New Frontier Chronicle Vol. 32 No. 7 by New Frontier Chronicle

SIEMON CENTER

MEET RUTH HAYNES

7 ORDER OF THE

FOUNDER

COMMISSIONING

AID FOR SYRIA

HARBOR LIGHT TO EXPAND

14 NEW FRONTIER

JULY 2014 Volume 32, Number 7

INSIDE this issue: The dirt The Adult Rehabilitation Center in Canoga Park celebrates the completion of its Sustainable Farm and Monarch Butterfly Habitat. DIRT PAGE 5

West’s report

Details of the Western Territory’s 2014 Health Summary Report, which measures program activity across the territory. STATISTICS PAGE 6

Full circle

Southern California camp director Marty Brown seeks to serve youth through the camp experience that inspired him. CAMP PAGE 8

A charge to all

Lt. Col. Check Yee, O.F., issues challenge to love people and be faithful. CHARGE PAGE 18

Partnering for Bolivia’s children Central Coast Choir raises awareness of Army work

bout 200 miles north of Los Angeles in Templeton, Calif., the Central Coast Choir (CCC), created by former Salvation Army bandsman Will van Kranenburg, strives to serve locally and beyond. “I formed the Central Coast Choir to enable myself and others to serve musically,” van Kranenburg said. “It was a natural progression that the Salvationist within me would influence the group to support the Army in every way we could.” CCC raises awareness of The Salvation Army’s work and donates to its causes through funds from concerts and fundraisers, including to the Army’s orphanages in Bolivia where van Kranenburg’s grandfather served as an Army officer. Boys at The Salvation Army María Remedios Asín home receive welding equipment for a future welding BOLIVIA PAGE 4 vocational program.

Army responds to Unaccompanied Alien Children crisis PAID

GLENDALE, CA PERMIT #654

NON PROFIT US POSTAGE

Efforts planned in Sierra Del Mar, Southwest and Southern California divisions

he Salvation Army Western Territory Headquarters (THQ) is coordinating a response to the crisis of Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) in the Sierra Del Mar, Southwest, and Southern California divisions. Refugee Council USA defines UAC as “undocumented migrant children who come to the United States unaccompanied by a parent or guardian,” and expects that more than 60,000 of them will arrive this fiscal year. THQ formed a UAC Response Team comprised of social services and emergency disaster services personnel. Emergency services are being prepared for the short-term, and residential facilities for the children are in the works for the long-term.

“The Salvation Army has a strong history in providing services for children through and including summer youth camps, homes for pregnant teens, child cares, after-school mentoring and tutoring programs, family shelters and family reunification programs,” said Major Lawrence Shiroma, territorial social services secretary. “Responding to the crisis of unaccompanied children crossing our borders is the right thing for The Salvation Army to do.” According to Shiroma, the Sierra Del Mar Division is looking into providing emergency shelter care for children at the Door of Hope program in San Diego. The El Centro (Calif.) Corps is already providing emergency supplies for children under the custody of the U.S. Customs and Border Protections Office of Field CHILDREN PAGE 7

The Haven explores vet housing in California What the passage of Proposition 41 could mean

The Salvation Army

P.O. Box 22646 Long Beach, CA 90801-5646

BY VIVIAN GATICA California voters in June’s statewide direct primary election voted in favor of Proposition 41, the California Veterans Housing and Homeless Prevention Bond Act, allowing the state to “sell $600 million in general obligation bonds to fund affordable multifamily housing for low-income and homeless veterans,” according to the Official Voter Information Guide. The Salvation Army Haven Program in Los

Angeles already provides emergency housing to at-risk and homeless veterans, but Haven Director Jessica Brown-Mason said she hopes the passage of Proposition 41 will prompt The Salvation Army to explore adding permanent housing to its offerings. “A project of this magnitude could be income-generating for long-term sustainability,” Brown-Mason said. “Additionally, having The Salvation Army increase its footprint in the permanent supportive housing market would be in alignment with escalating our brand and market share within the local social services arena.” According to Brown-Mason, the measure complements the Department of Veteran Af-

fairs (VA) Housing First model, which requires that supportive services be offered to homeless individuals and families in addition to housing. “Proposition 41 may increase the level and demand of supportive services teams to support these individuals,” she said. However, additional permanent housing and presumably fewer homeless veterans may mean curtailing emergency and transitional housing. Brown-Mason said that once the VA declares the end of veteran homelessness, or “Functions Zero Level,” no additional shelters will be built and veterans will only be served with VETERANS PAGE 2

Page 2—New Frontier CHRONICLE • July 2014

ON THE CORNER

VETERANS

BY BOB DOCTER

Parents as models

Father’s Day, often, arrives concurrently with the commissioning of cadets as it did last month, and thus does not take precedent in print. For me, however, Father’s Day nudges distant memories and awakens strong feelings that bring with them tears and joy, pain and pleasure, marvel and wonder. My father, who never knew his own father, revealed qualities of commitment, creativity and always compassion. With generosity and joy, he gave them to his sons. He mixed them with humor, cautious freedom and an abiding love. My twin brother Richard and I had wonderful modeling from both parents, and both made major contributions to each of our identities, our value structure, our personalities, and the nature of our relationship with God. We are forever grateful for these gifts. Diane and I, along with our six children and their families, celebrated Father’s Day a week late. Besides the fun and festivities, it gave me an opportunity to read to them material my brother had written for the program of our father’s memorial service. He captured his essence with beauty, poignancy and love. I wanted our family to grasp a sense of their heritage. My brother wrote: Lloyd Wilfrid Docter was born in Helena, Mont., on March 3, 1899. His early years were very difficult for he was not planted by the rivers of water. Without a father in the home, this only son took responsibility while very young to assist his mother though difficult years. He was proud of his beginnings as a newsboy on the streets of Great Falls, and he cherished memories of finding scraps of coal along the railroad tracks in this city where winter could inflict pain. He joined The Salvation Army following a street meeting conducted by Annie Hurst and Maud Williams, and his final resting place will be within an arm’s reach of these dear comrades. Entering The Salvation Army Training College in Chicago at the age of 16, the mainstream of his life was devoted entirely to this Army of God. His officership spanned a period of 31 years and included almost every possible kind of appointment. He served as a corps officer in the small mining towns of Colorado and Montana, aide to Commissioner Adam Gifford and Commissioner George Davis, and served in many divisional and staff positions. In 1922 he was married to Violet Muriel Hay, the daughter of Lt. Colonel and Mrs. John W. Hay, who pioneered The

Salvation Army’s work in Canada and the Western United States. No wife ever showed greater loyalty and devotion to a husband. A son, Wilfrid Barnard Docter, was born in 1924, to be taken only 18 months later in a tragic accident. His twin sons, Robert and Richard, born in 1928, were a source of pride and satisfaction to him. While he shared his life with many, he held his family closest of all and took comfort in their presence during the closing days of his life. Lloyd Docter will be remembered as a dedicated, hard-working man with a mission who never gave up until the job was finished. He dreamed bigger dreams and drew broader plans than most of us can, and when he took leadership, we always knew that everything was under control. He’s gone now, but he gave us a rich heritage to treasure and traditions that will endure, for this was the man with the biggest heart of all. As the shadows lengthened into evening on the final day of Nineteen hundred sixty-two, Lloyd Docter expressed these words to his pastor, Captain Robert Tobin, who recorded them faithfully. He never preached a more eloquent sermon, and we treasure this final message from a man whose work on earth was complete. At a time like this I’ve come to realize that God is as big as our need, as great as our faith, as sure as our dependence on him. He is limited in this way not because of his inability to do more, but because of our inability to receive more. I’ve come to wonder about the phrase, “should not perish.” It’s not part of God’s plan that any should perish in a physical sense. We can live our lives the way we want, and our bodies give out, not because it’s God’s plan that they should, but because of the decision Adam made for us in the beginning. God’s plan takes over after Adam’s plan has been fulfilled. He gives us eternal life because of our acceptance of his plan. The beauty of a lifetime of closeness to God is to be found in the fact that there is no reason or need to act out your religion at a time like this. There is no need to fold napkins or light candles or fulfill any ritual. There is not even any reason to say any special prayers. My life has been in his control for a long time and I just say to him: ‘Well Lord, I’ve had a coronary, but I’m still yours.’ My final words to him on the evening of Jan. 4, 1963, were, “See you later, dad, I love you”—and I will.|NFC

A resurrection call for The Salvation Army OPINION BY ROB BIRKS, MAJOR We are a resurrection Army! Not merely hypothetically or theoretically, or even theologically, but in real life, in real time. In our time! In God’s timing. We believe that Christ’s body was once dead—not sleeping—dead. Otherwise, there was no resurrection. Some, perhaps many, of the corps in our territory are dead, not sleeping, dead. If not dead, then dying. If not dying, then unhealthy. If not unhealthy, then not alive and kicking down the gates of hell, looking for others who are dying—others in need of resurrection. Many of us believe that the Harvest Initiative—to connect the Adult Rehabilitation Centers (ARCs) and corps—is a “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done” kind of vision, an idea whose time has come, and, if we aren’t careful, an idea whose time will have gone. If, however, by God’s good grace, we go for it and get it right, not only will a multitude of women and men from ARCs find a place in this movement

to live out the Great Commandment and the Great Commission, but the same may happen for a multitude of men and women currently in the movement—many who grew up in the corps, but don’t get out much. Remember. Repent. Revive. Getting up close and personal with women and men whose lives have been transformed has the potential of reminding us who we are, and what we are meant to be about. Hopefully, this realization, combined with the kindness of God, will lead us into repentance not only over sins of commission, including our own addictions, but over sins of no mission. Having remembered and repented, we will be ripe for resurrection—for revival! If, like Ezekiel, we allow the hand of the Lord to come upon us—If, like Ezekiel, we allow ourselves to be brought out by the Spirit of the Lord to a valley of dry bones— If, like Ezekiel, we allow that same Holy Spirit to lead us back and forth among those bones, we may hear the voice of the Lord ask, as he asked Ezekiel: “Can these bones live?” “Sovereign Lord, you alone know,” we

might reply in unison. Then the Lord might say to us, as he said to Ezekiel: “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord” (Ezekiel 37:4-6). And, if we’re graced with obedience and courage, as Ezekiel was, we might hear a noise, as did Ezekiel, the rattling sound of bones coming together, bone to bone. And we might see tendons and flesh appear on them and skin cover them. And we might witness breath entering into these bodies, that they may live—that they may stand on their feet—that they may become a vast Army. A resurrection Army! Resurrection is infectious. Transformation is contagious. May we catch both and never recover. To the glory of God! Amen and hallelujah!|NFC

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR APPRECIATION FOR CHRONICLE I got my hands on the New Frontier Chronicle last week and completely enjoyed the articles. Moreover, I appreciated the information reported in the paper and the fact that The Salvation Army has this platform and resource available for people to learn about the work God’s empowering the Army to do. Esther Cherubin, New York, N.Y. HARRY SPARKS EULOGY I so much enjoyed your eulogy to Harry Sparks (“On the Corner,” June 2014). You have painted a true picture of Harry, he was

all that and more. I had the privilege to work with him back in the day at the Red Shield. We had great times and we had our share of hard times, too. I remember all his stories of adventure and mischief growing up. How fondly he spoke of his mother and the love for The Salvation Army. When I hear Harry Sparks name it makes me smile because I remember all the Spanish words he would rattle off like it was a setnence...Alamagordo, Pico & Sepulveda, and bessame mucho! What a character he was kind to both young and old. There is an added musician in that big band in the sky. Norma Arellano, Bonaire, Ga.

