War Cry - February, 2016 Page 24

The War Cry | FEBRUARY 2016

promise to Major Kingsbury about
the canteen and also have a practi-
cal and efficient way to bring hot
meals, blankets, toiletries and other
necessaries to the homeless folks
under the bridge.

"I didn't start out too well," the

lieutenant admits. "The first night
I took the canteen out, I got too
close underneath the bridge and
took out the air conditioning unit

on top of the roof!"

But that has been the only

setback in fulfilling what she calls
"doing something meaningful" for
the very people The Salvation Army
was created to help.

"The first few nights, I was by

myself. In fact, the first time I went
under there a fellow met me and
asked me what was I doing."

Blusiewicz told him that she was

from The Salvation Army and that
she was just there to "check out how
things were going and how we can
be of help to you."

"You mean, you're here by

yourself?" he asked, surprised.

"Sure. I'm a person and you're a

person...what are you going to do,
hurt me?"

"Oh no," he answered. "We'd

never do that! We've never had
anyone brave enough to come down
here, that's all."

It seems God had sent that man

to meet Blusiewicz on her initial
venture under the Elk River
Bridge, because he immediately
took her down to the tent city, a
spattering of tarps and tents
housing some 25 to 30 people and
hidden from public view. "He took
me to every one of the homes in
that tent city and introduced me.
And because he did, I was immedi-
ately accepted," Blusiewicz says.

"The public doesn't know they

are there," she continues. "One
couple I have gotten to know has
been living under that bridge for
four years!"

The lieutenant goes under the

bridge when she has something to
take to her new friends there, for
instance, boxes of unsold Girl Scout

"The public doesn't

know they are there.

One couple I have
gotten to know

has been living
under that bridge

for four years!"

Some of the tent city

folks await the arrival of

Blusiewicz and her brigade.

Baylee Sigmon (13) and Reanna Drake
(12) prepare the Salvation Army canteen
for the night's run to the tent city beneath
the Elk River Bridge.

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