Spending their lives serving others is what majors Jeff and Margaret Stafford do, but now the couple is heading in a different direction and bidding farewell to the Benoni branch of The Salvation Army.
The former Benoni West residents made their move to Emmarentia, Johannesburg, on February 19, where they will await visas for their big move to Kuwait.
“Margie and I are preparing to close off our active officership years by serving in Kuwait as assistant regional commanders for the Middle East,” Jeff explained.
“We will be running a church and a shelter for female victims of human trafficking, as well as travelling the entire region looking after seven other churches.
“We have five years left of active service and are planning to dedicate these to whatever the Lord has in mind for us to do.”
The couple has been active officers/pastors in The Salvation Army for 31 years.
“We both grew up in the Army. Margie’s mom and dad were Salvation Army officers as well,” said Jeff.
“The Army moves us as needed and with The Salvation Army being international, they move us where they need us.”
The move to Emmarentia for the waiting period of the visas was taken in order to allow the new majors, Jon and Mimmie Payne, to begin their work at the Benoni centre.
Jeff explained that he and Margaret were called to ministry at a young age.
“Both of us ran away from that until we married each other. We were on our honeymoon when I said to Margie I felt we were to go into fulltime service,” he said.
“So after a lot of soul searching, we went into college in Johannesburg in 1988 and were commissioned as officers/pastors in 1990.
“Suffering humanity has always been a strong calling of The Salvation Army ministry. We started our work in Greenbushes in the Eastern Cape.
“Here we served the lost, the least, the broken and our congregation.
“With our move to Benoni, we helped where we could in the first democratic election in South Africa.
“Also, we started a crèche at the Benoni centre to look after the children in our centre’s care, started working with prostitutes in the area and did a regular night soup run for the homeless sleeping on our streets.”
History and ranking of The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is an international organisation found in 131 countries around the world.
The head office is in London and the head of the organisation is Gen Brian Peddle.
When The Salvation Army was born in Victorian England, there were wars and rumours of wars and many had enlisted.
“William Booth suggested we were a volunteer Army fighting against Satan.“
His son, Bramwell Booth, objected to being called a volunteer insisting that he was an enlisted member,” Jeff explained.
“So members of The Salvation Army are called soldiers, local leaders or elders are called local officers.
“When you go into fulltime ministry, you enter a training college or seminary for two years, at which stage you are called a cadet.
“On the successful completion of this you are ordained and become a lieutenant and are given an appointment. You don’t choose where to go, you are sent there by the territorial commander.
“After 15 years you are a major. The ranks after that are by the general’s discretion: lieutenant-colonel, colonel, commissioner and general – who is elected by the high council.”
Jeff and Margaret’s personal lives
Jeff: “I attended high school at Settlers Agricultural High School in Bela Bela. From school I went into the police service and worked my way up to detective sergeant in the fingerprint division in Pretoria. Since being an officer I have obtained a diploma in biblical studies.”
Margaret: “I attended many schools growing up. My dad was a British officer. I was born on St Helena Island and matriculated from Collegiate High School for Girls in Port Elizabeth. I then worked at various hospitals, including Greys, Addington and the then HF Verwoerd as an administrative clerk. After being called into officership, I obtained a BA, post graduate in tertiary education and a ND in human resource management.”
The couple has four children, the last two are twins.
“Margie and I have been married for 35 years. We have four beautiful children and two grandchildren,” Jeff said.
Until October, Margie was the national coordinator for The Salvation Army’s work in anti-human trafficking.
She headed this programme since 2011 but was actively involved in fighting human trafficking from 2004.
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“We both have diplomas and degrees, all of which have been pursued for the betterment of our service to the community.
“It has not been sunshine and roses all the way.
“There were times when we couldn’t draw our allowance as there was just not enough money to go around, but God has always proven faithful.
“Our children have all gone on to be successful in their chosen careers, and we are grateful for everything they have achieved.
“No matter what we have faced, from children who have been extremely ill to changes in schools and having very little in the way of finances, we have never had to face any of these things alone.
“We have proven God to be faithful over and over again.”
The couple is excited for their journey ahead and grateful for The Salvation Army.
“There is so much intrinsic value in being a part of an organisation like this.
“We have dedicated all we are to the service of our community – wherever that may be – and to the service of the folk God has placed in our care,” they concluded.
