REVOLUTION HAWAII
12
HOSPITALITY HOUSE OPENS FLOOD RELIEF IN MALAWI AND MOZAMBIQUE
10
HISPANIC CORPS GROWTH
4
7
FEBRUARY 2015 Volume 33, Number 2
INSIDE this issue: Meet David Witthoff West welcomes new Christian education director for discipleship. WITTHOFF PAGE 2
‘Covenant’ prepares for premiere
Unexpected healing
A volunteer connected a young burn victim to medical care and The Salvation Army, and both found aid. HEALING PAGE 3
International congresses
As The Salvation Army prepares for Boundless 2015, look back at the previous six international congresses. CONGRESS PAGE 8
‘Iris’ preview
Frontier Press is set to release its first comic book, “Iris,” this spring about a young girl and her second chance at life. IRIS PAGE 13
“Covenant” cast members rehearse a scene in preparation for the musical’s debut.
Congress musical cast begins rehearsals ahead of Boundless 2015. BY VIVIAN GATICA
PAID
GLENDALE, CA PERMIT #654
“AS NON PROFIT US POSTAGE
|Photo by Kevin Larsson
an ailing William Booth ponders the future of his beloved Army, we travel through history and across the globe witnessing his legacy in action. From the mountains of China to the streets of New York, from the jungles of Papua New Guinea to wartorn Europe, his covenant has become our covenant.” So goes the premise of “Covenant,” the musical production slated to premiere in London at The Salvation Army’s international congress, Boundless: The Whole World Redeeming, in July. The musical’s playwright Karl Larsson, music composer and direc-
tor Kevin Larsson, and lyricist Commissioner Keith Banks, created the concept and structure of the musical last year. They tailored it to reach the multicultural audience at Boundless, and live beyond the congress. “Up to this point, the musical has been more of an idea in our heads about something a long time off, but now we’re dealing with actors, budgets, recordings and set design,” said Karl Larsson, who is co-directing the musical with Barbara Allen. “This is where it begins to feel real.” “Covenant” is structured as a series of vignettes that parallels the funeral covenant of The Salvation Army’s Founder William Booth. “We’d always envisioned various self-contained stories connected loosely by an overarching story revolving around William Booth, and COVENANT PAGE 12
West moves to hack-proof systems
The Salvation Army
P.O. Box 22646 Long Beach, CA 90802-9998
Over 150 locations in the territory to update credit card processing The Western Territory launched an effort to better safeguard the personal information of its supporters from theft and hacking. The Long Beach (Calif.) Family Thrift Store became the first facility in the territory to install new, safer point of sale (POS) systems as part of a territory-wide initiative to update credit card processing at adult rehabilitation center (ARC) Family Stores, Kroc Centers and websites by June 2015. “Once complete, every customer, supporter or member should feel safer about doing transactions with The Salvation Army,” said Tim Schaal, Information Technology (IT) director in the Western Territory, adding that updating these systems will better protect The HACK-PROOF PAGE 16
John Ickes, COO of Devnext software development firm, trains Salvation Army IT staff on how to install the MX915 tokenized credit card device. |Photo by Jamie Ehrl
Page 2—New Frontier CHRONICLE • February 2015
ON THE CORNER BY BOB DOCTER
What’s your potential? Achieving your potential… Everybody needs to work toward it. Doing it can be threatening. Striving to achieve your potential can build a product of painful pondering, even debilitating self-condemnation. Sometimes, we’re hard on ourselves as we negatively evaluate some action. We tend to overgeneralize the product of our performance. So, no matter how you think it turned out, find at least three positives. It’s not fun to think about. We tend to resist it and often settle for the whims of Mr. Fate to assign us to something. Sometimes, God whispers in Mr. Fate’s ear and he comes up with some good ideas. So, with a positive attitude, with the exercise of your will to fully own your responsibilities, and with a strong commitment to be the best you can be, you grow and actualize your potential. The word “potential” suggests that something bounces around within you, but is not visible. It’s a characteristic that remains latent, untapped, a possibility that can become probable.We, however must motivate ourselves, move beyond our deficits and make efforts to actualize our potential. The word suggests “latent excellence.” Irvin David Yalom, American existential psychiatrist and emeritus professor of psychiatry at Stanford University, quotes Paul Tillich, a German American Christian existentialist philosopher and theologian, in “Existential Psychotherapy,” as saying: “Man’s being is not only given to him but also demanded of him. He is responsible for it; literally, he is required to answer if he is asked what he has made of him-
self. He who asks is his judge, namely himself. The situation produces the anxiety which, in relative terms is the anxiety of guilt. In absolute terms, (it is) the anxiety of self-rejection and condemnation. Man(kind) is asked to make of himself what he is supposed to become to fulfill his destiny. In every act of moral, self-affirmation man contributes to the fulfillment of his destiny.” Yalom notes that shortly before his death, “The Hasidic rabbi, Susya, said: ‘When I get to heaven they will not ask me why were you not Moses?’ Instead, they will ask: ‘Why were you not Susya? Why did you not become what only you could become?’” In The Salvation Army, those who receive the basic training for officership move to their first appointment with great fanfare and accolade. Most of them go with confident anxiety developed from a general familiarity with their new responsibilities. The major requirement of any officer emanates from his interpersonal style and tenuous recognition that it is God who now makes the demand to move from latency to actualization. It’s possible to achieve the potential expected from a beginner. Some, in their first appointment, feel very confident because of experience gained in the corps or program that sponsored them for training. They will discover quickly that no two corps bear the same profile, have similar congregations, present similar patterns and skills of local officers, enjoy the same traditions or want to look exactly like the other corps in town. So, get feedback concerning your interperson-
al style from people you trust to give you the straight scoop. Don’t limit the feedback to one person. Don’t stop being yourself. It is your potential that must move in the direction self-actualization. Achieving your potential is unique to you. Don’t fret about how it happens. Keep growing. Take care of all your deficits. You know why you require of yourself various interpersonal behaviors. You’re not the boss. You have at least 15 specific tasks required of you. Don’t limit the actions of your interpersonal style to the building that houses your office. Your uniform can be your first point of communication. Wear it. Get out and visit. Attend the city council meetings in uniform. The smart ones recognize that their real training never ends. The Salvation Army rank system does not relate to actualization of potential. Many high ranking officers might be on the way, and some will never arrive. Only the officer will know. We are not the judge. I’ve known a few who I know must be approaching it. Some had achieved high rank, but most had become permanent majors. They find worth in people who consider themselves worthless. They accept themselves for who they are. They have no predisposition toward self-centeredness. Their morality has high standards. They communicate the presence of God without trying to act it out. They have deep concern for the welfare of others. They know they’re not perfect. So, how’s it going? Do you feel God’s demand? |NFC
The justice we need BY TOM FORD, MAJOR
M
artin Luther King, Jr., once said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” There are things taking place in the world that spur my attention: law enforcement possibly using excessive measures, people gunning down police, beheadings, bombings, kidnappings, the polarization of our society on many fronts, refugees and immigrants seeking safety, and the list goes on. The common denominator is justice. People want justice—social justice. In Scripture, I find a “retributive” type of justice—an “eye for an eye.” There is also the “equal” type of justice. If one qualifies for the same rights as another, they should have equal rights without bias or prejudice. Finally, there is a “redemptive” type of justice. Jesus is the one to bring this form of justice. “I will put my Spirit on him and he will proclaim justice to the nations…he leads justice to victory. In his name the nations will put their hope” (Matt. 12:18-21). The goal with redemptive justice is the restoration of the individual and of society. In the Parable of the Prodigal Son, Luke 15:11-32,
the Father does not reprimand the son when he returns, but puts his robe and ring on his son to restore him. In John 8, when the adulterous woman was brought to Jesus, no one could throw the first stone and condemn her. Jesus could have. We see him not ignoring the sin, but tells her to sin no more. Mind you, sometimes the restoration of a person or a society means that the other kind of social justices need to take place. Without retributive justice, how can one learn to not make the same mistake unless he suffers the consequences? But with redemptive justice, the goal is always to do what is best to restore both the person and society. This is what prison ministry is all about. This is what ministering to individuals and to our communities is all about. This is the type of social justice movement William Booth envisioned for The Salvation Army. Though spoken over a half century ago, King’s words hold truer now than ever before. We need redemptive justice in Ferguson, Syria, France, New York, in prisons and throughout the world. We invite those who are interested in making a difference in the area of corrections to join us in being part of the solution. Contact me at tom.ford@usw.salvationarmy.org to find out how. |NFC
PEOPLE COUNT IN THE WEST Decisions for Christ 3,319 Worship attendance 84,415 Became members 456 People helped 664,761 People referred 3,352 Data for January 2015. See more at peoplecountusw.org.
