Major Sandra is a Salvation Army officer, serving as a corps officer (church leader) in the USA Southern Territory. She serves alongside her husband, Ashish, and together they have two daughters. Her story was originally shared as a Women of Hope interview by Ashley, Ministry to Women, USA Southern Territory.

‘We were serving in Australia, thinking that we would be there for a while longer and, because of COVID-19, we had to come home early. It was probably the hardest thing that we’ve gone through as a family. 

‘In Australia, I felt like I was living my best life for God. All my passions and skills, all the things that brought me joy in the Lord came together. I thought, as I had in the past, that I would just pick myself up, move and get on with it. We got here [USA] and I couldn’t. I couldn’t just get on with it. I would go to work, I would give my best and smile and I would love on people, then I would come home and cry. 

‘My husband, Ashish, and I have this Scripture verse that’s become our family Scripture verse. Based on Ephesians 3:20, “God can do anything, far more than you can even imagine, dream, think, or pray.” That is what hope is, knowing that whatever I’m going through, that’s not the end of the story. Hope is knowing that there is more of my story to come, there are more pages to be written. 

‘I am called to be a missionary. I am called to be a foster parent or to adopt. I am called to be a justice-seeker. I am called to be a justice advocate. None of that has changed, even though the location has changed. It’s just a matter of figuring out how I do those things in a new space. Even in the darkest place when I feel like this is the end, God is saying, “No, this is not the end. It’s just going to look different and you need to hold on to that promise that I gave you.”’