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Valentine’s Appeal 2013
Dear Romantic!
No doubt this St Valentine’s Day you’ll be expressing your love for the one dearest to you in some romantic way – a special card, fragrant flowers, traditional chocolates – or some other thoughtful gesture.
While there were a number of Valentines who achieved sainthood, St Valentine’s Day honours the third century Roman saint who was associated with a tradition of courtly love – probably because he was imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers forbidden to marry. For this and other kindnesses unacceptable at the time, he was martyred on February 14.
But there isn’t only romantic love. There’s the love we have for our children, friends, pets. And the miracle is that love is limitless. We can love five children, say, as much as one. And if another five come to us, we can love them too, without withdrawing love from anyone.
Yet how many of us think about those we may not know who also need the love God urged us to give our ‘neighbours’ in the commandments handed down many centuries ago, as recorded in Exodus 20.
Each St Valentine’s Day it gives The Salvation Army special joy to celebrate with those we are destined to care for, because people like you who share their love for humanity with humanity – not just their nearest and dearest – make it possible. Yes, it is through your contribution that we are able to make this a special time – and can continue to give help and hope to so many.
By expressing your love of mankind in a practical way, through The Salvation Army you are helping us help hundreds of needy South Africans – from new-born babes to the aged – in our homes throughout the country. You also make it possible for us to bring relief to the homeless and under-privileged whom we go out to find so that they, too, can benefit from the love that you help spread. It is through your support we are able to perpetuate our credo: “Heart to God, Hand to Man”.
Once again I can only express our gratitude for your support and wish you the blessings you so deserve.