is published monthly by The Salvation Army USA Western Territory P.O. Box 22646, Long Beach, CA 90802-9998 Commissioner James Knaggs, Territorial Commander Colonel Dave Hudson, Chief Secretary
newfrontierpublications.org Member of the Evangelical Press Association
LETTER TO THE EDITOR CHRONICLE PROVIDES INSIGHT
I always enjoy reading the New Frontier Chronicle and keeping up with the great ministry not only of the USA Western Territory but the Army around the world. Every now and then I also get an insight to a program in my own USA Southern Territory—in this December issue our program in Sarasota County. I thought you would like to know that in the pictures included in the Iconic Red Kettle Story of the December 2014 issue, the gentleman standing to the right of Major Lucille Youngquist is Ray Kroc. Keep up the good work and God Bless in the New Year. With warm regards, Donald C. Bell, Commissioner Southern Territorial Commander
Meet David Witthoff West welcomes new Christian education director for discipleship. David Witthoff enters The Salvation Army Western Territory Headquarters this month with a unique challenge ahead: train leaders in the territory to build up new leaders. In his new position as Christian education director for |Photo by Adriana Rivera discipleship in the youth department, Witthoff will work to prepare leaders of Army discipleship programs such as Sunday school, corps cadets and junior soldiers to minister to youth throughout the territory. “I hope I can have an impact on discipleship, Christian education and even biblical literacy in our territory,” Witthoff said. “I want to help leaders in the territory and equip them with what they need to be effective in ministering to young people so that they can help grow them into mature adult Christians who know what they believe.” Growing up in the Chicago area, Witthoff at-
tended a local corps in Oakbrook Terrace, Ill., participating in youth programs such as band, junior soldiers, corps cadets and Young People’s League. In high school, he became interested in ministry, and later attended Moody Bible Institute. After graduating, he completed a dual master’s program at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Witthoff volunteered with The Salvation Army at different points of his life and served on summer mission trips to Malawi, Germany, Spain, Denmark, The Bahamas and Brazil. He also helped lead a discipleship training program at The Salvation Army Chicago Metropolitan Division called “Band of Survivors.” “We worked with young people to teach them about Salvation Army history and theology, and we went out to corps in the Chicagoland area to do service projects,” Witthoff said. He aims to see discipleship and spiritual maturity become a standard for youth ministries in corps throughout the territory. “There are no shortcuts to discipleship and maturity,” he said. “But there are things we can do to be more efficient and better equipped for the work ahead. I like to think I can help with that.”|NFC
EDITORIAL STAFF Robert L. Docter, Editor-In-Chief 562/491-8330 bob.docter@usw.salvationarmy.org Christin Davis, Managing Editor 562/491-8723 christin.davis@usw.salvationarmy.org Erica Andrews • 562/491-8334 erica.andrews@usw.salvationarmy.org Vivian Gatica • 562/491-8782 vivian.gatica@usw.salvationarmy.org Karen Gleason • 562/491-8332 karen.gleason@usw.salvationarmy.org Major Kevin Jackson • 562/491-8303 kevin.jackson@usw.salvationarmy.org Major Linda Jackson • 562/491-8306 linda.jackson@usw.salvationarmy.org Jared McKiernan • 562/491-8417 jared.mckiernan@usw.salvationarmy.org ONLINE AND SOCIAL MEDIA Shannon Forrey, Web Editor • 562/491-8329 shannon.forrey@usw.salvationarmy.org LAYOUT AND DESIGN Kevin Dobruck, Art Director • 562/491-8328 kevin.dobruck@usw.salvationarmy.org Adriana Rivera, Graphic Designer • 562/491-8331 adriana.rivera@usw.salvationarmy.org ADVERTISING/BUSINESS Karen Gleason, Business Manager • 562/491-8332 karen.gleason@usw.salvationarmy.org CIRCULATION Arlene De Jesus, Circulation Manager • 562/491-8343 arlene.dejesus@usw.salvationarmy.org ISSN 2164-5930
To donate to a Salvation Army project or program, visit salvationarmy.org and click “Donate.” Specify name or location as desired.
February 2015 • New Frontier CHRONICLE—Page 3
UNEXPECTED
HEALING A volunteer connected a young burn victim to medical care and The Salvation Army, and both found aid.
BY CARAMIE SCHNELL
JOSE
Manuel Roman has had so many surgeries, he’s lost count of the exact number “It’s either 67 or 87,” he said. “I’m not sure.” When Roman was just 2 months old, living in rural Mexico with his family, he was burned in a house fire. “Whenever a thunderstorm would come, the lights would go out,” he said. So his mom lit a candle to light the dark room. “It was right by the window and it was windy,” he said. “The candle fell over and the room caught on fire.” The burns on his face and left hand were so severe that no one was sure he would live. The skin grafts he received after the fire did little to fix his disfigurement. When Roman was 7, his family moved to Vail, Colo., where they shared a tiny apartment in a rundown motel with another family. Local resident Barb Richardson and her husband, Herb, first met Roman and his family while delivering Adopt-A-Family gifts through The Salvation Army. Barb Richardson knocked on the door and Roman answered. “He was such a little kid,” she said. “It just broke my heart. I said, ‘I’m Santa Claus,’ and he got these big eyes. He said, ‘Do you have anything for Jose?’ and I looked and I said, ‘You know what? I don’t, Jose, but that doesn’t mean you’re not going to get anything for Christmas.’ He just looked at me and said, ‘It’s OK, lady. Santa didn’t come last year either.’” The couple went to their Jeep and wrapped a few of the extra toys they had. They returned to the door, and Jose answered again. “I said, ‘Santa Claus has these presents for you, and for your sister, too,’” Barb Richardson said. “He turned around and gasped and said, ‘He found us, he found us!’ I will never forget that as long as I live.” It was Herb Richardson who called Shriners Hospital in Grand Junction to inform them of Roman’s burns. Roman qualified for pro bono surgeries at Shriners Hospital in Galveston, Texas. “All the dominoes just fell into place and then [Jose] was on his way for treatment,” Barb Richardson said. The Vail Valley Salvation Army helped cover the family’s traveling expenses—providing funding for lodging and food each time they traveled to Texas, anywhere from one to three times a year. Over the course of 11 years, Roman had multiple surgeries on his nose, lips, ears and eyes. “When I first met him, his little face was so drawn,” Barb Richardson said. “His eyelids, the lower lids, were protruding outward from his eyeball.” “I couldn’t close my eyes when I slept,” Roman said. “They were getting too dry. The skin was pulled down from the scars. They were getting really messed up. The doctor said I was going to go blind within the next six months or so [without the surgery].” Barb Richardson spoke with the surgeons following that first surgery. “The doctors said if we had not gotten him down there when we did, he would have lost his sight from a bacterial infection,” she said. “And as he grew, he would not be able to open his mouth as he should. It all fell into place. I have to give thanks to God.” Roman calls Barb his angel. “She’s helped me and my family out so much,” he said. Roman’s parents were so grateful to the Richardsons that they named their third child after Barb. “We were facilitating God’s work,” she said. “That’s the only thing I can say.”
TOP: Jose Manuel Roman with Barb Richardson in 2011 in The Salvation Army Vail Service Extension Center food pantry. At the time, a balloon was implanted under Roman’s jawbone to stretch the skin in hopes of a skin replacement on his face to counter scarring from burns that he suffered as an infant. BOTTOM: Jose Manuel Roman with Tsu Wolin-Brown, center coordinator of The Salvation Army Vail Service Extension Center in Colorado. |Photos courtesy of Vail Service Extension Center
Roman, now 21, had his last surgery three years ago, at 18. A balloon was implanted beneath his jawbone and a local doctor pumped saline into the balloon each week for six months, to slowly stretch the skin. The idea was to use that skin to replace the badly scarred skin on half of Roman’s face. In the end, the skin was rejected, Roman said. “It wouldn’t heal the way it was supposed to.” Still, when Roman looks in the mirror now, he likes what he sees. “I look good. I see myself and I look good and that’s how I feel,” he said. “I look really good compared to the kids at the hospital—I have hands, fingers; I have a nose, my ears; I can see.” “Maybe it’s because I love him, but I find him to be the most handsome man,” Barb Richardson said. “And it’s like ‘pick a number’ when it comes to girlfriends. I’m so happy for him, I can hardly stand myself.” “I don’t think about why this happened,” Roman said. “I’m thankful it happened because I’ve met so many great people on this journey.” Following his high school graduation, Roman became a Certified Nursing Assistant and worked at Roundup River Ranch, a medical camp for children with life-threatening illnesses. He now works for Home Care and Hospice of the Valley, and often volunteers at The Salvation Army Vail Service Extension Center. His family, including Barbie, 11, also volunteer. “[Jose] can start out a bit shy, but he warms up quickly,” said Tsu WolinBrown, center coordinator. “He’s just a great guy.” Unbeknownst to him, Roman helped Barb Richardson heal as well. She first met him while recovering from a stroke. “[Jose] was the best medicine I’ve ever taken in my life; that little boy and that family,” she said. “If people only knew what The Salvation Army did and does for so many people in need, they would just be dumbfounded.”|NFC
Page 4—New Frontier CHRONICLE •February 2015
Hispanic corps experience growth AS Sunday morning attendance increases at
smaller Latino corps in the West.
