Caring Vol. 17 No. 1 (Spring 2011)

caring The holistic ministries of The Salvation Army

“... where we are able to enter a community or engage a family, or meet an individual with multiple creative options, we do so to demonstrate the love of God convincingly and with veracity.”­— COMMISSIONER jim knaggs

Salvos Legal

by Mervyn Holland

10

A needed link

by JoAnn Shade

Ingenuity in the Army

by Danielle Strickland

19

More than music

by Alma Bahman

38

Middle Ground

by Sue Olp

7 10 12 19 22

SPECIAL SECTION The Salvation Army National Advisory Organizations Conference ‘Just Imagine’

by Kay Coles James.................. 28

40 2011 NAOC presenters and workshops...................... 29 National Advisory Board moves forward

by Mary L. G. Theroux............ 32 NAB under new leadership

by Marlene Klotz-Collins.......... 33 Generational influence

by Marlene Klotz-Collins.......... 35 An effective local advisory board

by Dick Hagerty..................... 36 ON THE COVER

MEET GENERAL-ELECT COMMISSIONER LINDA BOND

by Laurie Robertson

24

AMERICA’S NEWEST NAtIONAL SALVATION ARMY LEADERS

by Christin Davis

26

by Christin Davis

To be free in hope

by Nikole Lim

38 43

14

A ‘do good’ app

by Martin Künzi

MY CORNER 2 • PERSPECTIVE 3 • IN THE NEWS 4 • AND FINALLY... 44

Brewing hope

SPRING 2011 • VOL. 17, NO. 1 DOING THE MOST GOOD

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MY CORNER

Innovation and its inhibitors Where have all the innovators gone?

BY I think there are many around still—possibly even ROBERT more now than in Booth’s day. Maybe, they’re hiding DOCTER somewhere. If so, Caring wants to find them. I hope these

potential innovators don’t fear criticism from their leaders. In my judgment, current leadership is very open to new ideas—some more than others.

Fear is not the only potential inhibitor to innovation. Some thoughts require significant thinking because they are about positive issues and ideas, yet have the potential of becoming automatic, reducing our willingness to examine the roots of contemporary problems. They can become a cop out to genuine evaluative and creative thought.

Commitment begins with belief and leads to consistency in behavior.

These are characteristics we want to develop. There is, however, a significant “but”-clause following that sentence. When our goal is simply to be consistent without a true commitment—when our response to an obligation is knee-jerk, we have breached its danger.

Past and future This Army has as many traditions as any army anywhere in the world. We reverence the flag, the uniform, the heritage and history, parades, bands, ranks and titles, orders and regulations and the Bible. We have battle plans and campaigns, company meetings and corps sergeant majors, saluting and soldiers, commissioning and commissioners. Occasionally, we go to war—or, at least, declare war on something. These traditions can be important and valuable, especially to those who have been around for a few decades. But what do they mean to the new kid?

Traditions surrender with difficulty. They can be helpful in maintaining a steady self-image, but they can also inhibit innovation.

To me, there seems within us less meaning and more of an automatic response to a traditional event. But trying to abandon a long-standing tradition can be perilous.

We love tradition and aren’t about to give it up. We love our history even more.

Sometimes, I think we love the way we were much more than the way we are. This, of course, requires us to rigidly stay the way we were while, simultaneously, striving to achieve some kind of working relationship with the present. Our reverence for the past can be of such magnitude that it inhibits our attention on the future.

The Army remains focused on a mission that hasn’t changed since its inception. The wording of the mission statement has been modified over the years, but what we say we’re all about remains constant:

“The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical MY CORNER page 6

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Caring is published quarterly by The Salvation Army and seeks to: • •

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Reclaim ‘acts of mercy’ as imperatives to holiness.

Bring the Army’s ministries of evangelistic and social outreach into one holistic ministry.

Describe exemplary programs seeking to integrate the goals of the Army’s holistic ministries.

Foster innovation and the development of creative approaches to ministry.

Edify, enlighten, enrich and stimulate discussion among Salvationists involved in caring ministries.

Provide a forum for examination of critical social issues within the Army.

Report on important and relevant research in areas of holistic ministry.

Review critical contributions of scholars and writers within relevant fields of ministry.

Examine The Salvation Army as an organization in respect to its history, purpose, mission and future.

STAFF Robert Docter, Ph.D. Christin Davis Alma Bahman Karen Gleason Buffy Lincoln Edie Jenkins

Editor in Chief Managing Editor Assistant Editor Contributing Editor Associate Editor Editorial Assistant

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Betty Israel, Major Geoffrey Allan, Major Florence Townsend, Major Kevin Tomson-Hooper Allie Niles, Major

National Headquarters Central Territory Eastern Territory Southern Territory Western Territory

LAYOUT & DESIGN Kevin Dobruck Adriana Rivera

Art Director Graphic Designer

CIRCULATION & ADVERTISING Contact Caring for information USA WESTERN TERRITORIAL HEADQUARTERS Commissioner James Knaggs, Territorial Commander Colonel William Harfoot, Chief Secretary P.O. Box 22646 180 East Ocean Blvd.

Long Beach, CA 90802 562/491-8723 • Fax 562/491-8791 E-mail: caring@usw.salvationarmy.org Follow us: facebook.com/CaringMagazine Twitter @caringmagazine Unless otherwise indicated, all contents copyright ©2011 by New Frontier Publications, The Salvation Army, USA Western Territory, 180 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90802. Please contact the publisher with reprint requests.

PERSPECTIVE

Products, platforms and people What, would you say, is the greatest innovation of all time?

It’s a tough one to answer, I know.

Airplanes, McDonald’s burgers or refined oil? The iPod, or computing in general?

Google would be high on my list.

If not a product, perhaps you would say Penicillin, atomic energy, or the Panama Canal?

According to an article in Bloomberg Businessweek, a list of the all-time-great innovations begins with the following top 10:

BY CHRISTIN DAVIS

1. weapons 2. mathematics and the number zero 3. money 4. printing 5. free markets and capital markets 6. domesticated animals and agriculture 7. property ownership 8. limited liability 9. participatory democracy 10. anesthetics and surgery These capabilities were all life changing in some way. Weapons changed what people could eat, for example. They also affected power relations between groups, and continue to do so between nations.

Innovation, at its roots, means “to renew or change.” Some definitions say it is a process that renews something that exists, not the introduction of something new. Joseph Alois Schumpeter, an Austrian-American economist and political scientist, said circa 1930, “innovation changes the values onto which the system is based.”

Maybe the key to true innovation is that the idea—more than being new—somehow changes lives.

To accomplish this renewal of ideas, an individual must choose to do something outside of his or her norm, changing basic values and assumptions.

Agents for renewal In this issue of Caring, “Innovation,” we highlight a number of modern-day Salvation Army pioneers. We know Founder William Booth changed the societal values of England in the 1860s when he renewed the idea that salvation is available to all, and worked for the “down and out” who he knew needed soup and soap before salvation. The work of renewal agents in today’s Army span from agricultural and employment programs in Billings, Montana, to legal services in Australia, lessons on discipline through music in Santa Monica, California, or a direct trade coffee project between the Western Territory Adult Rehabilitation Center Command and farmers in Vietnam.

In this Army, we shoot for innovative platforms that are big enough to change lives.

The Switzerland, Austria and Hungary Territory is even reminding people to do good via an iPhone app.

“I believe The Salvation Army is not only marked by…imaginative personalities, but demonstrates this same ingenuity as a continuation of God’s great creation to this day,” Commissioner Jim Knaggs writes in the final column of this issue. “We have the holy imagination to see the impact of a loving God upon a life, a family and a community.”

Which values and systems are we influencing, and how are we changing lives? n Christin Davis is the editor of Caring and managing editor of New Frontier Publications.

How are the agents for renewal changing lives in your community? Share with the Caring community on our discussion page at facebook.com/CaringMagazine.

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In the news Compiled by Karen Gleason

UK company committed to helping the homeless In the U.K., Morrisons grocery chain—in partnership with The Salvation Army and Create, a social enterprise firm— is offering 10 percent of its new jobs to homeless people.

Morrisons, the fourth largest food retailer in the U.K., anticipates needing about 10,000 new personnel for the stores it plans to open across the country in the next three years.

Create is a nonprofit organization that helps companies develop training and employment opportunities for people who are living on the margins in society. It also runs restaurants and catering services that employ people who need help re-entering the workforce and offer an opportunity to build their skills.

After three months of training, Morrisons’ new recruits can begin an apprenticeship as a butcher, baker or fishmonger. Recently, five new employees who finished training began their first day of work in a Morrisons’ store in a disadvantaged area of Leeds, England.

To read more, visit tiny.cc/ llokg.

From The Salvation Army USA

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Western Territory’s Expect Change blog (expectchange.dreamhosters. com).

I can read So can you. We take this ability for granted. The United Nations recognized literacy and education as a basic human right in 2000, designating the second Millennium Development Goal (MDG) the achievement of universal primary education.

In “Now People Know I Can Read” (The Salvation Army’s Revive magazine, Jan.–March 2011), Major Vyvyenne Nokes (overseas development officer, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory), cited these statistics: • One in four adults in the developing world—872 million people—is illiterate (Oxfam U.K.—Education Now campaign) • More than 100 million children remain out of school (UNFPA) • In the world’s poorest countries, 46 percent of girls have no access to primary education (ActionAid) • More than one in four adults cannot read or write: two-thirds of these are women (ActionAid) • Universal primary education would cost U.S. $10 billion a year (ActionAid) • Young people who have

DOING THE MOST GOOD

completed primary education are less than half as likely to contract HIV as those lacking education.

Universal primary education would prevent 700,000 cases of HIV each year—about 30 percent of all new infections are in this age group (Oxfam).

To reach their full potential, people need the ability to read— and it’s never too late to become literate. Nokes shared comments from women who attended literacy classes run by The Salvation Army in rural villages in Tanzania and Malawi: “I can read street signs now and I can go to town by myself;” “I know how much change to give when I sell my produce; people used to trick me when they knew I didn’t know the value of money;” “People now treat me like an equal.”

See more about the MDGs, including information on progress, at un.org/millenniumgoals.

Outside the box in east London In east London, two charities— Magic Me and Quaker Social Action (QSA)—have designed creative solutions to social problems.

Using art, Magic Me brings together children and older people from all walks of life, involving them in photography, creative writing and drama. The

experience breaks down prejudice, builds self-esteem and alleviates isolation and loneliness. One young participant said, “Magic Me is the best thing going on, because it is actually changing people’s lives.”

QSA, a leader in financial education for families, tackles poverty and isolation. Its Made of Money project goes beyond providing information on banking by helping families think about

and communicate their financial experiences and goals. It also arranges blind-tasting sessions, where participants compare store-brand products with more expensive brand name items. In addition, the group sponsored a photography project allowing fathers and their children “a chance to look together at money and value through a lens.”

Charities like QSA and Magic Me succeed because of their

creativity. They go beyond handing out soup and offering debt advice—although there’s nothing wrong with these worthy activities. It’s great to see charities moving outside the box to reach people.

