Early one Thursday morning this past May, I awoke to multiple notifications on my phone in quick succession, an incessant “buzz-buzz-buzz” on my nightstand. An apartment fire had occurred in Ottawa, and The Salvation Army’s emergency disaster services team was being called into action.

The next several hours were a blur of calls and text messages, quick menu planning and grocery shopping, and driving across town to assist with serving meals and providing emotional and spiritual care to more than 200 residents who were temporarily displaced from their homes as first responders addressed the fire. 

When I arrived at the reception centre, a boy about four years old approached me in tears and grabbed hold of my legs, oblivious to the heavy case of water I was carrying, simply looking for human connection. It had been a traumatic night for him and the other residents who awoke to flames in the hallways at 6 a.m. In that moment and simple interaction, I was reminded what a privilege it is to step into spaces such as these, sharing the love of Jesus in times of need.

Some 300 kilometres away, Stefan, my husband and partner in ministry, was attending a holiness conference in Muskoka, Ont. He and approximately 50 other Salvation Army leaders had chosen to intentionally focus on their spiritual health and on strengthening their relationship with God and others in Christian community. 

While his work for the day would not be as tangibly hands on or as physically taxing as mine, the call to practise spiritual disciplines, to grow in faith and to be discipled in the company of others is just as important as serving meals to fire victims. During those sacred days, he was likewise reminded of what a privilege it is to step into spaces such as these, experiencing the love of Jesus in our times of need.

Sometimes in The Salvation Army and, indeed, in the world at large, our focus is biased toward acts of faith that require “doing”—those transactional ministry experiences that get meals into bellies and shirts on backs. It is these acts of faith that make for exciting news stories, fill our statistics sheets and bring in donations. They are flashy, measurable and instantly gratifying.

And yet, acts of faith that require “being” are just as important. Both the active work of service and the quiet work of spiritual transformation are necessary parts of the Christian experience. One could even argue that without the deeply personal work of spiritual disciplines, such as Bible study, journaling, solitude and prayer, our acts of service would be bereft of the spiritual component that comes with a true ministry of presence. Moments of heart-work affirm why we so readily extend a helping hand, as we are reminded of the truth that the image of God is evident in every person we serve. 

What’s more, without those vital moments of holistic renewal, we may find our physical, emotional and spiritual tanks depleted when practical emergencies arise, and risk finding ourselves burned out and unable to respond in an effective manner. 

Stefan didn’t miss out on a ministry opportunity because he wasn’t available to respond to the apartment fire that day. His experience wasn’t lesser than mine. Rather, both of us had important and transformative encounters with Jesus that day, engaging in important kingdom work. May we embrace experiences that allow us to become like Jesus and serve in Jesus’ name as we go about our daily lives.

Captain Laura Van Schaick is the corps officer at Barrhaven Church in Ottawa, and the divisional secretary for women’s ministries in the Ontario Division.