BY VIVIAN GATICA
more ethnic corps develop throughout the The Salvation Army Western Territory, more opportunities for outreach have emerged. Consequently, many of the territory’s smaller Latino corps experienced significant growth from 2012 through 2014, according to Western territorial statistics. Here is a look at how five Hispanic corps broadened their evangelical communities.
Hollister Corps In the agriculturally rich city of Hollister, Calif., Sunday morning worship attendance grew over 128 percent since 2012 at the local corps, led by Lts. Caleb and Iliana Montes. “Through the word of God, we have been challenged and encouraged to be strong in our faith and to reach out to the lost,” said Iliana Montes, who, along with her husband, became an officer last year in the Disciples of the Cross Session and accepted her first appointment as corps officer at the Hollister Corps. “We believe that strong faith and strong leadership is the key to having a well-functioning corps and we believe we are going in the right direction.” The corps received a $20,000 grant from The Salvation Army Golden State Divisional Headquarters to start a new youth music program. Montes said the corps will also open a small soccer field to accompany its basketball court in hopes of increasing youth involvement. The corps officers are also working to make the congregation bilingual. “We want the Hollister Corps to become ‘the place to be’ in our community with a full variety of services and programs and we are working hard to see it a reality,” Montes said. “We believe that the Lord has brought people to the Hollister Corps that are passionate to follow him and serve him wholeheartedly and are ready to be his hands and feet in a hurting world.” Phoenix Central Corps Located in the “Valley of the Sun,” the Phoenix Central Corps has made a name for itself in the Hispanic community, increasing attendance at its Sunday morning worship service by nearly 51 percent in the last two years. “We believe God has honored our faith and work,” said Major Gil Román, Phoenix Central corps officer. Since arriving at the corps with his wife in 2012, Román said that achieving growth HOLLISTER CORPS was a bit challenging, but they were able to do it by strengthening corps leadership and programs. “We feel blessed seeing how people have grown and committed themselves to different areas of ministry,” he said. Román’s hope is to see the leadership continue to develop, establish a successful discipleship program, and be able to witness growth from the inside out. He said, “We’ve seen how God has changed our lives by creating a family [at the corps] that wishes to better itself by helping one another and helping each other develop our spiritual talents joyfully to minister and serve the community.” Bellflower Temple Corps The Bellflower (Calif.) Temple Corps witnessed a 44 percent rise in its Sunday morning worship congregation between 2012 and 2014. When Majors Moises and Maria Hernandez arrived at the corps in 2012, many corps members had left. “Ever since then, it’s been a development. We started from scratch,” said Raymundo Jiménez, who grew up attending the Bellflower Temple Corps
BELLFLOWER CORPS |Photo by Adriana Rivera
|Photo courtesy of the Hollister Corps
February 2015 • New Frontier CHRONICLE—Page 5
and has witnessed a strong sense of community there. “I think the simple fact that it’s a Hispanic corps does a lot for us. Being Hispanic, just the culture itself—from the food to the language—is something that you don’t get very often everywhere you go. So the fact that it’s in Spanish and the fact that we’re all here for the same reasons...gets us that much more related to one another to the point where we can get to know each other on a personal level.” While rebuilding its congregation, the corps focused on expanding and adding outreach programs, such as its senior food program, youth soccer team and community sewing room. “We have grown, but more so externally because we believe that that is our vision,” Maria Hernandez said. “We shouldn’t only preach and fill the corps, but also help people learn of Christ.” According to Jiménez and Thelma Lozano, corps youth leaders, a major part of doing this is by reaching out to youth in the community to build future generations of leaders. “We’re not a sleeping corps,” Lozano said. “We want to stay awake, we want to stay involved...When you have stable and committed leaders, you’re able to function a little bit easier; it’s not so hard to start from the bottom. My hope is that we are able to invite more people and make this church a home to others.”
WATSONVILLE CORPS |Photo courtesy of the Watsonville Corps
PHOENIX CENTRAL CORPS |Photo courtesy of the Phoenix Central Corps
SANTA FE SPRINGS CORPS |Photo by Vivian Gatica
Santa Fe Springs Corps The Santa Fe Springs Corps in Whittier, Calif., faced similar circumstances, as Envoys Manuel and Maria Martinez rebuilt the Hispanic congregation at the corps, achieving a 26 percent increase in Sunday morning worship attendance since 2012. “We are fully convinced that God is the one who holds the church together,” said Manuel Martinez. “We try and teach people when they come that The Salvation Army is more than a bag of food or financial assistance; the spiritual help is a response to the needs of the people.” Martinez acknowledged that the youth are part of this response, and tries to get them involved in ways that best fit their personalities. “Through this we are able to make them feel part of the corps and keep them attending,” he said. “The goal is to keep growing as a local corps...ministering to people and lifting up leaders from there.” Watsonville Corps With a 49 percent uptick in Sunday morning worship attendance, the corps in Watsonville, Calif., has left a mark among Latinos in the community. Soldiership class and Bible study attendance are likewise increasing. “It’s amazing to see how God, through his love, grace and forgiveness, transforms the lives of those who open their hearts to him,” said Captain Melissa Viquez, who functions as Watsonville corps officer, alongside her husband Major Robert Viquez. “Other than strategies, what has led to our growth has been the love of God. It’s important to both me and my husband that our community learns of God.” Despite space limitations, the corps keeps growing. Melissa Viquez hopes that the corps will soon have space to make program additions to better reach the community. “When we walk close to the Lord, there isn’t any obstacle that can stop us,” she said. “When William Booth started his Army, he did it knowing that Salvationists would never give up. The challenges will never stop showing up in our path, but if we believe, we will see God’s glory.” |NFC
Page 6—New Frontier CHRONICLE • February 2015
Seahawks’ Doug Baldwin reflects on playing football Wide receiver began sports career with The Salvation Army
Doug Baldwin headed to Super Bowl XLIX as a star wide receiver with the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, but he first played football as a child with The Salvation Army in Pensacola, Fla. Today, Baldwin regularly participates in charitable fundraising events—including The Salvation Army’s 2014 Celebrity Bell Ringing event in Seattle. “I play football,” he said in May 2014 during his keynote speech at the 15th annual Loaves & Fishes Dinner, a fundraising event for The Salvation Army in Tacoma, Wash. “I don’t get it when people give me accolades or want my autograph. I just play football. I don’t save lives. But these people [at The Salvation Army] are saving lives every day.” The event program included his written testimony (below), which he wrote before the 2011 NFL draft, as he reflected on lessons learned during his football career.
