New frontier 3117

We will continue to pray for those who have lost loved ones and those affected.

The Western Territory’s news source

~

—Commissioner Vinece Chigariro

for 31 years

October 18, 2013 Vol. 31, No. 17

Keeping the faith in Kenya n Salvation Army responds to riots and terror attacks.

Angered Muslim youth leave more than $50,000 in damages after setting fire to the Mombasa Central Corps.

Photo courtesy of Mombasa Central Corps

Online soldiership classes begin n West initiates classes through its OnlineCorps.

BY KAREN GLEASON The Salvation Army USA Western Territory began online soldiership classes Oct. 7 at onlinecorps.net with 20 participants; another 54 people have registered interest.

Facilitated by Lt. Colonel Edward Hill, territorial secretary for program, the sixweek course was designed and implemented by Grant Whitehead, territorial social media chaplain. The group meets online each Monday at 7 p.m. for one hour.

Anyone interested in learning about The Salvation Army’s beliefs and practices can enroll and are not required to become a soldier after completing the course. The initial session included students from the U.S., Ecuador and the U.K. “It is interesting to find such a mix of people who are participating,” Hill said.

“Some are officers; others are already soldiers who want to refresh their training experience, and some have an Army affiliation but want to learn more about The Salvation Army and its mission. My hope is that at the end of the course there will be a number of people who will seek to be

A Muslim group set fire to the Mombasa Central Corps in Kenya on Oct. 4 during riots over the murder of Islamic cleric Ibrahim Omar. Rioters blamed the murder on Kenyan security forces.

“For a second time now the Mombasa Central Corps has suffered innocently by experiencing an attack from angered Muslim youth, as a result of avenging the killing of their Sheikh by unknown people,” said Captain Moses Njagi, assistant project officer for the Kenya East Territory.

According to Njagi, young Muslims set fire to the church by burning tires, resulting in more than $50,000 of corps property damages.

Last year, the corps suffered a similar attack during riots over the assassination of cleric Aboud Rogo.

“We have no answer to why they targeted our church or why they target Christian

KENYA, page 9

‘Pictures of Hope’ become reality n One family’s course from homelessness to Crestmont

BY JARED McKIERNAN The Pemberton family couldn’t catch a break.

Their house burned down.

Their two foster children, who had become like part of the family, were adopted by another family. To boot, they were left homeless after Timothy, the head of the household, lost his job and landed in jail. This string of trials might have torn some families apart, but six

years later, it all seems a distant memory for the Pembertons.

Cadets Timothy and Tanya Pemberton are currently completing officer training at the Crestmont College for Officer Training with their 16-year-old daughter, Brittnie, and 8-yearold son, Justin. In less than two years, they will become leaders for the same organization that helped their family through its darkest times.

“In 2007, I found myself a slave to alcoholism and PEMBERTONS, page 9

Brittnie Pemberton surprised by Linda Solomon and Chevrolet with her brand new 2014 Chevrolet Spark.

Photo courtesy of Cindy Foley

West debuts new volunteer management software n The web-based system aims to boost kettle earnings.

Gone are the days of using Excel spreadsheets to sign up volunteers for The Salvation Army Red Kettle season.

The Western Territory’s Community Relations and Development department unveiled the territory’s new volunteer management software earlier this month. The system, accessible at volunteer.usawest.org, simplifies volunteer registration and management for both coordinators and volunteers. It will soon include an integrated “Protecting the Mission” database—The

Salvation Army’s screening process for working with at-risk populations––allowing volunteers to register for events and complete their background checks using one system.

Seven divisions are currently using the software, according to Software Architect Jesse Melnick, who designed the system.

He said the territory should benefit from the consolidation of numerous volunteer platforms.

“Now, we’re all in one reporting database and we have one volunteer base,” Melnick said. “If a volunteer moves from Hawaii to SOFTWARE, page 9

Naomi House inaugurates kitchen n Metabolic Studio provides the grant to fund the project.

ONLINE CLASSES, page 8

Inside: Frontlines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 The West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 The Nation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 The World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Sharper Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 In Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 From the Desk of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 The Spice Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 On the Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Find us on the web: newfrontierpublications.org Facebook: tsanewfrontier

churches...last year three churches were affected,” Njagi said.

Kenya has been no stranger to tragedy lately, as The Salvation Army responded to the massacre and hostage crisis at the Westgate Shopping Mall in Nairobi, which began on Sept. 21 when terrorists attacked mall patrons with guns and grenades, killing 72 people and leaving approximately 200 wounded. The siege lasted three days.

“This tragedy has been too painful to [us] in Kenya,” Commissioner Vinece Chigariro, territorial commander for the Kenya East Territory, said of the massacre.

“We will continue to pray for those who have lost loved ones and those affected.”

Kenya East Territorial Projects Officer Richard Bradbury said The Salvation Army immediately adopted an emergency plan with four leaders who organized teams, supplies and equipment. Employees and volunteers served refreshments and passed out blankets to military and police

Photo by Rachel Bailey

BY SUSAN RENFRO Residents and staff at The Salvation Army’s Naomi House in Los Angeles recently cut the ribbon to inaugurate the facility’s new kitchen. A $43,300 grant from Metabolic Studio funded the project.

Naomi House residents now have a space to cook their own meals, as well as an eating area to establish community life at the facility.

“One of my favorite parts of the house is the kitchen because I love to cook and

I love to bake,” said Jennifer, a resident.

“It’s great! I’m just so excited; we are going to put it to good use.”

Naomi House is part of The Haven program, which offers services to veterans in need. Naomi House specifically caters to female veterans, offering a 15-bed emergency housing facility with supportive services and work development programs.

“It’s quite a journey because first of all we are women, and then we are veterans.

We wear so many different hats, have so many different experiences, and come from all walks of life,” Jennifer said.

NAOMI HOUSE, page 9

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Doing the Most Good

October 18, 2013 New Frontier

NEWS BRIEFS OF THE WEST

FARMINGTON, N.M.—Corps Officers Lts. Bill and Cathy Simon are working to build relationships between The Salvation Army and the community.

Recently Bill Simon Karen was invited to meet with Gleason both the Navajo Nation and the Lakota Nation Editor president. Through this, these two nations have expressed willingness to work with and support The Salvation Army.

DENVER—Reigning world champion boxer, “Mile High” Mike Alvarado, and his promoter Top Rank®, donated $1 from every ticket sold to his Oct. 19 match to The Salvation Army’s Colorado flood relief fund.

“I am only too happy to support the people of my state in their time of need,” Alvarado said.

Divisional Commander Lt. Dan Starrett expressed gratitude. “This support allows The Salvation Army to continue ‘doing the most good’ for those impacted as they begin to rebuild their homes and their lives.”

The Army plans to continue its relief over the next 3-5 years.

PHOENIX—Children and parents at Phoenix Central Corps participated in the corps’ first “Stand Firm Against Bullying” rally, which tied in with the adult Sunday school theme: “No al acoso!” (no to bullying). Attendees examined biblical bullies and learned what to do when children are victims of bullying.

Majors Gil and Elvia Roman are corps officers.

SEATTLE—One afternoon a man entered the White Center, explaining that his brother had just died in Haiti but he couldn’t afford the travel expense to attend the funeral, which was soon. He asked for the Army’s help.

Corps Officers Major Raymond and Captain Jennifer Erickson-King worked through divisional, territorial and national headquarters for approval. A flight was arranged that got the man to Port-Au-Prince.

The Erickson-Kings acknowledge the hand of God in bringing this about, as well as Army personnel who went the extra mile.

PASADENA, CALIF.—The Pasadena Tabernacle Corps and its partners hosted the annual “Homeless Connect Day” Oct. 15, providing direct services to about 400 individuals—more than half of Pasadena’s homeless population.

Approximately 80 social service providers collectively delivered around 3,000 services in just four hours, including medical, dental and vision screenings; housing placements/referrals, haircuts, pet therapy, and a meal.

Partners include Pacific Clinics’ Passageways and Union Station Homeless Services.

Majors Darren and Mary Norton are corps officers.

AURORA, COLO.—Residents of Heather Gardens active senior housing complex were ready the day The Salvation Army Denver Adult Rehabilitation Center truck came to pick up donations; they were bringing out items before the truck arrived.

The driver and helper, assisted by Lt. Colonel Paul Bollwahn and Captain Ron McKinney, collected enough shoes, clothing and small appliances to fill three-fourths of the truck.

BITING BACK n Food challenge educates public on hunger.

In light of National Hunger Action Month, The Salvation Army Golden State Division launched the Bite Back @ Hunger Campaign in September to raise awareness of food insecurity.

In 2011, 50.1 million Americans, including 16.7 million children, lived in food-insecure households, according to Feeding America, a U.S. based non-profit organization with a network of more than 200 food banks and food rescue groups.

The Salvation Army in San Francisco serves more than 11,500 meals per week through residential programs, senior nutrition services, home-delivered meals, day camp meals and after-school meals.

Claire Dunmore, Salvation Army San Francisco Metro program coordinator, was surprised by how small a household income has to be to qualify for the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly the Food Stamp Program.

“The average low-income, working, poor family living paycheck to

paycheck really [does] not qualify,” Dunmore said.

The campaign centered on three major components. Staff first reached out to local restaurants to help spread awareness to their customers. Servers at partnering restaurants were then encouraged to give a Bite Back @ Hunger envelope with the meal check for customers to give cash, a text message gift, or scan the QR code to visit salvationarmysf.org.

Staff also designed Bite Back @ Hunger pins to further spark conversations about food insecurity as well as The Salvation Army’s food services.

Lt. Col. Steve Smith, Golden State divisional commander, invited all divisional officers, employees, volunteers and donors to participate in the SNAP Challenge––live off of $4.50 per day per person for food.