From New Philanthropy Capital’s blog, “Creative solutions to social problems” by Esther Paterson (tiny. cc/63tca).

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MY CORNER

from page 2

part of the universal Christian church.

Its message is based on the Bible.

Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in his name without discrimination.”

This is good as long as we remind ourselves regularly about these essential tenets of our ethic and ethos.

All humanity Creative innovators confront blind consistency.

In an effort to communicate our essence even more succinctly, retired General John Gowans described the mission in simple behavioral terms: “The Salvation Army exists to save souls, grow saints, and serve suffering humanity.”

His creativity was not inhibited by an automatically reflexive response to the mission statement. Instead, Gowans sought to help us understand it from a behavioral point of view—to show us what we need to do to reveal our commitment to it. A mission is something that leads to action. If one buys into a mission, one’s behavior reflects that orientation.

This statement has become popular. I’ve often wondered about the order of the three objectives listed in Gowans’ mission summary. Logic suggests that it

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is the order by which people meet God, grow in their spirituality and then put it into action. If, however, we wish to reflect Booth’s Cab Horse Charter, published in In Darkest England and the Way Out, we would need to put the “service to a suffering humanity” prior to the other two (when the cab horse breaks down, the first thing you do is pick it up).

Personally, I prefer this orientation. It seems to reflect our work more accurately, but I’m disappointed the non-discrimination clause gets left out.

Wait a minute, Bob! Avoid blind consistent commitment to a particular point of view. Think about it: The term “humanity” is about as broad a term available and obviously implies non-discrimination.

Automatic consistency, unfortunately, spares us the “rigors of creative thought.” Many tend to see the “suffering humanity” phrase as relating to the Army’s social service work—our commitment to the poor, the destitute and marginalized of society. This is true, but think about it a moment. This interpretation is much too limiting. There can be considerable suffering among those with sizeable resources when they live without God. Suffering spreads a wide net, and the wealthy are “humanity,” too.

Innovators—don’t let automatic, reflexive thinking lead to obsessive consistency. Search for deeper meaning and then communicate it.

Salvos Legal

Community funded legal services offer justice to all

BY MERVYN HOLLAND

Attorney, and managing partner, Luke Geary speaks with a client.

William Booth’s 19th century dream to provide a poor man’s lawyer is a 21st century reality in The Salvation Army’s Australia Eastern Territory. Salvos Legal is believed to be the first Salvation Army law firm established in any of the 123 countries where the Army is currently at work. It provides a comprehensive range of free legal services to people in crisis, supplemented by a corresponding commercial division available to the wider business community.

In Australia, significant trends and challenges are emerging.

Society is becoming more litigious, legal services are

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of five children. He attended Catholic school and although he was a regular church member, Geary said he didn’t feel his faith was one of substance.

In 2003, a friend introduced Geary to two young Salvationists who asked him to take on a case for an elderly lady at their corps who wanted to maintain custody of her grandchildren. The case was successful, and Geary was asked to take on another case, followed by several more. After spending time in the corps and with other church members, Geary decided to attend the Auburn Corps in New South Wales regularly.

Rosemary Parkin, one of 14 volunteer lawyers who work parttime shifts at Salvos Legal.

becoming more expensive and courts are backlogged.

Many law firms invest in social capital by offering pro bono services, either for specific events, such as the annual Red Shield and Christmas appeals, or to specific services like addiction rehabilitation.

But that’s all changing in the Australia Eastern Territory thanks to the vision and determination of one young, committed lawyer, Luke Geary. He engineered Salvos Legal with an ever-expanding team of volunteers from legal firms, corps and communities who aid people in crisis.

Salvos Legal exists to provide disadvantaged members of the community with a holistic sense of justice—each client will be considered for other Salvation Army social and pastoral services, such as drug and alcohol rehabilitation, financial management, crisis accommodation, welfare support, counseling and pastoral care. The aim of Salvos Legal will be to harness the “One Army, One Mission” network to break the cycles that lead to conflict requiring legal assistance.

Courtyard Legal Geary felt his purpose in life was to begin a free legal service and full-time representation for the most disadvantaged. In August 2005, he established a law firm, Courtyard Legal, which operated from Salvation Army sites in the suburbs of Auburn and Parramatta and offered free legal advice and representation to those who couldn’t afford it.

With an inaugural team of 15 volunteer solicitors, migration agents, law graduates, paralegals and assistants, Courtyard Legal advised clients each week on criminal law, family and child custody law, welfare, debt, housing and more. Additionally, Courtyard Legal attracted a wide panel of lawyers who from time to time offered their services free of charge, advising or representing in court or tribunals.

Almost all of the people who Courtyard Legal has acted for over the years are on government pensions or from low-income backgrounds. Courtyard Legal is the only such service in New South Wales to offer assistance in reunion cases for families separated by refugee experiences.

New firm emerges Through community-funded legal services, The Salvation Army aims to close the gap in difficulties with access to justice. Salvos Legal is replacing Courtyard Legal as the vehicle through which justice will be

Taking the case “Geary is a gift from God to The Salvation Army.

He is man of passion, compassion and immense vision,” General-elect Commissioner Linda Bond, territorial commander of the Australia Eastern Territory, said. “One day [Salvos Legal] will be as integral to our movement as any of our renowned social services.”

Born into a Catholic family, Geary is the youngest

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Rizpah Jarvis, partner in Salvos Legal Humanitarian, reads a case file.

The following is an edited excerpt from Salvos Legal: Stories from the Courtyard, The Origins of The Salvation Army’s Fight to Increase Access to Justice, March 2011. E-mail salvoslegal@aue. salvationarmy.org to order your copy.

KEITH

Anita Shaw, legal personal assistant to the humanitarian team

achieved for many individuals for years to come.

Geary and his team are building on Courtyard Legal’s foundations.

Geary did not to ask the government or The Salvation Army for funding—to do so would only disadvantage others, such as the Legal Aid Commission and other struggling community legal services, he said.

Salvos Legal funds its humanitarian work by taking paid, commercial property law cases, church or charity legal work, and corporate property transactions. The commercial law branch covers the costs of operating the humanitarian law branch.

Salvos Legal operates out of a modest office facility in Surry Hills with 14 volunteer lawyers each doing part-time shifts two to three days per week. Partner and accredited specialist in property law Andy Stucken and senior licensed Conveyancer Peter Pitson are available full-time. Salvos Legal currently has four advice bureaus running out of local corps at Auburn, Parramatta, Miranda and Campsie in New South Wales. Both paid and volunteer lawyers staff one fulltime office in Sydney. To date, Salvos Legal has had over 1,700 cases. n Major Mervyn Holland recently retired as the territorial legal secretary in the Australia Eastern Territory after 40 years of officership.

See more about Salvos Legal at salvoslegal.org.au.

When Keith came to see us he said he had lost everything. He had been BY suffering from depression for SOPHIE years, was long-term unemployed ROBERTS and had been self-medicating with marijuana. His relationship with his wife had suffered as a consequence. By the time we met him, Keith was living at Foster House (crisis accommodation for men run by The Salvation Army). Keith was unable to return to his home because his wife had taken out a restraining order against him and the police had charged him with assault.

Taking full responsibility for his actions, Keith indicated from our first meeting that he wanted to plead guilty to assault. He admitted that he and his wife had argued and that his behavior toward her had been threatening. Keith wanted to get his life together and move on. He got involved in the Positive Lifestyle Program run by The Salvation Army and started to participate in volunteer work. The events following the offense, he said, were a big wake up call.

On the day of Keith’s hearing, we negotiated a set of facts with the police, which he was happy with. The Salvation Army chaplain who had been working with Keith gave evidence in support of Keith’s change of lifestyle and his remorse for what had taken place. The judge praised Keith for what he had done to get his life together. He was sentenced to probation and his wife was granted a restraining order.

Keith said he is sad his wife decided to end their marriage, but he is hopeful for the future.

He wants to start a business and is getting his affairs in order so that he can find somewhere to live with his daughters.

Photos by Shairon Paterson

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A needed link LINCS helps connect low-income mothers to each other and services

BY JoAnn Shade

More than 20 women gathered in a meeting room known as the Sacred Space at The Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center in Ashland, Ohio. Roses graced the fireplace and the grand piano, balloons in pink and blue danced in the air, and chocolate covered pretzels dotted with pastel sprinkles stood ready. By all appearances it was a typical baby shower, but for three women, it was nothing less than a miracle.

At some point over the last six months, each of the women was homeless—pregnant, alone and with no place to go. A baby shower was the last thing on their minds as they tried to figure out what to do and where to go. Understanding a bed for the night or even a new apartment does not resolve the deficits that bring people to homelessness, ACCESS, a year-old, churchbased shelter service, invites women to join Linking Individuals to Neighbors, Community and Support (LINCS) as a part of their case plan.

An inventory of need LINCS is about connections and relationships, supporting women as they discover their own strengths

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and abilities. The program is entering its fourth year in Ashland; women at The Salvation Army in Canton created LINCS in 2000.

Early on, Barbara Arnold, director of social services, and I sat down with Carie Flanagan and Celeste Barnes, assigned to the corps through the Ohio Works First program in response to a grant opportunity from the State of Ohio for welfare reform dollars.

The obvious needs for poor, single moms were noted: better-paying jobs, reliable transportation, adequate child care, decent, affordable housing— basic needs that most people take for granted but are constant worries for poor women. As the conversation progressed, it moved to the less tangible needs.

What do you do when your toddler is sick and can’t go to child care and you can’t miss another day of work? How do you get to the Laundromat with no car, three kids and five baskets of laundry? Who do you call in the middle of the night when the baby’s temperature is 104 degrees? How do you know how to parent your child when all you’ve seen is your mother’s parenting and she was only 15 when you were born?

LINCS was birthed out of the response to these questions.

LINCS participants learn candy-making before a baby shower.

Effective access LINCS, as described in a funding proposal, is, “Intentionally designed to enable women to effectively access community services (government and nongovernment), to develop relationships of substance that could provide needed support, and to learn new ways of problem-solving…[focusing] on biblical principles, community-building models, strengths-based case management and self-determination.”

More simply put, it’s a group of women who meet weekly with the guidance of the center’s social service staff, supplemented by case management, home visits and supportive services. They share a meal and a discussion while their children are cared for or active in other center programs. If they need transportation, one of the other women picks them up. If they need groceries, they’re available from the pantry program. If they need a hug, plenty of those are offered, too.

One of the strengths of LINCS is its flexibility. At any given time it can become what the women need from it. The level of case management, the doors of entry, and the structure of the evening sessions are all based on the dynamics of the community and the program as they evolve. The shared evenings have included sessions on finance, parenting, home repair,

domestic violence and the ever popular life-book evenings, when the women use scrapbooking materials to create pages displaying the strength of their families and lives.

“My dream is and has always been that low-income women in Ashland County have at least one place where they feel safe, respected, loved and empowered,” LINCS case manager Amy Morgan said. “LINCS is that place—both at 527 E. Liberty Street and now in the hearts of nearly 80 women.”

