Priority! Winter 2013 by The Salvation Army: SAconnects

Winter 2013

L I FE STO R I E S

G O D’S PEO PL E

Denise Richardson

Going ‘Beyond The Bells’ In New York City Rising Up In Phoenix

Minnesota Miracle

Living Holy In Georgia

Giving and Receiving

t’s time! The anticipation of gifts to be given and received brings an excitement all its own. It is a season of joy. The Salvation Army’s Christmas programs across the country,

made possible by the gifts of others, enable us to share this joyful experience. It has been said that we are “a humble steward of other people’s generosity.” I am sure this generosity and excitement will be evident when more than 18,000 bikers participate in the annual Toy Run in Olympia, Wash. (See p. 34.) Think of what this one program will enable The Salvation Army to do for families and children! In celebrating the generosity of so many, remember that what we do is modeled after the giving of the very first Christmas gift. God is the giver. The Christmas story is captured in the familiar words of John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son!” and in 2 Corinthians 9:15, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.” Mary is the gift–bearer. Imagine the joy and special honor that was all hers when she brought God’s greatest gift into the world. Jesus is born in Bethlehem. Imagine being at a loss for words because you have entered into something so new, sacred, and wonderful that you just can’t describe the experience. ”But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19) For those of us in The Salvation Army, being able to bear the Good News of God’s provision to so many during this season is a profound privilege too. This Christmas, you could be the gift receiver. God cherishes us so much that He is not willing to let us perish but has offered us the gift of life through Jesus Christ, His Son. He sent His Son so that we might have life more abundantly. Ponder that in this economy. It will cost you nothing, but it cost Him everything! Accept His gift. You will have much more to offer others as a result! It’s Christmas. It’s time for you to ponder these things in your heart. Anticipate all that is new, sacred, and wonderful. “How silently, how silently, the wondrous Gift is given; So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His heaven. No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin, Where souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in.” Receive the gift! Sincerely,

Marcella Carlson Colonel Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries USA Eastern Territory

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Short Term, summer, and one year internships available. Must be at least 18 years old.

For more Information: Majors Bill and Sue Dunigan william.dunigan@use.salvationarmy.org susan.dunigan@use.salvationarmy.org www.facebook.com/Servantcorps 915 Haddon Ave, Camden, NJ 08103 | 856.338.1700

WINTER 2013

COVER STORY

FEATURES

Volume 14 No. 4

My Faith, My Destiny Denise Richardson, radio and TV personality best known for her work on PBS and “Good Morning, America,” tells the story of her faith journey. Her spiritual passion plays into The Salvation Army in Greater New York, where she does a radio program called “Beyond the Bells.”

Rising Up in Phoenix As a teen, Ted McClure found a true mentor in a Salvation Army gym. Now an Army advisor in Phoenix, Ted was instrumental in building a new Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center.

21 An Embracing Place A Youth Center in Gresham, Ore., reaches kids and teens in a rough neighborhood. At the center of it all is Lorrie Davis, youth director.

One Divinely Appointed Ride No one wanted to pick Tom Canfield up when he was released from jail, but he got a ride from a ‘scruffy old man’ who introduced him to

Cover photo by Inset photo by

Jesus.

Focused on the Prize Andy Miller, who inherited an illustrious Salvation Army name, knew his faith could not

DEPARTMENTS 7 Upfront

be ‘grandfathered.’

8 Who’s News 37 MyTake 53 Prayer Power 56 147 (and 100) Years Ago

CHRISTMAS

A Salvation Army Christmas

13, 19, 34, 38, 45

The Perfect Moment Time keeps on slippin’, slippin’, slippin’ Into the future …

o a little kid, this lyric from Steve Miller’s “Fly Like an Eagle” would seem very strange. When we’re young, we can’t wait for the

future. We tell our age in fractions—“I’m 7 and three–quarters!”—because it makes 8 years old seem all the closer. But by the time we get to college age, psychologists say, we begin to sense that time is speeding up. The older we get, the faster it seems to fly by. It’s natural to feel that time is slipping into the future. But if we’re in touch with the supernatural, we know that won’t be happening forever. One day, time as we know it will grind to a screeching halt. We don’t know the day or hour, but we know Jesus will return.

…promoting prayer, holiness, and evangelism through the life stories of God’s people

THE SALVATION ARMY Territorial Leaders USA Eastern Territory Commissioner Israel L. Gaither Commissioner Eva D. Gaither

Chief Secretary Colonel William Carlson

Editor Linda D. Johnson

Art Director Keri Johnson

Senior Designer

When He arrived on Earth the first time, it was in the “fulness of time,” the perfect moment, from the Father’s perspective. The Gospels tell us the story of the years when Jesus, the sinless One, showed us how to live totally in sync with the Father and the Spirit. Then, at the perfect moment, He went to the Cross. And He rose, just when He said He would. After many had seen Him in his resurrected form, His Father took Him home—again, at the perfect moment. The earliest believers kept looking to the sky for His return; they thought He would be coming back any minute. Now, from our 2,000–years–later perspective, it can be easy to assume that because He hasn’t come yet, He won’t be coming in our lifetimes. But we mustn’t be lulled into a sense of endless time slipping into the future. One day soon, the Lord still promises, Jesus will return. We don’t know the day or the hour, but we know it will come. The Apostle Paul describes what that perfect moment will be like: The Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17) Are you ready now, this very moment? Editor

Saoul Vanderpool

Contributing Editors Warren L. Maye, Robert Mitchell

Contributing Writers Sheila Albritton, Jacquelyn Bentson, Craig Dirkes, Jack C. Getz, Pauline Hylton, Denise Richardson, Boniface Simiyu, Anne Urban, Gail Wood

Graphic Designers Joe Marino, Reginald Raines

Circulation Deloris Hansen

Marketing Christine Webb

SALVATION ARMY MISSION STATEMENT The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination. Priority! is published quarterly by The Salvation Army USA Eastern Territory. Subscriptions are $8.95 per year; bulk rates available. Write to: Priority!, The Salvation Army, 440 West Nyack Rd., West Nyack, NY 10994–1739. Volume 14, No. 4, Winter 2013. Printed in USA. Postmaster: Send all address changes to: Priority!, 440 West Nyack Road, West Nyack, NY 10994–1739. Priority! accepts advertising. Copyright ©2012 by The Salvation Army, USA Eastern Territory. Articles may be reprinted only with written permission.

USA National website: www.SalvationArmyUSA.org

EVANGELICAL EVANGELICAL

PRESS ASSOCIATION

Letters lost lives were rescued by His power and grace, and led through so many narrow paths and now, they’re just beaming with His love!

Serving the World

Immigrant workers keep the city of Abu Dhabi dazzlingly beautiful. But Pamela Abdalla was haunted by their downcast faces.

Smiles for the forgotten Photography © David Smith/Getty Images

by Robert Mitchell

I was so pleased to learn about Pamela Abdalla’s service to others (“Smiles for the Forgotten,” Fall 2012). I think The Salvation Army is fortunate to have such a creative, God–directed woman on the National Advisory Board. The Army’s mission to bring the salvation message to those it serves is a perfect fit for Pamela. I look forward to reading about other board members. Judy Falzoi Avon, NY

Bus raids The workers wear uniforms as they sweep the streets and do much of the building and maintenance that keeps the cities “dazzlingly beautiful,” Pamela says. However, she was haunted by their downcast faces and desperately wanted to do something to raise their spirits. Pamela says, “One of my visions was ‘Wouldn’t it be nice to just make them smile and just be a force of positive influence on their day?’ ” She and others got the idea to start “bus raids.” The students at her daughter’s high school held a bake sale and raised money to buy apples, bottled water, and KFC “Twister” wraps. “We bagged them up and we went to a designated site and handed the bags [out],” Pamela recalls. “It was just an instant hit. The workers were delighted. It really caught on and spread.” Pamela says the group she worked with in Abu Dhabi continued the bus raids after her departure and recently served 1,500 laborers in one day. The next step was to go inside the labor camps to minister. Pamela took teams into the camps and organized Bingo parties, story times, art projects, and games for the women. “It was great just to give them some relief from the daily grind and some sense that, ‘Hey, we know you’re here and more than that, we care,’ ” Pamela says.

Majors Ron & Deb Lugiano Chestnut Ridge, NY The Lugianos served in Ithaca, N.Y., and gave Priority! the tip on this story. If you have tips, go to www.prioritypeople.org and click on “Got story tips?”

Help from ‘Trophies’

www.prioritypeople.org

Touched by ‘Siblings’ Just wanted to say “thank you” for a very nice edition of Priority! magazine for Fall 2012. I especially want to thank you for following up on the Ithaca story of Jeremy, Xavier and Javail (“Ivy League Siblings”)! Wow,

did that bring back a flood of warm and precious memories for Major Deb and me! It’s absolutely amazing to me how we unknowingly touch the lives of people, just by loving them for the Lord!! We are bursting with praise to God that those seemingly

All That We Are

Ivy League Siblings by Robert Mitchell

hey laugh easily and fit in well with their Cornell University classmates. But the road Jeremy March and siblings Xavier and Javail Bourne took to the Ivy League was an unlikely one. All three were raised from an early age by their grandmother, Susan Bourne, in Ithaca, N.Y. Bourne remembers the judge asking 14

www.armyconnections.org

Finding her niche Then, in August 2008 came a significant move for the Abdalla family. Tarek’s law practice took them to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for a

sojourn of almost four years. Pamela, an attorney, had been working in the Allegheny County family court system as a hearing officer and master, but there would be no such opportunity for her in the UAE. Sharia, or the “way” or “path,” is considered the divine law of Islam, and it is the main basis for the legal system of UAE. “Under Sharia law and Muslim society, there really wasn’t a need for a family court judge,” Pamela says. So she decided to focus on doing community work. “I found there was a very ready outlet for that,” she says. Pamela says the UAE cities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai are built largely on the backs of Asian laborers, who are housed in labor camps 20 – 30 kilometers (about 12 – 18 miles) outside the cities. “They sleep 10–12 to a room,” Pamela says. “They are bused into the city every day to do their 12–hour work shifts and bused back out at night. So they’re sort of this unseen force.” The buses roll into the cities each morning between 5:30 and 7:30. “The [people] are just so compelling,” Pamela says. “You can see them looking out the window. They’re largely young men with faces worn well beyond their years, creased with exhaustion and haggard with loneliness, sadness, and resignation.”

Photography by Michael Okonlewski / Getty Images

‘God–directed Woman’

amela Abdalla and her husband, Tarek, had been married for five years and were struggling to have a child. “It was not easy for us,” recalls Pamela. She made a vow that if God blessed the couple with a child, she would reach out and minister to the needy in her Pittsburgh community. God soon answered her prayers, and Pamela started on a path to make good on her promise. Her daughter Alexandria, now 16, was only 8 months old when Pamela went searching for a place to volunteer. “My New Year’s resolution that year was to find a way to give back significantly to our community because I was so grateful to have a child to raise [there],” Pamela says. “I found the Family Caring Center,” she says. “It’s at the homeless shelter The Salvation Army runs in Pittsburgh. I did an Easter party there with my little baby in tow.” “I just never turned back,” she says. “I was raised with service in my life and had done volunteer work before, but not with great satisfaction.”

her, “You’re going to take all three of them?” “I said, ‘Yep, that’s right.’ I couldn’t see breaking them up. I just couldn’t see it. They have each other and always have. I really felt sorry for them,” she says. After raising two daughters of her own, Bourne adopted her grandchildren

when Jeremy was 6, Xavier was 5, and Javail was 4. Javail, for one, says she thanks God that the family was kept intact and she didn’t end up in a foster home. “We didn’t miss out on anything growing up, I feel,” she says. Bourne says life wasn’t always easy, and she often prayed for her new chilwww.prioritypeople.org

dren. She took them to a Pentecostal Baptist church on Sundays. “They were raised up in the church,” she says. “I think it had a lot to do with their faith and how well they’re doing. I’m very proud of them.”