FROM PAGE 1

the end of veteran homelessness, or “Functions Zero Level,” no additional shelters will be built and veterans will only be served with existing resources. “I believe that this impact may be evident five to eight years down the line,” Brown-Mason said. “There will always be a need for emergency and transitional services.” Offering permanent housing for veterans at The Haven will allow it to expand its services and increase its presence in the community, Brown-Mason said. The Haven is already weighing a partnership with the VA and other service agencies to implement the Assertive Community Treatment model, which links individuals with mental illness to psychiatric treatment, rehabilitation and support. “The outreach efforts are designed to locate homeless veterans and link them to mainstream services, including the resources developed through Proposition 41,” Brown-Mason said. She believes that local Salvation Army corps and Adult Rehabilitation Centers could also access these potential permanent housing programs and direct their veteran populations to them. “The Salvation Army has an extensive Continuum of Care, as well as the most pronounced presence within the region,” she said. “If [the Army] utilizes Proposition 41 funds and expands its presence in the development of permanent housing, it will strengthen its presence within the market.”|NFC

PEOPLE COUNT IN THE WEST Decisions for Christ

2,931

Worship attendance

106,727

Became members People helped

590 934,201

People referred

3,702

Data for June 2014. See more at peoplecountusw.org.

is published monthly by The Salvation Army USA Western Territory P.O. Box 22646 Long Beach, CA 90802-9998 Commissioner James Knaggs, Territorial Commander Colonel Dave Hudson, Chief Secretary

newfrontierpublications.org Member of the Evangelical Press Association EDITORIAL STAFF Robert L. Docter, Editor-In-Chief 562/491-8330 bob.docter@usw.salvationarmy.org Christin Davis, Managing Editor 562/491-8723 christin.davis@usw.salvationarmy.org Erica Andrews • 562/491-8334 erica.andrews@usw.salvationarmy.org Vivian Gatica • 562/491-8782 vivian.gatica@usw.salvationarmy.org Karen Gleason • 562/491-8332 karen.gleason@usw.salvationarmy.org Major Kevin Jackson • 562/491-8303 kevin.jackson@usw.salvationarmy.org Major Linda Jackson • 562/491-8306 linda.jackson@usw.salvationarmy.org Jared McKiernan • 562/491-8417 jared.mckiernan@usw.salvationarmy.org ONLINE AND SOCIAL MEDIA Shannon Forrey, Web Editor • 562/491-8329 shannon.forrey@usw.salvationarmy.org LAYOUT AND DESIGN Kevin Dobruck, Art Director • 562/491-8328 kevin.dobruck@usw.salvationarmy.org Adriana Rivera, Graphic Designer • 562/491-8331 adriana.rivera@usw.salvationarmy.org Patricia Garcia, Intern • 562/491-8326 patricia.garcia@usw.salvationarmy.org ADVERTISING/BUSINESS Karen Gleason, Business Manager • 562/491-8332 karen.gleason@usw.salvationarmy.org CIRCULATION Arlene De Jesus, Circulation Manager • 562/491-8343 arlene.dejesus@usw.salvationarmy.org ISSN 2164-5930

July 2014 • New Frontier CHRONICLE—Page 3

The Salvation Army Siemon Youth and Community Center is an outlet for kids in South Los Angeles. BY CHADWICK PHILLIPS

Mortimer Jones

etween 1999 and 2012, the percent of Los Angeles County gang-related homicides rose almost 40 percent. Youth violence is of particular concern in South Los Angeles and so The Salvation Army’s Siemon Youth and Community Center is there too. “Our mission is to impact the community through education, technology, sports, and also helping families with emergency assistance,” said Executive Director Mortimer Jones, who played a key role in opening the center in 2003. “Overall, our mission is to take a holistic approach to meeting someone’s needs.” The center houses a licensed child care center, gym and weight room, arts and crafts room, computer center, classroom, dance and performing arts studio, photo lab, and a library. Through its Family Services office, it offers living assistance to low-income families as well as emergency assistance—food, clothing, lodging, local transportation, rental assistance, utility assistance and crisis counseling. “I’ve learned that you have to listen to the community and those that you are serving and then design programs in order to tailor to the community’s needs,” Jones said. “Communities have their own unique

personalities and in turn their own unique needs.” One of the center’s biggest goals is to extricate teens from the cycle of violence, starting when they’re young. A licensed Child Care Center on site provides a safe and caring environment for over 70 children from infancy through five years while after school programs give school-age children the opportunity to explore their talents in sports, art, and music. “Our academics and tutoring programs are huge,” Jones said. “Although they would like to, many of our families can’t help because of the language barrier, they have two or three jobs, or they just don’t know how to, so our volunteers work one-on-one with children to provide homework help.” Jones said he believes the center has been successful because the people who are providing the service, the volunteers and employees, are passionate about making a difference. “We are not just showing up to work; it’s not just a job,” he said. “This is something we are passionate about and we will go above and beyond to make a difference in an individual’s life.” LaRon Armstead, 24, knows first-hand of the influence of the Siemon Youth and Community Center. Born into poverty, Armstead grew up in one of the toughest South L.A. neighborhoods surrounded by drug dealing, drug addiction, and gang life. By the time he was in the seventh grade he had fallen into the stereotype of a “gang-banger” and was involved with dealing drugs on the street. “Growing up in a community where it’s gang infested and crime ridden, you don’t really see those individuals as negative influences. That’s all I knew. So growing up I thought those guys were cool,” Armstead said. “As a young teenager, seeing those people in my neighborhood selling drugs was what I was used to.” As a junior high student, Armstead wasn’t doing well in school and decided he needed a way to stay free of the gangs. “As I started to mature and go to The Salvation Army every day, I started to become more open minded and I started to really see that the people in my neighborhood were not really going anywhere,” he said. “The individuals who I looked up to were bad influences. I didn’t see it that way at the time, but as I reflect on it, those people were on a path that was going nowhere in life and I wanted more. I didn’t want to fight every day or to sell drugs.” When Armstead entered the program, he crossed paths with youth director Andre Patterson. Instead of seeing Armstead as a teenager on his way to being a gangster, Patterson saw a boy who had the potential to grow into a man. “Before The Salvation Army, I had one option and that was to become like the individuals before me. The Salvation Army gave me a second option,” Armstead said. “I could have taken one of two paths—either choose the gang life or The Salvation Army life and turn my life around.” He chose the latter and spent every spare hour at the center surrounded by nurturing adults. His grades improved and his use of the center’s sports activities revealed a talent for basketball. “It was the simple things; we were caring. We gave the time the kid was asking for and we listened. There was always an adult there to play ball with him,” Jones said. “Even after a grueling high school basketball workout, he would still come here and work out and play ball. He knew he had a safe, loving environment to come to.” Armstead received an offer from Loyola Marymount University to play basketball and get an education. After graduating with a degree in sociology, Armstead returned to Loyola to work as a graduate assistant in the School of Education and is currently working on receiving a master’s degree. “The Salvation Army gave me a new life,” Armstead said. “It gave me the opportunity to see the world kind of how it truly is, so to say. It gave me the opportunity to look past the four corners of my neighborhood and see that there were other things in life that I could pursue. It let me know that I could do anything in life as long as I put my mind to it and give my all.” Armstead continues to visit The Salvation Army Siemon Youth and Community Center every week and is involved with summer camps there. He is committed to becoming a mentor to young people. “I try and be a role model to everyone I encounter,” Armstead said. “I really want to implement change in not only my community, but in all communities. It’s about helping everyone who needs help.”|NFC

BREAKING LaRon Armst

ead

THE CYCLE Salvation Army Siemon Youth and Community Center Christian Ministry Coordinator Rachel Vasquez works on art projects with kids.

Page 4—New Frontier CHRONICLE • July 2014

Junior FBI agents meet in Los Angeles Westwood Transitional Shelter holds third camp with the FBI

Junior FBI agents-in-training learn to operate the remote-controlled bomb robot.

For the third year, The Salvation Army’s Westwood Transitional Village hosted a Junior FBI Agent camp at its Los Angeles center for kids, ages 7-11. “I think when kids get to be exposed to programs like this they get to see things outside their own environments, and they get to have fun, they get to meet other kids in the program, they get to do things they normally wouldn’t do, they learn a lot,” said Susan Froomer, camp coordinator. “We talk about staying in school, Watch a video from the respecting adults, doing the right thing Junior FBI Agent camp at newfrontierchronicle. and being kind to others.” The Westwood Transitional Village is org/fbicamp2014 a 40-unit residential housing facility that provides supportive services to families experiencing homelessness. Families can spend up to two years at the village while they stabilize and acquire skills and resources needed for independent living. Roughly 150 people live there at a time, with two-thirds of the population being children. National Center on Family Homelessness data suggests that underprivileged youth are twice as likely to be expelled, get suspended, or drop out of high school. To combat this trend among its residents, the Westwood Transitional Village teamed with the FBI to encourage youth to stay on the right side of the law. From June 23-27, the junior agents-in-training learned what it means to be in the FBI. With FBI Special Agent Daric Manser, campers operated the remote-controlled bomb robot to learn how bombs are safely deactivated.

Campers meet Duke, an FBI bomb-sniffing dog.

“I think it’s important that the FBI participate in this because people gather more from a one-on-one relationship,” Manser said. “Being able to go out and meet people, talk with people, demonstrate, show things on a one-one-one basis, you can’t beat that.” In addition campers met Duke, a bomb-sniffing dog, learned about gang activity, Internet safety, martial arts, and water safety. On the final day, they toured FBI headquarters in the Federal Building in Westwood and received junior agent certificates of completion.|NFC

Territorial Officer Institute reunites 2013 session

The Proclaimers of the Resurrection session with (front row l-r) Majors Harry and Marina Lacey, David Hodge, Majors Jeff and Eloisa Martin, and Lt. Tersy Matto. |Photo by Karen Lovelady, Lt.

BOLIVIA

The Proclaimers of the Resurrection, commissioned and appointed in 2013, gathered in celebration of their first year of service at the Territorial Officer Institute (TOI) during the 2014 Commissioning weekend. The TOI is held twice for each session of officers—in June of their first year as lieutenants and in January of their fifth year. “The purpose of this event is for spiritual renewal and a time of reconnecting to help the officers as they process their experiences and challenges during the formative years in their ministry,” said Major Jeff Martin, territorial education secretary. Sessions include interaction with officers from the personnel and education departments, time to worship together, and this June a meal at the College

for Officer Training at Crestmont with the current sessions. Keynote speaker David Hodge, founder of Anchor Training and Leadership Training, imparted wisdom through the story of Nehemiah on biblical leadership. Hodge shared with the lieutenants teaching, enthralling storytelling, and wise words. “During this time the Proclaimers shared in many cherished moments,” said Lt. Aimee Docherty, a member of the session. “Some were filled with sweet fellowship and laughter. There were other moments of intense, Spirit-filled prayer where the lieutenants came together in unified support of each other’s unique journey.”|NFC

FROM PAGE 1

The choir forwarded funds to provide ophthalmology exams, refractions and glasses for boys at The Salvation Army María Remedios Asín home for boys in Viacha, and for 10 girls to receive prescription glasses at The Evangelina Booth Home for Girls in Cochabamba—as well as food supplies for its bakery, Hogar Dulce Hogar, where the girls learn vocational culinary skills. Both homes received donations for building repairs as well. In August 2013, a team from CCC—which included van Kranenburg, Dino Putrino, Georgia Vreeken, and Mike Hedges—traveled to Bolivia to assess needs and deliver 12 computers for use as vocational aids at the two homes and William Booth School in Oruro. “The Salvation Army decreases the burden on the rest of the community and frees up the resources so that there is a greater distribution among the people,” Vreeken said. “The programs keep the children from living desperate lives on the street, many times being the only safety net they have.”