Dunmore was among the participants who struggled with the challenge, which ran from Sept. 9-13.

“You have to plan your meals for the entire week and only cook at home,” she said. “There are no funds for eating out, not even fast food...

One flavored coffee is a whole day’s worth of food.”

Photo courtesy The Salvation Army Golden State Division

New building for Denver’s Harbor Light

BY COURTNEY CULPEPPER More than 200 friends of The Salvation Army recently joined the men of Denver’s Harbor Light Center—a relapse prevention and recovery program—at the dedication of the center’s new building.

Territorial Commander Commissioner James Knaggs gave the dedicatory address, focusing on the center as a beacon of light providing comfort and “breathing new life into all who enter its doors.”

One of those recipients of “new life” was Clark, a resident who was sweeping the floors of Harbor Light 18 months ago when he overheard plans to build a new facility. Before addiction took over his life, Clark had been an architect, and when he heard the news, he completed architectural renderings.

“When the architects got hired, I could go to them and say, ‘here,’” he said.

During the conception, design and construction of the new building, Clark worked with architectural firm Studio Completiva, which employed him at the project’s start. He continues to work there today.

“It helped the overall project by me being a past resident,” Clark said.

At the dedication, Intermountain Divisional Commander Lt. Colonel Dan Starrett illuminated the driving idea behind the

Bennie Milliner and Commissioner James Knaggs prepare to cut the ribbon as Commissioner Carolyn Knaggs gives a countdown. Milliner is executive director of Denver’s Road Home Program dedicated to eradicating homelessness in Denver.

Photo by Melissa McKewen

building’s design: Choice is the foundation of dignity.

“The building we stand in today allows men the freedom to choose,” Starrett said.

“They are trusted. They are encouraged.

Every choice—large or small—afforded to this building’s residents builds their confidence and self-worth. It empowers these men to fight their addictions because they are valued, and they can make the right choices.”

The Salvation Army’s Harbor Light

ministry is found throughout the world, usually in large cities. In Denver, the program has been active for many years and currently houses 90 men. With construction complete, it can reach its capacity of 120 men.

“This center is first class,” Knaggs said.

“It will telegraph by means of its careful attention to beautiful detail and comfort a signal to the men in residence that they can see themselves in the best of situations in life.”

Alaska focuses on trafficking awareness n Second annual awareness weekend held in Anchorage.

The Salvation Army Alaska Division held its second annual Human Trafficking Awareness Weekend Sept. 28-29 at the Anchorage Corps Community Center. Coordinated by Stephanie Pavlakas, the event included the third annual Walk to Raise Awareness.

Special guest was Jenna Novak, regional specialist from Washington D.C.-based Polaris Project—one of the nation’s leading organizations combating human trafficking. It maintains the National Human Trafficking Hotline (888-3737-888).

Alaska’s event coincided with The Salvation Army’s International Weekend of Prayer and Fasting for Victims of Human Trafficking.

“I usually consider a conference worthwhile if I’m able to leave with new ideas and some type of action plan...this was accomplished at the Human Trafficking Awareness Weekend,” said Major Nila Fankhauser,

divisional social services consultant. “The speakers were professional with good information to share.”

Along with Novak, conference speakers included FBI Special Agent Jolene Goeden and Alaska Attorney General Michael Geraghty. Novak covered general trafficking awareness and how to recognize a victim.

Goeden and Geraghty focused on policy and federal Alaskan trafficking cases. Another panel—including Pavlakas, Joshua Louwerse of Covenant House and Karen Ferguson of Catholic Social Services RAIS—highlighted local agencies that work with trafficking victims.

Conference attendees included a state trooper, university students and concerned community members.

Attendee Sybil Smith said, “This was a great event with networking opportunities and information on who’s doing what and how we can help bring awareness to our communities and help for those who may be trafficking victims.”

Doing the Most Good

October 18, 2013 New Frontier

3

Army forms partnerships in Phoenix n American Express and Smile Generation-trusted dentists help community.

The Salvation Army in Phoenix teamed with American Express employees and Smile Generation dentists to provide essential resources for the community.

With the help of American Express, the Army collected 192,000 school supplies through its “Pack to School” drive.

American Express employees collected the supplies, ensuring that more than 7,000 Valley of the Sun children returned to school with the tools they need.

The volunteers also spent several days at The Salvation Army warehouse counting, sorting and palletizing the materials to be sent to the schools. They then gathered at a local school

to distribute supplies directly to the kids.

“The Salvation Army is grateful to America Express for their support of Pack to School,” said Major John Brackenbury, Valley of the Sun program coordinator for The Salvation Army. “Not only are they amazingly generous, they also have some of the most hardworking and enthusiastic volunteers. We couldn’t be successful without them.”

The next day, a mobile dental clinic with Smile Generationtrusted clinicians and dental care teams visited Phoenix, volunteering their time to provide donated expertise to Phoenix-area community members in need.

In a matter of hours, the volunteers treated 51 patients, supplying more than $29,000 in donated dental services that included exams, x-rays and

Nick Pepperworth with a fellow volunteer

Life with The Salvation Army n Advisory board member and volunteer writes about his experience.

Volunteer dental clinicians receive help from the PDS® Serve Foundation.

Photo courtesy The Salvation Army Southwest Division

cleanings. The PDS® Serve Foundation mobile dental clinic helped clinicians provide quality care.

Lt. Colonel Joe Posillico, Southwest divisional command-

er for The Salvation Army, said, “The Salvation Army relies on donors to provide services like this day of donated dentistry—it makes such a big impact in the residents’ lives.”

Modesto dental clinic shines n Local dentists help restore smiles, selfesteem.

Joel McHale auctions a chandelier made from vintage tennis racquets and tea cups at the Red Kettle Gala in Seattle.

Photo by Kevin Pontsler

The Red Kettle Gala n A gala evening raised funds to support The Salvation Army’s Women’s Shelter in downtown Seattle.

BY LORA MARINI BAKER The Salvation Army Northwest Division welcomed actor and comedian Joel McHale Sept. 28 for the annual Red Kettle Gala that raises awareness and money for its women’s shelter in downtown Seattle. Nearly 230 people attended the event at Seattle’s elegant Fremont Studios, which featured dinner, a silent auction, entertainment and fundraising.

“We knew we could make it bigger and better [this year],” said Advisory Board member Patsy Pattison, who coordinated the event. “Next year, we will build on this success.”

Joining McHale on stage were Chris Ballew, star of musical groups Caspar Babypants and Presidents of the United States of America, and The Microsoft Jumpin’ Jive Orchestra.

The silent auction featured works by about 25 local artists, who created their pieces using items from The Salvation Army Family Store. Majors Doug and Sheryl Tollerud, divisional leaders, came up with the idea for the art auction.

“This art is quite impressive,” Sheryl Tollerud said. “We are pleasantly surprised with the number of artists who participated in the event, and the quality

of art is superb.”

A jury including local arts enthusiast Nancy Guppy, gallery owner Greg Kucera, and collector Virginia Wright, selected three pieces as “winners.”

The evening included a video testimony from Stacey, a woman who lived at the women’s shelter this year. After spending 60 days in a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program, she had no place to live. A social worker recommended The Salvation Army women’s shelter. Now, after three months, she has transitioned to independent living in a sober home and is looking for employment. She credits The Salvation Army with “saving her life.” After Stacey’s video, McHale led a “raise the paddle” opportunity for guests to make donations to the shelter.

The Salvation Army Women’s Shelter in downtown Seattle offers a safe place for women to call home: a warm place to sleep, restrooms, laundry facilities and a kitchen. The women can stay at the shelter for several months, and receive caseworker support to help them transition to independent living. Currently, the shelter operates at full capacity with 24 beds. The goal is to increase capacity and help twice as many women.

McHale—star of NBC’s “Community” and E!’s “The Soup”—donated his time as emcee for the event.

The Salvation Army’s Berbarian Shelter and Transitional Living Center in Modesto, Calif., opened a dental clinic on August 30—the second such facility in the Western Territory, Oxnard, Calif., being the first. Registered Dental Assistant Carrie Ann Pimentel runs the clinic, which is available a few days a month to current residents of the facility’s transitional living center as well as current and former residents of the emergency shelter.

“As the clinic coordinator, I love my job,” Pimentel said. “I get to work with our clients every day and get to see them from the start to the finish of their dental treatment. Just to see the look on their faces after we are able to help them with their dental problems is such an amazing feeling of doing God’s service.”

Many of the clients need teeth pulled, fillings and nearly all need cleanings. Pimentel said the clinic has already served 16 clients.

Modesto-based oral and maxillofacial surgeon, Dr. Michael Cadra, has volunteered his time to provide extractions for many of the patients.

One client, Lauro Ramirez, was struggling with an array of health issues including dental disease. The infections from Ramirez’s teeth were affecting his overall health. Dr. Cadra took a special interest in Ramirez’s case. He was able to provide the care Ramirez needed while addressing the unique concerns associated with his medical history. Since the oral surgery, Ramirez’s overall health has noticeably improved.

“My stomach is not as swollen as it used to be and I have more energy,” Ramirez said.

Dr. Elizabeth Demichelis, a Modesto general dentist, has provided dental screenings for close to a dozen clients. She noted that the effects of poor dental health impact more than just a patient’s physical well-being.

“As a dentist, it is troubling to see such rampant untreated dental disease in our community,” Demichelis said. “This can lead to other medical conditions that not only physically impact the patient, but also may cause a loss of self-esteem or have other psychological effects.”

Pimentel said they are focused on their current patients for the time being, but plan to expand in the future.

“The dental care we provide isn’t a hand out––it is a hand up for better overall health,” Demichelis said. “As dentists, we receive more from our patients than we give through the priceless smiles we revitalize.”