Music and mentors When Bourne found out The Salvation www.prioritypeople.org

Army in Ithaca offered free music lessons on Wednesdays, she enrolled the kids. Jeremy says he and his siblings found early role models at the Ithaca Corps (church), among them Majors Ronald and Deborah Lugiano and Ben Payton, the music director. The Lugianos were corps officers (pastors) at the time.

“We had father figures in The Salvation Army who we could go to and talk to about certain things,” says Jeremy, who learned to play the piano at the Army. “Big Ben Payton was a great example.” Xavier, who learned the tuba at the corps, describes Ronald Lugiano as “amazing” and “awesome” and a major influence. “They were aware of our situation, and they were not like our surrogate fathers, but, in a sense, [they were] very accommodating in providing their knowledge for us as father figures,” Xavier says. Major Deborah Lugiano started the music program at the corps in 1997. “She was definitely like a mother too,” Xavier says. “She was very warm and comforting.”

Wednesdays at the Army Javail, who also learned to play tuba, was close to Payton’s daughters. “That was just another reason for me to go there,” she says. “It was a family kind of setting.” Javail would attend both her home church and The Salvation Army if she had to play in a concert on a Sunday. When the kids came to the corps on Wednesdays, they made a night of it. “Every aspect of The Salvation Army was great, from the meals we had after lessons to watching the band practice,” Jeremy recalls. “We could talk to our instructors about Christ and our walk with Christ as we were learning to play an instrument, which was great. It 15

The article “Recycled Trophies” (MyTake by Steve Garrington) in the Fall 2012 issue of Priority! was very timely and a great help to me. It was recently my privilege to be actively involved in the clearing–out process after the promotions to Glory (deaths) of Arthur Anderson (Aug. 1, 2012) and his wife, Ruth (Aug. 1, 2010), two well–loved Salvationists in the Old Orchard Beach, Maine, Corps (church). Ruth and Arthur were great readers—their wonderful books, as well as many videos and CDs of quality, headed directly to the Home League (women’s group) Sale. But what to do with the “left5

Letters MyTake

Recycled Trophies by Steve Garrington

t was a Wednesday, and my wife and I were heading home after church choir practice. Our car made the turn off the busy street and into the quiet neighborhood we called home. Tomorrow, Thursday, was garbage pickup day, and already the street was lined with cans and recycling bins. In our town, as in towns all over the nation, citizens place paper, glass, metal, and plastic into those “recycle” boxes, which are picked up by a special truck. Seeing milk cartons and soup cans in those boxes is standard. But this evening something different caught my eye. “Did you see that?” I said to my wife as I made a U–turn. She had not noticed anything, and as I drove back a block, I pointed out a blue city recycle box filled with—trophies. There must have been a dozen of them. I did another U–turn and slowly drove by again. Sure enough, there in that box were the awards of a lifetime. All of someone’s hard work and effort—years of striving and success—were dumped into a plastic box to be “recycled.” I couldn’t help but think of the words of George Bennard, a former Salvation Army officer/pastor: “So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross, Till my trophies at last I lay down.” www.prioritypeople.org

Thoughts on ‘God Particle’

Trophies in a recycling bin

Never again would the owner look upon these trophies with pride. Never again would they grace a fireplace mantle or bookshelf. No longer would they bring back memories. I thought they might be the trophies of someone who had laid them down for the very last time. “I will cling to the old rugged cross, And exchange it some day for a crown.” Perhaps this person was already wearing that crown of life. Perhaps this

person was already finding an eternity with Jesus so rewarding that the trophies of earth, now just so much rusty trash to be recycled, had been forgotten. So I thought of my own honors, my own trophies. Someday they, too, will be placed in a box for recycling. It was now clear to me what George Bennard meant. Like him, I will cherish that wonderful, old rugged Cross, knowing that someday I too will lay my trophies at His feet. But I will lay them down with joy, knowing that I am exchanging them for a crown. 29

overs”—the Graduate Corps Cadet certificates, the “Soldier of the Year” awards, the appointments as bandmaster and young people’s sergeant– major (youth leader), and many years later, certificates of retirement from those responsibilities? There were also thank you and appreciation letters— framed and unframed— and trophies. And plaques. Oh yes, plaques! These items represent two lives lived wholeheartedly for Jesus and The Salvation Army, but my reluctance to just “let them go” is now over—it’s time to lay down those trophies. Thanks, Steve Garrington, for your help!

Lt. Colonel Alice Joyce Joyce is a retired officer and a soldier (member) of the Old Orchard Beach, Maine, Corps.

Just a short AWEsome appreciation for the Fall 2012 issue of Priority! magazine. Your editorial spoke volumes in identifying one of my favorite lines, when God speaks directly to Job. Immediately, when I read the header: “Where Were You?” I thought you were going to

write on 9/11 days! But I was really surprised! This article was AWEsome. Thoughts surround the “God particle” and life today as it unfolds! This was an awesome reminder of His overall plan. Your ideas are still inspiring my thinking.

most recently as leaders of The Salvation Army in the Canada & Bermuda Territory.

Loving ‘Fall’

Commissioner Marilyn D. Francis Orlando, FL

Congratulations on an excellent edition of Priority! for the Fall. It was enhanced for me because of personal knowledge of people in several of the articles. Priority! is always good but this one is absolutely GREAT!

Francis is a retired officer. She and her husband, Commissioner William W. Francis, served

Major John Morrison Cheboygan, MI Morrison is a retired officer.

SEND YOUR LETTERS TO THE EDITOR WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! ON THE WEB: www.prioritypeople.org Just click on “Write to the Editor.”

www.armyconnections.org

Upfront: Media ‘American Bible Challenge’ Benefits Salvation Army

An App for That!

ow many people would tune in to a quiz show that sends contestants backstage to study their Bibles? 2.3 million, it

turns out. That’s how many people watched the first episode of “American Bible Challenge,” hosted by Jeff Foxworthy on the Game Show Network (GSN). That’s the largest audience in GSN’s 17–year

Test your Bible

history. Many Christians say they enjoy watching

a strong Christian. In a YouTube interview with

knowledge with the

teams testing their Bible trivia knowledge and

Don McLaughlin, pastor of the North Atlanta

free American Bible

winning money for the charity of their choice.

Church of Christ, Foxworthy praises his praying

Challenge App.

mother and tells of accepting Christ at age 7.

For each download,

to love the show. Until the end of the year, show

Foxworthy also talks about maintaining a strong

The Salvation Army

sponsor The Salvation Army will receive a $1

Christian witness.

gets $1!

There’s also another very important reason

“We become the Jesus that people see on this

donation from GSN for every download of the show’s free iPhone or iPad app, a mini–version of

earth because He lives inside of us,” he said. “I

the show, complete with Jeff Foxworthy’s voice.

remind myself when I’m out with people—You may be the only Jesus people see.”

Foxworthy, a standup comedian famous for his “redneck” jokes and host of the recent GSN

Look for a feature on Foxworthy in the next issue of

show, “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?” is

Priority!

Some basic Bible liter acy

ports fans often hold up

two–thirds at least know that it

signs that read “John 3:16.”

comes from the third chapter of

But how many people know

John. Here are the percentages of

what the reference means? It turns

people who got the right answers

out, quite a lot. They might not be

to four basic Bible questions. No-

able to recite the verse (“For God

tice that for nearly three–quarters

so loved the world that he gave his

of those surveyed, the New Testa-

one and only Son, that whoever

ment isn’t “Greek to me”!

believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”), but just over

www.prioritypeople.org

How did you do? Answers are at the end in fine print.

68% What does the “3” in John 3:16 refer to?

78% What is the first book of the Bible?

57% What is the the main Old Testament language?

27% What is the main New Testament language?

*From a 2011 random survey of 1,014 adults conducted by the Barna Group for the American Bible Society. Answers: Chapter, Genesis, Hebrew, Greek

Who’s News

Battling Sexual Trafficking

Photo © iStockphoto.com

t age 10, she was told to “be nice” to men in order to feed her mom’s drug habit. Then the police took the young girl away, and she spent time in a series of foster homes. One day, she met a man who bought her gifts and took her to dinner. She thought her life was changing. But then he too started telling her to “be nice” to men. He still smiled at her, but only when she handed over the money. Lisa Thompson knows all about young women like this one. It’s her job

Lisa’s Story

isa approaches her battle against sexual trafficking from a Christian perspective. Three generations of her family attended New Zion Baptist Church, which she often visited with her grandparents. One Sun-

day, Lisa heard a message from a visiting pastor that changed her life. She was 11 years old. ‘I felt this feeling of joy and cleanliness that came over me,’ Lisa says. That day, she accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior. After graduating from Western Kentucky University, she first worked with firms that wrote and administered federal community development block grants in Kentucky. Later, she taught English as a Second Language (ESL) to university students in Shanghai and Beijing. But she didn’t feel as if the Lord wanted her to stay in China, so she came home. One day, while surfing the Internet, she found the National Association for Evangelicals’

by Pauline Hylton

to know. Lisa spearheads the anti–sex trafficking efforts of The Salvation Army from its national headquarters in Alexandria, Va.

How sex traffickers work Although Lisa was never a trafficking victim herself and doesn’t work directly with victims, she has great compassion for them. “Many of the victims were trafficked as children,” she says. Victims of sex trafficking frequently have been abused at home

Office for Governmental Affairs and made a ‘cold call’ for a job. ‘I almost didn’t make the call,’ Lisa admits. She was hired as office manager. Soon, she was helping with public policy issues. Over the next two years, she advocated for the passage of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 with the aid of her friend and mentor, Dr. Laura Lederer, a pioneer in the field. But because of funding issues, Lisa was laid off from the NAE. That’s when she contacted Commissioner John Busby, then national commander of The Salvation Army. He hired her to head up the Army’s efforts against sexual trafficking.

www.prioritypeople.org

and cycled through many foster homes. Sex traffickers know how to spot such vulnerable youths, Lisa says. Some traffickers have a keen ability to spot girls hungry for love and attention, and then move in, often becoming a girl’s “boyfriend.” Once he has won her affection, often with gifts and fancy dates, he asks her to do him a “favor.” One favor leads to another, which leads to commercial sexual exploitation. The Salvation Army’s mission is to reach out to such girls and other victims of human trafficking. In communities where The Salvation Army is actively combating human trafficking, law enforcement officers will alert the Army to a possible trafficking situation, or the officers might do a “bust” and refer a victim to a Salvation Army case manager. Alternatively, the Army will find the victims through street outreach efforts. Through such ministry in vulnerable communities, volunteers comb the streets for possible trafficking victims. Volunteers befriend victims and encourage them to leave their situations. Depending on a victim’s needs and desires, the Army will provide assessments and offer referrals to shelters, legal representation, translation services, medical and dental assistance, and GED preparation classes. In some communities, The Salvation Army also provides a hotline for victims of human trafficking. Lisa says that victims often blame themselves for their situation. They feel unworthy and think there is no possibility of a new life. So they need affirmation. www.prioritypeople.org

She adds that our culture’s obsession with sex and pornography feeds the problem of sex trafficking. “The genie is out of the bottle!” she says. When Lisa prays, it is against “the sexual sin that is gripping the country, against the giant evil forces” that have been unleashed, making sexual trafficking possible. “The heart of the battle is in eradicating pornography,” she says. “It

coarsens men’s attitudes, leading them to view women as sexual objects.” Does Lisa’s work make a difference? Yes, she says. But it’s not large–scale. It’s little by little. “I think this work is really a matter of committing to the day–to– day, to the small things, and over time there’s a cumulative effect. There isn’t any one thing that will eradicate [sexual trafficking] but lots of little things that add up over time to have an impact.” Lisa Thompson is doing just that.