BY DOUG BALDWIN
Y
ou may recognize me as Doug Baldwin, number 89, a five-foot 10-inch tall wide receiver who played football at Stanford. You might remember me running over to the Stanford student section and putting my ear to the crowd before every game. You might know that I have caught 13 career touchdowns while at Stanford. Maybe you remember my touchdown catch in the corner of the end-zone at Cal that put us up 31 to zero before halftime. You might know that I am preparing for the 2011 NFL draft. But today, as I look back on the journey my life has taken from little league to high school to college and look ahead to future endeavors, I realize something. You have heard about my accomplishments on the field and define me by them, yet those accomplishments only scratch the surface of who I really am. I played my first full season of football at the age of eight. Six days of the week, a bunch of eightyear-olds jogged out onto a sandpit-spotted field at a Salvation Army to play football in oversized shoulder pads and bobble head-like helmets. One of those players was a good friend of mine, Jeremy Madison. Everything we did together was a competition. When the team ran sprints, Jeremy and I would race to see who was the fastest. Even eating hot dogs after practice turned into a competition of who could eat the most. However, Jeremy outplayed me on the football field, so I played behind him on the depth chart. He was a young, muscle-ripped, stud running back with more talent than I could dream of. Coaches and parents prophesied him to be better than Emmitt Smith, a Pensacola native and NFL Hall of Fame running back. Even our highly competitive personalities could not come between our friendship. Nothing could. Now picture this: after coming home from an evening practice, Jeremy finds his house engulfed in flames. Panicking, he runs into the burning building to search for his niece and nephew, but they have already made it out safely. As he frantically looks through the empty house, the flames grow larger. The roof cannot withstand the intense heat and collapses. Jeremy, a young
|Photo by Kevin Pontsler
kid with dreams of playing professional football, is now trapped under a burning roof threatening to take his life away. Hours pass. Rescuers eventually find him. They pull him from the rubble, but the time he spent trapped in the oxygen-deprived conditions caused massive brain damage and left him completely paralyzed. The incident left our team and community in shock. After mourning the devastating tragedy to my friend and fellow teammate, life had to go on. I was forced to play in place of him, but it never felt right. I felt like the only reason I was on the field was because something bad had happened to my friend. I felt guilty. After Jeremy’s accident, I decided to put everything I had into football because, somehow, I felt like I could honor him by doing so. The following years at The Salvation Army were filled with winning several city league championships and most valuable player trophies, while building everlasting relationships with my teammates and coaches. In high school, I flourished my junior and senior years both in the classroom and on the field. My achievements on the field caught the attention of several schools, including Stanford. With family being such an important aspect in my life, I wanted to stay close to home. In terms of the academic prestige and reputation of Stanford, no other school could compare. After discussing my college future with my mother, I eventually decided to attend Stanford University. As a freshman, I played right away, helping the team with depth. As a sophomore, I started at wide receiver and led the team in touchdown receptions. Entering my junior season, I had high expectations for myself. I felt like I was going to have a breakout year until an ankle sprain impeded my progress. During the few days that I sat on the sideline watching practice, my starting role was downgraded to backup. When I did step back on the field, it was with a chip on my shoulder. I was angry. How could I lose the starting role that I worked so hard for to an injury that was out of my control? I felt cheated and disrespected but most of all, I felt like I was not
part of the team anymore. I wanted so badly to get back to where I felt like I belonged, starting. My focus was in the wrong place. While being angry and upset, balls slipped through my hands during practice, routes were sloppy and easily covered by defensive backs and eventually I was downgraded to scout team and saw the field sparingly for the rest of the season. I continued to wallow in my own pity and question my role on the team. I even sought a way to leave and play football elsewhere. I did what most people would have done in my situation. I asked why was this happening to me? Why could I not focus the way that I had been able before? Why was I on the scout team when I was good enough to be a starter? That is where I went wrong. I was asking “why” instead of “how.” In comes my faith. My relationship with God had always been strong, but my experiences junior year only strengthened my faith. I was searching for answers to why things were happening to me, but I never stopped to think how I could get myself out of those situations. Late nights on the phone with my parents were filled with tears and fits of anger that expressed my heartache with football. I felt like my love for the sport I had devoted so much time and effort to was fading away. I hated it and I wanted out. One night I was reading the Bible, desperately searching for answers to my problems. I came across a passage that read, “For I know the plans I have for you... plans for good and not evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Suddenly, it all made sense to me. I had to stop worrying about things that were not in my control. I had to start controlling the things that I could and have faith that everything else would work itself out. I focused on responding to obstacles in the right way. I focused on overcoming them and not letting them hold me back. Then I remembered my friend Jeremy. I remembered how much we loved playing football back at The Salvation Army. Back then we were just out trying to have fun. I envisioned the days in the hot sun on the clayspotted grass fields. It was then that I remembered why I love football. As I stepped on the field against Sacramento State last September, I felt nervous for the first time in years. It was like I was back at The Salvation Army playing on the sandpit-spotted fields. I wanted to do well for my teammates who were counting on me. I wanted to prove that I belonged. Most of all, I did not want to let Jeremy down. As the ball from the kickoff of our 2010-2011 season slowly tumbled through the bright blue Palo Alto sky, I knew that I would have a shot to redeem myself. On the ninth play of the game, opportunity began to knock. Taking off from the line was a blur. However it happened, I got behind the cornerback and the safety. I slowly looked up. There it was: my shot at redemption. All of my anger and hatred from the past year disappeared with every spin of the ball. The calm blue sky in the background set my heart at ease. As the ball slowly landed in my grasp like a gift floating down from the heavens, I felt my love for the game return and fill the gloves on my hands. The warm feeling passed through my arms and into my chest. It passed through my heart and fueled my legs to churn 81 yards for a touchdown. I was back.|NFC
February 2015 • New Frontier CHRONICLE—Page 7
The Salvation Army Center of Hope helps families facing homelessness rebuild their lives.
Moving past the unthinkable BY JULIE CRAMER
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ollowing an arrest, related legal fees and then unemployment, a woman we’ll call Sonya sought help from The Salvation Army Center of Hope in Charlotte, N.C. Her own stereotypes were challenged on her first night. “I met two women about my age, and they were really friendly,” she said. “We ended up sleeping in the cafeteria, and Christopher [her 14-year-old son] was in the teen room. I would go in and put the cover over my head. Once I started talking to the women there, I noticed they weren’t that different from me. Most are really down-to-earth people.” She eventually transferred to a bed in Dorm 5. “There were children everywhere and tons of people. I broke down that night, but I didn’t let them know it,” she said. “I still wake up and think, ‘Why am I not in my own kitchen?’ and I wonder if I’ll ever be in my own kitchen again. Christopher still hasn’t adjusted. He’ll go in the dorm and not say a word. He’s a typical 14-year-old. Maybe later in life he will look back on this and it will help him through something. I’ve had to be strong for him. I try to tell people around here that everything is temporary.” Sonya said she wakes up thinking about what she will do differently in the future to prevent homelessness. She journals and recites a prayer of Saint Teresa of Avila: “Let nothing disturb you. Let nothing frighten you. All things pass. God does not change. Patience achieves everything. Whoever has God lacks nothing. God alone suffices.” “Sonya is at the shelter so she can begin the process of healing,” said Shelia Corey, her case manager. “She’s an open, cheerful and kind person who wants the best for herself and her child. She seems to be optimistic about her situation in spite of the difficulties she is dealing with.” An author of three self-published books, Sonya dreams of returning to her teaching career. “I want everything to come full closure and for me to start living,” she said. “Being at the shelter gives you some hope and some time to get your mind together. I’m serious. If you’re out there and you’re constantly trying to make things happen with so much chaos going on...at least here you have that time alone and can put a positive plan in action.” Part of the plan is to move Sonya and Christopher into housing as quickly as possible through the Center of Hope’s rapid rehousing program. She is waiting to hear about a job opportunity that would allow her to make the transition. “Even if you have to come to the shelter, use all those resources and assistance—and you have got to be strong and believe that there’s a bigger plan for you,” Sonya said she would tell other women in similar circumstances. “There’s no form of devastation that you can go through that you can’t bounce back from. I’m working at it. I do give God the glory. I know a door will open up for me soon.”|NFC
The Salvation Army Center of Hope emergency shelter for women, children and veterans in Charlotte, N.C., is the largest shelter in terms of number of clients served annually in the Southeast. |Photo by Julie Cramer
Refuge in Tucson
New Hospitality House will offer 110 beds and two family apartment units. BY SHAWNA KROH The Salvation Army in Tucson, Ariz., will open its new family-focused shelter this month as part of a shift to adapt to the city’s changing face of homelessness. “The demographics have changed,” said Major Clement Leslie, The Salvation Army Tucson area coordinator. “We are seeing more single men with children and women with children.” According to the 2014 Homelessness in Arizona Annual Report, Pima County— where Tucson lies—contains 15 percent of Arizona’s population and 23 percent of its homeless population. Adults with families make up 11 percent of the county’s adult homeless population, most of them averaging between 25-34 years old. Built in 1964 as a shelter for single men, the Hospitality House in Tucson will ex-
pand to offer 110 beds and two family apartment units. The new 34,000-squarefoot facility will open to the public Feb. 23 as a temporary emergency shelter for individuals 18 years of age and older, as well as for homeless parents with children. “The new Hospitality House shelter will help more men, women and especially families,” Leslie said. “It will provide more programs and services to those in need on the streets of Tucson, such as veterans’ services, special needs and job training.” The center will offer emergency shelter limited to a seven-night stay with roundthe-clock trained staff assistance. The transitional housing component includes an in-house, four-month program, although some may stay up to a year depending on the circumstance. Weekly rent and life skills classes are required of residents, and there are separate areas for veterans and respite care patients.
Salvation Army and community leaders cut the ribbon to inaugurate the Tucson Hospitality House. |Photo by Shawna Kroh
Other services include lodging, food, showers, laundry, transportation assistance and medical referrals. Case managers are available to help residents on the path to self-sufficiency and independence, with resources for job training and educational services.
“The goal for the new shelter is to open a door of hope to all that come for help,” Leslie said. “We hope that more people will get the much needed assistance to get off the streets and back on their feet.”|NFC
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February 2015 • New Frontier CHRONICLE—Page 9
THE HISTORY OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS As The Salvation Army prepares for Boundless 2015, here’s a look at the previous six international congresses.