BY NICK PEPPERWORTH For the last six years I have served on the Alaska Salvation Army Advisory Board. Through this I got involved in the Season of Giving Bell Ringing Luncheon, the largest fundraiser of the year for The Salvation Army here.

I partnered with a wonderful group of individuals and local businesses to help support this effort. I know from being on The Salvation Army Finance Committee how well the Army protects and honors each dollar that is given, and the vast amount of help it brings to our local community. I found that The Salvation Army directs more of each dollar to people in need than most—if not all—charities.

Therefore, helping The Salvation Army makes me “happy, happy, happy.”

With the help of many friends, businesses, and co-workers at Udelhoven Oilfield System Services, for six years we have been the top celebrity bell ringers, raising a total of $165,493 for The Salvation Army.

Two years ago we won the national contest and scored a trip to Dallas where the Cowboys usher in the nation’s official bell ringing season during the halftime show. I work with a great plumber who is a diehard Dallas Cowboys fan; he and his wife gladly took my place at that event.

My first encounter with The Salvation Army came shortly after I had surrendered my heart and life to Jesus Christ in 1967.

I met (then) Captain William Nottle, who was serving in Bellingham, Wash., when he befriended a few of us at a small coffee shop on State Street close to Western Washington University.

The place was called “Superior Cleaners,” properly named after Jesus: the only one who can change your life and your address from the “kingdom of darkness” into the “kingdom of light.”

Captain Nottle was so kind, helpful and accepting of the new “Jesus People” revival converts—you just had to love the guy. I recall him asking me to help in the basement of the downtown Salvation Army Thrift Store. It turned out to be a great experience, especially being a new believer and having the ability to offer service and surrender to the Lord.

This is the mantra of today’s Salvation Army: “Doing the Most Good.” How could it not be a good thing to serve the Lord by serving all people that he has created withPEPPERWORTH, page 9

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Doing the Most Good

October 18, 2013 New Frontier

Second National Kroc Conference convenes n Over 300 Kroc personnel meet in Chicago.

BY TIM SCHAAL The second National Kroc Conference brought 313 delegates to Chicago Sept. 2326 to focus on the primary work of Kroc Centers in fulfilling the mission of The Salvation Army.

“The conference [enabled] us to work together to learn, gain economies of scale, and incorporate the mission of The Salvation Army in all we do,” said Steve Bireley, Kroc and community center coordinator for the Western Territory. “Mission integration is always a Kroc Center priority. We’ve made great strides recently and are growing countless new Salvationists and officers. The Kroc Centers are unique, yet highly effective, Salvation Army mission stations.”

Twenty-four of the country’s 27 Kroc Centers—facilities designed to provide the local community with opportunities for recreational, educational, artistic and spiritual growth—are now open.

Highlighting famous athletes who were influenced by Salvation Army youth programs, Western Territory Program Secretary Lt. Colonel Edward Hill told the story of Julius Erving, member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. Erving grew up playing basketball at a Salvation Army facility, but recently said that he never found out what

was “going on down the hall.”

“It is vital that at our Kroc Centers we make sure every member is given ample opportunity to find out what is ‘going on down the hall’ so that they can be fully aware of all The Salvation Army has to offer,” Hill said.

In addition to the plenary sessions, over 80 workshops were divided into tracks on management, operations and program.

Delegates chose subjects that best fit their work, job requirements, interest, and ministry.

Attendees also visited the Chicago Kroc Center, which has established many partnerships with local sports teams, including the Chicago Bulls. The Kroc Center gymnasium is covered by the Bulls’ previous practice court, which the team donated.

Dick Starmann of The McDonalds Corporation gave the welcome banquet keynote address. As one of the three trustees who worked with Joan Kroc while she prepared for the original Kroc Center in San Diego, Calif., Starmann regaled the audience with various “behind the scenes” stories about working with her.

Kroc, whose husband Ray Kroc founded McDonalds, bequeathed $1.5 billion to The Salvation Army for centers across the country. He recounted how in the last days of her life, as she was dying from a terminal illness, she would visit the San Diego Kroc Center incognito and sit for an hour or two to watch the children ice skating.

A new “Kroc Tool Kit,” announced by Jessica McIntosh, Western Territory Kroc business and operations analyst, is now available at kroctoolkit.org. The site allows every Kroc Center to share resources for successful program and business tactics, and includes a discussion forum, training videos, online manuals, and examples of successful program guides and marketing campaigns.

“The Kroc Tool Kit will be a good resource for us in Hawaii to collaborate with other Kroc Centers,” said Denise Tanaka, marketing manager at the Hawaii Kroc Center. “I look forward to sharing resources and exchanging promotional or marketing ideas with colleagues from other Kroc Centers.”

STOP-IT helps sex trafficking victims gain independence

BY ERICA ANDREWS “When I tried to get my things, I was stabbed almost to death,” Isabel said. “I was in the hospital for two months and I couldn’t walk for a year and half. They hit major arteries and nerves.”

Isabel was born in Chicago, Ill. At 8 years old, she was taking her clothes off in underground clubs at private residences to make money. Her parents fought often, which later led to her father kicking her mother and siblings out of the house when she was just 14. Living on the streets with no income, Isabel was especially vulnerable to recruitment into prostitution by sex traffickers.

Isabel’s story is not unique. In 2011, the Department of Justice reported that 83 percent of sex trafficking victims in America were U.S. citizens. Nearly 80 percent of those victims were under 20 years of age, according to the Urban Institute and Northeastern University for the Department of Justice.

After getting pregnant by her boyfriend/pimp at 17, Isabel decided she wanted out for the sake of her unborn child. He did not want that to happen, and with an accomplice stabbed her multiple times. They left her at the hospital, bleeding.

While recovering, a Federal Bureau of Investigations

Get set for the season

(FBI) agent gave Isabel information about The Salvation Army’s STOP-IT Initiative Against Human Trafficking based in Chicago. STOP-IT began in 2007 and currently has four full-time case managers who work with approximately 30 clients who are victims of trafficking.

Pilar Dunning, program manager for STOP-IT, explained that the initiative is designed for short-term case management. It provides emotional and financial support so that victims can become self-sufficient, and collaborates with local law enforcement and the county state

attorney’s office to help provide legal aid for trafficking victims.

“Most of our clients are domestic clients, so they’re from the United States and [here in] Chicago,” Dunning said. “There’s also a lot of minors in Chicago, where it’s kind of just the cultural norm for the area.”

Hoping to stop this cycle and provide a better life for her child, Isabel contacted The Salvation Army. The STOP-IT program helped her find food and new housing, and enroll in school.

Isabel is currently enrolled in a GED program at a community college and plans to continue her education after she relocates. She decided to study criminal justice in order to help people.

“One thing I’ve learned from a life of being in the streets is you learn to forgive very easily,” she said. “The Salvation Army has helped me a lot, but you have to want to help yourself as well. A lot of things don’t just change on their own. Change happens with change.”

Isabel’s name is changed in this story.

If you or someone you know is in danger please contact the authorities. To reach the anti-trafficking hotline call 1-888-3737-888 or text 233733 (BeFree). Read the full article in Caring Fall 2013 issue.

NHQ hosts writers conference

n The Salvation Army announces important holiday dates.

n Writers and editors from 14 countries exchange ideas.

The Salvation Army USA National Headquarters announced the following dates for the 2013 holiday season: Nov. 3—National Red Kettle Kickoff talent announcement at AT&T Stadium in Dallas during a press conference prior to the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Minnesota Vikings.

Nov. 28—National Red Kettle Kickoff during halftime of the Thanksgiving Day game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Oakland Raiders.

Dec. 3—The World Record Bell Ringing Contest, giving dedicated bell ringers a chance to exceed last year’s 80-hour record.

Dec. 7—The Rock the Red Kettle concert at Universal CityWalk in Southern California, live streamed online.

The Salvation Army USA National Headquarters hosted a writers conference in St. Louis, Mo., from Oct. 8-13 for those looking to advance The Salvation Army’s ministry in publication.

The conference, themed “A Word Fitly Spoken,” included five days of presentations by special guests and hands-on workshops.

“I was deeply concerned that we weren’t training those in our organization to become writers,” said Major Allen Satterlee, War Cry editor-in-chief, who proposed the idea for the conference. “I figured this would be a great opportunity.”

Presenters and attendees traveled from 14 countries, including Denmark, Canada, India and Brazil. Each day began with a morning devotion led by the national

publications staff and selected delegates.

Workshop topics ranged from “Devotional Writing” to “Controversy and Grace.”

Linda Johnson, freelance consultant for the USA Eastern Territory, led a workshop on feature writing.

“It was great to give exercises that allow you to actually put it into practice,” she said, after giving participants an opportunity to interview one another.

Though many of the workshops keyed on writing articles for Salvation Army newspapers and magazines, one of the courses, aptly titled “So You Want to Write a Book,” gave participants an opportunity to see the steps involved in publishing a full-length book. Panelist Warren Maye, Good News editor, spoke to the importance of knowing your audience.

“There has to be enough of a market for whatever you’re writing about,” he said.

Major Samraj Babu, editor of the India War Cry, with Major John Murray, communications secretary for IHQ

Photo courtesy of IHQ

Satterlee said he would like to hold another writers conference “three or four years from now.”

“I would love to see more books published,” Satterlee said. “There is certainly a great need for writers in The Salvation Army.”

Doing the Most Good

The World

October 18, 2013 New Frontier

5

Elsewhere in the world

Photo courtesy of Salvation Army International

Salvation Army assists Syrian refugees in Jordan n Team works to create better conditions amid falling infrastructure and overcrowding.

A Salvation Army International Emergency Services team in Jordan partnered with Lutheran World Federation (LWF) to assist refugees fleeing ongoing conflict in Syria. The United Nations reports that more than 2 million people have fled Syria, with an excess of half a million people seeking safety in Jordan.