Connecting sisters The baby shower was an image of the miracle of LINCS. Its structure replaced the “figure out what kind of candy bar is smashed in the diaper” contest with affirmation and a song of blessing led by advisory board member Libby Slade.

“Mamas, we’re blessing you. Bless you with strength!” Slade said.

Mom-to-be Jensine said, “I am truly blessed to be a part of a group like LINCS.” The shower’s guest list connected women of various ages and backgrounds, most who had not known each other before LINCS, but are now sisters. The list symbolizes the hope that threads its way through LINCS and the entire Kroc Center in Ashland—that personal limitations, tough circumstances and poor decisions can be faced, worked through and redeemed. n Major JoAnn Shade is the director of the Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center and the center’s corps officer, with her husband Major Lawrence Shade, in Ashland, Ohio.

Photos by Dan Shade

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Ingenuity in Closing the gaps of social provision The need for ingenuity and innovation in The Salvation Army is always before us.

This need is not based in organizational survival—The Salvation Army doesn’t exist for the benefit of itself, but for the benefit of those who don’t belong. We cannot make decisions that require change simply to perpetuate our own image or need as an organization.

If we are to truly represent the spirit of The Salvation Army, our need for change is much more about what our people need: How do we meet the deep needs of the exploited and marginalized, the forgotten and abused in a way that offers transformation? If we lose this question, we get off track. The question can never become, “What can we fund?” or “What have we always done?” or “What can we offer without cost or risk?” Those questions will entrench us in social provision without transformation.

The temptation to settle for programs and organizational management is always before us; we pat ourselves on the back for jobs well done as we enter statistics of people fed and hampers given. But if we aren’t open to the newness of approach and ideas that happen at a community level, we will miss the real opportunities toward transformation that exist every day.

So how do we develop and encourage innovation and ingenuity in a system that demands control and statistics because of the multifaceted realities of donors, financial requirements and social contracts?

How does the Army foster a spirit of creative and transforming mission? I think the best we can do is to keep asking the right questions and foster some principles within our force that push us toward missional thinking and living.

By Danielle Strickland

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the Army

Ask and listen I remember a team of people who wanted to reach out to some skateboarders at a notoriously rough skateboard park in a neighborhood. They had done a demographic study, put together a program proposal and asked my advice. I suggested we simply ask the skateboarders what they needed.

They had no access to clean water. They had a genuine desire to be together. Tunes. Food. All the things they suggested were things the Army could offer without a program proposal.

Proximity to people is key to coming into a posture of listening and response. How many of our advisory boards have people from our clientele group? The Salvation Army will never see the possibilities of different approaches if we remain distant from the people we are called to serve.

Homeless, prostituted and addicted people have incredible insight into where the gaps of social provision are. This is where The Salvation Army is called to innovative and creative solutions.

Learning and failing I never start a program before I try it out. The key is to always experiment; try to meet a need before doing the program proposal. This is risky behavior because it requires us to take chances with our own budgets before we can even secure funding—to control outcomes, we need to do proper paperwork.

I’ve witnessed people spend loads of money on buildings, locations or a group who simply doesn’t need, want or relate to the offered program. Rather than meet the needs of a people, there’s a frantic approach to fill the program instead. Perhaps the Army needs to create funds solely for the purpose of experimentation, freeing our frontline staff to try and fail in the spirit of entrepreneurism. In order to have innovation or ingenuity, we have to try a lot of things first.

INGENUITY page 41

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Brewing hope Vu Pham Hoang, 28, grew up on a BY coffee farm in Pleiku.

CHRISTIN Located in central Vietnam, Pleiku DAVIS

was strategically important during the Vietnam War as the main center of defense in the highland region and home to the U.S. Camp Holloway.

The farm belonged to Hoang’s grandparents, and his parents worked the land when they weren’t going to school. Hoang’s father went on to become a doctor and his mom a pharmacist; they provided Hoang, their oldest child, with an education from the University of Economics in Ho Chi Minh City. Soon after graduating, he worked for an agricultural export and import company before landing a well-paying job at the city’s BMW dealership.

The coffee farmers, who work from 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day, were on his mind, however, and in early 2010, Hoang quit his job to return to his hometown village.

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“My grandparents and all of my family were farmers,” he said. “I am the witness of their daily struggles…I feel for their suffering. Therefore, I have a special love for the farmers. My biggest dream and goal was to return and help the farmers in my hometown.”

With The Salvation Army, Hoang is implementing his vision for helping his hometown farmers.

Direct trade network Far from Pleiku, in San Francisco, Major Jack Phillips, then area coordinator for the San Francisco Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC) and now administrator and area coordinator for the Portland ARC, had an idea for an open coffee bar in the local family store. Customers buy a cup, mostly donated mugs, and fill it with free, fresh brewed coffee—The Second Cup. When visiting the coffee corner in the Geary Family Store, ARC Commander Major Man-Hee Chang

A direct trade coffee project between The Salvation Army and farmers in Vietnam

considered why The Salvation Army didn’t produce its own coffee for use in centers and programs. Chang said the average ARC uses 150 to 200 pounds of coffee per month.

Through a string of connections, Hoang made contact with Chang and submitted a 16-page business plan. It proposed a direct trade between the coffee farmers in Pleiku and the Army’s ARC Command in the West.

Following further discussions, Hoang left his job at the BMW dealership to pursue this partnership full time.

“My parents strongly objected my intentions because they thought what I was doing is not useful for my own life,” Hoang said. “They also objected because they saw that the connection with the Americans is not beneficial for me.”

Because of his dealings with Chang and others involved with the project—all Americans—Hoang is now on a government blacklist that will make it nearly impossible for him to ever get a job again in Vietnam. He is not concerned, however, as he has his own career plan.

Hoang developed a network of roughly 50 local farmers who agreed to let him handle the sale of their coffee harvests. Many of these farmers know Hoang and his family, and believe that he is helping to secure a fair profit for them. Bypassing the typical broker, the coffee growers receive a higher price for their beans. In turn, this money supports additional production, which then further

Coffee farmers in Hoang’s network: (L-R) Van, Von, Dinh, and Tam

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increases profit.

“The only reason that makes me want to do this job is my love for the farmers,” Hoang said. “I went through [poverty] during my childhood, but I was fortunate to escape it. I want to help so that other families can escape poverty also.”

Harvesting income Americans alone drink 400 million cups of coffee per day, making the U.S. the world’s leading consumer of coffee, much of which is produced in developing countries.

Vietnam is now second only to Brazil in tons of coffee exported nationally, according to the Foreign Agricultural Service—an agency within the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It is the largest producer of the Robusta coffee bean, which accounts for roughly one-third of the coffee produced in the world.

Driving through Pleiku, it’s clear that most families in the town and the surrounding Gai Li Province have a coffee

The Salvation Army in Vietnam The Salvation Army has no current presence in Vietnam, but did engage in social and community development in the country over two periods of time.

The Army first worked in Vietnam from 1968 to 1971 providing medical, educational and evangelical services to American troops and local people affected by the war in refugee camps and orphanages in the Saigon area. It withdrew in 1971 when the funding contract with the United States Agency for International Development ended.

In 1998, the Army investigated possible reentry into Vietnam.

After meetings with government officials and two exploratory visits, The Salvation Army planned to begin full-time work in Vietnam in January 1999, specifically to help complete a furniture factory and provide employment training.

Then International Secretary Commissioner Fred Ruth signed a memorandum of agreement between The Salvation Army and Vietnam’s Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs. The Army agreed to provide poverty alleviation projects, community development, training in primary health care, HIV/AIDS awareness, agriculture and animal husbandry, literacy programs and vocational skills and employment.

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farm—whether it is acres of land or, commonly, a small patch outside the house. For many, the coffee represents a way to earn a minimal income.

One acre of land can grow about 1,500 coffee plants, which live up to 30 years but must initially develop for three years before harvesting. The initial cost for seedling and three years of care is roughly $750 per acre, according to Hoang. Brokers often loan money to the farmers at 5 percent monthly interest (60 percent per year), with a requirement to sell the harvest to the broker at extremely low rates.

Annual upkeep for pruning, insecticide, weeding, watering, fertilizer, and labor costs about $1,300 per acre. According to Hoang, the net income for local farmers is $1,350 per acre— barely above the cost of its operation.

In partnership with The Salvation Army, the net income for a farmer in Hoang’s network—who is able to sell harvested coffee beans at a fair market price—is $2,120 per acre, representing a 57 percent profit increase.

The agreement focused on social and community development as the Vietnamese government forbade evangelizing. The Army could not use its international trust money for projects in Vietnam, because the money must be used toward the advancement of the Christian religion.

A second withdrawal In the second stint of the Army in Vietnam, money became an issue. The International Management Council (IMC) at International Headquarters reviewed operations and expressed concern; the board of trustees had not approved the use of international funds and the project’s initial grant was nearly expended. IMC requested a proposal for adequate funding or a plan for withdrawal.

The team working in Vietnam thought the decision was unprecedented and the work was sustainable through project administration funds; the board disagreed.

At another meeting in December 1999, the board decided it was best to withdraw and wait for religious law in Vietnam to change.

Army operations in Vietnam wound down until all projects—providing musical instruments and Braille books for the Hai Phong School for the Blind, medicine and equipment for the Hai Phong hospital, a

DOING THE MOST GOOD

cow bank in Son Lawere—were complete or handed over to another agency. Then chief of staff, General John Larsson (Ret.), announced the Army’s withdrawal in February 2000.

Discussions of new work A controversial ordinance regarding religious freedom in Vietnam passed in November 2004. Discussions arose about resuming Army work in Vietnam if funding was available, but nothing has begun to date.

In 2006, the U.S. removed Vietnam from its list of countries it considers to violate religious freedom. The Straits Times, a Singapore newspaper, reported that Vietnam had unveiled a new liberal policy on religion—allowing Vietnamese, foreign visitors and residents the legal right to practice their faith without hindrance from the state.

However, the Human Rights Watch World Report 2011, released in January, reports that the Vietnam government “intensified its repression of activists and dissidents during 2010, and cracked down harshly on freedom of expression, association and assembly.”

n From a Salvation Army International Headquarters report.

“The [Salvation Army] price is much better than selling to the brokers in Vietnam,” Hoang said. “With this help, the farmers sell for a fair price…and are able to take care of their debts, so it will lessen their burden.”

Vu Pham Hoang

10-acre farm On a winding, narrow dirt road outside of Pleiku, Van and Tam—Hoang’s aunt and uncle—live with their two children in a one-bedroom house on a 10-acre coffee farm. They have some 15,000 coffee trees—eight- to 10-foot leafy, green plants that grow red berries on long vines; the grape-sized fruit grows a seed—or coffee bean—inside.

Though harvest season runs from November to January, caring for Van and Tam’s farm is a year-round, daily endeavor. When the time for harvesting arrives, it takes about a month to complete. Neighboring farmers work together to harvest crops, roughly an hour per tree, sliding and twisting a gloved hand down each individual vine to strip the ripe red fruit off and onto a tarp below the tree.