Shortly after the group’s visit, CCC launched the Orphan Sponsors website to create worldwide assistance for The Salvation Army’s work “It’s a way to trumpet the Army’s success from the human and spiritual side, as well as generate funds to shoreup financially the Army’s underfunded programs, and repair their crumbling facilities and infrastructure,” van Kranenburg said. Through a collaboration between CCC and The Salvation Army Western Territory World Missions/Overseas Child Sponsorship office, most recently led by Majors David and Linda Harmon, funds come to the Army earmarked for the work in Bolivia. The site is now developing a vocational welding program at the María Remedios Asín home to provide the older boys a tradeskill and create a sustainable income source by offering contract welding services to the community. “We recognize the grave importance of training and

equipping the boys with the resources they need to break the poverty cycle,” Vreeken said. The Salvation Army home received the necessary $3,500 in donations, via orphansponsors.org partnerships, to purchase welding equipment and The Salvation Army will supply teaching staff. Phase II of the project is to erect a new, well ventilated building to house the actual welding shop—which will be a primarily metal building welded together by the older boys, under the supervision of a trained welder. This will begin as soon as the $7,500 needed is raised. “Our hope is to see the two vocational programs set in motion complete, and the young men and women leaving the Army’s care self-sufficient with a trade or marketable skill,” van Kranenburg said. “They’ll be able to stand on their own with dignity and pride, knowing it was The Salvation Army that freed them from a life of poverty.”|NFC

July 2014 • New Frontier CHRONICLE—Page 5

Canoga Park Adult Rehabilitation Center celebrates ribbon cutting at Sustainable Farm and Monarch Habitat

BY CHADWICK PHILLIPS

the dirt

The men of the Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC) in Canoga Park were joined by members of the community to celebrate the completion of the ARC Sustainable Farm and Monarch Butterfly Habitat June 21. At $10 a plot, the Canoga Park ARC recently purchased three plots of land at the community gardens located at the Orcutt Ranch Horticultural Center in West Hills, Calif. A Salvation Army advisory council board member, Emilia Neudorff, was instrumental in creating and managing the community garden along with the men of the ARC. “The idea to do a community garden came from my love of gardening,” Neudorff said. “Gardening is a very therapeutic thing for me to do, so I thought maybe it would be a good thing for the men too.” Neudorff aims to grow fruits and vegetables to take back to the ARC to share and eat. She emphasizes the phrase “redeeming the dirt,” using the garden as a way to help save lives and give back. “Redeeming the dirt is a saying that kind of parallels with what the Lord is doing in our lives; he is redeeming our dirt,” Neudorff said. According to Neudorff, this farming project has been successful for the last few months, providing pride and satisfaction in hard work with biblical lessons to parallel the work. Opening in March, the men of the Canoga Park ARC have come to the garden every Saturday for two hours to plant, water, and maintain the land. The garden includes a multitude of produce including peppers, tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers, and watermelon. “I can definitely see our goals starting to be met,” Neudorff said. “I wanted this project to be like a work therapy where the men could just come outdoors and forget their troubles and I can see that happening.” Daigh Walker, a beneficiary of the ARC for about five months, has worked on the garden since it opened. “I’ve been here since we broke ground,” Walker said. “We started from the bottom having just seeds and a plot of dirt and now we can make a pot of soup from what we have grown.” Walker sees the garden as a place to get away from

Top: A Canoga Park ARC beneficiary harvests radishes. Above left: Strawberries grow in tiered boxes. Right: A beneficiary waters the garden. |Photos by Chadwick Phillips

everyday life and an opportunity to work on his hands and knees in the dirt and fresh air. An electrician by trade, Walker said he has put 45 hours of work into the garden, volunteering as often as he can. “This project gives me some type of hope that there is community out there,” Walker said. “It’s rewarding to me and I’m proud to be a part of something that is going to help other men not just right now but hopefully for generations.” Walker is excited to bring his young son to the garden and teach him about planting and harvesting. “When my son used to bring his plants and seeds home from school, we would go by the directions on the package or by guessing,” Walker said. “Now, I’ll be able to bring him here and show him how much I’ve learned. I’m gaining so much from this.” Walker said the best part about working on the garden

is being able to work with Neudorff. “Mrs. Emilia is excellent,” Walker said. “Her heart and mind are in it. She gets it to where the guys can understand how to do it. It’s beautiful how she had brought these men, men with issues, to come back to life and how to put our hearts into something.” Although the project is still in its early stages, the hope is that it will lead to a new learning experience called “Farm to Table.” Neudorff, along with the men, are planning to use the crops in making jams, jellies, and preserves. The men will not only receive knowledge on how to cook and can fruits, but will also learn the sales and marketing skills needed for a small business venture. “I’m just very proud of the men,” Neudorff said. “They come out and they work so hard. They just give a lot of what they have to give and they’re just very positive about it.”|NFC

Page 6—New Frontier CHRONICLE • July 2014

WESTERN TERRITORY EXPERIENCES POSITIVE STATISTICS HIKES Increases seen in 32 of 45 key Health Summar y Repor t categories 2013

Men’s ministries 2014 average attendance per meeting

2013

2014

Women’s ministries average attendance per week

Las Vegas Area Coord., NV 86

Rita, RMI* 120

Santa Ana Temple, CA 41

Sacramento Citadel, CA 82

Watsonville, CA 36

Medford, OR 79

Laura, RMI* 78

Intermountain DHQ, CO 32

San Jose Temple,CA 30

2013 2014

Tustin Ranch, CA 67

24 0

100

120

Sunday school 2014 average attendance per week 2013

Number of adult seekers for the period

Aurora, CO 1,664

1483

Santa Ana Temple, CA 195

El Centro, CA 815

329

East Los Angeles Temple, 171

Ontario, CA 686

221 467

Hayward, CA 471

170

Roswell, NM 376

500

2013 2014

1000

1500

2000

Rita, RMI* 156

Reno, NV 142

Pasadena Tabernacle 132

2013 2014

Sunday morning average attendance per week

Kroc Corps Center Hawaii 343

Rita, RMI* 322

100

150

Persons served per week

El Centro, CA 2,495

1339

Chula Vista, CA 2,171

261 954

Anaheim, CA 282

Las Vegas Day Resource, NV 1,835

Sacramento Citadel, CA 270

Spokane Citadel, WA 1,819

Pasadena Tabernacle, CA 243

Valley of the Sun Coord., AZ 1,647

100

150

200

250

300

350

200

500

1000

1500

2000

2500 *Republic of Marshall Islands

THE SALVATION ARMY Western Territory’s 2014 Health Summary Report, which measures program activity, indicated increases in 32 of the 45 key statistical categories as compared to last year. These numbers are collected within the first seven months of the program year (October-April). “While there is often an ebb and flow to statistics from month to month in a variety of categories, the report indicates a positive trend throughout the territory,” said Lt. Colonel Edward Hill, territorial secretary for program. “There are a number of reasons for this, including the success of the Harvest Initiative, the exceptional growth experienced by most of our Kroc Center Corps, an in-

creasing focus on People Count, and the more careful recording of activity by our people in the field. All of these reasons—and others—are crucial for continued growth in the Western Territory.” Overall turnout at worship meetings is up from last year, with Sunday morning meeting attendance up from 567,484 to 579,483. Men’s ministries attendance is up 14 percent, while women’s ministries experienced a 5 percent decline. Outreach has improved with a 16 percent growth in adult seekers and 25 percent growth in youth seekers. A 6 percent increase is seen in persons served, from 2,696,385 last year to 2,852,160. “More growth statistically translates into the saving of more souls, the raising of more saints, and the serving of more people in need; we need to continually remind ourselves that statistics are more than just numbers. They represent the individual lives of people and their families who are being impacted by the Army’s mission,” Hill said. “We need to be diligent in not only carrying forward our ministry, but also recording what God is doing so we

can use the data as one tool in evaluating the effectiveness of what is being accomplished.” Hill hopes that the territory will continue to better itself. “The goal of the Western Territory is always continued growth in the quality of our programs, more healthy units providing service, and an increase in the number of people being brought to a salvation experience,” Hill said. “Once people are saved, they must be nurtured to be good disciples, equipped for service, and then meaningfully engaged in ministry as soldiers are sent out to impact their communities as Christ-like representatives of God and The Salvation Army.”|NFC

July 2014 • New Frontier CHRONICLE—Page 7

The work I do here gives me a full feeling of love and helping people.

—RUTH HAYNES

Frontier Press makes changes Western Territory publisher to launch new website this month

BY PAULA McCAMBRIDGE

he room lights up when Ruth Haynes, 81, walks in. She stops to greet each person, often with a hug. It’s the way she treats both co-workers and clients she meets through The Salvation Army Service Extension in Paso Robles, Calif., where she has volunteered for 45 years. While raising her own five children alongside her husband, Vern, a Baptist minister, Haynes returned to school to earn a teaching credential. She taught elementary school in Paso Robles, Calif., and says The Salvation Army found her. “Pastor Paul Brown at the First Baptist Church came to my home to talk about it; it was just getting organized here at that time,” she said. “I told him I had a little child, a little baby not yet in school. He came back and said, ‘You can bring her with you.’ We were meeting at Crocker Citizen Bank at that time.” That was the beginning, around 1969, which lead to a 45-year career donating time to the Army. “Ruth is so kind, and I don’t say that about many people—she’s so beautiful inside and out, very kind to the clients,” said Beth Quaintance, service extension representative. “It is amazing to have Ruth still volunteering as an interviewer once a week…Ruth is soft spoken…She cares so much for people and is driven by her beliefs to help those around her. She has a made a difference in each and every life she touches.” But Haynes is slow to take a lot of credit for her work. Instead, she credits fellow volunteers like George Stoltenberg who she met toward the beginning of her volunteer experience. “He was a big part of The Salvation Army,” she said. “Talk about him, not me. He had creative ideas about helping people in need.” There is no question that Stoltenberg’s work was meaningful, but so is Haynes’, though she is humble. “What makes me volunteer…,” she thought for a minute. “My husband knew the need of being hungry, so it

CHILDREN

MEET RUTH HAYNES was in my heart. I didn’t want people to be hungry.” The Salvation Army has awarded Haynes for her work over the years, and she looked on the awards with gratitude as she described the feeling of being recognized for her work. “The awards, they made me cry,” she said. “I didn’t know anyone was paying attention.” Betty Aikenhead, who has volunteered with Haynes for 12 years, said they go to the Community Care Ministries at Christmas and sing.

“Not with great voices, but we’d sing,” Aikenhead said. “This epitomizes what Ruth is—she’s a very special lady. I just adore this woman.” Haynes also sings the praises of The Salvation Army and the difference it makes in the lives of others. “The work I do here gives me a full feeling of love and helping people,” she said. “To me, it’s just helping people. “I love the Lord, and I have much to be thankful for,” Haynes said. “Here, it’s about helping people in this environment of teamwork.”|NFC

FROM PAGE 1

Operations at the Calexico border station, which has asked the corps for help feeding the children, as well as clothing. He also said that the Southwest Division is planning on providing emergency supplies in conjunction with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), while the Southern California Division is looking at providing emergency shelter for children at sites to be determined, as well as providing emergency support for the 600-bed government shelter in Ventura, Calif., as needed. “The goal is to alleviate the suffering of the unaccompanied children through emergency care, and to provide reunification services for families,” Shiroma said. Additionally, The Salvation Army Texas Division is work-

ing closely with a number of Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) partners to ensure the comfort and well being of children along the border in the towns of Brownsville, Harlingen, McAllen and El Paso. Daily, as many as 1,300 to 1,500 children are served with goods including clothing, hygiene products, cots and blankets. The El Paso Area Command has provided for an average of 25 affected children daily since May 21 and anticipates continuing for two more weeks per Major Mike Morton, El Paso area commander. Shiroma said, “This is a very fluid and dynamic situation that we are continuing to monitor closely.”|NFC

