War Cry - May, 2015 Page 46

How I Met

the Army

...... ......

The War Cry | MAY 2015

on Washington began his career
following in his father's footsteps.

His father, Coach Sam Washington, was

a big name in Michigan sports. In 2007, he was
inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.
Ron proudly describes how his father founded a
summer basketball program, St. Cecilia's Gym,
at a Detroit Catholic church immediately after
the 1967 race riots, to help the city heal and to
give young people a safe place to play basketball.
The program is still going strong today.

"Dad's program received national attention

from Sports Illustrated as one of the country's
systems for aiding youth in developing their
potential," Ron says. Coach Sam had developed
such promising NBA superstars as Magic John-
son, Isiah Thomas and Chris Weber. He even

worked alongside of legendary Dick Vitale. "I
grew up in Dad's program," Ron explains, "and
was under his guidance playing four years of
basketball at the University of Massachusetts,
where I studied sports management."

Sadly, Coach Sam passed away in 1988, and

Ron took over as the program's director for eight
years. "During my final year there, I began to
question what this was all about. I knew all the
players and coaches, and many people would
have loved to have been in my shoes, but some-
thing was missing in my life," he admits. That
something, Ron now knows, was God's will for
his life and a born-again relationship with Him.

"I was not going to church regularly because

we played games during church time. Over the
years, I had lost touch with my Heavenly Fa-
ther," he says.

Ron says that after weeks of soul-searching,

"I stood in my office and I asked the Lord if I

should stay and continue my work with the ath-
letes; or should I go and use my talents to help

people in need."
He found his
answer that day.
Ron uncovered his
need for Jesus in
his life. "I became
born again that
day," he testi-
fies, "as I felt
the Lord telling
me that the an-
swer was to move on and help God's people who
are less fortunate than myself."

Gail, Ron's wife, was working as a social

worker at The Salvation Army's Pontiac Corps,

so Ron began there. He helped her that Christ-
mas by picking up and delivering toys and ring-
ing bells, which he loved. Ron and his family also

worshipped at the corps. He eventually became a

soldier, and was later hired as the corps' commu-
nity center director.

Working year-round at the corps, Ron learned

how the Army operated and helped people. He
studied the life of the Movement's founder, Wil-
liam Booth. "I fell in love with [Booth's] mission,
and The Salvation Army, and my work here at
the Pontiac Corps completed my return to the
Lord," Ron says.

Recently, he accepted a local officership posi-

tion as the assistant corps sergeant-major.

"The Army gives me the chance to utilize all of

my skills that I learned growing up in the sports
world, but instead of raising athletes, I am bring-
ing others to Christ, my Lord and Savior."

Ron is thankful for his experiences with play-

ers and coaches who would go on to become NBA
royalty, but he is more satisfied now that he is
reconnected to the Lord and is doing His work in
bringing people to Him.

Ron Washington went from a

basketball court to leading others into

the courts of Heaven.

"Friendships with NBA Elite

Was Not Enough"

MAJOR FRANK DURACHER