Working with local suppliers and the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization (JHCO), which is exempt from taxes and custom fees, The Salvation Army acquired gas stoves, gas cylinders, fleece training suits in different sizes and family hygiene kits, which were distributed first to 200 families assessed to have the greatest needs.

Major Barrie Sampson traveled with

Salvation Army team members and representatives from LWF to Al Mafraq, about an hour’s drive from Amman. He says the refugee situation is causing difficulties. “Al Mafraq has seen a large number of Syrians come into the city seeking refuge,” he writes. “Prices are high—forced up by the increased numbers now living there. Many Jordanians are finding it hard to maintain a decent living standard.”

In Al Mafraq The Salvation Army team met several families who had fled from Syria.

Sampson reported that a woman named Kishfa and her husband fled the Syrian city of Homs eight months ago in order to protect their family—they have four children and another due. They live in garage-like premises and pay $140 a month for rent.

“We also saw the 14-member Al Ewasha family who live in a broken-down building, with carpets and curtains hung to cover the

holes in the walls and keep some semblance of dignity,” Sampson said. “The youngest member of the family, a boy of about 8 years, lost both parents in the Syrian conflict.”

Sampson explained that local families are also being affected by the influx of people.

“The Jaboors, a Jordanian family, live in two rooms at the rear of another residence with two severely disabled girls—one 15, the other 16—and a younger brother,” he said. “Although the dad works as a guard they find it very difficult to manage due to the current economic situation in the city.”

A second distribution program may take place, focusing on winter preparations.

Further project ideas will evolve from field visits and information shared in coordination meetings.

See additional photos of The Salvation Army response at sar.my/iesjordan. ­—From an International News Release

General shares vision for The Salvation Army n The General and Commissioner Silvia Cox visit New Zealand.

During the “Just Action” conference in Auckland, New Zealand, Salvation Army international leaders General André Cox and Commissioner Silvia Cox participated in a farewell to Territorial Leaders Commissioners Don and Debi Bell, who will be taking new appointments as leaders in the the USA Southern Territory. The Bells are USA Western Territory officers who served in the New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory the last five years.

Joining speakers Shane Claiborne, of “The Simple Way” in Philadelphia; U.S. civil rights activist Dr. John M. Perkins; antihuman trafficking expert Matt Friedman; and local experts on a range of social justice issues, Cox told over 650 Salvationists and guests that he dreams of a Salvation Army that is “vibrant, committed and on its knees before God.” He said that deepening the spiritual life of Salvationists is essential to moving forward as an Army. “If we want to see our world change, we ourselves must be changed by God,” he said.

Meeting topics included the importance of embodying Christ to the world and seeing the infinite value of every person as a child of God, the need to reclaim and develop fresh models of being good neighbors, and stepping up to the challenge of getting personally involved in the General André Cox and Commissioner Don fight against slavery.

Bell Photo courtesy of Salvation Army International The two-day conference included the launch of “Set Free,” a book about The Salvation Army’s efforts in New Zealand against addiction.

General Cox also spoke at separate youth and children’s events, saying young people are “the Army of today” and urging the Army to hear their voices.

Salvation Army supports exposed n Army joins global call to action against corruption and bribery.

The Salvation Army is supporting EXPOSED, a global call to action against corruption and abuse of public influence.

Every year over $1 trillion goes missing from the global economy through bribes, dishonest deals and tax evasion, impacting the world’s poorest people most.

Some predictions indicate that illegal tax evasion will be responsible for 5.6 million children dying in developing countries between 2000-2015.

“Corruption undermines good gov-

ernance and the rule of law, leads to violations of human rights, distorts markets and erodes the quality of life,” said Colonel Geanette Seymour, director of The Salvation Army’s International Social Justice Commission. “Corruption is a key element in economic under-performance and a major obstacle to poverty alleviation and development. It goes against the tenets of justice, human dignity, empathy with the needy and spiritual stewardship.”

With its partners in this endeavor, the Army is seeking 1 million people to sign the Global Call—a petition for integrity.

You can sign via signup. exposed2013. com/p/saisj.

Roughly 2,000 vigils will take place worldwide between Oct. 14-20. Officers and staff from The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters were invited to attend the high-profile vigil at London’s St Paul’s Cathedral.

SINGAPORE—Nurses from The Salvation Army’s Peacehaven Nursing Home united to pledge their compassion and love in caring for the sick, regardless of race, religion or status.

Joining the Eastern Health Alliance, Peacehaven held a celebration themed “Go Light Your World.”

Major Raelton Gibbs, program secretary, The Salvation Army Singapore, opened the event in prayer, and Mdm Low Mui Lang, executive director, delivered the Nurses’ Day speech and accompanied leaders in reciting the pledge collectively.

From WAR CRY AUSTRALIA—Bonnels Bay corps members recently traveled to Fiji with the single intention of “serving God.” The REACH team—REACH refers to all the corps’ outreach initiatives—spent nine days in central Fiji constructing a concrete volleyball court at the corps and repairing two local houses damaged by a hurricane.

The team also built relationships.

The path to personal connections was smoothed with the help of the team’s children, who made instant friends with the local kids and teenagers.

From Pipeline U.K.—Dunstable Corps Officer Major Carol Evans received a check for 4,328 pounds (over $5,800) from Sainsbury’s, an online shopping service, when it chose The Salvation Army U.K. as its charity of the year for the second consecutive year.

From SALVATIONIST GERMANY—The Salvation Army’s International Sports Ministry team is holding an event—Making Sports Ministry Practical—for leaders and future leaders in Altenkirchen Jan. 16-19, 2014. More information is available at the Sports Ministry website: http://tiny.cc/9ke04w.

BORNEO—The Kuching Corps held its first ever Worship Team Retreat with 14 team members attending the two days of training. Guest speaker Adrian Lim shared his experience as a singer, composer, musician and bandleader. He also gave practical tips on playing instruments.

The group benefitted from the dedicated time, becoming a cohesive unit as members grew strong bonds.

From WAR CRY WORLDWIDE—Social media elements of The Salvation Army’s Worldwide Prayer Meeting caught the eye of the professional panel judging this year’s Christian New Media Awards. The nomination for “Most Creative Use of Social Media” acknowledges that the weekly prayer meeting takes place in the digital domain via Twitter, Facebook and Google Maps, as well as more traditional settings such as corps, divisional and territorial headquarters around the world.

The 3,000 Salvationists and friends, who have so far registered their commitment to pray, span 135 countries, more than have an official Salvation Army presence.

From an international news release

PAGE 6—NEW FRONTIER • OCTOBER 18, 2013

The Salvation Army World Service Office

BY VINCENT DICKENS

(SAWSO) has for 35 years provided real support to the work of Salvationists around the world.

“It is an exciting time to be a part of SAWSO,” said Lt. Colonel Joan Canning, SAWSO executive director. “It’s a time of challenge, with an increasing number of requests for projects and a decrease in government funding available for global development.”

A key part of Salvation Army infrastructure in the U.S., SAWSO serves as a bridge from territorial funds to high-impact projects overseas. The SAWSO staff provides valuable strategic advising about project feasibility and capability at the early stages, oversees resources devoted to projects, and gives technical advising both remotely and on scene. Its advisors impart high-level expertise in the key focus sectors of empowerment and livelihoods, community health, HIV and AIDS prevention and treatment, anti-human trafficking, and disaster response and recovery.

“It’s also a time of blessing and growth as we’ve hired additional technical experts to support our work, and as we continue to build even stronger partnerships with dynamic and committed Salvation Army teams in the U.S. and abroad,” Canning said.

The following details three current SAWSO projects.

Kesennuma Fishermen’s Union, Japan The Japanese city of Kesennuma is the nation’s busiest port for processing bonito and swordfish in an area where commercial fishing and related industries account for 85 percent of jobs. Yet, large sections of the city were destroyed by the March 2011 tsunami that followed the Tohoku earthquake, taking a huge toll on the livelihoods of local fishermen.

“The port was basically destroyed and the fishermen lost almost everything they had to make a living,” said Major Kazuyuki Ishikawa of the Japan Territory.

“The fishermen were overwhelmed when we arrived, and nearly cried when we offered our support.”

Non-governmental organizations consequently augmented efforts by the national and local governments to help the fishermen rebuild. The Salvation Army was the first organization to connect with the Kesennuma Fishermen’s Union, where it learned first-hand of the most pressing needs for recovery.

Supported by SAWSO, work began in three main areas identified by the fishermen to enable and secure cash income through productive use of the remaining ships and by organizing fishing spots for future harvests as fish farm management and maintenance is critical.

Shellfish take approximately two years to harvest once a fishing spot is reconstructed. During that time, expenses from these efforts mount, with no source of income to offset them. Since diving tools required to perform these activities were washed away by the storm, The Salvation Army provided 10 sets of diving tools, including one air compressor, to promote the recovery of fishing spots in an affordable and more efficient manner.

The union also needed a place to process marine products prior to shipping.

To this end, The Salvation Army provided temporary tents as operational locations in 15 ports. These structures are already being used for the processing of a hearty seaweed called wakame. The Army also replaced four 2-ton trucks used to carry wakame, konbu seaweed, oysters and scallops, and which currently carry tools and machines to help rebuild and organize fishing nets and farms.

“We called on The Salvation Army for help because very few people were able to help us,” said Masayoshi Kikuta, Kessennuma representative. “The union members are so grateful because it allowed us to go back to work...we have now recovered almost 90 percent of the wakame harvest income we had before the tsunami.”

HIV/AIDS prevention and care, Zambia As a partner to the Zambia HIV/AIDS Prevention, Care and Treatment Partnership (ZPCT II), SAWSO is continuing The Salvation Army’s long-standing fight against HIV and AIDS. In this partnership, the Army is supporting community-level outreach activities, training leaders from local faith-based organizations, and encouraging people to receive HIV-related services, including counseling and testing, prevention of mother-to-child transmission and male circumcision at health facilities in the Ndola District of the Copperbelt Province.

