Winnie Marshall symbolizes the spirit of servanthood in our corps,” says Major Doug Hammond, corps officer at Toronto's Bloor Central in the Ontario Central-East Division. “She is a tireless worker with a compassionate heart for the hungry and a patient spirit with her fellow workers.”

Each Thursday, over 400 people come to Bloor Central for a community meal. At noon, guests are served soup and a sandwich; in the evening, a supper fit for a king. With healthy nutrition and warm friendship, it's a place for both body and soul. Before the meals are served, a corps representative shares a short devotional message with a Bible reading and prayer. It doesn't matter what language they speak, what country they come from or what their religious affiliation, every person is made to feel welcome and appreciated.

At the forefront of this ministry is Winnie, a 65-year-old grandmother, active Salvationist and lover of souls. For 17 years, she has been the heartbeat of this Christ-centred, practical service.

“I depend on the Lord,” she says. “There are times of discouragement when I feel like giving up, but every day I claim the promises of God.”

Winnie was born in Westmoreland, Jamaica, one of 10 children. She looked up to her mother, a loving Salvationist who supported their family by selling food in the marketplace. “She gave away more than she sold,” says Winnie. At 17, Winnie came to Canada looking for a better life. She settled near Bloor Central, married and had four children.

Facing significant challenges, including physical abuse, she lost hope that her family could stay together. One day while walking down the street with her husband, she noticed the Salvation Army sign on the corps building. She turned to her husband and said, “This might help us.”

At Bloor Central, Winnie found a place to belong and serve others. The congregation opened its arms and embraced her, and she quickly became involved in pub outreach, community care ministries and the moms and tots program. “I knew it was the leading of the Lord,” says Winnie. “I felt joy because I had found my spiritual home.”

In 1990, under the leadership of Majors William and Joan Bower, the corps began to feed hungry people in the community, and Winnie joined in two years later. On the first day, only one person showed up. Then word spread. Soon there were long lineups of people wanting soup and sandwiches.

Many times food was scarce. On one occasion, just 15 minutes before mealtime, Winnie and her team realised there was insufficient food and began to pray. Before they opened their eyes, a knock came on the door. It was a truck driver from the Royal York Hotel bringing food that had been prepared for a banquet that was cancelled at the last minute. “Everyone in the building knew that God had answered our prayer,” says Winnie.

“One day soon after this, a gentleman showed up who was in real need,” says Winnie. “We were tired and ready to go home, and I wanted to say, 'It's too late.' But then I remembered our prayer, so I went back into the kitchen to get some food for him.”

Today, the outreach ministry serves hundreds every week. At Christmas, Winnie cooked 60 turkeys to feed 1,000 guests. People no longer line up to receive their meal: an army of volunteers stand ready to happily serve them. “Every person is treated just the way we would treat Jesus if he were our guest,” says Winnie.
“Winnie's relationship with God is the central force of her life,” says Greg Peterson, director of volunteer services, Bloor Central. “She relates to everyone in the midst of chaos. She is a woman of prayer and God seems to listen to her heart cry.”

“She likes to laugh,” adds Major Hammond. “Winnie just buckles up when she hears a good joke. She is also a woman of intercessory prayer. She uses her time travelling on the subway to bring the neediest of people before God. Prayer for her is more than an empty ritual; it is a vital force in her life.”