She was truly a servant to her church, the Christian Shelter and to the many guests and volunteers whom she met during her time at the ministry. She obeyed the Lord in her service to needy men, women and children who called the Shelter “home” during their stay. Scripture describes the qualities of a good servant as a person who is dependable, prayerful, never speaks their own name, and gives God the glory.
These are some of the many fine qualities we witnessed during Sister Angela Strand’s 29 years at the Christian Shelter. In reality, our sister in faith either volunteered or worked on staff for more than 29 years!
During a recent interview with her good friend and co-worker Sister Mary Williams, we learned that one of the many things Sister Angie enjoyed was working with volunteer groups, and meeting new people. She possessed the wonderful ability to develop good relationships with everyone, and she nurtured many lasting friendships. Sister Angela’s many contributions were very beneficial to the Christian Shelter’s mission.
Sister Angie established a Facebook page which has more than 1,000 followers. She did this to convey – to donors and community members – the challenges encountered by the homeless on a daily basis. She worked with many fathers, sons and scout leaders who came together to conduct their Eagle Scout projects at the Shelter. The projects were as varied as the people who worked on them. They built a storage shed for lawn and garden tools. They built sloped ramps for the handicapped and vendor deliveries. They also did small carpentry and painting projects to improve our second-floor apartment. These projects used Sister Angie’s strong organizational skills.
Christmas holidays were always a special time as she organized the staff and groups of volunteers to place holiday decorations throughout the Shelter. Sister Angie would always make sure that everyone who was homeless during the holidays would have gifts under multiple Christmas trees placed at strategic areas around the Shelter. The many smiling faces were her greatest reward on Christmas Day.
Sister Angie also served as an ambassador for the Christian Shelter at many community events including Third Friday celebrations in downtown Salisbury. She also attended community outreach events at the City Park, where she would display pictures and materials that told the Shelter’s story and history. She was always ready to tell others how they could help with the cause.
Sister Angie made a difference in the lives of many people, and it is our hope that, in retirement, she will hear the Lord gently speaking to her heart, saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