“The ZPCT II partnership is a dynamic example of the change in our approach to preventing HIV and AIDS,” said Sara Davis, SAWSO technical advisor for HIV and AIDS sector. “Before, the people we identified often were already in later stages of the disease, and many died in their homes in pain. Now, we focus much more on screening and early detection, so many infected people are discovering their illness sooner. We ensure they have access to, and properly take, antiretroviral medications. We also provide counseling so they can live long, productive and healthy lives.”

The Salvation Army is using an innovative way to spread the message through youth drama groups. Once trained, the youth become peer educators.

In small towns like Kapiri Mposhi one such youth drama group recently performed a skit depicting a husband who had an affair, his wife who also had an affair in retaliation, and then the realization that one is found to be HIVpositive. The message focused on the increased risk of acquiring HIV through having multiple partners, and the importance of being faithful.

During the performance, Pastor Kasalwe Cornelius Timothy from the Gospel Mission Church in Pamodzi, Ndola, talked about HIV and encouraged the audience to receive HIV-related services at a health facility.

“What the Lord has put upon my heart is not only to preach the Word of God, but also to meet the social needs of the people, such as health, helping them reach out and access health facilities,” he said. “I am happy to work with ZPCT II and be involved in their programs, because they help reach out for more people and advocate on issues of HIV/AIDS related cases.”

By training and mobilizing local faith leaders, who are in turn supported by Salvation Army ZPCT II staff, the way is paved for sustainable change.

“It has brought networking of churches and more people are able to go to health centers and receive medication needed,” Timothy said. “To me, it has been a privilege to work with them and I am ready to continue in partnership with them.”

SAWSO2013 Community empowerment, India The Salvation Army has long recognized the many obstacles facing low-income women in India.

Community empowerment programs, instituted by the India Central Territory and supported by SAWSO, use self-help groups to provide savings and lending education, and loans to start small businesses or pay school tuition, to provide a sense of hope to women in many of the region’s poorest villages.

Educated laywomen, selected to be field organizers, are charged with overseeing the progress of the program groups and their members. They also conduct health programs with the help of local doctors, nurses and other health staff.

Kethepalli Saramma, a 50-year-old widow attending the Deendayalpuram Corps, faced many hurdles. Her four children left with their own families for the cities in search of jobs. As a result, Kethepalli was alone. As a Salvation Army Home League member, she regularly attended her local church service. Through her corps officer, Saramma learned about and joined a self-help group.

She eventually received a loan of 1,000 rupees (about $15) to start a small business selling dried fish.

“I am so happy now, feeding myself, and I’m even able to provide some support to my children through this business,” Saramma said. “I give all glory to God and I thank our territorial leaders for their kind concern toward the poor and needy women of the territory.”

K. Guravaiah, a man who belonged to a Hindu community in the village of Gilakaladindi, suffered as a day laborer with asthma. The scant wage he earned meant that his family often went to bed hungry.

“The local Salvation Army pastor used to come to my home as a friend and tell me about Lord Jesus and his love for the poor,” he said.

As a child, Guravaiah learned about bicycle repair, but a lack of money had prevented him from capitalizing on these skills. His wife secured a loan from her self-help group, and with the money, he bought the necessary tools and began a bicycle repair shop in his village. The couple parlayed the $15 dollar loan into a business that allows them to earn as much as $3 per day—a huge improvement in their quality of life.

He said, “By the grace of God through this business I am very happy, and we are able to meet our family needs, provide sufficient food for my children and I am able to get medicine for my asthma.”

Right: In a market in the town Kapiri Mposhi, Zambia, a youth drama group performs a skit about multiple concurrent partnerships between a husband and wife. The performance depicted a husband who had an affair, and his wife, who also had an affair in retaliation. Then, one of the pair is subsequently found to be HIV-positive. The message to the audience was the increased risk of acquiring HIV through having multiple partners, and the importance of being faithful.

Below: S. Kanthamma, from Bandarkota, Machilipatnam District, joined a self help group at her corps and began saving money. She received a loan from the India Central Territory and opened a breakfast center in front of her house. The income supports her children’s education and, combined with her husband’s wages as a construction worker, meets the family’s needs.

Below right: The Salvation Army provided four 2-ton trucks to the Kesennuma (Japan) Fisherman’s Union to help the local Japanese fishing industry recover following the tsunami that destroyed large parts of the city in March 2011.

Photos courtesy of SAWSO

OCTOBER 18, 2013 • NEW FRONTIER—PAGE 7

The latest international aid projects of the Salvation Army World Service Office

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Doing the Most Good

October 18, 2013

Major James Kenneth Rodal was promoted to Glory Sept.

30 from Sun City, Ariz.

James Kenneth Rodal was born Aug. 15, 1934, in Bellville, Ill. When he was 6, his family relocated to Hollywood, Calif. He accepted Christ at the age of 14.

After graduating from North Hollywood High School, Rodal attended Dana Lutheran College in Blair, Neb., and later served as a drill sergeant in the U.S. Army.

In 1959, he married Mary “Lynn” Cook, and they had three children: Linda “Ann,” John Mark and Cindy Lynn.

Rodal worked in the foodservice industry with S. E. Rykoff for 15 years. He met The Salvation Army in 1974 when he acquired the Ventura (Calif.) Corps Meals on Wheels as a client. Soon, Lynn Rodal became director of the corps’ Meals on Wheels and senior feeding program.

Then Corps Officers Lts. Joe and Eileen Hoogstad invited the Rodals to attend the Ventura Corps holiness meeting, where they recommitted their lives to Christ and became soldiers. In 1975, they entered the School for Officer Training in the Companions of Christ Session. During training, they discovered a passion for the Men’s Social Service Centers—later called the Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC). Their 24 years of ministry in the ARC included appointments at Oakland, Los Angeles, Van Nuys and Bakersfield, Calif.; Tacoma, Wash.; Tucson and Phoenix, Ariz.; Portland, Ore.; and the Anchorage (Alaska) Adult Rehabilitation Program (ARP).

Rodal retired from active service in

1999 but continued serving in ARC appointments until his health began to fail.

For 14 years he soldiered at the Sun City (Ariz.) Corps where he and Lynn mentored corps members heading to training.

Rodal is survived by his wife Lynn; children, Ann (Steve) Stewart, John (Laura) Rodal, and Major Cindy (Mike) Dickinson; six grandchildren, Ryan, Calista and Kylie Rodal and David, Joshua and Rebekah Dickinson; sisters, MaryJo (John) Gladysiewicz and Peggy (Johne) Munson; and brother, Paul (Jetta) Rodal.

The Sun City Corps held a celebration of life service Oct. 6 with Lt. Colonel Alfred Van Cleef officiating. A private family burial took place Oct. 4 led by Captain Jason Koenig.

Major Robert E. Smith was promoted to Glory Sept. 14 from Long Beach, Calif.

Born and raised in Compton, Calif., Robert Smith attended the Compton Corps.

Entering the School for Officer Training in 1960, he was commissioned with the Soldiers of Christ Session.

He met Lt. Metta Brown and they married in 1963.

After serving in Central California, the Smiths took time off from officership, moving back to Southern California where Smith became a Huntington Beach fireman. They had two daughters, Michelle and Carrie, during this time. They were later reinstated as officers and served in Van Nuys, Calif., where their twins, Robert Jr. and Robyn, were born.

During 35 years of service, the Smiths

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served at 14 Western Territory corps: Spokane and Longview, Wash.; Kingsburg, San Bernardino, San Fernando Valley, El Sobrante, Oakland and Redondo Beach, Calif.; Helena and Billings, Mont.; Cheyenne, Wyo.; Caldwell, Idaho; and Coos Bay and Roseburg, Ore. Smith was known for his ability to raise money and handling of finance projects. During a second posting to Redondo Beach, the Smiths raised money and oversaw construction of the new Corps Community Center and Roland Mindeman Senior Residence.

An active Kiwanis Club member, Smith served the organization as Lt. Governor while in Roseburg, Ore. He used his firefighting skills as a volunteer for 10 years.

A sports lover, he officiated high school football and baseball. He also served as a chaplain with the Redondo Beach Police

ONLINE CLASSES

Department and the Sheriff ’s Department in Longview. Among many awards for his civic contributions, one from 1995 stood out to Smith; acknowledging the couple’s service to the South Bay (Calif.), the Wellness Community named the Smiths “Citizens of the Year.”

The Smiths retired in 2000 and remained in Oregon a short time before returning to Southern California for the climate and family.

Smith is survived by his wife, Metta; his children, Michelle, Carrie, Robert Jr., and Robyn; his five grandchildren; and his brothers, Philip and Donald.

The Long Beach (Calif.) Corps held a memorial service Oct. 5 with Major Darren Trimmer presiding. Smith’s ashes will be scattered at a later date by family.

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enrolled at The Salvation Army in their community.”

Two of the current participants have disabilities that make accessing classes at their local corps difficult. For them, the online opportunity is the answer to a prayer.

Online discussions cover topics including Salvation Army history, the 11 Salvation Army doctrines, the six Articles of War, Salvation Army organizational structure and symbols, an overview of positional statements, and sacraments.

“We see this online training opportunity as just another logical step in embracing the technological realities of the 21st century,” Hill said. “While the ideal for instruction of any kind is still likely a face-to-face encounter with a group of people seeking a common goal, the online course allows us to reach people who—for any number of reasons—are unable to join with a Salvation

Army fellowship at this time. Our hope is, of course, that the online soldiership course is a helpful tool in leading people toward a deeper understanding and desire to connect both spiritually and socially, if possible, with the Army in their community.”