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Salvationists from The Salvation Army’s 126 countries of work will meet in London, the Army’s birthplace, July 1-5 for Boundless: The Whole World Redeeming—an international congress celebrating the Army’s 150th anniversary. “It’s going to be an event that will inspire the entire Salvation Army world, and for the first time we truly have the capacity to reach the entire Salvation Army world,” said Lt. Colonel Eddie Hobgood, congress coordinator. Only the seventh international congress, this anniversary congress is named after Founder William Booth’s timeless song, “O Boundless Salvation.” “When William wandered into the East End and saw the poverty and neglect of the church he was moved to do something,” Hobgood said. “We believe very strongly the call to save the world is as strong today and The Salvation Army needs to sometimes be reminded of what we’re all about. ‘Boundless’ is a call to continue into the next 150 years.” Past international congresses include: 1886 Just six years after the first overseas extension of The Salvation Army’s work, the first international congress emphasized the cultural and ethnic diversity of the Army and included reports from around the world. A mile-long procession through London and along the Thames Embankment drew a crowd that police estimated to be over 100,000 people. 1894 Known as the “Jubilee Congress,” the second international congress celebrated the 50th anniversary of the founder’s conversion and the 29th year of The Salvation Army. In a War Cry article published at the end of this congress under the title, “What Next?,” Founder William Booth reminded officers and soldiers alike that the Army’s current position of “discipline and power and influence” should not overshadow the “day of small and feeble things.” He wrote: “Thousands will not compose your audiences on every occasion, nor hundreds flock to your penitent form every night, but let us be grateful for the bruised reed and smoking flax, and mind we do not break the one nor quench the other. Praise God for ones and twos and see to it before all else that we do the work given to us with all our might, and that we do it well.” 1904 The third international congress brought together representatives from 49 countries and colonies. Meetings were held primarily in the “International Congress Hall,” erected for the occasion to hold 5,000 people, far more than any other venue in London at the time. Organized principally by the Chief of the Staff, Bramwell Booth, and Commissioner George Pollard, this gathering was praised in the British press as “a model of skilful [sic] and dignified management.” During this event, Booth was received by King Edward VII at Buckingham Palace, an event the War Cry dubbed the “beginning of new recognition” for the Army. Booth notably traveled by car throughout the congress, as a demonstration of his commitment to innovation and progress. 1914 The first congress to be held after Booth’s death was marred by what was called “perhaps the greatest tragedy in the whole history of The Salvation Army”—167 Canadian Salvationists died after the Empress of Ireland was rammed by another ship in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and sank within 15 minutes. Among the dead were Territorial Commander Commissioner David M. Rees and family, and the bulk of the Territorial Staff Band. Memorial services were held days later in the Royal Albert Hall. Despite this disaster, the event referred to as the “Congress of Nations,” brought 2,000 overseas delegates, including 720 Americans led by Commander Evangeline Booth and former President Theodore Roosevelt. General Bramwell Booth reported that the Army was then at work in 58 countries and colonies and ministering to 84 ethnic groups in 34 languages. It was said to be an event that “consolidated the spirit of the Army’s scattered regiments and so left it unshaken by the holocaust of the 1914 Armageddon.” 1978 The fifth international congress, under the leadership of General Arnold Brown, included inaugural ceremonies at the Empire Pool attended by the Prince of Wales, and a special service of thanksgiving in Westminster Abbey. Before the congress adjourned, delegates had heard messages from the Army’s leadership and from such revered figures as the Founder’s granddaughter, Commissioner Catherine Bramwell-Booth. 1990 The sixth international congress adopted the theme “With Christ Into the Future.” General Eva Burrows presided over the event leading to the final meeting in which almost 9,000 Salvationists in the Royal Albert Hall and the Wembley Arena signed covenant cards re-consecrating themselves to the Lord’s service.
1) U.S. delegates to the 1914 international congress aboard the USS Olympic 2) Colonel Eva Parker wears the 1904 international congress uniform 3) Prince Charles of Wales at the 1978 international congress 4) Delegates at the 1990 international congress 5) Royal Guards and Salvationists during the 1904 international congress 6) An Indian delegate to the 1914 international congress gives his testimony beside then-General Bramwell Booth (right). 7) Then-General John Gowans speaks at the 2000 international Millennium congress |Photos courtesy of The Salvation Army National Archives and Library of Congress Digital Library
2000 Themed, “The Army Next - Carrying the Flame into the Future,” the Millennial congress signified The Salvation Army’s commitment to the service of God and man in a new era. The first congress held outside of London—at the World Congress Center in Atlanta, Ga.—welcomed over 20,000 delegates from around the world. See more about the 2015 international congress at newfrontierchronicle.org/boundless2015.
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|Photo by Ted Horwood
the mango tree BY TED HORWOOD, COLONEL
What can the African church offer the body of Christ?
Not long ago we were driving on a dusty road through the interior of Tanzania when we came upon a traditional house—mud bricks, mud plaster and dried grass on the roof. An old woman emerged from the house. She said she had been there all her life. She was alone now and maintaining the property was becoming difficult. We asked to use the traditional latrine located a distance
from her house, and she gave us permission. She brought some raw, unshelled peanuts, grown on her land. I noticed the mango tree that was heavy with blossoms next to her house. It is believed that when the mango tree flowers in that way, it is God’s provision for the people of Tanzania because the harvest would be small. As I looked at the mud huts, traditional farming instruments and the lack of modern amenities, I thought that not much had changed since The Salvation Army was established here. This is a continent of self-determined, hospitable and perseverant people. They value their tradition but seek innovation and hope for a better tomorrow. In 1883, Catherine Booth fabricated an Army flag and offered it to the officers who would soon set out to pioneer the work in Cape Town. It has been nearly 130 years since the first officers disembarked a rickety sailing ship to start the work of the Army in Africa, and over a century of wars, natural disasters and national disputes have made an impact on its ministry. In spite of all the tumult, today nearly 250,000 senior soldiers live in Africa, accounting for nearly 40 percent of all senior soldiers worldwide. The Pew Research Center’s “Global Christianity” report indicated major shifts since the days when those first pioneer officers arrived in Africa. At that time two-thirds of the world’s Christians lived in Europe. Now, nearly as many Christians live in sub-Saharan Africa (24 percent) as in Europe (26 percent). Among African countries, 31 now have Christian majorities. Since 1900, the number of Christians in Africa exploded from 10 million to 500 million in 2012. If Western media features Africa, it is usually because of calamity, war or most recently, Ebola. But given the opportunity, Africa could offer much more, particularly to the body of Christ. Africans have a zeal for the gospel, worship and the lost. And unlike their Western counterparts, they are not constrained to 90 minutes. How many visitors to corps around Africa have been stunned by the quality of singing and the enthusiasm of dancing in the worship? There is freedom and sincerity. Many Africans will leave home and any hope of financial security to plant new ministries. Others will move to new locations and start The Salvation Army in their homes. A few months later, headquarters will get a call to say that a new congregation has begun and they have started building a corps hall; please send an officer and a flag. Africans also have the ability to communicate in a variety of languages. Rarely will you find someone who speaks only one language. This versatility of culture and communication has propelled many new ministries. Pride in the Army, a wiliness to sacrifice in order to evangelize, the ability to accept and adapt with the intention of establishing new work—these are good lessons and valuable traits of an African Salvationist. |NFC
The Salvation Army responds to Mozambique and Malawi floods The Salvation Army in the east African nations of Mozambique and Malawi responded after severe flooding in January. The town of Mocuba in the central Zambezia province was particularly hard-hit. Eighteen children went missing after the River Licungo overflowed its banks, forcing 15,000 people from their homes. Captain Arsenio Macamo, Zambezia section officer, said the flooding in the region is the worst since 1971. News reports stated that the river is flowing so quickly that it is impossible to cross, with some areas completely cut off, and large portions of the country lost power. A Salvation Army emergency team organized by Macamo and Lt. Armindo Simango assisted nearly 4,000 displaced people from Mocuba, helping them move into government-arranged camps. Food assistance will begin once funding can be sourced. “The displaced people are in a vulnerable situation that needs strong and quick humanitarian action,” said Colonel Daniel Moukoko, Mozambique territorial commander. “After losing their belongings during the flooding, their priority needs are temporary shelter, food assistance, blankets, clothes, mattresses and water and sanitation interventions in order to address the risk of waterborne disease outbreaks.”