Frontier Press, The Salvation Army New Frontier Publications’ book publishing division, overseen by Associate Editors Majors Kevin and Linda Jackson, modified its approach to book selection and targeting audiences. “We’re trying to be a bit more selective—by selective I mean more relevant to the Army today,” said Kevin Jackson. “We’re [also] trying to move from an older generation of writers to a younger one. To reach a younger audience and keep our validity, we had to start looking at topics and approaches to literature that are a little more relevant.” Part of this change is opening publishing opportunities to not only officers, but other Salvationists and people connected to the Army as well. “There are great writers out there; let’s find them and publish them,” Jackson said. Upcoming books for Frontier Press include Maud, Emma, Evangeline: America’s Love Affair With the Three Booth Women by R.G Moyles and Cost: Personal Sacrifice and the Choice to Follow, a collaboration between the Jacksons and Grant Whitehead, social media chaplain for the Western Territory, on the cost of discipleship in the 21st century and written in response to Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s The Cost of Discipleship (Touchstone, 1995). Other projects in the works include a follow-up book to OrsbornAgain by Major Rob Birks on the writings of General John Gowans (Ret.), a new book on Revelation from a non-technical Salvation Army perspective, a graphic novel, and a book of contemporary poetry and photography by a young Salvation Army officer. “We’ve got a lot of planes on the runway that are going to be coming out within a month or two of each other,” Jackson said. The Jacksons said anthologies are also in progress. One of these projects, titled Telling Our Stories, will be published three times a year, detailing Salvation Army history in the American West. The other will be a compilation, published twice a year, of shorter works—including poetry—from a variety of writers. “I think our culture has become a little more introspective than it’s been in previous years, and when you get an introspective culture, they tend to want to produce something...for a lot of people, that is writing,” Jackson said. “The world has changed and The Salvation Army has changed, so our writing should change with those things.” Frontier Press will launch its new website (frontierpress.org) this month. “That’s what people just go for; they want to go to your website first and see what you’re all about,” said Linda Jackson. “Our new website will not only highlight books we’ve published, but also the authors and the story behind them.” It will feature interviews with Frontier Press-published authors, Salvationist online book clubs, contact pages for people to submit ideas, and direct links to Amazon for readers to purchase books. The Jacksons are making it their goal to continue to expand the Frontier Press audience and improve the quality of writing they publish. “We shouldn’t be publishing books for the sake of publishing them,” Kevin Jackson said. “We should be publishing books that are helpful and worthwhile.”|NFC

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July 2014 • New Frontier CHRONICLE—Page 9

Southern California

Coming full circle

camp director seeks to serve youth through the camp experience that inspired him.

BY SAM ELDERS

“This has pretty much been my life,” said Marty Brown, camp director of The Salvation Army’s Camps Mt. Crags and Gilmore, a secluded property nestled in the scenic Santa Monica Mountain range in Malibu, Calif. “It’s a special place to be a part of, and you leave this place feeling like you’ve done something good,” he said. “I think I’ve always had an understanding that I want to do a job that means something, and I’ve been fortunate to have found this place.” Every summer since 1939, the property has hosted a series of camps for underprivileged teens and children in the greater Los Angeles area. “Our purpose, and really our mission, is very simple,” Brown said. “It’s to serve inner-city youth that mainly are being underserved. We have a vision of serving those youth in three ways: to create programs that are fun, safe, and promote the personal work of Jesus Christ.” That vision is realized in three camp experiences—Crags, Gilmore and Wilderness. This year, Camp Crags will offer six weeklong themed sessions from adventure, to sports, musical theater, and SAY Camp—a Salvation Army program for kids ages seven to 16. Camp Gilmore will run seven weeklong programs, themed “LEGO;” a choice inspired by the 2014 box office smash “The LEGO Movie.” “We’re talking about how ‘Master Builder’ is such an important part of that movie, and God being our ‘Master Builder,’” Brown said. “There are so many biblical parallels that we’re bringing into our program, so each week is themed with a LEGO set.” And finally, Wilderness Camp features seven weeklong sessions of outdoor activities. Due to its potentially challenging circumstances, the program is geared toward an older age group, and as Brown points out, an experience like this can make a lasting impression on participants. “It’s a really impactful ministry there, because as kids get older they are more in tune with asking deep questions and wondering why God has put them here,” he said. This existential curiosity is nurtured in all three programs. The natural beauty that envelops the camps—the towering cliffs of the Santa Monica Mountains that overshadow the grounds, and the shores of the Pacific Ocean just a stone’s throw away—lends a new perspective to campers, one that is often a welcome change from their home environments. This change of scenery, combined with the camps’ faith-oriented curriculums, can make a significant impact on the lives of these kids. “When a camper comes from the inner-city into a place like this, they can right away just sense that ‘Wow, this is a different place,’ and it really makes them start thinking about God,” Brown said. “There are definitely things that are accomplished in one week of a camper being here. You see them come to an understanding and a belief system in God that they sometimes didn’t have until they arrived.” That end result is exactly what he hopes to foster as camp director. “To impact them with the love of staff that care for them and create great programs, to impact them with God using us to teach them about who he is, those are some of our main goals that we’re trying to accomplish throughout the summer,” he said. Brown’s personal history at the camp is a testament to the profound impact it can have on a person. He first attended Camp Crags at 13, and said he became hooked on the experience. “There were seven possible weeks to come to camp, and I think I went to six of those seven,” he said with a laugh. At age 15 he became a

member of the staff, beginning a streak of 11 consecutive years as a camp employee. He climbed up the ranks, progressing from “maintenance boy to dish washer, to dining room supervisor, to counselor in training, to cabin leader, then head cabin leader, then being on program team, then program director…I just kind of made my way up,” he said. Brown moved to the campground at 18 to work full time. But the impact that Camps Mt. Crags and Gilmore had on his life isn’t limited to just employment opportunities. “I met my wife at this camp,” Brown said. “She worked a summer here coming from Canada, and we met, and got married, and had a reception at this camp.” Their first of three children was born while they were living at the camp, before the family moved to Canada, where Brown attended school and took a job at another Salvation Army camp called Jackson’s Point. It was not long before he returned to Southern California, this time as camp director. “As I was coming to the end of my graduate studies and we had our third child, I got a call asking if I wanted to come work here,” he said. “I was very grateful that God put that before us, and now I’ve been here for about a year and a couple months.” The Southern California Division recently made significant improvements to the property. Every building at Mt. Crags and Gilmore has a new roof, in addition to some general renovations that include new floors, paint jobs and air conditioning. The camp also added new basketball courts and the W. Booth Wiffle Ball Field. Brown revamped the staff structure, and implemented a system to ensure that every camp session reaches full capacity. “A lot of it is about going to our corps and communicating about what spots we have open,” he said. “Taking away barriers, financial barriers, communication barriers, things like that to ensure that we have full camps this summer.” But perhaps the feat that Brown is most proud of is the addition of something he calls the “Timothy Program,” an intra-staff discipleship effort where the senior staff members guide the youth that are employed at the camp. “They’re learning how to work at camp, but they also have leaders who are there to disciple and mentor them through their experience,” he said. Hiring the right staff is a crucial part of the camp’s preparation for this upcoming season; a process that began as soon as the previous season ended. There are 110 staff positions available each summer at Camps Mt. Crags and Gilmore, and Brown goes to great lengths to ensure that the best people are selected, even traveling all the way to England this year to interview potential candidates. He and the other leaders at the camp adhere to a demanding year-round schedule of tasks that need to be completed before the following season, including program development, inventory and re-evaluating what they did the previous summer. Divisional Youth Secretary Captain Sergio Garcia added that spiritual preparation is also an essential ingredient for their success. “If we start the summer spiritually empty, we will burn out halfway through the summer,” he said. The staff never loses sight of its mission as counselors to the youth who attend the camp, emphasizing safety, fun, and spirituality. But as Brown admitted, “If there’s one that’s a little above the rest, it’s that we want [the campers] to understand that there’s a God that’s here, that loves them, and cares for them greatly.” |NFC

It’s a really impactful ministry there, because as kids get older they are more in tune with asking deep questions and wondering why God has put them here.’ —MART Y

BROWN

Clockwise from top: The tree house at Wilderness Camp is decorated with the handprints of former campers. Camp Crags features two full-length basketball courts, a newly renovated pool, and a new wiffle ball field. Camp Director Marty Brown in his office at Mt. Crags & Gilmore Camp and Conference Center. Wilderness Camp features a unique stage area where the staff and campers hold worship sessions. |Photos by Sam Elders

Page 8—New Frontier CHRONICLE • July 2014

July 2014 • New Frontier CHRONICLE—Page 9

Southern California

Coming full circle

camp director seeks to serve youth through the camp experience that inspired him.

BY SAM ELDERS

It’s a really impactful ministry there, because as kids get older they are more in tune with asking deep questions and wondering why God has put them here.’ —MART Y

BROWN

Page 10—New Frontier CHRONICLE • July 2014

Paving brighter futures

Children’s Development Center brings hope to Colombian youth. BY VIVIAN GATICA

mid vast poverty and crime in Colombia, many children find it hard to adapt and grow, often losing sight of what will help them move on and succeed. Colombia’s Salvation Army Children’s Development Center in Ibagué reaches out to at-risk community youth, offering them help in five areas: education, spirituality, psychology, physicality and socialization. “The presence of this program is important in this community because of the rate of vulnerability among its population, not only because of the social stigmas of being residents of this location, but rather the tangible reality that surrounds our youth, given that they are in the middle of a locality that presents symptoms of crime, drug addiction and childhood neglect,” said Captain Fernando Perez, director of the program. “It is necessary that we—as a church with a social calling—support the community with this program in an active and sustainable manner that counteracts the existing problems that surround it.” Children receive educational support from the program through schoolwork assistance and tutoring. Parents are encouraged to participate in classes—which started in March—that discuss the learning problems that the children face. “We help them in communication, writing, mathematics, literature, theater and music,” Perez said. “Our tutors provide accompanying educational guidance to the children with the purpose of improving the skills that they lack, as well as giving them the tools to properly adjust to everyday life.” The center makes spiritual development among youth a top priority, setting aside time for devotionals that teach the children biblical verses that tie into moral values. “Our officer, along with the rest of the team, promotes a spiritual life based on Scripture, instilling its universal values without imposing religiosity,” Perez said. Psychological support is fundamental to the program as it analyzes each child’s mental capabilities to make it easier to develop his or her own personality. The staff psychologist also finds the best learning styles for each individual, measuring potential as well, so that the tutor can establish a more effective learning plan. “The positive results are undeniable from report

Children participate in fun activities at the Children’s Development Center in Ibagné.

cards to feedback from parents and the students themselves, who openly recognize that it’s been a great help facing their doubts, resolving their problems, and overcoming fears that they could not previously identify in their schools alone,” Perez said. In terms of physicality, the program provides nutritional foods for the children to develop healthier lifestyles. Health professionals also visit the center periodically to monitor the health and growth of each participant. “We have the youth participate in health campaigns to maintain their well-being and guarantee their healthy development,” Perez said. Socialization is another big component of the program as The Salvation Army hopes to instill social skills in the children and their families so that they can adequately integrate themselves into society. “This project revives the concept that every person is intelligent,” Perez said. “The goals of this program are focused on developing children who will change the quality of life of their surrounding community, so they are recognized as valued people with great contributions to make toward transforming their own realities and society for the better.”|NFC

‘LEAVE YOUR BLANKET BEHIND’ South Africa’s advertising campaign prompts recognition from the Global Product Council.

