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Norma Cifuentes visited The Salvation Army El Cajon (California) Corps food pantry for the first time in 2011, expecting only some help with groceries. To her surprise, she left with shoes and diapers for her 1-year-old son, Eddie, and an invitation to church.
She said the timing couldn’t have been better. Cifuentes and her husband, Angel, were living with family while struggling to find their own home, all while managing Eddie’s recent epilepsy diagnosis.
“It was a stressful time,” Cifuentes said. “We had never attended church as a family and were praying to find the right church for us.”
The family attended Sunday service at the El Cajon Corps the week they first received assistance. However, when Eddie’s seizures led to a hospital stay, they were unable to attend in the following weeks.
Then El Cajon Corps officers Majors Terry and Ruetendo Masango—now the Training Principal and Director of Continuing Education at The Salvation Army’s College for Officer Training (CFOT)—visited them in the hospital to offer prayer and support.
“Everything just came together. The Salvation Army introduced God in a new way and it’s just amazing to see how our lives changed.”
Norma Cifuentes
“That moment marked a new path,” Cifuentes said. “We felt the Holy Spirit telling us, ‘This is your church, these are your people.’”
The following day, doctors informed the Cifuentes family that Eddie’s condition had improved, allowing them to return home.
“From that day on we stayed connected,” Cifuentes said. “We just wanted to give back and extend a helping hand like we received.”
Cifuentes began volunteering at the El Cajon Corps for several years before taking on a front desk position in 2015, followed by a role as a social services assistant in 2019. During this time, the corps supported Angel by supplying tools to help him start his landscaping business and hired him as the property gardener.
“Everything just came together for us because of the support,” she said. “The Salvation Army introduced God in a new way and it’s just amazing to see how our lives changed.”
Now, 13 years later, the family has welcomed two more children, Emilia, 11, and Ezekiel, 6, and they say they’ve found the ideal community to raise their family in.
“We didn’t grow up this involved in church,” Cifuentes said. “It’s beautiful to see our kids develop their relationship with God and thrive as a result.”
From summer camps and youth events to music groups and becoming Salvation Army junior soldiers, she said the kids have flourished and developed a deep sense of faith. Eddie, now 13, often shares his testimony of how God and prayer have helped his medical journey.
“They just love it here,” Cifuentes said. “They’re learning music and discovering passions that are making them well-rounded kids.”
El Cajon Corps Officer Captain Sam Fowler said the family’s years of involvement have made them a pillar of the corps. “They attend all of our programs and events,” he said. “They’re a well-known presence.”
He added that Cifuentes’ role places her in a position to interact directly with community members.
“We serve around 1,100 families a month out of our food bank, and the fact that people know Norma’s name speaks to her dedication to following up and taking the time to understand people’s situations,” Fowler said. “It’s beyond just providing a service.”
In 2022, Cifuentes launched a women’s Bible study in Spanish. As the only Spanish-speaking staff member at the corps, she aimed to create a space where women could meet and deepen their faith.
“She desires to see people restored and to find themselves in a position where they are ready and able to seek change or support in their lives,” Fowler said.
For Cifuentes, it’s about seizing opportunities to connect and welcome others into the community that brought her support, care and faith.
“I’ve witnessed God’s work in my family’s life and want to take every opportunity to demonstrate how he can impact others as well,” Cifuentes said.
In October 2024, Cifuentes accepted a new role at the El Cajon Corps as a Family Service Coordinator, where she oversees the food and diaper bank, homeless outreach, volunteer management and donation procurement.
“That first connection can open the door to so much more,” Cifuentes said. “God had a plan and positioned us exactly where we needed to be—to better ourselves and help others.”
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