WHO WE ARE PEOPLE
Introducing Commissioners Ralph & Susan Bukiewicz Get to know our territorial leaders as they settle into their new roles Interviews by HUGO BRAVO
Commissioner Ralph Bukiewicz, territorial commander of The Salvation Army Eastern Territory, talks about how being the eyes for his sightless parents prepared him to be a visionary leader, how serving around the globe has changed his perspective, and why he is passionate about the mission to equip people with the Word of God. I was born into a family where both of my parents were blind. Wherever they went, it was the responsibility of my sister and me to communicate for them. As a young boy, I wasn’t always sure how to do it, but it required that I describe things in visual ways. In recent years, I see that the definition of minis try is to communicate to a world through spiritual eyes. Ministry leaders describe the indescrib able to people by articulating that which is difficult to put into words. So, they try and live it out in front of them. I see now that God, who redeems all things, was really preparing me for a life of ministry.
I was deployed as the public information officer in New York City after the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. At the time, I was serving in Flint, Mich., but I was honored to be given the opportunity to coordinate with news stations and national networks that tran scended divisions or territories. I remember coming back every night to where the officers were staying and scrubbing the dirt and mud off my uniform to make it presentable for the next day. I could have worn Emergency Disaster Services T-shirts, vests, or jackets to work, but I really felt the need to wear the Salvation Army uniform. It was not about me; it was about that which I represented.
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COURTESY OF THE SALVATION ARMY CENTRAL TERRITORY
Having experienced 32 countries in our travels, Susan and I like to say that we’ve been “ruined in the most wonderful way.” By that, we mean that our Western sensibilities, values, and ways of doing things don’t always line up to where we find ourselves. In desperate situations, you don’t always have the resources or even a collaborative effort. But that’s where we’ve seen the strength of the human spirit