How Can You Help? Lisa Thompson suggests some ways you can help to fight against sexual trafficking in your community. 1. Mentor a young person or volunteer to serve in the youth group at your church. You’ll provide a role model, but more importantly, you’ll show young people that someone cares. 2. Serve on your local library board. That way, you can promote policies that keep pornography out of public libraries. 3. Get involved in your local government so you can be instrumental in making laws regulating ‘adult’ businesses. 4. Talk to your children, and not just about sex. Lisa says, ‘We must speak to our children about prostitution, pornography, and stripping, and normalizing activities such as bachelor parties. You can’t assume, “It won’t be my kid.” ‘ 5. Pray fervently against the ‘evil’ of sexual trafficking. Some churches have organized prayer walks to call attention to the problem, and participate in the annual International Weekend of Prayer and Fasting sponsored by The Salvation Army. http://www.traffickingprayerandfasting.org/

Who’s News

Crisis Minister Helps in Japan by Anne Urban

ddressing people’s emotional and spiritual needs in times of crisis is nothing new to The Salvation Army; it was integral to Founder William Booth’s mission. In fact, it was Booth’s motto of “soup, soap and salvation” that first attracted Kevin Ellers to the Army’s work while he was a seminarian in the early 1990s. Kevin has been the disaster services coordinator for the USA Central Territory (Midwest) since 2005. When he joined the staff in 2002, his mission was to write

and launch a standardized curriculum for The Salvation Army National Disaster Training Program (NDTP). A key component of the program is a curriculum for disaster chaplaincy. This growing field advocates the importance of providing emotional and spiritual care to disaster survivors and as emergency responders, in addition to meeting their physical needs. Kevin spearheaded this initiative by teaching NDTP extensively in The Salvation Army throughout the U.S. and Canada. “Train the trainers” is

a hallmark of his educational approach. In 2011, Kevin had the opportunity to bring the idea of chaplaincy and crisis response training to Japan. After the devastating earthquake and tsunami there, Salvation Army leaders invited Kevin to train their disaster response workers. Kevin was thrilled to receive the offer. “I was excited, but the task seemed daunting,” he said. “Only about one half of one percent of Japanese are Christian; the language doesn’t even have a word for ‘chaplain.’ ”

A government official (second from right) describes the impact zone of the earthquake and tsunami to Kevin Ellers (second from left).

www.prioritypeople.org

That wasn’t the only challenge. He needed to understand the culture and help disaster workers put the curriculum in their own context. “It was absolutely imperative that we help the Japanese take ownership for their chaplaincy program and make it work for their culture,” says Kevin. With assistance from the Japanese Evangelical Association, a team from Wheaton College, and his trauma– therapist wife, Jennifer, Kevin introduced the curriculum and assessed Japan’s recovery efforts. He continues to work with Japanese leadership in developing a strategic plan for training and building disaster chaplaincy teams across the nation. Translation of Kevin’s book, The First 48 Hours: Spiritual Caregivers as First Responders, is also in the works. Kevin grew up surrounded by people in crisis. His father was a Pilgrim Holiness preacher who left a traditional pastorate to launch a church and social services ministry in the backwoods of Ohio’s coal–mining region. By his late teens Kevin knew God was calling him to be a pastor, but he knew he couldn’t serve in a traditional role. In 1993, he earned a master of divinity degree concentrating in pastoral care, counseling, and hospital chaplaincy from Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City. At first he engaged in street ministry with an inner–city mission in www.prioritypeople.org

Kevin with Jonathan Wilson, president of a key disaster organization partner in Japan

Cincinnati, where he performed “a lot of trauma, crisis, and grief counseling,” says Kevin, who saw many of the same isssues in private practice. Then Kevin had the opportunity to work as a social services consultant for The Salvation Army in its Kansas and Western Missouri Division. Unexpectedly, his primary responsibilities became government relations. Kevin says he later realized that God had used these experiences to help him get comfortable working with government officials, systems, and protocols. He made invaluable contacts in Washington, D.C., as well as with national organizations critical

to his future work in Salvation Army emergency disaster services (EDS). “I believe my primary calling is equipping people to help expand God’s Kingdom,” says Kevin, who completed a D.Min. at Denver Theological Seminary in 2008. “The NDTP curriculum also serves as an evangelism tool; when used in the secular realm, it validates spiritual issues and the contribution of the faith community in times of crisis. When you develop partnerships with like–minded organizations, you expand the image and impact of The Salvation Army. And, it brings a larger pool of volunteers, many who come with their own resources.” 11

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CHRISTMAS

Portland Kids Get Holiday Help by Linda D. Johnson

hings are gearing up again for a Salvation Army Christmas in Portland, Ore. With the help of 150 local businesses in the metro area, about 7,000 kids will receive something under the tree. Four local Salvation Army churches (corps), all in very low–income areas, do the intake, and local businesses help with donations of toys and gift cards. Hoffman Construction puts big barrels at their work sites for toy collection, then pick everything up on a “Reindeer Run” and take the toys to three distribution centers. “They love it,” says Amy Bogdon of the Hoffman workers who participate. She oversees corporate partnerships, volunteers, and events for the metro area. Fred Meyer and Kroger’s grocery stores provide gift cards to The Salvation Army at a discount to help families with their food budget. “They’re reward cards,” Amy says, “so we get money back so we can buy more cards.” “It’s neat to see our partners really step up,” she says. For The Salvation Army, “It’s a lot more than just receiving a check. It’s the investment; it’s the relationship.” Amy

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Major Laura Sullivan at a toy distribution center.

says that when the Army helps clients, there’s hope that it’s the beginning of a relationship too. Families who participate in the holiday program fill out applications, and, once approved, set up an appointment to come and shop for their kids and pick up their food box. Volunteer shoppers direct parents to tables where toys are categorized by age and gender. For each child, there’s a toy and a clothing item, along with a stuffed animal, a Bible, a gift card of $10–$15, and stocking stuffers.

“They get to shop without spending money,” says Bogdon. Last season—and likely this one— many of the families who sign up for the program have never done so before. Amy often hears people say, “ ‘This is the first time I’ve needed help. When we get back on our feet, we’ll come back to help ourselves.’ ” She knows all about that from her own childhood. “We were one of those families needing help,” she says.

youth would have an opportunity to get off the streets in Phoenix,” Ted recalls. Ted loved basketball and went out for his high school team as a junior but was cut. His coach told him to keep playing and not give up, so Ted joined a church league at The Salvation Army. Ted says he learned a lot more than basketball at the corps from Lieutenant Lewis “Bud” Fuqua. “He would take us to the chapel and tell us about Jesus Christ and how He loved us, how He died on the Cross for us and shed His blood for us, and how important it was to have a relationship with Christ,” Ted says.

Lasting impact

Top: Ted’s childhood home Bottom: Playing college ball

he high school Ted McClure arrived at in Phoenix in 1969 was four times the size of his hometown of Boswell, Okla., where he says he literally “crawled off a tractor.” Suffering from culture shock, Ted says he was lucky to survive a riot at Phoenix’s Southmont High School. He experimented with drugs, alcohol, and gangs, but he found refuge at the Phoenix South Mountain Community Center, where he began playing basketball at age 14. “It was the only place that we as

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Ted says Fuqua would pray with the teams before and after games; that was something new to him. “I was touched by his kindness and his love,” Ted says. “Bud touched our hearts and I really truly believe that he helped cultivate that soil and plant that seed in my heart. “It was the touch of Christ in Bud that guided me to get closer to Him.” Ted got better at basketball and not only made the team his senior year but also garnered a spot on the starting five. He earned a basketball scholarship to Whitworth University in Spokane, Wash., where he received a degree in business. That was quite a jump for Ted, one of eight children raised in a single– parent home. His mother took in five additional children and they all lived in a two–bedroom home with no

father figure. (See sidebar on p. 17.) Ted returned to South Phoenix after graduation and opened a convenience store, a laundry, and a barbecue restaurant. Today, he owns a 7–Eleven franchise and Speed–D–Tees Bar–B–Q. “I’ve been self–employed ever since,” he says. “I credit that to The Salvation Army ministering to me and helping change my life and getting me off the streets.”

Rediscovering his roots Ted soon found himself sponsoring teams in the Salvation Army’s basketball league, and it wasn’t long before he was coaching and asked to serve on the South Mountain Advisory Council. “I’ve been a part of The Salvation Army for the last 41 years here at the center and continue to grow with the Army,” he says. “It’s been a move of God ever since then. “That’s why I do what I do. That’s why I’ve spent all of these years of my life giving back to this organization because it has done so much for me from a spiritual standpoint.” Through Speed–D–Tees, Ted has served 10,000 meals to the needy over the last 12 years the week of Thanksgiving. And the menu doesn’t feature turkey, but barbecue. “We plan to do that again this year and show people the love of Christ and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ through our actions and not just our words,” Ted says. Ted has owned the 7–Eleven franchise for the last 25 years. When he 15

The Advisors

Ted in the Phoenix Kroc Center.

Ted (right) received the Arizonal Cardinals’ community service award. He donated his $10,000 prize to The Salvation Army.

opened Speed–D–Tees, Ted told God that if He blessed the business, all early proceeds would go to charity. “That’s what I did for the first six or seven years,” Ted says. “It’s a very strong presence of what we’ve done giving back to God in our community.”

Kroc dream comes true Ted has served on the advisory board for the last decade, including the last seven as chair. He was instrumental in building the Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center in Phoenix, a shiny new 147,000–square–foot facility. The old corps in Phoenix was only a third the size. The Kroc Center, which features Scripture on the walls, reminds Ted of the atmosphere he experienced as a child. “We have been planting the love of God through His Word throughout the entire facility so that people can feel safe,” he says. Salvation Army officials in Phoenix received $64 million for the new center from the $1.5 billion donated by the estate of Ray and Joan Kroc, including $32 million for construction and $32 million for operations. However, construction costs came in at $47 million, and the board had to raise $15 million. Ted stayed on two more years as chair to secure the funding. “It’s been very delightful,” Ted says of his time on the board. He said he has also grown as a person, especially spiritually, as he has worked with The Salvation Army.

He sees himself The pride Ted feels in the new center is evident as he watches the beehive of activity in the gym, pool, and café. “One thing that gives me so much inspiration is to see the young kids in the gym playing basketball and see the state–of–the–art facility that they have that’s going to be around for many, many years,” he says. “I realize the impact [such a place] had on my life as a youth. “What is so wonderful about this

A Marriage Saved

ed McClure still tears up at the memory some five decades later. He was 9 years old and walking home from school in Oklahoma when he saw his biological father driving by. Ted enthusiastically smiled and waved, but the man who had never committed to being in his life just ignored him and drove on. ‘It really hurt me tremendously and I started to cry,’ he says. ‘I talked to God and I told him that if I ever had kids, I would never leave them.’ God had to call him on that promise. It was Oct. 5, 1995. Ted was lying

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facility is the spiritual protection. Someone can come in [from the community] and find this a safe place. … It’s just wonderful to be a part of that.” Ted’s says he hopes the Kroc Center will strengthen families. “I get so inspired when I see a full family walk through the doors or a little kid who was lost and didn’t have a place of refuge … ,” he says. He doesn’t want families to be turned away because they can’t afford the cost of a membership to the Kroc Center.

in bed pondering the unthinkable: He was going through a rough period in his marriage and he was thinking of divorcing his wife and leaving his three children. Then, he says, he heard the unmistakable voice of God. ‘I heard this voice say, “I thought you promised me you would never leave your children” I heard it as clear as day,’ he says. ‘When that voice came to me it touched my heart. I just started to cry and He purged me and I’ve been saved ever since.’ Ted says when he woke up the next morning a changed man. ‘It was just the most beautiful feeling that I ever had in my entire life,’ he says. ‘I know there’s a real God. He came supernaturally and got me. ‘It was a supernatural moving of God in my life and that’s why it’s so

Last Christmas, Ted got all the 7–Eleven locations in the Phoenix area to sell paper Salvation Army shields, raising $3,500 so low–income families near the center could receive scholarships. “Hopefully it will be a national program someday,” Ted says.

