Salvation Army global leader in Zim

Midlands Bureau  
THE Salvation Army Church global leader, General Andre Cox and his wife, Commissioner Silvia Cox, arrived in Zimbabwe yesterday ahead of the church’s Easter Congress to be held in Gweru next week, a church official has said.Dubbed the Extra-Ordinary Easter Celebrations 2014, the Salvation Army Congress will be held at the imposing Conference Centre, 10km outside Gweru.

The congress will run from  April 17 to April 20.

Gen Cox, 59, was born in Harare and is a Swiss-British Salvation Army officer elected to the helm of the church in August last year, becoming the church’s 20th General.

In an interview, Salvation Army’s Assistant Public Relations Secretary in Zimbabwe, Captain Victor Mafukidze, said the main attraction for the General’s visit was to conduct the Easter Congress in Gweru next week as well as meet congregants.

He said Gen Cox will first visit the church’s educational institutions, orphanages and old people’s homes.

“General Cox, accompanied by his wife, Comm Cox, will visit Howard High School and Hospital in Chiweshe, Bumhudzo Hospital and Home in Chitungwiza, among others. He will also visit Officers’ Training College in Braeside, Harare. The General is expected to officially open staff accommodation quarters at Howard High School. He, together with his delegation, will tour the new Howard Hospital which is still under construction,” said Capt Mafukidze.

The Salvation Army leader will be in Bulawayo tomorrow where he will also meet congregants and hold a morning meeting – Psalm Sunday – at the Large City Hall.

Capt Mafukidze said this year’s Easter celebrations were bigger and open to other Christians.

“We are inviting fellow Christians from all denominations to join Salvationists commemorate Good Friday and Easter 2014. We are gathering in Gweru at the Midlands Conference Centre.

“This year’s celebrations are bigger as all divisions will meet in Gweru. Previously, congregants would meet at divisional level,” he said.
Most government schools with boarding facilities like Thornhill High and Chaplin have been booked by the church ahead of the Easter Congress.

Management of hotels and lodges in Gweru said they were either fully booked or almost fully-booked for the Easter period and some of their guests are members of the Salvation Army Church attending the Easter meeting.