Once the berries are off the tree and carried to the house, they are laid out on a tarp to dry in the sun for seven to 10 days. The fruit is dry when the bean can be heard rattling inside and is then bagged for sale to a broker; the typical 90-pound bag sells for $16. Before further sale to another broker or roaster, the berries

are put through a machine to shell the “flesh” and remove the coffee bean inside.

Robusta blend Through Chang and the West’s ARC Command, and following in-person meetings with Hoang and farmers in Pleiku, The Salvation Army purchased its first load—44,000 pounds—of the Vietnamese Robusta coffee beans in November 2009.

“The [Salvation Army] price is much better than selling to the brokers in Vietnam,” Hoang said. “With this help, the farmers sell for a fair price…and are able to take care of their debts, so it will lessen their burden.”

The Army began experimental roasting with a contracted company in San Francisco, called Jeremiah’s. In this research phase, numerous blends were created before conducting taste tests at ARCs in the West in March 2010. A blend of 75 percent Robusta bean and 25 percent Arabica bean from El Salvador created the right taste—a bold, earthy flavor—with both light and dark roasts available.

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Children play and read at Pleiku’s Sao Mai Orphanage which has received donations through the coffee project.

A design firm tested six names for the coffee among consumers. The official name has not yet been released.

Currently, 20 of the 22 Western ARCs serve the coffee to the beneficiaries and staff.

Proceeds returned Van and Tam’s farm can produce 10 loads—440,000 pounds—of un-shelled coffee berries per year. Chang’s goal is for the Army to consume 40 percent of the high quality beans and for Hoang to broker the remaining harvest to outside buyers, which will also provide him with an income.

The Army’s second load of Robusta coffee beans recently arrived from Vietnam and is being roasted in San Francisco. Eventually the coffee will be available for purchase online. Every Salvation Army unit in the U.S. will receive a sample bag with the hope that they will join in the effort of “brewing hope.”

“The market is so big; the potential so great,” Chang said. “This is not fair trade; this is direct trade and the net proceeds go back to Vietnam.”

Per pound, the roasted coffee costs the Army roughly $3 and it is selling it for less than $4. The profit, through a contracted brokerage firm that is assisting in the coffee project, is then donated to social projects in Pleiku.

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To date, the coffee project has assisted the Sao Mai Orphanage, which houses 50 children and is operated by the Catholic Church, with the purchase of new classroom desks and the cost of general operations.

“The Army is not profiting on trade but is winning people through our actions,” Chang said.

Though The Salvation Army currently has no presence in Vietnam, Hoang expressed interest in becoming a member.

“My prayer is that this will lead to an official presence,” Chang said. “Who knows how God will lead us.”

Support and sustain This coffee is brewing hope in Pleiku. With each cup that you drink, people are supported and sustained in Vietnam.The coffee directly benefits the farmers, whose earnings uphold the community.

The Salvation Army, in a direct trade coffee partnership, is promoting and perpetuating a better future for the farmers and people of Pleiku.

Drink good, do good. n Christin Davis is the editor of Caring and managing editor of New Frontier Publications.

Photos by Nikole Lim

More than music Santa Monica Corps’ Westside Music School teaches discipline, trust Anthony Begonia is a fourth generation member of The Salvation Army. His passions are film, music and the arts; he attended music school and his whole family plays the piano. But Begonia, after teaching youth in Hawaii, left his home state to “find a niche here in [Los Angeles],” which was to become the music director for the Santa Monica Corps (under the leadership of corps officers Captains Mario and Claudia Ruiz) and the founder of the Westside Music School.

The school provides weekly private music lessons to the corps’ youth. Students can learn up to two of the four primary instruments the school teaches—piano, brass, guitar, and percussion. The Thursday night meetings include a meal and 30-minute sessions where students learn theory and to read, write and play music. The school also offers weekly ensembles and voice techniques.

But the Westside Music School is about more than music.

“Youth come here not because it’s just a music lesson—there are adults who are interested in their [life development],” Begonia said.

The 9-year-old program began as a master

By Alma Bahman

Yaritza Gonzales

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SPRING 2011 CARING PAGE 19

Left : Floyd Franklin Right: Aaron Degruy

class with groups, not unlike a regular classroom style.

But Begonia realized that this class format—without individual attention to students who needed more help or were excelling—wasn’t doing the kids any good.

“Private music lessons are the secret to affluent societies,” Begonia said. “[The youth are] given a special, unique time the family paid for.”

Individual lessons The music school blossomed from the annual Salvation Army Music Camp, held at Camp Mount Crags in the Calabasas Mountains. It was renamed the Chris Mallett School of Music after the former Southern California divisional music director. The corps sends youth, ages 9 to 18, from low-income families to camp every year. Begonia saw this as an opportunity.

“We can’t just give them a week [at camp],” he said.

“Let’s see how we can work with them through the year.”

Jacqui Larsson, Mallett’s niece, and husband Kevin Larsson, the current divisional music director, allocated funds in Mallett’s honor to start private music lessons, an idea that is expanding to other locations throughout the division. The division pays for half of the lesson, the corps covers a little less than the remaining half and the child’s family pays $5. Each participant must also sign a contract, with their parents or guardians, stating their active involvement in the program and the corps.

Bus ministry Starting this program opened Begonia to the foster system. He estimates 27 out of the roughly 30 students currently in the school are fostered or come from

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single-parent families. Many of the youth live unstable lives, shuttled between foster homes only to become homeless at 18.

Floyd Franklin, now 16 and a pianist at the Westside Music School, became a ward of the state at age 10 after his father threw a jar of peanut butter at him. Franklin went to the hospital with a gash on his head. His mother had been deported to Belize so with his father in jail, Franklin and his two sisters—Alyssa and Shena, ages 11 and 8 at the time—were entered into the foster system and separated. Before his current foster mother, Franklin lived in five homes where he got in fights and was accused of lying and stealing.

Young people like Franklin that attend the Westside Music School come mostly from the Inglewood and West L.A. areas. About half of them go to school in or near the Santa Monica area, Begonia said.

“It’s sort of a bus ministry,” he said.

On Sundays, Begonia arranges pickups and dropoffs so many of the youth can attend corps activities.

On Thursdays, they come by bus or any other means, and Begonia takes them home. He estimates about 35 percent of the corps’ congregation is under age 18 and 95 percent of them come to lessons without their parents. He doesn’t take this particular responsibility lightly because “making a pickup could mean siblings separated in the foster system may be reunited.”

Connecting The Thursday night lessons are only one part of the music school: it reaches into rehabilitation programs as well.

“We find a way to retain [Adult Rehabilitation Center graduates] in our ranks,” Begonia said.

He calls these adults “music mentors.” They don’t hold an official position as a teacher, but connect with the kids through musical knowledge and experience.

One graduate, Dennis, a former cocaine addict, is a prolific drummer who encourages all the kids in their musical careers.

More importantly, these young individuals—who have been hurt and betrayed by adults—can learn to develop trusting relationships via teachers and music mentors. “[The teachers are] teaching way more than music,” Begonia said.

They teach discipline, something they can use at the corps to glorify the Lord and utilize socially in school or privately, he said. Begonia hopes it’s something the kids will truly remember and someday pour their resources into.

“We’ve seen some good fruit,” he said.

Good fruit Janet Gutierrez, 13, started attending the school in

February. A fan of Green Day and Nirvana, her dream is to be the lead singer and guitarist of her own punk rock band.

“I’m starting my future,” she said. “I’m starting my career.”

A budding guitarist, Janet learns how to read and write music theory and exercises to help spread her fingers across the frets. She sees the program as a great opportunity for anyone involved in music.

“Not only do you learn the instrument, you learn to be thankful and respectful,” Janet said.

“I like the music, I like everything,” Yaritza Gonzalez, 16, said about the school. “But you have to study a lot to be a good player.”

The trumpeter wants to be three things when she grows up: “A probation officer, a social worker and a school counselor.”

The lessons are the saving grace for a lot of kids from troubled homes, Claudia Ruiz said.

The kids continue to take lessons as long as they want and Ruiz sees it as an investment in them, their maturity and leadership abilities. She also hopes these kids will become a source for others like themselves, who “need to find something that belongs to them.”

Aaron DeGruy, an outgoing 16-year-old, wants to be a classical finger style guitarist and is being discovered by a prominent music-producing program in L.A. “My teacher expects me to learn something and I do,” DeGruy said. “I like how they make my fingers bleed every day,” he joked.

Franklin now accompanies his high school choir on the piano. A Westside Music School success story, he summed up what he liked about the school in two words: the music.

Crossroads What’s the next step for the music program?

“Expansion, really,” Begonia said.

He said he wants to continue this creative ministry by expanding into filmmaking. He also aims to find a way to get more local area youth involved and make the corps a safe place for orphans and widows. Ultimately, Begonia and the corps want to keep building a viable source for guiding foster youth.

“We need to have a voice for them,” he said. n Alma Bahman is the assistant editor of Caring.

Photos by Nikole Lim

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Middle Ground New program will help Billings grow, learn and work

BY Sue Olp

The Billings branch of The Salvation Army in Montana is the lead agency for the newly created Middle Ground: a Center for Sustainable Communities, slated to begin in early 2011. The program will bring together community partners to create three distinct learning communities to help the city’s most vulnerable people, from at-risk children to chronically homeless adults.

“It’s a much more holistic approach to breaking the cycle of poverty,” said Major Kevin Jackson who, with his wife Major Linda Jackson, heads the Billings Corps.

The couple came to Montana’s largest city, with a population of 100,000, in July 2009, and have focused on how best to help the at-risk and low-income people of the city.

When they first arrived, they found a traditional Salvation Army social services operation.

“Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but we felt like it wasn’t transforming any lives here,” Kevin

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Jackson said. “It was providing a lot of good assistance, but there was really nothing there that was giving people the opportunity to become responsible citizens in the community—tax-paying citizens who invest in the community and participate on another level.”

Jackson acquainted himself with the community and introduced himself to as many leaders as possible in government, the academic sector, other nonprofits and the faith community.

For instance, when the local rescue mission could no longer afford to run a mobile feeding program, The Salvation Army agreed to take it over. Now the Community Table has expanded from one route to three and many volunteers help keep the program going.

The Billings Salvation Army also established a close partnership with Montana State University Billings (MSUB), which Jackson calls a win-win.

“It’s helped them to become more a part of this

A student at Billy Booth’s Fine Arts Factory palys a flute solo.

community, not just an ivory tower center of academia,” he said. “And it’s allowed us to do so much of what we’re doing with the children because there are student interns.”

Meanwhile, Jackson and others spent the past 18 months researching programs proven to help turn people’s lives around. Out of that came Middle Ground.

Growing communities A local food project, this partnership is between The Salvation Army, the city of Billings and Billings Public Schools. AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers who are attached to the city of Billings have done much of the preliminary work.