What a road! Ted’s hard work as an advisory board member was recognized this year by the USA Western Territory, which named him a “Trailblazer.”

easy for me to continue the work of the Lord—because of my relationship with Him. I feel that The Salvation Army in many ways watered my spirit and God came and got me when there was a need. So I know there is a true God and His Word is true. He saved me.’ Ted’s wife, Barbara, noticed an immediate change. ‘She saw Him purge me and change me,’ Ted says. ‘I woke up a totally different person and I’ve been a totally different person ever since.’ The couple decided to stay married, and Ted kept his promise to God. Today, all his children are following Christ. ‘When I was getting ready to make the worst decision in my life, destroying my family, He stepped in and corrected it, and today I’ve been married for 27 years.’ 17

The Advisors

Ted at Speed–D–Tees. Inset: A Salvation Army shield on the wall.

Such honors are nothing new for Ted, who was cited as the most successful graduate at his 20–year high school reunion in 1992. Ted sent Bud Fuqua, now a retired major, a round–trip plane ticket to see him become a Trailblazer. “He’s a man of God,” Bud says of Ted. “He really is. He’s touched so many lives.” In retrospect, Ted realizes that not many people took the route he did, from playing basketball at a Salvation Army gym to becoming chair of the advisory board—and he gives all the credit to Christ. Ted is taking another step that would 18

put him in a position to help even more people. He is a candidate for the Phoenix City Council this year. “It’s been a wonderful life for me,” he says. “I’m just one of the products of what [The Salvation Army has] done over the years in my community. There have been hundreds of kids come through the old facility and have been impacted as I have been impacted spiritually from being involved with The Salvation Army.”

Special shield When the old Salvation Army community center in Phoenix was being torn down, Ted found an old red, yellow,

and white shield from the office. He now displays it at Speed–D–Tees, where patrons can also watch a DVD about the Kroc Center. “That shield is special to me because I want to keep The Salvation Army close to my heart,” he says. “The Salvation Army had a tremendous commitment to me a child. What I can do to get the word out and evangelize the kids—whether it’s in my business, whether it’s at the Kroc Center—this is the work God has put in my heart. “I love doing it and I look forward to doing it until God calls me home, which I know is no time soon because I have a lot of work to do.” www.prioritypeople.org

CHRISTMAS

Gettysburg’s Golden Couple and see what would happen.” What happened was extensive media coverage in the Gettysburg Times and on local radio. Dick has kept the newspaper articles over the years. The value of the coins has been steadily rising with the price of gold: $287 in 1997, $600 in 2006, and $1,700 in 2011.

all it a great motivational tool. Dick and Ruth Jean Unger of Gettysburg, Pa., admitted earlier this year that they have anonymously dropped a one– ounce gold coin into a Salvation Army kettle each of the last 15 years. The couple’s total giving amounts to around $10,000. Why did they do it? “We wanted to help The Salvation Army and hoped that by doing this it would get some play in the local papers—and it did,” Dick says. “We hoped that maybe other people would give more. We, of course, love The Salvation Army.” Dick says he bought six gold South African Krugerrand coins several years ago as an investment before he got the idea of being an anonymous donor. “I thought rather than just let them lie in our safety deposit box, we would start this program,” Dick recalls. “We just decided to drop one in

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‘We decided to drop one coin in and see what would happen.’ When the Ungers ran out of gold coins after six years, they would purchase one each year at a Gettysburg coin shop to put in the kettle at the local Walmart. Dick says he never left a note but simply dropped the coin in. The newspaper articles about the coins each year led to quite a guessing game in the bucolic Pennsylvania town best known for the famous Civil War battle. As the gold coins kept appearing, the local community got more curious. Dick says he and his wife steadfastly kept the secret for years, though local Salvation Army officials knew.

by Robert Mitchell

“We didn’t want to brag,” he says. “We just wanted to be anonymous and thought it would get more press being anonymous. It was just to help the program, and we didn’t want any PR from it or anything.” Dick admits the speculation started to “get out of hand” in recent years. “People were saying, ‘I’ll bet it was this person or that person’ and some of them thought it was us and they asked if it was us,” Dick says. “We’d either have to fib or ignore the question. That’s what we tried to do.” Finally, “People thought it was time,” Dick says. He and his wife announced that they were the mystery donors, and their giving got tremendous media play both locally and in a January story in the online Huffington Post. Dick, who is now retired, earned a living as an X–ray technician and in the insurance and investment fields, while Ruth Jean was a homemaker. The couple worships at the St. James Lutheran Church in Gettysburg. Cindy Yearsley, regional director for The Salvation Army, told the Huffington Post, “So many individuals and families have been helped by the Ungers’ generosity that we owe them our most sincere appreciation.”

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An Embracing Place On the edge of a high–crime area in Gresham, Ore., a Salvation Army Youth Center is a ‘safe spot for kids.’

Photography © Toni Greaves/Getty Images

by Linda D. Johnson

What God Is Doing In â&#x20AC;Ś Gresham, Oregon

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ids are making necklaces around a table during Vacation Bible School at The Salvation Army in Gresham, Ore. They’ve just come from another room, where they heard the Bible story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. One child remarks that Jesus cried when He heard His friend had died. The corps officer (pastor), Major Laura Sullivan, who overhears that, asks the kids if they know what the shortest verse in the Bible is. “Jesus wept,” she says. “I cried when my grandmother died,” says Olivia, who is about 6. Another child talks about losing a pet. The conversation is all very casual, but the lesson about Jesus’ power over death is sinking in, becoming real. “We want to change kids’ lives,” says Major James Sullivan, Laura’s husband and the other half of the corps officer team. The corps, open for four years in its new location, is on the edge of a high– crime area. “But this is a safe spot for kids,” James says. The corps’ Youth Center is small, but it’s always buzzing. During the school year, 40–50 kids begin arriving at 2:15 and stay until 6. In the evenings, there are teen programs that draw 30–40 young people.

‘Trailblazer’ At the heart of it all is Lorrie Davis, youth director, who has been at her job www.prioritypeople.org

What God Is Doing In … Gresham, Oregon

for 16 years. (See sidebar on pp. 25–26.) She says she has stayed so long at Gresham because she wants to be a constant presence for kids and teens. Major Laura says that having Lorrie at the Gresham Corps when she and her husband arrived four years ago made adjusting to a new appointment much easier. “We came here where she was at,” says Laura. The Salvation Army’s Western Territory recently named Lorrie a “Trailblazer” for her work. Despite the recognition, Lorrie says she isn’t really good at much. “I didn’t get any of the ‘big gifts,’ ” she says. “I’m not really good at anything. But I surround myself with people who are.” Lorrie, a self–described overachiever, says that if the Lord had given her one of those big spiritual gifts—such as teaching, preaching, or even administration—she would work hard at that. “I think God intentionally left me a little lacking so I can just love people,” she says. It is that love that draws staff, volunteers, and interns to youth programs at Gresham.

The Gresham team Bridget Wyatt, a 30–year–old volunteer, became an intern this past January because she wanted to work with marginalized children. She stayed partly because of the love she saw in Lorrie. “She is naturally really nurturing and giving,” Bridget says. “She makes sure 24

Lorrie Davis helps volunteers get ready for VBS through prayer (top) and planning.

the people she’s working with get what they need.” Over the past five years, Lorrie and her team have developed a strong base of volunteers—about 60. A group of five to eight serves every day in after–school programs. At VBS this past summer, there were 44 kids and 31 volunteers on the first day. Major events, such as back–to–school shopping, draw 30 or more to help.

In training volunteers and staff, Lorrie tells them, “If we love each other, God is going to do amazing things.” She says that not all volunteers are Christians, but from the outset, they know the Salvation Army's programs are Christian. Some begin to get the message. “Two of our most amazing helpers are friends with another leader,” says Lorrie. “One came in anti–Christian, and they www.prioritypeople.org

have softened so much.” Not all volunteers stick, Lorrie says, but those who do are there for a long time. Pablo Sirena, who started out in the teen program, is now in college but still volunteers. And Anthony Guzman, another volunteer, started coming to the corps when he was much younger. “His mom made him come, and now he’s part of our family,” says Lorrie.

The ‘Principal’ Today, Lorrie herself doesn’t do a lot of direct ministry because she is involved more with leadership and administration, including development. Major James says plans are underway to expand the corps building to include a social services center and a much larger youth center, with a full–size gym. The goal is $3.3 million, with $1.2 million raised so far. “When people hear what we’re doing, they support us,” Lorrie says. The corps has also developed relationships with other churches in the area, and one has become a financial mainstay. At the Youth Center, Lorrie keeps in touch with volunteers and often pops in to see what’s going on. During after–school time, she describes her role as “principal.” “When kids get in trouble, they hang out with me. That’s when we have heart conversations. I see discipline as having an undivided opportunity to encourage them.” Major discipline problems are few. “Kids see it as a privilege to be here,” www.prioritypeople.org

God Got Hold Of Her

oung Lorrie had been hearing about Jesus for a while. Then one day, she made a commitment. ‘I asked Jesus into my heart at age 6,’ she says. ‘It was a powerful connection. He just really got hold of me.’ Lorrie Davis, now 40, says she watched many other kids around her going down destructive paths. ‘I know that God rescued me from walking that way,’ she says. ‘I’ve always felt His presence, especially when I was a kid. I was very eager to learn about the Lord through whatever method I could. I just wanted to know God more.’ She grew up in Coos Bay, on the Oregon coast, where her mom brought Lorrie and her brothers to a small Salvation Army corps. When Lorrie was in fourth grade, some new pastors came, Captains Len and Barbara Blix. Growing up with a single mom, Lorrie was drawn especially to Captain Len.

‘He was like my dad; he was a big person in my life,’ she says. The Blixes stayed in Coos Bay until Lorrie was a junior in high school, which she says was enormously important to her. Her mother was also a guiding force. ‘Mom has a sweet, gentle spirit. She taught us to be kind to everybody. Even my brothers, who were very tough, would always look out for people.’ By age 10, Lorrie was going through some rocky times, and her faith in God grew deeper. ‘I felt this urgency to it,’ she says. ‘That was the only way I was going to survive. For a lot of my life, He’s all I’ve had.’

Love of church and camp As a child, Lorrie says, she would walk to church if she had to. ‘It was a long way, but I would do it.’ Lorrie is even more passionate about her love for camp. ‘Camp was my favorite time,’ she says. ‘When I was a child, if you asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would say “a camp counselor.” ’ Her dream came true when, at age 15, she was assigned to be a waitress, then became an ‘unofficial’ counselor at the Salvation Army’s Camp Kuratli at Trestle Glen.

What God Is Doing In … Gresham, Oregon

It was at camp, the summer when Lorrie was 18, that she met Donald Davis, a counselor who would one day become her husband; by the end of the summer, they were dating casually. Lorrie had another big dream, to become a youth pastor. As a high school senior, she registered for college, but came up $1,600 short in the money she needed. ‘And there just was no money,’ Lorrie says. She was crushed.

Not her plan, but God’s A divisional Army officer heard about the situation and mentioned an opening as youth center assistant at a corps. He asked a dejected Lorrie if she wanted the job. ‘Yeah, I want to serve the Lord,’

she remembers saying. It turns out that the pastors of that corps were Donald’s parents. She moved in with them, and she and Donald began dating ‘more officially’ that year, 1991. When the youth director at the corps left, Lorrie began leading after–school programs and soon became youth director. ‘I learned a lot; it was trial by fire.’ She next moved to Idaho for a time with the Davises. But soon she was back in Oregon, where she took a position at the place she loved best—camp. Her favorite part of the job was summers, when the kids were there. By then, Lorrie was also a soldier (member) of the Gresham Corps, just 20 minutes away from camp. In 1996,

three years after she and Don married, she was offered a position as youth director, a job she has held ever since. ‘I see bits of me in a bunch of the kids,’ Lorrie says. She says she has vision but leaves the details to others. ‘God says to me, “Just love people.” ’ Her love extends to a total of six children she and Don have raised: two biological children and four foster children. The two oldest foster children are grown. Still in the home are Jeremiah, Zachariah, Raynia, and Anna. Lorrie says she plans to stay at Gresham—that is, unless God gives her a different plan. ‘I want to be right in the middle of where God wants me to be.’