The Salvation Army Southern Africa Territory’s public relations team and its advertising agency, OwenKessel Leo Burnett, recently won a Global Product Council (GPC) Award for advertising. “This council critiques agencies just like the Cannes Festival critiques films,” said Major Carin Holmes, public relations secretary for the Southern Africa Territory. “They are hard, tough and will tear you apart.” “Leave Your Blanket Behind” caught the attention of the GPC. Every year The Salvation Army in Southern Africa collects blankets for people experiencing homelessness, especially during the winter. When OwenKessel Leo Burnett South Africa suggested collecting the blankets before they’re needed most, the brainstorming led the agency to one of the country’s favorite summer pastimes—a cricket game for which fans bring blankets to sit on. They printed the simple message, “Leave Your Blanket Behind,” on blankets of their own, and placed them around the grass seating area of the stadium for all to see. Agency and Salvation Army representatives were there to interact with the sports fans. By changing the way the Army had collected blankets in the past—from “donate a blanket” to “leave your blanket behind”—they managed to collect 10 percent of the annual drive in just four hours. The GPC awarded OwenKessel Leo Burnett South Africa a 7.5

rating on its worldwide scale for excellent craft of a good idea, making it only the second South African team to score that high in the past 18 years. The GPC recognizes work on a scale of 1-10: 1 being an idea that damages a brand and 10 being an idea that changes the world. A jury of some of the world’s best creative directors determines the ratings, and there has yet to be a score of 10 for any idea. “An 8 is for advertising that successfully changes people’s behavior so that they change the world,” Holmes said. “We need to strive to get there.” The Salvation Army Southern Africa Territory and OwenKessel Leo Burnett South Africa have enjoyed a long standing relationship; in fact, the agency does its work for the Army on a pro bono basis. Recently, the two organizations have coordinated effective campaigns addressing human trafficking. In 2013 The Salvation Army Southern Africa Territory successfully exhibited at the Johannesburg Sexpo-Health and Lifestyle Expo, spotlighting the plight of trafficked individuals. “We are blessed and honored to be associated with OwenKessel Leo Burnett,” Holmes said. “They truly express and respect that which we as The Salvation Army stand for and strive toward.”|NFC

|Photo courtesy of The Salvation Army Southern Africa Territory

July 2014 • New Frontier CHRONICLE—Page 11

AID

FOR SYRIAN REFUGEES Amid ongoing civil war, five Salvation Army projects are at work.

BY KRISTIN OSTENSEN

or more than three years, civil war has torn the country of Syria apart, resulting in an estimated 150,000 deaths and forcing millions of people to flee their country for safety. More than 1 million have journeyed south to Jordan, where many live in desperate poverty. In the past year, The Salvation Army’s international emergency disaster services stepped in to provide much-needed assistance. Major Ray Brown, international emergency services coordinator, recently explained the Army’s projects:

Above: Major Alison Thompson distributes winterization kits in Jordan. Top right: Salvation Army emergency disaster services workers meet with Syrian refugees living in informal communities in Jordan.

How did The Salvation Army get involved with helping Syrian refugees in Jordan? In March 2013, Major Cedric Hills, Envoy Gordon Lewis and I conducted an assessment visit to determine whether Salvation Army work would be feasible in Jordan because there was no Salvation Army presence there. We wanted to have a look and see if we could do anything because the Syrian crisis was ongoing and still is to this day. We discovered that the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), a faith-based non-governmental organization (NGO) that has a long-term office in Jordan, would be happy to work with us, so we started to work out the projects from there. What kind of projects did The Salvation Army undertake? We deployed two teams of two for a couple of months each last fall. They were there to work alongside the Lutherans on five projects. Three of the projects involved distributing winterization kits to vulnerable families. Through the three projects combined, 1,000 families were given kits that included a heater, gas bottle, vouchers for six gas refills to get through the winter, blankets and carpets, as many families live on concrete floors. Families with children also received a warm tracksuit for each child. It gets very cold there—that surprised me. There was deep snow when one of the teams was there, which you don’t expect when you think of Jordan; you think of desert. The other two projects will help with the huge demand for education among the Syrian refugees because the schools close to the border have been overrun by the demands of the people. We built permanent, proper classrooms at two schools. Six classrooms were constructed at one school, and three classrooms at the other. These projects are relatively small compared to the size of the emergency, but they mean that 290 more children will be educated. We visited these schools and they are very well ordered, but overcrowded and desperately short of the facilities that a lot of the western world would take for granted. The schools typically have a waiting list, which is why we decided to work there. Both of our classroom projects finished at the end of May. We met some of the teachers at the schools and they are so pleased that they’ve got this extra capacity. For The Salvation Army, what is the advantage of working with an NGO like the Lutheran World Federation? With the LWF, we were easily able to connect directly with the people they

work with. So in terms of sustainability, we weren’t choosing people out of the blue; we had a targeted population, which was really helpful. The registration process for the winterization kits was excellent. All those goods went into the hands of needy people. When many people think of refugees, they think of camps. Why did The Salvation Army decide not to work in the camps? We decided to work in the host community because 75 percent of the refugees don’t live in the camps. They live among the Jordanian people. In fact, a lot of them live among the poorest Jordanians. Jordan is not a rich country. It hasn’t got natural resources that some of the other Middle Eastern countries have. The main refugee camp, Zaatari, is now the fourth-largest city in Jordan, and many people come through the camps, but choose not to live there. That choice, however, has its own problems. The rents have gone up. There’s very little capacity left. And the employment situation is becoming difficult because Syrian refugees are willing to undercut the cost of labour. At the low end of the market in Jordan, Egyptians would come in to do a lot of the manual work. But they’re being undercut by the refugees so there are some tensions. What are the conditions in the area where The Salvation Army is working? We’re working in the Amman area [capital of Jordan] and up to the border. It’s obvious that there is a huge refugee problem. As you go toward Syria from Amman, it becomes clearer that people are living in more poverty. There’s more pressure on facilities and infrastructure, schools are overcrowded and there’s more people hanging about because they’ve got no work to do. As you go further north, you spot ‘informal communities,’ which is where refugees have come over the border and set up their own small camps. We visited one bearing in mind that these people have been there for up to two years now; they’re living in homes made of canvas and cardboard walls. They have very little in terms of wash facilities such as latrines and washing-up bowls. The poverty line in Jordan is 68 Jordanian dinars [USD $96] a month; these people live on about 24 dinars [USD $34]. So they are very, very poor. But at the same time, to visitors like ourselves they are extremely generous. When I was there in March, we went into an informal community and to a home where about nine people lived. There were about 50 people jammed in the house and, all of a sudden, this tray of tea arrived just for us. They’re so generous and yet so needy. What did you take away from your visit to Jordan? The downside is that the problem of Syria hasn’t gone away. My conclusion at the end was, it’s such a massive problem that you can’t see an end to it. You come away a bit despondent because it’s not finished. The world’s attention on troubled spots and disaster areas—whether it’s Syria, the Philippines or Ukraine—only lasts a little while. But the problem is long-term in Syria. That’s one of the reasons why two of our projects focused on education; it’s a longterm project. About 1.2 million refugees have gone into Jordan from Syria, and about 700,000 of them are still living there, as some have come and gone. The needs are massive. Some of them are little things that you wouldn’t necessarily think of. For example, they were desperately short of underwear and shoes. Another area that has been neglected is aids for people with disabilities—wheelchairs, walking sticks and so on. At The Salvation Army’s emergency disaster services, we look for ways to add value to a situation and identify gaps of provision. We don’t try to cover everything; we try to be selective and strategic in what we do. How can Salvationists help support the Army’s international relief efforts? As emergency disaster services based out of International Headquarters, we go out into the field and do our monitoring and assessments and we work out what we can do. We do that on behalf of The Salvation Army as a whole so we feel that everybody is part of our team. So the best thing that Salvationists can do is support their territorial world missions department—financially, but also prayerfully. Salvationists can be confident that we work hard to maximize the impact of their donation. One of the strengths of The Salvation Army is that we’re in 126 countries—that’s a very powerful thing.|NFC — From Salvationist

Page 12—New Frontier CHRONICLE • July 2014

‘Army partners with New Zealand Police and immigration agency to spark dialogue on trafficking and labor exploitation.

Sponsorship recipient Margaret Elgin

‘Mind the Gap’ opens donations online Sponsor delegates from around the world for Boundless 2015 Launched in July 2013, “Mind the Gap” aims to raise the funds to bring 1,500 Salvationists from developing countries to London for Boundless 2015, and you can now donate online. General André Cox set the challenge to help ensure that all 126 Salvation Army countries are represented at The Salvation Army’s international congress. “It will be truly wonderful to see the embodiment of the boundless love of God as peoples from all nations are able to assemble here in London,” Cox said. “Thank you for all that you will do to ensure as many delegates as possible from all over the world are able to attend.” International Headquarters estimates a $3,400 cost per delegate, including a flight, visa, passport, accommodation, meals, five-day congress ticket and a travelcard for in-country transportation. “We need your help to make this sponsorship program happen,” said Louise Rutterford, delegate affairs and volunteer coordinator at the International Congress Office. “Any donation, no matter the amount, will help.” Bramwel Mutinda Kisilu is a sponsored delegate from Kenya. “It is my prayer that [through the congress] the Lord will develop my witness so that I will bless others as the Army has done to me,” he said. Margaret Elgin is a sponsored delegate from Guyana in South America. “I look forward to celebrating God’s faithfulness and blessings in the land where The Salvation Army was born,” she said. “I express my sincere thanks for this opportunity.” Donors who raise more than $500 will be acknowledged on the online Congress Wall of Sponsors. “Corps have pledged funds from collections and special events, headquarters have raised money by holding themed parties with homemade cakes, people have put on craft classes with class fees going to Mind the Gap,” Rutterford said. “It’s fantastic, but we’ve still got a long way to go to reach the target set by the General. We need people to get involved as soon as possible.” See more and donate via sar.my/mindthegap.|NFC

Planning team for the conference (lr): Kevin Hyland, Chris Frazer, Detective Inspector Liam Clinton and Bill Naik.

‘A fair go’ T BY CHRIS FRAZER

he Salvation Army of New Zealand co-hosted an open conference June 5-6 on combating labor exploitation and trafficking throughout the South Pacific, themed “A fair go for everyone.” Government agencies, law enforcement, nongovernment organizations, churches, embassies and more listened, discussed, shared and learned. “People trafficking is a heinous crime and a grave violation of human rights,” said the Minister for Immigration for the New Zealand Parliament, Hon. Michael Woodhouse. Attendees from varying backgrounds, cultures and understandings of the crime sought common ground to address all forms of exploitation. Keynote speaker Kevin Hyland, detective inspector from the special crime directorate on human exploitation and organized crime at London Metropolitan Police, likened those caught in trafficking to drugs in how they are treated as a product with a resale value. His team focuses on protecting the vulnerable, disrupting

ANTI-TRAFFICKING PRAYER RESOURCES NOW AVAILABLE Plan to join in the international prayer day Sept. 28.

Online resources are now available ahead of The Salvation Army’s annual Day of Prayer for Victims of Human Trafficking. This year on Sept. 28, Salvation Army corps and centers around the world are encouraged to call on God through focused prayer to bring hope and freedom to the staggering number of people who are trafficked every year. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, even though more people are becoming aware of the issue, the number of people being trafficked continues to rise. The office noted: “People trafficking is the fastest-growing means by which people are enslaved, the fastest-growing international crime, and one of the largest sources of income for organised crime...There are even reports that some trafficking groups are switching their cargo from drugs to human beings, in a search of high profits at lower risk.” A report by the International Labour Organization estimates that at least 44 percent of the 21 million people who are victims of forced labor

worldwide have been trafficked. This is the eighth year that a day is specifically set aside by The Salvation Army to pray for the victims of trafficking. As in 2011 and 2012, the theme for the 2014 day of prayer is Jesus’ words from John 10:10: “I have come that they may have life.” Resources—including a sermon, Bible study, poem, prayer ideas, PowerPoint presentations and information about The Salvation Army’s anti-trafficking ministry—can be accessed from a new anti-trafficking section of the International Headquarters (IHQ) website (salvationarmy.org/ihq/antitrafficking). The site includes a promotional poster created for the 2014 day of prayer by IHQ Communications Section designer Berni Georges. Further resources will be added to the site between now and September, including French and Spanish translations of the poster. More information about anti-trafficking ministry can be found in the July-September issue of The Salvation Army’s international women’s magazine, Revive.|NFC

the crime of trafficking and engaging with marginalized communities. He emphasized the importance of working collaboratively, citing The Salvation Army in London as a partnering organization of his team. Other speakers covered issues such as the role of banks in tracing the criminal proceeds from trafficking and how businesses can ensure their supply chains are ethical and transparent. Businessman Matthew Morrison discussed the importance of consumer power in growing clean supply chains free from labor exploitation. His organization, All Good, gives farmers and workers the security of a fair and stable price for their produce, the freedom to invest their profits in their communities and the independence to make decisions for their future. He explained that every All Good product is either fair-trade, or sourced directly from farmers to ensure they get a fair deal and benefit from the proceeds of their efforts. “Those who produce much of the food we eat are among the hungriest people in the world,” Morrison said. Online Child Exploitation Across New Zealand, an arm of the New Zealand Police, works on an international task force to protect children from online child abuse. They delivered the final presentation, outlining the struggles and successes to combat this crime against innocent small children: “The worst thing you can do is nothing.”|NFC

