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The Compton (California) Corps, led by Lts. Juan Barriga and Claudia Pardo-Barriga, enrolled 17 new Salvation Army soldiers—eight senior and nine junior—August 20 during the Sunday worship service. Major Osei Stewart, Southern California Divisional General Secretary, officiated at the enrollment.
The new senior soldiers are Charles Barnes, Cachet Benham, Letricia Lega, David Perez, Enedina Perez, Javier Posada, Melany Posada and Laura Valdovinos. New junior soldiers are Jasmine de la Rocha, Cassandra Escamilla, Josephina Escamilla, Angelina Figueroa, Isabel Figueroa, Isaac Posada, Genesis Reyes, Yomaris Reyes and Moises Salvador.
Four of the new senior soldiers had been junior soldiers.
“To see them commit their lives once again as senior soldiers, it was special for the congregation,” Claudia Pardo-Barriga said.
Corps members also welcomed back some familiar faces.
“We had visitors, friends of some of the new senior soldiers who used to come to the corps a long time ago, that knew these children, now teens, and it seems that they may be back,” Pardo-Barriga said.
Each new soldier received a Bible, wrapped with a bow in one of the Army’s colors of red, yellow and blue.
The singing company performed two songs during the service: “Come Join Our Army” and “Oh Jesus I Have Promised,” led by Carl Esquivel with Charles Barnes on piano. Barnes also performed his original composition, “Pillar of God,” during the offertory.
After the service, members and guests enjoyed a potluck meal.
“To us, as officers, at the end of the day, what we enjoyed the most was to see all the current soldiers and families of the corps, and the families of those who were enrolling on that Sunday, being supportive and encouraging the children and the senior soldiers and helping us in every detail…we had a multicultural gathering,” Pardo-Barriga said. “So we are blessed by God to see that everyone responded positively and we all really enjoyed our time together in giving thanks to God for this occasion.”
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