The Davis family

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says Lorrie. When parents come to pick kids up, she frequently hears them plead, “Can I stay a little longer?” “They like people who love them,” Lorrie says.

Gateways For Lorrie and the Sullivans, an important goal is making deeper connections with families. When after–school kids do Christmas and Spring recitals or perform in the Youth Choir on a Sunday morning, parents come out. “These are gateways,” says Major James. Helping parents understand that they too can be part of the corps is a slow process, he says, but it’s happening. “They are way more comfortable than when we first started [four years ago],” he says. The social services center, now housed in a modular building across the parking lot from the corps, is another gateway. The caseworker, Maxine Lawrence, is a soldier (member) of the corps, and she always asks clients if they have a home church. If they don’t, she invites them. “I had been looking for a church for a while,” says Angela Arriaga, who received such an invitation. She doesn’t have a car, so she was pleased to find she could get a ride. She started by attending a women’s group, then came to the Youth Center for Family Night last November. “I really felt embraced,” she says.

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First Person

‘I’ve learned to live my faith, not just talk about it.’

Photography © Christopher Lane/Getty Images

My Faith, My Destiny by Denise Richardson

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Known for her work on “Good Morning America” and on PBS, Denise Richardson now works as communications director for The Salvation Army in the Greater New York Division and hosts a Sunday morning WOR-AM 710 radio program for The Salvation Army, “Beyond the Bells.” This is her story, in her own words. s I’ve pursued my destiny, my faith has always played an important role. As a very young child, I remember telling my mother, “I want to attend the school around the corner!” That was St. Augustine’s, a Catholic school. Every morning at 6:30, I would go to Mass; I was heartsick if I missed it. To this day, I cannot explain the depth of my commitment, especially at that age. I can only conclude that my attending St. Augustine’s was meant to be. Perhaps a vision I had at age 6 helped me reach that conclusion. One day while looking out my bedroom window on east 167th Street into a clear blue sky, I saw what appeared to be a huge brown rowboat. In it stood Jesus Christ—the same Jesus I had seen in all those holy paintings. Seated behind Him was the Blessed Virgin Mary, in blue and white robes—the same Mary I had seen in holy pictures! I turned away to call my mom to come and see them. When I turned back, they were gone. But I’ve never forgotten the experience. And in the last few years I have wondered, “Why me? Why did I get to see them?” Maybe it was because I needed to. Growing up in the South Bronx, I recall

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that money was scarce. I asked my mom once if we were poor. She said, “Yes, dear, but you’d never know it.” Everyone loved my mother, Fay Gauntlett. I called her “Mamashay,” and so did all my friends, who would share their trials with her and listen to her advice. As Mamashay’s daughter, my deepest desire was to make her proud of me. I never wanted her to be troubled in any way by something I did. I learned an important lesson from her one day. Back then, people labeled homeless men as “winos” or “bums.” So I was taken aback when one of the men engaged my mother in conversation. When I told her that she should not have spoken to him, she said, “Yesterday I was carrying a lot of groceries, and he helped me carry them to the building. Are you saying that I should only speak with someone wearing a suit? That person did not help me!” My grandmother (I called her “The Mother”) also lived with us. She was originally from Jamaica, where she was a businesswoman. In the United States, she cleaned people’s homes, but she remained strong and proud. I probably get my attitude from her. My father wasn’t around. As a child, I felt his absence and the embarrassment of not having him there. For years, I could never say the word father. It meant nothing to me. So Mamashay and The Mother were my family. Through them, I learned about long–term friendships, community service, and celebrating birthdays and holidays—especially Christmas. My mom loved Christmas. To this 29

First Person

Denise, on assignment with ‘Good Morning, America’ holds a koala in Australia.

With Lionel Richie

With one of her Bichon Frise dogs.

day, so do I. It’s the spirit of the season that I adore, and I cannot get through the holidays without shedding a few tears. Her tree rivaled anything in a magazine, and I looked forward to seeing it on Christmas morning even more than opening gifts. For a time, Fay was part of a team decorating department store windows. She may have been the 30

first black woman in New York City to do that kind of work professionally. But I learned late in life that she didn’t have the support for the long haul that would have given her the freedom to grow her talent. As for me, I was a dreamer. I wanted to be like the legendary broadcast journalist Walter Cronkite (whom I

would one day have the privilege of interviewing). I wanted to bring people information that could improve their lives, to have a great job that would earn me respect, to travel the world. But never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that such an opportunity would come my way. For a long time, I didn’t know my www.prioritypeople.org

life’s purpose. When the principal at St. Augustine’s asked me to teach there, I did that. It was a blessing, and I loved those children. However, there came a time when I was so frustrated with my fifth grade class that I told them, “I hope you all grow up to be teachers and get a class exactly like you!” I left teaching to do “more.” But I had no clue what “more” was. I ended up in advertising as a “Gal Friday” who couldn’t type. Then I went back to the Bronx to run an anti–poverty program at St. Augustine’s. When I moved on from that position, I was hired at RKO General Inc., a leading broadcasting company, as its first equal employment administrator.

You can’t tell me that my course has not been charted by a higher power. For it was here that the door really swung open. I was given the opportunity to leave personnel and move into radio. From 99X–FM radio doing news and talk shows, I moved onto WOR–AM radio, where I worked six days a week as a street reporter and anchor. And to be able to return to WOR–710 AM in 2009 and host “Beyond the Bells,” which tells The Salvation Army’s story, is nothing short of a blessing. There are so many good people in The Salvation Army who give their lives every day to hold up an individual or family in need. From radio I moved on to television: WOR–TV, to “Good Day New York,”

‘Perfect Together’

have been involved with The Salvation Army’s Greater New York Division (GNY) since 1983. That’s when Ralph Chamberlain, then the director of development, saw me on WOR–TV and asked me to give a speech. That day, Ralph didn’t know he was making a huge contribution to my future. Subsequent requests saw me emceeing luncheons, dinners, and major events for The Salvation Army. Those days led to me serving on GNY’s advisory board for nearly 20 years. And then in 2008, I was asked to come on board as director of communications, and I accepted. You could say that The Salvation Army and I are perfect together. That’s what my friends tell me all the time. That’s because, like the Army, I care that people in need get the help that can turn their lives around. It happens every day in every Salvation Army corps (church). What I relish are the personal stories that I hear all the time. The officers (pastors) are ‘in it to win it’ for the people who need them. That’s you and me.

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First Person

to “Good Morning America” (GMA) as a correspondent. I flew all over the world telling stories. I bungee–jumped in New Zealand and held a koala bear in Australia (a long–time dream!). In 1993, I traveled to Somalia in Africa to cover the landing of the U.S. Marines. Assignments took me to England, Croatia, Bosnia and Kenya. I hosted a pet show on the Fox News Channel. That really came naturally. My heart belongs to my two Bichon Frises (curly white lap dogs), Muffy Fay Too and Beasley, who make coming home a joy. My first Muffy Fay traveled with me everywhere, on many assignments, including stories I did for GMA, for 11 years. When she passed, my heart was broken. I’ve also co–hosted a morning show on WLIB–AM radio, and have freelanced at PBS, Channel 13, since 2000. There, I began co–hosting The Pledge Drive, and I’m doing it to this day. It is just more fun than you can imagine! I’ve also had the great pleasure of working with T.J. Lubinski on his PBS specials featuring so many great “Doo Wop” and Motown shows. I always loved this music and listened to Cousin Brucie; now I have had the chance to work with him. WOW!

What have I learned? Despite all the great days, I had a time of struggle. I believe that Jesus was saying, “You think you’re such hot stuff? You’ll appreciate the next opportunity you get.” And with that came a few years of “What’s next?” 32

Bungee jumping in New Zealand for ‘Good Morning, America’

Cooking with Ted Koppel

One thing that came next was being available when my mother developed lung cancer. Her physicians at Mount Sinai were amazing. But one evening, in my presence, her doctor said, “Fay, you should get your affairs in order.” I had to walk out of the room.

On Oct. 15, 2001, I was at her bedside, begging her not to leave me. I have never had a more lonely moment than the one when she passed. I loved her so much! I still feel her loss. She was the mom who was always there for me—no matter what—and who laughed easily www.prioritypeople.org

With her mom, ‘Mamashay’ With a colleague at The Salvation Army in New York City

and created things of beauty for us all to enjoy. What I really enjoy is the power of the press to make a difference in people’s lives. I remember early in my career helping one woman who could get no response from authorities when her home flooded until we stepped in. The same power to help change the course of a life comes with working here at TSA. We’ve stayed the course with one mom who called The Salvation Army for help and moved from not being able to afford school supplies and uniforms for her child to working so hard to get her GED to proudly telling me that this year that she was able to www.prioritypeople.org

provide those school necessities. What she needed, among other things, was moral support, and she got it. What has all of this to do with my faith? In the last few years, I’ve learned to live my faith, not just talk about it. For me, that means facing the world without fear, knowing that Jesus is my co–pilot. I’ve come to trust that the good Lord is on the job, working 24/7. I also pray for everyone around me as I travel to work. I deal with my own stress by saying the “Our Father” on the train. When I begin this prayer, I notice how my forehead relaxes. I’ve learned to walk through the day thanking Jesus for the simplest things,

including a great cupcake! I’m grateful to be able to get up in the morning and have another opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life. I’m grateful to have amazing colleagues here at Divisional Headquarters in Greater New York. It seems that Jesus has seen fit to allow me the opportunity to spread the great news that The Salvation Army (the number one nonprofit in the country to me) continues to touch the lives and hearts of so many people, every day, in so many ways! If that isn’t a blessed destiny, I don’t know what is!

CHRISTMAS

Olympia Biker Santas

Many riders dress as Santa.

n Olympia, Wash., Santa rides a motorcycle. Last December, just three weeks before Christmas, about 18,000 motorcyclists, many wearing red Santa costumes, rode their bikes, with chrome–chopped pipes and butterfly handlebars, to Washington’s state capital. Because of a partnership between the bikers and The 34

Salvation Army, many children who would not have had a Christmas present waiting for them under the tree to open got gifts. “It’s amazing,” says Major Bill Lum, a Salvation Army pastor (corps officer) in Olympia. “It’s certainly two unlikely entities joining together. But as a result, a much greater good is done, which is kind of the approach the founder of the Salvation Army, William Booth, took.”

Riding for 25 years The annual toy ride began in 1977, making it the oldest event of its kind in the country. It’s also one of the biggest. Last year, about $230,000 worth of toys put smiles on the faces of thousands of low–income children. Each year, people line the streets to

by Gail Wood cheer for the biker Santas; their ranks stretch a couple of miles. “Santa Joe” Sullivan has been in all 35 toy rides. One of the originators of the toy drive, he continues to be a driving force behind it. “Back in 1977 a group of us were hanging out at a bar talking, and we were trying to think of some way we could help the community,” Sullivan says. “So we came up with this toy run.” That first year, there were 27 bikers. By the mid 1990s, turnout was between 2,000 and 5,000. It spiked to over 10,000 in 2007 when a story about the toy ride appeared in a national motorcycle magazine. From the start, Sullivan asked The Salvation Army to help. The arrangement was simple. The bikers would deliver the toys and the Army would distribute them. “We just figured The Salvation Army would be the appropriate charity,” Sullivan said. Now, he meets with Lum and others each month year–round to plan and discuss the coming year’s event.