The Mozambique floods were so severe that they also devastated nearby Malawi, where over 300 people are reported to be dead or missing, and more than 100,000 people were left homeless, with an estimated 300,000 affected in some way. Moses Wandulu, Malawi territorial commander, reported that houses, livestock and crops were swept away. Wandulu said some halls and quarters were left unusable. Captains Amos and Alice Zikatiwindu and their family at Osiyana Corps only survived by taking refuge up a tree for three days and nights. Wandulu and the emergency team visited the captains, providing food and clothing and supporting the family in prayer. The Army is responding to the needs of vulnerable families in five communities, working in coordination with the government and other agencies to meet the most urgent needs as efficiently possible. Distributions are being planned to deliver items such as maize, peas and beans, along with mosquito nets to protect against the threat of malaria, and blankets for warmth. The Salvation Army’s Canada and Bermuda Territory provided almost $20,000 for food, bedding and mosquito nets to 240 people in Chikwawa, but more funds are urgently needed.|NFC
Top: Mozambique, Bottom: Malawi |Photos courtesy of The Salvation Army International Headquarters
THE CRISIS OF ICE
February 2015 • New Frontier CHRONICLE—Page 11
An upsurge in crystal meth usage is changing The Salvation Army’s drug rehabilitation programs in Australia. BY HEATHER McILVAINE
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nalysts at the Australian Institute of Criminology noticed a disturbing trend starting in 2010—methamphetamine use, which had been in steady decline for several years, was on the rise in Australia. By 2013, nearly one-third of illicit drug users surveyed tested positive for methamphetamine. That same year, the Australian government discovered that roughly half of methamphetamine users were taking a highly potent form of the drug called “ice,” or crystal meth—more addictive than speed or ecstasy. The figure had more than doubled in just three years. The Oceania region currently has the highest usage rate of ice in the world, and those on the frontlines of Australia’s drug and health services are feeling its impact. Top: “Ice,” a highly potent form of methamphetamine that is more addictive than speed or ecstasy. Bottom: Kathryn Last year, The Salvation Army saw the number of people Wright, territorial director of The Salvation Army’s alcohol rehabilitating for ice withdrawal double at its residential and other drugs unit. |Photos by Heather Mcilvaine withdrawal unit in Geelong. In some instances, 60 percent of clients in the unit were recovering from ice. In the Sydney area, The Salvation Army witnessed a 122 percent spike in people seeking help for ice addiction. Beyond its increased availability, ice’s purity also tripled from 2009 to 2013, according to the Society for the Study of Addiction. At the same time, the price per gram The of ice decreased, when adjusted for purity levels. Salvation Army So, Australians are using ice more frequently in Sydney has than ever before and getting a bigger high for witnessed a the money. These factors make addiction an all 122 percent but inevitable outcome. spike in people Today, it’s not uncommon for people to wait seeking help for ice several months for a spot in a rehabilitation addiction. program. Yet, the growing number of ice users is not the only—or perhaps even the biggest—problem service providers face. As clinicians and case managers are discovering, traditional addiction recovery programs aren’t always equipped to combat some of the more challenging aspects of ice addiction. The Salvation Army residential withdrawal unit in Geelong offers a standard six-night detox program for ice users, yet the current estimate for a full withdrawal from ice is 28 days. “We generally see that ice users are ‘coming down’ in the first three days, when they’re sleeping all the time,” said Chandra Jha, nursing coordinator at the withdrawal unit in Geelong. “They start to exhibit mental health issues by day four or five, and sometimes it can start even later.” In response, SalvoConnect Social Services is currently proposing a dedicated residential withdrawal unit for ice users.
If it attracts funding, it will allow clients more time to detox. Until then, many are experiencing withdrawal symptoms, including depression, anxiety, agitation and disturbed sleep, when they begin rehabilitation or a counseling program. “In the past, we would start off with a cognitive-based treatment approach in the early stages, like group therapy,” said Kathryn Wright, territorial director of The Salvation Army’s alcohol and other drugs unit. “But that’s not always appropriate when people are still coming off ice.” Instead, the initial recovery process often focuses on reintroducing the clients to a routine—getting up, showered, and dressed. Other adjustments include more frequent mental health assessments and education for ice addicts and more training in mental health and de-escalation skills for staff. Because prolonged use of ice inhibits the brain’s ability to release dopamine without the drug present, many recovering ice addicts experience depression and in some cases, suicidal thoughts. “When we do assessments, we discuss those behaviors and address them with medication and one-to-one interactions,” Jha said. These changes exemplify the broader shift toward individualized care in The Salvation Army’s addiction recovery services. “As much as we’re doing better in that journey than we were 10 years ago, we need to be more flexible still,” Wright said. “This [ice] epidemic has tested our ability to individualize treatment.” According to Brendan Quinn, a research officer at the Burnet Institute’s Centre for Population Health, ice use in Australia today affects a diverse population. “You have drug injectors from low socioeconomic backgrounds using ice, but also people who earn $200,000 a year,” he said. Understanding each client’s incentive to get clean is crucial. Whether reentering the workforce or resolving child protection issues, individualized care allows case managers and clients to tailor relapse prevention strategies to their particular goals. At the residential rehabilitation center in Bendigo, three out of the four current clients are recovering from ice addiction. One is a 24-year-old woman with strong incentive to get clean. She is 20 weeks pregnant and wants to beat her addiction to take care of her baby. She hopes her future will include her own mother, who is learning to accept and support her daughter through assistance from The Salvation Army’s Bendigo Community Services Center. According to Wright, “We’ve found that since we’re seeing ice in younger populations, it’s been fertile ground for family involvement.”|NFC
Page 12—New Frontier CHRONICLE • February 2015
For the first time in my life I felt like I didn’t belong to any social category. We weren’t truly homeless because after the weekend we had a home to return to, yet there we were, sleeping out on the streets. As people passed by, I felt their judgment scalding me. —BELLE BOTTJEN
PARADISE UNMASKED
A Revolution Hawaii team member reflects on her first semester of service.
BY BELLE BOTTJEN
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fter spending four months in Hawaii, I see brokenness. Instead of seeing sandy beaches, I see homeless people sleeping on them. Instead of seeing picturesque scenery, I see faces of individuals, not knowing when their next meal will come. With the first semester of Revolution Hawaii completed and the second just beginning, I realize I am not the person I once was. I’ve seen lives changed for the better and for the worse. I’ve slept on the streets with the broken, and spent the day with what some would consider the upper class. After seeing both sides of island life, I have concluded that both are equally ugly. On one side you have the poor and homeless wasting away because of addictions, diseases and mental health issues, and on the other side you have the rich living a superficial life, filled with money and meaningless splendor. One weekend, we slept on the streets to experience a small sample of what homelessness is like, and it was not easy. With only a thin piece of cardboard between us and the concrete, we slept on the sidewalk for two evenings. For the first time in my life I felt like I didn’t belong to any social category. We weren’t truly homeless because after the weekend we had a home to return to, yet there we were, sleeping out on the streets. As people passed by, I felt their judgment scalding me. During the day we walked the streets of Chinatown. I sat next to a man and did all I could to comfort him, in what we both thought were his last moments while we waited for the ambulance to come for him. The following Sunday, I saw the same man back on the streets because he had nowhere else to go. That evening I prayed with him so he would find a place to live that would care for him since he could no longer take care of himself. We ended our time together singing “Amazing Grace,” and my heart broke for this man who had tears streaming down his cheeks. I haven’t seen him since, but each night I pray that he is doing well. In January the second semester of Revolution Hawaii began. As the team walked down the streets of Chinatown after being gone for a month and a half, we were shocked by the emptiness. While we were gone, a law passed prohibiting people from sleeping or sitting on the sidewalks between the hours of 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. Our challenge now is to discover where our homeless friends have gone and how we can get to them, to pray for them and show them that Jesus cares. I am excited to see what God has in store for me and the team. I can feel God moving and I long to see the streets of Hawaii change. I long to make the streets of Hawaii look much like the streets in England did during the early years of The Salvation Army. I want to empty out the bars and fill up the churches. I want to see people change their lives and turn to Christ. I want to see the people of Hawaii free from the chains of sin. I want to see a revolution.|NFC
COVENANT
Team members minister in a park frequented by individuals experiencing homelessness. |Photo by Belle Bottjen; top photo by Kevin Bottjen
FROM PAGE 1
that’s how it turned [out],” Larsson said. “General Booth knows his health is failing, and is worried about the future of the Army. Will it survive beyond him? His solution is the mysterious ‘covenant’ we see him working on throughout the show. The contents of that covenant are revealed at the end, and our hope is that the audience will immediately recognize the connection between that very real historical document and the true stories they have just witnessed on stage.” Choosing the stories for the musical was a collaborative effort. “[Banks] is a treasure trove of Army stories, so some originated from him,” Larsson said. “We also spent a lot of time reading online editions of as many Army periodicals as we could find, looking for those more modern stories. As friends and family learned about the project, they told us about things they’d read and heard, and our territorial commander also wrote out to every territory asking for stories. That process gave us plenty of material, but our criteria was strict: the stories had to be fairly obscure and they had to connect to our theme.” A key challenge for Larsson was determining the sequence of the play’s stories. “I always knew which one I wanted last, as it’s the longest and most complex and in some ways, most remarkable story,” Larsson said. “The other segments all vary in style, mood, length and era,
so we plotted out how we hope the audience will react emotionally to each segment, and then tried to smooth the edges of those emotional transitions as much as possible.” Kevin Larsson and Banks built the music and lyrics upon the message of each story featured in the vignettes. “The genuine, inspirational nature of these stories gave me the ideas I needed,” Banks said. “The lyrics relate directly to each vignette and attempt to explore and expound the essence of the story.” Karl Larsson said that each scene in the musical is meant to reach every type of audience member. “People like to shuffle their music these days, and this is in some ways a ‘shuffle musical,’” he said. “It jumps through time and place, switching tone, mood and style, but underneath it all is this powerful, unifying concept of ‘covenant.’” For Banks and the Larssons, the ultimate hope is that the audience grasps the evangelical message of the musical. “Each vignette has a message. In some the message is about commitment to Christ; in others it is about loyalty to Christ in difficult circumstances,” Banks said. “Our hope is that all who see the musical will catch the spirit of that covenant and then make their own covenant, joining enthusiastically and sincerely as one to create a shared covenant that will impact the world for Christ.”|NFC
“COVENANT” FEATURED CAST Jim Trebilcox as William Booth Major Steven Bradley as Josef Korbel Jude St. Aime as Gracia Matondo Erin Riesebieter as Catherine Hine Lincoln Hawk as Lt. Joey Major Lisa Smith as Major Ruth Lanayah Wild as Lilla Major Osei Stewart as Captain Dengi Dave Wright as Old Jean Lincoln Hawk as Young Gunter Mathijs Arens as Young Jean Major Tim Foley as Old Gunter See full cast and crew list online, and more congress news, at newfrontierchronicle.org/boundless2015.