July 2014 • New Frontier CHRONICLE—Page 13

Osbornes admitted to Order of the Founder

Liberty is God’s war cry for us... OPINION

LIBERTY

It’s not something that ‘just is’ BY CRAIG D. LOUNSBROUGH

General André Cox admits Commissioners James and Ruth Osborne to the Order of the Founder as Commissioner Don Bell looks on.|Photo courtesy of International Headquarters

Commissioners James and Ruth Osborne receive Army’s highest honor.

he Salvation Army’s international leader, General André Cox, admitted two new members to the Order of the Founder during the USA Southern Territory’s recent commissioning weekend in At-

lanta, Ga. The Order of the Founder, established in 1917, is the highest Salvation Army honor for distinguished service. Now Commissioners James and Ruth Osborne, who soldier at the Clearwater (Fla.) Citadel Corps in retirement, are named among the just over 200 international inductees. The certificate, signed by Cox, acknowledged the Osbornes extraordinary leadership rendered to The Salvation Army in the United States. “This award is given to two individuals who continuously managed to raise the standard of service by exhibiting a high degree of Guidance, Empowerment and Clarity of Mission both as Active Officers and in Post Retirement,” it states. With endorsements from Salvation Army leaders throughout the world, the the Osbornes were nominated by Southern Territory leadership. “They

are both extraordinary examples of what God can do in a person’s heart when totally committed to him,” wrote Territorial Commander Commissioner Don Bell. After retiring in 1993 as national leaders, the Osbornes accepted a total of six interim leadership positions, including a stint in the Western Territory as Cascade pro-tem divisional leaders from September 2007 to February 2008. During their active service, the Osbornes served at Western Territorial Headquarters from 1980-1983—he as chief secretary and she as territorial secretary for women’s ministries. Also in retirement, the couple brought a new energy to the Clearwater Citadel Corps—the Home League became one of the largest women’s groups in the area and the World Services effort became a year-round educational and fundraising mechanism due to their efforts. The nomination proposal states: “Their legacy will last in the hearts of Salvationists and friends of the Army for generations...their continuing service in retirement would no doubt have garnered laud and commendation from the Founder.” |NFC

Kake Corps holds first GED graduation The Salvation Army organizes ceremony for the community’s GED graduates. The Salvation Army in Kake, Alaska, hosted a graduation ceremony for village residents who passed the GED (General Educational Development) examination. “The foundation for this event started during our training at CFOT [College for Officer Training at Crestmont],” said Corps Officer Lt. Michael Evans. “We were taught that when we receive an appointment we are not appointed to the building but to the community. Noel took that to heart.” Kake is a village of about 400 people, and when something bothers a portion of the residents, the rest of the town soon knows about it. After the Kake High School graduation, people who had passed the GED test reportedly felt left out. Not able to “walk” in a graduation ceremony, the accomplishment went unrecognized. “As a GED graduate myself, I understood,” said Corps Officer Lt. Noel Evans. “I never knew what it was like to walk in a service of recognition until I graduated from CFOT. I knew I had to do something to allow people the honor of feeling the emotions that take place during this type of ceremony.” She checked with the Organized Village of Kake, a federally recognized tribal government that serves the community and administers the test, and got the names of everyone who had passed the exam in the last four years. She placed calls to them, asking if they’d like to take part in a ceremony. Six people agreed.

Lt. Noel Evans (l) and Lt. Mike Evans (r) celebrate with GED graduates. |Photo courtesy of The Salvation Army Kake

In less than a week, Evans organized an event that brought together over 85 people to show their respect and support for the graduates. “It was a very nice ceremony,” said Tribal Elder Joel Jackson. “Lieutenants Mike and Noel did a great job. The graduates worked hard to get their GED; this will enable them to earn more money and perhaps they go on to higher education...hopefully this will encourage others to get their GED. So proud of these graduates.” Each graduate chose his or her “walk” music, and could even have their kids alongside them as they made their way to

the podium to receive a certificate of excellence award from the city of Kake and The Salvation Army Kake Corps. “This was awesome,” said GED graduate Dannielle Connolly. “I hope it motivates more people who had problems and could not complete high school to now triumph and get their GED.” Mayor Henrich Kadake, Tribal Elder Ruth Demmert and teacher Stuart Mach all gave speeches to the graduates, and Noel Evans prayed for them. The Evans plan to make this an annual event at the Kake Corps.|NFC

The greatest abuse that we perpetrate on liberty is our assumed right to it. We claim it as our God-given right, and we vigorously decry the unjust desecration of it when we feel that it’s being violated. Too many of us view liberty as something that “just is,” and too few see it as something that “is” only because someone, somewhere was faced with the reality that to keep liberty meant paying a stiff price. Liberty is something that men and women trade their lives for, to ransom their dreams to achieve, and to risk all that life meant to them in order to protect everything that liberty means to everyone else. They’ve come in droves from farms and factories. They’ve left cities and small towns, family businesses and academic pursuits to stand against those who threaten it. And they’ve stood in places like Bunker Hill and San Juan Hill and Cemetery Ridge and Iwo Jima and the DMZ and the winding streets of Baghdad. They never went back to the farm or the factory. Cities and small towns mourned flag-draped coffins. Family businesses struggled on without them, and academic pursuits were left for others to pursue because they had the liberty to do so. Other American service men and women were wounded in the defense of this country. They returned to the farm and factories, but they returned with wounds. Cities and small towns tried to understand how to cope with disabilities that changed the person that they had sent away with pomp and circumstance. Family businesses struggled to support them and academic pursuits were either taken up with great struggle or abandoned altogether. And still, other American service men and women went missing in action in the defense of this county. Farms and factories wait and wonder, praying that through some miracle they’ll come home. Family businesses go on but always preserve some place out of the desperate hope that a vacant desk will someday be filled. Academics vigilantly stand with an empty desk at the ready as well, hoping that studies might resume and that a road to the future might once again be embarked upon. Liberty is God’s unalterable and untouchable design. It is his uncompromising and eternally unflinching intent. We carelessly threw it away in a garden at the beginning of time, and the cross lovingly handed it back. Liberty is God’s war cry for us, and he sent his son into the very same battle. His son died in the battle to achieve liberty for us. The difference is that there is no flag draped coffin, and there are no impaling wounds, and he’s nowhere close to being missing in action. Jesus died to liberate us, and then he liberated himself by rising from the very death he died to bring us liberty. There is no greater or more far-reaching liberation than that.|NFC

Page 14—New Frontier CHRONICLE • July 2014

Minnesota’s largest homeless outreach facility plans to increase its housing-first caseload.

BY CRAIG DIRKES

he Salvation Army’s Harbor Light Shelter in Minneapolis, Minn., plans to quadruple its efforts to help those experiencing homelessness to secure permanent housing by the end of 2014. The Salvation Army added three case managers to its Housing First Partnership-Group Residential Housing program last month, which will help the program increase its caseload from 16 to 64 people, according to Trish Thacker, Harbor Light director of emergency and transitional housing. Harbor Light employs 13 other case managers for additional programs that help hundreds of people find permanent housing every year. “Our goal is to reach our 64-person capacity by December 31,” Thacker said. “At that point we’d like to hire extra case managers and grow the program even more.” Affordable housing is becoming increasingly scarce in Hennepin County as many subsidized housing facilities have waiting lists that extend to five years or longer. The program—funded by the Minnesota Department of Human Services and administered through Hennepin County—allows Salvation Army case managers to identify private landlords who are willing to work with tenants struggling to achieve self-sufficiency, and help people navigate the process of applying for and signing a lease for their own apartment. It is specifically geared toward guests of Harbor Light, including senior citizens, those battling substance abuse or mental illness and others struggling to find and maintain housing. According to Thacker, the program offers “intensive, targeted case management, with landlord engagement playing a primary role.” “We help residents manage the money they are given through this program in order to stay compliant with its guidelines and remain in housing,” Thacker said. Case managers help clients maintain housing through money management training, medical and social service referrals and help pursuing educational or vocational goals.

Davis Richardson moved into his own apartment through the Housing First Partnership-Group Residential Housing program. |Photo by Craig Dirkes

Harbor Light Minneapolis to expand homeless services The program helped Davis Richardson, 43, move into his own apartment in Richfield in August 2013. “I broke down and cried when I saw my apartment for the first time,” Richardson said. “After all the stuff I’d been through, I finally had my own place.” Richardson struggled with substance abuse for much of his life, and had become homeless several times after moving from Memphis to Minnesota in 2011. He’s held

jobs in a variety of construction trades, cooking, Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning, but recently underwent several surgeries and is currently unable to work. Now sober, Richardson is excited about his new life. “When you see an opportunity, you take it, and you hold on tight,” he said. “I’m a living witness, and proof that this program works if you put the effort into it. [The Salvation Army] has been like family to me.”|NFC

Help bring more music to Malawi WANTED: Used brass instruments for the Malawi Territory in Africa,

where sometimes two or three children must share the same instrument at music camp. The Southern California Division will pay for each instrument to be repaired (up to $50) and the Western Territory will help with the shipping costs to Malawi. Call Tom Nottle at (805) 368-6489 to help. Ask if your donated instrument qualifies for a $50 donation to your corps.

An Introductory Workshop to Link Corps and Social Services will be held at the 2014 Western Bible Conference

July 2014 • New Frontier CHRONICLE—Page 15

PROMOTED TO GLORY Major William E. Ricken was promoted to Glory Dec. 1, 2013, from Wheatridge, Colo. Ricken was born April 17, 1926, in Wichita, Kan. Introduced to The Salvation Army in high school, he entered the School for Officer Training in 1944 and was commissioned early with the Fearless Session because of food shortages at the college due to the Depression. His first appointment was at the Denver Scandinavian Corps where he met Violet Hart, a secretary at the corps. Hart applied to the School for Officer Training and was commissioned with the King’s Messengers Session in 1948. Ricken and Hart married and were appointed as corps officers to Idaho Falls, Idaho. Subsequent appointments included Coos Bay, Portland, Salem and Medford, Ore.; Phoenix, Ariz.; and Denver. They served in social services positions in Portland, Ore.; San Jose and Santa Ana, Calif.; Tucson, Ariz.; and Denver. He retired from his final appointment as Intermountain Division Service Extension director in 1991. After retirement the Rickens resided in Lakewood, Colo., continuing to serve as chaplain at Denver’s Adult Rehabilitation Center, leading Bible studies at Denver Silvercrest residences, counseling and preaching along the Front Range and as a chaplain at High Peak Camp for its senior camps. He was an active participant in Salvation Army West Retired Officers Association and a member and officer of the Denver Capital City Kiwanis Club until its dissolution in 2008. Ricken is survived by his four children: Richard (Pat), Keith (Joan), Paul (Fi) and Judith Fields; seven grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife of 44 years; daughter Patricia (Snider); and grandchildren: Jana (Ricken) and David (Snider). The Denver Citadel Corps held a Celebration of Life service Dec. 6 with Lt. Col. Douglas O’Brien presiding. Ricken was buried at Crown Hill Cemetery in Denver with Colonel George Church presiding.|NFC

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ROSEVILLE (CALIF.) CORPS - Del Oro Division