Toys to spare Last year, the Olympia Salvation Army collected so many toys that they could share with nearby Army churches in Aberdeen, Centralia, and Puyallup. www.prioritypeople.org

Lum wants to make sure he’s a good steward. The Salvation Army does that by screening parents to ensure they do have financial need and that they do have children.

Personal touch All the interviews with the parents are done at the church. Then on the questionnaire parents are asked if they’d like a follow–up contact from the church. “So, there’s a way for us to reach out to them,” Lum says. The parents then come into the warehouse to shop. “We usually give them one major toy and usually they get two other little ones,” Lum says. “They know their kids.

They know what they like.” Walking with a chaperone, parents select gifts and leave with an armful of toys. The parents also get to select a stocking stuffer, typically a box of crayons or a coloring book. Initially, Sullivan’s interest in starting a toy run was spurred by his desire to do a little image cleanup for motorcyclists. “I’ve been a longtime rider,” says Sullivan, who is now 69. “Sometimes you see the negative side of it, and we just decided to do this to help change people’s minds about bikers.” Not everyone in Olympia is pleased with the annual toy ride. Some residents are unhappy with the long line of motorcycles that clog the streets for an

hour. Then there’s the issue of the loud tailpipes and the noise the bikes bring. These Scrooges have complained to the city and asked that the ride be stopped. But the city hasn’t caved in to the complaints. “It’s an inconvenience for one day out of the year,” said Chuck Goodman, leader of the Christian Motorcyclist Association, who has joined the toy ride. “But it’s all worth it.” Goodman has seen the smiling face of a child who knows he’ll get a Christmas gift because of the toy ride. “It’s all about the kids,” Goodman said. “It’s not about us. It’s not about the people who complain about the traffic. It’s all for the kids.”

THIS END UP F U R N I T U R E

C O M P A N Y

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MyTake

The Blessing of Christmas Cards by Robert E. Thomson

to be part of our circle. We receive greetings each year from former neighbors, college classmates, one–time workmates, good friends now separated from us by many miles, and distant and not–so– distant relatives we seldom see. The Apostle Paul used this technique—although not in a Christmas card—when writing to the Romans. He asked that his greetings be given to Andronicus and Junia and Herodion (relatives), to Priscilla and Aquila and Tryphena and Tryphosa and Urbanus (fellow workers) and to Epenetus and Ampliatus and Persis and Stachys (friends).

he year was 1843. Sir Henry Cole of London, who made a practice of writing individual letters to many friends during the Christmas season, was pressed for time. So he commissioned John Calcott Horsley, a well–known artist, to prepare a generic greeting. Horsley printed 1,000 black and white cards, which he colored by hand, and Sir Henry posted them. The Christmas card was born. Last year, an estimated 1.9 billion cards were exchanged worldwide. Some have decried the massive sending of cards as a commercialization of, even a desecration of, one of the most holy days on the Christian calendar. I take a different view. I love Christmas cards, and I believe they serve three specific and Bible–approved purposes.

1: they keep us in touch One, they keep us in touch with family and friends who otherwise might cease www.prioritypeople.org

2: They convey meaning Two, many Christmas cards remind us of the real meaning of the season. True, some depict nostalgic scenes, Santa Claus, or birds and animals that have little to do with the Advent of our Lord. But the vast majority of cards delivered to our home last year had a definite link to the birth of Jesus. Many had pictures of the manger scene, some from the great masters and some with a decidedly modern look. Others portrayed the Magi following the Star or the baby Jesus Himself. A large number quoted Scripture, primarily from Matthew, Luke, and Isaiah. But we also found references to less obvious but nevertheless meaningful verses from Romans, Ephesians, 1 Peter, and 1 John. Still other cards included quotations from noted Christian poets such as Helen Steiner Rice and Christian writers such as Roy Lessin and Max Lucado.

Each was a reminder that “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

3: They encourage us Three, Christmas cards provide an opportunity to encourage and express appreciation to those who have had a significant impact on our lives. Here’s a sampling from cards we have received. From a couple with whom we’ve never been close: “Have enjoyed your writings in Army publications.” From a “snowbird” who attends our Florida corps five or six months of the year: “Thank you for your prayerful support in recent months.” From a new Salvationist: “Love to my brother and sister in Christ.” From an officer we haven’t seen in 20 years: “With happy memories of times shared together.” Perhaps the most touching—and most encouraging—card we received was from a Salvation Army officer couple we mentored a quarter of a century ago. The cover was a photo, taken by the wife, of two sheep. Inside was a quotation from Luke’s Gospel about shepherds keeping watch over their flocks. A personal note read, “Thank you for your shepherd roles in our lives.” What an uplift that expression of thanks brought to us! Sir Henry Cole and John Calcott Horsley certainly had no idea where their innovative production of the first Christmas card in 1843 would lead. But I’m glad they got the ball rolling. 37

CHRISTMAS

The Big Black Pot

he air was crisp and cold and smelled of snow. “This year we are adding angels, and they have to have big wings and light up,” my mother said. We always added a new piece each year to our nativity scene in the front yard. We set off to shop in every store that carried decorations. All the windows were lined with lights and people gathered to watch the Lionel train sets in the toy store window go round and round. The stores played Christmas music, and we sang carols as we shopped. As we walked farther down the street we felt the little flakes of snow coming down and hitting our faces. I tried to chase them and catch them in my mouth. As we felt the temperature drop, we tied our big scarves tighter to keep warm. Mom started to sing, “Shepherd, Shepherd, Where Are You Going?” We loved the lyrics “down to the stable to see the baby Jesus.” As we left one store, we heard the faint sound of a single bell. At first

by Sheila Albritton

I thought it was a song on the store speakers. Then I realized it was farther away. “Do you hear that bell”? I asked. “Yes, let’s walk down the street and head toward Murphy’s Five and Dime,” Mom said. “That’s the store that has the Salvation Army bell–ringers.” A family owned Murphy’s; it was not a chain like Woolworth’s. They had love for our community, and we knew that they cared about people who shopped there. The bell got louder as we approached. Then I saw a lady and a gentleman standing on each side of a big black pot hung on a stand. People walking by and the shoppers coming out of Murphy’s were donating spare change.

bell–ringers in uniform I thought the bell–ringers had a military look. They wore hats; the lady wore a black cape and the gentleman a black coat. I saw a small amount of red on their uniforms. They acted as if they didn’t mind the cold. As people put money into the pot, they smiled and said, “God Bless You and Merry Christmas.” Mom dropped some money in. She said to me, “We put love into the big black pot to help others at Christmas, then The Salvation Army takes love out of the big black pot and gives it to those who need it. That way all of us can

share the love of Jesus with many people through The Salvation Army church.” My mom shared with me that the tradition of the big black pot came from San Francisco, where people used such pots to boil fish and shrimp. The Salvation Army thought they were a great size for gathering “love gifts,” and they began to “keep the pot boiling” all over the nation. That night we found our angels; they had big wings and they lit up. However, I found more that night than nativity angels. I found two real angels from The Salvation Army who shed light on a cold night in front of Murphy’s Five and Dime. As I grew up, every year at Christmastime while I shopped and sang “Shepherd, Shepherd,” I looked for the Salvation Army bell–ringers and, of course, their big black pot.

The writer is a Christian recording artist known as ‘Britt.’ Her latest CD is ‘Brushstrokes.’ Visit www.brittsong.tmgartists.com www.prioritypeople.org

Salvation Story

One Divinely Appointed Ride Story and photography by Craig Dirkes

In May 2005, Tom Canfield had just been released from jail in Wisconsin, and he needed to get to a Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC) 100 miles away in Minneapolis. He had no money for a bus and his friends and family refused to give him a lift. His only option was an old man sitting in the jailâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lobby. Tom pleaded for a ride, and the old man agreed.

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Salvation Story

hat ride could be seen as divine transportation. On the way to Minneapolis, the two seeming strangers would discover each other’s identities, and what the old man said would start Tom on a path to redemption. To understand what a miracle that was, it helps to know Tom’s backstory. And it’s not pretty.

Tom’s story

‘All I could think to do was pray. I said, “God, if you’re really out there, I need help.” ‘

Tom, who grew up on a small farm near New Prague, Minn., was getting high or drunk every day by the time he was in high school. He somehow got into college, where he plunged into the drug culture. “I was addicted to alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, meth—anything I could get my hands on,” he said. “I had never liked myself. Alcohol and drugs helped me live in my own skin, made me feel powerful.” But Tom was a “functional” drug user, so he managed to graduate in 1990 with a degree in computer science. During that time, he fathered two children. He started “working” right after graduation, though not in his field of study. “I was making an enormous amount of money selling drugs,” Tom says. In 1991, he got busted with $60,000 worth of LSD and seven pounds of marijuana. His parents pooled their money and got him released on bail. As a thank you, Tom fled Minnesota with his girlfriend and changed his identity. The two moved to the mountains of Vermont, where they would live and 41

Salvation Story

manufacture drugs together for almost a decade. Along the way, they had three children. “We lived north of Stowe on 200 acres of land,” Tom says. “We were self– sufficient and grew all our own food. We also grew psychedelic mushrooms and marijuana—two mushroom harvests a year worth $50,000 to $60,000 each, and three pot harvests worth $20,000 to $30,000 each.” The couple laundered their profits through a jewelry business. They sold the jewelry to hippie shops and at rock concerts across the country all year long. But nine long years of selling drugs eventually took its toll on Tom. And not just on his mind. “I got shot during a drug deal gone bad,” he says. “The bullet entered my wrist and exited my elbow. My partner at the time, he got shot in the gut.” By 2000, Tom was a total “head case.” “I was using so much heroin and cocaine [that] I turned into a monster,” he says. His girlfriend took their three kids and left him. “I was being followed and watched—the cops even had helicopters flying over my place. I was holed up in the house doing drugs, completely paranoid.” In 2001, Tom decided that enough was enough. He called his mother and said he needed to come home and get sober. “I grabbed a few bags of clothes, a bus ticket and moved in with my mom,” he said.

Losing battle Tom stayed sober a few years, worked several jobs, and persuaded his ex– girlfriend to move to Minnesota with their three kids. But his attempt at sobriety ultimately fell flat. In 2003, he reverted to drugs and destroyed everything he’d worked so hard to rebuild. “I started dealing meth,” Tom says. “By 2004, I was homeless, and nobody I knew wanted anything to do with me. I spent most of my time in casino hotel rooms making false identities for Minnesotans. I was cooking meth but using it all before I could sell it.”

