Love is in the Division – Locked into Love
Across the maritimes, officers and salvationist couples are working side-by-side to bring hope, transform communities and lead through ministry. This valentine’s day, we are highlighting three couples from our maritime divisional headquarters that are making an impact together.
While their careers in The Salvation Army began more than 15 years ago, Captains Jamie and Elaine Locke have been appointed to roles both together and apart over the course of their marriage.
“Our first appointment was in Glover’s Harbour, Newfoundland when we were in our early 20s,” says Elaine. “When we think about home, we think about this community.”
“The population of the town was just 76, yet we had 50-65 people attend our services,” says Jamie. “It was such a close community. They took us under our wing and guided us in the direction we knew we wanted to go.”
The couple spent four years in the town of less than one-hundred. They spent those days learning to work as a dynamic team, and even welcomed their first daughter, Annabelle.
“I remember our first valentine’s day after she was born,” says Elaine. “We went as a family to Grand Falls for supper. We ended up going to the Irving Big Stop and the restaurant was packed. There wasn’t a table for us, but after they saw our three month old baby they made room. It shows the kindness and generosity we were surrounded with in this region.”
They spent the next few years in communities across Ontario, Newfoundland, and PEI, where they welcomed two more daughters and found their passion for working together to help others. But in the spring of 2017, they were appointed separately – Jamie to the divisional public relations team, Elaine to lead Fairview Citadel. A first for the couple.
“It was different to say the least,” explains Jamie. “We quickly discovered that our covenant of marriage and our covenant of officership are deeply connected.”
“Even when we were appointed separately we still supported each other every way we could,” says Elaine. “It’s what we’ve always done as a couple is every aspect of our marriage. We’re still a team, even if we’re not in the same office.”
Today, they are back to working together – both on the divisional communications team – portraying the kindness and compassion they learned in their early days as officers. But when given the choice whether they’d rather work side-by-side or individually, the choice is an easy one.
“A retired officer used to always remind us that we are better together, and he was right,” says Elaine.
“While it may not be a cultural norm that couples work, live and do all aspects of life together, it’s the only thing that we know as a couple,” says Jamie. “It’s life together – side-by-side.”
As they celebrate their seventeenth year of marriage this summer, there is one thing this couple knows for sure – they are locked in to both their marriage and their mission to help others.
“We’re locked in for life.”
By: Angela Rafuse
