with relief work. Within
twelve months of the disaster the S.A. provided over 600
permanent houses. From that terrifying start, the S.A.
established its work in June, when thirteen soldiers were sworn
in. The first Commanding Officers were Captain and Mrs. Stanley
Melton.
At the 1985 Territorial Congress in Santiago, Chile, Captain and
Mrs Elisio Flores Morales were presented with a Salvation Army
Flag to fly in Ecuador, and on October 30, the work was opened
in Quito.
As in Guatemala in 1976, an earthquake struck El Salvador in
October 1986, and The Salvation Army rendered emergency
assistance. Following this, Salvationists stayed to minister to
the spiritual needs of the people and a Corps was opened on
April 1st, 1989 with social service outreach, and a computer
centre!
The last Latin American country to see the Salvation Army open
fire was the Dominican Republic, where work started on July 1,
1995. Of the twenty republics there seems to be little
information regarding Honduras and Nicaragua, except that work
started in 1919 and 1928 respectively. Any information regarding
these two countries would be greatly appreciated.
©copyright Harry Hayes 2000
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