In February 2005, an emaciated Tom lay naked and passed out in a scuzzy Wisconsin hotel room. He had just sold a few rocks of meth. His customers got busted—and sang like canaries. “The cops found out about my operation, came into my room, and found everything,” Tom says. “When they hauled me off to jail, I was wearing nothing but a bed sheet. I literally lay there in jail, alone, as a bare–naked soul.” Tom says that if he could have found some way to kill himself, he would have. “All I could think to do was pray. I said, ‘God, if you’re really out there, I need help.’ ”

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The old man’s story Tom would spend the next three months in that jail in Siren, Wis. A county attorney said he was looking at 12 years in prison. Tom begged for mercy, asking to go to rehab before his sentencing. The attorney agreed, saying Tom could enroll in the ARC in Minneapolis. But no one he knew would help him get there. As Tom exited the jail, he spotted the scraggly old man with long hair. “Given my hippie past, he looked like someone I could relate to,” Tom says. “I told him I needed help. He said he was there visiting a friend, but when he was finished, he’d see what he could do.” Tom’s describes his wait as excruciating. With tears streaming down his face, he prayed, “God, please get me to The Salvation Army. There’s nobody else to help me.” The old man came back out. Turns out he was from Fridley, Minn., just 10 miles from the rehabilitation center. He told Tom to hop into his car. During the ride, Tom found out that the old man was the father of Tom’s former drug partner, Steve (name changed)—the one who had been shot in the gut in Vermont five years earlier. “It still gives me chills,” Tom says. “Of all the hundreds of thousands of people who could have been at the jail, on that day, during those few minutes, it was this guy.” They talked and talked. Tom learned that Steve had spent months in a hospital bed and had almost died. The old www.prioritypeople.org

Tom’s Twin Cities Stores If you live in the Twin Cities and your local Salvation Army Store seems much improved lately, thank Tom Canfield—he’s the person in charge. In 2010, Tom became district manager of all nine metro area Salvation Army Store locations. Since then, all the stores have been remodeled, two new ones have opened, and two more are coming. Staff numbers have grown nearly 30 percent, and more than 150 donation collection boxes can be found across the metro area. Most impressive, annual sales have nearly doubled, going from $6.5 million to $12 million. All on Tom’s watch. The extra money is breathing new life into the Minneapolis Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC), which is funded by store sales. ‘All that extra cash is helping to save more men’s lives,’ Tom says. ‘We take tossed–away stuff and sell it for a profit. With the profit, we save tossed–away men.’ The Minneapolis ARC, replicated in cities around the nation, is a free program that provides beneficiaries with six to twelve months of food, shelter, and residential rehabilitation services for up to 130 men at a time. By day, the beneficiaries perform volunteer ‘work therapy’ for 36 to 40 hours per week, organizing and distributing clothing, furniture, and other donations. After work hours, they receive counseling and spiritual support, including Bible study. The ARC also offers worship services.

Salvation Story

man blamed it all on one person: Tom, the very person he was driving to rehab. “Then,” Tom says, choking back tears, “the old man said because of the ordeal with his son, he had come to know the power of Christ. He said he had learned how to forgive me for doing that to his boy.” That day, Tom and the old man became friends. They still talk to this day. Their encounter was Tom’s first glimpse of the love Jesus Christ had in store for him.

Trudi and Tom Canfield were married in August.

Reborn From the second Tom walked into the rehab center, he knew he was in the right spot. “Everyone there was so happy,” he said. “I’d never seen anything like it before. It completely freaked me out.” Tom would spend the next nine months getting sober, attending counseling and Bible classes, developing relationships, and surrendering his life to Christ. “I had an addiction to drugs and the lifestyle of being a drug dealer, making hundreds of thousands of dollars a year—and God washed it all away,” he says. By the time Tom’s day of sentencing came on Dec. 1, 2005, his faith was unshakable. Moments before seeing the judge, he prayed for God’s will to be done, even if it meant spending the next 12 years in jail. Several Salvation Army staff members spoke to the judge on Tom’s behalf. 44

His sentence: one year. In retrospect, he’s thankful for the jail time. “That one year in jail turned out to be a blessing,” Tom says. “I spent the whole time writing letters to the hundreds of people I’d hurt. It taught me the true meaning of forgiveness.” One of those letters was to an aging couple he bilked out of thousands. He had used their identity to buy a $5,000 snowmobile, which he then sold to buy heroin. “That man and his wife were Christians and they came to visit me,” Tom says. “They said they forgave me and didn’t want any restitution. They came in every week after that and had Bible studies with me.” Tom’s time in jail was the last bit of work needed to restore his spirit. Since then, he’s never looked back. Now 43, he married in August and manages nine Salvation Army stores in the Twin cities area. (See sidebar.) He has repaired

all the broken relationships in his life. Though his oldest son died tragically in a rock–climbing accident several years ago, he is now close with his four remaining kids. “One of my daughters has been texting me throughout this whole interview,” he quipped. Best of all, Tom’s relationship with God remains intact and gets stronger every day. “God and His love are 100 percent real,” he says. “Whether you’re a drug addict or a wildly successful person, without Him, you’re lost. If you receive Him, a light will come on inside your head. You’ll discover, with great clarity, the truth about why we’re here and what’s happening in the world. Tom’s message to others is: “He’s knocking. Let Him in.” That’s what Tom himself discovered on that 2005 “divine ride” to Minneapolis. www.prioritypeople.org

CHRISTMAS

A Kenyan Christmas Gift

y neighbor, Pekee, and I always had Bible study together Wednesday evenings. Today had been special. It was Christmas season, and we had been challenged by Scripture (1 John 4:7–11) about what it means to do things in love and with selflessness. After Pekee left, I sleepily checked my e–mail and became upset that payment for a painting I had sold to a client in Europe had not been wired. I was hoping that the money would arrive before Christmas so I could buy a bigger TV. As I drifted off to sleep, I shrugged off a distant idea of buying a gift for someone else as a show of selfless love. As soon as I dozed off, I was suddenly awakened by loud knocking. Pekee was shouting desperately, telling me to wake up. As soon as I opened the door, a panting, sweating Pekee grabbed my hand and dragged me along with him. He was half running and mumbling something about a fire at Mama Boyee’s house. She was a widow who had selflessly served in our Sang’alo Salvation Army Corps for close to 30 years. She had cooked, cleaned, and served without asking for a shilling. If you offered her money, she would smile and stubbornly refuse, saying that what the Lord did for her on Calvary was payment enough. As we ran through the bushes and made the corner to her house, we came to a horrifying scene; flames had www.prioritypeople.org

engulfed the house. Mama Boyee stood still, staring with an expressionless look, tears streaming down her face, as neighbors ran around trying to put out the fire. After three hours of throwing soil and buckets of water on the flames, we managed to put them out, but Mama Boyee had lost everything. This house was the last connection she had to her husband; they had built it back in 1984.

Faith in action The church pastor hosted Mama Boyee while everyone tried to figure out what to do. As the next day dawned, Pekee and I, having put our heads together, decided to put faith in action. Pekee was a mason, and he suggested that we build Mama Boyee a house before Christmas. I concurred, but we didn’t know where we could get the 50,000 kishillings (about $600) for constructing a simple mud–walled house. Neither of us had any money. We went to my place to rest, and as we pondered how we could raise the money, I received a new email; it was a godsend. My client had not only paid me but had resold my painting to a corporate client. I was exhilarated. The 500,000 kishillings (about $6,000) would be enough money to build Mama Boyee a permanent, self–contained, brick–walled house complete with glass windows. Pekee offered his masonry

by Boniface Simiyu

Mama Boyee with Boniface Simiyu in front of her new house.

skills, and I withdrew the money and gathered our fellow Army members. Like a swarm of bees, we pulled down the charred old house and fully constructed a new house made from prefabricated materials within five days—and without Mama Boyee’s knowledge. On Christmas day the pastor surprised a weeping Mama Boyee during the service with the keys to her beautiful brand–new house. The whole congregation walked her there singing the band’s new Christmas carol, “Zawadi ya Mungu” (Swahili for “A Gift from God”), and carrying gifts. It was Christmas indeed— for all of us. Since this Christmas miracle, the writer has become the director of the Widows4christ Ministry. The organization works through the San’galo Corps in western Kenya to help young people use innovative ideas to promote education for girls, fight female circumcision, and build homes for widows. Website: www.widows4christ.kbo.co.ke 45

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Commissioners Israel L. & Eva D. Gaither Territorial Leaders

All That I Am

‘I hustle to make my family stronger, I hustle to make my corps better, and I hustle to build the Kingdom of God.’

Focused on the Prize

by Jack C. Getz

Captains Andy and Abby Miller with their children: Georgia, Titus, and Andrew IV.

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All That I Am

Andy preaches in Lawrenceville, Ga.

hat’s going on inside Captain Dr. Andrew S. Miller III was recently revealed during the closing minutes of his message at his Salvation Army corps (church) in Lawrenceville, Ga. “I don’t want my life to be explainable by anything outside the context of the Holy Spirit,” he said. That reveals just about everything one needs to know about Andy Miller III, and anyone familiar with his rich family heritage might quickly add that this apple didn’t fall far from the family tree. His grandfather was Commissioner Andrew S. Miller, who became national commander and a true giant of the Salvation Army world. (See sidebar on p. 50.) Back in 1953, when that Andy was a lieutenant, he and his wife, Lieutenant Joan Miller, named their firstborn son Andrew S. Miller Jr. When Andy Jr. met and married Cheryl Tompkins, they entered training to become Salvation Army officers too. In 1980, they named their firstborn son Andrew S. Miller III. “My parents are the greatest people in the world, and every time I write my name with those three I’s behind it, I am blessed,” 32–year–old Captain Andy says.

Jesus follower at 5 Andy’s own faith isn’t “grandfathered” but arises, he says, “out of being nurtured in a community of faith as Spirit– filled Christians demonstrated to me the reality of God’s love.” He recalls being convicted and repenting of his own sins when he was just 5 years old. 48

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As he wrote in his testimony when he applied to enter officer training, “God’s grace continued to transform (or ‘convert’) my character, and I see the subsequent years functioning as justifying grace.” Captain Andy’s parents, Majors Andrew and Cheryl Miller, were pioneers in the Army as they began to home–school Andy and his siblings in the early 90s. “I give so much credit for my drive to excel in education to my parents, who faced some very difficult times for choosing to home–school us,” says Andy. “They are people of great conviction and courage who never wavered when it came to our education, and we, their children, are the beneficiaries of that.”

IV. They are also parents to Titus Wesley and Georgia Kay. After Andy earned a master of divinity and Abby a master of Christian education from Asbury Theological Seminary, they followed in family footsteps and made a commitment to become Salvation Army officers. Their first appointment as corps officers (pastors) was in the bustling metropolis of Arlington, Texas, where they served for five years.

A ‘doctor’ in practice

Holiness experience Andy continued to grow spirtually as well. When he was in high school, he responded to a holiness message at a camp meeting and experienced a moment of “sanctifying grace.” “From that point on, I was keenly aware that my life was radically different,” Andy wrote. “I understand that I was not just saved ‘from my sin, but also for holy living.’ ” He has models for that in his own family. “My parents and both sets of Andy with father and son at graduation grandparents, the Millers and the Tompkinses, are my heroes and mentors. I can While they were there, the Army approved Andy’s plan to study at Southern only hope I will stay faithful to God so Methodist University’s Perkins School someday I can be that kind of example of Theology, where he recently earned a to our three children.” Andy married his college sweetheart, D.Min. degree. (His brother is currently pursuing a doctorate as well.) Abby, in 2002. Their firstborn son’s Asked how practical a D.Min. is to name is—of course—Andrew S. Miller www.prioritypeople.org

his work as a Salvation Army officer, Andy quickly recalls a story about how a very large church in Arlington had declined to help with the Army’s local Christmas effort. Despite his best sales attempts, he made no progress until the pastor learned of Andy’s pursuit of a doctorate, at which point things changed quickly. “After that information reached him, we became good friends. In fact, his church stepped up and covered our Macy’s kettle every day of the Christmas season! It was a great help to us and a wonderful relationship to build for years to come.” Both Abby and Andy focus on finding ways to use their education to grow the ministries and programs of The Salvation Army. “If my name, education, or style opens doors of opportunity, I’ll walk through them,” Andy says. When asked about any advantages or disadvantages to carrying a name like Andrew S. Miller III, Andy says that both positives and negatives play out, depending on where he is. “In Arlington, virtually no one knew anything about my family heritage, so there I was, just Captain Andy. But here in the Atlanta are, there are many folks who knew my grandparents well, and some tell me I remind them of my Grandpa Miller. To me, that’s about as good as it gets.” “Regarding the negatives, I can’t control what others think or say about me, good or bad. All I can do is be intentional about making and maintaining good relationships with everyone, and working hard in my ministry.” 49

All That I Am

One of Andy’s special memories of his Grandpa Miller was when he told him that if people talk derisively about you, you have two options. “First, if they are lying or jealous, there’s not much you can do but forgive them. But if they’re telling the truth, you have some work to do inside yourself.”