The fully organic agricultural program includes a 7.5acre urban farm at the local high school career center where elementary students from Title I schools can learn how to grow produce. A green house allows the growth of produce, like raspberries and strawberries, all year in a city that sees frosty winter temperatures.

The food will go both to the school cafeterias and to the students and their families.

There will be another dozen or so community gardens at schools and other sites, such as a transition home for homeless vets.

Kids will also tend to an apple orchard. As part of the social enterprise, they will sell apples and apple cider at farmers markets. The educational component will include nutrition classes and instruction on canning and preserving food.

A community supported agriculture program will sell subscriptions for $16 per month to people who receive a portion of the food that’s grown.

Learning communities An educational opportunity project, this partnership is mainly between Montana State University Billings, the YWCA and The Salvation Army. For at least the first few years, the program will consist mainly of victims of domestic violence. MSUB will provide an educational component, The Salvation Army will focus on the technical portion and the YWCA will provide clients and case management.

With an eye toward careers that will see a growing need for workers, training will lead to computer refurbishing certification, eSteward certification, environmental management systems certification, managerial training, entrepreneurship training and retail and office work skill building.

Working communities This job-skills acquisition project partners the city of Billings, the Rimrock Foundation and The Salvation Army.

What was once a thrift store will transition into retail space where serviceable recycled merchandise will be sold, along with pottery and glassware made by children and produce from the farmers market entrepreneurs. For every $5 of merchandise young entrepreneurs sell, they will keep $1, give $1 to a community cause and save $3 for college or vocational school as a way to help guarantee them a brighter future, Jackson said.

A recycling center will deal with unusable donations and de-manufacturing of computers and electronics. It will also feature an organic Bokashi composting program.

A population of chronically homeless people will be trained to run the composting program and will create Bokashi kits that can be sold for a profit. And in a full circle, they will help produce dirt that will be used in the urban farm and the gardens. The Rimrock Foundation will house and support these participants and The Salvation Army will train them.

Grants from various entities help to fund these new communities, along with major support from The Salvation Army.

“It’s exciting stuff,” he said. “I think the main thing I’m excited about, though, is how much this community has supported it and bought into it.” n Sue Olp is a reporter for the Billings Gazette.

Photos courtesy of the Billings Corps

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Commissioner Linda Bond leads the international organization as of April 2 PAGE 24 CARING SPRING 2011

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BY Laurie Robertson

The 2011 High Council, comprising 109 leaders from around the Army world, met in January at Sunbury-on-Thames near London to elect the Salvation Army’s 19th General. Following Commissioner Linda Bond’s election, she sat down for an interview with International Headquarters Communications Secretary Lt. Col. Laurie Robertson, which included the excerpts below.

On April 2, Bond will assume leadership of more than one million Salvationists and 100,000 employees in 123 countries where the Army is currently at work.

With 42 years of experience in the Army, Bond began serving in the Canada and Bermuda Territory as an officer in her local corps—an ordained minister in the church—in Winnipeg, Canada, in 1969. Other appointments include divisional commander, territorial commander of the USA Western Territory, International Headquarters (IHQ) under secretary for personnel, IHQ secretary for spiritual life development and international external relations, and most recently territorial commander and territorial president of women’s ministries of the Australia Eastern Territory.

Robertson: Please tell us about yourself and your background.

Bond: I was born in Nova Scotia, Canada, as the youngest of 13 children. My mother was British, migrating to Canada with her parents when she was 17 years old. My Canadian father was a coal miner. You can’t grow up in a large family, having a mother with a keen mind and a fiery spirit and a father as gentle as a lamb and selfless as Jesus, without being influenced. I am my mother’s child by nature and my father’s child by desire.

Can you please describe your thoughts and feelings when you were nominated for and then elected as General of The Salvation Army?

When I was nominated I felt it was an affirmation from my peers. My overall feeling was “this is of the Lord.” He had been speaking to my heart through Scripture, and although I had not intended to, I accepted nomination in obedience to the Lord. I felt that I had to wait to see what he wanted to do. When I was elected I was humbled, but I had a real sense that this was the Lord’s doing. To me it was a miracle—it was a work of grace.

What are some of the strengths of the Army worldwide?

Our name; we are known in most places and are found trustworthy. Trustworthiness is a huge part of what makes

us effective. People trust us and we never want to lose that.

We have a long history, yet we are known in society as an organization that is able to change its methods to relate to each generation while holding true to its essential principles. We must continue to do this, to be adaptable and flexible but principled.

What will be the main challenges facing you as General?

It is a challenge to serve in a very complex world without losing sight of our mission. We must also serve in a secular world and never be ashamed of Jesus. Both will take courage, wisdom and grace.

What do you imagine or hope The Salvation Army will be like at the end of your term as General? In what ways might it be different to what it is like today?

I don’t really have a good answer for that, as I haven’t even started yet! All I know is I am committed to uplift the name of Jesus. I am absolutely confident that when we do that, the spirit of God blesses The Salvation Army.

I have a sense deep in my spirit that God is wanting to do something in the Army…saying, “Keep faith with who I am, keep faith with what I have given the Army to do.”

If at the end of my term, this message has been communicated and the Army’s strong sense of identity and commitment to mission continues to impact society, then he will be pleased. And if he is pleased, that’s what matters most to me.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I have to thank The Salvation Army. I’ve had hundreds of messages from all over the world and I am a bit overwhelmed by it all. People offer congratulations but they also promise prayer support. There is no greater gift that someone can give to me. I need prayer.

I would love to be strong and energetic and healthy and totally committed to what the Lord called me into this position for. I just want to do what he has called me to do. n Lt. Col. Laurie Robertson is the communications secretary, editor in chief and literary secretary at International Headquarters.

Photos courtesy of Paul Harmer

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America’s newest national Salvation Army leaders Commissioners Roberts in appointment since November 2010 Commissioners William and Nancy Roberts, respectively the current National Commander and National President of Women’s Ministries, arrived in Buenos Aires, Argentina in December 2001, shortly after the peso was severely devalued—money lost 80 percent of its value in a day. The banks suffered, people were out of work, the government experienced five presidents in one month and the country defaulted on its debts with the International Monetary Fund.

As the national leader of The Salvation Army in the U.S. since November 2010, William Roberts reflected on his experience in Argentina—and its lessons for America today—in a recent interview with Caring.

“The time was critical; we had to keep the Army stable and serve the people who were suffering,” he said. “We had to encourage people and give them hope.”

BY Christin Davis

America’s newest page 42 PAGE 26 CARING SPRING 2011

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The Salvation Army National Advisory Organizations Conference

‘Just Imagine’ A Magical Vision for NAOC 2011

By Kay Coles James

Appropriate for the 2011 National Advisory Organizations Conference at the Walt Disney World resort in Orlando, Fla., our NAOC theme is “Just Imagine” accompanied by the inspiring Scripture of Ephesians 3:20-21: Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations.

These four days, from April 28 to May 1, will be an opportunity for professional growth, fellowship and fun for members of The Salvation Army family.

To draw from Paul’s words in Romans, we are many members who form one body in Christ, each with our own unique gifts and roles. And with more than 3,500 officers, 60,000 employees, 3.4 million volunteers and 58,800 advisory organization members serving in every corner of the nation, The Salvation Army is indeed one large body.

This was the motivation that inspired members of our National Advisory Board (NAB) to imagine the first NAOC in 1983. They wanted to bring together all advisory boards, advisory councils, auxiliary and service unit volunteers from across the country for the purpose of helping them gain a greater knowledge of the work and presence of The Salvation Army in the United States.

Furthermore, they believed it critical that every attendee return home resolute in the Army’s mission

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to preach the gospel and indiscriminately serve suffering humanity in Christ’s name. The NAB knew that investing in the development of advisory organization leaders would cultivate a stronger relationship between The Salvation Army and the communities it serves.

Gather to imagine When we gather in April, we will do exactly that—imagine all the good that God can do through The Salvation Army and how we can proclaim his glory through our service. A wealth of resources and opportunities will be available to help spark our imaginations.

The schedule is filled with a selection of workshops, symposiums and general sessions related to the work of the Army. From harnessing new technologies to reaching a new generation of donors, the relevant and progressive topics offer something for everyone. Through these sessions, we’ll use our diverse skills and experiences to share visions, hatch ideas and foster creative thinking for personal and professional development.

If that wasn’t enough, our list of keynote speakers could light up a marquee. Gifted communicators from within the Army, non-profit and private sectors will share their compelling stories and expertise.

Whether it’s a former first daughter or the creative geniuses behind some of the world’s most endearing animated characters, their fresh perspectives will

A unified understanding There’s much in store for The Salvation Army advisory organizations members, professional employees, officers and families. What better way to renew our commitment and strengthen our vision for making a difference? It will be an unforgettable time of relaxation, rejuvenation and motivation.

While we work day to day within each of our territories, divisions and corps, NAOC serves as an opportunity to reunite every few years and gain a deeper, more unified understanding of our mission.

Ultimately, it’s a way to equip and empower every Salvation Army unit and help them grow more

effective in supporting the ministries of the Army.

We can hardly wait for this magical event. There’s no limit to the ways we can grow together. As Ephesians says, of all the wonderful things we can imagine, God is able to do immeasurably more. This truth encourages us to dream big and boldly ask of him.

With that, I leave you with one final thought: Just imagine what God can do through you and The Salvation Army at NAOC 2011. n Kay Coles James, a former Bush appointee, is the founder and president of The Gloucester Institute, a member of the National Advisory Board and the chairperson for the 2011 NAOC. See more about the conference at mysaboard.org.

2011 NAOC presenters and workshops Conference highlights April 29 – May 1

The National Advisory Organizations Conference is like a tune-up for The Salvation Army. While its members strive to fulfill its mission every day, a little inspiration from these speakers and workshops help refocus the overall vision.

PRESENTERS • Jenna Bush Hager is a contributing correspondent for NBC’s “Today.” She is also an active teacher who serves as a reading coordinator in Baltimore, Maryland; authored the New York Times bestseller “Ana’s Story: A Journey of Hope”; and is currently the chairperson of UNICEF’s Next Generation, an initiative dedicated to reducing preventable childhood deaths around the world.

General Session I: “Just Imagine” – April 29, 8:30 a.m.

• Bill and Gloria Gaither have written more than 700 popular gospel songs, including the hymnal standard “Because He Lives” and “Loving God, Loving Each Other.” They have collectively won eight Grammy Awards and more than a dozen nominations, and received more than two dozen Dove Awards from The Jenna Bush Hager General Session I: “Just Imagine” April 29, 8:30 a.m.

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The Salvation Army National Advisory Organizations Conference

motivate you. Of course, no trip to Orlando would be complete without experiencing the world-class entertainment that only Disney can provide.

The Salvation Army National Advisory Organizations Conference

Gospel Music Association, earning the title of Gospel Music Association’s “Songwriter of the Year” eight times.

Gloria Gaither has written over 40 books and created scripts for over 100 videos. Gaither serves on the Board of Directors for the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities and the United Christian College Fund.