February 2015 • New Frontier CHRONICLE—Page 13
FRONTIER PRESS IS SET TO RELEASE ITS FIRST COMIC BOOK THIS SPRING, “IRIS,” BY KYLE REARDON.
‘Conversations with the Catholic Church, 2007-2012’ BOOK REVIEW BY KEVIN JACKSON, MAJOR
A young, medal-winning Olympian, Iris meets an early end in a drowning accident only to be resurrected, without her consent, by a group of scientists experimenting with nano-technology. Not only is she brought back to life, but the microscopic robots now in her cause her to grow exponentially stronger and attracts increased interest from some dubious people. Follow Iris as she tries to discover what good she can do with her second chance at life. Watch
her explore and question her faith as she tries to understand the implications of God’s presence as a woman who is no longer dead, but alive again through technology. With sudden, superhero strength, Iris pushes against those who think that they have the right to ownership over her person, simply because they paid for the technology inside of her. See frontierpress.org.|NFC
It’s easy to become weary in our faith these days. Far too often we see Christians at odds with others, both inside and outside our religious worldview. Yet faith is about more than who’s right and who’s wrong. Faith is a world-changing and life-transforming relationship with God. There is joy, peace and good will on earth, yet these things should be more common between Christians. Alas, what should be more common, tends to be less so in recent years. A recently published collection of documents, jointly written and collected by The Salvation Army International Headquarters and official representatives of the Roman Catholic Church, allow for a much needed breath of fresh air for the person of faith—“Conversations with the Catholic Church, 2007-2012” (Salvation Books, 2014). At first glance, the reader might suspect that the contents of this book contain long diatribes of dry theological speak that only resonate with scholars, theologians and those interested in canon law. A closer look reveals otherwise. This work contains an informal collection of papers representative of the book’s title. Written by members of the participants from The Salvation Army and the Papal delegation over a five-year period, the papers alternate between The Salvation Army’s Sunbury Court and the Vatican in Rome. Each section opens with a summary report of the shared time together, and the conversational nature of the gatherings is evident. The official papers shared are written in a manner where neither an advanced degree, nor in-depth knowledge of the subject is necessary. In fact, the papers seemingly are written for the average individual, simply explaining a selected topic. Topics included in the dialogue include the nature of the Church, social justice, and salvation and sanctification. Often times in our world we do not dialogue well. What I most appreciate about this work is the civil tenor taken throughout. Yes, there are differences in Salvationist theology and the Roman Catholic tradition. Yet, at the end of each section we realize we have more similarities with our Catholic family than differences. The significance of a book like this is seen in its demonstration to produce a civil, faith-based conversation. From the outset of the gathering led on the Salvationist side by Commissioner William Francis, he wisely asked each of the participants from both sides of the table to share their testimonies. This set a common ground purpose for the remainder of the sessions: a general agreement among all the delegates that a relationship with God is what both of our faith purposes ultimately aim for. As you read these conversations, it may or may not increase your knowledge of the things we hold dearly and believe, but it is sure to breathe a fresh perspective into a weariness plaguing many in the world today. The book provides a common platform for people of faith and a glimpse of a hope for the future.|NFC
WHISPERS OF TRUTH, COMPASSION AND BEAUTY
the eyes of a talented and meticulous writer and photographer.”
muted hosannas
JEFF CARTER
enter the world as viewed through
muted hosannas
“To read muted hosannas is to
original poetry and photos by Jeff Carter Author and photographer Jeff Carter at Masada
|Photo by Major Noel Mason
To read muted hosannas is to enter the world as viewed through the eyes of a talented and meticulous writer/photographer. A wordsmith and a thoughtful thinker, Jeff finely crafts his poetry compelling the reader to appreciate the language of belief while challenging us to cogently navigate our way through our faith journey. Jeff’s photographic images provide a source of illumination to accompany his written word. muted hosannas is a profound and enlightened first book.
—KEVIN JACKSON
—MAJOR KEVIN JACKSON
frontierpress.org
Frontier Press
frontierpress.org ISBN 978-0-9908776-0-8 • $14.99
JEFF CARTER
muted hosannas
Page 14—New Frontier CHRONICLE • February 2015
USA WEST NEWS BRIEFS ALASKA
community partners. Money raised from partners and vendor booth sales support the center’s scholarship fund, which currently provides assistance to over 1,700 adults and children. The fund has assisted over 5,000 individuals since the center opened in 2009. DEL ORO
Car club gives back Kake Day
In what is becoming a tradition, The Salvation Army Kake Corps Community Center led the annual Kake Day parade Jan. 8, to celebrate 102 years of the village’s organization. Kake became home to the first official Salvation Army Alaska corps Jan. 25, 1904. “We had a wonderful morning leading the parade with our drum and original Kake flag,” said Lt. Noel Evans, corps officer with her husband, Michael. The corps participated in other activities, including a health fair and a community dinner and dance, where Noel Evans joined the Keex Kwaan dancers.
The American Steel Car Club presented $500 checks to eight nonprofit organizations recently, including The Salvation Army of Lodi, Calif. The money was raised at the 19th annual Stuck in Lodi Classic Car Show, held in August 2014 at School Street in downtown Lodi. The 2015 show is slated for Aug. 1. GOLDEN STATE
Kaiser Permanente event helps Army
On Feb.1, people lined up at the starting line of the Kaiser Permanente San Francisco half-marathon and 5K, co-sponsored by Pamakid Runners, at Golden Gate Park to run for local charities, which included The Salvation Army’s Harbor Light Center for addiction recovery. Proceeds from the event benefitted the charities involved. More than $800,000 has been raised for charities through this event since 2004.
Polar Bear Plunge
After braving the icy waters last year and taking the plunge himself, Captain Rio Ray, divisional youth and candidates’ secretary, chose a safer course this year. He and his son, Byron, made the four-hour trek to Seward, Alaska, Jan. 17, to serve hot chocolate and doughnuts to participants and spectators at the Polar Bear Plunge. “Serving others is always a wonderful feeling,” Ray said. “It’s even more rewarding when you see your child enjoying the experience as well.” Father and son handed out 273 cups of cocoa to the frigid jumpers and onlookers. “When we think of volunteers we often think of groups of adults or groups of children, like a Rotary Club bell ringing or a Girl Scout troop doing a food drive,” Ray said. “We sometimes miss the chance of serving together. We forget how important and life changing that serving together as a family can be.” Byron Ray loved the experience of helping others. “I wish we could do this more often,” he said. “It makes everyone happy when we help them.” CASCADE
Golden State EDS director honored
The Salvation Army Golden State Divisional Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) Director John McKnight and volunteers from The Salvation Army in San Francisco were honored by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors for their response efforts during the heavy storm season in December 2014 that flooded much of the Bay Area and displaced many individuals. The team served more than 700 meals to residents looking for shelter during the storm at the Gene Friend Rec Center. HAWAIIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDS
Amazon benefits
As part of its AmazonSmile campaign, the online shopping company Amazon decided to give back to multiple charities, including The Salvation Army Hawaiian and Pacific Islands Division. Amazon will donate 0.5 percent of the purchase price of each customer order made through smile.amazon.com to the division.