‘God of mission has a church’ When asked to define mission, Captain

Miller immediately responds, “I have no mission—but God does, and He uses people to achieve it.” He says he resonates with the words of Bishop Lesslie Newbigin: “The church of God doesn’t have a mission. The God of mission has a church.” John Wesley wrote, “There is no holiness without social holiness.” Andy has written, “My experience of holiness demands that I seek to provide a hurting world with the opportunity of

restoration (physical and spiritual) in Jesus’ name. Social holiness is then the overflow of perfect love demonstrated most clearly in the three persons of the Trinity.” In a practical sense, Andy believes that a Salvation Army corps’ reach goes far beyond the traditional congregational or social service aspects of ministry. “Everything that happens at the Army in our geographical region is part of our corps. It’s not just those who

Witnessing to Someone Every Day

n the last few decades in the United States, virtually any uniform–wearing member of The Salvation Army was likely to be stopped on the street and asked, ‘Do you know Andy Miller?’ Most could assuredly answer, ‘Yes!’ In 1989, Commissioner Andrew S. Miller (at right above) retired as the national commander of The Salvation Army in the United

States. Though small in stature, Andy Miller was a spiritual giant who never forgot his primary mission in life—witnessing to someone every day about the Lord Jesus Christ. Stories abound about how he kept his mission alive, whether on the mean streets of a big city, in grocery stores, on airplanes, or in the corporate offices of America’s movers and shakers. One such story goes that after telling President Reagan about his commitment to witness every day, Andy was called back to the White House several weeks later. The President wanted to tell Andy that he had taken the opportunity to witness to Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev in a face–to–face meeting. Gorbachev told Reagan that his grandmother had had him

baptized as a young boy and had told him about Jesus. Miller’s fervent spirit for evangelism was rivaled only by his desire to see the Army’s mission seamlessly applied globally, to improve people’s lives. For him, every one of the Army’s practical ministries was designed to open doors to witness to God’s love. Even in his retirement, with waning physical capacity, Commissioner Andrew Miller served the Lawrenceville, Ga., Corps (church) as the recruiting sergeant; he found and recruited new soldiers (members) for The Salvation Army. In the last days of his life, the irrepressible spiritual presence of both Andy and Joan Miller were a daily witness in his care facility, until the day he passed into Glory.

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worship with us on Sunday; it’s our guests in the housing programs, all the people we help, our advisory board members, our volunteers and donors, and our employees who define each day what The Salvation Army is.” Then Andy adds, “I’ve got a 35–year plan to do all I can to be faithful to God and help people find Him through the

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Salvation Army’s ministries.” Andy’s self–evaluation reveals his values: “I work hard and I think I’m fearless, like a good salesman ought to be. I hustle to make my family stronger, I hustle to make my corps better, and I hustle to build the Kingdom of God.” One top Army leader once jokingly observed, “You always have something

going on, don’t you Andy?” When one of Andy’s contemporaries was asked to describe him, she smiled, paused a minute and said, “He’s really focused. It’s amazing how he doesn’t seem to get distracted like so many others do. He just keeps his eye on the prize and goes after it.” That definitely runs in the family.

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Prayer Power

Taking Prayer to Detroit Streets by Jacquelyn Bentson

ear–round, a Salvation Army Bed & Bread truck stops in front of a Detroit Salvation Army church to offer a meal those who need it. Captains Javier and Kelsie Moreno, the corps officers (pastors), saw this as an opportunity for their congregation to serve and pray with people in their neighborhood. So on certain Saturday afternoons, before the truck arrives, they set up a table in front of the Det roit Harding Corps (church). As passersby and people waiting for the Bed & Bread Truck gather, corps members reach out to them. In the summer, they cheerfully offer popsicles and lemonade. In winter, it’s hot chocolate and coffee along with a gift, such as warm gloves or a Salvation Army magazine. They also offer to pray with people. “Most everyone who passes by will stop and talk with us,” says Kelsie. “We minister in a rough neighborhood where you don’t see many smiles on the streets. So, to see a group of people with smiles and friendly faces—well, it’s happily received.” Once, about an hour into the prayer outreach, a group of weary people pulled up and spilled out of their car. They were searching for a missing child. “They’d heard from other neighbors that a group of church people were praying outside on the street,” recalls Kelsie. “They drove over specifically to ask us to pray with them.” While Kelsie doesn’t know the outcome, she believes praying helped those people in their time of need. One Bed & Bread truck regular

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arrives early each Saturday with her chihuahua. She sits in a lawn chair on the street and waits for the truck to arrive. It’s become Kelsie’s routine to bring the woman a hot or cold beverage (depending on the weather) and a cup of water for her dog. They’ve prayed together several times and the woman, appreciating the care, has embraced the prayer group. “The outreach has had a tremendous impact on our community,” said Kelsie. “We’ve had the opportunity to make connections with more than 700 people so far—people who may not have ever entered our building otherwise.” Two new families who met members of the congregation at the prayer outreach almost immediately connected with the corps for Sunday worship. The ministry has also paved the way for future interactions between social service programs and the corps. Soldiers (mem-

bers) are so excited about the Salvation Army’s increased visibility in the community that they’re becoming involved with other outreach programs, such as the weekly fresh food distribution. “Our soldiers have really stepped up to the challenge to be involved in intentional outreach,” says Javier. “The response from the community has been incredible. People are moved when we ask how we can pray for them; they’re so grateful to know that someone is there for them.” Everyone from homeless people to business professionals have approached the outreach group for prayer. Those needing prayer have even stopped by the building throughout the week with requests. “We’ve had people come by the corps and ask if any of those ‘praying people’ are here,” says Kelsie. “They know we’re a place you can come for prayer!” 53

Prayer Power

Christmas Eve Miracle by Craig Dirkes

Doctors at Mayo Clinic confirmed … that Ema’s spine, foot, and hand healed overnight.

ongtime Rochester, Minn., Salvation Army volunteer Ema McKinley is gaining worldwide attention following a 2011 Christmas Eve miracle that has Mayo Clinic doctors scratching their heads: One day she was crippled; the next she was walking. Ema, now 65, had an accident in 1993 that changed her life. Working in a warehouse, she fell off a ladder and hung by her foot from some shelving 30 feet in the air for more than two hours. After the accident, she developed Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome (RSD), a rare nerve disorder that cripples limbs and causes extreme pain and sensitivity to touch. By 1995 the RSD had taken over Ema’s body. For the next 17 years she was stuck in a wheelchair with her spine bent 90 degrees, her left foot shriveled, and her left hand locked shut. Highpitched noises, bright lights, or even the rumbling of a truck made her skin feel as if it were being burned by a blowtorch. “A gust of wind made my arm feel like it was in a 400–degree oven,” says Ema, whose daily intake of morphine often reached 2,000 mg—an elephant–size dose. For years, she’s wanted to ring the

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bell at a The Salvation Army kettle but never could because the ringing hurt her skin too much. Through it all, Ema’s faith in God was unshakable. At age 17, she accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior. So despite being deformed and in torturous pain, she was never bitter at God. Instead, she was committed to spreading His love everywhere she went. “You could ask the door guys at Mayo Clinic, the clerks in Walmart. Everywhere we went, people were touched by Ema because she always had a smile on her face,” says Cathy Ruggeberg, Ema’s personal caregiver since 1994. Ema’s miracle happened when she was totally helpless. At about 1 a.m. on Christmas Eve, she was working at her home computer and reached for something on her desk. Her wheelchair tipped over, and Ema fell out. She spent the next eight hours on the floor screaming for help and crying out to God as she writhed in impossible pain.

God shows up Then, Ema testifies, God showed up. Suddenly, as she lay on the floor, she saw God in a white robe and felt Him straightening her foot and growing it back to its original size. She watched as He opened her hand and regenerated the rotten flesh covering its underside, skin that hadn’t seen the light of day in 17 years. Then she rolled over on her back and realized that she was lying flat; her spine and neck had been straightened too. Then, Ema says, God knelt down at www.prioritypeople.org

her side. “He reached out His hand, and asked for mine,” she says. “And God, at that point, raised me up to my feet.” Ema found that she could walk— shakily, but she could walk. That Christmas Eve morning, when her son, Jason, came to the house, she walked down the hallway to greet him. “I saw her walking toward me, and I knew it had to be a miracle,” he says. Ema believes her healing happened for a reason. “This miracle was just so over the top! God is trying to get the attention of His children,” Ema says. “If anybody ever hears anything I say, I want it to be this: This is not just my miracle. This is everybody’s miracle. This is all about God and how much He loves each and every one of us, and what He can do for us if we just let Him.” Doctors at Mayo Clinic confirmed they’ve been treating McKinley for nearly 20 years and that her spine, foot, and hand healed overnight. She still has RSD, but the pain is not as severe. The doctors can’t explain what happened to Ema. Dr. C. Robert Stanhope, who has been a Mayo Clinic surgeon for 30 years, believes her healing was divine. “What happened to Ema last Christmas is simply not explainable to my knowledge from a medical perspective,” says Stanhope, who has never treated Ema but said he witnessed her “twisted and contorted state” for years at the Rochester Salvation Army, where he volunteers. “I believe the only explanation has to be

that God intervened in her life with a miracle.” Ema began volunteering at the Rochester Salvation Army in the mid–1980s, serving holiday meals until her accident in 1993. Post–accident, she kept on volunteering every Thanksgiving and Christmas, though the best she could do was greet people at the door. “She’d tell everybody that regardless of what happened in their life, [they should] be thankful and be faithful,” said Major James Frye, leader of the Rochester Salvation Army since 2006. “She used her situation as a testament to show how faith in God can get you through anything. And now look at her.” Major Frye still can’t believe Ema’s miracle. Then again, he can. “When I first saw Ema after the miracle I thought, ‘Are we in another dimension?’ ” he said. “It’s almost too wonderful to be true, but yet it’s true. With God, anything is possible.” To hear a two–part TV interview with Ema, go to www.prioritypeople.org and click on the links.

147 (&100) Years Ago

“Christmas Gift” Becomes the Giver by Linda D. Johnson

vangeline Booth, daughter of William and Catherine Booth, became the General of The Salvation Army after serving for 30 years as U.S. commander. The woman who would become known for her theatrical presentations of the Gospel even entered the world in dramatic fashion. P. Whitwell Wilson, in General Evangeline Booth, describes the scene in a chapter called “The Christmas Gift.” On Christmas Day, 1865, it was weather that Dickens might have described. Snow lay on the ground and six children in the parlour were celebrating the festival of childhood. The door opened and there entered a thin, pale, restless man, wearing a long coat and beard that seemed to double his age. He had steel–gray eyes, a strong aquiline nose and an abundance of black hair. He carried a hamper, and with great expectations it was opened. Within lay a new–born baby. She is known today as Evangeline, the daughter of the angels at Bethlehem. The sounds that first greeted her ear were not the clatter of machinery, the roar of traffic, the thunders of war. Those sounds were the chime of bells and the melody of carols. As Baby “Eva” grew up, Christmas bells rung at Salvation Army kettles would come to symbolize the Army’s passion for helping the poor. In 1912, 100 years ago, the Army ran an ad that

Evangeline Booth (seated at left) distributes holiday baskets.

asked for donations to help the Army provide “FREE Christmas Dinners for 300,000 poor people … throughout the United States.” People were asked to send their contributions to “Miss Booth” at the Army’s headquarters on 14th Street in New York City. (See ad, right.) Around the nation that year, Salvation Army bells were ringing. r In Oklahoma City, Captain J.E. Atkins reported that with $250 collected, the Army was able to supply 75 families with baskets of roast beef dinners. r In Dothan, Ala., 1912 was the first year for bell–ringing. By 2010, the kettle effort raised $150,000. r In Honolulu, Salvation Army workers fanned out, visiting camps and

tenements, to identify the needy, then supplied dinner for 250, baskets for 175 families, and a Christmas event for 600 kids. And back in New York City, Evangeline herself would preside, as was her custom, over the distribution of baskets to the poor. “The Christmas Gift” had become the Christmas giver–in–chief.