Gala Awards Banquet, General Session II: “Once Upon A Time” – April 29, 6:30 p.m.

Glen Keane Gala Awards Banquet, General Session II: “Once Upon A Time” April 29, 6:30 p.m.

• Glen Keane is most noted for creating and animating legendary Disney characters like Ariel, Aladdin, Pocahontas, the Beast from Beauty and the Beast, and Tarzan. Most recently, Keane was supervising animator and executive producer on Disney’s Tangled. A 36–year veteran of Walt Disney Feature Animation, he is also the author and illustrator of a series of children’s Bible parable books.

Gala Awards Banquet, General Session II: “Once Upon A Time” – April 29, 6:30 p.m.

• Jodi Benson received worldwide recognition as the voice of Ariel in the Academy Award–winning Disney animated feature, The Little Mermaid, and as the voice of Tour Guide Barbie in Toy Story II. Benson can be heard on EMI/Sparrow Records’ “Jodi Benson and the Beginners Bible I and II” and “Guideposts Junction.” Her newest project is a six–part DVD series titled Babyfaith from the creators of Baby Einstein.

Gala Awards Banquet, General Session II: “Once Upon A Time” – April 29, 6:30 p.m.

• Micheal Flaherty is the president and co–founder of Walden Media. Walden has financed and produced a number of films, such as The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, and co–published a number of award–winning books. Walden also creates innovative educational programs and events. Flaherty is also on the board of Rachel’s Challenge, created in memory of Rachel Scott, the first victim of the Columbine shootings, and a member of the Global Advisory Council of Vision360, an organization dedicated to supporting and founding churches across the country.

Gala Awards Banquet, General Session II: “Once Upon A Time” – April 29, 6:30 p.m.

• Peter Sheahan is a leading expert in workforce trends and generational change. In three years he built a multi–million dollar consulting practice attracting clients such as Newscorp, Google, Coca–Cola, L’Oreal and Ernst & Young. The author of four books, including the bestseller Generation Y: Thriving (and Surviving) with Generation Y at Work, he clearly understands what it takes to be successful in the rapidly changing business world.

General Session III: “Spread the Word” – April 30, 8:30 a.m.

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Jodi Benson Gala Awards Banquet, General Session II: “Once Upon A Time” April 29, 6:30 p.m.

Commissioner William Roberts NAOC Worship Service May 1, 9 a.m.

• Commissioner William Roberts is the National Commander of The Salvation Army in the United States. Read more about him on page 26.

NAOC Worship Service – May 1, 9 a.m.

WORKSHOPS Highlights include: • Digital Strategies—Blackbaud, Inc., software developer and technology consultant to numerous nonprofits including The Salvation Army, will share strategies to improve online fundraising outreach. Jason Wood, director of Internet services at National Headquarters, will discuss mobile giving and the vision for a “unified super site.”

• Emergency Disaster Services— Everything you ever wanted to know about disaster response but were afraid to ask—featuring Southern Territory EDS Director Jeff Jellets. Learn about creative feeding and preparedness programs, improving effectiveness in emergency situations and understanding how to help people dealing with trauma.

• Fundraising—Pat McLaughlin, founder and president of the Christian fundraising consultants The Timothy Group, discusses the importance of major donors for successful capital campaigns. Hear TrueSense Marketing’s presentation of “How Listening Lifts Income and Locks in Loyalty” as well as

other speakers’ discussions on strategic marketing and maximizing longterm donor value based on scientific approaches.

• Risk Management—Richard Dangel, president of abuse risk management company Praesidium, will talk about his company’s four-year officer screening process being used in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

This more serious symposium explores how abuse happens, the consequences of abuse, steps toward prevention and reputational risk management strategies.

• Social Justice—Dr. Ryan Messmore, the William E. Simon fellow of religion and a free society of the Heritage Foundation, and Tim Goeglein of Focus on the Family teach you how to seek social justice in six lessons.

These lessons cover finding the root of an injustice, cultivating and maintaining justice, church and ministry involvement and more.

• Social Media—The panel of experts will discuss how social media has changed the charitable landscape— for good. Find out how the Army is operating online and how to better

manage Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other tools at local and national levels. Discover how Xenophan Strategies used social media to respond to the earthquake in Haiti, as well as other benefits of social media use during disasters.

• Women’s Auxiliaries—The four R’s of women’s auxiliaries are revitalization, relationship, resource and reflection.

Learn how to celebrate memberships, focus on volunteers and recruitment, learn new fundraising techniques and strategies, and build and maintain long-lasting relationships with donors and supporters from Salvation Army officers.

• Young Adult Initiatives—Learn and discuss how young adults of today want to engage in the Army’s social impact.

Explore how to create and effectively use junior advisory boards, participate in an open panel discussion and learn what motivates the Army’s national advisory board members to serve. National advertising firm The Richards Group also explores how to identify and engage with the millennial generation.

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• Thomas J. Tierney is a recognized leader in serving the nonprofit sector. In 1999, he co–founded the Bridgespan Group, an independent, nonprofit organization designed to provide professional services to philanthropists, foundations and other nonprofits. Tierney lectures at Harvard Business School and the Stanford University Graduate School of Business and chairs the Harvard Business School Initiative on Social Enterprise. Tierney is a director of eBay, Inc. and also serves on a number of nonprofit boards and advisory groups, including the National Board of The Nature Conservancy, the Hoover Institution, and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

General Session III: “Spread the Word” – April 30, 8:30 a.m.

The Salvation Army National Advisory Organizations Conference

“NAOC brings together representatives of the Army’s internal ranks and advisory organization members for three days of intense learning, celebrating and sharing.”

National Advisory Board Moves forward A strategic plan and online connection tool in 2011

By Mary L. G. Theroux

In characterizing The Salvation Army as “the most effective organization in the United States,” Peter Drucker recognized the decentralized structure of an army of dedicated, mission-driven officers who are empowered to create and deploy programs best suited to every zip code in the U.S. By assigning authority to “lassies” and young servant-soldiers, William Booth saw his street ministry grow to global proportions, and the Army has retained that decentralized structure.

So in a culture that values and institutionalizes bottom-up service, what possible function could a national board fill for an organization that requires unanimanity among its leadership-of-equals for any national initiative?

Despite the needs unique to different neighborhoods and communities, there are issues of overarching concern: How to develop and support exemplary officer leaders and advisory organizations that can best enhance their effectiveness; how to communicate to the American people the extraordinary service the Army provides and attract the resources needed for their provision; how to transparently provide information to our supporters and interested parties in how those resources are deployed; how to engage the next generation in wanting to serve and support America’s favorite charity; what best practices from business and industry can be applied to the Army’s operations to enhance their efficiency and effectiveness; and, in the aftermath of receiving the largest single legacy in history with the Kroc gift, are there challenges and opportunities specific to these new community centers that can be addressed across them all?

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A long-range plan The National Advisory Board (NAB) was formed in 1983 to provide the leadership of The Salvation Army with the best available advice, resources and support. The members—business, academic, religious, government and philanthropic leaders—meet three times a year with the territorial commanders and national commander to review, discuss and find solutions to issues of greatest current concern to the Army.

In addition, the NAB anticipates future needs and provides advice on furthering the Army’s changeless mission: to meet human needs in Christ’s name without discrimination.

Most recently, the NAB completed the planning stage of the first national, long-range strategic plan. Each of the standing committees—advisory board development and human resource, business administration, community relations, and financial and institutional development, plus the executive committee—met to identify the issues most likely to provide challenges and opportunities for the Army in the years ahead, craft objectives for meeting these needs and devise strategies with measurable yardsticks for each.

Following approval and refinement by the Commissioners Conference, the resulting plan is a blueprint for action for the years ahead.

Quadrennial event Such explicit consideration of what lies ahead is critically important for all levels of the Army if we are not to find ourselves left behind in a changing world.

Knowing that the tools and strategies for making the future ours lays both in our national leadership

Online connection Wanting to extend this impact on a continuous, realtime, basis, we are also developing and refining the new MySABoard.org website, which is designed to provide an ongoing, virtual meeting place for our community of advisory organizations—from local councils to the NAB—with ideas, resources, inspiring stories and breaking news that can help each of us function more effectively in our support of The Salvation Army.

You can participate on an ongoing basis online at MySABoard.org to learn how much more impact you can have on your own community’s challenges.

Together, we really can change the world. n Mary L. G. Theroux is senior vice president of The Independent Institute, a national, non profit, non partisan public policy research foundation, and chairperson for the National Advisory Board’s human resources development committee.

NAB under new leadership Charlotte Jones Anderson began tenure as chairperson in January 2011 In fall 2010, the National Advisory Board (NAB) elected its newest chairperson, Charlotte Jones Anderson, for a three-year term that began January 2011. Anderson, the first female chairperson, leads the efforts of the board that advises the nation’s largest faith-based social service charity, The Salvation Army.

Fellow board members, a blue-chip group of business and community leaders from across America, endorsed and embraced Anderson as the newly elected chairperson. It was an exclamation point on the statement of service she

By Marlene KlotzCollins

Charlotte Jones Anderson and Gene Jones

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and diffused across territories and communities, the NAB began organizing and holding the quadrennial National Advisory Organizations Conference (NAOC).

NAOC brings together representatives of the Army’s internal ranks and advisory organization members for three days of intense learning, celebrating and sharing. Outside resources inspire us with messages we can apply in fulfilling the Army’s mission.

Local officers, advisory council and NAB members share lessons learned and best practices in workshops where we can glean new ideas to take home and deploy in our own communities. Gaining new insights into the Army and its leadership invariably inspires us all.

In short, it is a gathering that empowers and provides every participant with the knowledge, motivation, and tools to support the Army in our communities, every day.

The Salvation Army National Advisory Organizations Conference

had already dedicated to the Army and a fitting start to a new chapter in her commitment to the organization.

“I am proud to be affiliated with The Salvation Army,” Anderson said. “One of my primary goals is to heighten the awareness of the Army’s work throughout our country, to brand for the multifaceted organization that it is providing myriad services in extraordinary ways to the less fortunate.”

Leadership comes naturally to Anderson, executive vice-president of brand management and president of charities for the Dallas Cowboys. She followed in the footsteps of her parents, Gene and Jerry Jones. Jerry Jones is an emeritus member of the National Advisory Board while Gene Jones is in the midst of a nine-year term of service.

A developing legacy Anderson’s legacy with The Salvation Army is still being written, but regardless of her accomplishments as the NAB chairperson, she will be remembered as the architect behind The Salvation Army’s nationally televised halftime show at the Dallas Cowboys’ traditional Thanksgiving Day game. The event has a viewing audience of 20 million and untold millions of dollars worth of promotional coverage, but the spotlight it shines on the Army’s Red Kettle campaign kick-off is priceless. This show marked the beginning of Anderson’s work with the Army.

Anderson credits Steve Reinemund, then president and CEO of PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay Division in Dallas, with her awareness of The Salvation Army in 1996.