Developed by the Western Territory, OnlineCorps opened its virtual doors in September 2012 at onlinecorps.net and facebook.com/onlinecorps. It exists to fill the gap between people and local corps, and to connect individuals to The Salvation Army and to each other.

Its other programs include GospelStories, a weekly live Bible discussion video series; LifeStories, a weekly video series of one-onone interviews; and OnlineCorps HangOuts, allowing people to meet online.

A new session of the online soldiership course will commence in early 2014.

William and Catherine Booth University College, located in the heart of downtown Winnipeg, Canada, is a growing undergraduate Christian institution built on 30 years of excellence, offering a range of academic programs that include a Bachelor of Social Work program, a Bachelor of Business Administration program, five Bachelor of Arts programs (Behavioural Sciences, English and Film, General Studies, Psychology, and Religion), and a Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care certificate program. Rooted in The Salvation Army’s Wesleyan theological tradition, Booth University College brings together Christian faith, rigorous scholarship and a passion for service. We seek qualified candidates for three positions: Psychology Faculty position—Psychology/Behavioral Sciences Program Business Faculty position—Business Administration Program Instruction Designer/E-Learning Specialist—Extended Learning Department The successful applicant for each of these positions must have an active Christian faith and demonstrated commitment to the integration of faith and learning in a Christian universitylevel setting.

We are recruiting a Psychology Faculty member to teach foundational undergraduate courses in psychology and upper level courses in his/her area of specialization. Expertise in areas such as research methods and statistics, community mental health, abnormal psychology, dyadic communication, applied social and/or organizational psychology would be considered an asset. In concert with teaching, applicants would be expected to contribute collaboratively to the development of a new psychology degree program in an interdisciplinary environment and establish a modest research program. Applicants should have a PhD in Psychology or be advanced ABD status at the time of appointment.

We require a Business Faculty member in the areas of Human Resource Management, Organizational Behaviour or Marketing, although qualified candidates in other areas may be considered. The ideal candidate will possess a related master’s degree or greater, a professional designation and a minimum of five years of professional experience. An alternate combination of relevant education and experience may be considered. Preference will be given to candidates who have post-secondary teaching experience.

The Instruction Designer/E-Learning Specialist will provide instructional design support to faculty, work with content area specialists to develop course shells, and implement sound instructional design projects using the University College’s learning management system. Applicants must be skilled in all aspects of instructional technology theory and practice, have excellent communication skills, the ability to work with course material related to a broad range of academic disciplines, and have a master’s degree in education, curriculum development, education technology or a related field.

Email: support@tradewest.com Web: tradewest.com Phone: 1.855.45.TRADE

Applications with Curriculum Vitae, contact information for three references, and, for faculty positions, statement of teaching philosophy and evidence of effective teaching (if available) may be submitted in confidence to Marilyn Coupland, Human Resources Coordinator, at: Marilyn_Coupland@BoothUC.ca. Applications will be reviewed as received until the positions are filled. For more detail visit www.boothuc.ca.

Doing the Most Good

new

PEMBERTONS

9

Appointments

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addiction,” Timothy said. “I imploded and my family felt the ramifications of that implosion.”

After Timothy lost his job due to a DUI accident and went to jail, he sought help from the San Diego Adult Rehabilitation Center, leaving the rest of the family unable to pay the rent. The Salvation Army took in the rest of the family at the Door of Hope Center, a transitional living facility for homeless individuals.

“It was one of the best years of my life because there was a sense of unity and stability and family there,” Brittnie said.

During her stint at Door of Hope, Brittnie met photojournalist Linda Solomon, founder of “Pictures of Hope,” a nonprofit created to raise awareness of homeless youth. Solomon supplies children in the program with disposable cameras to take pictures of their life’s wishes, which are then featured on greeting cards and sold to raise money for charities helping the homeless.

Brittnie wished for a house, for her family to reunite and for a scholarship to San Diego State University, among other things. With the camera Solomon gave her, Brittnie took a photo of the SDSU sign.

The card was sent to the SDSU Alumni Association, which offered her a full-ride scholarship, contingent upon her meeting the university’s admission requirements.

Brittnie’s luck was starting to turn, and her family’s was quick to follow.

The Pembertons were able to reunite after living a year in separate facilities. The Salvation Army gave Timothy the opportunity to help renovate one of its rehabilitation houses. The family was able to live there for five months as part of the job.

Things were looking up, but Timothy and Tanya wanted to make sure their daughter didn’t make the same mistakes they did.

“When Brittnie was 10, I sat her down,” Timothy said. “I was really concerned that Brittnie would go down the same path that we had gone down in our youth. We told her, ‘If you abstain from doing drugs, experimenting with drugs, alcohol and cigarettes and stay pure, we’re going to buy you a car.’”

After serving in their corps for several years, Timothy and Tanya received a calling to become officers. In order to be enrolled at Crestmont, they knew they would need to be debt-free.

“We were going to put off starting our [officer] training a couple more years so we could honor this promise for her, but Brittnie said, ‘No daddy, I know God is calling you to Crestmont,’” Timothy said. “‘I’m going to let you off the hook on this.’”

Solomon, meanwhile, held on to Brittnie’s original wish list and noticed that number 14 was a car. Since so few of her wishes were material items, she decided to make this one come true as well. Solomon contacted Chevrolet, and they awarded Brittnie the “Spark of Hope” award and a brand new 2014 Chevrolet Spark.

“God fulfilled the promise that we had made to her,” Timothy said. “He used GM, he used Linda Solomon and he made that promise come true.”

When Tanya recalls everything they have endured as a family, she is thankful for the constancy of her daughter’s kind spirit.

“She’s not like me,” Tanya said. “I was in the foster system. I was doing drugs. I was promiscuous when I was her age. If you look back on our lives, I can see God’s hand on Brittnie’s life in a way that’s different than a lot of other people. It’s just totally amazing. I would even say a miracle.”

Brittnie no longer wants to be an actress or a chemist like she did when she was 9, but she does want to be a child psychologist to help kids who struggled the same way she did.

Her mother has other ideas. “She’s going to be an officer,” Tanya said, smiling.

October 18, 2013

GOLDEN STATE DIVISION Lieutenant Luke Betti Corps Officer, Pro-tem Merced Corps

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA DIVISION Major Gwendolyn Jones Corps Officer, Pro-tem Compton Corps

Captain Emily Jones Associate Corps Officer, Pro-tem Compton Corps Appointments effective Oct. 16 Food packages are created via an assembly line.

Photo by Heather Howard

Salvation Army and Rotary International support Feed My Starving Children n Groups celebrate their anniversaries by helping others.

BY HEATHER HOWARD The Salvation Army in Arizona joined forces with the Phoenix Rotary 100 Club to celebrate anniversaries—the Army’s 120th and the Rotary’s 100th—by assembling enough meal packages to feed 272,000 people. More than 1,000 people of all ages from the two organizations volunteered.

“Because The Salvation Army is already in the business of feeding the hungry, and both the Army and Rotary are international organizations, it just made sense to partner in this effort,” said Joe Prewitt, Phoenix Rotary 100 centennial chair.

The meals went to Feed My Starving Children, a Christian non-profit organization that packages vitamin-enriched meals to send to children in 70 countries.

“Feed My Starving Children had a really great setup that made the task of pack-

ing food both fun and fast,” said Glendale Corps Officer Major Adam Morales. “In the 90-minute shift, my table packed 3,623 meals. It was awesome for The Salvation Army, Rotary Club, and Feed My Starving Children to partner together to help starving children.”

According to Meghan Borner, senior team leader for the Tempe (Ariz.) location of Feed My Starving Children, each “MannaPack” rice package provides nutritious meals for six children. This one-day volunteer event produced enough to feed more than 700 children for a whole year.

According to Prewitt, there are 40 Rotary clubs in Phoenix, and this was the first time all have been involved in the same project.

It’s also the first time these three organizations have partnered for a large-scale joint event.

“The coolest part is that it is kids feeding kids,” Borner said, “and more than half of our volunteers are under the age of 18.”

FEMA thanks Salvation Army in Alaska n Decorated moose antler presented for work in Galena Members of FEMA and the younger FEMA Corps (members of which are considering a career in disaster response) presented Salvation Army team members with an “antler of appreciation” for the Army’s ongoing Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) support in Galena, Alaska, after the town’s devastation by floods.

FEMA group members decorated the moose antler and inscribed it with all the team members’ names.

“What a wonderful partnership we have enjoyed,

NAOMI HOUSE from page 1

“Being here has saved my life, and I am in a better place.”

Within the last nine months, seven Naomi House residents graduated and secured housing and steady sources of income; 17 veterans began vocational training or returned to school. On average, women complete the residential treatment program in about a year before returning to productive independent living in the community.

To help Naomi House residents, donors may contribute items from their wishlist: twin size bed linens, bed pads/egg crate foams, bath and face towels, laundry baskets, toiletries, shower shoes/flip flops, bath robes, side table/bed lamps. plastic food containers with lids, coffee mugs with lids, dish rags, USB thumb drives, combination locks and grocery store gift cards.

KENYA

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officials involved in the rescue, while also teaming up with the Red Cross.

General André Cox called for Salvationists to pray for peace in Kenya.

“Together let’s pray for peace and for the victims who are recovering and the families who are mourning the loss of loved ones,” he said.

“Please pray for grace and calm and for the security officials working in tremendously difficult circumstances.”

PEPPERWORTH from page 3

Photo by Sarah Mahlik, FEMA

working with FEMA to meet the needs of those affected by the flood,” said Jenni Ragland, Alaska divisional director of EDS. “We are grateful to FEMA for this unique and wonderful expression of gratitude for the Army’s

service on the frontlines in Galena.”