Accepting of every condition
The Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center in Salem, Ore., held its annual health fair Jan. 24. More than 1,700 attendees had access to free flu shots, health screenings and over 30 vendors representing health-related products. Kroc Center fitness instructors gave live demos of popular classes, including Dance Fitness, Raise the Barre, Core Essentials and Triple Threat. Center registration fees were waived for the weekend, and over 500 people became members. Salem Cardio Vascular Associates and Windsong Memory Care at Eola Hills were
NORTHWEST
Project Homeless Connect in Missoula
The Salvation Army of Missoula, Mont., participated in the community’s ninth annual Project Homeless Connect Jan. 30 at the First United Methodist Church. The one-day event links those experiencing or at risk of homelessness with numerous services. With help from community volunteers, The Salvation Army, led by Missoula Corps Officers Lts. Joshua and Loreen Hamilton, gave out winter clothing to adults and children. In addition to its homeless outreach, the event aims to connect service providers with each other in order to coordinate and improve their efforts to help those in need. SIERRA DEL MAR
San Bernardino hosts disaster prep seminar
The Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) for Riverside and San Bernardino counties held an amateur radio and disaster preparation workshop at its 19th annual SATERN Seminar. Dr. Kate Hutton, seismologist from the California Institute of Technology (CalTech), delivered the keynote presentation on earthquake preparedness at The Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps. Other topics of discussion included basic emergency preparation and radio antenna matching. During a natural disaster, SATERN utilizes radios to communicate with each other as The Salvation Army assists emergency workers and victims reconnect with their friends and family. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
INTERMOUNTAIN
Salem Kroc Center health fair
“They don’t turn their back,” he said. “They don’t say no.”
Robert Rodriguez has a disorder that causes him to shake and have seizures. This condition, which is linked to congenital hydrocephalus, forced him to stop working. “The Salvation Army gave me a place to stop and slow down, get my thoughts together, start working on a budget and start looking for a place to get back on my feet again,” Rodriguez told The Gazette. The Salvation Army of El Paso County, Colo., offers outreach to families, youth and seniors. It also offers support with transitional housing, as it did with Rodriguez. He said he’s still getting used to his new living circumstances, but is grateful the Army accepted him when nobody else would.
Naomi House provides job attire
The Malibu Daughters of the American Revolution recently organized a “Dress for Success Boutique” for the female veterans at Naomi House, which provides homeless female veterans with access to emergency shelter, transitional housing, mental health treatment, legal help and job placement training. SOUTHWEST
Sarah Palin at The Salvation Army Las Vegas
Political figure Sarah Palin showed up to The Salvation Army Las Vegas Owens Campus to help serve wild boar green chili to over 1,000 individuals in need. Palin led the team of volunteers at the event, along with Sporting Chef Scott Leysath. The chili served was prepared by students at the Las Vegas Salvation Army culinary school.
Arizona Cardinals visit the Kroc Center
The Salvation Army Phoenix South Mountain Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center hosted the NFL Super Kids Super Share Day and 300 students from 50 local schools brought school supplies and sports equipment for students at schools in need.. Participants then attended a football camp at the Kroc with Arizona Cardinals players and staff.
February 2015 • New Frontier CHRONICLE—Page 15
“Rob Birks has done us all a favor in bringing to our attention again the poetry and writing of John Gowans.”
—COLONEL JANET MUNN
Prose and poetry inspired by the poetry of John Gowans
SOMEONE CARED BY ROB BIRKS FOREWORD BY CHARLIE PEACOCK
His most popular in Salvation Army circles is, arguably, “Someone Cares,” which begins with the lyric: “Do you sometimes feel that no one truly knows you, and that no one understands or really cares?” The answer? Someone cares! I am so thankful that John Gowans also cared. He cared enough to contemplate and communicate the unmerited, unconditional and unending love of God, a love that is for everyone, whether they care or couldn’t care less. Sadly (for us not for him), John Gowans died in December 2012. However, he left a legacy of lyrics and willed his words to all who would enter into and enjoy them. Here’s praying you do both between these covers.
“With the backdrop of The Salvation Army’s century and a half of service to the world’s poor, these songs and reflections are born of meaningful engagement with a living Gospel.”
ROB BIRKS
most part, he has been doing his best to know Jesus more deeply and serve Him more authentically since then. Rob loves baseball, reading,
Prose and prayers inspired by the poetry of John Gowans
Photo by Emily Birks
book. His first, ORSBORNAGAIN – A New Look at Old Songs of New Life (Frontier Press, 2013) is a collection of writings inspired by the poetry of Albert Orsborn.
Frontier Press
Twenty-nine international leaders of The Salvation Army gathered for the General’s Consultative Council.
New reflections from the author of “OrsbornAgain.” Order yours today.
—SARA GROVES, SINGER SONGWRITER
ROB MET JESUS in his childhood, and totally committed his life to the Lord in 1985. For the
music, his family and his Creator (in the opposite order). Alongside Stacy, his partner in marriage and ministry, Rob enjoys leading and serving God’s people. Someone Cared is Rob’s second
SOMEONE CARED
THE POET, JOHN GOWANS (former international leader of The Salvation Army), wrote love songs.
SOMEONEcared4.indd 1
SOMEONECARED
frontierpress.org• $9.99
BY ROB BIRKS
ISBN: 978-0-9908776-1-5
12/9/14 11:37 AM
|Photo courtesy of The Salvation Army International Headquarters
46th General’s Consultative Council meets Council renews commitment to accountability and reform The 46th meeting of the General’s Consultative Council (GCC) convened in London with Chief of the Staff Commissioner William Roberts presiding. Commissioner Silvia Cox, world president of women’s ministries, opened the council with words from Psalm 119 and with the reading of a letter of thanks and encouragement from General André Cox as he recovers from surgery. Delegates to the GCC included 29 international leaders from the five Salvation Army Zones—Africa, Americas and Caribbean, Europe, South Asia, and South Pacific and East Asia—and International Headquarters (IHQ), and an additional 14 IHQ team members, who are part of the accountability working group. In his keynote address, read by the Chief of the Staff, the General addressed the importance of The Salvation Army’s “accountability movement, which includes four pillars: governance, safeguarding (including child protection), impact measurement, and finance.” Cox wrote, “Our leadership certainly only discovers its true sense and purpose as we are able to empower others and mobilize our people fully.” Prior to arriving in London for the GCC, each delegate was required to read and consider detailed papers on each subject,
including a theological reflection on the issue. Working groups discussed rigorous questions in preparation for, and in response to, plenary presentations, aided by the support of a group facilitator and recorder. The diverse group of delegates realized the significant and realistic opportunities and challenges of implementing the proposed initiatives across the Army world, and recognized that true reforms within the organization must start with them. In keeping with the General’s “Accountability Movement,” a “Reminder Presentation” reviewed the Army’s international positional statements on corruption and the use of power. The exercise, led by International Secretary to the Chief of the Staff Commissioner William Cochrane, gave the international delegates an opportunity to reflect on the importance of these statements and consider how they have been implemented and received within their territories and commands. The end of the GCC signals the official “next steps” in the effort toward renewed accountability and impact measurement, including presentations to the International Management Council at IHQ and strategic and intentional phased roll-out of specific pilot sites for study purposes. |NFC
THE RICHARDS GROUP TRG JOB: SAL-14-0065
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Page 16—New Frontier CHRONICLE • February 2015
HACK-PROOF
FROM PAGE 1
Salvation Army from the type of security breach that hit Target late in 2013. The retail giant reported that 40 million customers had credit or debit card information stolen and that as many as 70 million customers had personal information such as their name, address, phone number and email address hacked due to malware on point of sale systems. Sales at Target stores nationwide subsequently dipped up to 6 percent, and the company said that the costs associated with the hacking would negatively impact its earnings. The West’s IT, Business Administration, Kroc Community Centers and ARC Command are working to divert the Army from a similar fate. The Payment Card Industry (PCI) Compliance stan-
dards place each retailer on a scale of 1-4—one being the highest—depending on its number of annual Visa or MasterCard transactions. Elavon, which processes the Army’s credit card transactions, recently promoted the Army from a level 4 to a level 2 after its number of annual transactions increased to over 1 million. With the upsurge in transactions comes a greater level of scrutiny on the Army’s security measures. The POS systems in ARC Family Stores process the payments that directly fund the in-residence rehabilitation program offered through the ARC. According to Schaal, the Army’s new POS systems “instantly encrypt” a customer’s credit card information the moment the card is swiped, allowing for a safe
and seamless transaction. The technology will also be incorporated into the Army’s credit card processing on the web for transactions such as Kroc Community Center sales, event registrations and TradeWest purchases. Moreover, the new systems will be compatible with emerging credit card payment technologies such as Apple Pay and Chip and PIN. While it may be impossible to totally eliminate the possibility of a security breach, IT Project Manager Jamie Ehrl said the move toward PCI Compliance helps the Army maintain its status as a trusted brand and financial steward. “Ultimately,” she said, “this reduces liability for the Army and it’s safer for the customer.”|NFC