He asked one day what she knew about The Salvation Army. Like most people, she wasn’t aware of anything beyond bell-ringing and thrift stores.

Reinemund was serving as chairperson of the NAB and set a personal goal to help facilitate a major event that would capture nationwide attention for The Salvation Army. Knowing the creativity and generosity of the Jones family, he enlightened Anderson about the work of the Army and challenged her to come up with an event.

She brainstormed the possibility of doing something for the Army during a Cowboys halftime show that might warrant two minutes of nationwide coverage (the only halftime show that was ever broadcast before then was the Super Bowl).

Reinemund and fellow NAB member, philanthropist and friend Ruth Altshuler led a group of board members to commit the necessary resources and Anderson asked her dad to set up a meeting with the head of NBC Sports.

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They entered the meeting with the hope of receiving two minutes of airtime and left with a commitment from NBC to air the entire show on Thanksgiving Day. The NFL also liked the idea.

The first show in 1997 featured Reba McEntire singing “What If,” a song written by award-winning composer Diane Warren. Both Warren and McEntire donated the royalties and proceeds from the subsequent sale of the song to The Salvation Army.

Stars of Thanksgiving Day halftimes have included Keith Urban, Daughtry and the Jonas Brothers, and the concept is now emulated by other charities on other networks.

The 2010 game marked the 14th annual halftime show dedicated to the Salvation Army and its nationwide appeal for support of the Red Kettle program. What began as a need, recognized in Reinemund’s heart, morphed into a dream then became a reality, fortuitously developed and driven by Anderson.

Sphere of influence Anderson’s influence within the Cowboys organization extends far beyond the halftime show.

Stadium design, entertainment, merchandising, licensed apparel, uniform designs, memorabilia, community service and philanthropy all fall under her direction. Her role was significant in the design, décor, sponsor integration and overall presentation of the world-class Cowboys Stadium. She also supervises the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.

Her marketing acumen and creative thinking in the world of branding will influence her goals as she strives to heighten awareness of this beloved organization.

Anderson’s Salvation Army story began in Dallas with many others who deeply believe in the cause and mission of the organization. One can only speculate with excitement and anticipation about the next three years under the disciplined, compassionate, creative and heartfelt mission of the new NAB leader. n Marlene Klotz-Collins has served on The Salvation Army Phoenix Advisory Board for 28 years and is currently serving her second nine-year term on the NAB. She cochaired the National Advisory Organizations Conference (NAOC) in 2003 and produced the NAB’s first book of Best Practices to aid advisory organizations across America.

Photo courtesy of The Salvation Army National Headquarters

Two mother-daughter teams lead on the NAB By Marlene KlotzCollins Generations of Salvationist families have become a common denominator in the leadership of this worldwide organization. But within the ranks of volunteers who (L-R) Marlene Klotz-Collins, Ruth Altshuler, Sally Harris. serve, the National Advisory Board also enjoys a unique brand inspiration,” Altshuler said. of family ties.

In 1974, she was the first Two highly accomplished, woman to join the Dallas highly motivated mothers Advisory Board. She became and daughters serve side-bythe first female chair of that side, working together, setting local board and in 1983, was the examples and influencing others second woman elected to serve for one of the most beloved on the NAB. Altshuler was the organizations in the world. first person named a life member One can only imagine the of the NAB. delight this distinction, this Under Altshuler’s leadership, unique bond shared between The Salvation Army’s Carr P. Ruth Altshuler and Sally Harris, Collins Center opened in Dallas Gene Jones and Charlotte in honor of her father. At the Anderson, would bring to center’s opening, Commissioner William Booth today.

Andrew Miller who then served as National Commander, The Altshuler family presented her with the Order of Altshuler followed in the Distinguished Auxiliary Service footsteps of her father, Carr Award.

P. Collins, and late husband, Sally Harris followed her Charles Sharp. Both men mother’s example and joined served on the Dallas Advisory the Army’s Manhattan Advisory Organization. Sharp chaired the Board in 1984. Soon, she was board during his tenure. chairing the membership. Her “My father was my contributions eventually led to

her election to the NAB. Salvation Army 101 is an hourlong documentary Harris produced for preview at the National Advisory Organizations Conference (NAOC) in Pasadena in 1999.

The effort was born out of her frustration of the public’s general lack of knowledge about the depth and breadth of The Salvation Army and the rich heritage represented through the organization.

Harris co-chaired the NAOC in Pasadena and has played a prominent role in conferences in Philadelphia and Dallas. Her present focus is developing outreach to a new generation.

The Jones family The efforts of the Jones family are defined through its teamwork.

Gene Jones said “having the opportunity and the means to help others has just been something that we have held as a priority in our family.”

Jones and daughter Charlotte Anderson are serving terms together; Anderson was recently elected chair of the National Advisory Board (read more about Anderson on page 33). They also serve on the Dallas Advisory Board.

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The Salvation Army National Advisory Organizations Conference

Generational influence

The Salvation Army National Advisory Organizations Conference

“I have tried to live the example set by my parents, that of serving and giving back,” Anderson said.

The Gene and Jerry Jones Family Center for Children opened in 1998 in conjunction with The Salvation Army. In recent months, the family’s foundation matched a $1 million grant from the National Football League to fund the Youth Education Town program, turning over the operation to The Salvation Army.

The Army’s Partner of the Year Award recognized the Jones family’s generous contributions in 1997. In 1999, they received the Evangeline Booth Award, one of the Army’s highest national community service awards.

The very culture of The Salvation Army lends itself to a family atmosphere. Four special women,

(L-R) Mary Theroux, Ruth Altshuler, Sally Harris, Laura Bush, Dolores Parker, and Gene Jones.

mothers and daughters, have embraced this mission and moment to serve together, to influence by example, to help change their world. By any measure, this is a unique opportunity, one to cherish and treasure.

An effective local advisory board The essential elements

BY DICK HAGERTY

An effective advisory board is vital for The Salvation Army to achieve success in providing service to any community.

The board is a curious thing, made up of a wide range of community volunteers, bonded together with the simple vision of furthering the mission of the Army.

A few essential elements are key in developing and maintaining a successful board.

Members Individuals who agree to board membership may be motivated by Christian values, or may be of distinctly

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different faiths and creeds. They are active and engaged in the community, and are able to reach out to leaders, business executives and other key people.

Expectations of members include faithful attendance at board and committee meetings, financial support of the local and national work of The Salvation Army and using networking skills to promote the Army in local community and government affairs.

The common bond and central motivator among members is reaching out to “the least of these” in the most effective way.

Meetings Monthly board meetings must be well organized,

with a prepared agenda. It must start on time and end on time as members have many responsibilities.

A productive board is an engaged board. The more that members get to speak at the meeting translates into greater involvement and interest in the various activities at hand. No one person should dominate the meeting.

Officers must attend these meetings; local officers of Red Shield, Silvercrest, Adult Rehabilitation Center or related programs in the immediate area should also be encouraged to attend. Not only will the officer interchange give broader input to the meeting process, but it will also inform as to possible program overlap and ways to work together for greater efficiencies.

Committees Board committees and active member involvement on these committees is vital. Committees are the best place to engage new and old members, to keep them productive and interested in the local work of the Army. At a minimum, committees should include: executive, finance/audit, property and program.

The executive committee is made up of the board officers, committee chairs, and perhaps a few selected active board members. It focuses on financial issues and

Corps connection Though The Salvation Army is a church, the board has no responsibility for the religious functions of the corps. This, however, does not mean that the board should consider itself disengaged from the church activities.

One idea to bridge this gap would be to have an annual advisory board Sunday as a part of the regular worship service. Board members could participate in various ways, beyond simple attendance, including Scripture reading, leading prayer, brief testimonials, song leading, etc. While it would be valuable for the board to hear a typical morning message from the corps officer, it is highly appropriate to ask a qualified board member to deliver the Sunday sermon another week.

The effectiveness of the entire local program and ministry rests on the interaction between the officer and the board. The board must clearly recognize that the officer is the CEO, and thus is absolutely the person in charge. At the same time, the officer must clearly recognize that the board holds skills and experience in business and management that far transcend those of the typical officer training and actual experience.

As each party respects these limitations, the true partnership results in a dynamic style of shared leadership that will translate into a smooth running, effective and godly expression of Salvation Army experience in the community. n Dick Hagerty is the chairperson of the Stockton, California, Adult Rehabilitation Center Advisory Council; an emeritus member of the National Advisory Board, and has served on the Modesto, California, Advisory Board for 40 years. To discuss effective board strategy, e-mail rghagerty@aol.com.

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program effectiveness, and does much of the “heavy lifting� that might bog down the larger full board session. A sub-committee to this group could deal with nominations, both for new members and board officer positions.

Committee members do not need to necessarily be board members. Often, out of this pool of volunteers, you can recruit and develop board members.

Every new member must be assigned to a committee, and immediately put to work. Involved members become productive members. This also means that committees should be meeting on a regular basis, to contribute to the work at hand.

To be free in hope Freely in Hope works with Salvation Army community centers in Africa

By Nikole Lim

Freely in Hope works with Salvation Army community centers to further programming for women and children in developing communities. Our mission is to empower women and children to overcome adversity and live freely in hope through opportunities, education, counseling and spiritual guidance.

Kibera is the largest slum in Nairobi, Kenya, and one of the largest in Africa. The Global Health Council reports the slum has “more than one million inhabitants, half under age 15, squeezed like sardines into one square mile.”

About one-fourth of Nairobi’s population lives in this slum without access to clean water, food,

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electricity or a sewage system. Poverty, HIV/AIDS, crime and rape are rampant, and women often suffer the most.

Investing in economic empowerment Margaret Achin, 28, is a mother of two. Her youngest child, Sergio, attends The Salvation Army Kibera Nursery School.

“If you are a widow and you have no one to support you, life is very difficult,” Achin said. “My husband died with HIV and I also have HIV. For the last five months, I have not even paid house rent.”

Before Achin could pay her debt, her house was destroyed; a neighbor’s illegal electrical connection set surrounding houses ablaze. Achin’s family is now

“The majority of women who live in extreme poverty lack essential resources and the critical education needed to survive. Young girls struggle to feed their families, afford rent and pay for education.”

(Above) Margaret Achin stands outside of her home in Kibura.

(Previous page) Jean Nangwala.

homeless. To rebuild her life, she hopes to start a small business.

Breaking out of the vicious cycle of poverty is possible through economic empowerment. Freely in Hope, partnered with Empowering Lives International, provides opportunities for women in the Kibera slum through micro-business training. Through this business start-up project, women will be equipped for long-term success. The training sessions are held at The Salvation Army Kibera Corps, training 40 women every four months. Many of the participants are corps members, single mothers of children attending the Army’s nursery school and widows in the local community.

Advocating security through education The majority of women who live in extreme poverty lack essential resources and the critical education needed to survive. Young girls struggle to feed their families, afford rent and pay for education. They often do laundry for neighbors, work as housecleaners and do odd jobs to earn barely enough to survive. Given such limited opportunities, many young girls feel forced into prostitution, which increases the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening infections, to pay for daily living expenses.