The Salvation Army completed its full-time feeding services that began in August, and will continue to support ongoing recovery work.

out discrimination?

God has richly blessed my life and I am grateful and willing to go where he wants me and serve where the need is great.

Lord, help me to find where you are working and give me the wisdom to join you there.

Nick Pepperworth is vice president, mechanical administrator and project manager for Udelhoven Oilfield System Services in Anchorage, Alaska.

SOFTWARE

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California and wants to volunteer in California, the volunteer coordinator in California will be able to see all of their history in Hawaii.”

Volunteer coordinators can add new volunteer opportunities while volunteers can view opportunities in their area, sign up for events and switch their scheduled shifts via the website.

“We’re making the volunteers’ lives easier, but also making the coordinators’ lives easier,” Melnick said.

Victor Leonardi, special events and volunteer manager for the Hawaii Division, said he has benefitted from the introduction of the new system, especially with an upcoming Thanksgiving feeding service that involves 850 volunteers.

“Trying to sign up 850 volunteers in the past had been a headache,” Leonardi said.

“This new system is great because you can

go in and tell it your maximum numbers for each position, then that position closes [automatically] and it won’t take any more. It makes my life way easier.”

Getting each of the volunteer coordinators on board with the new system is the next step, according to Yvonne Wrobel, donor management coordinator for the Western Territory.

“We’d like the divisions to have a volunteer opportunity in mind when they set it up,” Wrobel said. “They need to know how to set the event up and make sure when the volunteer finds it, it says the shift and time and everything the volunteer needs.”

The software should have all of its features, including “Protecting the Mission,” intact by the beginning of 2014, according to Melnick. Another one of the upcoming additions to the software includes an interface with Portfolio, The Salvation

Army’s donor management database.

“Volunteering is essentially giving and Portfolio is a giving management database so we now have these things connected and that’s really powerful from a marketing standpoint,” Melnick said.

The new system figures to provide a boost for the upcoming kettle season. According to Western Territorial kettle data for 2012, volunteer kettle workers netted nearly three times as much income per hour as paid workers.

“We’re hoping the new system helps get more volunteers signed up,” said Tim Schaal, director of software development for the Western Territory. “Volunteers create an integration point for others to get involved in The Salvation Army.”

—Jared McKiernan

10

Doing the Most Good

October 18, 2013 New Frontier

God waits on his kids to come home inProcess Ashamed, the young man entered The Salvation Army Murrieta Corps sanctuary with his head down. The day before he had been terminated from the Riverside County Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC) program for drinking.

He was half-expecting to be rejected at the corps Glen as well, when suddenly a beaming gentleman Doss in full Salvation Army Major uniform grabbed him up in his arms. Tears of joy streaming down his face, Walter stressed to the young man, “This is how we do it!”

Recalling that moment, Walter observes: “That’s what God did for me. After all those years that I turned my back on him, he accepted and loved me anyway. God just waits Walter on his kids to come home.”

Walter, 50, has good reason to rejoice today, for there was a time when he was perhaps one of the most wanted men in Riverside County, Calif.

As the police cars maneuvered them off Interstate 215 in Temecula, Walter and his two partners-in-crime nervously followed instructions. “Everybody stay in the car! Keep your hands up where we can see them!”

Another officer pulled in alongside. “Is that them, the Riverside Bandits? When I heard you guys caught ‘em, I had to come see for myself, all the way up from Corona.”

Hearing this, Walter, 37, shook in his boots.

The seeds of the criminal lifestyle were planted at an early age.

Walter was just 5 when his mother moved her five young children with her from Portland, Ore., to a rough neighborhood in Watts, Calif. “I used to stare out the window of our house for hours telling myself I wanted to be like the older gang guys,” he recalls.

His mother raised him and his sisters in the Southern Baptist church. But to earn the respect of others on the street, Walter learned quickly to fight back. When at 7 he swung a bat at a boy who had taken a jab at him, onlookers expressed approval: “We’ll call you ‘Batman!’” The nickname stuck. The following year, he struck a child so hard he put him in the hospital. This led to a six-month stint in juvenile hall. By age 10 he was breaking into gun shops.

When he turned 12, the leader of the Crips pressured him to join. After that, Walter says, “things got real bad.” One day his mother spotted him and another gang member robbing a man at gunpoint. That was the last straw for her. Walter spent the remainder of his boyhood with his biological father in Mount Hood, Ore. It wasn’t long, though, before he was using and selling marijuana in school, eventually progressing to become one of the top dope dealers in the community.

By age 24, he says, “I was at the top of my game, making $10,000 a week selling cocaine, when I made the worst decision of my life.”

Watching his girlfriend smoking cocaine one day, he said to her, “Let me try that. I want to see what makes all of you do everything you can to get it.” Then, dogged by the addiction, he soon lost everything he had.

A daughter was born in 1992, but two years later he walked in on her mother in bed with another man. In a rage Walter beat them both badly with a pistol, leaving his girlfriend unconscious. He immediately fled for California. There, desperate to keep feeding his drug habit, he reverted to stealing, soon picking up jail terms.

He and his partners had been ripping off department stores throughout Riverside County for a couple of years before the police caught up with them on the freeway. A 16-month prison term followed. Just three months after he was released he was back in prison again for robbery.

By 2009 Walter was married and attending church with his wife and children. But when on Nov. 12 his wife found out he was using drugs, she promptly expelled him from home. Moving in with a cocaine “smoking buddy,” Walter spent each day in a repetitive drama of stealing in order to use cocaine.

Everything changed, however, with a single telephone call. On Christmas Day, 2009, his daughter from Oregon called. Walter had last heard from her when she was 6. She was now 17. It struck him that he had nothing to show her, and for the first time he began to think about quitting drugs. In July 2010, Walter says, “I broke down and cried out to God, ‘Help me!’”

Checking into the Riverside County ARC in Perris, he plunged with full abandon into all program components. He eventually fell in love with the Murrieta Corps because, he says with confidence, “they accept you as you are.” Today, Walter remains greatly involved in service to the ARC. “I don’t know what God has in mind for my future,” he confesses. “But I want to be at his service, no matter what. I owe him my life.”

Ding This summer, after completing my first three-year term in the Philippines, I took an eight-week furlough.

When I returned to the training college campus, I discovered several changes.

New trash bins greeted me as I entered the compound. They had Linda handmade covers, with handles fashioned from portions of branches. Manhardt Then I looked up and saw that the Major eaves overhanging the walkway along the classrooms now had spouts made from used oil tins. These directed the rain water away from the walkway, keeping it dry even during the heaviest downpour. Practical ingenuity.

All around me, I observed the fruit of loving labor.

The lawn and bushes were manicured, and I saw fresh grass and the beginning of a garden in front of our newly built library.

When I went into the office, I found a reconstructed fan, assembled from the parts of three broken fans. I discovered hand-built cubbies made to accommodate our growing number of cadets.

Everywhere I looked, I saw the evidence of loving care.

Ding is a simple farmer from the province. He and his wife, Josephine, joined us a couple of months before I left for furlough. We lost our caretaker and had put the word out that we were looking for a replacement. Ding was the only applicant. He was hired.

From the beginning, I could see that Ding put his heart into his work. His job is not glamorous. Sometimes he is elbow deep in muck. He cleans the leaves from the gutters, unclogs the sewage system, and does general repairs that amaze me.

Although he speaks little English, I am able to communicate my deep appreciation for the contribution that he makes. I see that he is happy in his work, and his wife has told me that there are times when he cannot sleep because he is excitedly planning a new garden or project.

sharperFocus By wholeheartedly being who he is, by using the gifts that God has given to him, Ding glorifies God every day.

He makes a contribution to the body of believers at the training college that no one else could make. He is valued and needed. But he does his work for the glory of God—not for approval or praise from me or the rest of the staff. He derives great joy in serving the Lord in the way that God has created him to serve.

We have so much to Ding learn from Ding! How often do we compare ourselves—our gifts and abilities— to others? How often do we lose sight of the way God can use us according to his plan?

One gift is no better than another. All are needed.

All of us can make a contribution in some way to God’s work.

If you are trying to be someone you are not, then you are rejecting God’s design. Once, as a young person attending Bill Gothard’s “Basic Youth Conflicts” seminar, I learned, “If you insult the design, you insult the designer”!

I look at the attitude of Ding and am reminded that God expects us to fully be who he created us to be and to use our gifts to glorify him. What a witness this simple Christian farmer is to me.

When we live our lives fully yielded to God’s service, our lives take on greater meaning. We find that we have significance and are filled with the joy of being who we are and giving in the way that we have been designed to give.

God has a wonderful plan for each one of us. Our responsibility is to totally yield ourselves to him and seek his will for our lives.

Fear of the unknown In the run up to Halloween, the media is full of advertisements for scary movies, costumes, decorations and anything else that will bring a bit of fear as well as an increased heart rate. I am not one to put myself into a situation that will make me scared. Even the Shelley Tower of Terror at Disneyland is a ride I avoid at all costs!

Hill Recently, my husband, Dusty, Lt. Colonel and I visited Camp Redwood Glen in the Golden State Division. One evening, Dusty wanted to take a walk before dusk. I told him that I didn’t want to go too far because it was beginning to get dark. We started walking out toward the wilderness camp area and then around to see the high ropes course. The ropes course was a bit further and I really didn’t want to go any deeper into the woods, particularly as darkness began to descend.

Eventually, however, I agreed to proceed.

As we walked around the corner toward the course, I heard a rustling in the grass. It was clear to me that something was in the grass ready to jump out and attack us. I started to get very nervous. My heart started pounding about 100 beats a minute. I wanted to get out of there and get back to camp. I kept thinking: Just run, and run fast! Precisely when I expected something scary, big and ferocious to emerge, I noticed that the sound was coming from a family of small quail settling down to roost for the night.