MUSIC & CREATIVE MINISTRIES COORDINATOR The Salvation Army’s Roseville Corps is seeking a passionate, committed individual to assist the Corps Officers to coordinate and direct all of the components of the music and arts ministry and to work with the Youth Worker to coordinate the youth tutoring and creative arts programs. Minimum Qualifications: 1. Uniformed Salvationist preferred. 2. Must attend the Roseville Corps. 3. Must Possess High School Diploma or GED equivalent. 4. Two years of previous leadership experience. 5. Must possess a valid California Driver’s License. 6. Must possess working knowledge of music and musical abilities. 7. Must have the skills to lead praise and worship (i.e. ability to play guitar or piano and sing while leading a congrega- tion during a praise and worship experience). 8. Ability to work a flexible schedule as needed. 9. Must possess basic knowledge for working with audio visual and multi-media components of praise and worship. To apply, send your resume to: Lt. John Morrow P.O. Box 1372 Roseville CA 95678-8372 Fax: 916-784-3277 Email: john.morrow@usw.salvationarmy.org EOE

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Page 16—New Frontier CHRONICLE • July 2014

SAVN.tv hosts three week media training intensive The Salvation Army Vision Network (SAVN.tv) in partnership with the Whittier Corps in Southern California held a threeweek intensive for discipleship, service, and media training in June. Four students from around the Western Territory plus Tim Mizon from Regent Hall in the United Kingdom arrived at SAVN.tv Studios in Whittier June 15; three of the delegates had just completed their first year of film school. “I want to learn how to include biblical messages in my videos,” said participant Josiah Cisneros from Santa Fe, N.M. “If I can, there’s no telling how many people can be saved.” The students learned the basic elements of

production from research, to scriptwriting, producing, lighting, sound, directing, on-set experience, and editing from SAVN, as well as the critical components of social media evangelism strategies. “Being in this creative environment allows me to be myself,” said participant Phineas Deidrick, from Chandler, Ariz. “Partnering with and speaking into the lives of these students, who are digital natives, is critical in the ownership of this upcoming generation,” said Captain Robyn Bridgeo, SAVN chaplain. “These ‘Social Media Soldier field agents’ are just the beginning of realizing the open air of the 21st century for our social action virtual networks.”

(L-r) Captain Robyn Bridgeo, Tim Mizon, Justus Bradshaw, Dustin Argumedo, Josiah “Yoshi” Cisneros, Phineas Deidrick, and Guy Noland.

July 2014 • New Frontier CHRONICLE—Page 17

When you can be in the moment with the child, that makes all of the difference. A lot of times you think the kid is just being evil, but in reality he is just a prisoner to all of these physiological things, these mental things. It’s not him being evil or bad, it’s how he’s relating to the world.” —STEPHEN KNUDSEN

FOSTERING CONNECTIONS The Salvation Army in Pennsylvania implements Texas Christian University research into new foster care program.

BY JARED McKIERNAN

onnecting, empowering, correcting—the pillars of parenting. Children need the right combination of each to thrive, especially those in foster care. The Salvation Army of Allentown, Pa., introduced a new program called Connections to equip foster and adoptive parents housing children of special needs with the resources to properly care for them. Without such intervention, said Florence Rhue, director of children’s services at the corps, it can become difficult to secure “forever homes” for these children and prevent them from aging out, or emancipating from the system when they are of legal age. “Many kids [that age out] end up either homeless or incarcerated,” Rhue said. “Girls end up with early pregnancies, on welfare. It’s a pretty serious situation.” Fifteen adults and 12 children participated in the Connections pilot program ending in June, which is based on the Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) model developed by Dr. Karyn Purvis and her colleagues at the Texas Christian University (TCU) Institute of Child Development. TBRI employs three principles: connecting, or relationship building; em- The Child Welfare League of powering, or proper safety and nutrition; America estimates as many and correcting, or disciplining. It is de- as 36 percent of foster youth signed to improve outcomes for children who have aged out of the from “hard places,” or those that have ex- system become homeless, perienced abuse, neglect, abandonment 56 percent become unemor trauma in their early development. Ac- ployed and 27 percent of male former foster youth becording to Rachel Paashaus, permanencome incarcerated. cy supervisor for the corps’ foster care program, children with this history can demonstrate difficult behavior for even the most patient parents. “That’s a lot of children that fall into that [hard places] category,” said Paashaus, who went to TCU for a weeklong TBRI training session last fall. “And it doesn’t have to be abuse or abandonment. It can be something like a major surgical operation in their early lives. It’s changed the way their brains have developed, and therefore a different style of parenting and intervention needs to be put into place to help children regain optimal developmental trajectory…Sometimes adoptions disrupt and a lot of times it’s related to the needs of the child and parents who are not equipped to understand the children’s needs and meet them.” TBRI illustrates the traditional parenting model as an inverted pyramid divided into thirds, with correcting occupying the largest segment, empowering the middle, and connecting the smallest. “The bulk of what parents are doing is correcting, disciplining and being punitive with children,” Paashaus said. “Because parents are so drained and exhausted, they often don’t connect with their children in a way that’s meaningful.” The TBRI model swaps the correcting and connecting slots, giving the latter a renewed focus. “The TBRI model is really in the bedrock of connection,” Paashaus said. “How we connect with our children, our own personal histories, our own personal attachments, we’ve explored the mindfulness of adults to say where you are and where you’ve been matters how you’ll parent your children. “So when correction is necessary, we address unacceptable behavior, but we do it in the context of connecting with our kids and empowering their bodies to be able to be regulated and connected to adults,” Paashaus said. Stephen and Sandra Knudsen began fostering a two-month-old boy named Ethan in 2008 through The Salvation Army. Ethan was exposed to drugs while in utero and had been diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. The Knudsens, already parents of six biological children, knew Ethan would have unique physical needs, but when he began displaying behavioral issues as well they felt unprepared to address them. In addition to delayed ability to crawl and walk and challenges with his

Purvis, K., Cross, D.R., & Hurst, J.R. (2012) Trust-Based Relational Intervention: TBRI Introduction and Overview (Instructor Workbook). Fort Worth, TX: TCU Institute od Child Development. ©2012 TCU Institute of Child Development (ICD).

speech, Ethan began defying his parents and demonstrating drastic mood swings, which often resulted in violent biting outbursts. “We had all kinds of therapists come into our home, we had physical therapists, mobile therapists, but we were trying to address some issues that they suggested we just ignored,” Sandra Knudsen said. “I knew that was not a good answer because in society they’re not going to ignore those behaviors.” Despite these challenges, the Knudens later adopted Ethan, now 6, and received an invitation to participate in the Connections pilot program. Each session walked parents through some of the obstacles that their children go through on a daily basis. For example, instructors invited parents to put on gloves and try to grasp small objects to expose them to the challenges facing children with sensory disorders. Or, when a child acts out in a kneeling position, the parents might be encouraged to kneel with them to engage and connect with. Stephen Knudsen said these exercises helped spark a shift in his perspective. “When you can be in the moment with the child, that makes all of the difference,” he said. “A lot of times you think the kid is just being evil, but in reality, he is just a prisoner to all of these physiological things, these mental things. It’s not him being evil or bad, it’s how he’s relating to the world…The synapses in a child’s brain can actually change and regenerate if you relate to them in this particular way that makes the brain activity move in that di-

rection. So you’re no longer looking at a future of maintaining an out-of-control child the best you can, but really a hope that the way you relate to the child is actually changing the child.” Sandra Knudsen said she believes the implementation of TBRI has improved Ethan’s behavior to such a degree that he even may eventually reach a point of total self-regulation and independence. “Less meltdowns, less trauma and we’re giving him his voice to have a say in his life, which is a big part of TBRI,” Knudsen said “With the meltdowns, they’re telling you something even if they’re not using their words. We want him to use his words. “When you see the program start to work in your own home, it’s really exciting. I really think TBRI should be available to all foster parents.” The Allentown Corps will launch in September the full version of Connections, open to all families in The Salvation Army’s foster care system. “Foster children are often seen as the odd kids, the kids that don’t fit it in or make sense to their peers,” Paashaus said. “It is difficult to find permanency in the state of Pennsylvania and in our nation to find adoptive resources for those children. What we believe the Connections program has done and will do is raise the bar for families by giving them skills and a way of thinking and a way of dealing with children so that they can be confident that they can do this.”|NFC

Page 18—New Frontier CHRONICLE • July 2014

Charge to the

BY CHECK YEE, LT. COLONEL, O.F. My dear lieutenants of the Disciples of the Cross session, it is an extreme honor for me to share with you what is in my heart on this very happy and important occasion. Congratulations to you for your completion of your training as Salvation Army officers. But of course we

Disciples of the Cross

all know learning is a lifelong process; there is still a lot to learn. The Bible tells us we never lean on our own understanding. But in all things, we acknowledge God because his way is better. His thoughts are better. He is above all of us. You have just been com-

missioned and ordained this morning as ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You are blessed people because you have been called by the one

who said, “You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and appoint you to go and bear fruit. For without me, you can do nothing.” It has been a wonderful three days with glorious

events! How can you not love the Army’s style? How can you not love the Army’s organization, the uniqueness of everything? This is why I fell in love with the Army when I was only 21 years old. Now we come to this final meeting, and I can sense

the momentum building up. But after today, you are going to be sent out into the communities into the “global village.” You’re going to meet people of all cultures and as you walk the streets and alleys in a city where you’ve never been before, you may even hear a language that is other than your own. But this

Order of the Founder admittee speaks to West’s newest lieutenants at Service of Appointments

is your city.

From this moment on, you will never be the same, because you are chosen. Therefore you are blessed. Yesterday I attended a very unique meeting. A person attends this kind of a meeting only once in their lifetime. It was the 55th reunion of our “Pioneers” session. Our ages range from 75-85 years old. I happen to be the big brother. We were there around the breakfast table, not only to rejoice in our fellowship, but also to renew our dedication from long ago. We will never forget the morning of our covenant ceremony where, under our session flag, we sang, “I am in his hands. Whatever the future holds, I am in his hands.” Then through the decades our God, my

July 2014 • New Frontier CHRONICLE—Page 19

From this moment on, you will never be the same, because you are chosen. Therefore you are blessed.

Lt. Colonel Check Yee, O.F.

God, turned my future into the present, the present became the past, until now, and God is still with us.

|Photos by Tim Schaal and Michael Moss

less salvation and boundless mercy, we can visualize the untold multitudes throughout the decades who found forgiveness when they had

Fifty-five years ago, a few weeks before my commissioning, I was

almost drowned to the bottom. For 150 years, thousands of officers and

called into the office for an interview with the training principal, our

soldiers overcame various forms of obstacles, marching as to war, even

beloved Colonel Harry Larsen. He said in his charming, baritone voice,

some dying unto martyrdom. They paved the way for you and me to

“Cadet Yee, I have looked at your report. You don’t seem to be too musi-

walk on and follow.

cally inclined. You don’t play in the band. You don’t play instruments of any kind.” I sat so nervously before him. It seemed like I had to pack up and go home. I might not make it to commissioning. However, after a pause, Colonel Larsen said, “Nevertheless, you can

My dear lieutenants, you have proclaimed in public that you will be Disciples of the Cross. I’d like to give you an old chorus. “I have decided to follow Jesus, No turning back, no turning back.

always love people.” I answered, “Yes, Colonel, I will. I do. I must.” So

The cross before me, the world behind me

with this mandate, I was ordained and commissioned as a probationary

No turning back, no turning back.”

lieutenant, without a star on my epaulet.

So may this be your own song, as you step into your new life.

“Love people.” But what is love? It is a word we speak about every day, but sometimes we see people abuse the essence of love. As a Salvation Army officer, love to me is what William Booth said to his son, Bramwell, regarding the homeless under the London Bridge,

Now the baton is passed on to you. Remember, people are your business. Love them and be faithful. How can we ever forget the people coming to the foot of the cross last night? I cannot forget. They are your people. They are your business.