Rape is common, especially among Africa’s poor and vulnerable schoolgirls.

The Nairobi Women’s Hospital estimates that a woman is raped every 30 minutes. Misunderstood for promiscuity, rape victims are often kicked out of school and forced to leave their homes.

Unplanned pregnancies often lead to self-induced abortions. In most African countries, abortion is illegal and many girls seek other methods including chlorine intoxication, overdosing on birth control pills or the use of knitting needles and metal wires. The Guttmacher Institute reported one in five maternal deaths due to unsafe abortion in Eastern Africa in 2003.

Regaining strength Jean Nangwala, 15, is a high school student from Linda, a small suburb

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outside of Lusaka, Zambia. She is a junior soldier and songster member at the Mount Makulu Corps. “When I was 13 years old, in grade nine, I was walking to tutoring one day when three men with knives stopped me,” Nangwala said. “They told me that if I did not cooperate with them, they would slaughter me.”

The men dragged Nangwala into a bush and one man raped her. Before the other two men could get to her, she found a stray piece of metal on the ground that she used as a weapon, aiding in her escape.

Fortunately, a hospital visit confirmed she did not contract any diseases but the emotional damage had been done. “The rape was so dramatic for me that I did poorly in grade nine. It was hard for me to concentrate in school because I was one of the few girls. I thought the boys were my enemies and I felt unsafe,” Nangwala said.

With little sympathy or support from her family, Nangwala decided to commit suicide.

“I swallowed a great deal of medicine, but nothing happened to me so I took a knife and cut my arm. I thought I had no hope left,” she said.

Nangwala is now part of Freely in Hope’s program to provide educational scholarships, spiritual guidance and healthcare for young women who are victims of rape, single mothers, pregnant or living in slum communities. She is in her last year of high school at Mubuyu Christian Academy and progressing.

“Now I know that God is here for me and has helped me regain strength,” she said. “I can stand up for myself. I am doing better in school, and plan to become a journalist and a writer.”

To start, Nangwala wrote a book about Zambian youth and issues of rape, early marriage and prostitution.

Margaret Achin with her two sons.

Safe place The Freely in Hope program establishes a safe place for women living in poverty to be empowered, protect themselves against rapists, be educated about the importance of health care, earn a living through micro-enterprise and continue education through sponsorship. Currently sponsoring girls in Kenya and Zambia, the goal is to continue implementing Freely in Hope programs in countries where girls are victims PAGE 40 CARING SPRING 2011

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of rape, pregnant or living in extreme poverty in slum communities. n Nikole Lim is the founder and director of Freely in Hope. See more at freelyinhope.org, or contact info@ freelyinhope.org for information on hosting Freely in Hope to screen While Women Weep and sell recycled jewelry from Kenya at your corps, church, organization or company.

Photos by Nikole Lim

INGENUITY

from page 13

Support in structure Dreaming and re-thinking are essential to creativity.

On an organizational level, the Army should be spotting our entrepreneurs early and freeing them from administrative requirements to maximize their ideas and effectiveness. With every successful venture comes a truckload of paperwork and administration requirements that crush the natural inclination of any creative starter. This often results in inadvertently weighing down the most productive entrepreneurial spirits or forcing them to the external margins of the organization. Alienating and marginalizing the best creative spirits is not the ideal way forward. Making administration the point rather than the support will

inevitably focus the Army on control and programs rather than experimentation and creativity.

Walking out the dream I believe just a small amount of intentionality around fostering and encouraging creativity and ingenuity will lead real people with real needs to an empowering, transformational community provided by the Army.

This alone is worth all the risk. So, enough talking; let’s start dreaming. Let’s start walking out the dream together. n Major Danielle Strickland is the corps officer of the Edmonton Crossroads Community Church.

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America’s newest from page 26

William Roberts learned Spanish in order to better communicate this hope to the people. Though America’s infrastructure and situation differs from his experience in Argentina, he said today’s economic restrictions and challenges are one of the concerns that currently face the Army in the U.S. Another, he said, is improving how we inform and draw attention to the needs we see every day on the streets of America.

“We must intelligently and faithfully take care of our assets, and use those assets wisely with an eye to the future.

How we spend our money must accomplish the ‘most good,’” he said. “We can provide a framework and ideas at a national level, but the need is local and must be served and addressed in local ways.”

The Salvation Army in the U.S., along with the National Advisory Board, is currently working to prepare a poverty index in association with universities and research centers. The index, William Roberts said, will be useful to government agencies and social service providers in drawing awareness to the seriousness of the issue of poverty.

Here to serve Most recently, the Robertses spent three years as first territorial leaders of the Kenya West Territory. They previously served at International Headquarters, in Argentina, and numerous appointments within the Central Territory. Following their commissioning in 1971, the Robertses led three corps.

“Every appointment prepares you in some regard,” William Roberts said. “As corps officers, we learned about getting to know people, in leadership and administrative appointments we learned the Army’s organization and strategy, and serving outside the U.S. helped us to see the wider work of the international Army.”

William Roberts was raised in a Salvation Army home, made his first public statement of his calling to officership in high school, and entered training after graduating from Wayne State University in Detroit. He later earned a master’s degree in religious studies at the University of Detroit.

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Nancy Roberts, however, first met The Salvation Army in high school while in a service club. She was introduced to William through his sisters and eventually worked as his boss while program director of the Army’s summer camp.

With a bachelor’s degree in teaching and a master’s degree in counseling and guidance from the Eastern Michigan University, Nancy Roberts said she has been able to use all of her strengths and love for people as an officer in The Salvation Army.

The Robertses said women in Army leadership was an important topic of discussion at the 2011 High Council, which for the first time included more women attendees than men (57 to 52).

“I’ll stand behind women who are speaking up and support and encourage the use of an individual’s strengths and gifts beyond just the traditional roles,” Nancy Roberts said. “We need to have people be who they are.”

As the national leaders of The Salvation Army in the U.S., the Robertses said they will protect the Army’s name, reputation and heritage.

“We want to capture the joy of Salvationists who are serving the Lord in communities,” William Roberts said.

“We want to remind people that we are an organization that serves. In corps, headquarters, social service centers—our purpose is to serve. We need the mindset of servants. We must treat and respond to people as if we were responding to the Lord.” n Christin Davis is the editor of Caring and managing editor of New Frontier Publications.

Photos by Christin Davis

A ‘do good’app Swiss Salvation Army develops application to promote volunteering By Martin Künzi

The Salvation Army has always focused on connecting with people.

In the early days, Founder William Booth used guerilla techniques and revolutionized Christian behavior from conservative rigidity into living belief in action.

Today, technology provides the base for another revolution.

Resolution reminder The iPhone is the place to be for organizations that want to connect with peers.

Given Apple’s mobile operating system, iOS, currently has a 76.6 percent market penetration in Switzerland, the marketing and communications division of the Switzerland, Austria and Hungary Territory decided to develop an iPhone application—an “app.” It began as an idea to engage people in the donation process, but transformed to focus more on the user and to connect with young people who have an iPhone.

The app, currently untitled, centers on the resolutions people make every New Year, but typically forget several days into January; it’s designed to be a servant throughout the year, reminding the individual of his or her resolutions.

Daily deed Within the app, users are asked to select a good deed to complete on the first day. The app provides a list of deeds to choose from or offers an option to enter your own. At the end of the day, the application asks users if they completed the intent. If yes, a positive notification is posted to the individual’s Facebook profile. If they don’t succeed, they will have the option to post anyway.

The app will allow users to set frequent reminders

to do a good deed—daily, weekly or monthly.

The overall goal is to help make the earth a better place and share good deeds with as many people as possible online. Donating to The Salvation Army is also an option.

We acknowledge that the reach of the Internet is much broader than any possibility of personal contact, thus the iPhone application programmed for the Swiss Salvation Army will become a hub for the organization. On one side it connects offline deeds (go shopping for your grandmother, visit a lonely person, help your neighbor mow the lawn, etc.) with online interaction (post the good deeds on Facebook). Yet, it also helps The Salvation Army understand how people want to create a better world.

Better engaging In a second phase, the idea will be further refined as completed deeds from individuals will be published. A simple voting process will integrate the best deeds into the iPhone app and add ideas to the suggestions list.

This app is a starting point as we think ahead and figure out how The Salvation Army can better engage with people from outside the organization.

The European Union designated 2011 as the Year of Volunteering. This app presents a platform where volunteer opportunities can be made available all over the country at any time. The app will be available early 2011 via the iTunes store.

A tiny icon on an iPhone is a firm contribution to making the world a better place. n Martin Künzi is the director of marketing and communications for The Salvation Army Switzerland, Austria and Hungary Territory.

DOING THE MOST GOOD

SPRING 2011 CARING PAGE 43

AND FINALLY...

Creative and convincing Our work borders on the unbelievable.

By Jim Knaggs

Henry David Thoreau wrote, “It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” Pablo Picasso picked up on the same philosophy when he said, “I paint objects as I think them, not as I see them.”

Both creative geniuses would have applauded Michelangelo, who reportedly said about one of his great works, “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.”

Can’t you just sense their imaginations as they went about their days creating some of the most enduring works in their area of artistry?

I believe The Salvation Army is not only marked by similar imaginative personalities, but demonstrates this same ingenuity as a continuation of God’s great creation to this day.

Who would have thought that in an army of salvation, people would have encompassed the globe, meeting people at their point of need with creative solutions while leading them to eternal salvation in the name of Jesus? The whole idea seems implausible. Add to that the systems, language and garments of a military force, and the Christian mission and worship scenarios of The Salvation Army begin to border on the category of the unbelievable.

Just imagine a committee forming today to propose such an idea. Why would we want to construct something seemingly rigid and counter intuitive to the peacemaking of Jesus for a hurting world?

Considering the battle terminology and a War Cry as a representative publication, wouldn’t we be better identified by a medical model focused upon the healing

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DOING THE MOST GOOD

of mankind? What about a strategically, biblical concept like “fishers of men?” We could be known for our “net-working” in sharing the love of God to all.

Perhaps we could be an international feeding program that delivers the bread of life to a physically and spiritually starving society?

Alternate concepts for ministry take even less imagination, but we are The Salvation Army that God has raised up for his creative use and where we are able to enter a community or engage a family, or meet an individual with multiple creative options, we do so to demonstrate the love of God convincingly and with veracity. We do this with a confidence that comes from repeated holy affirmation and outcomes that glorify God all over the world, every moment of every day.

Around the globe and on the street corner near you, The Salvation Army is doing what God has called us to do, all the while seeing the potential of his love in people whose lives are precarious and bound for deeper disaster. We have the holy imagination to see the impact of a loving God upon a life, a family and a community. God’s love is seen and understood as a living reality for every person.

God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!

He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us (Ephesians 3:20 MSG).

So we are The Salvation Army, interested in transforming lives, caring for people, making disciples of Jesus, and transforming society. Imagine that. n Commissioner Jim Knaggs is the territorial commander of the USA Western Territory.