As I walked back to camp a bit unraveled—but

also embarrassed by my minor meltdown in the shadows—I was reminded quickly of the words from Psalm 34:4 that say, he delivered me from all my fears (NIV). This is so true—when we have God on our side, we don’t need to fear whatever may come our way.

The Salvation Army Song book contains many songs that speak of God’s abiding presence. One of my favorites is song number 653. The words of the verse and chorus are based on Isaiah 41:10: Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed, For I am thy God, I will still give thee aid!

I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand, Upheld by my gracious omnipotent hand.

No, never alone, no, never alone, He promised he never would leave me, Never, no never, alone.

Dark alleys, scary movies and the unknown future are nothing to fear when we travel through life with a God who has promised to stand alongside us during times of fear and difficulty. My prayer for myself and others is that the assurance of God’s presence and perfect love drive away any fear, worry or stress that may come our way. We are never alone...and that is reason for courage and confidence—the perfect anecdote for fear and trepidation.

Reflections of a Former Atheist New Frontier columnist Glen Doss journeys with the reader through his past and call to Salvation Army officership.

Order your copy today at tradewest.com or amazon.com.

Published by Frontier Press

Doing the Most Good

October 18, 2013 New Frontier

The LORD, he is God! Cooling temperatures, autumn colors, shorter days, changing weather patterns—all remind us that winter is on the way. While expert meteorologists and “The Farmer’s AlSharon manac” strive diligentRobertson ly to give us accurate forecasts derived from Lt. Colonel their interpretations of scientifically gathered data, none of us really knows what surprises nature has in store for us. We only know that difficult times may lie ahead, and we want to be prepared.

Though we hope for the best, winter can be capricious: beautiful, delightful and exciting one moment; threatening and deadly the next. That is the nature of this world of ours: bad things happen, not because our generation has sinned more than any past generation, but because that’s the way it is.

If we are prudent, we pray for the best and prepare for the worst, and we don’t blame God when the going gets rough, because we love him and know that we are in his providential care, no matter what the circumstances. We trust that he will abide with us, and deliver us from the storm—more or less. God is our comforter, and we serve him out of what? Love? Appreciation? Gratitude?

There are times when we treat God like a security blanket, wrapping us in its warm folds, keeping the cold, threatening world away. We appreciate God’s reassuring presence and comforting promises, and are properly grateful for his abundant blessings and favorable answers to our requests, but we need always to keep in mind that God is under no obligation to you or me, and

favorable answer or not, our obligation to him is always outstanding. Our devoted service (i.e. our worship as lived out day by day) is given as the service of a love-slave, one who serves out of love and consideration for the welfare of the Master, not because of the rewards (or answers to prayer) that he might give.

Yes, God is good; yes, God is loving; yes, God answers prayer; but those are not the reasons we should serve him.

The real reason we ought to serve God is not for what we can get out of the relationship, but simply because he is God, and without him there is nothing. Nothing! Zilch! An absolute zero.

He is not dependent on our beliefs; he does not exist because man needed him and, therefore, developed a concept of a god. By the grace of God he has revealed himself as he is, and because we know that, we owe him our devoted service. Because he made provision for our salvation through Jesus Christ, we are doubly in his debt; we owe him our humble, devoted service.

Winter is on its way. It may bring with it times of blessing and joy; it may bring times of suffering and even death—but whatever it brings, it will bring times of service and sacrifice; it will never bring that moment when disappointment or sorrow or bitterness or any other human condition can be allowed to sway the Christian servant from his calling to serve the Lord, because the LORD, He is God. It is He who hath made us, not we ourselves; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture (Ps. 100:3 KJV). We wouldn’t want it any other way.

FROM FRONTIER PRESS

walking in white Walking in White tells of Commissioner Jolene Hodder’s experiences as an American Salvation Army officer serving in Africa. Told through letters home, this book gives a glimpse of Hodder’s service to, and love for, the people of Kenya.

Available now at: amazon.com and tradewest.com $11.99 • Frontier Press • isbn 978-0-9768465-7-4

CELEBRATING OUR 30th YEAR

ISSN 2164-5930 New Frontier is published twice a month by The Salvation Army USA Western Territory

Commissioner James Knaggs,

Territorial Commander

Colonel Dave Hudson, Chief Secretary We welcome submissions of news stories of interest to the Western Territory. If you have something you’d like to share, submissions can be sent electronically to:

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Long Beach, CA 90802 The editor reserves the right to edit material submitted. Articles should be roughly 300 words in length.

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EDITORIAL STAFF Robert L. Docter, Editor-In-Chief • 562/491-8330 email: bob.docter@usw.salvationarmy.org Christin Davis, Managing Editor • 562/491-8723 email: christin.davis@usw.salvationarmy.org Karen Gleason, New Frontier Editor •562/491-8332 email: karen.gleason@usw.salvationarmy.org Buffy Lincoln, Associate Editor • 562/491-8329 email: buffy.lincoln@usw.salvationarmy.org Erica Andrews, Assistant Editor • 562/491-8334 email: erica.andrews@usw.salvationarmy.org Edie Jenkins, Editorial Assistant • 562/491-8785 email: edie.jenkins@usw.salvationarmy.org Jared McKiernan, Editorial Assistant • 562/491-8345 email: jared.mckiernan@usw.salvationarmy.org Vivian Gatica, Editorial Assistant • 562/491-8782 email: vivian.gatica@usw.salvationarmy.org LAYOUT & DESIGN/ADVERTISING Kevin Dobruck, Art Director • 562/491-8328 email: kevin.dobruck@usw.salvationarmy.org Adriana Rivera, Graphic Designer/Web coordinator • 562/491-8331 email: adriana.rivera@usw.salvationarmy.org CIRCULATION Arlene De Jesus, Circulation • 562/491-8343 email: arlene.dejesus@usw.salvationarmy.org new.frontier@usw.salvationarmy.org

11

Making errors Shadows had slowly enveloped the diamond on that late afternoon in mid-October. Some fans move toward the exits. There are two outs in this, the final inning. My team has a one run lead. The opposing team has a man on third. From the stands I watch the highly experienced and revered shortstop—the one who has handled a dozen ground balls in this game with extreme skill and followed each with perfect throws to first base. He exudes a distinguished sense of confidence.

Our pitcher winds up and throws his fastball. It’s followed by a loud crack of the bat.

The ball travels directly toward the confident shortstop at a rate faster than a speeding bullet. He’s ready, positions himself in front of the flying object, and bends to... oops, it’s off his glove. He quickly retrieves the ball as the runner on third base heads home. In haste, he throws it into the stands behind first base.

The run scores, and we are tied. Fortunately, we’re the home team and have last bats.

The stadium announcer, with a voice of despondency colored with bright hues of anger, simply says: “error, E6.”

I feel the weight of more than 40,000 groans accompanied by the same number of hostile stares as I empathize with the shortstop’s despair—feeling his pain, experiencing his self-condemnation and seeking a place to hide.

Errors become a part of life. Nobody claims perfection. None are errorless—especially shortstops. We all make mistakes.

Some errors rank higher than others. These separate us from God. Others occur during those times when our emotions supersede our cognitive processing and rationality goes out the window. Sometimes we call it “losing our temper.”

At other times, cognition over-operates, and we rationalize things up one side and down the other only to discover we have made a serious error in judgment. Often, the ambitious twins of bad choices and bad errors emanate from an inflated ability to rationalize inaccurately. This symptom is also often labeled “stupidity.”

We all make mistakes: errors in memory, in loss of values, in attitude adjustment, in obedience, in attention to details, in giving in to temptation, and so on.

So, what about God? Did he? Does he?

Will he make errors? Is he kind of an umpire? He made us, didn’t he—an obvious question in that we are the most imperfect animal he made. Another example is a mystery that has become quite a conundrum for mankind for as long as humans have existed.

First, a little background. Scripture tells us that God created the heavens and the earth. We have a choice about whether we believe this and make it a fact or not. In

Genesis, we have the story of Adam and Eve—our first parents, who were expected, over time and generations, to populate the earth.

God gave Adam this lovely Garden of Eden, Robert and told him he could eat Docter anything in it—except fruit from “the tree of the Editor-In-Chief knowledge of good and evil or you will die” (Gen. 2:16, 17). Then, according to Moses—whom I believe is the author of Genesis—God recognized that Adam needed a “helper” (Gen. 2:18). So God made Eve out of Adam’s rib and presented her to him.

Now, Eve, sorely tempted by the serpents words, succumbed to his arguments about the fruit on this special tree, loved it and gave some to Adam. Together, they ate it.

Their lives changed dramatically, and as a result of their action, so have ours. We are cursed with what we loosely call, these days, “the human condition”: a propensity for yielding to temptation and doing our own thing regardless of that still, small voice that ever warns us. We are forever looking for the wrong tree.

So, did God mean to impose this condition on us? Does Adam’s disobedience cause us continued pain, difficulty and grief? Or did he make a mistake in requiring all humanity to bear the punishment of one man?

Also, God introduced Adam to the Garden and told him to steer clear of the tree, but Eve hadn’t even arrived yet; did she know about its danger?

Let’s look at these questions. I assume that genetic and social transmission from these first parents provide the rationale of our thought processes that lead us to difficulties in life. However, we can’t explore the Adam and Eve story without including a third name: Jesus. God had this plan all the time. It allows us to escape the human condition with righteousness stimulated by our willingness to believe Christ is the Son of God, Messiah, and that he is our access to salvation. God’s grace allows us to bury the negatives and find peace with God. For if by the trespass of one man [Adam], death reigned through that one man, How much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:17).

Maybe we ought to sing song #823 once in awhile.

Oh, yes—the shortstop was both a defensive and offensive hero with outstanding play in the field...and he hit a game-winning home run in the ninth inning.

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