“Go, and do something. Bramwell, do something.” This is what love is

Your credential is a B.A. – “Born Again.”

all about.

Your endorsement is the Resurrected Christ.

I like The Salvation Army’s slogan from the 1960s: “People are our

Your weapon is the Bible.

business.” Isn’t it nice? People are our business. Technology does not

Your testimony is your uniform. Wear it right, correctly.

produce love. We do.

Your power is prayer.

Now I was ready to come to training college. My corps officer accompanied me to the train station. He said a lot of things while we walked, but I only remember the very last thing he said to me, “Check, be faith-

Your banner is love. Your song is joy unspeakable. I can guarantee you, and sometimes with tears.

ful. Be faithful.” So throughout all my officer life, I never dared to forget

Your sacrament is Holy Life.

the words of my training principal, “Love people,” and that of my corps

Your baptism is the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

officer, “Be faithful.”

Your communion is the Bread of Life and the Living Water.

So now time passed by quickly, and I was preparing for my retire-

Your altar at home or anywhere is the Mercy Seat.

ment. I phoned my former corps officer to invite him to my retirement

Your theology is Christianity in action.

events. His wife said, “Check, he cannot talk to you now because he is

Your password is the resounding “Blood and Fire.”

dying of cancer. Do you have anything to tell the Brigadier?” I said to

Your credit rating is your accountability.

her, “Yes, please tell him, ‘Check Yee has been faithful till the very end.’”

Your supply is God’s grace.

The brigadier’s wife answered, “I will tell him. I think he will die with a

Love People. Be faithful.

smile on his face.”

God bless the lieutenants.

The Salvation Army has a God-honoring, glorious heritage in Christendom: Unique, sometimes peculiar. In God’s boundless ocean, bound-

God bless The Salvation Army. Hallelujah.|NFC

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July 2014 • New Frontier CHRONICLE—Page 21

The West commissions 57 new officers The Western Territory added 57 new officers of the Disciples of the Cross session to the ranks of The Salvation Army following the 2014 Commissioning weekend, led by territorial leaders Commissioners James and Carolyn Knaggs Find photos of the 2014 and guest leaders General Paul and ComCommissioning weekend missioner Kay Rader (Ret.). at pics.usawest.org. “Today marks an important turning point in your lives,” Kay Rader said in her commencement address to the cadets June 13. “Let the Holy Spirit design your destiny. Make your daily prayer: ‘Holy Spirit, stay with me. What you will, I want to be.’” The weekend focused on the cross. “There is hope from our questioning and despair,” Paul Rader said in his message following the commissioning and ordination of cadets June 15. “The promise of the cross is pardon. The promise of the cross is a promise of a new purpose. We have a world to save for Jesus’s sake. Jesus needs soldiers and officers in this battle.” Find full 2014 Commissioning coverage, including an inside-look at the life of a cadet, at bit.ly/USWCommissioning.|NFC

|Photos by Tim Schaal, Ron Bawden and Michael Moss

Page 20—New Frontier CHRONICLE • July 2014

July 2014 • New Frontier CHRONICLE—Page 21

|Photos by Tim Schaal, Ron Bawden and Michael Moss

Page 22—New Frontier CHRONICLE • July 2014

USA WEST NEWS BRIEFS ALASKA

Knocking on doors draws positive response in Angoon

Angoon, Alaska, resembled a ghost town in mid-June when many residents traveled to Juneau for Celebration, a biennial festival of Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian tribal members and one of the largest events sponsored by Alaska Natives in the state. Even with so many people absent, the corps saw some new faces thanks to an enterprising and intrepid young corps member. “One of our young boys, Sam, had me drive the bus to several homes that he knew had not made the trek to Juneau,” said Major John Quinn, corps officer. “He would knock on doors and invite the kids to Sunday school. We had three new children because of his efforts in concert with the the Holy Spirit. Not bad for a young man who will enter first grade this year.”

Every day, about 10 people die from unintentional drowning, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of these, two are children under 14. “At the Kroc Center we believe that water safety is essential, particularly this time of year,” said Captain Jonathan Harvey, Solano County coordinator. “While it will be fun to break the record, we hope this will encourage our community to participate in swim lessons and make water activities safe and fun.” The Kroc Center will offer parents the opportunity to sign up for additional swimming classes during the summer.

NORTHWEST

New shoes for kids GOLDEN STATE

Salinas corps breaks ground on new community garden

The Salvation Army Salinas (Calif.) Corps is preparing a community garden for city residents. The 300-foot garden plot will be used to plant beds full of flowers, herbs, vegetables and fruit trees. Majors Kris and Camie Potter are the corps officers at the Salinas Corps.

CASCADE

Starlight Runners represent The Salvation Army

Over 20 volunteers ran in the Portland, Ore., Starlight Run on behalf of The Salvation Army. The evening event, part of Portland’s Rose Festival, precedes the Starlight Parade and gives participants a chance to express themselves in costume as they run through the city streets. “The Salvation Army Superheroes,” who wore capes and carried shields, drew cheers from the 325,000 spectators. The Portland Metro Salvation Army sponsored the runners, among whom were members of its Emerging Leaders Council, a group of young adults, ages 23-35, who meet monthly as a council of the Portland Metro Advisory Board.

Modesto Child Development Center hosts children’s carnival

Students at The Salvation Army Child Development Center in Modesto, Calif., were greeted by a playground carnival in June with a bean bag toss, fishing, and ping pong ball toss. Each child won tickets for every game they played during the carnival, and were able to spend them on nachos, snow cones, peanuts, popcorn and toys. Teacher Barbara Bell said, “It was a very fun time for everyone.”

A new program launched by The Salvation Army in Puyallup, Wash., will provide free shoes to children in need. Each month “Shoes For Kids” will distribute 40 Payless Shoes gift cards (valued at $25 each, for a total of $1,000) to one of the schools in Pierce County. “We are working with the school’s teachers and staff so the neediest students will be identified to receive one of the gift cards,” said Major Premek Kramerius of The Salvation Army in Puyallup. The cards are purchased using funds collected through the Red Kettles at Christmas and supplemented by private donations. The first batch of cards were distributed to Zeiger Elementary School and counselor Annie McCabe worked to maximize the impact of the unexpected gift. “I cannot express the look on their faces when I gave them the shoes...pure happiness,” McCabe said. “One of my boys left my office wearing his new tennis shoes— they looked so nice!”

LEON Day

SIERRA DEL MAR

DEL ORO

INTERMOUNTAIN

The Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center in Suisun City, Calif., joined other top water safety and training organizations in the nation for The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson (WLSL) to build awareness about the importance of teaching children to swim. Waterparks, pools and other aquatic facilities around the globe hosted local WLSL lessons simultaneously at 8 a.m. PST on June 20, in attempt to break the Guinness World Record for number of people involved. The 30-minute lesson was free for children ages 1-14. This was the fifth consecutive year that Team WLSL attempted to set or break a record. Event organizers say they had more than 32,000 participants in last year’s attempt.

When a wildfire broke out in early June near Walensburg, Colo., Salvation Army emergency response personnel deployed

Army responds to wildfire

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Pasadena honors fire department

The Salvation Army Pasadena Tabernacle Corps honored the Pasadena Fire Department with its 2014 Others award. The award harkens back to a 1912 telegram from Salvation Army Founder William Booth. It was a one-word message to his soldiers that would succinctly renew their efforts in the service of God and humanity: “Others.” In that spirit, The Salvation Army presents the Others award to institutions and individuals who are outstanding examples of devoted service to the community. In accepting the award, Wells said, “It’s a labor of love. That’s why we’re here today.” Both the corps and fire department have served the city of Pasadena for 125 years. Pasadena’s Stonefire Grill donated lunch for the event, attended by members of the Pasadena Fire and Police departments, city and state representatives, and the corps’ advisory board. SOUTHWEST

Hydrate Arizona campaign provides heat relief

The Hydrate Arizona campaign took place throughout the month of June to provide relief during the hot summer months. Donations for the campaign were accepted at Safeway stores throughout the state, benefiting The Salvation Army’s Heat and Hydration Project and other community programs. Salvation Army volunteers are still needed to pass out water bottles at hydration stations throughout the summer.

Las Vegas Salvation Army receives donation from Justice Court

HAWAIIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDS Six months ahead of Christmas, The Salvation Army Hawaii and Pacific Islands Division celebrated LEON Day (NOEL spelled backwards) on June 25 to remind Hawaii that there is a need for funds throughout the year to assist the local communities and families. Red kettles were set up at Walmart and Longs/CVS Caremark stores statewide.

World’s Largest Swim Lesson

following a request for assistance. The team went to Huerfano County to support first responders with meals and hydration as they battled the blaze. “The Salvation Army will continue to care for the needs of Colorado’s first responders during this response, keeping our firefighters fresh and focused as they work to protect our community,” said Divisional Commander Lt. Colonel Dan Starrett. Last year, The Salvation Army’s disaster services personnel responded to more than 40 disasters in Colorado alone, providing relief to more than 110,000 first responders, law enforcement and evacuees.

Providing an outlet

The Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center in San Diego recently helped Kelly, a single mom, take care of her young son. Kelly faces serious ongoing health issues, including operations for degenerative discs in her neck and spine. All of this makes it difficult to keep up with her son, Malachi, 8. “I lived a lot of my life in my chair at home because it was very hard to go out,” Kelly said. The Kroc Center offered Kelly scholarships for day camp and other programs for her son. “It saved me—and my son,” she said.

INTERMOUNTAIN DIVISIONAL HEADQUARTERS • DENVER, CO

DIVISIONAL MUSIC DIRECTOR Under the supervision of the Divisional Secretary, the Divisional Music Director is responsible for the planning, coordination and implementation of the music and worship arts department and promotion of instrumental and vocal programs throughout the Division. Responsibilities also include Audio/Visual/Media support throughout the Division. The position requires that the individual be an active, uniformed Salvationist. The Salvation Army, Intermountain Division Headquarters, is located in beautiful downtown Denver, Colorado. The Headquarters is close to abundant skiing, mountain hiking/biking and national park opportunities. Position is full-time salaried with an attractive benefit package and competitive salary. Applications will be accepted until the position has been filled. If interested, please provide a letter of introduction, salary requirements and resume to: Human Resources Supervisor – 1370 Pennsylvania Street, Denver, CO 80203 cannon.bundy@usw.salvationarmy.org Fax: Human Resources Supervisor at (303) 866.9263

Las Vegas Justice Court employees raised $800 for The Salvation Army through a Jeans for Water campaign, where individuals pay $10 to wear jeans for a week at work. The fundraiser will continue through August, and will provide people experiencing homelessness with water. The Salvation Army opened a cooling shelter for the homeless to escape the heat and keep hydrated during the city’s hottest days of the year.

HONORING KENNIE TRANGMOE Camp Mt. Crags, Aug. 2, 2014 Join the celebration at Camp Mt. Crags as Kennie Trangmoe is honored for his years of serving Southern California children by introducing them to music at camp. A tribute will take place at the Senior Music Camp concert, when outstanding campers will receive scholarships for the 2015 music camp made possible by donations given in Kennie’s memory.

ALL ARE WELCOME 10 a.m. - Concert Barbecue lunch will follow For more information contact Captain Rubina Navarro at Southern California DHQ, 562-264-3608.

July 2014 • New Frontier CHRONICLE—Page 23

SAVN.tv

Salvation Army Vision Network rolls out new mobile-friendly website - Users can create profile pages and upload content via cell phone. - Territories, divisions and corps can create their own channel and upload original content. The Australia Eastern and USA Western territories, the Southern California and Scotland Western divisions, and Regent Hall Corps (U.K.) have already created their channels. - VIDEO CHAT on iPhones and iPads, COMING SOON.

Stay tuned for VIDEO CHAT BIBLE STUDIES and RECOVERY GROUPS.

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN SEE YOUR CORPS OFFICER

Page 24窶年ew Frontier CHRONICLE 窶｢ July 2014

Live streamed at onlinecorps.net